Leonardo Da Vinci Background (Art History Final)

For my final project I felt a drawing would be best, for I am not much of a painter, a carver, or a photographer. In fact as far as artistic abilities I am really only good at drawing, so it was not hard to decide what I would do. I thought I would have trouble choosing a drawing at first, for many artists we studied were painters, but then I remembered Leonardo Da Vinci was a man of many talents, and one of those talents was drawing.So I decided to replicate a drawing he had intended to become a sculpture of a horse, but was unfortunately never built in his lifetime. I used simple materials to recreate the drawing, using just a regular pencil, some thick sketching paper, and lots of time and patience. Leonardo Da Vinci was adept at many things such as painting, drawing, sculpting, engineering, and took a special interest in science and anatomy. He was both an artist and a scientist.In fact, if he were to tell you his profession, he may have told you any number of things: a painter, an engineer, a cartographer. His talents seemed limitless and it appears he made his best efforts to explore all he possibly could of his talents. The horse I decided to replicate was originally meant to be the largest equestrian model in the world. The man who asked Da Vinci to create the sculpture was named Ludovico il Moro. He was the Duke of Milan and requested the statue be built to honor his father, Francesco, in the year of 1482.Da Vinci first drew sketches of what the statue would look like and began making the sculpture from clay. Unfortunately in 1499 the French destroyed his clay model and the sculpture remained unfinished for centuries. Since 1970, however, there have been many replicas made from Leonardo Da Vinci’s many drawings of the potential horse sculpture. Some of these replicas can be found in Hungary, Italy, and the USA in various sizes and interpretations of the piece.

Music Appreciation Essay

1. What are figured bass and basso continuo? How are they related? Figured bass is a musical notation using numbers to indicate chords, intervals, and other aspects in relation to the bass note of the music and basso continuo is the harmony of the music itself. (this has nothing to do with the question; when I took AP music theory, figured bass was my favorite thing to do!) 2. What is ornamentation? Ornamentation is the use of non-necessary musical flourishes, such as trills and grace notes, to the basic melody or harmony. 3. What is an oratorio? How does it differ from an opera? Oratorios are basically just concerts, whereas operas are more theatrical. Oratorios have a different focus and don’t use scenery like operas. 4. What is an orchestra? How did the development of orchestras influence Baroque music? Orchestras are larger instrumental ensembles or groups that contain brass, string, percussion, and woodwind instruments. The development of orchestras brought along the development of new instruments, like the violin and cello & it also brought along the composition of orchestral music specifically. 5. What is an instrumental suite? A composition that consists of a succession of short pieces, forming into a large composition. Critical thinking questions: 1. What are the characteristics of Baroque music? How would you describe Baroque music? Baroque music is defined as â€Å"that in which the harmony is confused, charged with modulations and dissonances, the melody is harsh and little natural, the intonation difficult, and the movement constrained† (Jean-Jacques Rousseau). To me, baroque music is highly eccentric and decorative; extremely difficult and concise, yet beautiful all at the same time. 2. Choose one of the composers discussed in the unit and listen to several of the composer’s works. Which works did you listen to? How would you describe this composer’s music? Why do you think this composer was an influential figure in Baroque music? I chose to listen to one of my favorite composers of all time, Antonio Vivaldi. I listened to The Four Seasons (every season & every movement). I find his compositions astounding, able to tell stories without the use of words. Small things such as the incorporation of animals and sounds from nature truly paint a picture in the mind. In addition to this, the sudden change from a soothing violin soloist playing to a group of string instruments playing at once completely dramatizes the piece, making it more meaningful. Overall, I believe Vivaldi is an amazing composer, who was highly influential in the Baroque period due to his use of mostly stringed instruments, and he was highly innovative. His music was highly decorated and creative, and in most cases, very melodic and smooth. Vivaldi continues to be an influential composer to this day. 3. How did composers and musicians think about themselves during the Baroque period? How did this influence the music that they created? 4. What advantages and disadvantages did Baroque composers have in the patronage system? What did they gain from this practice? What limitations did it place on them? They were able to showcase their musical genius, yet they were limited to what they were able to play because of what the patron wanted to hear. They did gain a lot of fame and publicity through the patronage system despite the limitations that were placed on them. 5. Baroque music often tried to capture and reflect a particular emotion or feeling. Choose one of the musical works in the unit. Identify the work that you chose. What feeling or emotion is the composer trying to capture or reflect in the work? What aspects of the music lead you to this emotion or feeling?

