Pittsburgh is a city of natural boundaries.
Rivers and steep hills bisect the town, carving it into distinct neighborhoods, each boasting a rich cultural and ethnic character. But boundaries can create misunderstandings. Rivers and ravines can separate neighbors from potential friends.
For over 100 years, Boy Scouts of Laurel Highlands Council have traversed the wilds of Pittsburgh, blazing through natural barriers that would discourage less hardy explorers.
For 10 years, these Western Pennsylvania Boy Scouts have crossed other boundaries as well.
In fulfilling the promise that “A Scout is reverent,” on the day after Thanksgiving, a group of 350 Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and their family and friends gather for the annual Ten Commandments Hike and Organ Recital.
Covering a short distance but a large topic, they travel en masse to ten different houses of worship. Starting with Rodef Shalom, a Jewish synagogue, the Scouts also visit Byzantine Catholic, Greek Orthodox, various Protestant and other Christian churches.
An organist accompanies the Scouts and plays patriotic songs on the instruments housed in different venues. Even though their temples are too far off the route to visit, representatives from Sikh, Buddhist and Hindu faiths meet the curious Scouts at stops along the way. Every year the line-up of participating faith communities differs slightly, but the hope is always the same – that Scouts will come away with a better understanding of the different religions practiced in their hometown.
Many of the hikers know something of their own faith, but often know very little about other religions. C.W. Kreimer, Chairman of the Jewish Committee on Scouting, who modeled the Pittsburgh hike on events hosted by other Boy Scout councils, wants Scouts and everyone else to have the opportunity to learn and ask questions about faith.
Dave Blaushield, a leader with Troop 28 and who has helped organize the hike, loves to watch the faces of participants as they enter the sacred spaces.
“There are a lot of houses of worship that have been there for 100 years or more. You can see Scouts come in, look around and their eyes light up.”
But Blaushield’s hope for the hike and the Scouts and the families who participate goes beyond an appreciation for beautiful architecture.
“The hike shows that there are different religions out there, and that people can get along by understanding what other religions are about. In a world where we have wars going on based on religion, this knowledge gives Scouts a better way to understand other people and maybe we can be more peaceful as a world.”
What a great way to cross boundaries!