Walk aims to unite faiths

IN a city that has churches and cathedrals on almost every corner the Ballarat Interfaith Network, in partnership with the Jewish Christian Muslim Association of Melbourne, is holding an Interfaith Friendship Walk showcasing other places of worship this Sunday.

Ballarat has just one mosque, one synagogue and one Greek Orthodox church.

For the third year in a row, the event encourages the Ballarat community to walk, socialise and hear from locals from different faiths as they visit three unique local worship venues.

Ballarat Interfaith Network chair Margaret Lenan Ellis said, “The aim of the walk is to build bridges of understanding between people.”

She said if people are curious and would like to know more about other religions this is a great opportunity.

Often just by entering the different venues people learn about how the congregations go about their worship.

The walk will begin at the small simple building housing Ballarat’s Masjid Abu Bakr Siddiq Mosque at 116 Elsworth Street Canadian where a member of the Islamic Society of Ballarat Ruth Fenton will talk about the Muslim faith.

From there it is onto the Ballarat Synagogue – the oldest synagogue in mainland Australia – in Barkly Street Bakery Hill where the foundation stone was laid by Charles Dyte, a prominent player in obtaining justice for miners following the Eureka rebellion, in 1861.

A local member of the Ballarat Hebrew Congregation Mark Schatz will give the walkers a brief history of the synagogue and speak about Judaism.

Mr Lenan Ellis said last year when some members of the Islamic community continued on the walk to the Synagogue they were, “Amazed to find the similarities in both religions.”

The red brick edifice of the Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Nicholas in Humffray Street North Brown Hill is the final stop.

Here the story of the Ballarat Greek community’s establishment of their church and the significance of their Christian iconography will be explained with the opportunity to indulge in traditional Greek pastries bringing the walk to a sweet end.

The Interfaith Friendship Walk goes this Sunday, 28 October from 2pm – 5pm.

Please register attendance at http://bin-jcmafriendshipwalk. eventbrite.com.au or contact Margaret on 0400 650 234.