Friday, April 8th, the entire tenth grade class traveled to Flushing, Queens to visit houses of worship from several of the traditions they have studied this year in World Religions.

The students visited a Russian Orthodox church and were impressed by the ornate decorations and beautiful icons that surrounded them as they heard about the beliefs and practices of Orthodoxy.  Next, they entered the beautifully decorated Chinese Buddhist temple, which they compared to the bare Won Buddhist temple and gained a sense of the diversity within the Buddhist tradition.

At a Hindu temple, the students saw families carry out their daily activities such making offerings while
their host explained that in Hindu belief, there is only one Divinity, and all the god and goddess images surrounding them are manifestations of that one divine energy.

Finally, at a mosque, they were given an animated tour, and, as it was Friday, the group observed the steadfast focus and devotion of students younger than themselves diligently studying the Qur'an.

In addition, the group passed a Sikh temple and a synagogue, just driving to lunch at a Chinese restaurant!