NEW ROCHELLE, NY — Alternative Campus High School students got a flavor of diverse cultures and religions when they attended an interfaith dinner and service last Friday in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The event was hosted by the Coalition of Mutual Respect at the Temple Israel of New Rochelle, and attracted guests from across the city and Westchester County.
Accompanied by Joel Fridovich, the school’s director, Campus students enjoyed dinner and participated in a Sabbath service that included an interfaith choir with participants from different houses of worship in New Rochelle.
The Rev. Wallace L. Noble of St. Catherine AME Zion Church, the featured speaker, reminded the congregation it isn’t enough to speak and pray about doing good deeds and treating others well. He said everyone must carry these ideals into daily life as they interact with one another and advocate for social justice.
Campus high school students have been attending the coalition dinner for more than 20 years, learning and absorbing the message of respect for different ethnicities and faiths, said Fridovich.
“They enjoy the opportunity to come together and to learn from others of diverse backgrounds,” said Fridovich. “Students have shared that it feels good to be a part of something like this.”
For Natavia Green, a senior, last Friday’s dinner and service was the first time she visited a Jewish house of worship. She learned that the Jewish prayer book was read right to left, that services were quieter than at her church and that many prayers were common in different religions.
“Being we were celebrating Dr. King, it made me feel good to participate in something that brought people together, which was his message,” Green said. “We all have a purpose, and I think Dr. King’s purpose was to bring people together. Even though he’s been gone for so long, he’s still accomplishing this purpose today.”
