Hillel garden to encourage interfaith dialogue

While President Barack Obama conducts talks over a beer, Jesse Yurow, the Student Government Association's agricultural legislator, is trying to start interfaith dialogue over a garden.

Yurow, a senior environmental science and policy major, began a garden at the Hillel Center about two weeks ago because he believed agriculture could be a way to build relations between different religious centers on campus, while simultaneously raising environmental awareness.

"I believe that the food system is broken and that people don't realize where their food comes from," Yurow said.

But his ultimate vision, he said, is for there to be gardens at all the faith-based institutions on campus and to use them to facilitate interfaith connections.

Tony Prebula, the president of the Catholic Student Center, said that the food at their center comes from other local parishes who cook for them, but that the garden was good way to open dialogue.

"It sounds like an interesting approach," Prebula said. "It's a good idea to open connections between faith centers."

Yurow suggested that faith-based groups could come together over the cheaper option of growing food.

"It would be beneficial to other groups because growing your own food is cheap and brings people together around a common goal," Yurow said. "It's a cost issue so congregants need to value not using those disposable materials and the best way to bring about those changes it to get people invested in the stewardship of the land."

The garden contains root vegetables, herbs and leafy greens, and will be donated and possibly used for a community Sabbath dinner later this semester, Yurow said.

"We already have lots of sprouts; it's abundant," Yurow said. "There are a few weeks left in the growing season so we should have a good harvest."

Rev. James Vigen, a pastor at the Hope Lutheran Church and Student Center, said his congregation uses environmental practices like serving "fair-trade" coffee that comes directly from farmers who take better care of their crops.

"We call it ‘creation care,' to be concerned about God's creations," Vigen said. "Usually we have potlucks, but I think a lot of [congregants] are concerned about the environment."

Vigen said his congregation tries to have fresh fruit at meetings rather than cookies or cupcakes, and a garden would definitely be something his ministry would be interested in.

The ultimate goal, Yurow said, would be to see community gardens on campus and have a faith-based farmers market, along with gardens at every residence hall. 
Tending a garden also serves an educational function, Yurow added.

"On an educational level, it's a great opportunity to learn about charity or work in a sense that they're giving some of the food away," a Hillel rabbi, James Kahn, said. "I'm really excited and there's a great community growing around it at Hillel."

cetrone@umdbk.com