If A Stone in Washington Monument Could Talk...

In a recent visit to Ankara, Turkey, President Barack Obama mentioned a gift that was given to the United States in 1854. In his speech, President Obama spoke about the history of both Turkey and America's struggle of democracy and how both nations built monuments to honor their founding fathers. Obama was referring to the Washington Monument and how other nations came through to contribute to building this structure. He said "One of those tributes came from Istanbul. Ottoman Sultan Abdulmecid sent a marble plaque that helped to build the Washington Monument. Inscribed in the plaque was a poem that began with a few simple words, and I quote: "So as to strengthen the friendship between the two countries". Over 150 years have passed since those words were carved into marble. Our nations have changed in many ways. But our friendship is strong, and our alliance endures".

This friendship between Turkey and the United States dates back to the early 1800's, after America gained its independence from the British Empire. Shortly after, Turkey began establishing trade relations with the US. The first treaty between the two nations was signed and put into effect in 1830. Sultan Abdulmecid presented his gift to the States to not only help honor George Washington and the American Revolution, but also to secure a strong ally with the new government. Many know that the Washington Monument was constructed in honor and remembrance of George Washington, who was one of the founding fathers of the United States. However, there are many historical facts surrounding the completion of this monumental structure that many do not know.

In 1832, nearly one hundred years after the birth of America.s first president, American citizens came together to form the Washington National Monument Society. This society had only one goal which was to establish and construct a monument that .shall be like him in whose honor it is to be constructed, unparalleled in the world, and commensurate with the gratitude, liberality, and patriotism of the people by whom it is to be erected".

However, the society had to overcome many obstacles before the completion of the memorial. Within a few years, the society raised enough funds to commence construction, yet, no particular design for the structure was finalized. As a result, the society decided to hold a competition for the design of the Washington Monument with instructions that it should "be of such magnitude and beauty as to be an object of pride to the American people, and of admiration to all who see it".

An architect, Robert Mills won this notable competition in 1836. Mill's original design was a 600' tall obelisk with a flat topped circular colonnade surrounding the obelisk. He wanted to include a statue of George Washington on top of the colonnade and 30 revolutionary war heroes surrounding him. Unfortunately for Mills, the cost of this design was too extravagant and well over the funds available by the society.
Despite the setback for design, twelve years later the construction of this memorial commenced and the foundation for the memorial was laid. However, the society had not raised the estimated cost of one million dollars. Due to the Civil War and lack of financial backing, construction was stopped and did not resume again for nearly twenty-five years. In order to cut costs, the society asked the states to donate memorial stones to place in the interior walls.

However, the majority of the donated stones were inscribed with statements irrelevant for its purpose. The society felt that the donated stones from the states did not reflect the honorable tribute which George Washington deserved. In addition to stones donated from the states, the society received many stones from across the globe.

One stone caught the eye of the society which possessed and reflected the qualities of George Washington and the nation. The society graciously accepted the marble plaque from Sultan Abdulmecid of the Ottoman Empire, present day Turkey. The stone was made of marble and measured 152.7 centimeters wide by 83.9 centimeters high. The stone was placed on the seventeenth floor of the Washington Monument. It was inscribed with a poem written in celi talik script, which is one of the most difficult scripts to pen and is rarely used today. The poem translated to English reads:

"In support of eternal friendship, Abdulmecid Han allowed his honorable name to be written in the tall stone in Washington"
In support of eternal friendship, Abdulmecid Han allowed his honorable name to be written in the tall stone in Washington.

Today, this marble stone from Sultan Abdulmecid still stands within the walls of the Washington Monument. It stands for a friendship that has overcome in itself many obstacles as the two nations have grown and changed; from the times of the Ottoman Empire and American Revolution, and continues to this day.
This friendship has withstood the test of time and has survived and endured through difficult times. Turkey and the United States have stood side by side in World War II, the Cold War, to recent times in Kosovo and Afghanistan. The two nations have also continued to work together for advancements in technology, science, and trade.
Who would have known that a simple gift of friendship could have such a strong impact and still be remembered 150 years later?

by Sibel Gedikli

Works Cited

• Derman, M. Ugur. "An Ottoman Gift to America." Trans. Mohamed Zakariya. Seasons. Zaytuna Institute. Web. .
• "Monument Monday - 897 Steps to the Top of the Washington Monument." The DC Traveler. 29 Oct. 2007. Web. 4 Oct. 2009.
• Obama, Barack. "Turkish Grand National Assembly Complex." Speech. Turkey, Ankara. CNN, 06 Apr. 2009. Web. 4 Oct. 2009.

