Latest news with #TempleSinai
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
New College of Florida receives $2.5 million gift for new education center
New College of Florida has received a $2.5 million gift from the DSF Charitable Foundation, the philanthropic organization of the David Scaife family, to fund the Contemplation and Education Center on its Sarasota Bay campus. Located on Sarasota Bay, the Contemplation and Education Center will support a range of academic, spiritual, and civic functions. The facility is expected to host interfaith ceremonies, meditation and reflections, academic lectures, and community gatherings such as weddings and memorials. 'If approved by the board of trustees, this gift from the DSF Charitable Foundation allows us to create a space that embodies the values of reflection, learning, and community,' New College President Richard Corcoran said. 'The Contemplation and Education Center will serve as a sanctuary for students, faculty, and the broader Sarasota community.' Rabbi Michael G. Cohen has been appointed the new spiritual leader at Temple Sinai in Sarasota, the synagogue announced. Cohen, who began his tenure on July 1, most recently served as rabbi at Central Synagogue-Beth Emeth in Rockville Centre, New York. He served nine years as a Jewish chaplain in the U.S. Army in Fort Stewart, Georgia, and five years in the U.S. Army Special Operations Command as a psychological operations sergeant. His military service included deployments to Haiti, Korea, Kuwait, Qatar, and Afghanistan. "This is an exciting time for the future of Temple Sinai as we move forward in our next chapter," said Sherry Thomas, Temple Sinai president. "Rabbi Cohen's unique combination of military service, scholarly achievement, and pastoral experience makes him an ideal fit for our congregation.' Cohen earned a bachelor's degree from Brandeis University, a master's in Hebrew Letters and ordination from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, and a master's in Jewish nonprofit management from the University of Southern California (Zelikow School). Originally from Nashville, Cohen is married to Dr. Sharon Poczter, an economist and professor at Yeshiva University. The couple has two children, Neil and Golda. The Englewood Chamber of Commerce recently announced the return of the Little Miss and Mr. Englewood Pageant and the Miss Englewood Pageant as part of the annual Englewood Pioneer Days in August. 'We are thrilled to bring back the beloved tradition of the Little Miss and Mr. Englewood Pageant and the Miss Englewood Pageant,' said Doug Izzo, executive director of the Englewood Chamber. 'These events have long been a cherished part of Englewood Pioneer Days and we are excited to see our community come together to celebrate the next generation of Englewood pride.' The Little Miss and Mr. Englewood Pageant will be Aug. 23 at Englewood Methodist Church. The Miss Englewood Pageant is scheduled on Aug. 30 at a location to be announced. For more information, including pageant applications and fees, visit Applications will be accepted through Aug. 1. · The Mall at University Town Center is hosting the Suncoast Largest Food Truck Festivalon July 5 from 11 a.m to 8 p.m. More than 40 food vendors featuring BBQ, seafood, Mexican and other international foods. · The Senior Friendship Centers' free monthly authors series 'Joyful Journeys' continues on July 17 in Sarasota (1888 Brother Geenen Way) from 5-6:30 p.m. with Sarah Penner, author of 'Amalfi Curse.' Discussions, Q&A sessions, and a chance to connect with fellow literature enthusiasts. Registration/info: · The Music Compound in Sarasota (775 Bell Road) will welcome 15-year-old piano phenom River Eckert for a masterclass on July 17. Eckert has collaborated with several music legends and has performed at prestigious venues, including the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. Registration: · Selby Gardens will host "The High Life: Contemporary Photography and the Birds" from July 19 through Sept. 14 at the Downtown Sarasota campus. Organized by the Foundation for the Exhibition of Photography and curated by photography experts William Ewing and Danaé Panchaud, the exhibition will feature roughly 70 works by more than 50 photographers from around the world. Info: Submissions by Kristine Janata, Alexandra Nicole Islas, Laurie Lachowitzer, Tracey Hull, Jerry Fox, Brett Cecere, Su Byron, Sharon Kunkel, and Nancy Seijas-Kipnis. This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: New College receives $2.5 million gift for new education center
Miami Herald
6 days ago
- General
- Miami Herald
A rabbi and reverend keep the faith, even in retirement. They host senior meetups
