Fasting Strengthens Communities

Irshad Osman

The communal objective of present day Ramadan is no different than how our early generation of role models perceived it. Ramadan is not just a time to rejoice upon its arrival, dismay upon its departure, lose the rewards eventually, regress to the previous state, and wait for another one year for its return. Instead, Ramadan should be viewed with this broader outlook of community building and welcomed wholeheartedly for what it aspires to establish within us..

Leonard Loved The Light

Douglas Todd

Most biographers focus on how Canadian singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen was rooted in Judaism and how he took up Zen Buddhist practice. Many fans also recount his fondness for psychedelics, wine and the erotic. Yet it’s especially intriguing that, despite his iconoclasm, Cohen also appealed to millions who are active or nominal Christians.  

Excited to Build Bridges

Mark Tymm

Mark Tymm came from one of those families: on Sunday mornings he grew up putting on corduroy pants, buttoned coats, polished shoes, and piling into the van with his family. As he grew, he met more people with different perspectives and patterns (like sleeping in on Sunday!). As his community grows more diverse, he looks forward to building more bridges.