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Five years ago, he suggested that the Jewish Community Council, Emanu-El and its sisterhood sponsor an annual Passover workshop and model Seder for clergy, educators and lay leaders. "The workshop has been well attended, well received and very much appreciated," says Schey. "It's one of my favorite programs because it's so universally accepted and such a positive way to edu- cate the community." Each year there are 130 Christian participants from all over the Detroit area, re- presenting a variety of de- nominations. "This year, we had people from as far away as Virginia and southwest Ontario," says Steinger. Held a month before Passover, the workshop is a two-hour program that begins in Temple Emanu-El's sanctuary to familiarize par- ticipants with the Torah and synagogue ritual features. The remaining time is spent at the seder table, reading together from an English Haggadah. "Rabbi Steinger does a wonderful job of weaving into his presentation the histori- cal and religious underpin- nings of the holiday," says Schey. "He uses supplemental readings to focus on Pesach as a festival of freedom and a celebration that has rele- vance today. We remember the Jews in the Soviet Union, those who perished in the Holocaust and the hungry all over the world." "After the Seder, we al- ways leave time for questions and discussion," says Steinger. "Sometimes, this will be a time to dispel mis- conceptions. One year, a par- ticipant asked me, 'When do you offer the paschal lamb sacrifice?" I explained to him that this hasn't been done in close to 2,000 years!" Most participants leave with a greater feeling of Jewish-Christian harmony and cooperation. Steinger of- fers this thank you note ex- cerpt from a First Congrega- tional Church minister as an example of the workshop's success: "The Passover work- shop helped us understand our Hebrew heritage ... We understood the many similarities of worship and ceremony . . . The benefits will reach into the future for the glory of God." Both Steinger and Schey carefully explain that the purpose of their workshop is to teach Christians how to lead a Jewish Seder, as op- posed to a Christian Seder or Paschal dinner. Schey ex- plains, "We are not interested in mixing the two religions. That would undermine each set of beliefs. We don't advo- cate teaching Passover as the `Jewish Easter,' and likewise would hope that our partici- pants would enjoy the Seder as a Jewish event that speaks to their own roots and his- tory." Reverend James Lyons, a Congregational minister and director of the Ecumenical Institute, also sees this as a danger. Whenever possible, he tries to find someone Jewish to lead church Seders. Or he recommends The Passover Celebration, a sensi tively written pamphlet pro- Anti- duced by the Defamation League, which gives complete information on the holiday, as well as Seder preparations and cere- mony. "There is a well-meaning tendency on the part of Christian clergy to see the Seder as part of the Easter celebration," Rev. Lyons ex- plains. "Often, the clergy will hold it on Maundy Thursday, the day traditionally set aside for reflection before Good Friday. This is fine if it is kept a Jewish celebration. I like to stress that this is a Jewish ceremony that Jesus participated in as a•Jew." "The one time I led a Seder on Maundy Thursday, I asked the congregation to wait and clear everything away before we celebrated' communion. I — wanted to be sure they would not mix the two celebrations. "Every year at this time, Jews for Jesus groups send out information and lead Seders that play with the traditional Passover symbols, giving them a Christological meaning," says Lyons. They call their Seder "Christ in the Passover," and its essential theme is "Christ as the sacri- ficial lamb of God," purpor- tedly predicting Jesus as the Messiah. "It's important for the community to recognize the difference between our legitimate desire to under- stand our Jewish roots and build a bridge to better understanding, and the Jews for Jesus' desire to encourage Jews to accept Jesus." "Every time I lead a Seder, people tell me how amazed they are at how 'normal' ev- erything seems," says Lyons. "Whenever we think about the ceremonies in other reli- gions, they seem exotic and mysterious. The beauty of Passover speaks to anyone willing to listen. It speaks to the human condition. It holds great meaning for both Jews and Christians." ❑ N