Churches and Race; War in Colombia; Pilgrimages; Hanukkah

♪♪ç >> COMING UP -- HOW FAITH GROUPS ARE MOBILIZING ON ISSUES OF RACE.

>> AND -- FRED DE SAM LAZARO ON FRAGILE SIGNS OF PEACE IN COLOMBIA, AFTER 50 YEARS OF CIVIL WAR.O >> ALSO, BRUCE FEILER FOLLOWS SOME OF THE 200 MILLION PILGRIMS WHO VISIT SACRED SITES EACH YEAR.ç >> PLUS, THE JEWISH HOLIDAY OF HANUKKAH, BEGINNING NEXT TUESDAY NIGHT.MENT COMPANY.

WELCOME.

ç I'M BOB ABERNETHY.

IT'S GOOD TO HAVE YOU WITH US.

THIS WEEK MANY FAITH GROUPS EXPRESSED OUTRAGE AT THE FINDINGS OF A U.S. SENATE REPORT THAT ACCUSED THE CIA OF TORTURING TERRORISM SUSPECTS IN THE YEARS FOLLOWING 9/11.

THE REPORT WAS THE RESULT OF A NEARLY SIX-YEAR INVESTIGATION.

t THE NATIONAL RELIGIOUS CAMPAIGN AGAINST TORTURE URGED A PERMANENT END TO SUCH PRACTICES, SAYING THE TACTICS DAMAGED AMERICA'S MORAL AUTHORITY.

THE U.S. CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS SAID TORTURE "““VIOLATED THE GOD-GIVEN HUMAN DIGNITY INHERENT IN ALL PEOPLE."

PROTESTS69FQ%9UJUjUáHáHE NATION IN THE WAKE OF GRAND JURY DECISIONS IN MISSOURI AND NEW YORK NOT TO INDICT WHITE POLICE OFFICERS IN THE DEATHS OF UNARMED AFRICAN-AMERICANS.

RELIGIOUS GROUPS HAVE PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN MANY OF THE PROTESTS.

THIS WEEKEND, MANY CHURCHES ARE HOLDING SPECIAL SERVICES WITH THE THEME, BLACK LIVES MATTER.

MANY FAITH GROUPS HAVE BEEN CALLING FOR A NEW NATIONAL DIALOGUE ABOUT RACE.ç JOINING ME WITH MORE ON THIS IS OUR MANAGING EDITOR, KIM LAWTON, AND LISA SHARON HARPER, SENIOR DIRECTOR OF MOBILIZING FOR THE CHRISTIAN SOCIAL ACTION GROUP SOJOURNERS.

>> LISA, WELCOME.

WHAT'S THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT CHURCHES CAN DO TO COMBAT RACISM?ç >> LISTEN.

NUMBER ONE.

>> LISTEN?

AND LISTEN TO WHAT?

WHAT WOULD THEY HEAR?

>> WELL, I THINK THEY NEED TO LISTEN WITH HUMILITY TO THE STORIES OF, PARTICULARLY PEOPLE WHO ARE MOST AFFECTED BY THE CRISIS THAT WE'RE FINDING IN OUR URBAN CENTERS, IN PARTICULAR, OVER MILITARIZATION OF POLICE FORCES AGAINST BLACK PEOPLE AND BROWN PEOPLE.

>> OTHERS TRYING TO DO THAT ALREADY?

HOW ARE THEY PROVIDING A SPACE FOR THAT TO HAPPEN.

>> WELL, I'LL TELL YOU.

JUST IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS I HAVE PARTICIPATED IN FOUR MAJOR CONVERSATIONS ON RACE AND RACIAL JUSTICE IN MULTIPLE DIFFERENT CONTEXTS, FROM WHITE TO MULTIETHNIC, NATIONAL LEADERS, GRASSROOTS - THERE'S MAJOR CONVERSATIONS HAPPENING.

AND PGo 1 U*QT)JáJjURáT)Q THE BRIDGE BETWEEN CONVERSATIONS AND PROTEST.

>> TALK AND PROTEST, BUT I'M WANTING TO HEAR WHAT YOU THINK HAS TO BE DONE, AND HOW IT CAN BE DONE, AND WHETHER IT CAN BE DONE.ç >> WELL, THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IS WE NEED TO GROW IN UNDERSTANDING.

I THINK THAT WE HAVEN'T LISTENED TO THE YOUNG PEOPLE, CHURCHES INCLUDING -- AND SO WHEN I SAY LISTEN, I REALLY MEAN LISTEN TO THE STORIES OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY ARE ONES THAT ARE BEARING THE BRUNT OF MOST OF THE CRISES THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING.

