Saturday, July 9, 2022

This Week in Religion - Jews of color a small but growing group

Lead story

Nate Looney poses in front of a painting at the BAR Center at the Beach Thursday, June 16, 2022, in the Venice section of Los Angeles. Looney is a Black man who grew up in Los Angeles, a descendant of enslaved people from generations ago. He's also an observant, kippah-wearing Jew. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Editor's note:

Jews of color are a small and rapidly growing demographic in the U.S., but they don’t always feel welcome in Jewish spaces. That has been Nate Looney’s experience. Looney – a Black man and an observant, kippah-wearing Jew – is now in a position to do something about it. He recently joined the Jewish Federations of North America to help synagogues and other Jewish institutions promote inclusivity for Jews of color and security amid rising antisemitism. When AP reporter Deepa Bharath learned about Looney and his new job, she jumped at the chance to interview him about his personal experience and professional goals. He hopes to make a trip to the synagogue spiritual rather than scarring for Jews of color. Bharath said the sensitive interview topic reinforced the need to bring respect and compassion to conversations on identity and how it affects the way people move about the world.

A portrait of Holly Meyer, Religion News Editor at The Associated Press.
 

Religion News

A devout Catholic, she opposed abortion. Now she performs them.

Like many Catholics, Dr. Jennifer Villavicencio prioritized the needs of the fetus. A trip to an abortion clinic forced her to consider the needs of the woman. By Yonat Shimron/Religion News Service

Anti-Roe justices a part of Catholicism's conservative wing

The Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade at a time when it has an unprecedented Catholic supermajority. The justices who voted to overturn Roe have been shaped by strongly conservative currents within Catholicism. By Peter Smith/The Associated Press

Zoroastrians, who are proud of their ancient faith but concerned about shrinking numbers, convene in New York to discuss future prospects. By David Crary/The Associated Press

When abuse victims are adults, they’re often treated as ‘sinners,’ threats to churches

Churches often blame adult abuse survivors for leading a ‘holy man’ astray. By Bob Smietana/Religion News Service

Kashmiri musicians Sarfaraz Javid, right, and Mohsin Hassan Bhat Jam on the outskirts of Srinagar, Indian Kashmir, June 17, 2022.

In Kashmir, ‘conscious music’ tests India’s limits on speech

A burgeoning form of resistance music laced with religious metaphors is fast taking wing in Kashmir, a disputed region divided between rivals India and Pakistan. By Sheikh Saaliq and Aijaz Hussain /The Associated Press

 

Commentary and Analysis

A historian explains why the pre-Roe antiabortion movement was filled with liberal Democrats who opposed the Vietnam War and supported the expansion of the welfare state. By Daniel Williams for The Conversation

While not perfect, 'Mormon No More' is a heartfelt docuseries that skillfully centers the painful experiences of LGBTQ Latter-day Saints. By Jana Riess/Religion News Service

A moral philosopher explains what's at stake in second-trimester abortions – and why they'll increase in a post-Roe world. By Amanda Roth for The Conversation

Terminally ill patients who seek an assisted death have no desire to end their life. Calling their decision 'assisted suicide' can have harmful consequences. By Anita Hannig for The Conversation

 
Devotees participate in an annual Rath Yatra, or Chariot procession of Lord Jagannath, in Ahmedabad, India. At the front of the crowd, two people hold a drum between them. Many of the people in the crowd around them have wooden instruments.

Devotees participate in an annual Rath Yatra, or Chariot procession of Lord Jagannath, in Ahmedabad, India, Friday, July 1, 2022. Three idols of Hindu God Jagannath, his brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra are taken out in a grand procession in specially made chariots called raths, which are pulled by thousands of devotees. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

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  • This Week in Religion is a publication of the Global Religion Journalism Initiative, a collaboration among the Religion News Service, The Associated Press and The Conversation U.S.
  • The three news organizations work to improve general understanding and analyze the significance of developments in the world of faith.
 
 

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