Honolulu Star-Advertiser from Honolulu, Hawaii • 18

B4 LOCAL HOMULu Si AH SDVtkliSiB SATURDAY 10111 Hospice organizations earn healing award AWARD WINNERS Tlie Interfaith Alliance of Hawaii 2011 Community Awards Healing Role in Hawaii: Saint Francis Hospice, Hospice Hawaii, Gregory House, Islands Hospice, Bristol Hospice-Hawaii and Kokua Mau. Encouraging Nonviolent Civic Participation: Community Alliance on Prisons. Facilitating Community Activism: Hawaii Coalition Against Legalized Gambling. Challenging Religious or Political Extremism: St. Andrew's Episcopal Cathedral, which held a joint celebration in June of a national "Faith Shared" event involving the Jewish, Christian and Muslim faiths.

Flame of Hope Award: Rep. Blake Oshiro (D, Aiea-Ha-lawa), who led the effort for House Bill 444, which legalized civil unions in Hawaii. nual recognition dinner at the Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii. The keynote speaker was Clarence Liu, chaplain at Hospice Hawaii, who joined the organization in 2000 to better learn how to support his aging parents. Liu was a priest for 20 years in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu before leaving to work with homeless people and at the Hawaii State Hospital.

In an interview, Liu said that as he grew older "1 learned the lessons we all have to learn, that it's not really about death. It's about facing life's changes how fragile life is. how important it is to live life fully today" Many of the hospice patients he has spoken with have expressed tremendous regret over what they have not said to loved ones, Liu said. He said people often say something like, "'If I only had my husband here for with universal questions. The ultimate question (patients have) is, 'I don't know what's going to Some people's concept of religion is that if they are good, they are going to heaven and if they are bad, they are going to hell, he said.

"It doesn't take much faith to believe in a religion in which bad guys are punished, which sounds like what I and what humans would do. My point is it takes great faith to love and care no matter what happens," Liu said. After 40 years in the ministry, "I still can't tell you what's going to happen (after death). Faith is simply trusting even though there's no proof. All you can do is to hope and trust and love.

There is no guarantee about the outcome of everything. Life is not a bargain with God. I trust that there is something more." one more and he urges, "Do it now. Do it today." The problem most people have is, "We don't live in the present; it's always tomorrow But there should be an urgency to live with the awareness that this may be my last breath," Liu said. "You should welcome the joy, but welcome the sorrow, too, because sorrow is going to leave, too." Liu cited as an example Viktor Frankl, a neurologist and psychiatrist from Vienna who survived Nazi concentration camps in World War II because he wanted to see his wife again.

With so many cultures and religions represented in Hawaii's diverse population, Liu said he will bring in a minister of the patient's faith if it differs from his Christian perspective. "My role is as a spiritual caregiver," he said. "I deal By Pat Gee pgeeiSstaradvertiser.com The Interfaith Alliance of Hawaii celebrated more than 40 years of hospice care in Hawaii on Sunday at its ninth annual awards dinner, recognizing St. Francis Hospice and five other organizations in the field with its "Healing Role in Hawaii" honor. Sister Maureen Keleher established palliative care in Haw aii in 1968 by opening five rooms at St.

Francis Hospital to help people with terminal cancer live out their lives comfortably in a homelike setting, said Sister Joan Chatfield of the Interfaith Alliance. Sharing the healing award were Hospice Haw aii, Gregory House, Islands Hospice. Bristol Hospice-Hawaii and Kokua Mau. The 2011 community awards were presented at the Interfaith Alliance's an "There should be an urgency to live with the awareness that this may be my last breath." Clarence Liu Chaplain at Hospice Hawaii Interfaith discussion will focus on women Prized California palm fronds set the proper mood for Sukkot from New York all over the country. "We shouldn't allow this to happen again.

But people have to understand that was our cheapest source." The lulav industry, such as it is, relies primarily on longstanding connections, with the largest suppliers closely guarding their source of the palm fronds. Zagelbaum said consumers would have to pay $10 more this year for the palm fronds, which are typically sold with the other symbolic plants for New York Times I rom a certain vantage point on Arthur Futterman's date farm in Indio, Shulem Ekstein can see palm trees in every direction. Ekstein has been to many of these farms, waiting at the gate in his black three-piece suit, his prayer shawl poking out from underneath his vest. For each of the past seven years, Ekstein has traveled from anywhere from $50 to $300. Ekstein does not worry about that.

