American Jews will commemorate in different ways – reflecting the deep community divisions since the attacks

The Anthem is a concert hall by the waterfront in Washington DC. Upcoming performing acts include Ringo Starr and Vampire Weekend.

But on 7 October, it will be where three large mainstream Jewish organizations, pulling from across the city’s Jewish communities, will host an evening of remembrance. Attendees are invited to send in photo reflections – pictures of themselves and their community showing support for Israel – some of which will be shared at the event, an attempt to give the evening a feeling that’s both deeply personal and communal.

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UCLouvain staff and students express ‘incomprehension and disapproval’ over pope’s views on role of women

Pope Francis has been sharply criticised by one of Belgium’s Catholic universities over his stance on the role of women in society, in a strongly worded press release issued just moments after the pontiff spoke at the college.

Professors and students at UCLouvain, where the 87-year-old pontiff had made a speech on Saturday afternoon, said they wanted to express their “incomprehension and disapproval” about the pope’s views.

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As the first anniversary of the conflict nears, communities in Britain reveal their internal divisions ... and a horrifying increase in overt antisemitism

The young couple getting on the 310 bus at Golders Green were unquestionably Jewish. He wore a black hat over his peyot , or sidelocks, and a heavy black coat despite the warmth of the day. Her hair was covered, her clothes modest, her shoes plain. On the 45-minute journey to Stamford Hill, they conversed quietly in Yiddish.

Until a few weeks ago, the journey on public transport between two areas of north London with significant Jewish populations required a change of bus midway. Jewish passengers had reported antisemitic abuse while waiting for the connection.

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Rockville Centre diocese in New York settles with more than 530 victims after proposed deal comes close to failure

A Roman Catholic diocese in Long Island, New York, announced a new bankruptcy settlement on Thursday that would pay more than $323m to about 530 sex abuse survivors who alleged they were abused by priests when they were children.

The diocese of Rockville Centre, which serves about 1.2 million Catholics in Nassau and Suffolk counties, said earlier this year that it did not think a bankruptcy settlement would be possible after abuse survivors rejected the diocese’s previous $200m settlement offer.

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Calls rise for Benedict Willard to be punished after recusing himself from Lawrence Hecker case on morning of trial

Court watchdogs and advocates for victims of sexual abuse are calling for a New Orleans judge to be punished and voted out of office after he controversially delayed the trial of retired Catholic priest charged with child rape and kidnapping – on the morning of jury selection.

Judge Benedict Willard’s critics say his angry outbursts have been a problem over more than two decades on the bench. But they are raising fresh concerns after Willard’s decision to remove members of the local district attorney’s office during a rape trial in August reverberated to affect the eagerly anticipated trial of Lawrence Hecker , 93, on Tuesday.

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We are raiding the Guardian Long Read archives to bring you some classic pieces from years past, with new introductions from the authors.

This week, from 2021: In 2018, Indian police claimed to have uncovered a shocking plan to bring down the government. But there is mounting evidence that the initial conspiracy was a fiction – and the accused are victims of an elaborate plot. By Siddhartha Deb

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Ethics, aesthetics and philosophy are all intertwined in the poetry of Hafez and his words help us to rediscover long-lost truths

• Making sense of it is a column about spirituality and how it can be used to navigate everyday life

There are few poetic traditions in the world that have entrenched themselves so deeply in their respective societies as has the Persian poetic tradition. This presence, however, is not limited to discussions within literary circles or the adornment of public monuments. Nor is it strictly a source of aesthetic beauty. Within Persian speaking societies, people from all walks of life consult poetry for profound spiritual instruction or genuine guidance for the big decisions in life. This is particularly the case with Hafez.

Within the pantheon of Persian poets, perhaps none is as cherished and revered as Hafez, and with good reason. Reading the poetry of Hafez induces fragmented moments where one oscillates between body and soul; indeed, Wheeler Thackston writes that Hafez “sang a rare blend of human and mystic love so balanced, proportioned, and contrived with artful ease that it is impossible to separate the one from the other”. Within his poetic lines are levels and layers, each unfolding simultaneously upon the page and within the reader. Ethics, aesthetics and philosophy are all intertwined, and all possible meanings simmer simultaneously beneath the surface.

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Clergy call for UN to ‘move beyond strong words’ and say there is ‘little distinction’ between state and settler violence

Four of the most senior Church of England bishops have accused Israel of acting as if it is above the law in an excoriating letter about state and settler violence in the occupied West Bank.

The bishops, led by Rachel Treweek, the bishop of Gloucester, say there is now “little distinction between settler violence and state violence” as Palestinian communities experience escalating attacks, dispossession, house demolitions and arson.

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The Rev Sue Parfitt has lost right to conduct religious ceremonies after her arrest at a Just Stop Oil demonstration

An 82-year-old retired priest has spoken of her pain at losing her right to conduct religious ceremonies because of her participation in Just Stop Oil protests.

The Rev Sue Parfitt was arrested in May after causing damage to the glass around Magna Carta at the British Library in London as part of a protest with the climate action group. She is still awaiting trial.

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