FāVS Religion News Roundup: March 22
This Roundup features events this weekend to a documentary screening about Gaza Strip before the latest war through the eyes of a boy and a Purim dinner and theater show, research showing how WA is a great place for women business owners and more religion and ethics news.
News Story by FāVS Staff
Film Screening: Gaza Strip
“Gaza Strip” a documentary by James Longley, will air at Emmaus, 1317 E. 12th Ave., Saturday at 7 p.m.
The story focuses on 13-year-old Mohammed Hejazi, a second-grade dropout. The director encountered him at the Karni crossing in the Gaza Strip, where Palestinian children often gather to throw stones. The film provides an intimate look at the life of one family who lived there (and perhaps still does).
Longley will join attendees for a live video feed introduction before the screening. Free admission. Viewer discretion is advised as there are some scenes of violence. For more information, visit the event’s website.
Back to Shushan: Purim Dinner and Theater
Temple Beth Shalom will host their annual Purim Schpiel this Sunday from 5-6 p.m. Tickets range from $10 to $25 for singles and families and members and non-members. A schpiel according to Wikipedia is the “only genuine folk theater that has survived a thousand years in European culture” and is often a comic representation of the Book of Esther.
Registration for the event is required and must be done in advance online here.
WA Great Place for Women-Owned Businesses
New research shows Washington is the best state for women small business owners. Woman-owned businesses in Washington outpace every other state at 42% compared to the national average of 39%. The state also has the highest percentage of female-owned businesses that earn a revenue of $1 million or more at 34%.
Washington’s employment rate among women (59%) is also high compared to other states. Other studies have also consistently ranked Washington as a great state for women’s overall economic and social well-being.
The number of women-owned businesses in the U.S. increased 13.6% from 2019 to 2023.
National Abortions Reach Recent High
In the first full year since the Dobbs decision overturned Roe v. Wade, more than one million abortion procedures were given in the U.S. This is the first time abortions have crossed that number threshold since 2012, the Washington Post reports. The Guttmacher Institute found that medication abortions made up 63% of that number up from 53% in 2020.
Some of the largest increases in abortions were discovered in states that bordered others with the most restrictive anti-abortion laws. This tracks with research The Seattle Times did late last year for Washington state.
Parenting with God Webinar
As part of its Formed in Faith Project, Whitworth University will host a free parenting webinar on Monday, March 25, from 7-8 p.m.. Whitworth Professor Emeritus Jerry Sittser will talk about faith and parenting, as a father to three children and two step-children and a grandfather of eight grandchildren.
This webinar will explore God’s role as parent and what that means for families. Sittser will share from personal experience how his faith sustained him as he raised his three children.
New Gonzaga Community Justice Project
Josh and Janae Conaway have donated $1 million to Gonzaga University School of Law to create the Louis and Jean Conaway Community Justice Project. The initiative will house existing clinics and launch new programs focused on preparing students to represent families and serve the community.
A key component is the Conaway Family Children and Parents Representation and Justice Initiative (CF-CRJI), the first in the Northwest providing training on child and parent representation in dependency cases. It includes paid fellowships for law students to gain experience in this high-demand area. Other additions are a child rights concentration, continuing legal education, and expanded clinics. The project allows Gonzaga to address critical needs while giving students practical skills furthering the university’s service mission.
