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Welcome to PART THREE of Episode 23, Care for the Stranger: Who Cares? Inconceivability of lack of assistance. Music by BenSound.com

Welcome to Part Two of Eps. 23, Care for the Stranger: Who Cares? The Trajectory of Hope: How we help the stranger Music by BenSound.com

Welcome to a three part series of Episode 23: Care for the Stranger: Who Cares? Part One: Why should we…and Why Do We Protect the Stranger? Moderator: Bryant Frank Panelists: Najah Bazzy: Founder and CEO of Zaman International: https://www.najahbazzy.com/bio Perry Ohren: CEO of Jewish Family Services:  https://www.jfsdetroit.org/about-us/leadership/ Producer: Jen James Music by BenSound.com Music by BenSound.com

Our continuation of our Four Part Series of Episode 22: Care for Others, Charity or Commandment? It may be challenging to think about this, but when can I be relieved of these onerous responsibilities? The idea of power and care. Not necessarily political power but inside our communities. Our responsibilities are different based on our social location. What are the practicalities of how we should act? Those with power can offer comprehensive help yet people with power do not wish to offer help to others. We enjoy the privilege of ‘Look at me I can give stuff away’. How do we give up some of our space in order to allow space for others? Rabbi Klein says there should be no blanket pass even if you are in dire straits. All must contribute something to others. There is always something we can do to repair the world in some way. Raman Singh says that we should not be judging others but simply living up to our own responsibilities. Are we hiding our faith values? Music by BenSound.com

Our continuation of our Four Part Series of Episode 22: Care for Others, Charity or Commandment? The difficulty to be faithful to our Faith Commitments What is wrong with you? Have you lost the entire point of this?  Our panelists talk about the difficulty of being faithful to our ethical commitments. Do we judge others more harshly than we judge ourselves? Dr. Hibbard points out that part of why Nietche rejected Christianity was that he found that Christianity was too difficult to live up to for him. A commitment to the Divine commandments cannot necessarily be easy, while at the same time we must also keep in mind our personal human needs. Dr. Hibbard says that Christians are in tension with the most challenging demands of the Christian ethic and at the same time we need to keep in mind what human flourishing requires. Ethical ideals are always somewhat unattainable. Rabbi Klein responds to that tension by pointing out that If your faith commitment only makes you feel good about yourself, then what good is that to anybody else? Raman Singh helps the panel look at the selfless serving of the langar meal by Sikhs and they consider what this can teach all of us? Music by BenSound.com Music by BenSound.com

We who have enough to give to others are not so special. We are not special. We only give from the periphery of all we have. If we seek to serve the Divine then we must help or do something for others. You are lucky that the Divine has provided something that you can give to others. Rabbi Klein responded that Jews must keep our covenant. Tikkun Olam. My responsibility to God is to repair the world. For Sikhs, care for what we are calling “the other” is care for ourselves. Otherness is an artificial construct. Dr. Hibbard adds that the ancients did not see a sharp distinction between me and you. It is a misunderstanding that there could be a separation between personal and social responsibility. Our panelists ask: Does sanctifying oneself have a too otherworldly aspect or does sanctification require taking care of this world and all of creation – humans and all that is other than human?  Music by BenSound.com Music by BenSound.com

The Sacred text of Sikhs begins with the idea that there is one creative force that is the sound of all of creation. That Creative Force is what is! Everything is part of that Oneness. There is no “other.” Listen as Raman Singh presents a religious way of thinking about caring that starts in a different place. If all of creation is one, then what? If there is no other, then what about Caring for the other, for the stranger? Raman Singh starts out this podcast by causing us to reconsider - possibly think in a  profoundly different way - about who is the “other.” Music by BenSound.com Music by BenSound.com

