Please join us in supporting these two upcoming community events. Women's Interfaith Institute in the Berkshires is proud to be a co-sponsor of these events that celebrate our interconnectedness. 14thAnnual Interfaith Celebration of the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Holiday Interfaith Prayers, Readings, Music, Singing Featuring Youth from Local Community Groups: Greenagers, Multicultural BRIDGE Youth Corps, Railroad Street Youth Project Monday, January 21, 2013 Interfaith Service and Reception 12:00 Noon - 1:00PM First Congregational Church (Parish Hall) 251 Main Street, Great Barrington    ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  Spiritual Views on Death and the Afterlife An Interfaith Forum This interfaith forum will present the spiritual beliefs and rituals related to the process of dying, death and the after-life as understood by many of our world religions. Presenters will include a panel of local clergy from the Jewish, Catholic, Protestant, Christian Community, Muslim and Buddhist faith traditions. Topics to be explored will include: customs surrounding care for the deceased; the journey of the soul after death; the relationship between the living and the dead; and what these traditions teach regarding preparation for this ultimate transition. Sunday Feb. 3, 2013 1:30 - 4:00PM  Fee: $10/person Berkshire South Regional Community Center, Great Barrington, MA Participants: The Rev. Mr. Charles Van Ausdall, Congregational Church UCC Ann-Elizabeth Barnes, Sacred Undertaking Sharon Coleman, PhD,  Zen/Vietnamese Buddhism Imam Salim Chishti,  Islam Sister Colette Hanlon,  Catholicism The Rev. Liza Marcato, Christian Community, Movement for Religious Renewal Rabbi Kaya Stern-Kaufman, Judaism Moderator: Deborah Golden Alecson, MS            Adjunct Faculty, School of Health Sciences,Excelsior College, Albany, NY For more information please contact: Deborah Golden Alecson  413 881-4065, DAlecson@msn.com                  Rabbi Kaya Stern-Kaufman  413-274-1034, info@rimonberkshires.org

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Suzanne DeChillo/The New York Times Life, Death and Transformation in the Americas Huastec “Life-Death Figure” (A.D. 900-1250, Mexico), and “Wild Man Mask” (1970, Canada), by John Livingston, at the Brooklyn Museum. recent NYTimes article of interest: Life, Death and Transformation at the Brooklyn Museum sent in by K. Furlong ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Quoting from the book of Job, Wendy Rabinowitz said: "Look to the earth, and it shall lead you." Former WII board member Wendy Rabinowitz weaves and hand-letters tapestries with roots in Jewish traditions. (Courtesy photo by Susan Geller) read article here: Berkshire artist Wendy Rabinowitz weaves ‘Shalom' exhibit - Berkshire Eagle Online   What: 'Shalom: Weaving the Threads of Peace' Where: Farber/Miness Gallery at the Ludwig Schenectady Jewish Community Center, 2565 Ballstown Road, Niskayuna, N.Y. When: Through Feb. 28. Wendy Rabinowitz will speak about her work on Wednesday, Jan. 30, at 7 p.m. Admission: Free Information: living threads judaica1 Rabinowitz will also display weaving/mixed-media assemblage worrk, her work, ‘Lillith,' in ‘Growl,' the Women's Caucus for Art exhibit juried by Saisha M. Grayson from the Brooklyn Museum, at the Karl Drerup Art Gallery Plymouth, N.H., from Feb. 5 to March 15.