Final exam Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

Final exam - Assignment Example The second innovation is Google Glasses that is creative as it performs many functions that are similar to the iPhone and Android but the method of use is better and more effective. They were created by Google’s X Lab owing to the numerous complaints about Smart Phones. The major investors behind the innovation are John Doerr of Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, John Doerr of Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Bill Maris of Google Ventures (Loth).This new innovation can transform the world by increasing the speed of transactions. The third innovation is the hybrid car technology that was invented in the 19th century. The innovation was introduced by Jacob Lohner whose main aim was to minimize the unpleasant smells and noises produced by regular automobiles. This idea faded away but Toyota brought it back in 1997 with the introduction of their Prius model in 1997 (Berman, 2007). This model is aimed at address important issues such as global warming and pollution. Question 1(c) Innova tion has been in existence for the longest time in history. It takes place when people come up with better ad innovative ways of doing things thereby coming up with solutions to existing problems. Innovation can be in different forms from product to service development. It should be taught and practiced in classes and firms that promote entrepreneurship. Question 2: Unmet Need Analysis Question 2 (a) One of my classmates came up with an innovation that is based on innovation of a hybrid car system. The major issues facing implantation of the innovation is that fuel is readily available in Saudi Arabia and hybrid cars are more expensive. On the other hand, my project is aimed at improving the livelihood of poor anglers by providing an efficient and affordable way of fishing and is already being used in various parts of the world. Question 2 (b) Implementation of this innovation in Saudi Arabia would be difficult as the country is a crude oil supplier, therefore, fuel is always availa ble. Secondly, convincing the audience to purchase a relatively expensive car will be hard. Question 3: Entrepreneurial Role Models Question 3 (a) I learnt about different entrepreneurs last semester however, two of the most influential entrepreneurs are Richard Branson and Donald Trump. Richard Branson is one of the most influential entrepreneurs in the modern times and has led Virgin Group to be one of the most competitive companies in the airline sector (Dearlove 69). Branson is not only the CEO of the Virgin Group but also acts the company’s brand as he features in advertising and television shows. Donald Trump is evidently the most successful entrepreneur in the US and world over (Dearlove 69). He is a business genius who succeeds in everything he does. His name also has a positive impact on the company’s brand. Question 3 (b) These entrepreneurs show Bower’s entrepreneurial patterns of behavior including creativity, the ability to think come up with soluti ons that are outside the box, the ability to take strategic risks and the ability to bounce back from failure (Bowers 45). Branson is a risk taker whose risks have paid off through the successful business ventures. Branson shows the delusion of grandeur pattern that is stated in Bower’s pattern. He always aims to reach the sky even when the targets appear to be too much. He challenges himself and those who work for him to

What would you do if you knew someone was not inspecting an aircraft Essay

What would you do if you knew someone was not inspecting an aircraft properly (a mechanic or pilot) How would you handle it as a manager What about as a co-worker - Essay Example I will make sure that this issue does not remain subdued but receives as much attention on the part of the higher authorities as possible (Tsang 2003). This is a very important thing and one should be on guard to report such basic mistakes that the mechanics and pilots commit on and off. As a co-worker, I would also do the same thing. I would speak to the mechanic or the pilot later but before that report the same anomaly to the higher authorities because it is my ethical responsibility and I must guarantee that I come equal to it no matter how difficult or strenuous the circumstances and situations turn out to be. In essence, my focus would be on maintaining close ties with my seniors so that no issues creep up at a later stage. These mistakes can cause fatal aircraft problems and thus proper care and attention must be paid beforehand to avoid any such mistakes and