Thanks to the farmers here, he has his own small but steady supply of American-grown palm fronds. A member of the ultra-Orthodox Satmar Hasidic sect, which believes the state of Israel should be created only by God, Ekstein does not buy religious items from Israel. The fronds from Egypt, he said, are inferior to the varieties he can procure here. In his community, nobody will blanch at paving $70 or cated to the memory of the Rev. Phyllis Roe, who died 10 years ago.

A memorial service will be held from 9 to 9:45 p.m. Oct. 30. Roe was the longest-serving executive director of the Samaritan Counseling Center of Hawaii (now the Counseling Spiritual Care Center of Hawaii), from 1991 to 2001. She is credited with pioneering pastoral counseling and how one understands personal spirituality, according to the CSCCH.

The Rev. Alice Graham will give the keynote address at 9 a.m. Oct. 29. Graham is a Baptist minister in Mississippi, vice president of the American Association of Pastoral Counselors and executive director of the Mississippi Coast Interfaith Disaster Taskforce.

Puanani Burgess will lead a workshop at 10 a.m. Oct. 30 on "Conflict Transformation Hawaiian Style." Register for the conference and a free panel discussion at 735-4822 or psponselchaminade.edu. Registration is being accepted through Monday for the American Association of Pastoral Counselors Pacific Region's fall conference, Oct. 28-30 at St.

Anthony's Retreat Center at 3351 KalihiSt. Co-sponsors are the Counseling Spiritual Care Center of Hawaii and the Rev. Yoshiaku Fujitani-Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai Interfaith Program at Chaminade University. A free interfaith panel discussion by seven women on women's mental health and spirituality will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. Oct.

29. The focus of the discussion will look at how society has been affected by multicultural-ism, and the maturing influence of women's perspectives on spirituality and mental health. The panel includes Azeema Faizunnisa, Jo lene Gerell, Mollie Sperry, Alice Tucker, Noelani Wilcox, Debbie Hippolite Wright and Jan Youth. They represent Muslim, Christian, Bahai, Jewish, Hawaiian, Mormon and Buddhist perspectives, respectively. The conference is dedi J-BB- "BBBBBB 7 I i i Kiryas Joel, a tightly knit Orthodox enclave northwest of New York City, to ask the farmers in the California desert if he could please buy the inner palm fronds of their trees.

Thousands of Jews, he explains, will soon be looking to use those sort of fronds as a religious ritual object to celebrate the holiday of Sukkot. "1 explain to them it doesn't hurt the trees, it helps them," said Ekstein, 27, as he reached through a tree to clip one out. "It just takes a minute or less to cut them, not complicated." During the holiday, which begins Wednesday evening and lasts for a week, religious Jews are required to hold the frond called a lulav in Hebrew along with a willow and myrtle branches and a citron fruit each day while reciting a prayer. The palms are most abundant in the Middle East the majority of the roughly 500,000 used in the United States are imported from Israel and Egypt. But this year, Egypt has held back from exporting the fronds, sending a wave of panic about a potential shortage through the small circle of businessmen who distribute and sell them in the United States.

"We rely way too much on other countries," said Levi Za-gelbaum, who distributes them $80 for the palm frond alone. "We want the strongest, the most beautiful, the straight-est," he said. "Everyone wants the nicest ones, but most people have no idea where theirs came from. We know." At this time of year, in neighborhoods with a heavy concentration of religious Jews, it is not uncommon to see scores of tables full of fronds, with people crowding around to closely examine them. According to Jewish law, the tallest leaf has to be completely intact, not split down the middle.

To spend an afternoon with Ekstein and his brother Schmiel is to learn about the finer points of the varieties of fronds. There are the medj(xl palms, which are prized for their juicy fruit but have the weakest fronds, Ekstein said. "You give a little shake and it falls apart," he scoffed, pointing to the tip of the frond. Then there is the khadrawi, which is somewhat stronger. But the real prize, the palm that brings him across the country each year, is the dayri.

