Rocks of Unity™ is a brand of educational workshops, geared towards individuals of all ages, which affirms diversity as a strength through kindness, acceptance, and unity. Rocks of Unity™ invites people to come together, decorate a rock that expresses their heritage and identity, and then help turn the rocks into a permanent art installation.
Through the creation of diverse rock gardens, communities reinforce the values of inclusion, acceptance, and kindness as they reject intolerance and hate. With the enactment of Rocks of Unity™, citizens will gain a heightened awareness of these prominent issues and learn how to respond in a positive manner.
Rocks of Unity is an initiative centered around our youth. Volunteering over 1,300 hours at my temple (Congregation Shir Shalom), I knew that this was where I wanted to begin this initiative. In mid-January, I taught over 200 religious school students about the value of kindness and how our differences make us uniquely special, even if we're of the same religion. They each decorated a garden stone to represent themselves.
When all the garden stones were arranged on the table, it was beyond heart-warming to see the diversity amongst our students and how natural it was for them to embrace each other while understanding their differences.