Trading Financial Risks Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Trading Financial Risks - Essay Example Studies by Center for Immigration Studies show that the number of illegal immigrants in the US dropped from 12.5 million in 2008 to 11 million in 2007. The studies also show that Mexican immigrants constitute 56% of the immigrants, the Latin Americans and Africans form the remaining fraction (Hoffmeier, web). People have a negative attitude towards immigrant, and this contribute to the problem of the immigrants. Most people feel threatened by foreigners and have developed negative attitude towards them. This essay will give a discussion on why people need to change their attitude towards immigrants with relation to US case. All are illegal immigrants There is no country in the world without immigrants, in most cases immigrants contribute equally to the country’s development. The united state is not an exception since immigrants have contributed a lot in the country’s development. Contributions by immigrants are evident across the social, political, and economic fields i n the country. The United States leads the globe in terms of economic, political, and social strengths. This implies that there is a close relationship between the country’s developments and the large number of immigrants. Being the leading country is not a difficult issue for to the United States however, maintaining its global position is a problem. As stated by Kesselman, Krieger, and Joseph, despite the US being the most powerful country, it has a problem of maintaining its superiority (18). The country should, therefore maintain the people who led or contributed to its development. The immigrants are the main contributors of these developments therefore, the country should consider revising its policies on immigration. Law is not sufficient solution The United States uses its law to divide its citizens in to legal and illegal citizens. The law goes on to prescribe consequences on the later group in order to discourage illegal immigration into the country. From history, n one of those people who claim to be legal US citizens came to the country legally since the first immigrants from Europe invaded the country. Kivel confirms this argument by stating that the US citizens are themselves illegal immigrants, and hence  unable to decide on which immigrants are legal or illegal (60). Kivel goes on to argue that racism is the main tool that is applied in determining illegal and legal migrants (60). From this argument, it is clear that most people in US are referred to as illegal immigrants based on their racial background. From his argument, Kivel finds the link between the legality of the invasion of North America by Europeans settlers and the illegal immigration issue. In his argument, Kivel takes the issue to a personal level and asks the question; â€Å"why do not we say the Europeans invaded North America?† (Kivel 60). Kivel goes on to state that in most time the term invasion is used by the Americans to describe the invasion of the countries by Japanese and Chinese investors and Haitian refugees, and this is not correct. His analysis on the matter proves that the law is not sufficient in determining who is a legal or an illegal immigrant of United States, and it should not be used to victimize other people. In addition, the law of a country should be just and respected and therefore, it should give all its people equal opportunity as well as reward them with equal measures for any mistake they commit. From this statement if we will continue to claim that immigrants

Do native peoples today invent their tradition Essay

Do native peoples today invent their tradition - Essay Example Today, the native influence is gradually facing assimilation due to the impacts of migration, settlements, and expansion of immigrants into new lands. These immigrants come with new values and social structures that either absorb or consume the existing traditions. Some states have become wiser, preserved these natives in their rightful places, and netted mass revenue in return. The history of these original natives is very resourceful and traces its roots to the precincts of civilization. Contrastingly, today many communities have risen. The sprouting communities tend to emerge and dynamically evolve to become different from the ancient eras. Their traditions are not directly similar to the archaic eras. They have new norms and values that could sound profane to the aborigines. It is not authentic where these new traces of tradition arise. This paper attempts to discuss whether the natives today invent their traditions. The plot development takes into consideration case studies and analogies from different cultures around the world. Special reference falls on the current American native community. The initial part shall outline points that contradict this premise. The second section shall then garner support for the premise before offering a conclusive standpoint in the stale mate. Tradition has always found its roots in oral tradition of a community. The community is a channel of culture transfer across generations. Consequently, it is inappropriate to assume that these natives invent their cultures. These cultures find their way to the present times through the vehicle of oral tradition that passes this values and norms to the preceding generations. In this sense, the traditions that appear to have ancient roots still find their stronghold in the society today. In fact, a few modifications take place in them, but the key intents always remain unchanged. The Native American perspective helps to unravel this myth. According Kattok (2010), the markers of tradit ional Native American identity prevail to date. She asserts that â€Å"indigenes† injects itself into the mainstream of current native inhabitants of the community and later stand as true. The essence of oral tradition stands out as influential in the presence of long standing traditions that still stand in the present. A good illustration is the spiritual viewpoint shared by several generations over time. The evolving community has often shown similar appreciation of religious beliefs despite the time and age manifested. The Native American philosophy advocates that spirituality is supreme and directional. The natives, therefore, almost universally observe the earth as a womanly figure. In this respect, this notion passes on to the upcoming generation. It is no wonder several people regard the earth as â€Å"her†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Additionally, the natives also view many environmental products as endowments from a higher being. kattok (2010) supports this view when he says that man was created to complement the other creations. Secondly, the colonial times across the world history bear a lot of explanation to the origin and invention of a variety of cultures. The colonization era among several affected states was a time of reckoning. The colonizing powers established their cultures that they deemed as superior. In most instances, the natives never got the chance to contribute to the creation of the emergent culture. In the ancient American tradition, the immigrants’ influx and the British invasion of the 17th century saw the emergence of various