Listen in as Bob Bruttell hosts the InterFaith Leadership Council’s Faith & Works podcast. Episode 22, Care for Others: Charity or Commandment? Our newest series, “Care for Others", on what our faith traditions of caring for others and how we are to treat others. Join in with our experts as they discuss is it Charity or Commandment when we care for others.  We welcome your comments at [email protected] Panelists and Moderator ✧Bob Bruttell (Moderator) – Adjunct Prof., Religious Studies & History at University of Detroit Mercy ✧J. Todd Hibbard, – PhD-Professor & Chair, Dept. of Religious Studies at University of Detroit Mercy ✧Raman Singh – Executive Director, InterFaith Leadership Council of Metropolitan Detroit ✧Rabbi Joe Klein – Adjunct Faculty Member, Religious Studies at Oakland University and Rochester Christian University.  This is the full episode, look for the 4 parts of the episode dropping soon!    Music by BenSound.com Music by BenSound.com

In our final part of our 4 part series of Episode 20: Women in Ministerial Leadership, it's discussed:  What does biology and medicine have to do with these women’s ministerial leadership? Or How does a calling to heal bodies result in a calling to heal body and spirit? We hear the personal stories of women who wanted to be doctors and found serving and caring for people in ministry to satisfy their calling. Music by BenSound.com

The observation is made that with more women there would have been less rigidity, more flexibility. Feminist, Womanist and Liberation Theology bring a critique, but they also bring hope. Lost has been a respect for women’s voices and the power they bring to the public square.   Music by BenSound.com

Do women have a particularly explicit role in ministry and, if so, how does that impact those you serve? Or can boys be Rabbis too? In Part 2 we hear about that special role that is not the same as the male role. Bible stories will be interpreted differently and given different emphasis. From a woman’s point of view Miriam, for instance, will be seen as the pivotal matriarch that men likely miss. Women in ministerial leadership can prompt the question: “Can boys be rabbis too?” Music by BenSound.com

How do you center yourselves as women around the idea of sacredness? We are invited to see the spirit of God as we would understand it while at sea in a kayak. There is the “Awe” of seeing the wonders of the created world. There is the sense of the gifts that give the kayaker “Agency” to give that kayak direction and move it forward. But then there is, lastly, “Acceptance.” Water will out. God will out! We also hear that Jews see a world where everything is sacred and to be blessed. And we learn that  women bring everyone around the table to that blessing . Music by BenSound.com

How do you center yourselves around the idea of sacredness?  We are invited to see the spirit of God as we would understand it while at sea in a kayak. There is the “Awe” of seeing the wonders of the created world. There is the sense of the gifts that give the kayaker “Agency” to give that kayak direction and move it forward. But then there is, lastly, “Acceptance.” Water will out. God will out! We also hear that Jews see a world where everything is sacred and to be blessed. And we learn that  women bring everyone around the table to that blessing . Music by BenSound.com

Listen in as Bryant Franks Hosts the InterFaith Leadership Council’s 19th Faith & Works Podcast Our podcast series, “What is Sacred in our Lives Today?” continues with episode nineteen, “What is Sacred About Friendship or A Jew and a Muslim do NOT walk into a Bar.?” Join in with our experts as they explore the importance of seeing each other as fully human and appreciating the value of each friendship. We welcome your comments at [email protected] Featured Guests Dr. Saeed Khan Associate Professor of Teaching, Near East & Asian Studies and Global Studies, Wayne State University Dr. Howard Lupovitch Professor of History, Director of the Cohn-Haddow Center for Judaic Studies, Wayne State University Music by BenSound.com

Listen in as Bob Bruttell hosts the InterFaith Leadership Council’s 18th Faith & Works podcast.  Our podcast series, “What is Sacred in our Lives Today?” continues with episode eighteen, “Does AI Threaten the Sacred?” Join in with our experts as they discuss how advancements in AI technology may pose challenges to elements of life that hold sacred or profound significance. We welcome your comments at [email protected]  Featured Guests ✧Dr. Saeed Khan – Associate Professor of Teaching Near East & Asian Studies and Global Studies, Wayne State University ✧Dr. Chris Gilliard – Professor of Creative Writing and Literature, National Expert on Digital Surveillance ✧Dr. David Koukal– Professor of Philosophy, University of Detroit Mercy   Music by BenSound.com Music by BenSound.com