MICHAEL BROWN.

JONATHAN CRAWFORD.

I MEAN, THE DRUG WARS IN PARTICULAR FOCUSED MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF AMMUNITION, OF POLICELz FORCES IN OUR URBAN CENTERS.

AND AS A RESULT, THOSE PLACES HAVE BECOME WAR ZONES.

AND OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ARE THE ONES WHO ARE BEARING THE BRUNT OF THAT.

>> BUT HOW DO PEOPLE MOVE FROM TALKING, AND YOU KNOW, EVEN PROTESTING TO MAYBE CONCRETE SOLUTIONS?

HOW ARE THERE WAYS THAT COMMUNITIES AND POLICE AND FAITHç GROUPS AND YOUNG PEOPLE CAN MAYBE JOIN TOGETHER TO ACTUALLY MOVE BEYOND PROTESTS AND TALK, TO CHANGE?

>> WELL, SEE, THERE ARE COALITIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND THERE'S A NATIONAL COALITION CALLED FERGUSON ACTION, AND IT'S COME TOGETHER, IT'S BROUGHT TOGETHER HUNDREDS OF DIFFERENT COALITIONS.

THEY HAVE SOMETHING CALLED A ç DREAM FOR A NEW AMERICA, A VISION FOR A NEW AMERICA, AND A LIST OF CLEAR DEMANDS.

AND THAT DREAM AND THAT VISION ACTUALLY HAS ITS ROOTS -- I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY WERE THINKING OF IT, BUT CAN YOU SEE IT IN THE BIBLE.

YOU CAN SEE IT IN SCRIPTURE.

YOU CAN SEE IT IN ISAIAH 65, YOU CAN SEE IT IN ZECHARIAH.

IT'S A VISION WHERE ALL PEOPLE HAVE AT LEAST THE CAPACITY TO HAVE FAIR HOUSING, JOBS, EDUCATION.

AND WHAT THEY SAY IN FERGUSON AND IN THE FERGUSONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, IS THAT IF WE REALLY WANT TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF POLICE VIOLENCE, WHAT WE REALLY NEED IS WE NEED JOBS.

THE YOUNG PEOPLE JUST NEED JOBS.a THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE BOOKS IN THEIR SCHOOLS, AND THEY NEED TO HAVE HOUSING THAT IS ADEQUATE AND AFFORDABLE.

>> AND YOU THINK CHURCHES CAN LEAD THE WAY TO THIS?

>> I THINK CHURCHES CAN ADD A ç HUGE AMOUNT.

THEY CAN ACTUALLY FIRST OF ALL BOOST THE MORALE OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN ON THOSE LINES FOR HUNDREDS OF DAYS NOW, 126 DAYS TODAY.

THEY CAN ALSO THROUGH THE POWER OF MORAL AUTHORITY CALL FOR MORE AND MORE PEOPLE TO NOT ONLY JOIN IN THE STREETS, BUT JOIN IN THE VOTING BOOTH IN ORDER TO VOTE ç FOR JUSTICE.

>> AND JUST VERY BRIEFLY, TALK ABOUT HOW WHITE CHURCHES HAVE BEEN RESPONDING, MAYBE IN A DIFFERENT WAY, VERY BRIEFLY.

>> ABSOLUh1éñ I'LL TALK FIRST ABOUT FERGUSON.

WHEN WE FIRST STARTED, WE ACTUALLY STARTED BY ORGANIZING AN EVANGELICAL NETWORK IN ST. LOUIS THAT IS NOW DEEPLY EMBEDDED AND INVOLVED IN THE PROTESTS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN FERGUSON.

ÑZ I'M GOING UP TO NEW YORK CITY TO TAKE PART IN A JERICHO MARCH, AND LOTS OF EVANGELICALS WILL BE INVOLVED IN THAT AS WELL.

>> LISA, MANY THANKS.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

'½uç IN OTHER NEWS, IN WASHINGTON THIS WEEK, CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS AND FAITH LEADERS LAUNCHED A NEW CAMPAIGN TO END THE DEATH PENALTY.

THE PROJECT IS CALLED "““90 MILLION STRONG."

THE GROUP SAID CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IS A BROKEN SYSTEM AND THAT IT DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTS THE MENTALLY ILL AND PEOPLE OFC)SJ >>> IN HIS ANNUAL MESSAGE THE WORLD DAY OF PEACE, POPE FRANCIS CALLED FOR A NEW MOVEMENT TO END HUMAN TRAFFICKING.

