Rabbi Hillel teaches us “Do not separate yourself from
the community.” (Perkei Avot 2:5)
As an urban Reform congregation, being a part of the Jewish, secular community
and the wider, interfaith community is integral to our mission. We
have had many opportunities to represent Judaism recently within an interfaith
setting that binds us to our neighbors and our friends. I want to share
with you several inspiring events so that, together, we can all share the
nachas and kvell.
In March, Temple hosted the 23rd annual Leibenberg Interfaith Seder sponsored
by the Knelman Family Interfaith Fund, an endowment within the Temple Israel
Foundation, and Sisterhood. More than 300 individuals representing
23 religious and secular groups came to Temple to learn about our celebration
of Passover. That same month, Rabbi Glaser and I represented our congregation
at the Luther Seminary’s Interfaith Council Conference that compared the
concept of sacred meals in Jewish and Christian texts.
In April, 120 of our students joined students from the Basilica of Saint
Mary, Gloria Day Lutheran Church, DeLaSalle High School and many others to
see Korchuck’s Children, a Children’s Theatre production. This remarkable
play, set in an orphanage in the Warsaw Ghetto days before the evacuation
of the Ghetto, teaches us how to give hope to children in the midst of despair.
Following the play, I participated on a panel with other clergy and professionals
in which we responded to the play from a Christian, Moslem and Jewish perspective.
Hosted by Temple and the Jay Phillips Center for Jewish-Christian Learning
at the University of Saint Thomas, Eugene Pogany spoke at our Shabbat service
in April. Pogany discussed his memoir, “In My Brother’s Image,” and
focused on the age-old rupture between Jews and Christians.
At the outbreak of the Iraqi war, we joined the downtown congregations, as
a community of faith, at Westminster Presbyterian Church at noon, and at
the Basilica that evening to reflect and pray for peace.
Through your generosity in our March food drive, we raised over $23,000 for
our designated food shelf, STEP, which provides food and critical services
to an ever-growing needy population of all faiths. This sum represents
an increase of almost $10,000 over last year’s campaign, and this is especially
significant in light of these difficult economic times.
And, of course in any given week, we conduct tours of our synagogue for school
and church groups. While we point out the symbolism of the physical
structure, we focus our discussion on Judaism. What better way to enlighten
our visitors and share our commonalities in a house of worship.
Through the work of our Social Action Committee and our many Temple volunteers,
we’re helping build affordable housing through Habitat for Humanity and serving
as mentors and tutors at our neighboring Jefferson School.
In fulfillment of our mission, we do not separate ourselves from the community,
but continually seek opportunities to be actively engaged within our broader
community—the Jewish community, secular community and our interfaith community.
We have much about which to be proud in furthering interfaith relations.
Let’s share the nachas and kvell.
