European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 6, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse Southwest latinos find a a. A lost history of Judaism by new Sony. Santa be . A until three years ago Paul Marcz considered himself a Catholic. While growing up in a Small town two hours from Here his family regularly attended Church and observed All the usual rituals. But one Day during a car ride an older Cousin a priest in Washington d.c., blurted out a few words that changed March s life. Quot he turned to me said a you know we re really jews a a recalled the elementary school teacher who still lives in his Home town of Santa Rosa a Community of about 3,000 people. Marcz now 26, began a head spinning search for his identity and was astonished by what he Learned. Despite heir Catholic upbringing his family members practice several customs they did not realize were jewish no one ate pork mirrors were Cov ered during mourning a top similar to a Druid cd was popular every Christmas and his grandmother would Light a Candle on Friday nights. Today Marcz considers himself jewish. And like Many Catholic and protestant latinos throughout the Southwest especially in new Mexico a growing number Are combing through family records and questioning elderly relatives for clues to their heritage. They Are spurred on by academic research into the subject that began in the past decade in new Mexico and reached a level of local awareness Only recently. What they often find is a tortured history. They Trace their roots Back 500 years to the Spanish inquisition when jews were expelled from Spain after a can Tui of persecution and forced conversion to catholicism. Ome of the jews who remained continued to practice Judaism secretly. The perils were great jews faced prison exile or being burned at the stake. Some of these people settled in new Spain now Mexico. But the inquisition followed forcing Many to seek safety in the northernmost reaches of Spanish territory. That movement May have expanded outward to the Caribbean and eventually As far North As the new York area historians say. The first group leaving Mexico arrived in the area that became new Mexico in 1598. Others followed Over several decades. Scholars researching Church records and ship manifests say that family names such As Gomez Duran Rael Medina Rivera Salas coca Flores and Leyba May indicate jewish ancestors who were a part of this migration. But a Century of fear along with the arrival of Catholic settlers forced these secret or crypt jews to remain in hiding still some jewish rituals survived despite intermarriage with indians and latino catholics. But rituals took unusual forms that were left unexplained or never discussed outside the Home. Rastafarian trappings popular but religion being pushed aside episcopalians establish sexual harassment policy from wire reports Mundelein Iii. A after nearly a year of revisions a final version of an episcopal Church policy on sexual harassment Ana abuse was adopted by the denominations executive Council at a meeting Here. The policy establishes detailed procedures for filing complaints proceeding with an investigation and sanctions against perpetrators. According to the policy sexual harassment Quot includes any unwelcome sexual Advance or conduct written spoken or physical any direct or indirect request for a sexual favor or suggestion that one might be granted and any tormenting behaviour based on sexual abuse was defined As. % including Quot any unwelcome physical or verbal sexual Contact with another person in a context that would be Quot regarded As unlawful or improper by local government tops Baptist worries Nashville Tenn a a Survey of 2,600 Southern baptists finds that they rate Quot apathy As the primary Issue facing them As the next Century approaches. Ranked second was personal involvement in evangelism while denominational controversy was ranked third. For More than a decade controversy has whipped through the denomination in which biblical fundamentalists have aimed control. Although the denomination generally has upheld missionary work As a top priority it was ranked at the Bottom of the list after adequate training for Church leaders and mull koreans Atlanta a korean american United methodist leaders meeting Here say the denomination needs to set up a separate Structure for korean language congregations. There Are about 300 of them in the on abortion set up new Haven Conn. A the roman Catholic 1 fraternal order the knights of Columbus has set up a hotline number to Register opposition to the / proposed Freedom of Choice act on abortion. People calling the number 1-800-435-9933, can have Western Union messages delivered to two . Senators and a member of the House. The Cost of s7.95 will appear on the callers Telephone crusade winds up Kingston Jamaica a after a two week jamaican crusade by evangelist Luis Palau prime minister . Patterson said he Felt there has been an Quot Awakening of a moral consciousness in Jamaica. And a resurgence of National spirit and National purpose.�?�,jewish group protests jail new York the Dallas chapter of the american jewish committee has protested a fort Worth jails having a special Wing that houses Only Christian inmates. Quot segregation of any group of people for religious purposes is unconstitutional and violates the fundamental tenets of Church state separation a the acc said. Denomination picks nominee St. Louis a the Tennessee regional executive of the Christian Church disciples of Christ has been nominated for general minister and president of the million member denomination. The Rev. Richard a Hamm 45, of Nashville tcnn., was picked by the denominations administrative committee As its Choice. A top staff officer in Tennessee since 1990, he previously led congregations in Indiana Kansas and Missouri. If his nomination is ratified by the denominations general Board meeting april 17-19 in Schaumburg lil., his name then will go before the denominations governing general Assembly Here july 15-20, Hamm has avoided Public statements on a homosexuality controversy that blocked election of a previous nominee the Rev. Michael Kinnamon Dean of Lexington by theological Seminary and an advocate of homosexual rights the denomination leaves ordination decisions in the hands of regional bodies and Hamm Heads a Region that formally bans ordination of Jamaica up1 ridiculed for their beliefs feared for their matted ropy dreadlocks and jailed for smoking marijuana Jamaica a rastafarians used to be social misfits. Thepe Days however members of the religious sect have become doctors teachers and lawyers. Rastafari an tinged reggae music blares out of boomboxes around the Globe. In Kingston dreadlocks Are More common than neckties. Yet even As rastafarian culture goes mainstream Many observers say the religions original tenets Are being left behind. A the Faith has become very diluted. For Many it is just a hair style Quot said Flo of Connor a human rights activist who has worked on behalf of rastafarians. The movement began when Marcus Garvey a jamaican Back to Africa advocate forecast the crowning of a Black King in Africa. Garvey a statement resonated in Jamaica a former slave Colony where 76 percent of the population is Black. When Haile Selassie was named emperor of Ethiopia in 1930, thousands of Kingston slum dwellers declared him the Black Savior. They became known As rastafarians after Selassie s baptismal name Ras Tafari Makonnen. Many rastafarians let their hair grow into Long unruly tresses and considered marijuana a sacred Herb. They called Jamaica Quot Babylon and pledged to return to Africa police considered the movement subversive and they jailed hundreds of rastas on drug and vagrancy charges. Yet with its tenets of self sufficiency and Black Pride the Faith caught on and helped propel the islands Black Power movement in the 1960s. Through the music of reggae stars like Bob Marley a a devout rastafarian a the Faith took hold in the United states England Japan and Africa. Abroad More people recognize the red Green and Gold rastafarian Banner than the jamaican Flag. Still those who believe in Selassie a divinity Are a tiny minority compared with the legions who have plugged into the faiths cultural trappings Jamaica a image As a Rasta Paradise is so pervasive that self styled a rent a dreads hang out at the tourist resorts offering marijuana laced Tours of the local nightlife Tony Soyemi a reggae producer said he has run into snags cutting deals with . Record company officials because he wears Short hair Mut Baruka a rastafarian poet observes a you see Rasta flashing them dreadlocks on mtg. You see Rasta All Over the place. But when you Start telling people Haile Selassie is god they done to want to hear Abraham Peddie chairman of the rastafarian Community in Washington d.c., denies the Faith is waning even so he wants to revitalize the original teachings by publishing a series of Rasta texts written in the 1930s, As Well As a new manuscript called the rastafarian Bible. But for now pop culture a the music the attitude and the Aura surrounding the sect a remains the most effective Way of spreading the Faith said Sandra Alcott a rastafarian lawyer. A it helps open the door a Alcott said. A we have to Lake advantage of the