WITH CHRISTMAS APPROACHING, HE URGED CONSUMERS TO AVOID BUYING PRODUCTS FROM COMPANIES THAT USE EXPLOITED LABOR, SAYING QUOTE PURCHASING IS ALWAYS A MORAL, AND NOT SIMPLY, AN ECONOMIC ACT.

HE ALSO SAID HIS THOUGHTS WERE WITH THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD WHO HAVE HAD THEIR FREEDOM AND HUMAN DIGNITY TAKEN FROM THEM.

>>> A AFTER A SUCCESSFUL SOCIAL MEDIA FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN, THE U.N.'S WORLD FOOD PROGRAM RESUMED DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD VOUCHERS TO SYRIAN REFUGEES.

THE PROGRAM WAS SUSPENDED LAST ç WEEK BECAUSE DONORS HAD NOT FULFILLED THEIR FUNDING COMMITMENTS.

THROUGH THE VOUCHERS, WFP FEEDS MORE THAN 1.7 MILLION SYRIAN REFUGEES IN FIVE COUNTRIES./ñ >>> "TIME" MAGAZINE THIS WEEK NAMEDç THOSE ON THE FRONT LINES OF THE EBOLA FIGHT AS THEIR "PERSON OF THE YEAR."

FIVE INDIVIDUALS WERE FEATURED, INCLUDING DR. KENT BRANTLY, AN AMERICAN CHRISTIAN MISSIONARY WHO WAS INFECTED IN LIBERIA.

AFTER MAKING A FULL RECOVERY, BRANTLY HAS DONATED HIS BLOOD PLASMA TO SEVERAL OTHER EBOLA PATIENTS.

WHILE ONGOING VIOLENCE IN THE MIDDLE EAST DEMANDS MUCH OF THE WORLD'S ATTENTION, THERE'S ANOTHER SAGA OF CIVIL WAR -- 200,000 PEOPLE KILLED, OVER 50 YEARS IN COLOMBIA.

BUT THIS WEEK, PEACE TALKS RESUMED BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE REBELS, CALLED FARC.

AND, AS FRED DE SAM LAZARO REPORTS ALONGSIDE THE REFUGEES AND GRAVES, THERE ARE FRAGILE ç SIGNS OF JUSTICE AND PEACE.

>> ON WEEKENDS, BOGOTA'S STREETS TAKE ON A RELAXED, ALMOST FESTIVE AIR.

YOU'D NEVER KNOW THIS COUNTRY IS STILL IN A 50-YEAR-OLD CIVIL WAR.

PEACE TALKS IN CUBA BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND LEFTIST FARC ç REBELS HAVE DRAGGED ON FOR TWO YEARS.

BUT HERE, PAULA GAVIRIA SAYS THERE'S QUITE A BIT OF INDIFFERENCE.

>> WE LIVED OUR LIFE FEELING nG COMFORTABLE, IN A WAY, WITH CONFLICT.

I MEAN, THAT WAS -- IT WAS THERE.

IT WAS ALWAYS THERE, SO MAYBE WE DON'T KNOW HOW IT IS TO LIVE WITHOUT IT.

pPj ONLY PEOPLE THAT HAVE SUFFERED CONFLICT, LIKE VICTIMS, ARE THE ONES THAT REALLY KNOW THAT PEACE HAS TO BE MADE.

>> GAVIRIA HEADS A GOVERNMENT AGENCY SET UP TO PROVIDE REPARATIONS TO FAMILIES OR VICTIMS THEMSELVES OF THE LONG-RUNNING CONFLICT.

IN ALL, THAT'S SOME SEVEN MILLION VICTIMS, 15% OF THE POPULATION.

THERE ARE MORE THAN 100 VICTIMS'ç CENTERS ACROSS COLOMBIA.

THEY ARE THE FIRST STOP IN A LONG JOURNEY THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BRING EDUCATION AND HEALTH BENEFITS AND HOUSING, WHERE POSSIBLE A RETURN OF THEIR ORIGINAL PROPERTIES.

IT'S WORKING IN SOME REGIONS, BUT IT'S EXTREMELY COMPLICATED IN OTHERS, GAVIRIA SAYS.

>> WE'RE DOING THIS IN THE ç MIDDLE OF CONFLICT, AND WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT THIS IS GOING TO HAVE A GOOD END WITH THE FARC IN HAVANA.

