Thanksgiving Prayer Service calls on students to resist division; Teachers honored

Rabbi James Prosnit called on Fairfield Prep students to resist division and to practice compromise during a keynote speech at the school's annual Thanksgiving Interfaith Prayer Service on Monday, Nov. 19.

"If we resist giving into the divisiveness of our time, we can shape the moral conversation that we inhabit, by insisting on courtesy and compromise," said Rabbi Prosnit, of Congregation B'nai Israel synagogue in Bridgeport.

Fairfield Prep's prayer service included prayers for thanks, prayers from other faith traditions and music led by the Liturgical Music group. Rabbi Evan Schultz, also of B'nai Israel, also provided music from the Jewish tradition.

"There are small acts of sacrifice, trust and risk that are within our power and they signal our willingness to discipline our desires and rise above individualism for the sake of the group. I know these are core values of a Jesuit tradition; and I might add they are core values of a Jewish one as well.

President Fr. Tom Simisky, S.J., also honored Prep educators Bob Ford Jr., Maureen Bohan, Matt Sather and Nora Magi for their years of service to Prep.