‘Bridge to Diversity’
Religious leaders seek to bring together Jewish and African-American communities
Pastor Walter August often preaches out of the Old Testament during his sermons at the Church at Bethel’s Family in southwest Houston.
This fact isn’t a revelation. It’s common practice among Baptist pastors.
But one day while thinking about some of the Old Testament, August wondered why his predominantly African-American Baptist church didn’t have a relationship with Houston’s Jewish community. After all, each faith acknowledges the teachings of the Old Testament — called the Torah in Judaism — as a key part of the faith.
“Why aren’t we in relationships with them if we’re preaching and teaching Old Testament scripture,” August asked himself.
“Why don’t we” turned into “we should,” and a friend set up a dinner date between August and Rabbi Brian Strauss from Beth Yeshurun, a century-old synagogue with strong ties in Houston’s Jewish community.
The pastors and their wives gathered at Genesis Steakhouse in Bellaire, and the location wasn’t a coincidence. Aside from the obvious name reference, they hoped the meeting would be the start of a long-lasting relationship — for themselves and their religious communities.
“I think especially in our day and age, it’s easy to go to our own corners and think we have the monopoly on truth, and we know the best way to live,” Strauss said. “But the greatness of America is realizing that we don’t. That there are many cultures, many religions and many people that also have basic core truths and good values.”
This isn’t just another lesson about people
of different cultures coming together after a rather fractious political season. Rather, it’s the organic development of unity between people of separate faiths who didn’t consider how much they have in common until they sat face to face. And in a year when both Christmas and Hannukah fall on the same day, their story feels rather fitting.
As Strauss shared about experiences visiting Israel, he learned August was interested in possibly doing a mission trip in the country. While discussing the history of slavery and persecution that both African-Americans and Jews have faced, the men bonded over common perspectives.
The dinner between the two religious leaders led to another where they each invited a second couple to expand the discourse. That group hit it off so well, they wanted to expand the gathering to include their congregations.
The “Bridge to Diversity,” an event held last month at Bethel’s Family, comprised 12 teenagers from each congregation gathering for a night of icebreakers, pizza and open conversation. Strauss and August wanted the two groups to learn more about each other, just as they had at their dinners.
“We’ve got a lot of learning to do from one another,” August said. “We also have a history that can parallel in a lot of areas (such as) being in slavery, being in bondage.”
As the teens entered Bethel’s Family, they already were chatting with one another in a big circle. Inside the circle, many still stayed close with the familiar, standing next to the friends they knew from synagogue or church.
With flages from different countries hung up high on the walls, the teens were instructed to sit at different tables with a mixed number of members from each congregation.
While they mingled, the night’s moderator, ABC-13 sports anchor David Nuno, asked, “Do you spend more time on Facebook or Snapchat?”
“Snapchat,” the group agreed unanimously.
They soon were instructed to start working on icebreaker games such as two truths and a lie to get to know one another. Figuring out the lies were tricky for the teens, but they giggled and guessed their way through. The game taught them about each other — favorite colors, what they enjoyed to do during their free time and where they were born.
Other conversation topics flowed throughout the night including what they wanted to be when they grow up — fashion designer, music producer and sportscaster. Some bonded over being oldest siblings. Others over their shared interest in rapper Drake.
A few discussed their favorite historical quotes. They sang songs together like “Lean on Me” and Beyonce’s “Halo.” And they prayed. Ari Schwartzberg, a 17-year-old who attends Beth Yeshurun, said he was surprised by how easily everyone got along.
“I didn’t expect it to work out so well,” Schwartzberg said. “We’ve pretty much been with the same people at religion school for our whole life. It’s interesting to go out and do more of the same stuff with different people.”
The plan had worked as the friendly, engaging conversations between the teenagers mirrored the dinners shared by August and Strauss.
“We realize that there’s a heart in all of us that basically desires the same thing,” August said. “We desire peace. We desire our families to be strong and healthy. We desire unity. We desire collaboration. We desire (empowerment) not for some, but for all.”
The teens attending the Sunday night event also noticed their similarities. Marcayla Holman admitted feeling nervous before the event began.
The 15-year-old member of Bethel’s Family said she realized the importance of not being closed off to other religions because of your own faith. She suggested others be open to just listening and learning more.
Leondra Gray, a 16-year-old from Bethel’s Family agreed, “I think it’s important that instead of being so separated, we be united,” Gray said. “We [both] believe in a higher being, and because we believe in a higher being we should connect more on that level.”
As the teens left the church, some exchanged numbers. Some hugged goodbye. Many talked about how much fun they had and how they wanted to meet up again.
Both Strauss and August are planning another event in the new year for the teens. And they hope to expand the “Bridge to Diversity” to the adults in their congregations, and eventually bring in people of other faiths from the community.
Regardless of how it develops, they want to keep the conversation going.
“To not just be tolerant of people,” August said, “but also be there in a way to support because we all live in one society.”