The Jewish-Christian Discovery Center
Educating Jews and Christians about the connection between the two faiths.
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Recently, I attended a wonderful conference of like-minded people. The annual conference of the Council of Centers on Jewish Christian Relations was held in Allentown, PA. There, scholars and clergy dedicated to the idea of promoting Jewish Christian relations came together for speeches and dialogues. For me, as the Founder of the Jewish Christian Discovery Center (JCDC) it was a wonderful and enlightening experience. Allow me to share with you a few of the high points that I took away from this gathering.
One of the scholars spoke about his study of Pirke Avot (An early rabbinic collection of life-lessons), I refer to this document in my book as well. I think this is an important point that needs to be constantly made: We can all learn from each other’s traditions. After all, if Judaism is the parent faith of Christianity and Islam as well, there will be elements of faith that link the traditions together over the millennia. The speaker shared that his faith had been strengthened by this study of Jewish sources. It is truly an amazing experience, to have Jews and Christians come together and study various elements of their faith. An awareness occurs as people realize that their beliefs can be understood in vastly different ways by people of honorable and spiritual intentions.
A major point that was made by a number of speakers was one that I think needs to be repeated in loud voices around the world: Jews and Christians are covenanted people. This is of enormous significance. It means that Christianity does not replace Judaism, but rather that Christianity is a representation of a holy connection with God as is Judaism and one could argue, other faiths as well. For so long, countless conversations have focused on which faith has the primary relationship with the Almighty. It seems appropriate to say that God is certainly capable of having different believers at the same time. By beginning to articulate an idea of differing covenants we open ourselves to a totally different spiritual world-view. In this perspective, we are all indeed creations of God, equally blessed and equally in a relationship. One of the main principles that I express in my book, now being published, is that we are all spiritual siblings.
A final fascinating aspect of this conference was to hear from various Church leaders. In this instance, Catholic and Lutheran clergy shared that many prayers are being rewritten to change the focus away from anything close to anti-Semitism to one that embraces the faith without the intention to denigrate Judaism. This is especially true when the liturgy revolves around the Passion of Jesus and Easter centered prayers. It is so essential that all people of faith review their liturgy and ask themselves if the prayers seem to be degrading or discriminatory to another faith.
In the end, this conference was quite worthwhile. It is so very important to realize that there are many committed people around the country and world who are advocating a positive, equality-based religious view. How wonderful our world would be if this ideology prevailed as the norm.
In a Jewish community that has been forced to address the growing reality of anti-Semitism and on the
first anniversary of the shootings in Pittsburgh, two clergy came together with a unique service held in
the Catholic Church of St. Ann’s in East Cobb. Rabbi Albert Slomovitz, the founder of the Jewish Christian
Discovery Center, a non-profit devoted to educating Christians about their Jewish roots and Father
Robert Lwin of the Church held a program focused on Forgiveness and Reconciliation.
The service was prepared jointly by both clergy members and was a combination of Catholic and Jewish
sources. Fr. Lwin spoke about the sacrament of reconciliation and the process undertaken to achieve
understanding with members of other faiths. As the program proceeded, he specifically mentioned
events from the past such as the Crusades, Inquisition and the Holocaust which decimated the Jewish
people. Fr. Lwin also spoke about the religious connections between Jews and Catholics. He described
the Catholic ritual of Confession as having its origins in the Biblical Ten Commandments. He also shared
with the audience that when Catholics begin the Confessional prayer, they strike their breasts in a
similar fashion as Jews do when they recite the Al-Het (For the sin we have committed) prayer at Yom
Kippur.
Rabbi Slomovitz led the congregation in two prayers from the High Holiday Conservative Mahzor. The
first dealt with Biblical figures who turned to God for help in times of trouble. The second one entitled
“Gone” poignantly described the Jewish population of Spain that was forced from their way of life in the
1492 expulsion from that country. A few stanzas help capture the raw emotions involved when an entire
community is forced to leave their ancestral homes.
Judah and Israel, know how bitter I am;
as I tremble, for my sins, shuddering and shaken.
For gone is my song, or any possible joy,
replaced by memories of Seville, now lost and forsaken.
Gone God’s congregations and students of the Law.
Rise then, Judah; for Israel, it is time to mourn.
