Photo: Warren Knipfer |
CELEBRATING DIVERSITY
The Rochester CROP Hunger Walk (Minnesota) committee has a long-standing commitment to interfaith outreach and participation in their annual WALK. Rochester, home of the Mayo Clinic, is home to very diverse ethnic and cultural communities. Several years ago the committee outlined a strategy to involve the Jewish and Muslim communities in the WALK. Their efforts are bearing fruit. In 2004, members of the Christian, Jewish, and Muslim faith communities walked together for the first time. How did they do it? Joan Leof, the Walk coordinator, explains:"Several years ago we contacted B'nai Israel inviting their participation. They were interested except for the fact that our Walks were traditionally held on a Saturday. At the next CROP Hunger Walk we surveyed our participants to see about switching to a Sunday Walk if it meant adding the involvement of B'nai's congregation. The response was very positive. The next year we held the Walk on a Sunday afternoon. B'nai Israel was the top fundraising congregation that year.
"Last fall the Rochester Muslim community participated for the first time. Why is this important? We celebrate the same God but with different traditions. Participating in CROP Hunger Walk is a way for us to work together. The CROP Hunger Walks address universal issues to which the faith community wants to respond regardless of individual traditions. And, we cannot do too much to foster relationships between the congregations of our faith community," says Leof.