Rabbi Greenstein to Participate on HVCCA Panel
On the occasion of the last day of the exhibition reverence,
the HVCCA presents a panel discussion on the topic of ‘Contemporary
Art as a Bridge to Cross Religious Dialogue and Understanding’ on
July 29, 2007 from 4 ‘ 6 pm with a Closing Reception to follow. Admission
is $10 for the general public and $7.50 for HVCCA Members.
This presentation
marks the official closing of reverence, the HVCCA’s criticallyacclaimed
exhibition that also served as a foundation for educational initiatives
aimed at engendering inter-communal respect and admiration. In a world
torn apart by religious, cultural and political tensions, reverence investigates
the works of artists who appeal to the universal need for spiritual and
emotional succor. By presenting works that have no specific religious iconography
yet are designed to inspire, reverence attempts to help viewers bridge
divisive issues and enter into an embrace of what unites all human beings. ‘Contemporary
Art as a Bridge to Cross Religious Dialogue and Understanding’ brings
together a panel of theologians from particular religious backgrounds who
are vested in the arts and seek to open a discussion in which a true admiration
of ‘the other’ can be nurtured.
About the panelists:
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Mary C. Boys: Skinner & McAlpin Professor of Practical Theology at Union Theological Seminary
Professor Mary C. Boys has her master’s and doctoral degrees from the joint program of Columbia University and Union Theological Seminary in New York. She has also done advanced study at the Theological Institute in Jerusalem, Israel and is the recipient of the Doctor of Humane Letters degree, honoris
causa, from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. Her publications include Educating
in Faith: Maps and Visions (1989) and Has God Only One
Blessing? Judaism as a Source of Christian Self Understanding (2000). She has appeared in numerous TV and radio interviews, has edited some 70 books and journals, and has been the recipient of several fellowships and residencies, including the Lilly Foundation and the Henry Luce III fellowship in Theology in 2005.
Rabbi David Greenstein: Professor of Rabbinics, Mysticism and Jewish Thought, & Rosh ha-Yeshiva, Academy for Jewish Religion
Rabbi Greenstein holds a master’s degree in Talmud and Philosophy from Yeshiva University, an MFA from Queens College and his doctoral degree from New York University in Kabbalah and Rabbinics. He is the Rosh Yeshiva at the Academy for Jewish Religion, a non-denominational rabbinic and cantorial seminary located at The College of Mt. St Vincent in Riverdale, New York. He is a core faculty member of The Skirball Center for Adult Jewish Learning at Temple Emanuel in Manhattan and the author of essays on Jewish Thought and Culture. For many years he was an exhibiting artist, mainly in the milieu of abstract painting.
Elinor Aisha Holland: Calligrapher, Student of Renowned Islamic Calligrapher Mohamad Zakariya & Freelance Writer and Lecturer
Elinor Aisha Holland holds a BA in religious studies, cum laude, from Temple University. She studies Arabic at the University of Pennsylvania and Arabic calligraphy in the traditional Ottoman style under the tutelage of internationally known Islamic calligrapher Mohamad Zakariya, Hassan Celebi and Davut Bektash in Istanbul. She has lectured widely and taught calligraphy in school, museum and university education programs, including the Sultan Qaboos Cultural Center, The Smithsonian Institute and the Detroit Institute of Art. Her published art works are included in such publications as The
Book of Sufi Healing’ (1991) and Believing Women in
Islam.
For more information, please visit the Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary Art website.
