Here's a message to all: Love is stronger than hate. "It's easy to hate someone you don't know, but when you know them, it's harder, and when you care about them, it's nearly impossible." Sheryl Olitzky
In a recent Good Housekeeping magazine there was an inspiring article highlighting a "Club with a Higher Purpose," Salaam Shalom (ssospeace.org) - a network of women and girls from Jewish and Muslim faiths working together to combat bigotry and forge genuine friendships.
Salaam Shalom has grown from one New Jersey-based group to nearly 170 chapters and approximately 3,000 chapter members. This Sisterhood fosters understanding among its members and works in their communities doing things like repairing desecrated mosques and conducting donation drives for Syrian refugees. The newly-launched teenager groups, now in ten states, are working with legislators to improve hate-crime laws.
What was so inspiring was that these women are building bridges in an era where global bridges are being torn asunder. Our group, 100+ Women Who Care NRV is a wonderful place to build our own local bridges. Our members all come from different places and have differing experiences and world views. Yet, we come together to support those in need in our community. Why not take it one step further and introduce yourself to someone you don't know at our quarterly meetings and lay the groundwork for a genuine friendship? It cannot be denied that finding common ground and creating friendships is a good thing.