(6p BUT THERE ARE REGIONS LIKE BUENAVENTURA, WHERE IT'S NOT ONLY CONFLICT WITH THE FARC, IT'S DIFFERENT CONFLICTS THAT ARE THERE.

THERE'S NARCOTICS, THERE ARE GUNS GOING IN AND OUT.

>> FATHER JESUS GERALDO, COFOUNDER 30 YEARS AGO OF A RIGHTS GROUP KNOWN HERE AS JUSTICE AND PEACE, AGREES THE CONFLICT IS FAR MORE COMPLEX THAN WHEN IT BEGAN AT THE HEIGHT OF THE COLD WAR AS A GOVERNMENT CAMPAIGN AGAINST COMMUNIST GUERILLAS.

>> THE COMMON PERSPECTIVE IS THAT THE ONLY PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE VIOLENCE HAVE BEEN THE GUERRILLAS, WITHOUT RECOGNIZING THAT THE GOVERNMENT AND THE ç PARAMILITARIES HAVE WORKED TOGETHER AND HAVE BEEN .oivñ RESPONSIBLE FOR A GREAT DEAL OF VIOLENCE AND WITH ECONOMIC INTERESTS IN MIND.

>> HE TOO CITES THE EXAMPLE OF BUENAVENTURA ON COLOMBIA'Sç PAC9]%LONG A TRANSSHIPMENT POINT FOR NARCOTICS.

PATROLS HERE OSTENSIBLY KEEPING FARC REBELS OUT OF THE CITY.

HOWEVER, MANY RESIDENTS SAY PARAMILITARY GROUPS-——STARTED BY LANDOWNERS ALSO OPPOSED TO THE FARCS, AND THOSE IN THE NRA K09ICES TRIED WHO'VE RUN AMOK, FIGHTING EACH OTHER FOR TERRITORY, TRYING TO EVICT PEOPLE OFF VALUABLE LAND, CONSCRIPTING YOUNG MEN, OR AVENGING PERCEIVED DISLOYALTY.

>> Translator: A FRIEND CAME TO VISIT ME ON NOVEMBER 3rd, 2013.

THE PARAMILITARIES CAME INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THEY TOOK MY FRIEND OUTSIDE AND SHOT HIM IN FRONT OF MY CHILDREN AND MY NIECES AND NEPHEWS.

>> TEN YEARS AGO, THEY TOOK HER FATHER AWAY.

THE FAMILY NEVER HEARD FROM HIM z÷g @&H(LC& AGAIN, NEVER REPORTED IT FOR FEAR OF EVEN WORSE CONSEQUENCES.

EVEN TODAY GLORIA DOES NOT WANT HER IMAGE OR REAL NAME USED.

ON AVERAGE, ABOUT 12,000 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DRIVEN FROM THEIR HOMES IN EACH OF THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS HERE IN BUENAVENTURA.

DOZENS IF NOT HUNDREDS HAVE DISAPPEARED OR BEEN MURDERED, SOME WITH PARTICULAR BRUTALITY, ç THEIR BODIES DISMEMBERED AND DISPOSED OF IN CLEAR SIGHT, IN A CAMPAIGN INTENDED TO TERRORIZE PEOPLE.

THINGS BEGAN TO CHANGE IN ONE SMALL PART OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD CALLED LA PLAYITA.

SOME 4000 RESIDENTS PUT UP A GATE AND A SIGN AND DECLARED IT A HUMANITARIAN SPACE.

>> Translator: WE CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE, SO WE DECIDED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

THAT'S WHEN WE DECIDED TO WORK WITH JUSTICE AND PEACE.

>> A NERVOUS CALM DISTINGUISHES THE SO-CALLED HUMANITARIAN ZONE FROM OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS.

SO DOES THE FREQUENT VISITS BY OUTSIDERS INWITTED BY JUSTICE AND PEACE.ç >> Translator: OUR WORK WITH THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IS WHAT KEEPS US ALIVE.

ENSURES THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN ASSASSINATED.

BUT THE REASON WE HAVE THE ATTENTION OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IS OUR ABILITY TO PROVIDE REALLY CONCRETE DOCUMENTATION.

>> THE GROUP DOCUMENTS@1U59ñ RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, BRINGING THEM TO THE ATTENTION OF GLOBAL HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS, COURTS HERE, AND THE INTER-AMERICAN COURT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS.

AND THEY FACE CONSTANT THREATS.

SOME HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES.

UNDER ORDERS FROM THE INTER-AMERICAN COURT, COLOMBIA'S GOVERNMENT PROVIDES SECURITY PROTECTION.

