The inaugural hike was held on November 24 with more than 100 scouts in attendence. “”The weather, hike, and presentations were all perfect,”” says Adam Schuit, one of the organizers. “”The scouts today learned about the religions of their friends and about religious tolerance.”” ##M:[more]##
Schuit’s Invocation read: “”Dear God, Please allow today to be a bridge to understanding each other’s religions so we may gain the wisdom to realize that our differences are not great so we may work together towards bringing peace and understanding in the world. Amen.””
This hike began at 9 a.m. at Prince of Peace Church and ended at 1:45 p.m. at Beth Chaim. West Windsor Mayor Shing Fu-Hsueh spoke and walked the entire four-mile hike with the scouts. “”That was an honor,”” says Schuit.
Assemblyman Bill Baroni spoke at the Prince of Peace Church, and Assemblywoman Linda Greenstein spoke at the last stop, Congregation Beth Chaim.
The event was organized by Eagle Scouts, Schuit, a junior at High School North; Michael Perl, a senior at High School South; and Ben Rubin from Woodbridge.
The religious speakers who spoke include Lumont Gunkel at Prince of Peace; Deacon Bill Davis at Dutch Neck Presbyterian; Nancy Riddell, youth minster at St. David of the King Catholic Church; Pastor Dennis Gill at Windsor Chapel, and Rabbi Eric Wisnia at Congregation Beth Chaim. Fakhruddin Ahmed, a Rhodes Scholar who lives in West Windsor, spoke about the 5 Pillars of Islam at Dutch Neck Presbyterian.
“”It was such a success that people asked us to lead it again next year,”” says Schuit.
Also see the letter to the editor from Michael Perl.
