What is next???
Finding common ground in sound; Religious groups jam together for one love
January 29, 2015 | Filed under: Community | Posted by: The Villager
It It was an open-and-shut case: The Bhakti Center laid down a mesmerizing beat.Buddhists, Protestants, Catholics, Eastern Orthodox Christians and Hindus congregated that night
at the (OCA) Orthodox Cathedral of the Holy Virgin Protection on East Second Street, in New York City, to exhibit the sounds of their faiths, as well as tolerance for all people. Local Muslims had to cancel at the last moment, but 11 other ensembles performed music from persuasions as diverse as the Bhakti Center — Hare Krishnas — to The Catholic Worker with The Filthy Rotten System Band.
A lama tooted his own horn at Spiritual Sounds.Though “Kumbaya” was heard at the event, the roughly 100 (actually closer to 200) people in attendance are not pining away about lofty ideals, he added in an interview.
“This is not a naive notion that we have here,” Donovan explained. “This really is people standing up and saying, ‘No, we know another way.’”
In recent years the event has inspired greater dialogue among the groups, resulting in other joint-community events, he added. Local Jews and Muslims celebrated the end of religious fasts together following the outbreak of war in Gaza last year. That idea came from the Holy Land itself; but in New York City a local imam and rabbi knew how to work together after meeting at Spiritual Sounds in prior years, according to Larry Sebert, the rabbi at Town & Village Synagogue.
The Catholic Worker and The Filthy Rotten System Band got…filthy! Photos by Zach WilliamsThough each religion began in a different place, the East Village is a place where they must cooperate in order to ensure a livable neighborhood for all, especially with the ongoing economic revitalization there, said (OCA priest) Father Christopher Calin of Holy Virgin Protection.
Like many longtime residents of the neighborhood, he has seen plenty of changes as the drug addicts and punks gave way to the forces of gentrification. Though his cathedral has had its ups and downs in attendance over the last two decades, he expressed confidence that religions of all types will remain a powerful influence in the local community in the 21st century, just as in centuries past.
A flautist from the Sufi Center hit all the right notes.Seven years ago a “weird” visitor — Donovan — came to the cathedral saying that he wanted to promote greater unity among religious groups in the area, Calin said. At first he seemed like just another character from the East Village. But once Calin listened more closely to Donovan, he grew more enthusiastic about the idea of an interfaith happening.
But it took some thought to determine just what type of event would work for people of all religions. Dietary restrictions precluded a group meal, Calin noted. The idea of a religious-tinged event with no specific references to an individual religion seemed to him and others as inviting as a “bland stew,” he said. Then the notion arose to promote unity through music from people of each religion or no religion at all.
It’s a space for humans rather than dogma, participants explained.
Other groups performing at the event included Middle Collegiate Church, Most-Holy Redeemer Catholic Church, The Sufi Center, St. Mark’s In-the-Bowery, Iglesia Alianza Cristiana y Misionera, and Sixth St. Synagogue.
As the crowd dispersed afterward, smiles were visible all around. Hearing the musical sounds of different religions also inspired a certain eagerness among some that there need to be more events such as Spiritual Sounds.
“It’s just very beautiful. I can say, ‘moving, awe-inspiring,’ ” said Susan Schiffman, a member of the Town & Village choir. “The time goes so fast.”
On Tuesday, Donovan reported that he went to talk to Imam AbuSufian of the Medina Masjid — whom, he noted has “never missed a gathering or event” in the past — to ask what happened Sunday.
“He was sincerely shocked,” Donovan said. “He had misplaced the date and told his folks that it was the next Sunday. Recently returning from pilgrimage in Mecca, he turns his texting off some days. So he didn’t get my reminding texts till the following morning.
“He deeply apologized to all. We are planning a lunch gathering of faith leaders soon, further discussing ways to gather our youth together. He’s onboard.”
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Apparently this has been going on for awhile. The OCA parish website says this is the 6th annual concert.
ReplyDeletehttp://nycathedral.org/news.php?id=149
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Save the Date!
Our Cathedral to host the 6TH SPIRITUAL SOUNDS CONCERT
Next Sunday, January 25 at 5PM, the Rabbi's, Priests, Imam, Reverends, Buddhist and Hindu monks of the East Village are holding their 6th Annual free, open to the public Spiritual Sounds event.
Yearly they have this warm, inspiring sharing of recitation and spiritual sounds from each of their traditions.
Since Spring 2009 they have been gathering, doing open community walks, open community discussions on the difficult issues, having international food nights, making statements together standing up to the hatred, divisions and injustices by anyone, anywhere. They walk the talk, daily, together. A living example of the best of NYC spirit.
These faith institutions not only represent the full gamete of religions present here, but always welcome all of no religion, to join in common cause of humanity… an antidote to what divides people around the world and at home. They stand for furthering justice, for all. They also contain the memory, traditions, historical roots of a city's people fast changing, waves of immigration over the past 150 + years in our area. They are the living preservationists that not only built but saved the area during hard times. They continue.
Joint Affirmation of The Local Faith Communities of the East Village
We, the local faith communities of Jews, Muslims, Christians, Hindu’s, and Buddhists stand here together before you in peace, and as one humanity.
Here in the Lower East Side, with it’s over 250 year history of people from all corners of the world, all faiths, languages and cultures, seeking refuge from great oppression, hatred and poverty, we have had to learn and re-teach ourselves repeatedly about the advantages of and the goodness in tolerance and respect while living side by side.
Let us honor the work of those generations before us who labored together, to feed, nourish, educate ourselves, build bridges, share our joys and cultural celebrations, and to establish our unique houses of worship next to each other. We gather toward healing (in times of acts of hatred/prejudice), prevention, respect and understanding, in the strength of our deep common values. We wish to encourage and reflect the greatest shining strength of our city and our nation, the best in us, our unity in our diversity.