Shayna Solomon found a common thread between Judaism, Christianity and Islam: they all are trying to save the world.

So why not capitalize on a shared vision? Why not work together to help those in need?

“When you bring people together to talk, it doesn’t do as much as when you bring people together to do,” she said.

Solomon, 18, co-founded Social Action For Everyone last year, an interfaith group for teenagers that brings people together to help others. And on Sept. 11, the group will help Bikes for the World, a group that collects unwanted bicycles and delivers them to nonprofit agencies working in countries in need. The event takes place from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. at King Farm Homestead, at 1199 Grand Champion Drive in Rockville, where the group will help the nonprofit load up donated bikes for those in need.

The day will include addresses from Solomon and Keith Oberg, director of Bikes for the World, loading up the bikes and conversation.

Solomon and her sister Rachel, 16, started holding SAFE events last year, including making meals for the homeless and sending cards to ill children at National Institute of Health Children’s Inn in Bethesda. The group launched with a $1,000 grant from Fund for the Future of Our Children, a group that supports missions of young people.

Solomon said she attended an interfaith dialogue and found only older people in attendance. She wanted to start a group that would engage her peers.

“We are very impressionable as teens,” said Solomon, 18, who attends Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring. “I want to create an environment where that impression is a good one.”

When Solomon wrote an essay on how different faith groups view compassion, she found that Judaism, her religion, approached the concept in a similar way as Christianity and Islam.

“I learned about how similar we are in values, even if we’re not similar in doctrine,” she said. “It’s so clear if you look at the different religions that we’re all aiming for basically the same goal. And why do we fight so much?”

About 30 people attended the first event last year, and 15 attended the second event. And the event with Bikes for the World will allow attendees a hands-on opportunity to help.

“You’re empowering other people to empower other people,” Rachel said of helping out Bikes for the World, which will then help people in developing countries. “It’s like a big chain. I wanted to be a part of that.”

Rachel, who attends Rockville High School, and her sister have worked with Bikes for the World in the past. It’s where Rachel learned “righty-tighty, lefty-loosey,” a rhyme used to help people remember how to tighten bolts.

The people at Bikes for the World are grateful for the extra helping hands.

“Basically, we’ll be able to do about three days’ worth of work in one, which is huge,” said Nick Colombo, operations manager for Bikes for the World. “It’s going to be a great help.”

The best way to assist Bikes for the World, Colombo said, is to drop off bikes at the King Farm location. During the spring and fall — the busy collection seasons — it takes about two weeks to gather enough bikes to fill a container to ship, Colombo said.

The organization ships about 500 bikes at a time in containers, Colombo said.

Solomon hopes the events hosted by SAFE will help abolish hatred or fear that can exist between people of different religions.

“Each of our events has a specific religious theme that is important to all religions and you don’t learn that by saying, ‘Oh, yes, feeding the poor is important to Christianity, Islam and Judaism,” Solomon said. “You learn it by doing it. By talking a little bit and also acting.”

abryant@gazette.net