Students' group building bridges between faiths

The event, which took place at Congregation Etz Chayim on Feb. 6, attracted almost 200 people from diverse backgrounds, student groups and religious communities.

The Jewish Students Association (JSA) is a student-run organization that has operated out of both the University of Winnipeg and the University of Manitoba for decades. The organization, which falls under the umbrella of the international student group Hillel, offers cultural, religious, educational, political and recreational programming to students on campus, as well as opportunities to participate in various community service and social justice projects.

The interfaith shabbat is one of its most popular events.

"The interfaith shabbat is a chance for Jews and non-Jews alike to come and be a part of the Shabbat service," explains event co-ordinator Lauren Tennenhouse, a third-year education student at the University of Winnipeg.

"The event is open to anyone. It is an opportunity to learn about Jewish practices and to build relations between students of different faiths."

This year's program began before sunset on Friday evening with Rabbi Larry Lander, spiritual leader at Etz Chayim, giving participants a tour of the synagogue and briefly discoursing on various Judaic artifacts and rituals.

The tour was followed by a Kabbalat Shabbat service, the traditional liturgical Friday evening service that officially welcomes, or receives, the sabbath. This formal service, with its ancient melodies and joyful psalms, was led by five members of JSA familiar with synagogue ritual and prayer.

Those in attendance were then invited to participate in blessing the sabbath candles, wine and challah, a special egg bread generally reserved for sabbath and festival meals. A traditional sabbath dinner followed, and concluded with the singing of the Birkat Hamazon, or Grace after Meals.

Following dinner, Brian Rochat, regional program co-ordinator for the Canadian Centre for Diversity, gave a keynote address focusing on the Jewish tenet of Tikkun Olam, or repairing the world. The Canadian Centre for Diversity is a non-profit organization dedicated to educating Canadians about the value inherent in celebrating diversity, differences and inclusion.

Rochat had attended the interfaith shabbat last year, and was pleased to be invited back as a guest speaker this year.

"What makes an interfaith event so special for me is the outreach across faith groups that takes place, not only by inviting members of other faiths to come and celebrate, but by the exchange of information that takes place," he says.

"I believe the key to building bridges of understanding and acceptance is found in the willingness of communities to reach out to others outside of their immediate community," he adds.

"At the heart of this event is a belief that we can work together regardless of our religious differences, that we can celebrate those differences, and that diversity is a rich component of our national identity."

These beliefs are particularly essential at a time when ideological and religious tensions among student groups on campuses across North America are noticeably increasing.

"Universities are usually charged with a certain political energy," Tennenhouse acknowledges, "and sometimes that can make people lose sight of all the things that we have in common."

"The interfaith shabbat is, and always will be, an event where the focus is to build bridges and relationships. Above all else the interfaith shabbat is an event where students and all other participants can feel safe. It is an extremely welcoming event."

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Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition February 15, 2009 B8