Tag: religion

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Hindu Heritage Month

In 2003, the Florida House of Representatives designated February as Hindu Heritage Month to honor the Hindu residents of the state that add to its diversity and help better the state by promoting their cultures and traditions, spreading knowledge and culture. The month was selected more due to the fact that many Hindus worship Goddess Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge, wisdom, and learning, in February.

The Hindu culture is both diverse and rich as Hinduism dates back to the Indus Valley over 4,000 years ago, making it the oldest religion in the world. Hindu Heritage Month gives people an opportunity to learn about and appreciate the Hindu culture. The South Florida Hindu Temple in Southwest Ranches in conjunction with other organizations holds events for the public to learn about myths and misconceptions about the Hindu culture, but also to experience the rich culture. However, temples are not the only place to learn about Hindu heritage, as there are programs, classes, and monuments everywhere.

In Davie, you can find Mahatma Gandhi Square, which features a seven-foot tall bronze statue of the man who helped gain India’s independence. Not only is he known for helping with independence, but Hindus focus more on how he accomplished the goal through nonviolence. Hindus practice ahimsa, non-violence, which Gandhi exemplified in a time of great conflict and struggle.

Throughout South Florida, many cultural programs can be found as well. Bharatnatyam, the oldest classical dance in India, serves as a way for many Hindus to express their devotion to god and to tell
stories of their culture through a beautiful dance form. Kathak
dances originated in North India and are known for their storytelling through rhythmic foot movements. There are many traditional music and dance programs that are offered to the public through the Broward arts council that offer a way to learn about this rich aspect of Hindu heritage.

Besides giving the community a chance to learn about another religion and culture, Hindu Heritage Month is an opportunity for Hindus to celebrate and appreciate their heritage in a society that is continuing to move away from traditions as popular culture grows in influence. February gives Hindus a chance to strengthen their ties to their heritage and culture. Fully immersing themselves in Hindu  traditions and celebrations may help them come to accept themselves and their lifestyle. Normally February holds activities like cultural programs, day of service activities, and a time for reflection and learning. I hope that everyone uses this month to learn and appreciate the lives of others and themselves as this diversity is what makes society better for everyone, giving all the opportunity to learn about the world and everyone that inhabits it.

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Florida preserves college-level civics literacy requirements

Who’s second in the line of presidential succession? Speaker of the House, you say? Good job. You know your civics.

When President Reagan was shot in 1981, Secretary of State Alexander Haig said, “Constitutionally, gentlemen, you have the president, the vice president, and the secretary of state in that order…I am in control here.”

Haig later insisted he was talking about the executive branch, not the presidential line of succession. Speaker of the House, Tip O’Neill, was not amused.

Either way, Florida wants to make sure its citizens are civics literate. So if you didn’t know your civics in high school, you’re in luck, because civics literacy is a graduation requirement at all state colleges and universities. It has been since 2017.

Civics literacy means an understanding of history and how government works.

Earlier this year, Gov. Ron DeSantis wanted to amend the 2017 law, introducing “The Florida Civic Literacy Test,” which basically was just a version of the U.S. Immigration Services Naturalization Test.

It was a 100 multiple-choice test and you only had to get 60 right to pass, the equivalent of a “D” letter grade.

To be clear, there are 100 questions would-be citizens have to study, but the examiner randomly selects ten from the 100 and the test taker isn’t given multiple choices. They have to know the answers to six questions, in addition to passing reading, writing, and speaking tests.

The Florida Department of Education (FDE) withdrew the amendment it had proposed after parties petitioned against it at the end of May. The amendment would have added the test as one of several options by which Florida College System students could demonstrate civic literacy competency.

But a representative from the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA), one of the petitioners against the proposed rule change, said that the citizenship test is problematic. “The problem with the proposed rule was that it created a test that could be passed by scoring 60 percent on a memorization test instead of completing a university-level course or an existing assessment specifically designed to measure collegiate level learning,” said Jonathan Pidluzny, ACTA’s vice president of academic affairs.