Green biotechnology, government policies, taxes, barriers and all that Essay

Green biotechnology, government policies, taxes, barriers and all that include government policies for green biotech. deadline 2 - Essay Example Regulation of Green Biotech The potential for human health risks and environmental damage has necessitated the need for the government to monitor and regulate the release of genetically modified (GM) organism in the environment and commercialization of GM food products. The Brazil government uses the precautionary principle in the regulation of biotechnology products. This is with respect to the environmental safety and consumer health. The precautionary principle is used when there is a threat of severe damage to human health or the environment. Innovation in agriculture biotechnology depends on the strength of intellectual property rights. The World Intellectual Property Organization manages and protects international intellectual property and ensures countries commitment to fight biotech piracy. Governments have established transparent judicial mechanism to enable firms to complain about intellectual property violation, and provide resources to the enforcement of property rights ( Gaisford and William 61-69). In U.S, the efficacy and the safety of an agricultural product should be demonstrated to regulatory agencies before it is commercialized. The agencies also conduct a risk assessment to ensure safety of GMOs in laboratories or green house (Joyia 20-21) Barriers to green biotechnology The lack of appropriate technology is a great obstacle in the attempt to apply biotechnology to benefit the developing countries. This is brought about by technologies being developed in advanced nations and take time to diffuse to developing countries. Another problem is the issue of intellectual property rights. Companies in advanced nations own most of the patents for green biotech. These companies have to be adequately compensated in order to allow access to their invention. Other obstacles to green biotech include the lack of marketing mechanism, poverty and disparities between nations, local and regional politics, biosafety issues, limited infrastructure for exploiting biotechnology, and the biotech debate waged in potential donor countries (Acquaah 460). Ways in which Green biotech can be best traded? Most developing countries can adopt transgenic crops to increase food production in the market and bring in more money to the farmer. Green biotechnology may not be the ultimate solution to hunger and malnutrition, but it can bring about increased, environmental friendly, sustainable and economically profitable agricultural growth. Most developing countries in sub-Saharan Africa, for example, have high hopes of producing high yields of transgenic crops to reduce threats of food security. Food insecurity is brought about by drought, insect pest infestation, viral and fungal diseases that result into severe crop loss. The potentiality of agricultural biotechnology in Sub-Saharan countries lies in producing hard crops to withstand the various natural risks. The sub- Saharan biodiversity resource provides possibilities for developing new genetic traits. These traits can be used in transgenic crops through regulatory processes and well- funded innovative research to create environmentally friendly and new varieties that are harder than existing varieties. Cases of scientific success in developing countries show that green biotech can change the local economy and reduce food security concerns. The famous example of technology beneficial impact on agricultural production is the green revolution. In Kenya, scientists have developed

Japanese contemporary art and Korean contemporary art Coursework

Japanese contemporary art and Korean contemporary art - Coursework Example The essay "Japanese contemporary art and Korean contemporary art" presents contemporary art practice in Japan and Korean, comparing and contrasting their different attributes. The paper also attempts to highlight the diverse effects that art have on the respective communities. The introduction of religion had a great significance to the Korean artistic images, and artistic styles were manifest in the temple developments, bronze statues, portraits and exemplified manuscripts. Also, Korea’s physical position at the crossroad of East Asia- between its two larger neighbors, Japan, and China – added an enormous influence on its history and culture and its artistic fundamentals. Korea functioned as an outlet between China and Japan for philosophies and theories and technologies that enriched Koreans artistic innovation and skills. Moreover, scholars have established non-passive role of Korea of spreading artistic ideas across to Japan or China, and recognized it not only diff used culture but also integrated it resulting to unique Korean art and culture of its own. Japanese art covers broad assortments of art styles and media that include ancient poetry, wood and bronze sculptures, silk and paper ink paintings, and other type artwork. Japanese painting has a rich history of synthesis and rivalry between natural Japanese aesthetics and utilization smuggled ideas. Further Japanese sculptures mainly originated from the idol reverence in Buddhism or animistic rites of Shinto deity. Particularly.