"This one the kid could push and hit the roof with it and it would still be OK," he said, speaking like a proud farmer as he examined a specimen. Star-Ad 'ertiser staff CALENDAR NEW YORK TIMES Schmiel Ekstein, of Kiryas Joel, N.Y., examined palm fronds at the date farm of Arthur Futter-man in Indio, Calif. For each of the past seven years, Ekstein's brother, Shulem, has traveled from his Orthodox enclave northwest of New York City to ask the farmers in the California desert if he could buy the Inner palm fronds, which will be used by thousands of Jews next week as a religious object to celebrate the holiday of Sukkot. K- 5 vi v. The Aloha Church, 428-1347.

Brifinnmg Sunday, the church's new meeting site is the Makjkilo Community Center at 91-1 140 Makakilo Drive. Gatherings betfin at 10 a Cathedral of Our Lady ol Peace, 1 184 BUhop S. B. The second anniversary ol St Uamien de Veuster's canonization will I celebrated Tuesday by Bishop larry Silva at the noon Mass. Contemplative Outreach of Hawaii, 53M090.

A free Morning of Centering Prayer Meditation will be held (X 15 from 9 to 1 1 30 am at Central Union Church. lWiOS BeretaniaSt A class will be held for newcomers Donations accepted at the door Books on the spiritual journey available for sale and loan Visit net. Community Church of Honolulu, 2345 Nuuanu 595-754 1. A walking event called "Walk in the Word" will le held 7 to 10 a Oct 15 on the church grounds Registration at the door. Donations of plants, baked goods and crafts, and sponsors are being accepted For information, also call the Bible Institute ol Hawaii at 595-471X1.

Rmary Rally. The Honolulu observance of the national 201 1 America Needs Fatima Public So.ua.-e Rosary Crusade will be held Oct 15 from 11 30am to 130pm at the slate Capitol near the SI Damien statue Call Val FJefante at 372-9043 or email valelefanteyahoo com for a rally location Honolulu Friends Meeting. 2426 Oahu 696 167. All are invited to join the QuakerFriends in a silent meeting lor worship Oct. 16 at 10a preceding an 1 1 30 a discussion on "Behavioral Sciences Quakerism The discussion will be on the shift in psychotherapy loa more holistic view of human nature and the spiritual energetic dynamics ol healing, the ellicai of prayer, near-death exeriences, and what neuroscience reveals about meditation Visit www hawaiiquakerorg.

Hawaii Conference of Religions for Peace. An interfaith 'Peace Prayers" event will be held 23 from 4 to 7 at the (ie-datsu Church ol Hawaii. 6095 Summer St in Hawaii Kai Curtis Mclean will be the keynote sx-aker Dinner and refreshments will follow Bring nonerishable food items for donation to the Weinberg Village For information, call 3964)363. Claiwes on Buddhism. Dr Jay Sakashita, a religion professor at the University ol Hawaii, will present classes on Buddhism on Tuesday and Thursday evenings beginning next week The ABCs of Buddhism." will be held Oct 1 1 to 20, 7 to 15 at the Hon Hongwanii Hawaii Betsuin, Annex Temple.

1727 Pali Highway, lor $20 The Many Faces iA Buddhism" will be held Oct 25 to Nov 10. 7 to 9 at The Buddhist Study enter. 902 University for $30 Call 536-7044 to register Churches asked to help with APEC service projects Project on Oct. 22, National Make A Dif- Contact Allen Cardines at 221-4022 ference Day. to help with service proj- or alIenhawaiifamilyforum.org for ects in time for APEC.

The second event more information and to sign up. Peo- will be on Nov. 19 to collect donations pie may also visit hawaiipastorsround- for Hawaii Foodbank, the Family Treat- table.com. ment Services Center of the Salvation The Hawaii Pastors Roundtable is seeking assistance from churches with preparations for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation conference next month, and with collecting donations for nonprofit agencies. The group is planning its first Kahiau Star-Advertiser staff Army and E-Waste..