Consider and Converse: Dayenu

Sh’ma Now curates conversations on a single theme rooted in Jewish tradition and the contemporary moment. At the heart of this issue of Sh’ma Now is the theme of “Dayenu” – “It would have been enough.”

Dhammachayo’s supervisors asked to consider his disrobing

The Sangha Supreme Council has no power to disrobe controversial former abbot Phra Dhammachayo as that authority belongs to his direct monastic supervisors, it was concluded at the council’s meeting on Friday. That was in response to a complaint filed by the National Office of Buddhism against the monk, who is now honorary abbot of the Dhammakaya Temple in Pathum Thani and wanted by authorities for money laundering and accepting stolen assets.

iSpy with my little iPhone

The annual Education Conference organized by Yedioth Ahronoth and its website Ynet provides the Hebrew-language newspaper with a myriad of juicy quotes about the current political state in the country, and even on the proper way for parents to raise their children. “The leaders are heating up the debate in order to gain political power,” reads the daily’s front page, quoting President Reuven Rivlin, the conference’s keynote speaker.

Priests joining anti-drug ops – awkward’

CATHOLIC priests joining the police anti-illegal drug operations would be “awkward,” a priest of the Diocese of Bacolod said. Fr. Felix Pasquin, rector of San Sebastian Cathedral, said the priests and the religious can cooperate with the drug campaign of the Philippine National Police , but in some other ways and not to join Oplan Tokhang.

With economy up, crime down, why are the Dutch discontent?

Firebrand anti Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders answers question from the media during an election campaign stop outside De Telegraaf newspaper buildings in Amsterdam Netherlands, Sunday, March 5, 2017. Wilders said he would ban Turkey’s entire Cabinet from visiting the Netherlands in coming weeks to prevent ministers campaigning here for a referendum on changing Turkey’s constitution.

Out of the depths

We are living in an unprecedented time of religious persecution and martyrdom in the modern world. There were more recognized martyrs in the 20th century than in the whole of previous Christian history.

Maharashtra govt launches pilot project to map wakf lands

State government statistics suggest that Maharashtra has around 93,418 acres of wakf land spread over about 23,566 registered properties. In a first step to assess the extent of wakf lands spread out in prime areas across the state, the Maharashtra government has launched a pilot project to map out these properties and the encroachments on them.

Survivors denounce Vatican handling of Peru abuse case

In this Oct. 31, 2015 file photo, the book Half Monks, Half Soldiers stands for sale at a bookstore in Lima, Peru. Victims of Latin America’s latest charismatic Catholic leader-turned-sexual predator Luis Fernando Figari first complained to the Lima archdiocese in May 2011, but neither the local church nor the Holy See took concrete action until Pedro Salinas’ book, “Half Monks, Half Soldiers,” was published in 2015.

UN envoy and Church leaders in DR Congo condemn attacks against Catholic facilities

New York, Feb 25 : The United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the National Episcopal Conference of Congo, known as CENCO have called for an immediate end to the spate of violent attacks against Catholic facilities in several parts of the country. The UN Organization Stabilization Mission and CENCO, along with the Apostolic Nunciature said they are deeply concerned about recent attacks on parishes and other Catholic facilities.

Guatemalan navy seizes abortion ship

Naval forces of Guatemala seized a ship belonging to Women on Waves — a Dutch organization that provides abortions on the high seas. The group was committing abortions on women who were 10 weeks pregnant or less just outside the territorial waters of Guatemala.

Leading critic of Philippine leader arrested on drug charges

A senator who has been a leading critic of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s deadly anti-drug crackdown was arrested Friday on drug charges but professed her innocence and vowed she would not be intimidated by a leader she called a “serial killer.” Sen. Leila de Lima was arrested a day after the Regional Trial Court in Muntinlupa city in the Manila metropolis issued the warrant for her and other officials who have been charged by state prosecutors for allegedly receiving bribes from detained drug lords.

Priest arrested in plot to poison senior cleric

Police in Georgia have detained a high-profile priest who is suspected of plotting to poison a senior cleric, prosecutors said on Monday. The announcement comes after well-respected Rustavi 2 television channel reported about an attempt to poison Patriarch Ilia, head of the Georgian Orthodox Church.

Healthcare system crisis ‘one of the darkest shadows’ hanging over Ireland – Archbishop

Two of the country’s most senior catholic bishops have expressed serious criticisms of the healthcare system with one warning that the “system itself is sick and in need of healing”. Two of the country’s most senior catholic bishops have expressed serious criticisms of the healthcare system with one warning that the “system itself is sick and in need of healing”.

Dozens arrested in ultra-Orthodox anti-draft protests

Ultra-Orthodox demonstrators during a protest against the jailing of Jewish seminary student who failed to comply with an army recruitment order, in Jerusalem’s Mea Shearim neighborhood, February 7, 2017. Some 50 people were arrested on Tuesday evening during a series of protests by ultra-Orthodox demonstrators against the arrest of a member of their community being held by military police for not presenting himself for army service.

Jallikattu contempt plea over SC judge

New Feb. 4: The Supreme Court has decided to consider a plea for contempt proceedings against some pro-jallikattu activists for spreading insinuations against one of its own sitting judges in the row over the bull-taming sport. The plea was filed by an NGO, Compassion Unlimited Plus, yesterday.