Gone is sweetness from the people of God,
They are left with this bitterness coming nigh.
We will not hear the call of Elijah, God’s prophet;
for Heaven has restrained him and he is told, “Stand Fast!”
Two songs from the Catholic tradition were sung which originated from the Hebrew bible. One stanza
from the second song reflects its message, taken from Isaiah, Chapter 6 and I Samuel.
Here I am Lord, the Lord of sea and sky,
I have heard my people cry.
All who dwell in dark and sin, My hand will save.
I who made the stars of night,
I will make their darkness bright.
Who will bear my light to them?
Whom shall I send?
Here I am Lord, It is I Lord.
Rabbi Slomovitz spoke about the reality of a reconciliation process. “We cannot go back in time and
change the past. Nor can we eliminate the pain and suffering that people experienced.” The goal of the
evening was to jointly acknowledge the atrocities of the past and to develop strategies to ensure that
the future would be different. One of the principles that the Rabbi articulated was that people of faith
need to agree about certain standards of belief. One such shared value is found in the book of Leviticus
19:18, repeatedly referred to in Christian scripture, “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge
against your countrymen. Love your neighbor as Yourself: I am the Lord.” It is a wonderful vision about
the future to imagine a society that accepted and practiced this significant social and religious ideal.
The concluding prayer was the Mourner’s Kaddish with the words projected on screens throughout the
Church. It certainly was a remarkable scene with Jews and Christians together, be they strangers or
friends, saying this memorial prayer on behalf of those who died in generations past due to prejudice
and hatred.
After the Kaddish, Rabbi Slomovitz and Father Lwin asked the congregation to hold hands and offer a
silent prayer for all the victims of anti-Semitism. Memorial candles had been lit on the altar and those
present reflected on the candles and what they represented.
The hope of Rabbi Slomovitz from the perspective of the Jewish Christian Discovery Center as well as the
priests from St. Ann’s was to have a religious program that could serve as a template for other such
services around the region. Having Jews and Christians together acknowledging the sins of the past and
working to ensure a better future is a necessary response to the prejudice and hatred infecting our
country and world.
Recently, my wife and I took a cruise from Montreal to Boston. As with most vacations, one of our goals was to leave work behind and focus on relaxing. My work is different than most. I am the founder of The Jewish-Christian Discovery Center. The goal of this non-profit organization is to educate Jews and Christians about their shared religious traditions. The ultimate aim is for people to realize that we are, in my opinion, spiritual siblings.
We arrived in Montreal a few days early to enjoy this beautiful city prior to our cruise. On our first day we took a walking tour of the historic Jewish area of Montreal. We explored a number of buildings from a century ago and learned of the many sacrifices that the first immigrants to Canada endured. That experience was parallel to that of many new immigrants around the world.
It was on the second day that I had two, almost revelatory experiences. Near our hotel is the stunning and ornate Church of the Notre-Dame Basilica. A Basilica is a Catholic Church which has been accorded special privileges by the Pope. Our hotel host told us that while it is a functioning church, every day, hundreds line up to come in for a formal tour. We did exactly that. Our visit, led by a guide, began with the church’s history. Built in 1672, Notre-Dame Basilica has had a long spiritual connection to this grand city. The altar contains a massive panorama of Biblical figures depicted by life-size, wooden carved statues. In the top- center is Jesus with Mary and John the Baptist and Mary Magdalene.
It was the figures, however, that surrounded this centerpiece that caught my attention. All around Jesus are the Biblical figures of Abraham, Moses, Aaron, and Melchizedek. Each of these beautifully created works of art were chosen because of their spiritual connections to Jesus and Christianity. Each figure was represented with a scene from the Bible. Abraham is shown on Mt. Moriah following God’s commands about his son Isaac. Aaron, the high priest, is shown offering a lamb to God. Similarly, Moses and Melchizedek are featured based on their Biblical stories.
These stunning works of art were placed in this church because they represented actions or ideas that were significant to Christianity. God directing Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac, which is not ultimately done, is seen as a precursor to the crucifixion of Jesus. Aaron sacrificing a lamb is a spiritual precedent to the sacrifice of Jesus, the Paschal lamb, during Passover.
