Many Faiths Come Together To Share a Meal

BY JESSE ZAPATA

The twelfth Annual Interfaith Dinner was held last Wednesday in the Marvin Center to highlight the various faith organizations on campus. Students who attended were treated to live music, food, guest speakers, and more during the annual event. Started after 9/11, the dinner strives to bring together students in solidarity against prejudice. Overall, the event was focused on examining faith’s common role in social justice and freedom. 

Tim Kane, associate director for inclusion initiatives, introduced the various performers and guests. Each campus faith organization was represented, and they also chose the speakers. The Voice Gospel Choir began the program with several hymns.

Speakers for the event included Muslim Student Association student Aabid Mohiuddin, Satyam representative Pavithra Chidambaram, Intervarsity Christian Fellowship choice Jon Yu, Allied in Pride representative Nicholas Gumas, GW Catholic student Olivia Bee, Jewish Student Association representative Joey Saban, and Kabir Gumer from the Sikh Student Association.

Each original speech was unique, yet they all taught lessons. Some were deeply rooted in the biblical tradition and quoted passages from the New Testament while others focused on a secular morality. Another defined the term “Tikkun Olam” as the Jewish faith's "one common goal of a better place for those who follow". A fellow speaker focused on the Sikh traditions of identity and scholastic petition. Each address, though different from the others, represented the night’s theme of the involvement of faith in freedom and social justice.

In closing, GW President Steven Knapp gave a brief history of the Interfaith Dinner and the university’s history of student led interfaith initiative. He also shared an excerpt of a letter written by George Washington to a Rhode Island Synagogue's congregation. The letter contained not just the theme quote of the evening, " to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance," but a larger statement about the power of diversity in bringing wisdom and prosperity to those who embrace it.

Interfaith Director for Satyam, the school's Hindu awareness organization and planner of the event Priya Yadav said she was happy with the dinner’s turnout. She added that the school had been working to “re-excite interest in interfaith and multicultural events.”

“We have so many [students] dedicated to their faith who want to let others know,” she said. 

Tragedy: Coping Through Faith

DZHULETTA AVANESIAN

Campus faith leaders shared advice for coping with tragedy Monday night as part of the GW “Peace Not Prejudice” Week. Chaplain Meraj Allahrakha , Rabbi Yoni Kaiser-Blueth , and Father Greg Shaffer shared  their views in a forum sponsored by the GW Muslim Student Association. The lecture held at Funger Hall was attending by about 25 people of different religions. Members of Muslim Student Association, GW Hillel and Newman Catholic Student Center participated in the panel discussion.

Each leader shared examples from recent tragedies. During the discussion, Father Greg remembered the Newtown, Conn. school shooting of last year.

''We have to cope through tragedy,faith richness and to gather together. We are dealing with mystery,'' said Shaffer.

Kaiser-Blueth talked about his rememberance of Hurricane Katrina and how people dealt with the tragedy that moment, a time during which he was working at New York University.

''Why did God allow the Holocaust to happen? Why would something like this happen?'' he said.

Responding to an audience question on coping with disaster, Allahrakha said, ''It's easy to say when you are not suffering the tragedy.People are not punished collectively. There is a lesson in every tragedy.''

Participants lauded the event for connecting the different religious organizations on campus around the common theme of hope. President of the Muslim Student Association  Aabid Mohiuddin reflected on the event as bringing the campus community together with relatable experiences, particularly difficult events.

Regardless of religion, according to participants, everyone experience grief and tragedy. However, a shared desire for healing lies in faith.

“I believe that when faith shines, people who believe in faith and see the circumstances, come out through that situations stronger than they were before, '' said Mohiuddin.

Each leader stressed the importance of uniting to find comfort and hope through faith.

''Just hope. Each person has a  faith,'' said Shaffer.