Young Muslims, Jews Volunteer to Help Homeless in Edmonton

Young Muslim and Jewish volunteers came together on Saturday to help the less fortunate in Edmonton, Global News reported.

FEED THE POOR

Feeding the poor and needy is an act that draws us closer to Allah. We earn His forgiveness, mercies and blessings through this act of charity.

“Anyone who looks after and works for a widow and a poor person is like a warrior fighting for Allah?s cause, or like a person who fasts during the day and prays all night. (Bukhari)

“I really want to teach these girls that our job in this
world pretty much is to serve others,” said Nesrine Merhi-Tarrabain, the leader
of the Muslim group Gathering Angels.

Volunteers from Gathering Angels and the Bat Mitzvah group from Temple Beth Ora organized a care package and lunch service on Saturday.

She said she has been encouraging her girls to volunteer for several years. So, she took the opportunity when she got a call from a local Jewish temple to suggest a collaboration.

“I thought that would be a great opportunity. First of
all, getting them to go out and volunteer and do something meaningful, and the
other thing… would be to get to know other kids from the wider Edmonton
community,” said Gila Caine, the rabbi at Temple Beth Ora.

The event was attended by around two dozen teens, a dozen
from each group.

“When it comes down to helping others, we should put our differences aside, and truly just bring out our humanity in us. We should really serve others for that reason,” said Merhi-Tarrabain.

Volunteers

One of the young participants, Nour Tarrabain, 16, said that the experience of volunteering with another religious group has helped give her a new perspective.

“It’s been very eye-opening,” Tarrabain said.

“Two completely different groups and religions coming
together and doing the perfect thing: giving back to the community and just
helping one another.

Muslims are the fastest-growing religious community in
Canada, according to the country’s statistical agency, Statistics Canada.

Historically, Canada’s Muslim population increased by 82 percent over the
past decade – from about 579,000 in 2001 to more than 1 million in 2016.

Muslims represent 3.2 percent of Canada’s total
population.