Aiming "simply to show the multiple facets of Muslims' lives," this collection of images ranges from soccer players in Pennsylvania to religious pilgrims in Syria. Young girls in Thailand beam for the camera, members of the "Allah Made Me Funny" comedy troupe mug for the snapshot, and a traveler in Argentina gives the universal symbol for "everything's cool": the thumbs-up. With the ambition of "keeping ignorance away," HijabMan, the site's creator, presents colorful images of Muslims in workaday settings, surrounded by family and friends, enjoying their lives. Whether that means communing with a camel or watching the Super Bowl depends only on your access to desert creatures and whether or not you like the NFL.
One last note: As of this moment, A-Muslim-A-Day has slipped from its "a day" schedule. In fact, HijabMan hasn't added to the page since July. We hope this review adds to the comments coaxing HijabMan back into action!
Filed under: Photography, Religion, Portraits
For Jews who like to rock—or just enjoy ethnic parlor games—thank Moshiach for Jewsrock.org. The brainchild of Atlantic writer Jeffrey Goldberg, XM radio executive Allen Goldberg (unrelated, as far as they know), and Washington Post style reporter David Segal, the site is a celebration of Semitic contributions to American rock 'n' roll. But don't let the lolling tongue of Gene Simmons (aka Chaim Witz) scare you. Jewsrock.org isn't all Bar-Mitzvah Boy bluster and tales of groupie glory.
The site's comprehensive Challah Fame is an Aaronson to Zorn compendium of Jewish artists and groups, from the tenuously connected (Courtney Love?) to the wholeheartedly Hebraic (all of J. Geils Band, except J. Geils). It's great ammo for the next time your know-it-all cousin tries to tell you that half the Knack was Jewish. (Wrong! The whole band was—Sharona, too.) Or that Mama Cass choked to death on an unkosher sandwich. (Wrong! It was heart failure that killed Cass, not ham.)
With a Jewish-themed tattoo gallery, a Steely Dan d'var Torah, and close ties to an organization that helps sick children and their families, this site most definitely rocks.
Filed under: Music, Religion, Rock and Pop, Judaism
Filed under: Photography, Religion, Sculpture
For years, the Reverend Brendan Powell Smith has labored at translating the great tales of the Good Book into pictorials told with LEGOs. In the beginning, his thought bubbles quoted from The New Jerusalem translation of the Bible. Now, because even the Lord must consider copyrights, they speak in a mix culled from public-domain versions. But always, his bearded religious characters have gestured, bellowed, and knelt with full biblical bravado (and bright Danish coloring).
We got in touch with the Reverend to find out how citizens of the Web have responded to his plastic parables, which biblical moment is hardest to depict in LEGO form, and what other sites he likes:
We know you get mail from all kinds of religious groups—and reactions run the gamut from requests to use the tales to anger. Has any of it surprised you?
Judging from the thousands of e-mails I've received, reactions do indeed run the gamut. But it should be noted that the positive reactions outnumber the negative by about 99-to-1, whether they're from devout ministers or hardcore atheists. Read the full profile...
Filed under: Religion, LEGO, Yahoo! Picks Profiles
Yahoo!'s crack team of editors serves up the coolest, funniest, or quirkiest sites we encounter on the Web. Got a favorite new link of your own? Share it with us!