Few things are certain these days, but there is little doubt that the future of our democracy will depend upon young lead-ers who can step outside the familiar and engage those who see things differently. We live in a world polarized by ethnicity, race, and religion, where differences are all too often exploited for political and ideological gain. The challenge is to promote encounters that enable young people to speak across the divides, to help others, and in the process, to explore the diversity of the human family.

In January and February 2003, the Institute's high school out-reach project (Bridging the Generations: Words into Action) challenged twenty-five students from many of Baltimore's public and independent schools and each of the major Abra-hamic faiths (Islam, Judaism, and Christianity) to put their noblest convictions to work in our community by connecting their experiences to the wisdom of their neighbors and their own ancestors.

The Institute for Christian & Jewish Studies and spark: Part-nership for Service, with the support of the Baltimore Equitable Insurance Foundation and the William G. Baker, Jr. Trust, crafted the Bridging the Generations curriculum by combining active service to the elderly with the study of the moral imperatives that have animated our religious traditions.

During each of the six weeks of study and service, trained facilitators guided the students through various themes from "Growing Old in America" to "The Nature of our Obligations to the Elderly." To put their thoughts into action, students visited a nursing facility and engaged in conversations with the resi-dents. At the conclusion of each session, students and senior citizens reflected on their experiences and explored the chal-lenges of aging in light of their collaborative study.

In its first year Bridging the Generations provided an educa-tional model that holds great promise in Baltimore and in other settings throughout the country.