AJC Unity Seder Seeks Cultural Bridges
Annual interfaith ritual and dinner was held at Temple Emanu-El for the first time on March 25.
The American Jewish Committee partnered with Temple Emanu-El in Dunwoody to present its annual Passover Unity Seder on March 25. It was the first time the event had been held at the Dunwoody congregation. Approximately 340 people representing several faith communities took part in this year’s seder. Almost three dozen representatives of various civic and religious groups, as well as diplomats from the Atlanta consular corps and three area mayors took part.
The Unity event was put together by a 25-member host committee chaired by representatives from AJC and the synagogue. The committee’s prepared statement prefaced the specially edited Haggadah that was used during the evening seder: “Unity is central to the work of the American Jewish Committee, whose mission is to enhance the well-being of the Jewish people,” and to advance pluralism and democratic values for all.”
Casting a shadow over the annual event was the continued war in Gaza, which marked 536 days of fighting between Muslims and Jews on the day the seder was held. AJC Director of Interreligious and Intergroup Relations, Rabbi Noam Marans, referenced the first of the Passover Seder’s Four Questions to ask, “Why is this seder different from all other seders? Because at this seder, the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust endures as a fresh, open wound that continues to bleed.”
Yet, despite the troubling news from the Middle East, there was an air of optimism among those who worked so tirelessly at both the AJC and Temple Emanu-El to create a meaningful ritual followed by an elegant dinner in the temple’s expansive social hall.
For Rabbi Spike Anderson, the seder was the culmination of at least 18 months of interfaith work that members of the temple have created with more than a dozen other religious groups.
“Getting these various groups together, you know, for a celebratory event raises awareness and showcase some of the best of what Judaism is,” Rabbi Anderson said. “The hope is, and I think this was realized, that this would also act as a catalyst for the various interfaith relationships that we have and to reinvigorate us for whatever the next steps are.”
The concern that is driving the work of Temple Emanu-El is the rising tide of antisemitism, not just in the United States, but globally. According to an important study released in January by the Anti-Defamation League, nearly half of the world population “holds elevated levels of antisemitic attitudes.”
The survey of 58,000 adults in 103 countries reported 46 percent of them held “deeply entrenched antisemitic attitudes, more than double compared to ADL’s first worldwide survey a decade ago.”
Temple Emanu-El has developed a program to increase interfaith understanding among Jews and non-Jews by bringing people together in small groups of 20 to 30 people several times a year. About 145 people from the temple’s community of 850 member families have participated in the program. The latest of these was scheduled this week with St Luke’s Presbyterian Church in Dunwoody.
Rabbi Anderson believes that all the time and effort that has been put into the program is paying off. He’s encouraged by the success he’s seen so far.
“The rumor always is there’s lots of non-Jews who like and respect Jews and Judaism. And want to have us be a part of their vision of America. The results of the last 18 months show that definitely seems to be the case.”
At the conclusion of the Unity Seder, Rabbi Anderson asked the 30 of the clergy members who attended to offer a few words of wisdom from their traditions.
Those attending heard from a diverse number of spiritual representatives, including Hindus, Baha’i, Muslims, and the many denominations of Christianity.
Typical of the remarks were those made by the Rev. David Charney, chaplain of the Westminster Schools, whose final blessing was of hope.
“May the G-d of hope fill you with all joy and peace,” Rev. Charney said, “so that you may abound in hope as you seek the welfare of your neighbor and the world.”
It was left to the AJC Southeastern Regional Director Dov Wilker, though, to remind the crowd in attendance that peace and the safe return of the remaining hostages in Gaza at the moment is among the greatest hopes we have.
“Those hostages are waiting each and every day to see the light of day,” Wilker said. “My final words tonight are a call to action for all of us. The advocacy of hundreds of voices has an even larger impact, and as you share it, beyond your amplification, it can reach thousands and even millions.”
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