An ACTA press release states that the proposed rule would have “seriously weakened” the 2017 law, which says educators must “establish course competencies and identify outcomes that include, at minimum, an understanding of the basic principles of American democracy and how they are applied in our republican form of government, an understanding of the United States Constitution, knowledge of the founding documents, and how they have shaped the nature and functions of our institutions of self-governance, and an understanding of landmark Supreme Court cases and their impact on law and society.”

The Parklander requested a copy of the multiple-choice test from the Florida Department of Education, but officials did not supply one.

Civics test

A recent survey of 41,000 Americans, conducted by the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation, indicates less than four in ten Americans could pass a civics test. Some other notable facts from the survey: Those in Vermont had the highest passing rate (53 percent); the next four highest scoring states were Wyoming, South Dakota, Montana, and Virginia. Meanwhile, Louisiana had the lowest passing rate (27 percent), followed by Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, and Kentucky. Florida’s score was 29 percent. The questions below come from 100 used in the citizenship test.

Scroll below for correct answers

  1.  What is the supreme law of the land?
  2. When was the Constitution written?
  3. How many voting members are in the House of Representatives?
  4. What position is third in line of Presidential succession? (Hint, it’s still not Secretary of State.)
  5. Who is the current Chief Justice of the United States?
  6.  How many justices are on the Supreme Court?
  7. What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803?
  8. The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name one of the writers.
  9. Name one right or freedom under the First Amendment.
  10.  Who was the president during World War I?

ANSWERS:

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Diwali

With the arrival of the season of fall comes the Hindu festival of lights, Diwali. Diwali, one of the biggest Hindu celebrations, is a five-day festival that usually occurs in mid-October or mid-November, and it celebrates the victory of good/light over evil/darkness in different forms and has many legends behind its origin. Lord Rama’s return from his 14-year exile after defeating King Ravana, Lord Krishna’s triumph over the demon Narakasura, and Lord Vishnu’s defeat of King Bali. During Diwali, Goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity, is honored. Diyas and clay lamps are lit inside and outside of homes.

The lighting of Diyas signifi es the destruction through knowledge of all negative qualities, violence, anger, jealousy, greed, and fear; thus celebrating the victory of good over evil. This year, Diwali (the third day) is on November 14. The first day is known as Dhanatrayodashi, and it represents when Lord Dhanvantari, the Hindu god of medicine, brought Ayurveda, the science of medicine, to mankind.

It also marks the day whenGoddess Lakshmi was born from the churning of the ocean. On Dhantrayodashi, people usually buy gold, silver, utensils, and clothes. The second day of Diwali is Naraka Chaturdasi. On this day, Lord Krishna destroyed the demon Narakasura. People often take a holy bath and relax.

The third day of Diwali, often called Diwali itself, Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped during Lakshmi Puja in the evening. It is also the darkest day of the month, Amavasya, so Diyas are lit and placed outside the home to keep darkness from entering. The fourth day is celebrated for various reasons in different parts of India. For example, in Gujarat, this day is celebrated as the New Year. The fourth day is also known as Annakut, which means “mountain of food.” Large offerings of vegetarian food are given to Lord Krishna for his defeat over Lord Indra. The fifth and final day is called Bhai Duj, and it celebrates a sister’s love for her brother.

During Diwali celebrations, you will find homes lit with Diyas, doorsteps decorated with rangolis to welcome guests with great honor, fireworks to celebrate the new year, and amazing sweets and delicacies to share with friends and families. Most importantly, Hindu families give thanks. Hindu families give thanks for all they have been blessed with and share their blessings with others and the community at large. During Diwali many of our local temples have food drives to share their blessings.

From Hinduism Today

FACT: Believing that the Divine resides in all things, Hindus practice non-injury and hold a deep respect, bordering on reverence, for all living beings. This embracing attitude is reflected in India’s history of welcoming refugees from all cultures and faiths. By following dharma, Hindus eschew violence and terror. Secure in their faith, they interact harmoniously with their neighbors, regardless of religious affiliation.

FICTION: Many people wrongly believe that Hindus, being proud of their religion, may disdain other cultures. In fact, Hindus fully accept the spiritual efficacy of other paths and never proselytize.