BUT FATHER GERALDO SAYS THERE ARE NO GUARANTEES.

>> Translator: I TRAVEL IN A GOVERNMENT CAR, AND I RECEIVE GOVERNMENT PROTECTION.

LAST YEAR THAT CAR WAS SHOT THREE TIMES WHILE IT WAS PARKED IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE.

>> JUSTICE AND PEACE WORKS PRIMARILY WITH INDIGENOUS AND THE AFRO-COLOMBIAN COMMUNITY.

BLACKS ACCOUNT FOR A THIRD OF ALL DISPLACED PEOPLE, EVEN THOUGH THEY COMPRISE JUST TEN ç PERCENT OF THE POPULATION.

IN BUENAVENTURA, A MOSTLY AFRO-COLOMBIAN CITY, RESIDENTS SAY THE TERROR HAS ESCALATED IN RECENT YEARS.

SO HAS THE VALUE OF WATERFRONT LAND, WHERE MANY LIVE BECAUSE OF A RECENT FREE-TRADE AGREEMENT WITH NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES.

>> Translator: WHEN WE FIRST ARRIVED THERE WAS A LOT OF FEAR.

NO ONE LEFT THEIR HOUSE AFTER 6:00 P.M.ç >> JUSTICE AND PEACE'S MARIA MOSQUERA AND HER BROTHER, EDWIN, MOVED INTO THE COMMUNITY, PART OF THE EFFORT TO HAVE CONSTANT INTERNATIONALLY CONNECTED VIGILANCE AND TO HOLD SECURITY FORCES ACCOUNTABLE FOR DOING THEIR JOB.

>> THEY BUILT A GATE OUTSIDE, AND THAT WAS THE SYMBOL THAT SAID WE DON'T WANT PARAMILITARIES IN HERE ANYMORE.

>> WE ASKED FOR THE POLICE TO BE PRESENT AT FIVE STRATEGIC LOCATIONS IN THE HUMANITARIAN SPACE.

THE ROLE OF THE POLICE IS TO PATROL JUST THE PERIMETER OF THE AREA AND TO BE ALERT FOR THE n PARAMILITARIES.

[@E%z >> SINCE THE 13th OF APRIL, WHEN THE HUMANITARIAN SPACE WAS INAUGURATED, WE HAVE NOT HAD ONE SINGLE KILLING.

>> IT'S A SMALL GAIN AND COMES AT HIGH COST, ESPECIALLY TO ACTIVISTS LIKE CASTILLO.

ç HE'S COUNTED 27 DEATH THREATS IN RECENT YEARS.

GLORIA ALSO LIVES IN FEAR FOR HER LIFE.

SHE DOESN'T SEND HER YOUNG CHILDREN TO SCHOOL BECAUSE IT'S OUTSIDE THE SAFE ZONE, SHE SAYS.

NOR DOES SHE VISIT HER HUSBAND, ç WHO LIVES AND WORKS TWO HOURS AWAY.

REPARATIONS WILL TAKE A WHILE BEFORE THEY REACH HERE.

JUSTICE AND PEACE MEMBERS MUST RECONCILE WITH THE TINY GAINS.

CHILDREN BEING ABLE TO PLAY OUTSIDE, FOR INSTANCE.

HOWEVER, FATHER GERALDO SAYS THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, OFTEN PASSIVE TO THE GROUP'S WORK IN THE PAST, HAS SEEN SIGNIFICANT SHIFTS SINCE THE ADVENT OF POPE FRANCIS.

THE FIRST LATIN AMERICAN POPE HAS GIVEN SUCH ACTIVISM THE THUMBS UP, A BREATH OF RENEWAL, HE CLAIMS.

FOR "““RELIGION & ETHICS NEWSWEEKLY,"”” THIS IS FRED DE SAM LAZARO IN BUENAVENTURA, COLOMBIA.ç >>> IT'S ESTIMATED THAT LAST YEAR ALONE, 200 MILLION PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD SOUGHT OUT SACRED SITES TO EXPERIENCE THE PRESENCE OF GOD.

AUTHOR BRUCE FEILER HAS ASSEMBLED STORIES AND EXTRAORDINARY VIDEO TO CREATE A 6-PART PBS SERIES BEGINNING THIS COMING WEEK CALLED SACRED ç JOURNEYS.

HE GAVE US A PREVIEW.

>> WHY IS PILGRIMAGE SO POPULAR IN AMERICA?

BECAUSE WE ARE ALL PILGRIMS IN THIS COUNTRY AND THAT MEANS WE ALL HAVE AN ANTECEDENT PLACE.