Monument pictures are from www.flickr.com, users dyoshida and wallyg.

In The Tent of Abraham

A statement on peacemaking was made at the “The Tent of Abraham” website welcoming all those who thirst and hunger for justice, peace, and dignity, to join in affirming their statement. And so we heeded the call and participated in the local “Tent of Abraham” hosted on October 4th at Calvary Church in Santa Cruz.

Members of the Muslim, Christian and Jewish community attended as well as people from various other faith traditions.

What brought us together was simple: the desire for creating more “well worn paths between huts”---a chance to continue the efforts to build bridges of respect and understanding among the families of Abraham.

This was a very auspicious time of year to celebrate together as within the Christian, Jewish and Islamic traditions it was a shared time of celebration.

As the Holy month of Ramadan was concluding, the Feast Day of Saint Francis of Assisi and the Jewish Festival of Sukko, known as “The Season of our Rejoicing” was wrapping as well. The topic of interest on this particular evening was ”The Sabbath, The Holy Day of Rest” from the perspective of Islam, Christianity and Judaism.

Father Joel, of the Calvary Church, began the evening with, what I believe, was a Turkish welcome and expression of gratitude for all to be gathered in the name of peace and friendship.

Sheila Leich, representing the Christian community from the Diocese of Monterey, gave a beautiful historical retrospective of how Sundays became the Lord’s Day for the Christians.

Linda LeRose, from the Jewish community (joined by Rabbi Paula Marcus of Temple Beth El), brought us into the Jewish tradition of Shabbat (beginning at sundown on Friday night) when we leave off the world and enter “The Sacred “ of the Sabbath, with the covering of eyes during the recitation of the Shabbat prayers while lighting the candles…

Fatih, from the Pacifica Institute, presented an informative and spirited talk on the various sacred cycles within the year according to the Islamic tradition starting with Ramadan. He then described the various stages within the month, the day and finally, the hour.

Then Nihat, from the Pacifica Institute, presented a very moving “call to prayer” from the Islamic tradition. And the Women were invited into the women’s prayer room and the men into the men’s. According to Islamic tradition, the Muslim community took to the three positions of prayer: responsibility, submission and annihilation.

After the prayer, we walked together to the sanctuary that was beautifully decorated and transformed into the “Tent of Abraham” which was open in all four sides just like Abraham’s.

Afterwards, we joined in song with Fr. Cyprian Consiglio (a Camaldolese monk and ordained priest from the New Camaldoli Hermitage in Big Sur, also representing Sangha Shantivanam from Santa Cruz) and Lori Rivera. Fr. Cyprian wrote an original song especially for this event honoring the sacred words from the Islamic “Bismillah” chant.

Then Fr. Cyprian sang the Beatitudes from the New Testament and shared a beautiful talk on what he believed to be the common golden threads that joined Judaism, Christianity and Islam; and those being devotion and surrender.

Rabbi Paula Marcus presented the Jewish tradition associated with the holiday of Sukkos. Each day of Sukkos accompanied by prayer, the Lulav, Hadass, Aravah and Esrog* are waved gently in every direction; right, left, forward, up, down, and to the rear, to show that Hashem is truly everywhere.

Following Rabbi Paula Marcus, Nihat recited Islamic prayers with Ziya translating so we could all enjoy the spiritual truths being offered…

In between each presenter was a lovely period of silence to reflect. We ended our time in the sanctuary with a group song led by Lori Rivera. What followed was a truly amazing banquet for all to enjoy as new friendships were made and conversations continued.

It seems that we are in the “bridge-building” business together!

