Aleksandra Robinson, The Examiner
2007-08-04 07:00:00.0
Current rank: Not ranked

BALTIMORE -

Baltimore summer heat is no deterrent to these faithful workers.

They’re building a house in East Baltimore near the Johns Hopkins medical campus — and getting an ecumenical education at the same time.

Peace by Piece is the first-ever interfaith build in Baltimore involving Christians, Jews and Muslims. Volunteer builders are working with experienced Chesapeake Habitat for Humanity staff to rehabilitate two houses for low-income families.

Ian Bukowski, construction manager for the site, said working with the interfaith group in particular provides a different perspective than most groups he works with because of the variety of people involved in the one project.

“You might be Muslim and working alongside someone who’s Jewish,” he said. “They come from all different places to work together.”
Jordan Perl, 17, of Owings Mills, is a member of Baltimore Hebrew Congregation, one of the 12 organizations working on the project.

“I thought it would be a good thing, just giving people a house that couldn’t afford it,” he said.
Elissa Sachs-Kohen, a rabbi at Baltimore Hebrew Congregation, agreed.

“I feel very passionate about religious people’s responsibility to not just be pious, but to also do something good for the community,” she said.

Sachs-Kohen is a member of the steering committee of Peace by Piece. The Habitat for Humanity project is just one of several events the steering committee organized for the purpose of fostering interfaith education.

“I think that when we work together on things that we absolutely agree on, it gives us an opportunity to learn about the places where we differ,” Sachs-Kohen said.
She cited principles of social justice, the responsibility to help people and the fact that people from all three religions believe they are created in God’s image as similarities.

“These are the three Abrahamic faiths,” she said.

Emily Davis, a campus minister at Loyola College of Maryland, said, “Christian, Jewish and Muslim faiths are Abrahamis. … They can all trace their roots back to Abraham.”
She said diversity and acceptance were traits Loyola, a Jesuit college, tries to instill in its students.

“We’re respecting and appreciating the differences, but really focusing on what brings us together,” she said.
Marisa Canino, deputy director of Chesapeake Habitat for Humanity, said she hopes the interfaith build will become an annual event.

“We work with volunteers from all aspects of the Baltimore community, and the one thing that has been really meaningful about this project is that [with] Habitat, as a Christian-based organization, we’re been able to expand our network to involve members of the Jewish and Muslim community as well.”

MORE INFO

» For information about volunteering with or donating to Chesapeake Habitat for Humanity, visit chesapeakehfh.org or call 410-366-1250.

al.robinson@baltimoreexaminer.com