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SEEKING IS NOT SOME THUNDERBOLT THAT IS GOING TO COME FROM THE SKY, BUT A BIT OF QUIET, AND A BIT OF DISCOMFORT, AND A BIT OF OPENNESS THAT ALLOWS THEM TO aT@&H(LC& HEAR WHATEVER IT IS THEY'RE SEEKING.

>> I TRULY WAS ALONE WITH GOD IN A SEA OF 5 MILLION PEOPLE.

>> SOME PEOPLE HAVE ALWAYS DREAMED OF GOING, SOME PEOPLE ARE CURIOUS WHERE THE EVENTS THEY'VE ALWAYS HEARD ABOUT TOOK PLACE.

SOME PEOPLE NEED PHYSICAL HEALING, SOME PEOPLE NEED EMOTIONAL HEALING.

çoCÑÑ PEOPLE TEND TO GO IN MOMENTS OF TRANSITIONS IN THEIR LIVES.

>> MY SOUL ALWAYS SEEKS TO BE WITH OTHER SOULS ON THE SAME JOURNEY.

THERE'S A LOT OF DEEP, DEEP SPIRITUALITY HERE AND THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO TUNE INTO.

>> AND FOR MANY IT IS THIS ç EXPERIENCE OF TRYING TO GET CLOSER TO GOD AND I THINK THAT THE WAY THAT WORKS IS THERE IS SO MUCH NOISE IN OUR LIVES.

SOMETIMES IN ORDER TO HEAR, YOU HAVE TO SORT OF STEP AWAY FROM THAT ORDINARY LIFE AND OPEN YOURSELF TO THE EXTRAORDINARY.

IT'S DIFFICULT TO MAKE ONE OF THESE JOURNEYS.

YOU'RE TRAVELING TO ANOTHER COUNTRY, MULTIPLE TIME ZONES AWAY, YOU'RE STAYING IN UNFAMILIAR PLACES, EATING cn UNFAMILIAR FOODS AND YOU ARE PUTTING YOURSELF OUTSIDE YOUR COMFORT ZONE AND THAT'S PART OF IT.

>> SACRED CLOTHING IS PART OF MANY PILGRIMAGES.

ç HERE ITS HINDU PRAYER SHAWLS, PRINTED WITH SACRED TEXTS.

>> IN THE HAJJ PEOPLE GO WEARING THEIR OWN CLOTHES, PART OF THE JOURNEY IS TO TAKE OFF YOUR CLOTHES, PUT ON THE RITUAL CLOTHING, THE MEN SHAVE THEIR HAIR, AND THE WOMEN MAKE A SYMBOLIC CUT SHEDDING YOUR FORMER SELF AND OPENING YOURSELFç UP TO WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN.

YOU SEE PEOPLE STRUGGLING AND QUESTIONING, AND YEARNING AND WANTING AND ULTIMATELY ALMOST TO A "T," SAYING THAT THERE WAS A MOMENT WHERE THEY HAD A PERSONAL CONNECTION WITH WHAT THEY WERE LOOKING FOR.

ANOTHER SIMILARITY WE SEE AMONG THE DIFFERENT FILMS IS NATURE.

YOU GOT MOUNTAINS IN JAPAN, YOU'VE GOT HILLS AND MOUNTAINS IN THE HAJJ.

YOU'VE GOT HILLS OF GALILEE DURING THE JESUS WALK.

YOU ALSO SEE RIVERS A LOT.

YOU SEE THE BATHING IN THE GANGES, YOU SEE THE SACRIFICING TO THE RIVER GOD IN NIGERIA.

THEY WANT TO GET US OUT OF THE PEW, OF THE HOME, OF THE DINING ROOM AND GET US BACK INTO NATURE.

ONE OF THE POWERS OF A PILGRIMAGE IS THAT PEOPLE HAVE GONE ON THE JOURNEY BEFORE YOU.

ç SOMETIMES IT'S THOUSANDS OF YEARS.

THERE IS I THINK A POWER THAT COMES FROM WALKING ON A WALK THAT HAS BEEN GROUND INTO THE STONES, INTO THE DIRT, INTO THE PATH AND JUST THE ACT OF PUTTING YOUR OWN FEET ON THAT PATH HELPSç KEEP IT ALIVE.

I'M IN WESTERN NIGERIA, THE HEART OF THE YORUBAN PEOPLE.

IN YORUBA CULTURE, MUSIC A.

DANCE ARE DIRECT PATHWAYS THAT CONNECT THE PHYSICAL WORLD WITH THE GODLY ONE.

