Source: The Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A55841-2003Jul1.html?referrer=emailarticle

On July 1, 2003 The Washington Post reported that "Yusuf Saleem, who has served as Imam of Masjid Muhammed in Northwest Washington for 13 years, has been appointed as the D.C. police department's first Muslim chaplain, a department spokesman said."

Source: Contra Costa Times

http://www.centredaily.com/mld/centredaily/news/6213935.htm

On July 1, 2003 the Contra Costa Times reported that "immigrant and civil rights advocates say the government is punishing the Amin brothers and some 13,000 other people who complied with the registration program by seeking to deport them for 'highly technical immigration violations...' Hassan Amin, 19, and his 17-year-old brother Ahmad are in trouble because they have lived...

Source: Barsana Dham Qarterly Newsletter

On July 1, 2003 the Barsana Dham Quarterly Newsletter reported that "K.C. Gupta, President of the Hindu University of America, and Dr. Vijay Mahajan, highly acclaimed marketing professor at the University of Texas, Austin, unveiled the logo for The Vedic Foundation during the annual Barsana Dham Mela in April. 'The Hindu University looks forward to collaborating with The Vedic Foundation and working towards the common objective of re-establishing the greatness of authentic Hinduism,' Gupta said... The Vedic...

Source: The Herald-Sun

http://www.heraldsun.com/orange/10-367211.html

On June 30, 2003 The Herald-Sun reported that "the Century Center is hosting a panel discussion tonight on how young people from minority religions living in the United States can remain true to their faith in a time of war abroad and distrust at home... Tonight's dialogue, 'Keeping the Faith: Expatriate Communities,' will bring together six college and high school students, an audience from the community...

Source: Record Net

http://www.recordnet.com/articlelink/062903/news/articles/062903-gn-6.php

On June 29, 2003 Record Net reported that "the Rev. Ken Fujimoto, resident minister of the Lodi Buddhist Church... expects 6,000 to 7,000 visitors over the two days of the [Obon] festival... The festival is located in the parking lot of the Lodi Buddhist Church [CA] and across the street at the Japanese Community Center... This weekend's festival is a...

Source: No source given.

On June 29, 2003 Vina Sarkar, producer and director of "Mistaken Identity: Sikhs in America," issued a press release reporting that the film won its second 'GOLD' award at the WorldFest 2003 in Houston, TX... in the category of Political / International Issues."

Source: Appeal-Democrat

On June 29, 2003 the Appeal-Democrat reported that Ali "Jensen, of Santa Cruz [CA], converted to Islam about 26 years ago after exploring transcendental meditation and Zen Buddhism, he said. According to Islamic teachings, he prays five times a day and fasts for an entire month, among other things... Jensen was speaking at the second Yuba-Sutter Abrahamic Interfaith Dialogue Program, a group involving Christian, Jewish and Muslim members... Coordinators stressed mutual understanding and peace as goals for the dialogue. They also...

Source: News 14 Carolina

Source: The Boston Globe

On June 29, 2003 The Boston Globe reported that restaurant owner "Brian Bartley is suing the town of Kennebunk, Maine, over a ban on the Hebrew National umbrellas he has used at his restaurant... Bartley alleges that the town's code enforcement officer, Paul Demers, targeted his restaurant's dozen Hebrew National umbrellas, citing them as violations of a sign ordinance while ignoring others that touted the names of Budwiser and Poland Spring. Demers, the lawsuit alleges, said the Hebrew National umbrellas were 'personally offensive...

Source: Wisconsin State Journal

http://www.madison.com/wisconsinstatejournal/local/51918.php

On June 29, 2003 the Wisconsin State Journal reported that "an internationally known Buddhist monk and scholar will travel to Wisconsin in August to offer a retreat aimed at police officers and other community service workers... 'Protecting and serving without stress or fear' is the name of the non-sectarian program offered by Thich Nhat Hanh, a peace activist and poet...

Source: No source given.

On June 29, 2003 Vina Sarkar, producer and directory of the documentary, "Mistaken Identity" issued a press release reporting that the digital TV program won first prize Golden Lion Award for Best Documentary at the George Lindsey UNA Film Festival, Florence, AL... "This film 'celebrating cultural diversity in America', spotlight[ed] the aftermath of September 11, 2001, and victimization of Sikh Americans who were mistaken for Arab terrorists, because of their beards and turbans, worn for religious reasons.  The story is told through the...

Source: Sightings

http://marty-center.uchicago.edu/webforum

On June 29, 2003 Sightings printed an editorial by Martin E. Marty stating that "the June 20 edition of Forward, the Jewish weekly, devotes much space to the United Jewish Appeal Federation (UJAF) population survey of New York. Space is short, so I'll skip most statistics. Broadly, what did Forward find?... in the city, Reform and Conservative Judaism is declining as Orthodoxy...

Source: Sikh Mediawatch and Resource Task Force

http://www.sikhmediawatch.org/news/newsdetail.asp?newsid=440

On June 29, 2003 the Sikh Mediawatch and Resource Task Force reported that "many of the participants and fans attending the [outdoor sporting festival] worship at the Punjab Religious Society, the largest Sikh temple in Illinois, located in Palatine. Church officials estimate at least 8,000 residents in the Chicago area have Punjabi roots... Festival...

Source: Dallas Morning News

On June 28, 2003 the Dallas Morning News reported that "the Islamic Society of North America is expecting more than 5,000 participants at a three-day regional conference scheduled for Dallas over the Forth of July weekend... The regional conference [titled 'Better Muslims for a Better America'] is aimed at helping Muslims reach out to the larger American society while protecting their own identities."

Source: Star Tribune

http://www.phayul.com/news/article.asp?id=3795

On June 28, 2003 the Star Tribune reported that "Leilani Hotaling of Minnetonka always thought of herself as a Buddhist at heart. 'I've wanted to somehow become connected with the Buddhist community,' she said. Having done 'quite a bit of reading' on Buddhism, she decided to attend the 25th anniversary of the Minnesota Sakya Center. After Friday's event, Hotaling said she wants to be a Buddhist and seek out...