A more diverse student population is, in the words of Principal Ty Tingley, "not only a practical achievement, but also an educational strength." Uppers Chanta Smith and Sarah Zeidel experienced this firsthand last fall, when as students in instructor Becky Moore's English 310 course, they were assigned to observe and interview one another and then report on what they learned. Both are deeply religious young women, but from different parts of the country and of different faiths: Smith is a Baptist from Raleigh, NC; Zeidel is an observant Jew from Pittsburgh. Here, in excerpts from their articles, they report on each other's efforts to introduce aspects of their spiritual life to the Academy: Smith, who directs the PEA Gospel Choir, and Zeidel, who with her twin sister, Rebecca, helped bring Yom Kippur services to the campus.

Bringing Yom Kippur Services to Exeter By Chanta Smith '02 Hebrew words float from Sarah's lips, as the Torah is escorted around the room. The Jewish community of Phillips Exeter Academy has gathered for the second annual celebration of Yom Kippur. With her prayer book in her right hand and her left arm behind her back, she leans forward to the godly words. The love and compassion of God works into Sarah's heart as she then kisses her own prayer book. In silence, she rotates toward the rabbi, who is chanting praises of God throughout the room, each verse the seed of hope and inspiration. A smile spreads across Sarah's face; the plant blooms. "My sister and I were whining and screaming at each other. My mom came out of the house and said, 'It's Yom Kippur! And you girls are fighting while your father is in the synagogue.' We were so ashamed. Even if we didn't understand, we knew how important it was." Sarah Zeidel is no longer the little girl whining and crying on the glorious day called Yom Kippur. She realizes the importance of her religion on her own. The daughter of a Conservative father who was raised in a kosher family and a mother who was Jewish but did not believe in the social aspects of the membership in a synagogue, Sarah was molded into a dedicated and observant young Jewish woman. She explains how her father encouraged her even at a young age. "He wanted his children, when we grew up, to be able to go into any synagogue in the world and be able to follow the Hebrew and know what is going on. To understand. To be capable of being practicing Jews." Sarah is definitely on the path to fulfilling her father's dream. As an upper, she is a three-year member in the Judaism Society Organization and a founder of the Yom Kippur services on campus. Having a strong religious background, she also openly admits her lack of understanding about Judaism as a young child. "There was one time, [when I was] around 5 or 6 years old, we were going to sleep or playing around or something. I don't know how it came out of my mouth, but I remember saying, 'Daddy, there's no such thing as God.' I have no idea where it came from. I remember so clearly [my father saying], 'Don't you ever say that again.' I realized how much [I had hurt him]. I saw it in his eyes." However, after starting Hebrew school in fourth grade, Sarah started to become interested and inquired about her role in her religion. After their B'not mitzvah, Sarah and her twin sister, Rebecca (who is now also a student at Exeter), began to learn Hebrew. At that time, one-third of her class was Jewish, and her school recognized Jewish holidays such as Yom Kippur and Hanukkah. The teachers did not give homework on these religious holidays and Saturdays were reserved for Shabbat. Accustomed to a very understanding school system, Sarah was startled when she arrived at Exeter and realized she had classes on Saturday mornings. She could no longer observe her special time, her time with God. "We would meet in the Wick's Room [at Phillips Church] and sometimes it was only me, my sister and my cousin. We could actually observe Shabbat. [but] no one showed up. I was so discouraged. Especially those days in the winter term, when I checked there at 6:30 on a dark Saturday night and no one would be there. "That was the situation. [We wanted to let people know about the service, but] the heads were unwilling to get up during assembly. I was so frustrated. I was just a prep, but I said, 'I'll go up and make an announcement.' There have to be more Jewish kids." Sarah, determined to teach her religion as well as make Exeter a comfortable place for Jewish students, decided, with the help of her sister, to start with the most important event in Judaism: Yom Kippur. Two summers ago, they struggled to arrange a Yom Kippur service on campus. Of course, they faced many trials and tribulations: Where would the service be held? How would people learn about it? How would they obtain a Torah? Would students participate? With gracious donations of prayer books and permission to borrow Torahs, the sisters began to make Exeter history. When asked how she felt about the her role in the Yom Kippur service and future services Sarah replied modestly, "It was, we believe, the second time in Exeter history it ever happened. I think it also happened 20 to 35 years ago. The school [now] owns prayer books and a donor might give a Torah, and of course we'll need an ark. And next year there will be a kosher kitchen. This is a learning experience for all. "Kids who come to this school should not have to stop being Jewish for four years. . .We want to make sure there is support on campus." Her hard work has surely paid off. As Yom Kippur has just passed, Sarah has enjoyed Torah services on campus, accommodations for the fasting that takes place in the celebrating and an increase in the number of students participating in the services. By God's grace, a light has shone on the Exeter community in the form of Sarah Ziedel. She reflects, "To stand there in service, facing east and the portrait of John Phillips, I wondered, 'What would he be thinking now! Youth from every quarter.'"

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