On Christmas Eve, multiple faiths come together to feed the homeless at Boise shelter

On Christmas Eve, members of the Congregation Ahavath Beth Israel, the Islamic Center of Boise and the Bogus Basin Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints came together to coordinate an elaborate dinner at Interfaith Sanctuary in Boise. It was a unique opportunity for these congregations to work together for the common cause of feeding about 200 homeless people.

Interfaith Sanctuary was started in 2005 as an emergency winter shelter and it became a year-round shelter in the fall of 2007, when a larger coalition of people of faith and goodwill purchased a 10,200-square-foot building near the Boise I-184 Connector.

I was pleasantly surprised this year to find a remodeled main social room where the 1954 movie “White Christmas,” starring Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye, was playing on a large-screen television donated by RC Willey. The sitting room, where the nightly residents were served, had more of the feel and ambiance of a family room than of a shelter.

We served about 200 homeless people with a scrumptious dinner that included turkey, gravy, roasted potatoes, cranberry sauce, barbecued veal, rice and almonds, salad, baklava, cinnamon rolls, apple cider and hot mint tea. There was plenty of food and joy to spread around for the guests. Some returned for second and even third helpings. One person told us that this was one of the best meals he had eaten in a long while.

As is customary, some of the adult volunteers served the food while their kids and other volunteers carried the overflowing plates from the serving room to the social hall, where the nightly residents were sitting. One of the volunteers told me that she had stayed at the shelter a year ago and this was her way of paying back for all the help she received.

I listened to the individual stories of some of the homeless. In spite of their misfortune, they were in good spirits and relieved that they had a good meal and a bed for the night. One person I spoke to had been a world traveler who spent time in many countries abroad. I could tell that he was truly enjoying the moment, knowing that it would become a fleeting memory by the next day. I also imagined that his unique life experience probably prepared him for these tough times.

I could not help but think of all the other survivors who may not have been prepared for this type of adversity in their life and who struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder, mental health issues, addiction problems, and health and aging issues, let alone hunger issues.

I was pleasantly surprised to see a volunteer I know, his two kids and his father at the event. Many members bring their children to volunteer at such events. I view them as the little elves helping Santa in his mission to feed the homeless. As the father told me, this was a valuable lesson for his kids, a “reality check,” as he put it.

No one can better understand the needs of the homeless unless they have experienced those needs in one form or another. When I was younger, I grew up in a country that was recovering from a seven-year war. I often went to bed hungry. I better understand my faith when I recall the words of our Prophet, who said that “he is not a true believer who eats his fill while his neighbor goes to bed hungry.”

This is why I commit each year to help feed the homeless, if only for one night. Of course, it is more important to give to charitable organizations like the Idaho Foodbank or the Idaho Interfaith Roundtable Against Hunger on a regular basis, because they can have more of an impact on eradicating hunger in this state.

Our tradition at Interfaith Sanctuary was started in 2011, when Jews and Muslims, who do not celebrate Christmas, teamed up to feed the homeless for one evening in order to relieve the shelter staff and allow them to spend Christmas Eve with their families. A few years later, the Bogus Basin LDS Church joined us, and it has been a valuable addition. We nicknamed this annual event the MJM production for the Muslim, Jewish and Mormon volunteers. What is truly unique about this partnership is that it is an interfaith model showing how people of different faiths and walks of life can come together to show compassion and care toward one another – and for the most vulnerable people in our midst.

I heard that a group of volunteers of Mexican heritage would like to join us in our endeavor next year. I suggested that we name this group the JMMM, pronounced J triple M, for the Jewish, Muslim, Mormon and Mexican volunteers participating. I definitely look forward to meeting old friends and making new ones at next year’s event.

This story was originally published December 27, 2019 at 2:10 PM with the headline "On Christmas Eve, multiple faiths come together to feed the homeless at Boise shelter."