For the past few years, Hillel has been very passionate about teaming up with other faith organizations on campus for events. We have cohosted Better Together Day, Abrahamic Hospitality Nights during Sukkot, Interfaith Thanksgiving, and an annual Avi Schaefer Interfaith Shabbat, which will be this Friday, February 17th. We are excited that this Shabbat will be co-hosted by the Muslim Student Association.
Avi Schaefer was a student at Brown University who was a strong advocate for Israel and committed to finding peace in the Middle East. Before attending Brown, he moved to Israel and served in the IDF with his twin brother, Yoav. In 2010, Avi Schaefer passed away in a pedestrian accident. Although he is gone, his memory lives lives on through the Avi Schaefer Fund (ASF) and Avi Schaefer Shabbat. According to ASF’s website, Avi Shabbat should be “a shared conversation incorporating one or both of the following two areas of interest: Promoting open and respectful discourse within the Jewish community, specifically surrounding conversations about Israel and the Israeli-Palestinian Relationship (and) fostering interfaith understanding and cross-cultural encounters.“
This week, we will be celebrating Avi Schaefer’s memory at Hillel. We will be collaborating with the Muslim Student Alliance for this interfaith meal. No matter what faith you are, we would love for you to join us at 6:30pm for a discussion and dinner at 7pm.