“At ‘Amen Meals’ It’s Me and God” Religion and Gender: A New Jewish Women’s Ritual

New ritual practices performed by Jewish women can serve as test cases for an examination of the phenomenon of the creation of religious rituals by women. These food-related rituals, which have been termed ‘‘amen meals’’ were developed in Israel beginning in the year 2000 and subsequently spread to Jewish women in Europe and the United States. This study employs a qualitative-ethnographic methodology grounded in participant-observation and in-depth interviews to describe these nonobligatory, extra-halakhic rituals. What makes these rituals stand out is the women’s sense that through these rituals they experience a direct con- nection to God and, thus, can change reality, i.e., bring about jobs, marriages, children, health, and salvation for friends and loved ones. The ‘‘amen’’ rituals also create an open, inclusive woman’s space imbued with strong spiritual–emotional energies that counter the women’s religious marginality. Finally, the purposes and functions of these rituals, including identity building and displays of cultural capital, are considered within a theoretical framework that views ‘‘doing gender’’ and ‘‘doing religion’’ as an integrated experience

Obstructive sleep apnea and cardiovascular disease in blacks: A call to action from the Association of Black Cardiologists

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has emerged as a new and important risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Over the last decade, epidemiological and clinical research has consistently supported the association of OSA with increased CV morbidity and mortality. Such evidence prompted the American Heart Association to issue a Scientific Statement describing the need to recognize OSA as an important target for therapy in reducing CV risk. Emerging facts suggest that marked racial differences exist in the association of OSA with CVD. While both conditions are more prevalent in blacks, almost all NIH-funded research projects evaluating the relationship between OSA and CV risk have been conducted in predominantly non-black populations. There is an urgent need for research studies investigating the CV impact of OSA among high-risk minorities, especially blacks. This article first examines the evidence supporting the association between OSA and CVD and reviews the influence of ethnic/racial differences on this association. Public health implications of OSA and future directions, especially regarding minority populations, are discussed