Role of the Craftsmen Essay Example for Free

Role of the Craftsmen Essay Bottom and his fellow craftsmen are bubbly, animated and optimistic to a fault. With their amiable exuberance and whole-hearted cheerfulness, they are often seen as the most likeable characters in A Midsummer Nights Dream. In terms of function, their presence serves to create humour and act as a foil to the upper echelons of Athenian society. With their play-within a play, Shakespeare also creates a parody of youthful impassioned love and a sturdy reminder of reality amidst all the magic and chaos in the forest. Bottom and his fellow craftsmen with their good-humoured disposition create humour through their amusing malapropisms and unsophisticated poetry. For instance the craftsmen often use words out of context to hilarious results, like when Flute as Thisbe calls Pyramus Jew when he probably meant jewel. To fully understand the humour here, one must realize that in Shakespearean times, Jews were widely loathed and thus would be the opposite of jewel, thereby thoroughly tickling an Elizabethan audience. Another example of this is when Bottom as Pyramus mistakenly asks Thisbe to meet him at Ninnys instead of Ninus Tomb. Here, a ninny refers to an imbecile, whereas Ninus refers to the legendary founder of Nineveh. Shakespeares audience would very likely have been able to pick this up and see the humour in it. On top of this, in Quinces script, there appears to be a lot of forced rhyme, which in contrast to lilting verses of the fairies is quite brusquely funny. For example, Jew is used in a desperate attempt to rhyme with hue, likewise with brier and tire. Thus part of the comedy the craftsmen create lies in the very crudely constructed poetry. Another way through which the Craftsmen create humour is through their pathetic attempts to perfect the play, which often seem to have the reverse effect. Firstly, even the title of their play is laughable: The Most Lamentable Comedy and Most Cruel Death of Pyramus and Thisbe. It is in itself an oxymoron and paradoxical, and reflect the craftsmens efforts (Quince in particular) to sound profound, which backfire because it sounds so nonsensical thereby amusing to the audience. The craftsmens fear that the ladies might be afeared by the lion and would not be able to abide seeing Pyramus draw a sword to kill himself. Their baseless confidence that their acting would be so real that the ladies would fear conflicts with what the audience sees them as- bumbling craftsmen. This not only reveals their dimwittedness, which is undoubtedly funny, but also and honesty which endears them to the audience. The craftsmen also amplify the audiences understanding of the different classes in Athens. In terms of language, the craftsmen adopt a more unrefined diction similar to prose, as compared to the more polished iambic pentameter that the Athenians use. Compare for instance Thrice-blessed they that master their blood that Theseus says, and Bottoms more convoluted And yet, to say the truth, reason and company keep little company together nowadays. Theseus line has a more distinct rhythm, whereas Bottoms seem s to be just prose. Though both lines contain equally important messages, there is symbolism in Theseus words, for when he says blood he actually means passions. On the other hand Bottom makes his statement plainly without embellishment. This in turn also reflects how the Craftsmen, live plainly whereas the nobles such as Theseus live in excess, even having a manager of mirth to ease the anguish of a torturing hour. Thus through the craftsmen, Shakespeare creates a more holistic society that not only comprises of the rich nobles, but the normal laymen which the Bottom and his comrades represent. Furthermore, Shakespeare uses the craftsmen and their play to create a parody of the romantic love seen in the earlier part of the play. The craftsmens play tells the story of Pyramus and Thisbe, which is not so dissimilar from what the four Athenian lovers face in the woods. Like Lysander and Hermia, Pyramus and Thisbe too face parental disapproval, and their decision to meet by Ninus tomb at night, mirrors Hermia and Lysanders decision to meet in the wood a league without the town. Hence it is easy for the audience to make the link between Pyramus and Thisbe and Lysander and Hermias stories. The parody is most evident when Bottom and Thisbe begin exaggerated dramatizations of their love. For instance the incessant repetition of O, O grim-looked night, O night with hue so black, O night O night, O night. This is very reminiscent of Hermia and Lysanders conversation O cross! O spite! O hell! . Because the craftsmen are such poor actors, their profession of love becomes hilarious, and through this, Shakespeare pokes fun at the young lovers for their tendency to exaggerate things and be overly dramatic. Also, Bottom and the other craftsmen also act as crucial reminder of reality in the entire play. With much of the play centred around the romantic entanglements of the young Athenians and fairy king and queen Oberon and Titania, it would be easy for the audience to get lost in the fluff of love and passion. The craftsmen though, bring to the play more mundane issues that everyone faces in daily life such as bread and butter concerns. This is for example seen when Bottom went missing, Flute was worried he would not be able to get his sixpence a day for playing Pyramus. When we are first introduced to the craftsmen, their name are accompanied with their job positions, like Nick Bottom, the weaver, placing emphasis again on more realistic and relevant issues like ones occupation. Through small examples like these, Shakespeare subtly hints that love, for all its glamour and passions, in reality is not enough to sustain oneself. Furthermore, the craftsmen see no major conflict in the play, even Bottom sees his encounter with Titania as a dream, and nothing of malicious intent. All this seems also to suggest that Shakespeare is implying that by living life simply like the mechanicals, conflict can be averted. Another way the craftsmen are a reminder of reality is seen through their play-within-a-play. As mentioned earlier, the play-within-a-play closely parallels the situations the Athenian youths faced in the woods. However, the ending of Pyramus and Thisbe was tragic, Pyramus stabbing himself with bloody blameful blade and Thisbe committing suicide likewise. This serves to remind the audience that even though Lysander and Hermia as well as Demetrius and Helena end up eternally knit, consummating their love, it could well have been a tragic ending for the four, with the two men intent on dueling each other in the woods. Hence Shakespeare uses the craftsmen to warn the young lovers, like the Athenians, in the audience not to take happy endings for granted, but instead to be prepared for worse by being grounded in reality like the craftsmen. In conclusion, the craftsmen are very significant to the play as they give it a more holistic feel, encompassing not only the rich nobles but also the middle class workers whom the craftsmen represent. Furthermore, since A Midsummer Nights Dream is a comedy, the craftsmens contribution to the humour of the play is also very important. Shakespeare also uses the craftsmen and their play to poke fun at the young lovers for their misprised moods, as well as to warn the audience not to take happy endings for granted. Overall, the irrepressible craftsmen bring laughter, lessons and more laughter to A Midsummer Nights Dream.