May we each experience the abundance of our shared intention toward peace for all. With deep gratitude to all who joined hearts and hands to make this the beautiful gathering that it was.

 

by Sarojani Rohan and Sangha Shantivanam

*Lulav, Hadass, Aravah and Etrog are four species to celeberate Sukkot.

Lulav – a ripe, green, closed frond from a date palm tree –shaped like the spine, stand up for what is good.
Hadass– boughs with leaves from the myrtle tree – shaped like the eyes to see the goodness in every person.
Aravah – branches with leaves from the willow tree –shaped like the lips to speak goodness.
Etrog – the fruit of a citron tree-shaped like the heart to remind us to be openhearted and kind.
All four of them are waved together in six directions in Jewish tradition to remind that God is all around.

Berkeley Jewish and Muslim Communities Celebrate Joint Heritage

On Sunday, January 3rd, the Congregation Netivot Shalom in Berkeley hosted members of the Bay Area Cultural Connections (BAYCC), a Turkish Muslim organization, for an ashure-celebration program. Although most of the members from both communities were away or recently returned from their New Year’s vacation, 70 enthusiastic members were in attendance to share in dessert and conversation. 

Ashure is a dessert particular to the Turkish culture, although variations exist in the Middle East and the Balkans - formerly part of Ottoman Empire. It is a porridge made from various grains and dried fruits. The legend dates the origin of the dessert back to the time of Noah - when the ark landed, due to exhausted food supplies, the survivors reportedly mixed all of the remaining food and made a delicious pudding for a feast. To prepare and share this dessert with friends, neighbors, and other loved ones is a part of the Turkish culture. The Turkish community living overseas has extended this tradition, by sharing ashure with their colleagues, friends, and more recently, churches, synagogues, and other communities. 

The program included a talk from Jewish and Islamic viewpoints, on the lessons that can be learned from the story of Noah. The BAYCC President shared the following remarks:

• The word ashure comes from the word “ashr” the number ten in Arabic. The Day of Ashure is a religiously honored day in Muslim tradition, and falls on the tenth of Muharram (December 27, 2009, Gregorian Calendar), which is the first month of the Muslim calendar. Muslims all over the world fast optionally on that day. The day of ashure has a different meaning in Shi'a tradition, as they also commemorate the passing Martyrdom of the Prophet's grandson Hussain, the third of the twelve imams in Shi'a belief. Neither the ashure dessert nor the legend that relates it to Noah has a religious basis, but rather should be seen as part of the Turkish cultural tradition. 
• Noah is one of the 25 prophets mentioned by name in the Quran. He is mentioned by name 43 times in 28 chapters, most notably in Chapters 11 and 71. The Quran presents the story among the other stories of other prophets, going through similar hardships, arguing with the audience in similar ways, and making similar supplications to God. There are several unique aspects of the story, such as the choice of flood as a way of punishment, and the fact that the entire humankind re-populated the earth afterwards. But other than that, the story blends in with the stories of the other prophets, who were sent with the same mission.
• The Quran informs us that Noah's wife and his son were not believers and were not saved from the flood. While not much detail is provided on his wife, Noah's attempts to save his son are reported in some detail, as follows: When the springs start to gush forth and rains come pouring down, Noah embarks upon the ark with the other believers. But his son, who pretended to believe until then, reveals his disbelief by refusing to embark upon the ark. While Noah tries to persuade him to join them, waves come in between them and his son is among the drowned. Noah prays to God for him, stating that his son is family (hence should be saved by the divine promise made earlier), but God informs him that his son was among the disbelievers, and is not covered by the promise. Hence, the story teaches that being a close relative of a prophet does not secure salvation. Rather, salvation depends on sound faith and actions of the individual.
• The story is a vivid depiction of the compassion and dedication of Prophet Noah, a Prophet determined to go full lengths to fulfill his mission. It teaches perseverance in the face of extreme difficulty. 
• The Quran is concise and omits many details as is the case in other stories. Among the missing unexplainable details are; how many people were on board, how long the flood lasted, was it a local or global flood, and what did Noah and the other survivors do afterwards.  The minute details left unexplained in the Quran were accounted by Rabbi Shalom. He elaborated the story of Noah written in the Torah (Book of Genesis). Rabbi shalom specifically highlighted the following aspects:
  