>> THIS HAS BEEN MY WAY TO ENCOUNTER WHO I AM SUPPOSED TO BE, TO MAKE SURE THE PATH OF DESTINY THAT I WALK ON IS THE PATH THAT I'M SUPPOSED TO BE ON.

>> IN SOME WAYS THE PILGRIMAGE NEVER REALLY CULMINATES UNTIL YOU GO BACK HOME, UNTIL YOU FIND OUT WHAT LESSONS YOU HAVE TAKEN FROM THE PLACE THAT WILL CHANGE HOW YOU LIVE BACK AT HOME AND ULTIMATELY, I THINK THAT'S WHY PEOPLE DO IT.

TO ME THE MOST POWERFUL MOMENTS THAT I ENCOUNTER ARE PEOPLE WHO SAY I'M GOING TO HAVE THE EXPERIENCE, BUT IN THE END I'M ç GOING TO MAKE THE MEANING AND DECIDE WHAT IMPORT IT'S GOING TO HAVE IN MY OWN LIFE.Ñu >>> THE JEWISH HOLIDAY OF HANUKKAH BEGINS NEXT TUESDAY NIGHT.ç IT REMEMBERS THE TIME, LONG AGO, WHEN JEWS WANTED TO PURIFY THEIR RECLAIMED TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM BY BURNING RITUAL OIL.

THEY ONLY HAD ENOUGH OIL FOR ONE DAY, BUT MIRACULOUSLY, THAT SMALL AMOUNT LASTED FOR EIGHT.

EARLIER THIS MONTH, THE JEWISH THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY IN NEW YORK ASSEMBLED PROMINENT SCHOLARS AND OTHERS TO EXPLORE NEW THEMES FOR THE HANUKKAH CELEBRATION.

3l >> WE WANTED TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THIS WASN'T GOING TO BE JUST ANOTHER HANUKKAH PROGRAM.

♪♪ç WE WANTED IT TO BE A MIX.

WE WANTED THERE TO BE MUSIC, WE WANTED THERE TO BE FUN.

>> THIS IS YOUR LEVITY, FOR THE NIGHT.

>> YOU CAN'T HAVE HOLINESS WITHOUT PREPARATION, AND YOU CAN'T JUST ROLL INTO THE HOLIDAYS, AND SAY, "OKAY, LET'S DO IT.

>> EACH OF THE PEOPLE COMING UP HERE TONIGHT WILL BE A ç CANDLE, A BEACON, A LIGHTHOUSE, A CANDLESTICK.

>> IT IS THE JOB OF A JEW, IT'S THE JOB OF ANY HUMAN BEING CREATED IN GOD'S IMAGE TO ADD LIGHT TO THE WORLD.

>> HANUKKAH IS, WITHOUT A DOUBT, AS THE HOLIDAY ITSELF SAYS, THAT THERE WAS, FROM A SMALL JAR, THERE BECAME A LOT OF LIGHT.

IT IS THE QUINTESSENTIAL HOLIDAY OF HOW TO WORK WITH DARKNESS.

>> YOU SAID TO ME AT ONE POINT THAT THE MIRACLE WAS NOT THAT THE OIL LASTED, BUT THAT THEY LOOKED FOR IT AT ALL.

>> IF THE MIRACLE OF HANUKKAH WAS THAT THE OIL LASTED FOR EIGHT DAYS, IT'S NOT TRUE.

IT'S NOT TRUE.

THEY HAD ENOUGH OIL FOR ONE DAY.

>> SO IT LASTED FOR SEVEN.

THE MIRACLE IS SEVEN.

>> SO WHY DO WE CELEBRATE EIGHT DAYS?

WHAT'S THAT ORIGINAL, ADDITIONAL DAY?

AND I HEARD SOMEONE SAY SOMETHING VERY BEAUTIFUL.

HE SAID, "LOOKING FOR LIGHT ç ITSELF IS A MIRACLE."

>> WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HANUKKAH, THE WORD LITERALLY MEANS "DEDICATION.

AND IT RESUMEBLY CELEBRATES THE REDEDICATION OF THE TEMPLE AFTER THE JEWS RECAPTURED IT FROM THE GREEKS.

AND WE NEED TO RE-DEDICATE OURSELVES, I THINK, ANNUALLY, MAYBE EVEN DAILY.

>> THE BALANCE OF POWER IN ç JUDAISM IS MOVING AWAY FROM SYNAGOGUE-BASED CELEBRATIONS TO HOME-BASED.