World Religions Report HUM-130 Essay Example for Free

World Religions Report HUM-130 Essay The religion that I have chosen to discuss is the Jewish religion, or Judaism. In seeking information about Judaism, I conducted an interview at the Beth Israel Congregation near downtown Fayetteville, North Carolina. The synagogue is located at 2204 Morganton Rd., only a few miles from downtown Fayetteville and only a few miles from a major shopping mall in the area. Upon arriving at the synagogue in the afternoon heat of nearly 90 degrees, I was surprised to see the plush gardens to one side of the building. There is a beautiful walking path through a well-manicured lawn. The concrete path leads to a rectangular gazebo overgrown with vine. The small to medium trees and bushes on the property are perfectly maintained and are arrayed in vibrant colors. As I made my way to the front entrance, I noted the light colored brickwork and matching stonework on the front of the building. The building itself gives the appearance of a two story structure with its abstract sculpture, but upon further investigation, the highest part of the building is simple a raised inner ceiling. When I entered the building, I was greeted by Rabbi Yosef Levanon and conducted to his office for my interview after a brief look around the synagogue, which did not include . The Rabbi seems to be a pleasant man who showed a great deal of patients in setting up and carrying out the interview. Through conducting the interview, I found that the Fayetteville, NC Beth Israel congregation had originally been given a charter as an Orthodox Jewish Faith. The Beth Israel Congregation was established in May of 1917. The first brick of foundation was not laid until 1922. This original Beth Israel Synagogue was at a location on Cool Spring Street in Fayetteville, NC. The building that is now the Beth Israel Congregation worship center was constructed on Morganton Rd. in 1950, and dedicated in December of that year. Growth through the years prompted expansion with the addition of classrooms and a sanctuary. In October of 1972, the congregation changed its by-laws and became a Conservative Congregation. In approximately 1995 or 1996, they began to include women in the aliyahs. This is the Law of Return in which any Jew may claim the legal right to assisted migration and settlement in Israel. This includes automatic citizenship (Wikipedia, 2008). In 1998, the congregation began including women in the minyan (a quorum of 10 men required for certain prayers) (Y.  Levanon, personal communication, August 6, 2008). My interview with Rabbi Levanon covered a number of other issues. When asked what the important holidays and traditions of Judaism are, the rabbi responded that the Sukkot, Purim, Passover, Sabbath, Shavot, Rosh Hashanah, and the Day of Atonement were all important to the Jewish faith. I then asked which he felt were the most important of these. He responded that the Passover and Day of Atonement were probably the most important. The rabbi maintains the position that Judaism has shaped his life in that it guides the way that he behaves, his thoughts, and how he relates to other people in everyday life. The biggest challenge that he or other Jews face is maintaining their own identity. The rabbi states, Like any other minority in a bigger culture, it is not easy for the minority to maintain their identity apart from the bigger culture. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that even though they struggle to maintain their distinct identities in a nation surrounded by other religions and influences, neither the rabbi nor and his family have experienced discrimination because of their religious preferences or practices. Rabbi Levanon seemed a little confused as to the specific identity of the Jewish people. When asked if he considers Judaism to be a religion, a race, a nationality, or a Jewish state, the rabbi stated that Judaism is a religion and a nationality. I again asked him if he considered Judaism to be a race, to which he replied, No. I then asked what race he would consider himself to be. He stated that he considers himself a Jewish Caucasian, meaning that he views Jewish is a race as well. In determining that the rabbi considers Judaism to be a race, I asked what his thoughts are on religious pluralism and if it has influenced members of the Jewish community. Considering that Jews are exposed to people of many different religious backgrounds all throughout the world, rabbi Levanon believe that such exposure may lead to some Jewish people being assimilated into the societies