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religion

The Baha’i Faith: Focusing on What Unites Us

December 1, 2017 by Shauna Levy

Pictured (L-R): Jerry Watson, Pamela Thornton (Director of the Chappaqua Library) Mary Watson and Shohreh Anand.

According to theology researchers, there are 4,200 religions around the world. Of those, eight are represented on the Chappaqua Interfaith Council. The small, but dedicated group of Baha’is, which counts eight to 10 member families on average is an avid member of the Council and has enjoyed being part of the Chappaqua community for almost 50 and years.

The Chappaqua group recently made a book donation to the local library to commemorate the 200th bicentenary of the birth of Baha’u’llah, its founder. It’s not surprising though that this group has embedded itself within the fabric of its communities despite its small numbers. The central message of the Baha’i teachings, after all, is unity and inclusivity.

A Spiritual Paradigm Shift

Mary Watson, a Chappaqua resident for 30 years, has been a practicing Baha’i since the age of 20. Raised Methodist in “a small town” on the shore of Lake Michigan, her family, like most, never considered questioning their religion. As Mary articulates, “We are typically dedicated to the faith we were born into and to reassess that is a major paradigm shift as one inevitably becomes attached to what one already intrinsically knows.”

Watson’s “small town” also happened to be the Whirlpool Corporation’s headquarters and with that came a population who put an emphasis on education. Several families decided to organize a theological study group to inform their youth on the world’s major religions. They identified a professor, Dr. Albert Vail, a Harvard Divinity School Ph.D., and embarked upon their journey.

The group studied religions in chronological order every few weeks.  Almost one-and-a-half years into their studies, they were introduced to the Baha’i Faith. These lessons resonated with Mary’s family as no other and ultimately had a life-changing impact. The basis of its teachings is unity and the concept that every person is created noble by God and therefore should be treated with love and respect.

“The Baha’i teachings appealed to us for many reasons,” recalled Mary. Her clear, blue eyes alight as she recounts, “The teachings are very logical and sensible, yet deeply spiritual. The most important virtues are honesty, trustworthiness, forbearance and generosity. Baha’is are committed to promoting unity, the equality of men and women, and standing up for justice. We look for the good in people and promote what draws us together. For example, if a person has 10 characteristics and nine are good and one is bad, we focus on the nine. Similarly, if a person has one good characteristic and nine bad ones, we empower the one.”

The Baha’i Era

Baha’u’llah, the founder of the Baha’i Faith, was born into a wealthy Persian family in 1817. He gave up his position and possessions to serve humanity and became known as the “father of the poor.” He taught the oneness of humanity and had a vision of a future united in justice, peace and prosperity. The other central figure to the faith is “the Bab,” meaning gate, who foresaw a time of spiritual reform and heralded the coming of Baha’u’llah in 1844, which is considered to be the commencement of the Baha’i Era. As the direct result of their beliefs, the Bab was executed, and Baha’u’llah was forced into exile. He remained a prisoner until his death, 40 years after founding the Baha’i Faith.

Baha’i believe that each great religious messenger such as Krishna, Moses, Buddha, Christ and Muhammed has taught us about God and how to live our lives. Each Messenger builds upon the messages of the past. Mary explains, “We see religion as similar to going through grades in school. Each faith builds upon the last in a sort of spiritual evolution.” The teachings of Baha’u’llah are meant for the modern age we live in. In about a thousand years another Messenger will appear and the cycle will continue.

A Modern Message

“The timing of Baha’u’llah’s writings is a major unifying factor as they came during the printing era,” Mary points out. “While most faiths are divided into various denominations, there is one version of our scriptures and no splintered groups.

To be a Baha’i and meet another Baha’i is an indescribable feeling because we immediately understand that we share a unified belief system.”

Reflective of the modern era in which it was formed, the Baha’i Faith is relatively revolutionary. It is differentiated from most religions by the embrace and love of equality and diversity. According to Mary, “Baha’is represent the most diverse range of cultures and races. Not only do we accept intermarriage, but it is actually encouraged.”

