First Multi-Faith Run & Walk Takes Off!

On a sunny afternoon on October 27th, 2019, at 3:30 pm, an unusual event was taking place. The first-ever Multi-Faith Community Run & Walk for Unity was happening, followed by a potluck dinner. To add meaning to the occasion, a nonprofit was chosen for participants to support. That cause, “Facing History & Ourselves,” a 43-year-old organization, creates tools and resources for teachers and their students to face up to bigotry and hatred. (www.facinghistory.org) Facing History exemplifies the spirit of justice and unity that represented this gathering, a kick-off program with more events to come.

Behind the registration tables, I handed out custom tee shirts to runners and walkers on the shores of the Skokie Lagoons near Tower Road in Winnetka. A diverse crowd of about 110 people of all ages and backgrounds excitedly chatted. Attired in athletic clothes, each participant donned a new tee-shirt, “Multi-Faith Run/Walk for UNITY,” bearing logos from five different faiths: The Winnetka Congregational Church, Congregation Hakafa, The Muslim Community Center of Morton Grove, The Bahai Faith, and the Sikh Religious Society of Palatine. They came to develop interfaith relationships. To get to know each other. And to have the chance to build lifelong relationships to combat the hate and ignorance that our society faces.

“The theory behind it to me is that we live in a bubble,” said Congregation Hakafa member Fred Miller of Glencoe, who came up with the idea. “Our country is pretty fragmented. We need to meet because we’re human beings with common needs.”

A dedicated runner, Fred considered how running brings people together. “What would make it more in accord with our values? When you’re that close to people, you get to know them and build lifelong relationships. What we need to do today is to combat the hate and ignorance that our society faces. What if we could meet regularly? We just needed a kick-off event.”

Encouraged by Rabbi Bruce Elder (Highland Park), who already had established relationships with the Winnetka Community Church, the Bahai Faith, the Muslim and Sikh communities, spiritual leaders from each faith met over a few months to plan out the details. A four-mile running route and three-mile walking route were mapped out. Organizers on the day would create interfaith teams between runners and walkers. Water bottles and granola bars would be available for everyone before the potluck dinner, where everyone could socialize.

On the day of the event, runners and walkers were guided into mixed groups. To pay tribute to the sanctity of this gathering, and on behalf of all five faiths, a prayer by Asif Masood of the Muslim Community Center offered a heartfelt, loving and all-inclusive message.

“Thank you, God for creating this beautiful day… bringing us all together to do something meaningful. To raise money for Facing History, and getting to know each other as people. Bless this gathering… This is not just a one-time thing. This is about creating life-long connections that align with our value and our purpose.”

Asif had met others a year ago when Winnetka Congregational Church, Congregation Hakafa and the Muslim Community Center convened on a mission trip to help hurricane victims in Houston. Those relationships have deepened over time. Here are a few reflections…

Revered Jeff Braun (Winnetka Congregational Church), “It felt so natural. I appreciated the way it stretched the day, and time slowed. We were making a wonderful interpersonal connection.”

Jasvir Singh (Sikh Religious Society), “It’s important to reach out across different religious beliefs in order to understand God’s children better, and work together to solve common issues. By doing so, we foster more compassion for our interfaith siblings and people in general. After all, we have more in common than the differences we magnify in our head.”

Prempal Singh of Palatine (Sikh Religious Society), “It was beautifully organized. People were posted where they needed to be. The best thing was that it was not a competition. We had a nice time. I ran with one person for a stretch, moved to another person, and had five or six partners. We could run and socialize.”

Khalid Harum of Palatine (Muslim Community Center): “It was great pushing boundaries with my new friends.”

Dan Shellenbarger (Winnetka Congregation Church), “It was a great day to get out, meet new people from different backgrounds and enjoy the earth. I’d definitely do it again!”

Sammy Shellenbarger (son, 9 years old, Winnetka Congregational Church), “It was fun! I just got to meet a lot of new friends.”

Aman Preet (Sikh Religious Society), “I was happy to be joining a group to get different faiths to run together. It was a sign of true unity.”

Michael Morse of Buffalo Grove (Congregation Hakafa), “It was invigorating! We’re all sweating the same way. Running is a great equalizer.”

Lakhwinder Singh (Sikh Religious Society), “It felt like we’re not a whole lot different from each other.”

Bob Turner (Congregation Hakafa), “It’s the first time I got to know someone from the Muslim Community Center. It was a great day out in the sun.”

Dawood Ali (Muslim Community Center), “I had a conversation with someone from the Winnetka Congregational Church about religion, life and family. I got to know a lot about her and how similar her life is to ours.”

After the potluck dinner, as people reluctantly left from the long tables of abundant food, and where lively conversations from new friendships were generated, Ezra, a 5-year-old volunteer showed me that we had all collected $2,272 for Facing History. What a wonderful way to celebrate diversity!