Religion

A longtime Somerset resident has been chosen to attend the quadrennial World Zionist Congress in Israel in October. Gary Rosenthal, a resident of the Renaissance at Raritan Valley active adult development, will attend the meeting as one of 25 delegates representing MERCAZ USA, which is the “voice of Conservative Jewry within the World Zionist Organization,” according to its Web site. …

One of the founders of the township’s Masjid-e-Ali mosque will be an invited guest at the Sept. 25 multireligious gathering hosted by Pope Francis at the Sept. 11 Memorial in New York City. Dr. Mansoor Rizvi received an invitation to the event last month from Timothy Michael Cardinal Dolan, the Archbishop of New York. The event, which is expected to last …

About 1,500 people gathered Sept.13 at the Jain Center of New Jersey to celebrate the most important festival of the year for the religion, and the birthday of one of its most important gods. The festival, Paryushan, is celebrated over eight days, and includes fasting, said Paurav Vora, the president of the center located on Cedar Grove Lane. The celebration …

Several hundred people attended the annual “Interfaith Dialoge and Iftar” July 12 at the Masjid-e-Ali mosque on Cedar Grove Lane. The event is held near the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, which is marked by a period of fasting during the day. Iftar is the ending of that fasting with a community meal. Guests who spoke at this …

Several hundred parishioners of St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Forane Catholic Church gathered at their new church on Elizabeth Avenue July 11 to celebrate the building’s consecration. The church has been about 5 1/2 years in the making, said Cyriac Antony, an ex-Trustee. The church is set on about 10 acres and can seat several hundred people. Antony said the parish has …

Several hundred people from throughout the United States and overseas gathered July 4 at a South Middlebush Road site for the ceremonial groundbreaking of a proposed temple. The Dada Bhagwan Vignan Institute, based in India but with chapters throughout the United States, wants to build a “trimandir” temple on roughly 16 acres abutting Snyder’s Farm on South Middlebush. A trimandir temple …

Children aged 5 years through the completion of 6th Grade are eligible for the Middlebush Reformed Church’s Vacation Bible School, which runs from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Aug. 3 to 7. Registration for the school ends on July 2o. With the theme, SonHarvest County Fair, children will be “Growing the Fruit of the Spirit.” For information and to register, call (732) 873-2776 …

The Islamic celebration of Ramadan was acknowledged June 23 by the Township Council. Councilman Rajiv Prasad (D-At Large), read a proclamation from himself, Mayor Chris Kelly and Deputy Mayor Kimberly Francois and the rest of the council urging residents to learn about the celebration’s “religious and historical significance.” Ramadan is celebrated as the month in which the first verses of …

Township police will step up their patrols of Franklin’s dozens of houses of worship, according to a press release from the department. The move comes in the wake of the June 17 shooting at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, S.C., according to the release. Police Chief Lawrence Roberts said in the release that he and other members of the department …

The 28th annual St. Matthias carnival kicked off May 12. The carnival, which will run through May 17, features more than 15 rides, games, a variety of food and a super 50-50 raffle. The schedule is as follows:6 to 10 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, 2 to 10 p.m. Saturday and 2 to 0 p.m. Sunday. From the Web site: ONE-PRICE …