Interfaith Kabbalat Shabbat

Stand Up partnered with the Jewish Community Council of Victoria (JCCV) and Temple Beth Israel (TBI) to host a landmark Break Bread event on May 9, attended by more than 200 people from diverse cultural and faith communities.

Held at TBI, the gathering welcomed representatives from Sikh, Hindu, Vietnamese, Christian and other communities – many experiencing a Shabbat service for the first time.

Break Bread, an initiative of Stand Up, brings people together over a shared meal to build trust, spark dialogue and create connections across faith and cultural lines.

Stand Up CEO Courtney Winter-Peters said, “Break Bread is about bringing people together at a grassroots level. It started with a simple idea: that sharing a meal can be a powerful act of connection.

“Our vision is to build a network of trust, understanding and solidarity across communities, one conversation at a time.”

The evening began with food and conversation, followed by a Kabbalat Shabbat service led by Rabbi Allison Conyer, inviting participants into a space of reflection, peace and unity.

She called on everyone “to stand together across differences, to bring compassion into the public square and to make holiness real in the way we live, love and lead.”

To date, Break Bread has engaged nearly 1200 participants and partnered with more than 18 organisations across Victoria and NSW, hosting events in homes, schools and synagogues.

TBI Co-President Jacky Magid said “I’m so proud that throughout the ages TBI has been a facilitator and leader of interfaith and intercultural dialogue. There has never been a more important time to break down barriers, test our own narratives and share our stories in a respectful and non-judgemental way.”

JCCV Vice-President Hayley Southwick added, “We are committed to building bridges and fostering respectful and meaningful connections with other faith and cultural communities across Victoria.

“This gathering is a beautiful expression of that ongoing work – bringing people together, to listen, to learn and to share.”

The event was attended by Victorian Multicultural Commissioner Silvia Renda who reflected, “Events like Break Bread are so important for building dialogue and meaningful interfaith and cultural connections. When we break bread together, and many of us do across many faiths and cultures, we foster two-way dialogue with others – both sharing a part of our culture and faith, and embracing another person’s culture and faith.”

To host a Break Bread visit standup.org.au/break_bread