Si THAT IS RISING IN IMPORTANCE.

AND JUDAISM, BECAUSE OF SHABBAT, BECAUSE OF HANUKKAH, BECAUSE OF THE PASSOVER SEDER, BECAUSE OF A WHOLE SERIES OF THINGS ACTUALLY HAS A LEG UP IN THIS TRANSITION, BECAUSE SO MUCH OF IT IS ALREADY BASED IN THE HOME.

-x >> EVEN THOUGH WE DO IT AT HOME, WHEN WE LIGHT THE HANUKKIYAH, WHAT SOME PEOPLE CALL THE MENORAH, THE EIGHT CANDLES PLUS THE LITTLE NINTH SERVICE CANDLE, WE PUT IT IN THE WINDOW.

AND LETTING EVERYBODY SEE HERE WE ARE, THIS IS OUR HOLIDAY, AND EVERY NIGHT AS YOU WALK BY MY WINDOW YOU'LL SEE MORE LIGHT.

>> THIS IS ONE OF THE TIMES ç WHERE CHABAD ACTUALLY MIGHT HAVE GOTTEN IT RIGHT.

s, THE BIGGER, THE BETTER, THE LARGER THE MENORAH, THE MORE CENTRAL IT IS.

PUBLICIZING THE MITZVAH IS INHERENT TO CELEBRATING HANUKKAH.

♪ EVERY FLAME IS A SIGNALç WE DON'T HIDE ANYMORE ♪ ♪ PUT THE LIGHT IN THE WINDOW>Phv THAT'S WHAT HANUKKAH'S FOR ♪ >> IF THE RABBIS COULD HAVE, THEY WOULD HAVE SUPPRESSED THE HOLIDAY ENTIRELY BECAUSE IT'S MILITARISTIC.

THEY REALLY COULDN'T STAND THE MACCABEES.

THE TRUTH IS IN THE JEWISH COMMUNITY, IN THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY, IN THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY WE FIND BOTH MANIFESTATIONS.

IT'S IN EVERY ONE OF OUR OWN HUMAN NATURE.

PARdHJUáHRáHP ITTLE MILITANT, AND PART OF US IS A LITTLE YEA4SR U >> I WANT TO DIRECT OUR ATTENTION TO THE RITUAL OBJECT AT THE FRONT OF THE ROOM.

AND I WANT YOU, FOR A MINUTE, TO FORGET ABOUT THE SVo$e9ñ WHATEVER STORY WE TELL, THE OBJECT IS DESIGNED TO HAVE A TRANSFORMATIVE EFFECT ON US.

AND THE TRANSFORMATIVE EFFECT HAS TO DO WITH BRINGING LIGHT OUT OF DARKNESS.

♪ LIGHT ONE HANDLE FOR THE STRENGTH THAT WEç NEED ♪ ♪ IT NEVER BECOMES OUR OLD FOE ♪ >> TIME HAS PASSED ON THE HIGH HOLIDAYS, WE'RE MEANT TO BE REFLECTIVE, AND THEN WE HAVE A CHANCE FOR HANUKKAH.

IF WE DO IT THAT WAY, TO SAY ALL RIGHT, SO HOW AM I DOING?

AND IF THE MEASURE IS, AM I ADDING LIGHT TO THE WORLD?

AND YOU CAN ANSWER THAT, YES.

THEN YOU ARE IN A GOOD PLACE.

>>> THAT'S OUR PROGRAM FOR NOW.

I'M BOB ABERNETHY.

YOU CAN FOLLOW US ON TWITTER AND FACEBOOK AND WATCH US ANYTIME ON THE PBS APP FOR iPHONES AND iPADS.

THERE IS ALSO MUCH MORE ON OUR WEBSITE, WHERE YOU CAN LISTEN TO OR WATCH EVERY PROGRAM.

JOIN US AT PBS.ORG.

AS WE LEAVE YOU, MORE MUSIC FROM PETER PAUL AND MARY'S PETER YARROW AND NEW YORK CITY CANTORS AT THE JEWISH THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY HANUKKAH EVENT.ç ♪ LIGHT ONE CANDLE FOR THOSE WHO ARE SUFFERING ♪ ♪ THE PAIN WE LEARNED SO LONG AGO ♪ ♪ LIGHT ONE CANDLE FOR ALL THAT ANGER NOT TEAR US APART ♪ ♪ LIGHT ONE CANDLE ç TO BIND US TOGETHER ♪ ♪ WITH PEACE AND A SONG IN OUR HEART ♪MPANY.ç