BY PAMELA DUQUE, The Miami Herald
With final exams around the corner, Sundays mean study time for some high school students. But for Shira Papir and nine friends, last Sunday was a day for helping others and spending time with fellow teens from different religious backgrounds.
”Interfaith dialogue has always been something I’ve been really passionate about,” said Shira, a junior at Ben Lipson Hillel Community High School in North Miami Beach.
Shira, 17, arranged for several of her friends — Christians and Jews — to help feed the homeless at the Salvation Army in Miami. Shira was inspired by The Days of Interfaith Youth Services, a national campaign encouraged by the National Conference of Interfaith Youth Work, which tries to build bridges between young people of different faiths.
Shira called her event that took place in the kitchen of the Salvation Army the Teen Interfaith Day of Service.
She hopes it will be the first of many.
She and her friends prepared, packed and served meals to more than 100 homeless people at The Salvation Army.
Shira, who is Jewish and lives in North Miami Beach, became interested in reaching out to teens of different faiths while attending a summer program in Israel last year, where the talks frequently centered on the need for religious tolerance.
Her friend, Paulina Santana, agreed to bring some fellow Catholics, including her sisters Daniella Santana, 15, and Julia Santana, 14, to the Salvation Army to help Shira achieve her goal.
”We always wanted to do something to help people,” said Pauline, 17, a senior at Fort Lauderdale High School. “So we met three months ago, and sat for hours to plan what we were going to do.”
Paulina said she, too, hopes to foster tolerance among young people.
”Many conflicts in the world are because there is not enough information and education about each religion,” she said.
The teens prepared dozens of lunch bags stuffed with sandwiches — peanut butter and jelly, or ham and cheese — as well as potato chips and vitamin-enhanced water.
The food was provided by The Salvation Army.
Danilo Valdes, kitchen coordinator for the charity, said he hopes to see the volunteers again.
”It’s fantastic,” he said. “These days, people don’t really volunteer much for a nonprofit organization. It’s getting harder.”
Valdes also said they don’t have enough employees on Sundays, so the help the teens provide is appreciated.
”Sometimes it’s only one person working on Sunday after 2 p.m, and it’s been more than a year that we don’t get volunteers on a weekend,” he said. “It’s a big help no matter what.”
In addition to the high school volunteers, Shira also arranged for a visit by Rabbi Avrohom Lipszyc of the Chabad Lubavitch in North Miami.
The rabbi spoke to the kids about the importance of interfaith dialogue.
”Once people get to see the differences melt away and see our similarities, they’ll realize we have more in common,” he said.
Shira had hoped to have more representatives of other faiths. She had invited a Muslim imam and a Catholic priest, but they were not able. A Muslim friend had to bow out at the last minute because of a family emergency.
She hopes they will be able to attend future service days, she said.
Dennis Valerstain, a junior at Ben Lipson Hillel Community High School, said he enjoyed doing community service, even on a weekend.
”It’s good that we’re getting together for a peaceful cause,” said Dennis, 17. “And we give the homeless a chance for a good meal.”
Shira said she looks forward to organizing other events with her friends and inviting kids from other faiths.
”Today, adults aren’t doing it well.” said Shira. “So starting with the youth is the best way to do it.”
what person in their right mind thinks this is ok?
The Rebbe spoke out clearly many times against interfaith dialouge!! who and what are we if not people who heed the Rebbe!
The shluchim office needs to put out directives for its shluchim on what to do and what to say based on directives of the Rebbe. There needs to be some guidelines for shluchim and shluchos on what they should and should not be doing.
shocking
Do you know what the Rebbe says about interfaith dialogue?
A shliach encouraging interfaith discussion and ‘services’?! Is there any greater endorsements to the possible outcomes of intermarriage?!!
Also, a close friend of mine, earlier in his life would get food regularly from Salvation Army kitchens and he said they would require him to bless yoshkeh (r”l). SO a shliach at such an event is further endorsing this org.!!