  
• Jews study the Torah by seeing it as holy and wrestling with its meaning beyond the simple literal words.  A specific example is how Noah is described in the opening sentence of his story (Genesis 6:9): "Noah was a righteous man, in his generation, and he walked with God".  In this context, scholars have asked the following questions: What does it mean "in his generation"?  Was his righteousness compared to those around him or despite those around him? Both of these interpretations found support among important Jewish scholars. To achieve deeper insight, it is important to study the text with diligence.
• Noah is a role model for fulfilling God's word exactly.  While he did not go beyond what G-d told him to do (like Abraham did when he bargained for the sinful people of Sodom and Gomorrah), he did save all the animals and his family. A Midrash says that he did try to save the other people, but they responded by trying to stop him from boarding the Ark. Therefore, following his example, believers should follow God's commandments exactly.
• The story demonstrates Noah's compassion to animals. It is a big logistical challenge to feed all different types of animals, requiring the different types of food, and being able to feed at different times throughout the day. Moreover, some animals are inclined to eat another. To keep them alive, as God commanded, Noah had to carefully tend to all those animals through their trip. We should show similar sympathy and compassion, towards not only fellow humans, but also towards all living creatures.
• From the story we also learn that a single person doing the right thing can change the world. The Torah states that the divine intent was to wipe out the entire human race due to their wickedness, but Noah, through his righteous attitude receives the help to be saved. And through him, humankind is saved.    

After the presentation, the attendees enjoyed the delicious ashure together and carried on discussions amongst themselves. Both communities look forward to similar events where they can discover and celebrate their shared heritage in diverse ways.  
Special thanks go to Karen Hecht and Sharon Priven of Congregation Netivot Shalom Social Action Committee, as well as Nadezhda Ussenko and the ladies of BAYCC who prepared ashure at Netivot Shalom.

by Yusuf Toprak

Spring 2010 - Third Dialog and Friendship Dinner

Marriott Hosts Third Dialog and Friendship Dinner

Silicon Valley's prominent community and spiritual leaders, public officials, and academicians came together for Pacifica Institute's 3rd Annual Dialog and Friendship Dinner on October 15th, 2009 at the Santa Clara Marriott Hotel. The evening started with a reception at 6:30 pm followed by dinner at 7:00 pm. Following the dinner and a short introduction about Pacifica Institute's mission and activities, San Francisco Branch President welcomed the guests with a nice opening speech.

The theme of the event was Religion and Global Ethics in the 21st Century. Prof. Juan E. Campo from the Department of Religious Studies of the University of California at Santa Barbara, who specializes in the comparative study of Islam, particularly in the Middle East and South Asia, delivered the keynote speech. Prof. Campo is the author of the Encyclopedia of Islam, a one-volume reference work intended for students and the general public, and The Other Sides of Paradise: Explorations in the Religious Meanings of Domestic Space in Islam.

Prof. Campo started his speech describing the optimistic notion of a conflict-free world following the collapse of the Soviet Union and the opposite end of the spectrum as described by Huntington's theory of clash of civilizations. He further talked about poverty, hunger, disease, the decline in educational opportunities, nuclear threat, political conflicts, escalating violence, and environmental issues all around the world. He pointed out that despite this depressing description of our current state, there is hope. President Obama's global outreach, his call for nuclear disarmament, the recent rapprochement between the country of Turkey and their next door neighbor Armenia, more and more democratic countries emerging in Latin America replacing the military oligarchies, disaster relieves, and the increasing international cooperation to protect the environment are some reasons for optimism, added Prof. Campo.

The focus of his talk was the need for a global ethic to shape a new world order. He gave some examples of visions of the new world ethic. The first example was the vision of Hans Küng, the catholic theologian, who drafted in large part the declaration of a global ethic produced for the World Parliament of Religions. This declaration affirms the United Nations' universal declaration of human rights and recognizes that there can be no global order for humanity without a global ethic drawn from religious traditions. The focus of this declaration is on peace, non-violence, cultivation of a just economic order, seeking and speaking the truth, promoting the value of tolerance, call for global gender equality, and promotion of family values.

