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Rebecca Alpert Jim Biechler Marcus Braybrooke Ellen T. Charry Leobard D'Souza David Efroymson Gabriele Feyler Stefan Feyler Eugene Fisher Nancy Fuchs-Kreimer Krystina Gorniak-Kocikowska Yitz Greenberg Wan-Li Ho Sanaullah Kirmani Reinhard Kirste Hans Küng Lihua Liu Jack Malinowski Patricia Martinez Sergio Mazza Alan Mittleman Ronald Modras Paul Mojzes Malcolm Nazareth Angelika Quade Ida Raming Virginia Kaib Ratigan John Sahadat Simone Schaupp Ingrid Shafer Shu-hsien Liu Thomas Thompson Catherine Berry Stidsen
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Krystyna Górniak-Kocikowska I often wonder what my life would be like if I hadn't met Len, and later Arlene, Swidler. It would be radically different, no doubt. There are not many people I can think of who would be as significant in re-directing my life as Len was. I first met him in the early 1980s at a conference in Innsbruck, Austria, that I attended thanks to another wonderful person, Dr. Paul Mojzes. One afternoon, Len suggested a walk; actually, he wanted to buy Arlene lipstick of a particular make and shade. So, we were walking from store to store, while trying to get to know each other. Thank goodness Len spoke German; what a relief after straining my mind during the conference sessions held in English. For me, a germanist slash philosopher from Poland with just a rudimentary knowledge of English, that conference, as fascinating as it was, was first and foremost a linguistic challenge. Little did I know what challenges this gentle man who was chatting with me amicably about this and that while trying to find the lipstick for his wife had in store for me. I don't remember, whether he bought that lipstick. With his relentless you-can-do-it attitude he started opening new horizons for me. He pushed me again and again over the line I thought I was unable to cross. Despite my kicking and screaming, he believed in me, I guess. He was pushing me hard when necessary; and always gave me a hand when needed. I don't know till this day why, but somehow it was worth it for him and for Arlene (whom I got to know personally when I came to Philadelphia from Poland in February of 1989) to give me their time, to share with me their wisdom, and yes, when I needed it desperately, to lend me money despite having no guarantee, other than my word, that they would ever see it again. When did he have the time to accomplish all that he has accomplished professionally? (To this day my students still get excited over his "Yeshua" book.) Where did he get his incredible energy? How did he learn to be as patient as I came to know him to be? These are just but a few of the many questions I don't think I will have ever an answer to. For me, coming from Poland, the homeland of the present Pope, and also a country of conservative, unyielding, and not always dialogically-minded (at any rate, not in Leonard Swidler's understanding of dialogue) Roman-Catholic Church, Len's and Arlene's devotion to interreligious dialogue and to the improvement of the treatment of women by religious establishments had a significance I cannot even put adequately into words. However, I don't want to be too "sugary," too one-sided in what I write. So, let me add this to provide some balance: Len, gentle and patient as he is, sure can show his temper as well. I witnessed it not very long ago. During a verbal duel on matters of the Jewish-Christian-Muslim dialogue in the time of the war on terrorism, Len, in his own words, "let the Irish part in him take over." But hey, is there anything that he gives more of himself to other than the promotion of interreligious dialogue?! Ingrid Shafer had a splendid idea. Thanks to her, I not only can express publicly my thoughts and feelings about Arlene and Len, but I can also read the wonderful -- albeit totally unsurprising -- things others have written about these two amazing people. Dear Len and Arlene, it is so good to know that I had the honor to share the privilege of being cared for by you -- intellectually, materially, and spiritually -- with so many people whose lives were as affected by you as mine. I am sure the angels smile when they think of you. So do I. Best wishes for your 75th Birthdays and have many more blessed ones. Love, Krystyna Krystyna Górniak-Kocikowska, PhD
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Webpage Editor: Ingrid H. Shafer, Ph.D.
e-mail address: ihs@ionet.net
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