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| With Rabbi Danny Rich, Chielf Executive of British Liberal Judaism |
This week has been holy for both Jews and Christians as both
Passover and Easter is celebrated.
On Tuesday I accepted an invitation from The South Bucks Jewish Community to be a guest at their Passover Meal being held in our church hall. It was a wonderful evening!
I was welcomed with great respect and friendliness and soon introduced to Rabbi Danny Rich, the Chief Executive of Liberal Judaism, who was leading the Seder that night. I had hoped to blend into the background but it was insisted upon that I sat at the top table – with Danny’s wife graciously helping me through every part of the proceedings with whispered explanations.
Much of the Seder is about storytelling and with quite a few children present it was obvious from the start that it was all about passing on this cherished tradition to a younger generation.
There was also an obvious sense of ‘connectedness’ about the evening. Folks told me how much they were aware that these same words were being said every hour around the world on Tuesday – and how touched they were to remember that their parents and grandparents would have used them in their day.
All of this was accompanied by an informality that just doesn’t happen at a Christian Communion service. The Rabbi cheerfully dealt with, and even encouraged, cheeky interruptions. This was an evening to be enjoyed, it had something of a ‘family party’ feel with good humour and gentle banter.
Of course it has to be recognised that Rabbi Danny is the leader of British Liberal Judaism. So I was fascinated to talk with him about his take on tradition and interpretation. He holds very flexible and provisional views and displayed, it seemed to me, a great willingness to approach the texts with questions whilst at the same time sensing their relevance for every age.
At one or two moments during the Seder liturgy Danny looked over to me and almost winked – this usually occurred during references to the coming Messiah. On this issue, inevitably, we hold different theological views. However, I came away with the conviction that I had gathered with fellow seekers after truth, men and women of enormous good-will and spiritual integrity. So I, for one, had no trouble in joining them in giving thanks to God for the liberation he offers us all and praying for peace in our world. Tuesday was my chance not just to read about a Seder meal but actually experience it in all its joy and kindness.
This event in Holy Week has made a deep impression on me that I think I will never forget – it has made me realise afresh just how much our Christian story has its origins in the Jewish one. And it seems to me we still hold much in common – I felt on Tuesday that I was sharing company with good friends.
It strikes me that part of the richness of the Jewish tradition is its use of language which, even in translation, puts things so eloquently – just think of the Psalms. Well on the tables was a ‘bluffer’s guide to Seder’ (for which I was very grateful) that had this rather beautiful saying on the front:
‘There are only two lasting bequests we can hope to give our children. One of these is roots; the other, wings’.
And then there was a line from ‘A Song of Passover’ – Danny pointed it out in his sermon – it read:
‘Slaves are those who stop searching for the way’.
At Passover, on Tuesday night, I felt God was very close.
Shalom,
Ian
On Tuesday I accepted an invitation from The South Bucks Jewish Community to be a guest at their Passover Meal being held in our church hall. It was a wonderful evening!
I was welcomed with great respect and friendliness and soon introduced to Rabbi Danny Rich, the Chief Executive of Liberal Judaism, who was leading the Seder that night. I had hoped to blend into the background but it was insisted upon that I sat at the top table – with Danny’s wife graciously helping me through every part of the proceedings with whispered explanations.
Much of the Seder is about storytelling and with quite a few children present it was obvious from the start that it was all about passing on this cherished tradition to a younger generation.
There was also an obvious sense of ‘connectedness’ about the evening. Folks told me how much they were aware that these same words were being said every hour around the world on Tuesday – and how touched they were to remember that their parents and grandparents would have used them in their day.
All of this was accompanied by an informality that just doesn’t happen at a Christian Communion service. The Rabbi cheerfully dealt with, and even encouraged, cheeky interruptions. This was an evening to be enjoyed, it had something of a ‘family party’ feel with good humour and gentle banter.
Of course it has to be recognised that Rabbi Danny is the leader of British Liberal Judaism. So I was fascinated to talk with him about his take on tradition and interpretation. He holds very flexible and provisional views and displayed, it seemed to me, a great willingness to approach the texts with questions whilst at the same time sensing their relevance for every age.
At one or two moments during the Seder liturgy Danny looked over to me and almost winked – this usually occurred during references to the coming Messiah. On this issue, inevitably, we hold different theological views. However, I came away with the conviction that I had gathered with fellow seekers after truth, men and women of enormous good-will and spiritual integrity. So I, for one, had no trouble in joining them in giving thanks to God for the liberation he offers us all and praying for peace in our world. Tuesday was my chance not just to read about a Seder meal but actually experience it in all its joy and kindness.
This event in Holy Week has made a deep impression on me that I think I will never forget – it has made me realise afresh just how much our Christian story has its origins in the Jewish one. And it seems to me we still hold much in common – I felt on Tuesday that I was sharing company with good friends.
It strikes me that part of the richness of the Jewish tradition is its use of language which, even in translation, puts things so eloquently – just think of the Psalms. Well on the tables was a ‘bluffer’s guide to Seder’ (for which I was very grateful) that had this rather beautiful saying on the front:
‘There are only two lasting bequests we can hope to give our children. One of these is roots; the other, wings’.
And then there was a line from ‘A Song of Passover’ – Danny pointed it out in his sermon – it read:
‘Slaves are those who stop searching for the way’.
At Passover, on Tuesday night, I felt God was very close.
Shalom,
Ian
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