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Other Interfaith
Projects |
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Other similar programs-
,
'Building Trust across the world's divides',
website: www.iofc.org
website: http://www.commonmelbourne.com/
Website:
www.interfaith-encounter.org
Tim McCowen from the Wellspring Centre, an ecumenical organisation
associated with the Ashburton Baptist Church in Melbourne
ran a program in 2004 which brought together students across
various schools and denominations, including Jewish, Islamic
and Christian schools. Unlike the JCMA project this was
bringing the students together of different faiths rather
than having a presentation from people/ adults of different
faiths. The duration of the Wellspring project was for a
series of four weekly sessions in which skills that foster
understanding were introduced and explored. The first session
focused on creating a place of safety and respect; the second
on a comparison of faith and values commitments; the third
on listening skills and how to listen without criticising
or compromising one’s own beliefs; the fourth on the
role of diversity in creating community and cooperation.
Following from this the Wellspring Centre are now developing
workbooks and resources, including audio-visual resources,
for training young people as facilitators of interfaith
dialogue. The materials will be used to train young people
as facilitators. Year 10 and 11 students from several schools
will discuss faith issues with assistance from the trained
facilitators. A final gathering will be held to allow the
participants to present their findings
In New South Wales the Goodness and Kindness project has
been a success and has now become an approved high school
resource. Aimed mainly at Primary age children, the Goodness
and Kindness project seeks to educate school students about
the values of compassion and acceptance shared by the Christian,
Islamic and Jewish faiths. Representatives from each faith
visit students together and share their beliefs and experiences
as a means of breaking down barriers of ignorance and encouraging
acts of kindness.
The self-evident need to focus inter-faith dialogue initiatives
on the Jewish and Muslim communities was palpable. Both
communities were seen to be demonstrably uncomfortable with
one another, to say the least, and distrustful to put it
mildly.
The Australian Intercultural Society (AIS), a Muslim organisation
which aims to foster and promote harmonious relations between
faith communities in Australian society, and the B’nai
B’rith Anti-Defamation Commission (ADC), which dedicates
itself to combating racism, intolerance and prejudice of
all kinds, joined forces in conceptualising a pilot project
whose key concept involved bringing Jewish and Muslim families
and individuals together to meet, to share meals, engage
in recreational activities, enjoy one another’s special
religious and cultural festivals, and more.
–
Becoming Friends Jews & Muslims is funded by an Australian
Government Department of Immigration and Multicultural and
Indigenous Affairs grant. The abiding objective of the project
was to bring about real attitudinal change in each community
through encounters with “the other”.
A microcosmic representation of both communities was considered
essential if stereotyping was to be averted: not all Jews
attend synagogue regularly, nor are they all kosher and
not all Muslim women wear the hijab, nor do all Muslims
pray five times daily.
The Jews included those who are orthodox/observant, those
who are traditional, Progressives, and those who identified
as secular. The Muslims encompassed a number of national
origins including those from Turkey, Lebanon, Pakistan and
Indonesia and also ranged in level of religious observance
- from those who strictly follow taqwa (observant to the
letter) to those who are less observant. Family units and
singles, young teenagers and grandparents - all were in
the mix. Knowledge of each other’s practices, beliefs
and traditions ranged from entirely lacking through to reasonably
informed; evidently, none knew very much about the other.
The casual observer would have been flabbergasted as a “fly
on the wall” witnessing the first joint meeting. Trepidation,
apprehension and anxiety appeared to be the foremost emotions
experienced by most on arrival.
Visualise a picnic on Australia Day 2005 where Jews and
Muslims are spread across numerous rugs enjoying and sharing
their typical fare, others are playing soccer and cricket
alongside, and other small groups gathering to discuss their
respective beliefs, practices and whatever. Imagine too,
four homes across Melbourne, two Muslim and two Jewish,
hosting discussions between groups of about a dozen, facilitated
by two trained persons (one Muslim and one Jew), exploring
topics such as prayer, dietary laws, texts, festivals, marriage,
divorce. It’s happened twice already and others are
planned. Imagine a Seder (Passover ritual meal) re-enactment
with Muslims sharing the occasion! What better way to provide
the Muslims with an historical exposition of this seminal
event in Jewish history!
The courage to participate in such a pioneering project
may not be apparent to the casual reader. However, those
of us at the coalface who are witness to the nuances of
inter-faith dialogue, can well understand and appreciate
the commitment and resolve necessary in building bridges.
In Building Bridges, the participants - the Muslims and
the Jews - are not only learning about each others’
faith, traditions, cultural norms and mores – but
in this pioneering project they will get to know people
of the other faith and in this process may discover that
“the other” is just like us; and where there
are differences - they are to be accepted, enjoyed, and
respected.
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