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Got Faith? That is the theme for today in Kawaanza
Two Spiritual Brothers, one Black one White
and Jewish, were influential in the founding
of Kawaanza, the Black American Holday
that ends today implanting the Virtue of Faith.
Date: 1/1/2008 9:28:08 AM ( 16 y ) ... viewed 2715 times 
Rabbi Stan Levy, of the Los Angeles based B'nai Horin Jewish Renewal Community,
influenced Ron Karenga, founder of Kawaanza. They were both students at
UCLA at the time.
____
"Dr. Karenga is also widely known as the creator of Kwanzaa, an African American and Pan-African holiday celebrated throughout the world African community on every continent in the world. He is the author of the authoritative book on the subject: Kwanzaa: A Celebration of Family, Community and Culture and lectures regularly and extensively on the vision and values of Kwanzaa, especially the Nguzo Saba (The Seven Principles), in various national and international venues."
http://www.officialkwanzaawebsite.org/karengabio.shtml
___
Principles of Kwaanza:
http://www.officialkwanzaawebsite.org/NguzoSaba.shtml
---
Photo from the official Kwaanza website
Both Kawaanza and Chanukah use a Menorah....
Kwaanza has seven night candles, Chanukah eight.
The Kwaanza "Menorah" is called a "Kinara."
Kwaanza has many nature metaphors.
--
7 AM
January 1, 07
Every Jan 1,
I have a standing date with the Richard and Vickie Butcher family.
I have been going over there for about fifteen years.
The kids are all grown up.
Crystal is the Bikram Yoga teacher in El Cajon and still lives at home
I think.
She is the teacher for Paris Bingo, my Beloved fellow Essene Housemate.
When I was with Rabbi Stan Levy for Chanukah in early December,
he was telling an incredible story about the Origins of Kawaaza.
Kawaanza is a Very Special Holiday intended to Uplift
our Black Brothers and Sisters.
Richard Butcher Sr. and the Family really make this an Auspicious gathering!
Vickie, one of my dearest of friends, although we see each other only once
a year, is running for Congress, I hear.
I go over there about 3 PM each January 1
We sit in a Sacred Circle.
There are always lovely Kids.
The Butcher Family, who graduated four of their own, keep adopting other
Little Ones. Richard Sr. was a top baby delivery doctor before the insurance
got so high that he backed off. He is still an M.D.
Richard Butcher Sr. is a past president of the Black American equivalent of the AMA.
Richard is also an Enchanted Garden Club Member, from way back.
So here is the story I will tell today in our
Kawanzaa Sacred Circle the the Butcher home:
Once Upon a time,
there were two Spiritual Brothers,
one Black, one White.
[Get photo today of one black and one white hand clasping
in friendship.
The Black Brother's name was Ron.
The White Brother's name was Stan.
They were both students at UCLA.
They were in a Sociology class together.
[Call Stan, and check the details....]
Ron knew that Stan was Jewish.
Stan talked to Ron extensively about Chanukah,
the Festival of Lights.
Ron asked Stan questions about Chanukah.
Years later, Ron changed his last name
to Karenga.
He orchestrated the Holiday of Kwaanza
and the use of a Menorah for each night,
to signify a Virtue to be implanted.
Some tidbits of inforamtion that came into Kwanzaa
were influenced by his White Jewish Spiritual brother, Stan
and all the stories Stan told about Chanukah.
Stan was a very bright student.
He became a Lawyer, and later a Jewish Renewal Rabbi.
Stan had a strong sense of ethics.
He set up a Jewish organization to give legal services free
to those in need, mainly Jewish, but for anyone of any race, color, or creed.
[Check that last detail...]
Ron got a bit miltant in his Life.
He was very involved with forming a Black Militant group
called US. They and the Black Panthers once got into a tiff
at UCLA, and two of the Black Panthers were killed right on campus.
Those were very hot days between the races.
The US Gov, somewhere around that time or later,
was wanting to figure out another way
to lower the frustration level among the Black Brothers,
so they would not be so upset that Cities burned down.
The Gov hired Stan to represent groups such as US and the Black Panthers
and represent them AGAINST the US GOV in court. The US GOV, under one of our
more Enlightened Presidents, thought it might be cheaper
on Real Estate, if they gave the militant Black groups an opportunity
to be representd non-violently in Court and have their case heard.
Stan won a number of cases for the these militant groups.
Somewhere along the line, Stan started to represent a couple
a couple of the Black militant organizations who were angry at each other.
Bullets starting flying. At that point,
Stan told Ron, " I am out of here!"
I asked Stan if he was still in touch with Ron Karenga,
the founder of Kwaanza, the student at UCLA,
who once was inspired by some aspects of Chanukah,
the festival of light.
Stan said he hadn't heard from Ron in a long while,
but was sure, they would still remember each other.
I am going to tell this story today at Kwaanza.
Stan is my Rabbi in Jewish Renewal.
I go to B;nai Horin for the Jewish High Holiday services
each year. I highly recommend this experience
to people of all color. Our Community of B'nai Horin
celebrates Unity in Diversity.
You can see a photo of me at the High Holidays here:
http://curezone.com/blogs/description.asp?f=92
Above is a photo i found in my archives of Rabbi Stan Levy,
taken in 2004.
Your EG
{ Follow Up!!!
I am appalled at the Violent nature of the words in
Rock of Ages, one of my favorite Chanukah
songs that I like to sing in Hebrew. I learned this song from my father.
I am going to ask Stephen Longfellow Fiske,
being that he is part of the Stan Levy Jewish Renewal Community,
to write some new lyrics for this song that are more Enlightened.
Stephen Longfellow Fiske, Paris Bingo, and William Aura
are my three favorite Songwriters. .They are all members of the
Enchanted Garden Club. I also like Debbie Friedman,
but we are not in personal touch
WIlliam Aura, of Third Force
was with me in the Olden Days when we pulled out
info from XXXX for the Essene School of Thought Library.
XXXX is the Channel written up in Shirley Maclaine's
"Out on a Limb." FYI ]
Rabbi Stan Levy on the web:
http://www.jewishjournal.com/home/preview.php?id=7091
Great Article here:
http://curezone.com/blogs/fm.asp?i=1074815
More related:
http://www.btvshalom.org/pressrelease/20060915pr.shtml
Praying Jewish in L.A:
http://curezone.com/blogs/fm.asp?i=1074815
Research Note
on Karenga:
___
Here are some children's Kwanzaa books I recommend. The seven principles stressed during Kwanzaa emphasize important character traits and many teachers share children's Kwanzaa books with their students. Kwanzaa has increased in popularity every year as more African-American families celebrate the holiday, more children learn about Kwanzaa and its seven principles in school, and more children's Kwanzaa books are published. Kwanzaa was established in 1966 by educator Dr. Maulana Karenga.
http://childrensbooks.about.com/od/holidays/tp/kwanzaa.htm
Address??
African American Cultural Center
3018 West 48th Street
Los Angeles, CA.
90043-1335
(323) 299-6124
(323) 299-0261 Fax
Yikes!!!!
http://www.nathanielturner.com/karenga2.htm
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