and religions to which they are exposed. Assimilation is something that the rabbi endeavors to avoid in order to main tain his own identity as a Jew. In order for the Jewish people to maintain their identity in the modern world, they must remain steadfast in their faith and practices. Another challenge to this is the interfaith movement. The rabbi supports the interfaith movement because it is a †¦good idea to have a dialog among people of different races to remove prejudice, to remove indifference, to remove misunderstandings. He does not believe that the interfaith movement requires that people of different faiths find a common religious ground, however. The rabbi states that, If you are a good person, you should be tolerant of other opinions (and) religious faiths. The interfaith movement provides for people of different faiths to come together in discussion to promote understanding, not commonality. Rabbi Levanon believes that there are many paths to the Divine, not a single path found by following any particular religion. The effect that the interfaith movement has on Jewish teachings deny the icons of other religious faiths, such as Jesus Christ or Muhammad, is to encourage members to be respectful of all religious beliefs and maintain open-mindedness about the opinions of others. They also teach that the Jewish people should respect the opinions carried by other faiths. As a testament to this open-mindedness, the Beth Israel Synagogue encourages interfaith marriage and has many such unions within its congregation. The congregation and leadership of the Beth Israel Synagogue in Fayetteville, NC feel a very close connection to Israel. In addition, they fully support the nation of Israel and believe strongly that the political climate in the United States can directly affect the national security of Israel. This is because Israel needs the international political support of the United States in order to maintain a positive image and protect itself from unprovoked attacks by its enemies. This is a true analysis considering that Israel is surrounded by 22 Arab or Islamic nations (Brumfield, n.d.), many of them hostile towards Israel. The tiny country of only 8,000 square miles is in a very precarious position. Clearly, Israel could not survive without strong Western allies. Since some of the most radical Islamic organizations and countries surround the nation of Israel, it seems fitting that Islam be the subject of comparison to Judaism. Islam, like Judaism and Christianity, is an Abrahamic  religion (Brumfield, n.d.). This means that all three religions can trace their roots to Abraham. Islam teaches that Allah (the God of Islam) revealed His word to certain prophets. These prophets were Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, with Muhammad being the last prophet of Allah. Muslims also believe that the Quran is flawless, indisputable, and the final revelation of Allah. Brumfield also states that Muslim teaching includes the belief that parts of the Gospels, the Torah, and the Jewish prophetic books have been forgotten, misinterpreted, or distorted by their followers. Therefore, the original message has been corrupted over time, making the Quran a correction of Jewish and Christian Scriptures.Islam and Judaism are similar in many of their basic tenants. Bo th religions teach that there is only one God. In addition, both teach that God is strictly monotheistic being only one divinity and not plural. Both religions have similar teachings that God is all-powerful and non-corporeal, non-physical, and eternal. The Muslim faith states eternal as He never begot, nor was begotten. (Brumfield, n.d.). In addition, Islam and Judaism share the teachings that none is worthy of the offering of prayer except God. Both Judaism and Islam believe that there can be no intermediary to communication with God. Both religions teach that the word of the prophets are true, though they disagree on whom Gods final prophet was. Judaism holds the belief that Moses was the last prophet and the five books of Moses, known as the Torah, is the primary book guiding their faith, along with the written Talmud. Islam teaches that after Moses, Jesus Christ was a prophet, followed by the final prophet, Muhammad. Islam also teaches that the Quran is the final word of God, which they use to guide their faith. The Muslim and Jewish faiths have more differences in teachings than which book to follow, or what prophet(s) to believe in. Muslims also pray five times per day, as compared to the Jewish tradition of praying three times per day. The Muslim faith teaches that