The Baha’is are also unique in their emphasis on education–it’s compulsory for both men and women. In fact, Mary says, “if a family only has the means to educate either their son or daughter, we believe it is more important for the daughter to go through schooling. Women are considered the mothers of the next generation.” Furthermore, Baha’is accept and promote the understanding of scientific principles. “We believe in a balance between science and religion. Having religion without science, we become too superstitious and without faith, the world is a breeding ground for injustice and hate,” says Mary.

Fittingly, Baha’is are led in a non-traditional manner. There is no designated leader or priesthood. Volunteers serve as “facilitators” of weekly study groups. “In this age of literacy,” Mary adds, “we don’t require a leader to teach us what to believe. Through a consultative process, all members discuss their thoughts and everyone’s comments are equally valuable.” In line with this democratic philosophy, every year Baha’is elect a National Spiritual Assembly, and every five years the members meet in Israel, to elect the Universal House of Justice, whose guidance, based on Baha’i Writings, provides direction for action.

Finding Strength in Our Differences

Mary credits the Faith for her family’s strong sense of identity and for helping them make good decisions. Their Faith empowers them to see the beauty in all people. In a world full of challenges and opportunities, they hold on to their beliefs, while celebrating our differences and focusing on what unites us as a human race.

Filed Under: Cover Stories Tagged With: Baha’i, Baha’i Faith, Chappaqua library, Faith, religion

Parents Challenge Vaccine Exemptions

October 22, 2017 by Stacey Pfeffer

Chwatko reads her statement at a recent Board of Education meeting
PHOTO BY LEAH ALANI

A parent who spoke at a recent Board of Education (BOE) shed light on the issue of vaccination exemptions in the Chappaqua Central School District (CCSD). The parent, Robin Chwatko, has a daughter attending Roaring Brook Elementary School who is undergoing chemotherapy and is immuno-compromised.

Chwatko was joined by several parents at the meeting who want additional transparency from the district with regards to vaccine exemptions. Under New York State law all children attending public schools must be vaccinated except if they are claiming a medical or religious exemption. However, individual schools are allowed to grant religious or medical exemptions at their own discretion. In her statement before the BOE, Chwatko asserted that “it is imperative that a system is in place to not only properly vet and approve legitimate exemptions but to subsequently alert families and staff when there are unvaccinated children at their school, in their classroom and on their buses.”

The Challenge of Validating Religious Beliefs

Hilary Steuer Grasso, a mother with a child in the district and an education lawyer, noted that the “onus is on the school district to validate the claim of the sincerely held religious belief.” This came about from a 2010 decision by the Commissioner of Education in New York State. According to the decision, whether or not a religious belief is sincerely held can be a difficult factual determination that must be made, in the first instance, by school district officials. A parent/guardian must submit a written and signed statement to the school district stating that the parent/guardian objects to the child’s immunization due to sincere and genuine religious beliefs which prohibit the immunization of their child. After reviewing the parental statement, if questions still remain, the principal or another person in charge of the school may request supporting documents.

Recent media coverage has shown that some parents are claiming religious exemptions when they might simply be opposed to vaccinations for other reasons. For example, many parents fear vaccinations may cause autism despite that this has been debunked in the medical community. Just this past summer, Minnesota, which has a strong contingent of anti-vaccine activists, suffered the worst measles outbreak in decades. Other states such as California are now only permitting medical exemptions due to a rise in the number of purported religious exemptions.

Gaining Widespread Support from the Community

In addition to speaking before the BOE, Chwatko started a moveon.org petition requesting a committee be formed to create a uniform district wide policy for vetting vaccine exemptions and that parents and staff be alerted when an unvaccinated child is in a classroom, school or bus without revealing that child’s name. In the 48 hours since the petition went viral, it received 270 signatures from parents and concerned residents in the district. It is unclear how many children in the school district are receiving vaccination exemptions and the nature of those exemptions. An Inside Press inquiry received no further information as of press time.

