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Showing posts from September, 2007

Sponsors Needed for Village Wells

Village Well Project 2007 Deep Water Wells for Community Wellness Malawi, Africa CitiHope International, a non-government humanitarian aid organization, and WorldHope Corps, a new non-profit in New Jersey, seeks sponsors and co-sponsors for 20 village wells in a remote area of northern Malawi in need of fresh water. Here's why: One out of 5 kids die before age 5, mostly due to preventable, waterborne diseases. Clean water is a big challenge in remote places in Malawi. Kids die before age 5 largely due to diseases they get from unsanitary water conditions (dysentery, cholera, malaria, etc). This can be prevented by potable water from a deep well. One borehole of at least 50 meters in depth will provide fresh water for 2,000 villagers. The total cost for drilling the borehole, plus the mechanical apparatus, the necessary repair and maintenance fund, sanitation instructions and training, and a simple irrigation system for a community garden is $10,000. (That translates into

Rosh Hashanah

The email reminder I received today in my Inbox I joyfully pass on to you: The High Holy Day season is upon us once again and on behalf of Drew Hillel, I would like to share just a few words about this critical time with you. As the sun sets on the land this Wednesday, Jews around the world will celebrate Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, 5768. Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of the Days of Awe: a time for introspection, when we reflect upon the past year. What mistakes did I make? Did I do wrong by my neighbor? During this time, we are expected to seek reconciliation and forgiveness for our transgressions – directly with the people against whom we may have transgressed! The great Rabbi A.J. Heschel once said, “…Every one of us individually will be called upon to give account of the life we lived. Our destiny will be determined by what we do or fail to do”. Hence, we also ask: in what ways did I help others and how can I do even more this coming year? The shofar, a ram’s ho

Prophetic Leadership Needed at Ocean Grove

I wrote a letter today to Drew faculty and friends who have a vested interest in what happens at the historic Methodist Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association in Ocean Grove, NJ.: To Drew faculty and friends: In light of this morning's Matriculation Service on the theme of forgiveness and grace in the prophetic tradition of Hosea, I thought you might appreciate an update on the civil unions controversy in Ocean Grove--where Drew offers an annual summer DMIN course (for the last 10 years) and where I serve on the Board of Trustees. As a vocal member with a minority opinion, I joined several others in Ocean Grove calling for hospitality, inclusion and embrace of residents of the Grove who would like to use common space for civil union ceremonies, at least in the Ocean Pavilion. Our counsel was not heeded and every attempt to introduce compromise into this heated debate was rejected. Local protests erupted over Labor Day in Ocean Grove in response to recent actions taken by the Board o

Summer of Love 40th Anniversary

San Francisco, Labor Day, 2007 We were there! michael, Rachel and Megan San Francisco, Labor Day, 1967