In a world often engaged in shouting monologues, the actual act of courage is to sit down and listen.
And on 7 November, in the warm, buzzing hall of the Oxford Synagogue, over a hundred students did precisely that. They didn’t just share a meal; they feasted on a powerful and palpable sense of community, in what can only be described as a record-breaking and resoundingly successful interfaith dinner.
The event, a cornerstone of Jewish Society’s outreach every term, shattered all previous attendance records. It was a sold-out spectacle of unity, bringing together students from the Newman Society (Catholic), the Hindu Society, the Sikh Society, the Christian Union, the Brookes Islamic Society, and, for the first time, marking a significant and hopeful expansion of the circle, the AB Soc Shi’a Islam Society.
The sheer demand for tickets was the first clue that this evening was answering a deep-seated need. The tickets sold out so quickly that the event could have easily sold vastly more tickets if there had been more available. The room was at full capacity, a vibrant tapestry of varying head coverings, Jewish traditions, and collective laughter. The energy was not one of cautious diplomacy, but one of genuine, joyful connection. All that proved a powerful point: that our shared desire for community far outweighs the forces that seek to divide us.
The principal architects of this triumph, Jewish Society (JSoc) President Dinah Lewis and Outreach Officer Scott Morris, curated the evening with profound intention. When asked about his motivation, Scott spoke of a formative childhood experience in which he saw a rabbi and an imam in friendly dialogue. “The media has a motivation to divide people,” he noted thoughtfully, “but sharing a meal is a direct action to change that.” His vision was clear from the start: to create an emphatically apolitical space that focuses not on the headlines that separate us but on the fundamental humanity that unites us.
He cited a guiding principle from Martin Luther King: “People fail to get along because they fear each other; they fear each other because they don’t know each other; they don’t know each other because they have not communicated with each other.” The night was a masterclass in communication, not through debate, but through dialogue.
This intention was woven into every single detail. The classic JSoc wine was replaced with grape juice, a symbolic and practical nod to the diverse observances in the room. The labels on the tables and the carefully planned menu, featuring both kosher chicken and vegan soup, were silent ambassadors of welcome, ensuring every guest felt considered and respected, while keeping with the traditional Friday Night Dinner. The real sustenance, however, was not the excellent three-course meal, but the electric buzz of conversation that filled the room to the rafters.
For JSoc President Dinah Lewis, the success of the night was both a culmination and a beginning. Radiating pride, she stated that “our aim is for the next interfaith dinner to be just as big, if not bigger. We’re already dreaming of a larger venue.” This is not a static achievement, but a dynamic, growing movement.
The sentiment was echoed by Shermar Pryce, the Oxford Student Union President, who witnessed the event firsthand. “It was a beautiful moment,” he reflected, “to see people of so many varying faiths come together, to enjoy a well-cooked meal and, more importantly, to genuinely enjoy the company of others. This is what our university community should be about.”
And what of the guests themselves? Proof of the evening’s success was evident in their experiences. Marion, a Muslim student attending for the first time, shared her perspective. “It was my first time in the synagogue,” she said, “and the atmosphere was so welcoming. It was a thoroughly enjoyable evening.” Her words are a powerful testament to the bridge-building that took place. A space that could have felt otherwise unfamiliar was instead made to feel like a shared home, if only for one night.
So, what did success look like? It was visible in every corner. It was in the laughter that burst from a table of students from Hindu, Muslim, Christian, and Jewish backgrounds. It was through earnest, respectful conversations among all students, their common ground as people of faith and as Oxford students, that a foundation for mutual respect was created. Scott’s hope for “a full room” was realised, not just in numbers, but in spirit.
This was far more than a one-time gesture. It is part of a continuing mission to expand interfaith work beyond the dinner table, with dreams of larger dialogues and more ambitious collaborations. As Scott Morris powerfully stated, “Words have limited value; action is how you get stuff done.” Last Friday night was an act in its most primal and powerful form: the act of sharing, of listening, and of recognising our common humanity over a shared plate of food.
In an often fractious world, the JSoc interfaith dinner was a beacon of hope. It was a celebration that proved a simple, ancient truth: that the path to a more harmonious world begins with an invitation, a welcoming space, and the courageous, compassionate decision to break bread together. JSoc warmly invites any faith societies that wish to take part in Hilary’s dinner to get in touch.