Students rely on faith

AHS is not only diverse ethically, but also spiritually.  Not only do we have Christian, Muslim and Buddhist students, but also Mormon, Bohemian and Hindu peers.

“Having such a diverse school makes Annandale very unique, in that we not only learn about religion from books, but also by talking, discussing and sometimes even debating ideas,” said freshman Sophia Mohamed.

There are only three major religious clubs; which are the Muslim Student Association, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and the Jewish Culture Club.  All of these clubs aim to provide resources to students who are interested in expanding their knowledge.

The purpose of the FCA is to help Christian athletes in AHS work together and help each other spiritually.  It also aims to strengthen the bond between the student and Christ, which is very crucial and  vital during competition and times of stress.  Prayer meetings are held every Tuesdays before school at 6:55 a.m. in room 333, while the huddle meetings are held on Saturdays at 2:00 p.m.  At each meeting, a group of about 30 to 40 students gather and an FCA student leader leads a discussion on the importance of faith, and highlights the importance of God and Jesus. 

“FCA is important because we get to learn more about the bible and also meet with fellowships of other schools.  It motivates me to succeed out on the field during games and in school,” said junior Isabel Bodrog.

Another major religious club is the Muslim Students’ Association, which is an organization for all students. The association promotes unity and fellowship for Muslims and also endeavors to make Islamic teaching available to interested non-Muslims at Annandale.  There are about 20 to 30 students in the MSA, and are currently preparing for the Muslim Inter-Scholastic Tournament in February, which is a series of competitions aimed at emphasizing the importance of diversity.

“When I see the image of Islam that has come to be known to the people today, that which is contrary to the truth of it, it leaves me speechless and even worried. I feel that organizations, like the MSA have an opportunity to portray an image of the opinion or view they base their organization on. They have an opportunity to educate others and remove misconceptions, but the question remains: Do we use this opportunity?” said senior Nudrat Siddiqui.

Many of these clubs aim to change the public opinion of their religion or to even spread, are the truths about their beliefs.

“I feel that the MSA is making a tremendous effort in that direction, though we can do much more, but we’re getting there. There’s immense diversity within the MSA, symbolizing the diversity within the Muslim nation. It is not the cultural aspect that brings us together, as there are people of various cultures, but rather it is religion, which becomes the one unifying factor and in this unifying factor everyone is equal. This sole factor is what makes us no better than the next person,” said Siddiqui.

The Jewish Culture Club meets only several times a year, but has very dedicated members.  The next meeting is today and the club currently has about 15 to 20 members.  The purpose of the Jewish Club is to spread the ideas of Judaism and explain to non-Jews their principles and beliefs. The JCC has a meeting about once a month or once every six weeks. Each meeting includes a “word of the day” which is when the club leaders find a Yiddish word to teach the club the pronunciation as well as the meaning.

“I believe that having a Jewish culture club is important because it gives Jewish kids in the school a place to go to celebrate and discuss upcoming or recently past holidays or events. In each meeting I over-stress the fact that I like having kids attend the meetings that are not Jewish because it gives them a chance to expand their knowledge on the Jewish culture,” said junior Mike Rosensenstein, who is also the President of the Jewish Culture Club.  

“We get together and talk about the Jewish culture, tell stories, share food.  It is basically just a time when Jewish and non-Jewish students discuss the meaning and history of the religion,” said the Jewish Culture Club sponsor Gabe Romano.

Many of the clubs also take part in community service projects.  For example, the Jewish Culture Club takes part in a Matziva, which is a Hebrew word for a good deed to those that are less fortunate.