The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is the secular articulation of the deepest truths of all spiritual traditions. It is the best, deepest and highest ideals of all traditions,” says Rabbi Brian Walt, a founder and former director of Rabbis for Human Rights-North America. Three years ago, that organization began to produce prayers, sermons and teaching materials linking the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to core Jewish values for use by Jewish congregations to celebrate International Human Rights Day. Today, Dec.

One day last April 91 Islanders visited the Island Food Pantry. Each person collected their allotted three bags of donated food, which meant 273 bags were distributed in a single day. It was a record in the pantry’s 30-year history.

That number is expected to climb in the coming year, pantry director Armen Hanjian said this week.