Tensions between Jews and Muslims are high in parts of the world, but a program aimed at children in New York is trying to bridge the gap. NY1's Erin Clarke filed the following report.

It was a morning of exploration.

For an hour Thursday morning, Jewish and Muslim students sat side by side as the Muslim children learned about the Jewish faith, how Jews pray, observe their holidays, and just what some of their most important items and artifacts are.

Then, after a bite to eat, the group of students from religious schools in the Bronx and Manhattan went to a mosque, where it was time for the Jewish students to learn a bit about the Muslim faith.

The lessons were part of a program started by the Islamic Cultural Center in the Bronx and the Museum of Jewish Heritage in Manhattan. They're bringing Jews and Muslims together as children to promote mutual understanding and peace.

"They're going to look at Jews or Muslims in a different way, and they're going to see them not necessarily as adversaries, but as potential friends and potential allies," said Paul Radensky, education programs manager at the Museum of Jewish Heritage.

"We believe the youth are less biased than adults, and we believe that if we start at a young age, they have a greater chance of creating that everlasting bond," said Shireena Drammeh, principal of the Islamic Leadership School.

The program is now in its 10th year, and both sides are happy with the results

"It's helped me understand other people better," said Talia Scheinberg, a student at the Solomon Schechter School of Manhattan.

"Some people might have a bad idea about something, but they really don't know how it is, so I think if they do this program, they will have a better idea on other people," said Sumayya Mohassiv, a student at Al-Ihsan Academy.

Perhaps the most important lesson students learned is that they're not much different from each other.

"After them teaching us about their religion and we teaching them, I realized that we're really not that different and we're just all 10-year-olds trying to have fun," said Ziv Bolton, a student at the Solomon Schecter School of Manhattan. "So now I have a lot of friends."

That's what organizers of the program want: for students to see past their perceived differences and realize that people of any ethicity and religion can get along just fine.