Shaun Casey on Religion and Diplomacy - This week, the US State Department sponsored a conference in Washington on the intersection of religion and diplomacy. Clergy, faith-based activists, academics and diplomats attended. Critics have long charged that the US government has not done a good job in acknowledging the role of religion in foreign policy. Three years ago, Secretary of State John Kerry established a new office to address the problem. Kim Lawton talks with the head of that office, Shaun Casey, US Special Representative for Religion and Global Affairs. Hiring the Homeless - While many cities in the U.S. have moved to criminalize homelessness, imposing fees for lying down, camping and begging, Albuquerque, New Mexico has taken a different approach. It has initiated a program it calls "There's a Better Way," picking up homeless individuals and transporting them to jobs that pay them in cash at the end of the work period. As Lucky Severson reports, the program is now in its second year and Mayor Richard Berry says the program works. Jewish High Holidays Boot Camp - Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie, founder and leader of the Lab/Shul community in New York City, talks about the spiritual and mental preparation that must be done in advance of the Jewish high holidays Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, which begin this year on the evening of October 2nd. He holds what he calls a "Boot Camp," filled with workshops and music to encourage introspection, honesty, and re-connection.
