Alix Cane

Georgia Meyerowitz

This year, some of the Year 7 students were lucky enough to be involved in the Interfaith Program. This consisted of students from Emanuel School, Granville Boys High and Auburn Girls High meeting on two occasions over Terms 2 and 4 at Auburn High School and then Emanuel School. This program was a rewarding experience focusing on learning about other people’s cultural experiences and differences, the importance of understanding others and meeting other people of different ethnicities, races and lifestyles.

The first program was held at Auburn Girls High School in Term 2. It began with teamwork activities where we met and got to know students from other schools. It also included lunch and break times where we really got to talk to, and learn about, the other students. The program concluded with some activities where we heard stories from some of the presenters about their experiences within their culture and religion and an activity where we learnt about the difference and the importance of values that vary from culture to culture and also how some of these are valued equally from culture to culture.

The second program was held at Emanuel School. We began by an watching an extract from a film called ‘The Blind Side’ and discussing some of the themes around it, including acceptance and kindness. We then had a break where we mingled and chatted to students from the other schools. After this, we participated in a few more activities including one where we were encouraged to step outside our comfort zone and disclose some of the personal things that have happened in our lives such as being bullied. This was a thought-provoking and empowering activity as we realised that many others had been through the same experience as us, and we had a group of people to relate to, and that we were not alone. We then had another break and finished the program with a few ruach dances as a way to share our religion with the other schools.

Overall, this program allowed us to meet and interact with people from other religions and cultures that we may have not normally had a chance to mix with. We thank Ms Rosin for organising this program and we look forward to participating in future activities.