Significant appointment for the Catholic Church in…

The New Zealand bishops today announced that Deacon Danny Karatea-Goddard will be taking on a new part-time role with Secretariat for Te Huinga o ng Phopa Katorika o Aotearoa / the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference supporting the secretariat The New Zealand bishops today announced that Deacon Danny Karatea-Goddard will be taking on a new part-time role with Secretariat for Te Huinga o ngA PA hopa Katorika o Aotearoa / the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference supporting the secretariat and the bishops in their commitment to Katorika MA ori.

Rare Red Heifer Eligible for Third Temple Offering Found, And You Won’t Believe Where

A rabbi in a remote region of Mexico he went to a dairy farm to purchase milk, and was shocked when he saw a vital element of the Third Temple right in front of his eyes: a red heifer calmly chewing its cud under the Baja sun. “I’ve grown up with the stories, so I know how rare and valuable the red heifer is,” Rabbi Benny “Bentsion” Hershcovich told Breaking Israel News.

Francysk Skaryna, Belarus’s Martin Luther

THIS year, the 500th anniversary of his “95 Theses on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences”, Martin Luther’s legacy is being re-examined. A cacophony of events , ranging from exhibitions to church services, will consider the global impact of the Reformation.

Jerusalem mayor praises ‘friend’ Trump and slams Obama

Nothing will rain on our parade! Triumphant Donald Trump promises a beautiful day as he tells his supporters: ‘I’m going to be cheering YOU’ Trump lays wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns in somber Arlington Cemetery ceremony just one day before he becomes commander-in-chief Jerusalem mayor praises ‘friend’ Trump and slams Obama for ‘surrendering’ to radical Islam in video welcoming The Donald as President The mayor of Jerusalem has praised Donald Trump as a ‘friend’ while slamming outgoing U.S. president Barack Obama accusing him of ‘surrendering’ to radical Islam. Jerusalem mayor Nir Barkat released a video on Thursday ahead of Trump’s inauguration urging people to welcome him when he is sworn in as president.

Bishops call for prayers, support for peace ina

Bishops call for prayers, support for peace in Holy Land Bishop Oscar CantAo, of the Las Cruces Catholic Diocese, was among bishops who made pilgrimage to the Middle East Check out this story on lcsun-news.com: http://lcsun.co/2k66SKT LAS CRUCES – An international council of Catholic bishops, including Las Cruces Catholic Diocese Bishop Oscar CantAo , continues to call for an end to longtime hostilities in the Middle East. The Coordination of Episcopal Conferences in Support of the Church of the Holy Land, also known as the Holy Land Coordination, concluded its annual pilgrimage Wednesday to the Holy Land.

St. Petersburg defends transfer of landmark to church

In the latest scandal involving the powerful Russian Orthodox Church, authorities in St. Petersburg on Thursday defended a controversial decision to give a city landmark cathedral to the church. Museum experts and locals in Russia’s former imperial capital were rattled by the governor’s announcement this week that he was transferring St. Isaac’s Cathedral to the church.

The Failure of Jewish Universalism

The never-ending push by numerous Jews to universalize all aspects and rituals of Judaism is shortchanging and endangering the Jewish people. Hermann Cohen was an influential German Jewish philosopher who felt there was no distinction between being Jewish and a citizen of the world because the purpose of the Jew was to sacrifice his “parochial” Jewish interests in causes for humanity that, for him, were greater than immediate Jewish needs.

Beauty queen Anastasia Lin won’t back down

When she entered Miss World 2016, the Canadian was under no illusions about coming home with the crown. Getting on stage would be enough: the final is broadcast around the globe, including in her native China, where her father has been harassed and prevented from leaving since 2015.

Thanks Obama=

Recently, President Obama spearheaded a UN resolution effectively declaring Judaism’s and Christianity’s holiest sites, the Temple Mount, Church of the Holy Sepulchre and Western Wall, Israeli occupied territory belonging to Palestinians. Now, Muslims are demanding Jews and Christians stop referring to the site by it’s historical Jewish name, the Temple Mount.

Deal reached to end DRCongo political crisis

The government and opposition parties in the DR Congo on Saturday clinched a hard-won deal over President Joseph Kabila’s fate, ending a political crisis that sparked months of deadly unrest. Under the terms of the deal, Kabila will stay until the “end of 2017” but a transition council will be established, headed by opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi.

Most-watched Clean Cuts, UTubers of 2016

An adorable 3-year-old Latter-day Saint who shared her testimony of Jesus Christ through song, a haka that reduced a New Zealand bride to tears and several local contestants who auditioned for the final season of “American Idol” were at the top of this year’s most popular Clean Cuts and UTubers. In 2016, Deseret News readers were introduced to 3-year-old Claire Crosby.

The Latest: Israeli envoy says UN vote an act against Israel

In this July 14, 2015 file photo, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference with Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders at the Prime Minister’s office in Jerusalem. Some suburban Philadelphia high school alumni say theyA’ve sent a 1960s yearbook to one of their most famous classmates, Netanyahu.

LDS missionary dies in South Africa

A full-time missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from New Zealand, serving in the South Africa Johannesburg Mission, died on Dec. 23. Elder Nofo-I-Lelenga Latu, 19, from the Auckland New Zealand Tamaki Stake, Clover Park Ward, died of injuries sustained in a car accident. He was traveling with three other missionaries, who are being treated for minor injuries.