Honoring People of Other Faiths

In the Jewish tradition there are many times in which the people of other backgrounds among us have impacted our community in profound ways. The TorahThe Five Books of Moses, and the foundation of all of Jewish life and lore. The Torah is considered the heart and soul of the Jewish people, and study of the Torah is a high mitzvah. The Torah itself a scroll that is hand lettered on parchment, elaborately dressed and decorated, and stored in a decorative ark. It is chanted aloud on Mondays, Thursdays, and Shabbat, according to a yearly cycle. Sometimes "Torah" is used as a colloquial term for Jewish learning and narrative in general. teaches us the story of MosesThe quintessential Jewish leader who spoke face to face with God, unlike any other prophet, and who freed the people from Egypt, led them through the desert for forty years, and received the Torah on Mt. Sinai. His Hebrew name is Moshe. being saved by Pharoah’s daughter, a non-Jewish woman, and of Moses marrying Zipporah the daughter of Jethro a Midianite priest. We also learn of Moses’ relationship with Jethro who became his friend and counselor. We learn that RuthAn important female biblical character with her own book. The Book of Ruth, read on Shavuot, tells the story of Ruth’s devotion to her mother-in-law, Naomi, and their return to Israel. Ruth’s story is often read as the first story of conversion. Ruth is the grandmother of King David. stays with her Jewish mother-in-law Naomi, saying “wherever you go, I will go; and where you stay, I will stay, your people shall be my people, and your God my God.”

We have learned over the course of history how important our non-Jewish neighbors have been for the survival of the Jewish people. And today we honor the presence of these people in our community. You have given countless times and in countless ways of your hearts, and your souls. You have given fully in ways that help us to grow together, learn together and be inspired by one another.

At PassoverPassover is a major Jewish holiday that commemorates the Jewish people's liberation from slavery and Exodus from Egypt. Its Hebrew name is Pesakh. Its name derives from the tenth plague, in which God "passed over" the homes of the Jewish firstborn, slaying only the Egyptian firstborn. Passover is celebrated for a week, and many diaspora Jews celebrate for eight days. The holiday begins at home at a seder meal and ritual the first (and sometimes second) night. Jews tell the story of the Exodus using a text called the haggadah, and eat specific food (matzah, maror, haroset, etc). the Jewish people celebrate the journey from slavery to freedom. While we rejoice over our liberation daily, we must also recognize those whose courage, inspiration, direction, and sacrifice helped us getA writ of divorce. Traditionally, only a man can grant his wife a get. Liberal Jews have amended this tradition, making divorce more egalitarian. here. The Jewish people are asked to remember the Exodus from Egypt daily in our prayers and to teach it to our children. Let us remember that Moses, one of the greatest leaders of the Jewish people, taught us that love is more powerful than hate; that we have a responsibility to “welcome the stranger because we were once strangers in the land of Egypt”; and that our future is filled with eternal rebirth, renewal, and hope.

 

Let us come together in our many faiths and traditions and share with one another what it means to live in a welcoming, diverse community. We thank you for being a part of our community. Your presence makes our lives full of a richness we wouldn’t otherwise have. You make us stronger by enriching our story and adding your own traditions.

 

As your many blessings are upon us, we bless you with the priestly blessing:

There are many ways and times to honor the individuals and families who find their home in the Jewish community. In whatever way you choose to honor the interfaith members of your community may you feel the many blessings of welcoming, presence, and peace with you always.