The news has been depressing, I think that is one thing we can all agree on right now. So much pain, so much fear, so much hate. The best way I know how to cope is to take action--to keep moving forward toward this goal of interfaith dialogue and harmony. In that theme, I wanted to share some of my personal interfaith updates:
1. I have moved--but this time, I am staying stateside.
I was very blessed to have been accepted into a program on international peacemaking, and so I am studying interfaith in the U.S. this year! I moved in early September, and I am quite pleased. It is an incredible opportunity, and involves taking a number of graduate classes at an interfaith seminary, supplemental programming on relevant topics (public speaking, mediation, etc.), hooking up with a local faith congregation in our tradition (still working on that one), and more. At the end of the year, I should be receiving a Graduate Certificate in Islamic Studies (isn't that cool?!). I joke that Rome was my Christian year, Jerusalem my Jewish year, and this is my Islam year.
2. My program has nine people in it from around the world (aside from four from the U.S., we have one person each from South Africa, Haiti, India, Greece, and Lebanon). Two of us are Jewish, one is Muslim, and the other five are Christian (from a variety of denominations). Our school at large--meaning from outside our specific peacemaking program--has a lot of Christian students, a number of Muslim students, and potentially no other Jewish students this year except me and the other fellow in our program. The school is structured with classes mainly at 4 p.m. and later, so that many people taking these classes work full-time and are completing a Master's degree or some other degree after they finish work.
3. I live with two lovely women--one Christian, one Muslim. Can you imagine a more perfect scenario?! I love getting to live out my interfaith dreams every day. Because my Muslim housemate is from the Middle East, I suspect that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will come up more than once this year...a perpetual topic in my life, understandably, though sadly. But obviously more important is the fact that we've only lived together a month but we are literally working through a TV show together--now that's commitment. The Gospel of Matthew and debates over Rory and Dean, anyone?
4. I decided to
host a Rosh Hashanah dinner* for the cohort this past month, to help us grow as a group,
and to introduce everyone to a Jewish holiday. While everyone is taking a
dialogue class and learning about Judaism (something I was excused
from, given my past studies in the field), a lived experience usually
proves invaluable in terms of forming long-term memories and encouraging
understanding. Many of the people in our little group of nine have
had limited previous experience with Judaism, so I was particularly happy to
have everyone over.Aside from seeing the genuine interest in Jewish customs and the fellowship we were able to build together, the degree to which my roommates helped me host (without me even asking) was so amazing. Everyone thanked all of us housemates when they left that night. Three people from different faith groups cooking Rosh Hashanah dinner? Now that is the kind of interfaith I am talking about.
5. This afternoon, our cohort got together in our house to discuss a chapel service we will be running next month. It is a short service, just something that takes place for a half-hour on a Monday morning, but we had an incredibly productive meeting. We decided on the theme of Gratitude for Diversity, playing on Thanksgiving next month as well as the diversity we have at our school and the world at large. We plan to introduce teachings/texts/prayers from the Abrahamic faiths on the theme of gratitude during the service. This first meeting went extremely smoothly, and I am only hoping that the entire process could somehow go as well.
6. In addition to studying interfaith, I am also working for the organization I was with before my time in Jerusalem--the Multifaith Alliance, a coalition of faith groups helping Syrian refugees. I am so excited to be developing their multifaith strategy over the course of this year--whenever I'm not up late reading the Gospel of Luke, of course (see: homework I am in the middle of right now).
7. I was extremely fortunate and excited to find out recently that I received another Russell Berrie Alumni grant. Just like the one that sponsored the Jerusalem interfaith tour I ran back in May, this grant is to fund a project I designed myself and applied for over the summer. However, I was a tad more ambitious with my project proposal for this one (to the tune of receiving three times the amount of funding this time around...) so I would appreciate any good thoughts/prayers/meditations to guide the project as I start that journey.
8. An important ending note and prayer: With the world seemingly facing insurmountable challenges, as we all feel intense fear and sadness as we encounter senseless violence and horrifying natural disasters, I pray that we do not give up.
I pray that we do not give up on the fact that this can, and will, get better. I pray that we do not give up on the fact that there are more good than bad people out there. And most of all I pray that we do not give up on the fact that every single one of us can make a difference every day, if we only find the courage to take up the call.
Now go out and love one another.
<3,
Allyson
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*The Rosh Hashanah dinner was sponsored by a neat group called Moishe House Without Walls. They fund young Jews to host a wide variety of events--even if you end up being the only Jew there (yay interfaith)! Check them out.
