THE LAMP OF THE MESSAGE 

Thank you for creating this format for connecting us. Here in the Greater Philadelphia Sufi Order we have been involved in Cherag Candidate Training. Our Center Leader, Telema Hess has been our guide on this path to becoming Cherags.  

We actually started up this class about 3 years ago with 12 people, and continued it for a year and a half, with varied formats. Then the class stopped for a year and a half. At this point, we have reformed, and have five people in our class. We have entered the study for Judaism, and have been greatly blessed that this is such a time for holy days within the Judaic faith. As a group we are going to attend a Simphas Torah with the Pnai Or (Zolman Schaechter's group) for their celebration. I've also been asked to lead the Dances of Universal Peace in honor of the Sukot holy days, which is also open to the public.  

The next time we gather together for our study group we'll have the theme of joy. Any comments, ideas, suggestions? We'll begin with the Universal Worship, where five of us have coordinated the readings, with two Dances Of Universal Peace. We'll have an hour service, and then for three hours will go over the questions, and learn more deeply about the Jewish Faith.  

In our group we have Carolyn Hamlet, Shirley Brown, Novella Keith, Gale Livingston and Jeanne Ayesha Lauenborg, and Telema Hess as our guide and consultant.. When I mentioned this e-mail forum to the group, they were very excited.  

We are planning on meeting monthly until June, when we plan to finish the formal training for Cherags. It is a great blessing to have a group to study with, and we wonder if there are other groups around the country now that we can share ideas concerning format, themes, content, etc.  

Watching the new Cherags being ordained this past leaders camp was such a great blessing. The candles were also amazing in how one melted from a stalagtyte to a stalagmite. (?)  

Many blessings,  

Jeanne Ayesha Lauenborg