It’s easy to get caught up in the negative, especially in 2025. Amid political tensions, war, and instability in the media, it is no secret that terrible things happen every day, it’s hard to escape from all the scary things in this world and maintain a positive outlook on life. In order to navigate through the ugly, people often look to their religions to find hope. With so many different cultures being represented on the Oak Park High School campus, many students here practice various religions, but all of them somehow find hope in their own way.
While each of these students practices a different religion, they are all able to find hope in their own unique way.
Ella: Ella Warshaviak is a sophomore at OPIS. She practices Judaism and prioritizes her family and friends. She loves running, art, and spreading happiness.
Mahaad: Mahaad Mahmood is a Junior at OPHS who practices Islam. He is not only ASB president but also the president of the Muslim Students’ Association. He’s captain of cross country and always there to lend a hand.
Nidhi: Nidhi is a junior at OPHS who practices hinduism. She is part of OPHS’ mock trial team and does classical bharatanatyam dance.
Raja: Raja Rydman is Senior at OPHS who is of Christian faith. He is planning on studying mechanical engineering at UCSB.
What role does religion play in your life?
“It gives me a sense of community and a place to fall back on my friends through my Jewish community, and I relate on a different level,” Warshaviak said. “It also helps to connect me to my family, both immediate and those who live far away in Israel. My religion is a part of me that I always have to fall back on and has given me a sense of belonging in my life.”
“Religion gives me a moral compass through which I can navigate the world,” Mahmood said. “It gives me a lens through which I can determine right and wrong to the best of my ability, and allows me to make tough decisions, especially ones that deal with morally grey areas. It also gives me a sense of purpose and grounds me to do the best that I can, no matter what I am faced with.”
“For me, my religion changes the way I approach the world,” Dhunka said. “My beliefs remind me to fulfill my responsibilities with integrity and act with kindness and grace each day.”
“I would say the role of religion in my life is simply the lens through which I look at the world — I think the knowledge that there is a loving God makes me want to live my life well because it matters,” Rydman said.
How do you think your religion has influenced your ability to cope with challenges and obstacles?
“I think that my religion is more than just a book of ‘rules and beliefs’ that I follow; it is a whole different part of my life,” Warshaviak said. “It’s those around me and the feel of family that being a jew brings to my daily life. It’s those around me that help inspire me to keep going and be myself in aspects of my life, making me even prouder to be Jewish.”
My faith teaches me to always see the positive side of things, even when it seems like there is no way out of a situation,” Mahmood said. “I always have faith that things will work out, which allows me to stay mentally healthy.”
“Hinduism encourages me to find hope specifically through the idea of karma, or the belief that the good you put out in the world will come back around to you,” Dhunka said. “This belief helps me trust that, even when times are hard, I have the power to create a better future for myself.”
“It gives me hope that there is a plan,” Rydman said. “I think the comfort aspect comes from the fact that the Bible promises that whatever suffering you go through is something God knows you can overcome. If an all-knowing God knows that the challenges I face are things I can overcome through him, I know I’ll never be truly destroyed by the things of this world.”
In what ways has religion provided you with comfort or guidance during difficult times?
“The holidays, traditions, family and friends provide such a sense of comfort and a feeling of safety for me and so many others,” Warshaviak said. “The foods we grew up eating and love are such a comfort and motivator. Shabbat dinners with our family friends every Friday night or little gifts on Rosh Hashanah and Purim are the little joys that my community brings to many.”
“When I feel like the world is closing in on me and there is no way out of a situation, my faith gives me the hope to believe that things will work out,” Mahmood said. “Especially when dealing with the loss of a family member or friend, my belief in an afterlife lessens the sadness and grief of loss. It gives me the strength to continue with my life and push through the difficulties.”
What aspects of your faith bring you the most hope or inspiration?
“I think it’s the kindness that my people are able to give to others,” Warshaviak said. “Judaism is based on family and loving each person as if they are a part of your family, which inspires me to treat others with such warmth and generosity. It has shown me such a genuine love for others, like my family and community have shown me. I love all the giving back that other jews are involved in and bring to many people in need. This is my big inspiration when it comes to all the volunteering I do in my life.”
“Learning about the difficulties the prophets of the past faced gives me the strength and motivation to push through my own struggles,” Mahmood said. “Additionally, reading from our holy book, the Quran, I find solace in divine guidance and am reminded that God will always do what’s best for me.”
One of the most inspiring aspects of Hinduism for me is the belief in the divine within each person,” Dhunka said. “This really teaches me to see the good in others and approach them with compassion.”
