Growing diversity creates opportunity for faith dialogues
BY CHRISTIE STORM ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE
Geshe Thupten Dorjee, attired in a long maroon-and-yellow robe, draws attention wherever he goes. After all, a Tibetan Buddhist monk is a rarity in Northwest Arkansas. As an instructor at the University of Arkansas, students and faculty are accustomed to his unusual attire, but when Dorjee ventures off campus, he often attracts curious stares and questions. Instead of feeling like an outsider, however, the monk feels welcome in Northwest Arkansas. “The public acceptance has been incredible,” Dorjee said. “When I go out, or to the Farmers Market, everybody welcomes me.” Dorjee might be the most visible example of the area’s changing religious diversity, but he’s not alone. Christianity remains the dominant faith by far, with Southern Baptists the most plentiful. The area is home to the state’s largest churches, including the two-campus megachurch First Baptist Church in Springdale and The Church at Pinnacle Hills in Rogers. The state’s largest Catholic parish is also here. St. Raphael Catholic Church in Springdale has roughly 16,000 members. But, the area is also home to growing communities of other faiths, from Buddhists, Jews and Hindus to Muslims, Bahais and Sikhs. Research by the Association of Religion Data Archives and the Glenmary Research Center in Cincinnati shows the area had no documented Buddhist presence in 1990. Data from 2000 revealed only three groups. Today, the area is home to at least nine active groups, representing a wide variety of traditions, from Tibetan Buddhism to Zen philosophy. A few years ago, the area had no discernible Hindu presence, either. Northwest Arkansas is now home to more than 400 families and an active Hindu association. The group has planted roots by building a prayer hall and is raising money for a temple. The Jewish population has grown dramatically, from one congregation using rented facilities to three distinct groups, including a traditional Lubavitch center in Rogers. And, in 2005, members of Congregation Etz Chaim in Bentonville dedicated the county’s first synagogue, bucking a national trend of decline in small-town Jewish communities. Drawn to the area by some of the world’s major companies, including Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Jews from large metropolitan areas found themselves in unfamiliar territory. That included the Douglass family in Bentonville, who came to check out the area eight years ago before relocating from Buffalo, N.Y. One of the first things they did was ask if the area had a Jewish synagogue. They were told to check out Temple Shalom in Fayetteville, the area’s only Jewish congregation at the time. Accustomed to congregations with a thousand families or more, as well as grand buildings, they weren’t prepared for the small Hillel House in Fayetteville or the small crowd. “We went expecting something big,” said Robyn Douglass. “I lasted about 20 minutes before I broke down and cried.” Despite culture shock, the family moved to Bentonville and became founding members of Congregation Etz Chaim. The adjustment wasn’t always easy. With two young boys, Robyn began shopping for a preschool. She quickly discovered the majority were operated by churches — Christian churches. She found a nondenominational preschool and assumed it was not faithbased. “It didn’t mean what I thought,” she said about finding out the children would have Bible lessons. Robyn admits that although the schools didn’t know much about Jews, she didn’t know much about the various Christian denominations, either. “I stuck my foot in my mouth [a few times],” she said. During those early days the sense of isolation was tangible. The family found themselves explaining their faith time and time again. They talked with school officials about the importance of the High Holy Days for their children and why they would not be in class on those days or why they couldn’t play baseball or soccer on Friday nights, their holy time. The Douglasses and the other Jewish families in the area became ambassadors of the faith, telling their neighbors and coworkers about Judaism. All the while the Jewish population continued to grow. By 2004, the Jewish families in Benton County decided to start a congregation separate from Temple Shalom. The Benton County congregation started with 11 families and has since grown to 61 families which often fill their small synagogue to overflowing. Meanwhile, the members of Temple Shalom have broken ground for a synagogue. While the Jewish community is growing, there still are reminders of how far they have to come. The Douglass’ oldest son, Michael, is the only Jew in his school of more than 600 students. “You can look at the growth, but there is still a lot to overcome,” said Tom. “There are not a lot of people with similar experiences to lean on if you have a problem.” One benefit of being part of a small community of Jews, however, is that the family is more active in their faith. In a small synagogue, everyone has to get involved, or nothing gets done. “Everybody in the congregation has to carry a certain amount of weight, or we won’t survive,” Tom said. Practicing their faith also takes planning. For example, when special foods are needed for worship or holidays, going to the Jewish bakery isn’t an option. There isn’t one. Local folks have to be content with what’s on supermarket shelves, special-order food or cook their own. Despite the early hardships, the Douglass family now feels at home in Northwest Arkansas, where they are surrounded by an increasingly diverse community of faith. “It’s a community of differences,” Tom said. “It’s interesting, and it makes it kind of fun. There are people here from all over the world.” That sense of change can be seen in the congregation’s relationship with the area’s Hindu association. Members of the Northwest Arkansas Hindu Association use the synagogue for some of their programs and classes. Despite the differences of their faiths, the groups have a lot in common. They are, by and large, newcomers drawn here by jobs and educational opportunities. Sudhir Katke, and many of his fellow Northwest Arkansas Hindus, were the first in their families to leave India. They’ve made a home here, but life is quite different. They left a country dominated by the Hindu religion for the Bible Belt, so like the Douglass family, they often find themselves answering questions about their faith and culture. “We want to explain the culture,” said Murthy Kolluru, president of the Hindu Association of Northwest Arkansas. “It’s a rich culture that many don’t know.” Like the Douglass family,Katke also has seen many changes. “When I came here in 1997, there were about 50 [Hindu] families,” Katke said. “Now, there are more than 400.” The Hindu association was formed in 1998, and a prayer hall in Gentry was completed in 2005. Before that, the group held meetings in houses and in local churches. They now are raising money to build a temple, with a goal of starting construction by next year. To share their culture, the association offers a yearly gala, showcasing their homeland of India. Last year was the first event, and it featured traditional food, dances and music. Katke said the group also gets many requests to talk with community groups about India and Hinduism, which they are pleased to do. As a minority religion in the area, misconceptions and questions are common. By talking with the community, Katke said, they hope to share information about Hinduism, which he said teaches tolerance, patience and respect for all faiths. “We honor every religion and don’t try to force our views,” he said. As for Dorjee, the Tibetan monk, he said the longer he is here the fewer surprised looks he gets from his fellow residents. When he’s not teaching at the university, he spends time visiting with area Buddhists groups, talking to church groups and serving as an ambassador of sorts for Tibetan Buddhism. He’s particularly interested in sharing the faith’s emphasis on nonviolence, as well as educating the public about conditions in his native Tibet. “It’s not important that they be Buddhist or become Buddhist. The point is, they can learn something, whether they are Christian or Muslim or [any other religion.] It’s about education.” Dorjee said the growing diversity of the area is an opportunity for dialogue among members of various faiths. He said communication can overcome fear of the unknown. “We want to focus on what we have in common, but that doesn’t mean you need to believe the same as we do,” he said. “If we become more open-minded and accept other philosophies with respect, we will learn a lot from each other.” Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/JASON IVESTER Rabbi Jack Zanerhaft leads members of Congregation Etz Chaim in song on the Bentonville square during their third annual lighting of the Menorah in December.
