DOWNLOADOn the 20th of August 2023, a group of young adults from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Sydney visited a Jewish synagogue in Parramatta to gain a greater understanding of the Jewish faith, its principles, and values.
The group was greeted by the Rabbi and Mr. Michael Morris, chairperson of the Parramatta and District Synagogue.
The Rabbi gave the group a tour of the synagogue and answered questions the young adults had about the Jewish faith. He gave the group an introduction to Jewish religious texts and prayers and explained the core tenets of the faith.
Savannah Carroll, one of the visitors, said of the experience, "I loved visiting the synagogue. My favourite part of these interfaith activities is finding the similarities between us and other religions. I especially loved the connection of our history and learning the names of the prophets as they would have been spoken. Overall, I feel I learnt more about how we are the same and what we can gain from others who also believe in God. Also, how we can celebrate our differences."
This visit proved to be very productive in allowing the young adults to learn about Jewish beliefs firsthand and give them an opportunity to see the commonality with their own faith and values. Both religions place a great emphasis on the family, reverence for deity and social harmony. Learning about these shared beliefs has brought both groups closer together.
Mr. Morris shared after the visit, "We enjoyed the event and hope it was educational for the group. Such a lovely group to associate with, too."
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints encourages its members to show kindness and respect for all people everywhere and demonstrate respect toward those whose beliefs differ from ours. This experience was greatly uplifting to the young people who attended. It increased their knowledge and appreciation of other religious groups as well as their practices.