SeanAshi
04-05-2004, 06:15 PM
North Richland Hills, TX (AP) - Embracing the Jewish tradition of Passover, about 400 Christians will partake in a seder meal at a North Texas church this week.
They'll dine on roast lamb, bitter herbs and unleavened bread known as matzoh. They'll sip grape juice, not wine, as they thank God for deliverance and redemption.
At the Richland Hills Church of Christ north of Fort Worth, and many other churches nationwide, Christians increasingly look to Passover as a time to learn more about the Jewish roots of their own faith, religious observers say.
"The demand in Christian churches to experience the Passover the way the Jewish people have been doing for centuries just continues to grow," said Richard Weintraub, organizer of the Richland Hills seder.
Passover, which begins at sundown Monday, is an eight-day holiday when Jews remember the ancient Israelites' freedom from bondage in Egypt. During the first two days of the celebration, Jews retell the biblical story, pray and share special foods.
Christians believe the Last Supper celebrated by Jesus was a seder meal. Some refer to him as the "Passover Lamb."
Still, the notion of "Christian Passover" strikes some Jews as strange.
"It's sort of like, if I'm getting married tonight, why would somebody who's not part of the family or somebody's who's not invited to the wedding ... stage a celebration at their house? Wouldn't that strike you as odd?" said Rabbi Dov Mandel of the Jewish educational organization Chabad Lubavitch of Fort Worth and Tarrant County.
But other Jewish leaders say they have no problem with Christians marking Passover.
If done in the right spirit, such observances can be positive for interfaith relations and understanding, said Rabbi Leonard A. Schoolman, director of the Center for Religious Inquiry at Saint Bartholomew's Church in New York.
While serving as a rabbi in Houston several years ago, Schoolman conducted seders at Christ Church Cathedral, an Episcopal church.
"We thought it would be a good thing to do as an educational opportunity for the people," he said.
Binyamin L. Jolkovsky, publisher of the Jewish Web site JewishWorldReview.com, recently offered through his daily newsletter to help any Jew in any metropolitan area around the world find a seder. Much to his surprise, he said, he received responses from "a very large number of non-Jews" hoping to attend one.
"I'm not sure what's sparking the interest, but it's definitely there, and I think this is positive for ecumenical relations," Jolkovsky said.
In Waco, Marc Ellis, director of the Center for American and Jewish Studies at Baylor University, will welcome Baptist students to his home to learn about Passover from a visiting guest, Sam Bloom, a professor at the University of Haifa in Israel.
"I think Christians are rediscovering their roots in the Hebrew Bible and in Judaism," said Ellis, who is Jewish. "And I think it's a way of connecting at another level with parts of their own tradition. I think it's very positive."
Some Jews voice concern, however, about the "spiritual deception" they say occurs when Christians use Passover meals as a means of evangelizing.
"Jews should be delighted when the message of freedom is embraced by as many people as possible, but I don't think people should pretend that it's their tradition," said Yosef Abramowitz, CEO of Jewish Family & Life, a nonprofit multimedia company based in Newton Upper Falls, Mass.
Abramowitz said his wife, Rabbi Susan Silverman, sometimes presides over "mock Passover seders" for Christians.
"In so doing, they get to learn about the symbols and the stories and the rituals and to participate in it, but knowing full well that it's a Jewish ritual," he said. "There's no deception in that. That's just good, neighborly relations."
At the Richland Hills Church of Christ, church leaders will put Tuesday night's seder meal in a Christian context, said Mike Washburn, senior minister of church life.
"For the Jews, the Passover is a time of celebration of freedom," Washburn said. "Communion for Christians ... comes out of the Passover feast. ... It's a celebration of freedom as well, so there's a common theme."
Weintraub, a Jewish convert to Christianity, has organized seders for Churches of Christ, Methodists, Pentecostals and Baptists for 20 years. He said he can't keep up with the demand.
"It's such a moving experience that they tell other churches and other pastors," the Arlington resident said. "People all over the country will call us looking for someone who will come and educate them on the Passover. It's amazing."
http://images.zwire.com/local/Z/Zwire1994/zwire/images/PASSOVER%20SEDERS597.jpgJEWISH ROOTS: Rich Weintraub, who grew up Jewish before converting to Christianity, helps celebrate Passover, including the seder meal, at the Dallas Biblical Arts Center, Thursday. (AP Photo)
They'll dine on roast lamb, bitter herbs and unleavened bread known as matzoh. They'll sip grape juice, not wine, as they thank God for deliverance and redemption.
