As part of UN World Interfaith Harmony Week, Mosaic: Interfaith Youth Action hosted a special session of our Interfaith Culinary Arts Program at the Community Academy of Science and Health (CASH) in Dorchester, MA. This school serves a diverse student body, with 53.1% African American, 6.7% Asian, 33.1% Hispanic, 3.2% White, and 84.8% low-income students, many of whom come from multilingual and multicultural backgrounds. In this session, we focused on Jewish dietary laws, exploring the significance of kashrut and the role of food in Jewish religious and cultural practices. Youth learned about the spiritual and communal aspects of challah bread, a staple of Jewish tradition, and engaged in a hands-on baking experience. As they mixed, kneaded, and braided the dough, they discussed the meaning behind the hafrashat challah (separating a portion of dough as a mitzvah) and the importance of food in Shabbat and Jewish celebrations. This immersive experience fostered interfaith dialogue, allowing students to draw connections between Jewish traditions and their own cultural and religious practices. Many participants shared stories of communal meals in their own faiths, discovering common themes of hospitality, ritual, and sacred food traditions. By combining culinary education with interfaith learning, this program creates a powerful space for understanding and connection. We are grateful to have celebrated World Interfaith Harmony Week by bringing youth together through food, storytelling, and shared experience, reinforcing that breaking bread—whether challah or otherwise—is a universal act of community and peace.

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