World Religions Class Gains Broader View

Tours Temple B’rith Kodesh and Islamic Center of Rochester

On November 8, Mr. Phillips’ World Religions class went on a field trip to Temple B’rith Kodesh and the Islamic Center of Rochester.

At Temple B’rith Kodesh, the oldest Jewish synagogue in Western New York, Rabbi Rochelle Tulik gave students a tour of the entire facility. They admired the Temple’s impressive collection of beautiful menorahs. Rabbi Tulik brought them to their small chapel as well as the breathtaking main sanctuary, explaining the meaning of what they saw and describing the basics of a Jewish worship service. The highlight of the tour was when Rabbi Tulik took out a Torah scroll from the Ark, unrolled it, and taught the students about all that goes in to creating such a beautiful work of art and worship. The students were even given an introductory lesson on the basics of reading Hebrew.

At the Islamic Center of Rochester, Alma Omerhodzic welcomed students warmly with donuts, tangerines and orange juice as she spoke about the basics of Islam, as well as her experience as a former refugee and being a Muslim American. The students were touched deeply by the stories and experiences she shared, and she made a strong human connection with all of them. They were then taken on a tour to see the gymnasium, school, and finally the mosque. It was an experience that was not merely informative, but truly moving as well.

At Aquinas, we always say that we don’t just teach academics, we teach life. This field trip was a perfect example of one of the many ways Aquinas does just that.

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