Читать книгу Worldly Wisdom and Foolish Grace - Barbara Carnegie Campbell - Страница 6

There is something rare and remarkable about two diverse communities who operate with one heart. This was the story of P’nai Or of Portland, a Jewish Renewal congregation, and St. Mark Presbyterian Church. P’nai Or, like many small congregations, did not have a building of its own so rented various sites until it found St. Mark. But what began as a landlord/tenant arrangement transformed into a true spiritual partnership.

Both congregations were involved in the Interfaith Council of Greater Portland, congregants from both communities often attended the same events, but when P’nai Or lost their beloved rabbi in an accident, there was a shift. We were not just casual friends sharing the same building. it was the congregation of St. Mark who helped to hold P’nai Or up, who brought them food, who cared for the grieving community. It was the beginning of a transformation that bonded the two communities as spiritual family.

P’nai Or hired an interim rabbi, Rabbi David Zaslow, who came up from Ashland once a month to lead services, teach, and minister to the still grieving congregation. In one of those awkward but ultimately happy coincidences, he came to Portland to lead a Friday night service only to discover that it was Good Friday. What occurred then was nothing short of remarkable, given the trepidation and anxiety with which Jews approach the Easter season.

St. Mark held their Good Friday service and Reb David and the P’nai Or congregation attended, witnessing the grief of the Christian community as that community had witnessed theirs. It was an extraordinary moment, and changed the relationship between the two congregations in their souls. It was impossible for anyone to remain “the other.” There were no strangers. There were only brothers and sisters on the same spiritual journey with different experiences and vocabulary.

There were classes, dialogues, shared services and events, a kind of intimacy of spirit that even in the interfaith community is not often shared. And from this collaboration of heart and spirit, Abraham’s Tent was born, created and mothered by Pastor Barbara Campbell and Maggidah Batya Podos. (A maggid is a storyteller and teacher in the Jewish tradition).

The idea was simple. We should extend the interfaith spirit into a day camp for Jewish, Christian and Muslim children. We already worked with the Ahmadiyya Muslim community and others through the Interfaith Council, why not bring all of Abraham’s children together?

After seeking out volunteer teachers from the three communities, and many months of planning, in the summer of 2013 Abraham’s Tent was launched. It was a revelation.

The theme was our shared ancestors in the line of Abraham. Held in the Sanctuary, classrooms and on the grounds of St. Mark, each day presented a rotation of learning and experiences from each of the three faiths. As we learned about Abraham’s hospitality, snacks were provided by each faith group. As we began to understand our shared roots, we designed paper mural of a massive family tree. As we explored the stories of Isaac and Ishmael, older students created a play about fathers sacrificing their sons. Everyone learned songs in English, Hebrew and Arabic. We played games together. We formed friendships.

On the Friday, we went to the Mosque for a presentation to the Interfaith Council, Friday prayers and snacks. The children got to show what they had learned and created during the week together. The response from the adults was overwhelming.

What we had not expected during this process was that parents needed Abraham’s Tent, too. Parent volunteers would gather and talk intensely with each other, so much so that they often forgot they were there to monitor the children. Their interest was such that we discussed having a parent component to the camp, but alas, that never came to be.

We had two years of Abraham’s Tent before health issues and circumstance caused Pastor Barbara and Batya (neither in their 20’s anymore) to step down from leadership roles. After that, Abraham’s Tent ceased to be, but the profound interfaith work with children and families remains.

Pastor Barbara has now retired, the building that housed St. Mark Presbyterian Church has been sold to a college for classrooms, and P’nai Or of Portland has found another home. Yet we are all inspired to continue this work of bringing our sisters and brothers together, to push past divisions and differences, and to encourage us all to be spiritual travelers together.

Batya Podos

Maggidah, Albuquerque, NM