Vancouver Talmud Torah Sixth Grade Students Present BELIEF
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Vancouver Talmud Torah Sixth Grade Students Present BELIEF As part of an Interfaith Shabbat Dinner Initiative “My confidence Thank you for comes from joining us! knowing there is Tonight’s Shabbat dinner is the culmination of Vancouver Talmud Torah’s Grade 6 Term II Tikkun a force, a power Olam course. During this term, we explored different belief systems and faiths, by watching weekly episodes of greater than Oprah Winfrey’s riveting series, “Belief.” The term’s final project required each student to interview someone of a faith other than Judaism and then to write a myself that I am narrative essay to describe in greater detail that person’s spiritual beliefs and influences. This book contains those part of and is essays. By reading them, we hope you gain a greater understanding of the similarities that bind us and also a part of appreciate the differences that make each one of us unique. me.” Ava Abramowich: Harjot Bhatti Something that is special about Harjot’s religion are the rules that are I interviewed Harjot Bhatti who is a Sikh. She was born and raised in Canada. practiced when entering the Gurdwara. When they walk into the Gurdwara When she was young she celebrated Gurpurbs (festivals celebrating the birthday everyone has to cover their heads (usually with some sort of a scarf or or martyrdom one of the 10 Sikh Gurus), Diwali and Vaisakhi, to name a few. turban). When people go upstairs they bow down to the holy book which is Vaiskahi, in particular, is very important to Sikhs as it not only marks the the day called the “Guru Granth Saahib” which they believe is the last word of all of the Harvest festival but it is also the day that 10th Guru, Guru Gobind Singh of the collective teachings of all the Gurus. Sikhs bow down to the holy Ji formed the Khalsa Paanth (Baptized Sikhs). The Khalsa Paanth are saint book and cover their heads when entering the temple to show humility, and soldiers who fought for injustice, the rights of the poor and disadvantaged respect. They go serve food in the langar hall which is open to everybody, as people of all religious backgrounds. On average, Harjot went once a week to the is the rest of the temple. Woman can take roles. They do have a dress code Sikh temple called the Gurdwara. She participated in a camp called Khalsa for religious people, known as the Five K’s or the Panj Kakar, which are five camp. At Khalsa camp she learned Sikh scripts and prayers, reading and writing items of faith that all baptized Sikhs must wear at all times. Sikhs have the language Punjabi, and various historical facts. Sikhism was very vibrant to dietary restrictions such as they cannot drink alcohol or anything impure her parents and grandparents. They are actively involved in the Sikh and they cannot eat meat. Harjot’s favourite thing about Sikhism is how community. She was born in Prince George which is in Northern BC and she open it is; how the religion is based upon continuous learning and doesn’t celebrate Christmas. meditating in the name of god; and its core values regarding fighting for As Harjot has gotten older, she believes that her practice has heightened. “When injustice, equality and always giving back to society. Sikhs are usually you are a kid you don’t always understand what you are practicing and its true compared to Hindus and Muslims because of the way they look or because meaning” and now she is following her practices in her own way as her they are from India. However, there are great differences between the three knowledge and understanding has grown. She translates the principles into daily religions. Because of how they dress, Sikhs also face discrimination. practices. Out of general interest Harjot went to go explore and learn about I thought that this project was a great way to open up my mind to different other religions and their belief systems. She has never rebelled and continues to religions. It was very interesting to learn about Sikhism and all their customs practice the principles of Sikhism. Before Harjot used to go to the Sikh temple and holidays. One thing that was the same between Judaism and Sikhism is much more than she does now but she still meditates every night. She has visited that they believe in one God only. Also, Sikhs and Jews both have particular India where Sikhism began, not for a religious purpose, but to visit the country dietary restrictions. Overall, I think that Sikhism is a very interesting religion and to go to the Golden Temple (one of the most sacred temples to Sikhs) with and I hope to learn more about other religions. her family. She associates with people of all faiths, not just Sikhs. Sadly, as a Sikh she has experienced racism. Primary message of Sikhism: Thre is one God Sikhs believe in one God called Waheguru. “The term itself is of Persian and then three pillars: Kirat karo, vand chakko, nanm Sanskrit origin. It was founded by the founder of our religion Guru Nanak Dev japo. Ji. The meaning behind it is simple: we believe that God exists everywhere and that there is one universal creator God. “His” name is true, “he” has no fear or Translation: Honest and pure, Being selfless and hatred, “he” is beyond birth and is self-existent.” Harjot believes that this is the giving to humanity, meditate in God's name. history of their God. Jake Axler: Raji Patel Raji believes in a higher power, but not necessarily in G-d. Raji believes that Meet Raji Patel. She was raised in a Punjabi Sikh family. She was born in India the higher power is one G-d that created the universe. The people in that where she and her family practiced Sikhism. Raji and her family moved to universe split into their own groups and formed their own G-ds and religions. Quebec when she was seven years old. Later on she moved to Vancouver. In Sikhism, you must also wear a Kada, which is an iron bracelet. In the Her parents were religious but did not believe in prayers before or after meals. Gurdwara there is normally one priest and music is involved. As a ritual, after Every Sunday morning as a child she would have to go to the Gurdwara to help prayers, the congregation is joined downstairs for a meal. In Sikhism, women out in the kitchen. The Gurdwara is a house or sanctuary where Sikhs can and men have equality so a woman can take part in reading from the holy book practice their religion. Sikhism is about helping out people who don't have food or singing in the Gurdwara. Names of people are unisex in her religion. Once because it is a way of giving. After prayers there is a lot of food made in the you go through a baptism, there are some dietary restrictions, such as you are Gurdwara by the volunteers. Raji’s grandparents and parents thought it was quite not allowed to consume any alcohol or some believe you cannot eat meat, while important for her to be Sikh. They did not mind if she didn’t practice Sikhism, some believe that you can. but it was important to marry into the same religion. In India where she came from, the dominant religion was Hindu. Growing up, Raji did have Christmas One of the things that Raji enjoys about her religion is equality and that holidays but she didn’t really celebrate Christmas like exchanging gifts or going to women and men have equal rights. Another aspect of Sikhism that Raji really Mass. Raji would still be spending the Christmas holidays with her family. As a enjoys is the hospitality and generosity to people. One of the biggest child moving to Quebec she faced some discrimination as many people did not misunderstandings about Sikhism is the turban. When you go through the know much about India. Her friends used to laugh at her Indian ways. baptism you must wear a turban. If you do not go through the baptism, you can still wear one, but you do not have to. People assume that if you wear a As a child and teen Raji used to go to the Gurdwara every Sunday but now she turban you are religious, this is not always true. You may have just grown your goes less often. As a mother, Raji wants her daughter, Neeya, to find the hair long and put it up in a turban. importance in both religions. Raji’s husband, Neerav, is Hindu so if their daughter were to be classified she would take her father's religion. Raji wants Interviewing Raji was a memorable experience. I came to understand the their daughter to grow up and find her own path in both the religions and to traditions and beliefs of a different religion or faith than mine. It was a positive listen to both their faiths and rules. experience when I saw how enthusiastic she feels about her religion. This reminds me of how I feel about being Jewish. I have a better understanding of In Sikhism there is a harvest festival called Vaisakhi. In the festival people share Sikhism than I did before I interviewed Raji. This experience taught me skills and trade what they have harvested that season. Raji and her family usually go to and how to improve on interviewing a person.