Neighbors in Religion: St. Thomas to host Nostra Aetate conference for Catholics and Jews

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Nostra Aetate, the landmark Vatican II document on Catholic relations with non-Christians, St. Thomas University will host a conference 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5, to focus on 50 years of Catholic-Jewish dialogue.

The conference will commemorate 50 years of groundbreaking progress with discussion, prayer and a special musical presentation by Paul Posnak and friends of the St. Martha-Yamaha Concert series.

The conference is a joint effort by St. Thomas University, the American Jewish Committee and the Archdiocese of Miami in collaboration with the Miami Coalition of Christians and Jews, the Rabbinical Association of Greater Miami and the Jewish Community Relations Council.

The conference is open to the public. To reserve your space, email crose@stu.edu or call 305-628-6641. St. Thomas is at 16401 NW 37th Ave. in Miami Gardens.

CHURCH WOMEN UNITED

There is still time to join Church Women United at its monthly meeting 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 5, at historic Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church, 301 NW Ninth St. in Overtown.

The program theme is “World Community Today” and women of all faiths are invited. Lunch will be served. The cost is $8 per person.

BOOK SIGNING WITH AUTHOR MARCIA FINE

The Men’s Club at Temple Beth Tov Ahavat Shalom will present Marcia Fine as guest speaker at noon Sunday, Nov. 8. The presentation is in honor of Jewish Book Month.

Fine is a noted author and her latest book is The Blind Eye. In the book, two women explore their identities in parallel stories set in Fifth century Portugal and the 1990s. The book is set against historical events and creates a sweeping narrative about a family expelled from Spain, connecting forward across time to a modern woman of Cuban descent.

A kosher lunch will be served. There is no charge, but donations will be accepted and appreciated. The synagogue is at 6438 SW Eighth St. in West Miami. Following Fine’s presentation, there will be a book signing. Call 305-205-3846 for more information.

CHURCH COMMUNITY DAY ON NOV. 14

Magnolia Park Church of Christ will have a community day from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 14 at the church, 2037 NW 152nd St. in Miami Gardens.

According to Minister Asheley A. Hepburn, the purpose of the event is to “engage the community that surrounds our congregation and share the Good News of Jesus Christ. We also want to share helpful information about housing, child care, employment, health and health screenings. We are partnering with the Opa-locka Community Development Corp., American Heart Association and other entities to provide information to our neighbors in the city of Miami Gardens.”

Hepburn said her congregation wants to help improve the outlook of the neighborhood by carrying out the mission of Christ.

The event will include hot dogs, sodas, water and games. It’s free.

FREE CITIZENSHIP WORKSHOP

The Archdiocese of Miami’s Catholic Legal Services will have a free citizenship workshop from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Nov. 7, at Archbishop Curley Notre Dame High School, 4949 NE Second Ave. to assist legal permanent residents to become U.S. citizens.

Those interested in participating should bring with them these required documents, as applicable:

▪ Permanent resident card (normally must be a legal permanent resident for five years)

▪ Social Security card and driver’s license/state of Florida ID

▪ Two passport pictures

▪ Birth, marriage(s) and divorce(s) certificates for you and your spouse

▪ All passports (even noncurrent ones), and list of all trips out of the U.S. for the last five (5) years, including the date of departures and date of return for each trip

▪ Complete address during the last five years

▪ Last five years of employment history

▪ Selective Service card or number (males only)

▪ if applicant has been arrested, must provide all arrest (police) records; charging documents, and final disposition (state of Florida and/or any other state where applicant has lived.

For questions regarding the workshop, call Raul Hernandez at 786-414-2765.

CHURCH CELEBRATES 60TH ANNIVERSARY

Congratulations to the Rev. Deborah Geweke and the congregation at Christ Lutheran Church of Fort Lauderdale on its 60th anniversary.

The church at 1955 East Oakland Park Blvd. was founded in 1955 by a small group of Lutherans. Since the church was constructed in the late 1950s, it has been an iconic presence on East Oakland Park Boulevard.

In 2005, the church was severely damaged by Hurricane Wilma, but the congregation came together and made great sacrifices to rebuild the beautiful sanctuary. The church was rededicated on May 2, 2009.

The community is invited to join the congregation at 10 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 8, to join in the Festival Eucharist Service. The Rev. Robert Schaefer, bishop of the Florida-Bahamas Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, will be the special guest preacher and will preside over the service of celebration. A reception and refreshments will follow the service.

For more information, call Joe Nebel at 917-488-4493 or email him at joenebel2@aol.com. You may also call the church office at 954-564-7673.

CONCERT TO COMMEMORATE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Musician Joe Zeytoonian and writer-journalist Douglas Kalajian both have Armenian roots and share the experience of having family members who died or disappeared in the early 20th century during the Armenian genocide in the Ottoman Empire. During that period, an estimated 800,000 to 1.5 million men, women and children perished.

Now, Zeytoonian and Kalajian have collaborated on a commemorative concert to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, to be at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, at Arts at St. Johns, 4760 Pine Tree Dr. in Miami Beach.

Entitled Hye Doun (Armenian Home), the concert will include traditional Armenian folk and folk-inspired melodies and dance, with a cultural commentary by Kalajian, the author of Stories My Father Never Finished Telling Me. A question-and-answer session will follow with members of the audience.

The performers will include Myriam Eli, percussion and dance; Alique Mazmanian, vocals; Reza Filsoofi, setar and percussion; and Joe Zeytoonian, oud, percussion and vocals.

The concert is a part of the 2015-16 concert season at Arts at St. Johns. The theme is “Places We Call Home.”

“Nearly 75 percent of the residents in Miami-Dade County have come from other places. With physical homes in South Florida, many are emotionally bound to other cities, states or countries. Because of socio-political circumstances, some homes exist only in heartfelt memory,” says Carol Hoffman-Guzman, founder and executive director of Arts at St. Johns.

Tickets are $30 each for VIP admission and $20 each for general admission; $15 for seniors and students with ID’s and free to military and family with ID’s. Free admission also to children under 10.

Call Hoffman-Guzman at 305-613-2325 for more information, or go to, artsatstjohns@bellsouth.net

CHURCH CONDUCTS WEEKEND MASS IN LATIN

Society Oius X - The National Shrine of Saint Philomena Roman Catholic would like to inform the community that Mass in Latin is held 10 a.m. every Saturday and Sunday. The church is at 1621 SW Sixth St.

SCHOLARSHIP LUNCHEON POSTPONED

The luncheon scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 7, that was to benefit the Beulah A.G. Smith Scholarship Foundation and honor Eufaula Frazier has been postponed due to a death in Frazier’s family. For more information call Akua Scott at 305-781-9641.

This story was originally published November 2, 2015 at 4:04 PM with the headline "Neighbors in Religion: St. Thomas to host Nostra Aetate conference for Catholics and Jews."