Overcoming religious differences to feed homeless

Jewish, Muslim and Christian students are working together as kitchen hands this week as part of an interfaith program to feed the homeless in Melbourne, Australia.

The students wanted to work on a joint charity project, after they decided a commitment to charity was something all religions have in common.

Three professional chefs, one of each religion, were to cook substantial nutritious food while the students chop, scoop and clean-up for about 100 homeless people.

Multichef was initiated by the B'nai B'rith Anti-Defamation Commission (ADC), a Jewish community organization that works to counter racism and develop respect between different communities.

The 18 to 26 year-olds who joined the program got to know one another at a three-day residential workshop earlier this year as part of an ADC program to improve skills and networks among future leaders of faith communities. The Multifaith Future Leaders Program aims to ensure the next generation of faith leaders know and understand people from other backgrounds.

ADC executive director Deborah Stone said the Multichef program was a great opportunity to overcome suspicion between communities and focus on the good different religions can do together.

“The hungry people who are getting a meal don’t care whether you call it tzedkah or zakat or charity and the young people who are involved know it’s the common values that really matter,” she said.