Temple Emanu-El hosts Milner play read
A reading of a Neal Milner play, "Hovering," will be presented at 7:30 p.m. next Saturday at Temple Emanu-El, 2550 Pali Highway.University of Hawaii theater professor Glenn Cannon will direct the cast which includes Rabbi Avi Magid, Lynne Halevi, Eden-Lee Jellinek, Lei Spadaccini and Cannon.
The comedy deals with a Jewish family gathered for a special event. The show is open to the public. Calabash donations will be accepted.
Women of faith gather for Friendship Day
Church Women United will celebrate its annual May Friendship Day in Kailua.The worship and festivities will begin at 3:30 p.m. May 4 at Keolumana United Methodist Church, 1425 Keolu Drive. It is the 70th anniversary of the annual day that is intended to strengthen friendly relations among women of different denominations.
The event is open to women of all faiths. Organizers urge attendees to wear hats and aloha attire. To arrange child care call Cherry Jeong, 262-5698.
Spring Tea to raise funds for missions
Even the women who don't don an Easter bonnet tomorrow will search out a hat to wear to the Woman's Board of Missions Spring Tea next Saturday.The high tea from 2:30 to 5 p.m. at Central Union Church women's building will feature a silent auction with items including Chinese antique pieces, pearls and restaurant gift certificates.
About 300 people are expected to attend the annual event which raises money for ministries of the Woman's Board of Missions.
Tickets, at $10 each, may be reserved by calling 791-5647.
Russian Muslim leader rejects call for jihad
MOSCOW >> A Russian Muslim group branded the head of a rival Islamic organization a "false prophet" for declaring jihad, or holy war, against the United States.Supreme Mufti Talgat Tadzhuddin, who heads the Central Islamic Department of Muslims of Holy Russia, announced the jihad at an anti-war demonstration April 3, saying his group would raise money to buy "weapons for fighting America."
A meeting of Ravil Gainutdin's Council of Russian Muftis, which rivals Tadzhuddin's group, passed a fatwah -- or religious edict -- condemning Tadzhuddin.
On behalf of the council, Gainutdin said Monday that Tadzhuddin "has taken himself out of the bosom of Islam," and the jihad call carries "neither clerical nor legal nor moral force" and must not be followed.
Tadzhuddin's call was condemned by many Islamic leaders throughout Russia but supported by clerics in southern Dagestan, which borders Chechnya.
The Russian Prosecutor General's office warned Tadzhuddin that his statement violated federal law forbidding actions that incite religious hatred and said he would be prosecuted if he repeated the offense.
Priest background checks suspended
NEW YORK >> The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York temporarily suspended background checks on priests and other employees that were instituted recently in response to the church's sex abuse scandal.Various versions of the checks are being implemented by dioceses nationwide. Church policy calls for verification of Social Security numbers, along with searches of the criminal records of employees or volunteers working with children and other vulnerable groups.
New York archdiocesan spokesman Joseph Zwilling said priests, teachers and other employees expressed concerns about how the information might be used. Meetings to settle those questions will occur after Easter, he said.
It was not clear how long it would take to reinstate background checks but "this is something that is important and something that will go forward," Zwilling said.
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