The second example was the vision of Dalai Lama as summarized in his book, Ethics for the New Millennium. He promotes a global ethic that appeals non-religious as well as religious people. His vision rests on the idea of promoting the happiness of others. Dalai Lama says one's own peace comes from compassion, the supreme emotion, enhancing human happiness and reducing human suffering. The concept of dependent origination is the basis of the ethical system he sets forth. This concept comes from the Buddhist thought and can be described as the interconnectedness of our own actions and everything happening around the world.

The third person Prof. Campo talked about in the context of promoting an idea of global ethic is Fethullah Gülen. Gülen's ideal of global ethic is founded on the idea of 'loving service', which is on one hand to God, but also to all humanity. Service to humanity and service to God are intertwined through a spiritual link according to Gülen. This service is performed by the devout person, often depicted as a heroic figure, who sacrifices his or her own needs and desires for the benefit of others. Gülen's teachings as described in his many books, articles and sermons are based on the Quran and the Sunnah, basically the religion of Islam, however not the Islam of the headlines. Gülen promotes an inclusive, universalistic understanding of Islam. According to Prof. Campo, the key elements in Gülen's global ethic are its Islamic core, the Sufi spirituality, and also a sort of Turkish national pride, in the sense that his global ethic originates from his local experiences in Turkey and radiates globally. He envisions a new spring time for Islam and for the world with the new millennium, marked by the scientific and technological progress, learning and education, and based on love, compassion, mercy, dialog, acceptance of others, mutual respect, justice, and rights.

In all three cases, the definition of the global ethic comes from the localities, specificities, and personal experiences of these three men, who are definitely not men that lived the most comfortable lives. A common theme in all three visions can be described as an optimistic global ethic based on principles of compassion and tolerance for the betterment of the humanity. All three men pose some challenges to us: 1) to think beyond our own individual needs and desires; 2) to discover the meaningful interconnectedness of ourselves with our neighbors and of ourselves with the natural environment; 3) to act courageously with others to overcome injustice, violence, greed, intolerance, poverty, and other sources of human suffering. Prof. Campo concluded saying that these challenges might be seen as daunting at first, but this event shows that these challenges can be met working together in our own communities.

Before the closing remarks, the guests attended a presentation on the history of Turkish coffee and a live demonstration of Turkish coffee making with great interest. The guests were then served Turkish coffee and were further surprised on their way out with a small gift package that contained ground Turkish coffee, authentic coffee cups, and Turkish delight.

The closing remarks were delivered by Rev. Andrew Kille, founder and director of Interfaith Space in San Jose; Gerald Grudzen, President at Global Ministries University; Rev. Joey Lee, Executive of San Jose Presbytery; Byron Bland, Associate Director of the Stanford Center on Conflict and Negotiation; and Fr. Jose Rubio, Assistant Professor of Systematic Theology at the St. Patrick's Seminary in Menlo Park.

Two young ladies from Congressman Mike Honda's office presented a letter from the Congressman who could not attend the dinner because of his busy schedule.

With the taste of the Turkish coffee still fresh in their mouth and the thought of promoting interfaith dialog on their mind, the guests headed home.

Spring 2010 - Reunion with Nigde Friends

As a jail chaplain, I enjoy reading of the hospitality of the Biblical patriarch Abraham, because its lessons for me apply to my ministry of serving incarcerated women.  Now, after Greg, my husband, and I traveled to Turkey with Pacifica this past July,  I’ve been given a poignant view of this rare hospitality by being a recipient of it -- and having the opportunity to see our wonderful hosts from Nigde here in San Jose.

When we were in Nidge, one of the largest cities in Anatolya but one rarely visited by American tourists, we went to Celal’s lovely home, where we were treated like kings and queens. 

Two American groups were traveling similar itineraries, and we met in Nigde and were treated to a spectacular dinner -- followed by an unforgettable evening of entertainment. It began when the children danced to at least three songs with costumes– an American tune done by a young lady in cowboy hat and western clothing, an Indian dancer and finally Turkish folk dances.  Our hosts then chose two couples for a wedding! 