Issue Looms Larger Than Just Immuno-Compromised Children

Chwatko is in a precarious situation because her son happens to be one of the rare cases, (about 10-20% of vaccinated kids), where lasting immunity cannot be obtained. Her petition and several parents on Facebook echoed that this is really a larger public health issue. In her petition, she wrote “And what about a pregnant teacher? Or a child with an infant sibling at home? It takes one bus ride, one drink from a shared water fountain, one cough at close range to put compromised people at immeasurable and unthinkable risk.”

Whether or not to vaccinate a child is a controversial issue for many parents. Acknowledging this, Chwatko noted that “no parent vaccinates their child with unbridled enthusiasm – we do it because vaccinations are scientifically proven to protect the health of our own kids and the kids in our community. It is not only a legal obligation to vaccinate your child, but a moral one as well. There is no question that any child who can safely be vaccinated should be, period.” In her petition, Chwatko continued that “with every unvaccinated child that enters our schools, herd immunity is weakened and our entire community, students and staff alike, are needlessly exposed. “

Ellen Lestz, M.D., a pediatrician with White Plains Hospital Medical and Wellness in Armonk commented that “the importance of vaccinations can not be overstated. It is very important to vaccinate every child against communicable diseases. Diseases such as measles and chicken pox are very contagious and because we don’t see these as much anymore we fail to grasp their seriousness. For example, while measles and chicken pox can cause a rash, they can also lead to fatal neurological conditions. We need to understand the complications of these diseases in order to stress the importance of these vaccines.”

The petition clearly states that it is not forcing parents to vaccinate their children or “outing” unvaccinated children. Several parents who signed the petition commented that they want the district to take a similar stance on unvaccinated children as the district does to children with food allergies. Letters are sent home at the beginning of the school year stating specific food allergies in a classroom without revealing the child’s name. It is unclear if similar letters will be distributed regarding unvaccinated children at this time.

Filed Under: Cover Stories Tagged With: Chappaqua Central School District, religion, shots, vaccine

William H. Donat Shoah Commemoration and Distinguished Lecture

April 4, 2016 by The Inside Press

Date: April 14, 2016Time: 7:30 pm

Location:  Iona College
715 North Avenue
Thomas J. Burke Lounge, Spellman Hall
New Rochelle, NY 10801

Contact: Julie ScalleroPhone: 914.696.0738Email: jscallero@hhrecny.org

Mehnaz AfridiJewish and Muslim Responses:
Religious Cooperation and Crisis from
the time of the Holocaust to the Present

Dr. Mehnaz Afridi
Assistant Professor of Religious Studies Holocaust, Genocide & Interfaith Education Center Director Manhattan College

Dr. Mehnaz Afridi will discuss the relationship between Jews and Muslims during and after the Holocaust. She will discuss both the issue of antisemitism and anti-Muslim sentiment in Europe and America. From Charlie Hebdo’s murders in France to the Paris and San Bernardino shootings – there has been a lot of discussion on religious freedom and Jewish-Muslim relations globally. Dr. Afridi will further discuss how this has impacted Jewish-Muslim relations today in light of contemporary events.

Presentation of the Susan J. Goldberg Memorial Teacher Award

Free and Open to the Public

 

