The theme of Holidays showcases how each is celebrated within their particular communities and how each community might respect the celebration of the other’s holiday. These videos illustrate the many traditions that have been brought to this region as well as the ways that residents have adapted and re-interpreted traditions after living in this area.
Kaleidoscope strives to reveal the radiance of the many faces of Western New York’s religious communities, letting them shine with their own lights and patterns. The fall months focus strongly on the religious traditions of light.
In our first episode, a discussion took place between representatives of the Jewish and Muslim faiths about their respective fall holidays and relationships between Jewish and Muslim communities during times of conflict in the Middle East. Both Jews and Muslims have important religious holidays during the fall season. There is considerable tension between their communities as there has been conflict in the Middle East. Rev. Dr. G. Stanford Bratton, Executive Director of the Network of Religious Communities (NRC), spoke with Rabbi Drorah Setel, Temple Beth El of Niagara Falls, and Mr. Faizan Haq, the founder of WNY Muslims, about their respective religious holidays, and how Muslims and Jews might develop more positive relationships in time of international conflict.
As part of these celebrations, in November for example, the videos bring attention to the many religious traditions of gratitude for blessings and sacrifices.
Thanksgiving Day is a holiday celebrated in the United States on the fourth Thursday of November each year. It became an official federal holiday in 1863, when during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed “a national day of Thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father, who dwelleth in Heavens.” For the past 32 years, the Network of Religious Communities has sponsored an interfaith Thanksgiving service in the Buffalo area. Rev. Dr. G. Stanford Bratton, Executive Director, NRC, spoke with Rev. Dr. Jonathan Lawrence, Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Canisius College and Past President of the Network of Religious Communities, about thanksgiving in the Hebrew and Christian scriptures, and what it means to give thanks in our multi faith world of today.
In the next video, we learn about a “Living Nativity” presented every other year in Buffalo. Christmas, for Christians, is a very special religious holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus. During the Christmas season, nativity scenes are often displayed in homes and churches. They commonly include Jesus in a manger, Joseph and Mary, an angel, shepherds, three Wise Men, and various animals, artistically depicting the birthplace of Jesus. In some communities, nativity scenes are brought to life by including living animals, and of course, people. In our own community, one such living nativity scene is presented biannually by St. Joseph University Church near the South Campus of the University at Buffalo. Rev. Dr. G. Stanford Bratton, Executive Director, NRC, spoke with the Reverend Jacob Ledwon, pastor of St. Joseph University Roman Catholic Church, about their Living Nativity, while being visited by three kings.
As the year continues, the light returning brings longer daylight hours and springtime, the Western New York religious communities hold celebrations that highlight life giving traditions.
Jeremiah Smith, Director of Youth Ministry at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church hosted this episode with guests Rabbi Alex Lazarus Klein of Congregation Shir Shalom, and Rabbi Perry Netter of Temple Beth Tzedek. The two Rabbis discussed the ancient texts, history, and modern-day interpretations of the Passover Seder. The Passover Seder is a Jewish ritual feast that marks the beginning of the Jewish holiday of Passover. It is conducted on the evening before the first day of Passover by all Jews, and on the evening before the second day of Passover, by traditionally observant Jews living outside Israel.
Ukrainian and Polish cultures have very unique traditions when it comes to celebrating the Easter holiday in the Christian faith. When people think of Easter, beautifully painted Ukrainian eggs and skillfully carved Polish butter lamps often come to mind. In the last days before Easter, the Broadway market in Buffalo is a hub of activity featuring decorated eggs, homemade foods like pƒÖczki, a Polish treat, and many other specialties found only during the Easter season. The Canisius College Video Institute spoke with Sister Marcine of Villa Maria College and Luba Ciolko, then visited the Broadway market to find out more about the market's connection to the Easter holiday.
Highlights were making butter lambs and decorated Easter eggs as well as vendors at Buffalo’s Broadway Market describing some of the traditional foods prepared for Easter.
In this video, Rev. Dr. G. Stanford Bratton, Executive Director, NRC spoke with the Reverend Kim Gladden about the celebration of Easter in the Wesleyan tradition. On Easter Sunday, Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Christian New Testament teaches that the resurrection of Jesus, which Easter celebrates, is a foundation of the Christian faith. Easter is celebrated in many different ways among the variety of Christian churches. We learn how one of those Christian churches celebrated the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Rev. Dr. G. Stanford Bratton spoke with the Reverend Kimberly Gladden, founding pastor of ZionQuest Christian Fellowship, and a staff member at the Eastern Hills Wesleyan Church, about the meaning of Easter and how it is celebrated in the Wesleyan tradition.
Passover is the eight-day Jewish festival commemorating the emancipation of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt. For observant Jews, keeping kosher during Passover is both essential and challenging, as the kosher laws become more complex. Rabbi Alex Lazarus-Klein, Congregation Shir Shalom and President of the Network of Religious Communities (2015), spoke with Rabbi Moshe Taub, Director of Va’ad HaKashrus, and Rabbi of Young Israel, about Passover, and the Jewish dietary laws specifically related to Passover.
Faizan Haq, founder of WNY Muslims, spoke with Julie Boody, Assistant Executive Director of WNY Muslims, a convert to Islam, about her first experience of fasting and Eid. The holy month of Ramadan is a month of fasting during which physically able Muslims do not eat or drink from the first sign of dawn until sunset. It is intended to teach Muslims about patience, humility, and spirituality.
Discussion of the important Judaic and Islamic religious celebrations that take place during the fall months.
Discussion on the importance of acknowledging the sacrifice of God for what we have today and giving thanks to all that he has done and is doing, tying this into the idea of giving thanks and doing good deeds for others during Thanksgiving.
Rev. Dr. G. Stanford Bratton, Executive Director, NRC, hosts this episode with guest Rev. Jacob Ledwon, St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church. The discussion is of the living nativity scene presented by St. Joseph's Church, recreating the birth of Jesus with live people.
The discussion explored the important holidays of light in Christian, Hindu, and Judaic religions.
Discussion of the Jewish holiday of Passover. Two local rabbis describe the history and traditions for Passover observance.
The discussion explored the Polish and Ukrainian customs for the Christian holiday of Easter.
Discussion about the meaning of Easter and how it is celebrated in the Wesleyan tradition.
Discussion about Passover and the Jewish Dietary laws specifically related to this eight day Jewish Festival.
Discussion about experience of conversion to the Islamic faith and how it helped to focus on patience, selflessness, and humility.