Our group’s chosen couple was Cynthia and Bill Mathews of Santa Cruz.  They put on traditional Turkish wedding attire complete with a red veil for Cynthia and we guests were given red henna tattoos on our hands. We then joined our hands and lifted them to form an arch under which the couple entered the room to Turkish music. There was much dancing, eating and rejoicing in that room as our friendships were wedded.  We also were treated to a demonstration of a type of oil painting done in water.  (You have to see it to believe it!)  We each left with beautiful gifts including framed examples from the artist who gave the demonstration.  The evening ended with fireworks in the front yard!  What a dramatic evening it was.  It was even more dramatic to hear that our hosts have done this many times and yet it seemed to us that we were the first to experience their hospitality.

Greg and I, and our travel brother Amritjit, and our guide Salih, were brought back to Ali and Necla’s home where we spent time getting to know one another (thanks to our friend Salih for translating) till 1 am.  It was a windy night and Ali and Necla had some difficulties with things sailing away in the wind, as they were also preparing their patio for having both the American groups, guides and host families gather again for breakfast the next morning.  Ali’s water pump quit and he had to spend some time getting it working again in the dark.  Then he spent the rest of the night printing a collection of pictures with space beneath each for us to write comments.  He saves these and has created a guest book of all the people who have stayed with him.  So while we were pleasantly sleeping, our hosts were working away all night.  Necla and her daughter were up very very early preparing the food for the breakfast.

So you can see why we were excited to see our hosts again.  This type of hospitality is a rare thing in the west.  We have much to learn from our Turkish friends about hospitality. Many thanks to Pacifica for their hospitality as well and for the opportunity to meet such gracious and generous people as we did in Nigde – twice. 

by Louann Roberts

Spring 2010 - My Journey to Turkey

I had the opportunity to take a trip to Turkey as the guest of Pacifica Institute this past June. The purpose of the trip was to develop a better understanding of cultures and establish friendships among diverse members of our society by visiting one of the most diverse and history-rich countries in the world, Turkey.

I have never been across the Atlantic Ocean before and I was excited about the trip. We flew from San Francisco to New York, and then on to Istanbul arriving late in the afternoon of the next day! After getting our visas at the Istanbul Airport and picking up our luggage, we headed to our hotel, freshened up, and went off to dinner and our tour began.

Over our first two days we toured in Istanbul. We were also treated to a boat ride on the Bosporus. Istanbul surrounds the waters of the Bosporus, as we were on the water it reminded me of being on the San Francisco Bay. There is a bridge crossing the water that is a span bridge like the Golden Gate Bridge, only painted gray. At night it lights up all in one color and then fades into another. There were no sail boats on the water, but lots of cruise ships. I have since learned that because of the strong currents, it is not advisable to sail on the Bosporus!

Of course we ate. One of the Pacifica Institute guides who accompanied us took us to her parent.s home, giving us an inside look at how they live. And the food just kept coming: soup, salad, main dishes, with tea and dessert. As we left, we each received a small dish with a piece of candy in it. They even had international phone cards for us to use to call our families at home.

We flew from Istanbul to Izmir and drove to Ephesus. Legend says the Hilt was the last place of stay of Maiden Maria and Apostle John. When we left here we went to a ceramic store where we were treated to a tour and demonstration of how the ceramics were made. The clay they used was from the area, not as heavy as pottery, nor as light as porcelain, but beautiful work was done. I found a small goblet that had a very distinct pattern hand painted on it, and was told that it represented protection. I purchased the goblet to use as a blessing vessel and used it for the first time when I ordained four new ministers this July after returning home.

We were taken to the House of the Virgin Mary which is believed to be where Mary spent the last of her days. The house has been rebuilt but the footprint remains the same. I lit a candle for peace on the patio area and I was able to fill my water bottle with water from the spring and bring it home inside my suitcase to use for blessings.

Our hotel room overlooked the Mediterranean in Alanya. Surrounded by palm trees and fountains, this area reminded me of the southern California area with weather to match.

