URI Hillel welcomes all students for multicultural Shabbat

Jacob Kaufman, Sani Motamedi, Maryam Marzban, Jessica Fischer and Michael Bonilla prepare a Persian eggplant dish and Israeli salad for the Avi Schaefer dinner at URI Hillel. /URI Hillel

I stood by the door of the University of Rhode Island Hillel to welcome people from all cultures, religious backgrounds and denominations into our building, in fulfillment of the time-honored Jewish tradition of hakhnasat orchim, welcoming guests. The occasion was Hillel’s fifth annual Avi Schaefer Multicultural/Multifaith Shabbat, an event that brings students of different backgrounds together for an evening of dining, discussion and dancing.

Avi Schaefer was a Brown University student whose life was cut short by a drunk driver in 2010. While at Brown, Schaefer distinguished himself as a student and a trusted voice for Israel and for peace.  In his memory, his family established a fund to support projects, such as programs like this that foster interfaith understanding and cross-cultural encounters on college campuses.

As guests flowed through our doors on Feb. 12, they quickly felt at home. We sat down at tables with people we didn’t know and who, unbelievably, would soon turn into our friends.

Before our meal, leaders from three of the religions represented spoke about values each faith shares. Jessica Lowenthal, Hillel’s rabbinic intern, spoke about how Abraham and Sarah rushed to welcome guests to their tent, which was open on four sides.

URI’s Muslim chaplain, Qutaiba Albluwi, spoke about a day of rest and welcoming guests in the Islamic tradition. It was interesting to hear how Islam requires you to rest and considers it an obligation, and also treats the concept of welcoming guests as a statute, similar to the Jewish concept of mitzvot.

URI’s Lutheran chaplain, the Rev. Mary Hansen Joyce, led us in a prayer prior to the meal that was almost a literal translation of the prayer I was about to say. And then, representing Judaism, I led the Kiddush and Motzi, the prayers over the wine and the bread.

After the prayers, a multi-course meal was served with dishes representing many of the cultures present. Students of different ethnicities had worked in Hillel’s kitchen all afternoon preparing the meal. We started off with matzah ball soup, which was followed by Indian, Persian, Middle Eastern and Dominican specialties.

My table had a great mixture of students: an African-American from the student group Uhuru SASA, a URI staffer of Christian faith, a Muslim, a Baptist, a Latina Christian, and one person who did not identify with any religion. At other tables in the packed social hall sat students from India, Iran, Central America, Tibet, the United States and other nations around the world.

As we ate, I led our table in conversation that quickly strayed from the preset questions that had been furnished. We talked about what we loved about our religions, our favorite holidays and our favorite cultural foods. I shared with them why I love Hillel, to which they all responded by saying that they wished they had a Hillel, too. I told them that they were all welcome here!

As the meal concluded with a sweet baklava dessert, we were ushered into the front room to watch a performance by the multicultural student dance group eXposure.   

As the crowd trickled out, it was wonderful to hear so many students comment on what a unique and wonderful evening this had been. It was a special Shabbat experience for all who were present and it truly honored the legacy of Avi Schaefer.

NAAMA MALOMET is a second-year student at the University of Rhode Island. She is the Shabbat and holidays co-chair on the URI Hillel Student Board.