Rosh Hashanah and Ramadan

By coincidence, Rosh Hashanah and the end of Ramadan both took place this week. Therefore, on Thursday, we held two workshops to teach students about the holidays.

During lunch, Toni set up a table where students could stop by and learn about some of the customs that take place during the Jewish New Year. They learned to say "L'Shana Tova" and had the opportunity to try some traditional foods, such as apples and honey and challah bread.

After school, Said had a workshop about Ramadan. As students enjoyed couscous, cake, dates, and milk, he explained the origins of Islam's holy month. He also talked about fasting and how worshipers of many religions practice fasting rituals.

There are a number of religions represented at the school. This is true for both our students and the Project Bridging Cultures staff. Many of the students who attended workshops enjoyed the opportunity to learn about different religions and compare them with each other. Faith is often an important part of many people's background and culture, and I believe that open and tolerant conversation on the topic can be critical to helping students clear up misconceptions and understand one another better.