In Nigde, we went to the Sungurbey Primary School and were entertained by the children who folk danced for us. Again there was plentiful food, and a demonstration of water painting: the water is treated with additives, then paint is dropped on the water and with different metal tongs flowers are drawn. At the end of the evening we were all presented with water flower paintings and fireworks were set off along with confetti. Then we were taken by car to homes to stay for the evening. I was at the home of a family whose daughter attends the school. I was gifted with an ornate Turkish coffee set and a beautiful silk scarf that had small flowers crocheted all around the edges. The next morning we all gathered for breakfast and what a feast that was. Across from me was a woman who had a beautiful ring on her hand. I had not noticed any of the women wearing jewelry and this ring had really caught my eye. Through our interpreter I commented that it was quite beautiful; she thanked me and also commented on my ring, which I then took off and handed to her. When she started to give it back to me, I told her to keep it, as by giving it to her a part of me would remain in Turkey. A short time later, she presented me with a turquoise ring that the women make as a fundraiser. The wording on the stone translates to "Don't Gossip, Don't Lose". As I understand the translation and the belief behind it is, when you gossip you lose face.

Cappadocia, the Nome Valley, underground cities, and fairy chimneys - I have to say I believed that the fairies lived in Gardens, but it is said they live in these naturally formed stones. As a believer in Fairies, I will not disagree.

We went back to Istanbul before we headed home, and made it to the Grand Bazaar. As a shopper I was in heaven! It.s a huge place and just as magical as I believed it would be. I did purchase a ring to remind me of where I had been.

I am so grateful to have been given the opportunity to travel to Turkey. I left a part of my heart there. I have such wonderful memories of the people I met. The children have lights in their eyes, they are just beautiful. I have also been asked what do I miss now that I am home, and I have answered: hearing the daily call to prayer. Every time I heard it throughout the day I would vibrate and feel a calmness come over me. I got to thinking that as a child we lived in Berkeley and I would hear the campanile ring during the day, and often on Sunday would hear the church bells ring. I do not hear that where I am anymore, and I realized that I miss it. It was like a toning for me, a centering that I had been missing.

This trip broadened my understanding of the culture of the Turkish people.

I had been told before I left on this trip I would not come back the same person, and that is true. I believe I have a much better personal understanding of some of the many pathways to the Light. We each travel at our own speed along these paths, and all of us have the support we need wherever we are in the world. It may not always be the same as here at home, but it is there. I was continually given the opportunity to center myself and know that Spirit was with me. The people I came in contact with constantly reminded me how much we all have in common.

by Reverend Sandy Clark, President, Universal Church of the Master

Spring 2010 - Editor's Message

First AnniversaryDear Reader,

It has been little over a year since we published the first issue of this newsletter. At the time, we had been busy with Noah's Pudding activities and this year has been no different. Volunteers were busy cooking and distributing few thousand cups of this historical dessert that symbolizes diversity, unity and harmony to the local churches, synagogues and other communities.The article "Berkeley Jewish and Muslim Communities Celebrate Joint Heritage" summarizes one such activity held in Netivot Shalom Jewish Center.
One of the highlights of our Turkey trips is the visit to Nigde accentuated by the hospitality of the people in this city. It was their turn to pay us a visit and they did. You will find more about this special encounter in "Nigde Friends" and "My Journey to Turkey" which are written by two trip-goers from last summer. The article titled "In the Tent of Abraham" provides the details of the event that was jointly organized last fall with Santa Cruz community in Calvary Church, Santa Cruz. Our most important event of the past year is covered in "Annual Dialog and Friendship Dinner 2009". If you ever wondered what a stone in Washington Monument would say about historical ties between Turkey and US, you should read the article "If A Stone in Washington Monument Could Talk". Finally, recipe corner offers two traditional Turkish recipes for you.

Please stay tuned for the upcoming Special Edition of the newsletter for an in-depth account of the conference on the Gulen Movement that took place at the end of 2009 in Los Angeles. In the meantime, we would love to get your feedback about this issue to see how we are doing, or anything in general. (news@pacificasv.org)
Have a great spring!