At the Richland Hills Church of Christ north of Fort Worth, and many other churches nationwide, Christians increasingly look to Passover as a time to learn more about the Jewish roots of their own faith, religious observers say.
"The demand in Christian churches to experience the Passover the way the Jewish people have been doing for centuries just continues to grow," said Richard Weintraub, organizer of the Richland Hills seder.
Passover, which begins at sundown Monday, is an eight-day holiday when Jews remember the ancient Israelites' freedom from bondage in Egypt. During the first two days of the celebration, Jews retell the biblical story, pray and share special foods.
Christians believe the Last Supper celebrated by Jesus was a seder meal. Some refer to him as the "Passover Lamb."
Still, the notion of "Christian Passover" strikes some Jews as strange.
"It's sort of like, if I'm getting married tonight, why would somebody who's not part of the family or somebody's who's not invited to the wedding ... stage a celebration at their house? Wouldn't that strike you as odd?" said Rabbi Dov Mandel of the Jewish educational organization Chabad Lubavitch of Fort Worth and Tarrant County.
But other Jewish leaders say they have no problem with Christians marking Passover.
If done in the right spirit, such observances can be positive for interfaith relations and understanding, said Rabbi Leonard A. Schoolman, director of the Center for Religious Inquiry at Saint Bartholomew's Church in New York.
While serving as a rabbi in Houston several years ago, Schoolman conducted seders at Christ Church Cathedral, an Episcopal church.
"We thought it would be a good thing to do as an educational opportunity for the people," he said.
Binyamin L. Jolkovsky, publisher of the Jewish Web site JewishWorldReview.com, recently offered through his daily newsletter to help any Jew in any metropolitan area around the world find a seder. Much to his surprise, he said, he received responses from "a very large number of non-Jews" hoping to attend one.
"I'm not sure what's sparking the interest, but it's definitely there, and I think this is positive for ecumenical relations," Jolkovsky said.
In Waco, Marc Ellis, director of the Center for American and Jewish Studies at Baylor University, will welcome Baptist students to his home to learn about Passover from a visiting guest, Sam Bloom, a professor at the University of Haifa in Israel.
"I think Christians are rediscovering their roots in the Hebrew Bible and in Judaism," said Ellis, who is Jewish. "And I think it's a way of connecting at another level with parts of their own tradition. I think it's very positive."
Some Jews voice concern, however, about the "spiritual deception" they say occurs when Christians use Passover meals as a means of evangelizing.
"Jews should be delighted when the message of freedom is embraced by as many people as possible, but I don't think people should pretend that it's their tradition," said Yosef Abramowitz, CEO of Jewish Family & Life, a nonprofit multimedia company based in Newton Upper Falls, Mass.
Abramowitz said his wife, Rabbi Susan Silverman, sometimes presides over "mock Passover seders" for Christians.
"In so doing, they get to learn about the symbols and the stories and the rituals and to participate in it, but knowing full well that it's a Jewish ritual," he said. "There's no deception in that. That's just good, neighborly relations."
At the Richland Hills Church of Christ, church leaders will put Tuesday night's seder meal in a Christian context, said Mike Washburn, senior minister of church life.
"For the Jews, the Passover is a time of celebration of freedom," Washburn said. "Communion for Christians ... comes out of the Passover feast. ... It's a celebration of freedom as well, so there's a common theme."
Weintraub, a Jewish convert to Christianity, has organized seders for Churches of Christ, Methodists, Pentecostals and Baptists for 20 years. He said he can't keep up with the demand.
"It's such a moving experience that they tell other churches and other pastors," the Arlington resident said. "People all over the country will call us looking for someone who will come and educate them on the Passover. It's amazing."
http://images.zwire.com/local/Z/Zwire1994/zwire/images/PASSOVER%20SEDERS597.jpgJEWISH ROOTS: Rich Weintraub, who grew up Jewish before converting to Christianity, helps celebrate Passover, including the seder meal, at the Dallas Biblical Arts Center, Thursday. (AP Photo)