On the afternoon of Sept. 11, 2001, The Rev. Thomas Wolfe cleared his schedule for the next day.

Wolfe, the dean of Syracuse University’s Hendricks Chapel, canceled a phone interview, rescheduled a couple of meetings and scratched a lunch date. But he refused to cancel the first meeting of the Interfaith Middle East Experience, a Hendricks Chapel program that formed last year.

The program, comprised of 15 students and three Chaplain representatives, brings together Muslim, Jewish and Christian students for eight weeks of discussion and learning about the three religions.

In theory, the program, supported by the SU Vision Fund, ends with a trip to the Middle East. But last year, the program’s first year, the trip was canceled because of political tensions in Israel. This year, Wolfe said he will chose a different destination.

‘Overall, the first year of the program was very positive,’ Wolfe said. ‘I’m very convinced that it’s an important venue. It gave students a chance for extra-enriched conversation. That being said, we still have some things to work on to make this year better.’

And finding a new travel spot is the first priority, Wolfe said.

The group won’t travel to Israel this year because of the continued violence in the country. Instead, Wolfe said he will consider both Turkey and Egypt as possibilities for this year’s destination, which will likely take place over winter break.

Since some of the 15 students graduated, Wolfe also has a few slots to fill. Five students representing each religion participated in the group last year, and Wolfe said the vacancies will be filled to fit that same ratio.

‘The group fits with the whole environment of Hendricks Chapel,’ Wolfe said. ‘The concept of interfaith worshipping is essential here. So a program that brings a diverse group together to learn about each other’s worship — now that’s powerful.’

During the program’s first year, about 60 people applied for the 15 spots. Interested students can fill out applications through Hendricks Chapel.

‘It was a competitive process, which is what we wanted,’ said Rev. Christine Day, Episcopal Chaplain. ‘We had students fill out a questionnaire, do an essay. They wanted to participate. We expect interest to be just as high this year.’

Despite not travelling to Israel, Wolfe still considered last year’s Interfaith Middle East Experience a success.

The group studied at local churches, mosques and synagogues. It invited university professors to lecture on the three religions, their backgrounds and the history of conflict in the Middle East.

‘I enjoyed talking to them,” said John Western, a geography professor who spoke to the group last year. “If they asked me to do it again, I would. It’s a good tool to teach a number of students.”

‘I think what all of us in the program learned is that the more you know, the more you need to know,’ Day said. ‘There’s so much to learn that by the end of the eight weeks, we’d started to understand some differences. But there’s a lot left to learn.’

That’s why Day isn’t satisfied with just the Interfaith Middle East Experience. With the support of Hendricks Chapel, she’s in the process of trying to make arrangements for an interfaith living floor in one of the residence halls.

‘The program we had last year and the one we will have this year is a great start,’ Day said. ‘But when you are studying different faiths, it takes a lot of time, planning and concentration to get to a finish.’

Published on September 30, 2002 at 12:00 pm