A rabbi and a reverend walk into a South Florida retirement home and begin talking about topics long forbidden from most family dinner tables: God, religion and politics. Yes, it sounds like an age-old joke setup but it's actually the premise for a new conversation series held at a South Florida retirement community, Vi at Aventura, led by residents Minister Priscilla Felisky Whitehead and Rabbi Ralph Kingsley. Both have deep roots in South Florida's faith community, and they happen to be longtime friends. 'The whole point of this was to demonstrate that people who call themselves religious, albeit in totally different ways, can come out in the same place and have a sense of commonality between us,' said Kingsley, who served as the rabbi of Temple Sinai in North Dade for 31 years. The two faith leaders organized the meetup — the first launched last month — to start a dialogue among residents about the role religion plays in life, offering their perspectives from a Christian and Jewish point of view. Whitehead, who served over two decades at The Church by the Sea in Bal Harbour, emphasized that the leaders are 'seeking connection but not confrontation.' 'We're not here to persuade or to convince others of our positions necessarily,' she said. 'We're here to listen generously.' In an intimate setting, about 20 residents circled up — some came as a couple — and discussed some of life's tough questions. Such as: What does it mean to be 'religious?' Why do some religions embrace inclusiveness while others believe to be the one true faith? Where is God during recent tragedies like the devastating flood in Texas and the war in Iran. The topics were heavy, philosophical, but Kingsley and Whitehead kept things light — joking with each other about their tendency to disagree — 'We've been doing that for 36 years,' Whitehead said — despite their shared love for interfaith dialogue. Kingsley said in his experience as a rabbi, people tend to define religiosity in different ways. 'I've had people come and say, 'I'm not religious, Rabbi,' And yet these are people who will come to synagogue on a fairly regular basis and live a very decent and good life,' he said. The rabbi would tell his congregants that it's okay to be religious in their own way and even to believe in God in their own way. 'For me the question is not who is God or what is God, but rather the question that Micah asks, What does God require of you?' The 'business of God' Passing the microphone around the room, residents began chiming in. Peter Fuchs, said he grew up Catholic, but was 'persecuted as a Jew,' due to the fact that he had a Jewish mother. He remembers sitting through Latin Catholic masses at school. Today he said he believes in God, but rejected most of the Catholic dogma and traditions that didn't resonate with him. 'Once I got out of there, I couldn't wait to get rid of it. It just bothered me, the guilt, the discomfort of sitting on my knees on benches,' he said. 'The only thing I liked about it was the music. I don't know why I am that way.' 'It's your Jewish mother,' Kingsely joked. 'I've struggled with this business of God for a long time,' Fuchs continued. 'To me, God begins where our understanding of this world ends. There are a lot of things we simply cannot comprehend … So God fills that void where we have to go when we don't understand things. God is basically a part of us.' Whitehead, who has lead interfaith conversations for years during her involvement with the Miami Coalition of Christians and Jews, (now called Mosaic Miami), said many older people who are facing the 'twilight' stage of their lives begin grappling with questions of faith in new ways. 'Wherever you are on your spiritual journey, that's where God is. That captures it for me, because it builds on a Christian understanding of God's desire to be in a relationship with us.' Another resident, Barry Glassman, a psychiatrist, said his understanding of religion takes on a more psychological explanation. He explored the function of religion: 'There are so many different religions in the world, so the question is what need does that serve? Not which is the right one.' He said that humans often seek a higher power due to our need to 'recapture the idealized parental image.' He explained that people seek a protector, a saviour, or 'some power, some help in the universe to make us feel comfortable.' Veronica Fuchs spoke about a traumatic experience she had with her son and the Catholic church. After her son passed away, she went to therapy seeking help and answers. 'I told her everything that had happened to our son by a priest and this and that, and she said, So what are you going to do about it? I said, I don't know. I'm very angry. I'm very angry, and now that our son is gone, I'm even angrier, because it never got settled,' she said. The therapist suggested, 'How about you forgive them.' The conversation at times turned political and topical. Some residents pointed out that many global conflicts have revolved around religion in one way or another. Arnie Drill raised a similar point, questioning how religions can overcome the idea that there is one true belief system. 'Do we reach a point .. where it gets to the extreme point that it now becomes a negative in our society?' he asked. Kingsley said this is the million dollar question about religion. 'If we get to a point where our commitment to our own way of life is so encompassing that it shuts out any other way of life. I think that becomes an abuse of religion,' he said. His view is that 'there is room for other ways of thinking.' Gwen Rianhard had a more positive take. She said that religions were meant to help humans live in harmony with one another. 'There is a God who created us in the purpose of us being together in love,' she said. 'Something that I find here that's very beautiful, is that we all are here together to spend the rest of our days, and that is so incredible … I love that we're doing this together.' This story was produced with financial support from Trish and Dan Bell and from donors comprising the South Florida Jewish and Muslim Communities, including Khalid and Diana Mirza, in partnership with Journalism Funding Partners. The Miami Herald maintains full editorial control of this work.
