A popular greeting in Swahili, “Casserian Engeri,” translates not to “How are you?” or “What’s up?” but rather “And how are the children?”
That is, after all, how we can determine the strength of a community. How are the children? In this year of unprecedented grief, for the children murdered and taken hostage, for those raped and killed at the Nova music festival, for a world we could be Jewish without fear—in schools, on college campuses, in our town halls—the answer to that question seems obvious.
And yet.
And yet once a month for the past three months a group of more than 20 high school students, representing the Jewish, Muslim, Latter-Day Saint, Hindu, Sikh, Catholic, Presbyterian and Baptist faiths, has met in a close-knit group setting to tackle real-world issues, foster understanding, celebrate diverse cultures and promote allyship. The Interfaith Teen Leaders, now in its second year, is a place for hope.
The students mostly prefer hoodies and sweats. They talk about sports teams, weekend plans, and AP classes. Looking at a photo of the group, one cannot immediately tell who will celebrate Hanukkah or Christmas later this month; who keeps kosher, follows halal or avoids coffee; or who has family in Turkey, Israel or India. This has been the focus of our initial meetings—first, to see one another as individuals, then to learn that we have more in common than we know. Our last session concluded with a powerful realization: core values such as “Love Thy Neighbor,” “Do No Harm,” and “The World Is Our Family”— along with so many others—are universal principles that unite all faith traditions.
And we are learning respectfully about our differences. At each session the teens representing one faith present what their religion means to them, the rituals they practice and what makes them the proudest. Then they answer anonymous questions from the group so we can see beyond stereotypes and misinformation. These forums are met with curiosity and respect.
Sometimes, the education is a byproduct of simply where we meet. Each session is held at a different house of worship. The Interfaith Teen Leaders have already been hosted by a Latter-Day Saint Church, an African-Methodist Episcopalian Church, and a synagogue. Future meetings will be held at an Islamic Center, a Hindu Temple, and a Presbyterian Church. Each meeting makes us more comfortable in one another’s spaces despite our differences: Though some of the gatherings are held at churches and I am Jewish, we successfully found clean mats for the Muslims when they needed to pray.
Allyship, though, often goes beyond understanding. It involves working together for the benefit of the whole. With this in mind, the Teen Leaders will spend the second half of the year devising and executing service projects in the community. Last year’s cohort worked to help beautify the exterior of Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church in Verona after it was damaged by arson. They spent an afternoon planting flowers, making sure each plant had the space and support it needed to grow. This is the lesson we want the teens to take beyond this program and through their lives—that we are all responsible for each other and only when we work toward the common good can we all bloom.
If there is hope for a more inclusive, supportive and connected society, the Interfaith Teen Leaders is a good start, as the program is meant to create a space where religious differences are celebrated, where mutual respect and understanding are nurtured, and where high school students are empowered to work toward a better world.
How are the children?
We adults could take a lesson from them.