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| Ali ('12) and Jenny ('14) enjoyed forging paths and planting seeds for sustainability and solidarity to commemorate 9/11. |
Unlike any other weekend, when most students opt to sleep in after late nights of going out or studying, MD Gamma’s Alexandra Cohen, ’12 and Jenny Ferentz, ‘14 dedicated one Sunday morning to doing something different — on September 11th, these sisters chose to perform community service at Hopkins Hillel’s Urban Garden.
The girls, along with ten
other JHU students and seven members of the local Baltimore community, spent an
hour preparing soil and planting several Fall species, including lettuce,
arugula, chives, cilantro, spinach, beets, and radishes. The primary goal of Hillel’s Urban
Garden Community is to harvest and serve the ripe produce at holiday meals
later in the semester. It also
aims to educate various student groups on the importance of sustainable food
growth and more importantly, on the interconnected nature of environmental
stewardship and faith-based action.
Both originally from New
York, Ali and Jenny found additional meaning in Sunday’s planting event. Reflecting on the day, Cohen shares,
“…9/11 has been marked by mourning and remembrance of the heroic Americans who
lost their lives in terrorist attacks against our country. As a New Yorker, I feel particularly effected
by the tragedy, but I also recognize the incredible humility of those who came
together to strengthen and rebuild our great Nation’s pride and security. On this, the tenth anniversary of
September 11th, I found it important to vow to never forget the
events that took place on that horrible day in history, but to also act to
build community and work towards the betterment of American society. I chose to plant in Hillel’s Garden on
9/11 to recognize the potential for renewal of hope in America and in the
world. As our seeds will sprout
into healthy and lush plants, America, too, will continue to grow out of this
era of fear, and will hopefully one day experience peace with its current
enemies. It was important for me
to act philanthropically on 9/11 to show my solidarity with those who remember
our fallen and those who wish to build, or plant, a stronger society built on
Fraternal values. It also doesn’t
hurt to know that in a few weeks I’ll get to eat some tasty vegetables that I
planted!”
Appropriately,
Ferentz wore a t-shirt marked with a large peace sign. She spoke of the
experience, "The leader of the day gave us a kavannah (in English,
"intention") for our planting – to think about something that we want
to exist in the future that the plants we were putting in the ground could grow
to represent. At first, my mind went directly to hope and peace, but then I
decided that the seeds I placed in the earth would stand for unity and a
commitment to believing in a tomorrow more safe than today. I am so happy I was
able to participate in this activity on such a landmark memorial for my
generation."
The Garden planting event
was part of an initiative through the Jewish Volunteer Connection of Baltimore
and Kayam Farm in Reisterstown, MD.
Participants citywide elected to commemorate the ten-year anniversary of
the terrorist attacks of 9/11 by contributing to a variety of community service
projects. To follow the growth of
the Hopkins Hillel Urban Garden, ‘like’ the Facebook page here.
Other Chapter members
marked the day by attending a Commemoration event and candlelight vigil hosted
by Johns Hopkins University Muslim Association (JHUMA), Hopkins Hillel, and
Students Educating and Empowering for Diversity (SEED). Jenny attended the planting and the
campus-wide commemoration event. “The 9/11 ten year memorial service was an important event to
go to as a New Yorker, an American, and as a "9/11 baby." I definitely felt like a part of the
Hopkins community as the night went on, and overall it was a unifying and
meaningful event.”
— Ali Cohen
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