With the holiday season underway, George School students are preparing to share and learn about different faiths through the new Interfaith Weekend (December 3–5, 2010) and to enjoy George School’s annual holiday traditions during Holiday Weekend (December 10–12, 2010).

Sponsored by Young Friends, George School’s Quaker student organization, Interfaith Weekend is an opportunity for students to learn about one another’s heritage in a fun and collaborative setting.

“We’re hoping that students will be able to share their cultural and religious backgrounds with everyone,” said senior Tatiana Dorff of Ann Arbor, Michigan. She is co-leading the organization of the weekend with fellow Young Friends member Sarah Haber, a senior from Newtown, Pennsylvania, and faculty sponsor Tom Hoopes, a religion teacher.

One of the highlights of Interfaith Weekend will be a Multifaith/Multicultural Fair on Saturday, December 4, at 7:15 p.m. in Marshall Center. For this event, students will cook and share foods representing their faiths or cultures. Several student organizations are slated to participate: Havurah (a Jewish culture group), the Irish Club, SAMOSA (a South Asian culture group), and UMOJA (an African culture group). In addition, individual students plan to contribute foods from their Indian, Iranian, Jain, Persian, Tunisian, and Vincentian backgrounds. The fair will also include games and songs from various cultures and faith traditions, and an observance of the third day of Hanukkah.

“We will light the menorah and say the accompanying prayers, as well as explain the story and significance of Hanukkah,” said sophomore Dan Simon, a Havurah member from Newtown, Pennsylvania. “I really hope that people who come and want to learn about Hanukkah will find out from us that there are other holidays that are much more important to Jews.”

Other highlights of Interfaith Weekend include the Quaker tradition of homemade gift-making, and the regularly scheduled Sunday morning Quaker meeting for worship, where Young Friends members will present a series of questions, also known as a “query,” to stimulate reflection on the weekend’s interfaith theme.

The following weekend, students will celebrate Holiday Weekend, a beloved annual tradition at George School. A focal point of the event is the semiformal Holiday Dance, held on the evening of Saturday, December 11, at 8:00 p.m. in Main Dining Room. The dance is sponsored by George School’s day student prefects, student leaders who provide support for their peers. The dance features festive decorations organized by the students, and refreshments provided by Parents Association volunteers.

“We have chosen a metallic color scheme,” said Cara Scott, a day student prefect from Warrington, Pennsylvania. “We’re trying to keep the details a secret so that people are more excited to see what we have in store for them.”

Morgan Brod, a day student prefect from Newtown, Pennsylvania, added, “We’ll be working hard all day long to turn the dining hall into a great atmosphere for the dance.”

On Sunday, December 12, students, faculty, staff, and parents will gather for Holiday Meeting for Worship at 7:30 p.m. in the George School Meetinghouse. A variation on the traditional silent worship practiced by Quakers, Holiday Meeting for Worship is an opportunity for school community members of all faiths to gather by candlelight for quiet reflection. During meeting, Religion Department Head Maria Crosman will present a reading of the Christmas story and a reflection on the season. The annual tradition also includes musical performances by George School students, which will begin at 7:15 p.m.

Interfaith Weekend and Holiday Weekend are among thirty themed weekends with social and educational activities planned for students during the 2010-11 year. Upcoming themes include Live Music, PRO (Pacific Rim Organization), Environmental Awareness, Student Council, and UMOJA.

About George School
Founded in 1893 by members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), George School, a rigorous coed boarding and day school for grades nine through twelve, educates students from twenty-one states, thirty-seven foreign countries, and a variety of ethnic, racial, religious, and economic backgrounds. Through its commitment to diversity and the Quaker values of equality, integrity, and peacemaking, George School inspires students to be led by their own truths while respecting and appreciating opinions and beliefs different from their own. George School was one of the first schools in the United States to implement an International Baccalaureate diploma program. For information about admission, please call 215.579.6547 or visit http://www.georgeschool.org.