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December 4, 1998/ 15 Kislev 5759, Vol. 51, No. 11
Interfaith storytellers
DANE D'ANTUONO
Staff Writer
Duplicating the theater-in-the round style of old, a half-dozen storytellers of various faiths will gather together to weave winter folk yarns at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 13, at Community Christian Church in Tempe.
Organizers describe "Winter's Light" as a multicultural, interfaith storytelling event for the holidays, at which professional word spinners from different faith traditions and a variety of ethnic backgrounds will share stories in a show of unity and hope.
"There are so many divisions in the world; 'Winter's Light' is an attempt to recognize the things we have in common," said the Rev. Doug Bland, storyteller and pastor of the church. "Light is a powerful symbol for people of different faith traditions from all over the world. Mid-winter when the days are shortest and the nights are longest, is a time when people from many cultures light candles, gather around campfires and hearth fires, string lights on evergreen trees and long for light to come into the nighttime of our lives."
Among the many traditions to be focused on, speech pathologist and storyteller Wendy Miller will share a story about the Jewish Festival of Lights, Hanukkah.
Hanukkah, which begins this year at sundown on Dec. 13, is the eight-day commemoration of the rededication of the second Temple in Jerusalemn by the Hasmoneans, after the victory of Judah Maccabee's small army (the Maccabees) over the Syrians more than 2,000 years ago.
According to the traditional Hanukkah "oil story" found in the Talmud, when the Maccabees reclaimed the Temple, they could only find enough oil to light the sanctuary for one day, but miraculously, the oil lasted for eight days.
Although Miller won't be lighting any candles during her oration, she will bring in a Hanukkah menorah and explain its symbolism, she said.
"This is an opportunity to learn about other holidays," said Miller. "It's a kind of
education that will only make people more aware of other people's cultures and at
the same time, enlighten them."
For the last year-and-a-half, Miller has professionally yarned folk tales from the Eastern European and Sephardic Jewish traditions, in addition to being a member of the Jewish Storytelling Network and East Valley Tellers of Tales.
At "Winter's Light," Miller also will bring to life in a dramatic reading an ancient folk tale called "The Magic Dreidel." The story unfolds in a small town in Russia, where a little boy named Jacob lives. Jacob's family is celebrating Hanukkah, and he has just received a brand new brass dreidel.
With his new four-sided top in hand, Jacob goes to the town's well to fetch some water for his mother. While there, he foolishly spins the top on the edge of the well and down it falls. Luckily, a friendly goblin who lives at the well's bottom comes to Jacob's aid in searching for his dreidel. But all the goblin can find is a "magic" dreidel.
Not wanting to give the ending of the tale away, Miller suggested coming to the event to hear her finish it.
Bland will talk about Christmas light during the program. Others scheduled to join in the interfaith readings include Pat Oso, who will tell a Native American solstice story from the Hopi tradition; Cori Wright, who will share a Kwanzaa story from African American lore; Liz Warren, who will tell a Celtic mid-winter story; Ricardo Provencio, who will read a Latino holiday tale; and Ahmad Al-Shqeirat, who will read an Islamic story.
"As a pastor, I think more often than not that problems arise because of distance and isolation. And then when difficult times come up, that distance and isolation ends up being a breeding ground for misunderstanding and hate," Bland said. "We really can't hate each other when we know each other's stories."
The cost to attend the event is $5 per person. Proceeds from the event will benefit the church's Reconciliation Fund, which sponsors projects to overcome racism and promote understanding among persons of different color.
Last year, more than 80 people came to the first interfaith storytelling circle and about $300 was raised. Bland said he hopes to raise at least $500 this year.
For more information, call Bland at 967-5266.
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