Recently, my wife and I took a cruise from Montreal to Boston. As with most vacations, one of our goals was to leave work behind and focus on relaxing. My work is different than most. I am the founder of The Jewish-Christian Discovery Center. The goal of this non-profit organization is to educate Jews and Christians about their shared religious traditions. The ultimate aim is for people to realize that we are, in my opinion, spiritual siblings.
We arrived in Montreal a few days early to enjoy this beautiful city prior to our cruise. On our first day we took a walking tour of the historic Jewish area of Montreal. We explored a number of buildings from a century ago and learned of the many sacrifices that the first immigrants to Canada endured. That experience was parallel to that of many new immigrants around the world.
It was on the second day that I had two, almost revelatory experiences. Near our hotel is the stunning and ornate Church of the Notre-Dame Basilica. A Basilica is a Catholic Church which has been accorded special privileges by the Pope. Our hotel host told us that while it is a functioning church, every day, hundreds line up to come in for a formal tour. We did exactly that. Our visit, led by a guide, began with the church’s history. Built in 1672, Notre-Dame Basilica has had a long spiritual connection to this grand city. The altar contains a massive panorama of Biblical figures depicted by life-size, wooden carved statues. In the top- center is Jesus with Mary and John the Baptist and Mary Magdalene.
It was the figures, however, that surrounded this centerpiece that caught my attention. All around Jesus are the Biblical figures of Abraham, Moses, Aaron, and Melchizedek. Each of these beautifully created works of art were chosen because of their spiritual connections to Jesus and Christianity. Each figure was represented with a scene from the Bible. Abraham is shown on Mt. Moriah following God’s commands about his son Isaac. Aaron, the high priest, is shown offering a lamb to God. Similarly, Moses and Melchizedek are featured based on their Biblical stories.
These stunning works of art were placed in this church because they represented actions or ideas that were significant to Christianity. God directing Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac, which is not ultimately done, is seen as a precursor to the crucifixion of Jesus. Aaron sacrificing a lamb is a spiritual precedent to the sacrifice of Jesus, the Paschal lamb, during Passover.
However, there are additional ideas to be considered. These four mentioned Biblical figures also symbolize the faith that Jesus lived. They represent the two thousand year history of beliefs, holidays and religious traditions that he was born into, preached about and practiced his whole life. Jesus, as a highly educated Jewish leader, was well versed in the stories of these Biblical patriarchs.
These stunning works of art reflect the powerful relationship between Jews and Christians: Judaism is the mother faith to Christianity. I suggest that we are inexorably bound together by a common history of faith, the Bible, religious leaders, prayers and spirituality. Unfortunately, over the last two millennia, this has not been the case. Jews and Christians have had a sad and often painful past.
As I was thinking about the relationship between the faiths, the tour of the Basilica was proceeding. Our guide showed us a magnificent and ornate two story pulpit. This elevated platform was built in the 1800’s. It gave the priest a raised stand to deliver his sermons. While admiring the artistry and practicality of the raised pulpit, the guide drew our attention to the base of the pulpit stairway. In this area were two life-like statues: The Biblical prophets of Jeremiah and Ezekiel.
These two prophetic figures were deliberately placed at the foundation of the pulpit-stairway. I presume they were placed there as symbols of spiritual inspiration and holiness. I imagine that anyone about to give a sermon would pass these figures and perhaps pray about offering meaningful messages.
All of these Biblical leaders were placed in prominent positions to emphasize the connections between the two traditions. Indeed, the Church has an informational pamphlet which it offers to its thousands of visitors. One sentence stands out: “Like the altarpiece, the pulpit represents how the Bible’s Old Testament is the basis of the Christian faith.”
In effect, the Church is acknowledging my contention: Judaism is the spiritual parent of Christianity and we are spiritual siblings. In my upcoming book, “A New Look at Rabbi Jesus,” I show the numerous faith, Biblical, and historical connections that Jews and Christians enjoy. I invite you to read it, listen to our podcasts, and stay connected to the Jewish Christian Discovery Center. Our ultimate goal is for all of us to realize that we are linked together by thousands of years of spiritual DNA.
The next time you are in Montreal, visit the Basilica and let me know what you think!
Dr. Abraham (Albert)Slomovitz.