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The High Holy Days of 2020

In the Bible, we find the origin for the holiday of Rosh Hashanah. The Book of Leviticus (23:24- 25) declares: “In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe a day of rest, a memorial proclaimed with the blowing of the shofar, a holy convocation.” However, for the first time in thousands of years, the delivery model for this worship will change.

The Hebrew root for the word “Shanah” means to change, shinui. This is typically referring to our personal evaluation and change that takes place over the High Holy Days, but this year we are faced with even greater ways to transform our worship.

Over the past few months, clergy have struggled with the dilemma of how to offer meaningful worship for the High Holy Days during the COVID-19 pandemic. The questions range from: “Can we accomplish a lengthy service filled with sermons, song, shofar blasts, and Torah readings through a virtual platform?” to “Can we figure out how to safely host a socially-distanced service where the clergy and a choir deliver a full worship service?”

Most have concluded that online is the only way to ensure the safety of their congregations. Unfortunately, this leads to a myriad of other dilemmas:

  • Will worship be in a virtual meeting platform (interactive both ways) or on a webinar (interactive one-way) where people can only see the speaker?
  • Should we pre-record or conduct live services?
  • Should we stream worship to a website or a social media account?
  • What if we lose power, Wi-Fi cuts out, or my children walk in and interrupt the service?

For a religion like Judaism, which places a great deal of importance on tradition and communal gatherings for Torah reading and saying certain prayers in a minyan, a gathering of 10 adults all tackling a new delivery model for the holiest day of the year seems like a great mountain to climb.

Martin Buber, a great 20th-century Jewish philosopher, once wrote about the distinction between an I-It relationship and an I-Thou relationship. The I-It relationship is a superficial relationship between two people, which is now reinforced through virtual meetings thanks to mandatory isolation. The I-Thou relationship is the creation of a deeper connection with another human being, leading us closer to a relationship with God.

The true task of the High Holy Days is not about how long the worship service runs or if it was the best video and music production. It is about the prayer, the melancholy tones that are chanted, and a sermon that educates, inspires, and provides hope for the year to come. It will be the roles of the clergy to create space for the I-Thou relationship to occur.

Psalm 82:1 reminds us that “God stands in the congregation of God” and we have an opportunity to reinterpret this metaphor in our current reality.

The world feels so very broken right now. People are not only fighting a virus in different ways but are bombarded with the tense political climate. We are suffering losses in many capacities; we are grieving loved ones, missing our “normal” routines, and missing out on the ability to visit with friends and family. These changes have affected our mental and physical wellbeing and will continue to do so as we see no end in sight.

The Yamim Noraim, the Days of Awe, remind us that life continues to move forward whether we are ready for it or not. However bleak things may be, we must continue to search for meaning and find our purpose. By taking the time to pause on these High Holy Days, we cash in on the reality check we all so desperately need. The world is reaching its birthday on Rosh Hashanah and we have a chance to renew ourselves and refocus our goals.

For some, not entering a physical building removes a barrier for worship participation. By observing the High Holy Days in a virtual platform, there is no one to care what shoes or handbag you are wearing or to remember when you last stepped foot in a synagogue. No one can hear whether you know the words and sing along, or if your child is making noise in the background.

The playing field for participation is leveled. Everyone has the same seat in the sanctuary – in front of an electronic device. You can have your camera off or on – you can be seen or hold on to your anonymity.

For others, this virtual space will be much harder. Those who look forward to experiencing everything happening in three dimensions or reuniting with friends they have not seen all summer will feel as if they missed out on something. Everyone will be muted figuratively and literally.

One thing is for certain. Whatever happens, it will most definitely not be a repeat of the year prior or of decades before. Clergy have been pushed in new directions to rethink High Holy Days altogether. We must remember that this is not necessarily a bad thing. Inspired by learning new technology, they have been forced to innovate, which may prove to be particularly engaging for everyone in the virtual prayer space.

It is important to use this time to reflect on the change you want to occur in your life before you experience a new modality of worship. May you all have a Shanah Tovah, a “good change” or a happy new year, and a G’mar Chatimah Tovah, be inscribed (in the Book of Life) for good.

 

By Rabbi Melissa Stollman

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