Interns' Interfaith Story Circle on 1/13/10

Marni writes about the Interns' Interfaith Story Circle 1/13/10:

On January 13th, our OLDER students from Children at the Well told their tales at the monthly adult Interfaith Story Circle. Well, we TRIED to make it a circle but with the families and the people that the venue drew - St. Helen’s priest did a really good job of promoting it - we had over 50 people and just couldn’t make the circle work chair-wise. But the kids were spectacular! They blew our MINDS; they were the best they’d ever been. I’m so so so grateful for this interfaith work, especially being part of the teen project. If it hadn’t been for Adah Hetko who began coming to the adult group and whose mom, Paula Weiss, said, “Couldn’t we do a youth group?”, we wouldn’t exist.

… We got so caught up in the kids we FORGOT to ask for donations tonight or even pass the email list to get names of the adults who hadn’t come before. What a hoot!
[IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE ON THE EMAIL LIST FOR THE INTERFAITH STORY CIRCLE, PLEASE SEND YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS TO paulabweiss@gmail.com]

But tho we messed up in that area tonight, it didn’t matter. It was so special, and it was all about the kids and the way they told.

Do you know BEN Russell, who is our oldest Jewish student? Well he told a story about the golem (I think Mark Binder wrote it) that was so amazing. Neither Mary nor I had heard it. Brand new, he just learned it on his own, but he was the “last leg of the relay team” - the final teller in a night of 12 teen tellers (took almost the full two hours) and he just WOWED everyone. Mary and I laugh that he is ready for the Catskills! A true comedian, only it’s all about Chelm, and in THIS case about the name of G_D being what created the Golem. I have to thank Mark, too, for this amazing tale.

I don’t think I’m going to get to sleep tonight I’m so full of images. But at the same time it is a sweet calm happiness.

It isn’t just because the kids told well, but these were tales about G_D and values – about the foolishness of greed, the joy of being true to yourself, the lessons learned when you give over to spirit....It was just so moving. And I know the parents and sibs and visitors were wowed too. The stories were a combo of funny and deep, just everything you want in an olio.

AND the kids are making a documentary. One boy, John Lyden, who is home-schooled, has filmed all year long. Other kids have helped too, and Ritam Mehta got up and explained all about that. Who knows, maybe even without asking, people will look us up and contribute. In time that will all work out. Later this year we have two interfaith conferences lined up that we’re hoping to present at or at least send a few kids to. It’s so exciting!

Photos courtesy of Leo Wong