By Shira Deener, Head of School
“When thousands of people discover that their story is also someone else’s story, they have the chance to write a new story together.”
–Eboo Patel, We Need to Build Together, Field Notes for Diverse Democracy
For years, JCDS’ commitment to intentional pluralism has extended well beyond the walls of our school. We prioritize opportunities for our students to engage with difference within the Jewish community and also with other faith-based communities in our vicinity. Once reaching our Middle School, JCDS students put their Habits of Mind and Heart and their commitment to engage with difference to the test, and this week was a most powerful example.
Our partners from Alhuda Academy of Worcester, a Muslim day school, came to visit us for the morning. This was our second mifgash (encounter) with their 6th grade this year. Back in February, we visited the Academy and focused our program around our shared forefather, Avraham/Ibrahim. Students shared their knowledge of key characteristics of Avraham/Ibrahim and presented to each other through prepared PowerPoint presentations. Very quickly, they realized there are many common threads taught in our respective traditions including the value of hospitality and faith. Perhaps even more importantly, students found commonalities between each other as people. They shared their English/Hebrew/Arabic names and spoke of their countries of origin, the traditional
foods, and holiday celebrations they experience. As Eboo Patel says, “Show me a religion that doesn’t care about compassion. Show me a religion that doesn’t care about stewardship of the environment. Show me a religion that doesn’t care about hospitality.” A foundation for friendship, connection, and curiosity began to develop.
Many months have passed since our first meet-up. With the backdrop of the pain and suffering in Israel and Gaza escalating we knew we needed to continue this relationship and to navigate it with the utmost sensitivity and care. This time focusing on the shared value of ‘honoring our elders’ played center stage. Through a big-paper silent conversation lesson, students explored lessons from Rabbinic, Biblical, and Quranic sources.
Inspired by the beautiful JCDS grandparent-led and student-created challah mosaic in the chadar ochel (cafeteria), our Alhuda friends tasted challah for the very first time. We made hanging plaques whereby students worked together to write messages in Hebrew, English, and Arabic for a special elder in their lives, and the day ended with spirited basketball and soccer games outside under the very hot sun.
The question of how people orient themselves around religion or interact with one another positively or with suspicion is not something we can just will into the future. It is indeed one of the most pressing questions of today and the JCDS-Alhuda partnership is an example of hope that I carry with me closely – especially during these very charged and challenging times. We look forward to continuing this relationship into next year and building on what we have started.
