News
John Adams’ Nativity oratorio ‘El Nino’ gets colorful staging at the Met
By Mike Silverman — April 19, 2024
NEW YORK (AP) —The production is a retelling of the birth and early life of Jesus through a mix of biblical verses and modern Latin American poetry, medieval texts and apocrypha.
Animal cruelty officer-turned-animal chaplain Matty Giuliano loves ferrets and St. Francis
By Kathryn Post — April 18, 2024
EATONTOWN, N.J. (RNS) — ‘I know there are plenty of people out there who believe animals have no souls,’ said Giuliano. ‘And I cannot accept one of God’s creation is, spiritually, the equivalent of a cup of ice cream.’
Israelis prepare for a Passover overshadowed by war and loss
By Michele Chabin — April 18, 2024
JERUSALEM (RNS) — Some households in Israel are limiting the number of Seder guests out of fear that Iran or one of its proxies will attack Israel during the Passover observance.
Europe’s Jews expand security program as they grapple with antisemitic fallout of Gaza war
By David I. Klein — April 18, 2024
(RNS) — After being piloted in six communities, a European Community-sponsored security program, EUCARE, is now ready to be implemented across the continent.
New leader of Jesse Jackson’s civil rights organization steps down just months on the job
By Sophia Tareen — April 18, 2024
CHICAGO (AP) —Haynes, 63, said he felt it was “necessary” to move on in light of “challenges that continue to exist,” but declined to elaborate further.
Once a fringe Indian ideology, Hindu nationalism is now mainstream, thanks to Modi’s decade in power
By Krutika Pathi and Sheikh Saaliq — April 18, 2024
AHMEDABAD, India (AP) — Supporters and critics agree on one thing: Modi has achieved staying power by making Hindu nationalism acceptable — desirable, even — to a nation of 1.4 billion that for decades prided itself on pluralism and secularism
Israelis grapple with how to celebrate Passover, a holiday about freedom, while many remain captive
By Sam Mednick — April 18, 2024
JERUSALEM (AP) — This year, Alon Gat is struggling with how to reconcile a holiday commemorating freedom after his mother was slain and other family members abducted when Hamas attacked Israel.
Sydney teen accused of stabbing 2 clerics showed no signs of radicalization, Muslim leader says
By Rod Mcguirk and Mark Baker — April 18, 2024
SYDNEY (AP) — The teen spoke in Arabic about the Prophet Muhammad being insulted after he stabbed Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel and the Rev. Isaac Royel during Monday night's Assyrian Orthodox service, which was being streamed online.
Prominent Baptist pastor in military-ruled Myanmar detained again hours after release from prison
By Grant Peck — April 18, 2024
BANGKOK (AP) — The Rev. Hkalam Samson was among the 3,300 prisoners released nationwide on Wednesday to mark the traditional Thingyan New Year holiday.
Nancy French had it all — then along came Trump. Her new book ‘Ghosted’ tells all.
By Bob Smietana — April 18, 2024
(RNS) — Once a go-to ghostwriter for conservative politicians, Nancy French lost friends and many of her clients for criticizing Donald Trump.
Hindu Lord Ram road-trips through the United States
By Richa Karmarkar — April 17, 2024
(RNS) — For the first time in North America, an image of Lord Ram is being paraded from temple to temple on a two-month-long road trip, just in time for the deity’s birthday, Ram Navami.
Frederick D. Haynes resigns abruptly as leader of Rainbow PUSH Coalition
By Adelle M. Banks — April 17, 2024
(RNS) — Haynes, the pastor of Friendship-West Baptist Church in Dallas, had been in the role at Rainbow PUSH for less than a year.
Father of boy accused of stabbing 2 Sydney clerics saw no signs of extremism, Muslim leader says
By Mark Baker and Rod Mcguirk — April 17, 2024
SYDNEY (AP) — Kheir is among several community leaders who have accused police of unnecessarily raising community tensions with a premature declaration on Tuesday that the attack at Christ the Good Shepherd Church fit the definition of a terrorist act.
‘The Hopeful,’ film about Adventist origins, debuts in theaters
By Kathryn Post — April 17, 2024
(RNS) — ‘I think a lot of those misconceptions that Adventists maybe aren’t mainstream Christians, I think they’re going to be challenged,’ said director and co-producer Kyle Portbury.
In time for Passover, the first Ukrainian-language Haggadah goes to print
By David I. Klein — April 16, 2024
(RNS) — ‘It is a symbol of how we’ve manifested as Ukrainian Jews, that we are something different, not just Soviet Jews anymore,’ said the translator of the Passover liturgy.