About Mehnaz Afridi

Mehnaz Afridi is Assistant Professor of Religious Studies and Director of Holocaust, Genocide, and Interfaith Education Center at Manhattan College. She is committed to interfaith work, contemporary Islam and Holocaust education.  Her articles have appeared in edited books such as Sacred Tropes: Tanakh, New Testament, and Qur’an as Literature and Culture, (Brill, 2006), Not Your father’s Anti-Semitism: Hatred of the Jews in the 21st Century (Paragon House, 2008). Her recent articles include “Gurdwara Sikh Killings: Domestic or Global Taxonomy of Terrorism?” in Sikh Formations (Francis & Taylor, 2013) and “The Role of Muslims and the Holocaust” in Oxford Handbooks Online, (Oxford University Press, 2014).Nostalgia and Memory in Jewish-Muslim Encounters (Cross Currents Volume 65, 2015), in the “Die Sonnenblume,”Ed. Nicola Jungsberger, Europaverlagberlin, Germany, (2015) and in Collaboration Through Acknowledging the Shoah,  “Judaism, Christianity and Islam: Collaboration and Conflict” University of Hong Kong Press (2014). She is the co-editor ofOrhan Pamuk and Global Literature: Existentialism and Politics (May 2012, Palgrave Macmillan), and she is working on her forthcoming book, Shoah through Muslim Eyes (Academic Studies Press, 2016).

For more information, contact:

Dr. Elena Procario-Foley
914.637.2744
eprocariofoley@iona.edu

Julie Scallero
914.696.0738
jscallero@hhrecny.org

Filed Under: Westchester Tagged With: lecture, memorial, religion

Houses of Worship

August 5, 2015 by The Inside Press

Bet Torah
60 Smith Avenue
Mount Kisco, NY
bettorah.org
First Congregational Church
210 Orchard Ridge Road
Chappaqua, NY
fcc-chappaqua.org
Our Lady of the Wayside
Saw Mill River Road
Millwood, NY
sainttheresa.org
Chappaqua Friends Meeting
420 Quaker Road
Chappaqua, NY
chappaquafriends.org
Grace Baptist Church
12 Orchard Ridge Road
Chappaqua, NY
gbcwpny.org
Temple Beth El
of Northern Westchester

220 South Bedford Road
Chappaqua, NY
bethelnw.org
Church of Saint John &
Saint Mary

30 Poillon Road
Chappaqua, NY
sjsmrcc.com
Lutheran Church
of Our Redeemer

120 King Street
Chappaqua, NY
chappaqualutheran.org
Temple Shaaray Tefila
89 Baldwin Road
Mount Kisco, NY
shaaraytefila.org
Church of Saint Mary
the Virgin

191 S. Greeley Avenue
Chappaqua, NY
episcopalchurch.org
Mt. Kisco Presbyterian Church
605 Millwood Road
(Rt. 133)
Mount Kisco, NY
pcmk.org
Upper Westchester
Muslim Society

401 Clairmont Avenue
Thornwood, NY
uwms.org
Pleasantville Community Synagogue
219 Bedford Road
Pleasantville, NY
shalompcs.com

Filed Under: Inside My New Castle Tagged With: Christian, church, Judaism, Muslim, religion, Society, Synagogue

Down-to-Earth JCC Programs

October 23, 2012 by The Inside Press

GLOBAL WISDOM FROM OUR SPONSORS

Todah Raba: I’m Thankful For… an early childhood program on Sunday, Nov. 18 at 10 a.m-11:30 a.m. at the Rosenthal JCC (600 Bear Ridge Road in Pleasantville) that engages children in the business of being thoughtful to others through “filling buckets” with good thoughts and good deeds. A concurrent program for parents offers down-to-earth suggestions and tips on raising thankful kids based on the values in the book The Blessing of a Skinned Knee. Entertaining for kids, educational for parents, and just in time for Thanksgiving!
Global Connections at the Rosenthal JCC is an education and exchange program for 7th and 12th graders in Northern Westchester and their peers in our sister city of Shoham, Israel. Teens meet monthly and connect with each other through social media to build bonds that culminate in spring and summer exchanges. Families host the international students so that they gain a real understanding of what life is like for each other. This cultural learning experience is hands-on and truly personal.

For more information, call 741-0333 x25 or look online at www.rosenthaljcc.org.

Filed Under: Words & Wisdoms From Our Sponsors Tagged With: children, israel, Jewish, Parents, religion

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