they are the chosen people of God. The Jewish faith teaches that they are the chosen people of God and there will come a Jewish Messiah (moshiach) to Earth, possibly to initiate a messianic era. The Jewish faith also teaches that each persons soul is pure at birth, but humanity is born with the propensity to do both good and evil. In contrast, Islam seeks to forbid what is evil (Nahi-anil-Munkar). Both  religions believe in a resurrection and pursuing the approval of God. While Judaism allows conversion to other religions, Islamic law forbids this and is punishable by death in many Islamic countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Yemen, Iran, Sudan, Pakistan, and Mauritania. Another major point of contrast between Judaism and Islam is the multiple times the Jewish people have been subjugated multiple times by other nations. After the reign of King Solomon ended in 927 BC (Schoenberg, 2008), Israel split into two separate kingdoms, the Kingdom of Israel in the north and the Kingdom of Judah in the south. At separate times after this split, outside forces conquered both kingdoms. The Kingdom of Israel fell to the Assyrians in the eighth century BC, and the Kingdom of Judah was conquered by Babylonia in the sixth century BC. 70 years after this occurred, some Jews returned to Jerusalem following the downfall of Babylonia. The Romans later conquered them. During this time, the Roman Empire defeated two revolt attempts by the Jewish people. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 AD (Trueman, 2008), the Jews were again able to retake Jerusalem. In all, ownership of Jerusalem changed 17 times throughout the citys history. The nation of Israel itself was not established until three years after the end of World War 2. Before and during World War 2, the Jewish people were being imprisoned, tortured, then slaughtered by the millions by the Nazis of Germany as they sought to cleanse their territories of the so called non-Aryans who they believed to be lesser human beings than true Germans (Aryans) (Bankier, 2008). Repeated subjugation and near extermination. By the end of World War 2, German forces had killed an estimated 5.6 million to 5.9 million Jews, 1.2 million of which were children. The followers of Islam have not suffered anything remotely similar to this near genocide or the multiple conquerors that the Jewish people have endured. Another difference between Islam and Judaism is the radical factions within Islam that sponsor and conduct terrorist actions, bombing and rocket attacks on Israeli soil, and the goal of destroying Judaism altogether. Islamic nations such as Iran and Syria have dedicated resources towards the destruction of Israel. Despite the thousands of years of subjugation of the  Jewish people throughout history, and the near extermination of the Jewish race, Judaism has grown into one of the three largest religions in the world. The nation of Israel has become one of the strongest countries in the Middle East. Judaism is one of the most peaceful of the major world religions, only using military force to defend itself. In addition, much of the Jewish leadership has embraced the practice of working to foster understanding and respect between their religion and other religions throughout the world. Though Islam and Judaism share several common beliefs and a common root founder in Abraham, the religions are very different in terms of suffering by its people and levels of aggression by radical factions and governments alike. References Aliyah, (2008). Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved August 6, 2008, from Wikipediawebsite: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AliyahBankier, D. (2008). Holocaust. In MSN Encarta [Web]. Retrieved August 6, 2008, fromhttp://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761559508/holocaust.htmlBrumfield, B. (n.d.). Islam. Retrieved August 6, 2008 from Israels Messiah website:http://israelsmessiah.com/religions/islam/beliefs.htmBrumfield, B. (n.d.). Palestinians: Israel, politically and geographically. Retrieved August 6,2008 from Israels Messiah website:http://www.israelsmessiah.com/palestinian_refugees/israel_vs_arabs.htmSchoenberg, S. (2008). Jewish virtual library: Solomon. Retrieved August 7, 2008 from theJewish virtual library website:http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/Solomon.htmlTrueman, C. (2008). History Learning Site, A History of Ancient Rome: The fall of AncientRome. Retrieved from the History learning site website:http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/fall_of_ancient_rom e.htm