Muslim, Christian and Jewish Students Travel to Turkey for Spring Break

March 7, 2007

Source: Newswise

http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/527926/

Newswise — A diverse group of Syracuse University students from different faith traditions will spend their Spring Break in a unique way, by traveling to Turkey to study how Muslim, Christian and Jewish peoples have co-existed in the region throughout history and continue to today.

The group of 18 students will chronicle their experience through written journal entries, audio clips and photographs posted on a special website, http://hendricks.syr.edu/turkey.

The website is now live, offering background on the trip, the group’s itinerary, and information on the students—seven Muslim, six Christian and five Jewish—and the individuals accompanying them: the Rev. Thomas V. Wolfe, dean of SU’s Hendricks Chapel; Muslim Chaplain Ahmed Kobeisy; Lowell Lustig, executive director of SU’s Hillel; the Rev. Kelly Sprinkle, Protestant chaplain; and Ginny Yerdon, Hendricks Chapel’s special events coordinator. The group will leave for Turkey on Thursday, March 8 and return to Syracuse on Friday, March 16.

The idea for the trip—“Three Faiths, One Humanity: Interfaith Travel Study Experience to Turkey”—was conceived by Wolfe. “We want to put a human face on the issues of how diverse faith communities have historically shared and continue to share life together,” Wolfe says. “On campus and beyond, we hope our experience will increase awareness of the three faith traditions’ contemporary issues and spark renewed dialogue towards understanding and cooperation.”