Students visiting the Cham Shan Temple in Thornhill, ON.

The Schools Interfaith Program of the Candian Council of Christians and Jews (CCCJ) is designed to promote understanding and respect between young students of different faiths and ethnic orientation. Participating middle school and high school students have the opportunity to visit different places of worship, including Churches, Mosques, Synagogues and Temples. The CCCJ program facilitates these visits, during which students receive an introduction to faith based teachings and traditions through interactive, non-threatening explanation and discussion. If preferred by the participating schools, CCCJ arranges for facilitators to come into the schools for presentation and discussion, either individually or as part of a multi-faith panel. Qualified and highly recommended religious and lay practitioners, who are committed to espousing acceptance and understanding between different groups, lead the dialogue.

Taking into account the rich multiculturalism of Toronto, the program presents not only the three "great" world religions - Judaism, Christianity and Islam - but also other faiths such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism. The Council's strong connection to the Native Canadian community also allows us to include this important population as a part of our program options.