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Photos of the Week

By Kit Doyle — November 1, 2019
(RNS) — This week’s gallery includes the first anniversary of the mass shooting at Tree of Life synagogue, the Diwali festival of lights and more.

Paula White to head Trump’s faith office

By Jack Jenkins and Adelle M. Banks — November 1, 2019
WASHINGTON (RNS) — Paula White, a Pentecostal preacher and longtime adviser to President Trump, has been tapped to head the White House's Faith and Opportunity Initiative, a successor to previous administrations' faith-based office that coordinates outreach to faith communities.

To help migrants and deported people, Latina Muslims seek to open Tijuana shelter

By Alejandra Molina — October 31, 2019
(RNS) — A group of Latina Muslims in San Diego is raising money to build a shelter across the border in Tijuana, Mexico, to not only assist the surge of migrants there, but also to help those who are deported from the United States. 

At Diwali, a Malaysian family mixes local traditions with ancient Hindu rituals

By Alexandra Radu — October 30, 2019
(RNS) — For one Malaysian family descended from Indians who migrated from the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, the rituals of Diwali have been renewed every year for four generations.

Women’s group brings Torahs to Western Wall, faces backlash from conservatives

By Michele Chabin — October 30, 2019
JERUSALEM (RNS) — Several hundred schoolchildren, seminary students and adults gathered at the Western Wall to protest Women of the Wall members who brought Torah scrolls to pray with in the women's section.

In Northern California, churches step up to shelter fire evacuees

By Alejandra Molina — October 30, 2019
(RNS) — CrossWalk Community Church in Napa and Petaluma Valley Baptist Church in Petaluma are two houses of worship that have opened their spaces for evacuees of the Kincade fire in Northern California.

A decade after FBI killing of Detroit imam, Muslims still look for answers

By Aysha Khan — October 29, 2019
(RNS) — In 2009, federal agents shot Imam Luqman Ameen Abdullah during a warehouse raid. Muslims in Michigan and around the country say they still have more questions than answers about the prominent leader’s killing.

At J Street Conference, presidential candidates say Israel policy is due for a reboot

By Yonat Shimron — October 28, 2019
WASHINGTON (RNS) — Sen. Bernie Sanders' popularity with young people and his willingness to take a tough stand on Netanyahu, Trump, the settler movement and the failed peace process won him exuberant support here.

Chicago churches join growing movement of congregations paying off medical debt

By Emily McFarlan Miller — October 28, 2019
CHICAGO (RNS) — A group of Chicago churches is joining a growing trend of congregations paying off medical debt for the people in their communities and beyond — and hoping to start a movement.

As Amazon synod closes, bishops ask the Pope to allow some married priests

By Claire Giangravé — October 26, 2019
VATICAN CITY (RNS) — Meeting in Rome, Catholic bishops from the Amazon recommended that the Pope allow married deacons to become priests in their region as a way to cope with a growing shortage of priests.

Photos of the Week

By Kit Doyle — October 25, 2019
(RNS) — This week’s gallery includes unrest in Haiti, the exhumation of Francisco Franco and more.

ICE drops $300,000 fine for an immigrant in church sanctuary

By Yonat Shimron — October 25, 2019
(RNS) — ICE spokesman Richard A. Rocha confirmed that his office has dropped the fines for eight undocumented immigrants.

One year after Tree of Life, a couple looks to the past for a way forward

By Yonat Shimron — October 24, 2019
VIENNA, Va. (RNS) — After losing his mother in the Tree of Life shooting, Howard leaned into his faith. His wife, Marnie, into activism.

In San Fernando Valley, people of faith march together to signal solidarity

By Alejandra Molina — October 24, 2019
LOS ANGELES (RNS) — The Interfaith Solidarity Network in the San Fernando Valley is holding its third annual unity march on Sunday (Oct. 27), just weeks after a Northridge synagogue was struck with vandalism.

Colorado releases new report on Catholic sex abuse in state

By Jack Jenkins — October 23, 2019
(RNS) — The report states that 97 of the victims were sexually abused 'after the Colorado Dioceses were on notice that the priests were child sex abusers.'
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