He said Polish Bishops
issued a document that was
read Jan. 20 in parishes all
over Poland that denounced
anti-Semitic Christian theo-
logy and apologized to the
Jews of Poland.
"It's clear that amazing
and important events are
happening in Poland today,"
said Rabbi Daniel Polish,
whose synagogue sponsored
the reverend's visit.
"Most Jews can trace their
roots back to Poland and

"Walesa may have
a checkered past
and is far from
guiltless, but I'm
encouraged by his
willingness to
exorcise old
demons."

— Rabbi Daniel Polish

millions lost their lives there
with the collusion of the
Polish people," Rabbi Polish
said. "It's too late for them,
but maybe this can be the
start of a new era.
"Walesa may have a
checkered past and is far
from guiltless, but I'm en-
couraged by his willingness
to exorcise old demons."
Richard Lobenthal, direc-

for of the Michigan Region of
the Anti-Defamation League
of B'nai B'rith, said he's
anxious to see Mr. Walesa
deliver on his promises.
"I think he's made some
strides and I'm encouraged,"
Mr. Lobenthal said.
But Abraham Weberman,
president of Shaarit
Haplaytah - Survivors of
1945, is not convinced.
"I just don't believe this;
I've been through too
much," said Mr. Weberman,
a survivor of the Lodz
Ghetto.
"When I lived in Poland,
they hated us — they beat
us," he said. "I'm not
ashamed to admit I was born
in Poland, but I don't trust
the Poles and I'd never
return."
Nate and Sonya Nothnon,
of West Bloomfield, returned
to Poland last July on a trip
sponsored by the Holocaust
Memorial Center.
"I wanted to see the place I
was born in," Mrs. Nothnon
said. "When I got there, I
couldn't believe it. It wasn't
a city. It was a run-down
village with no young peo-
ple, and bums lying on ben-
ches drinking liquor.
"I cried the whole time,"
she said. "Our old syn-
agogue still had a swastika
on it. And this was July
1990."

❑

Christians Seek Jewish
Roots In Passover Seder

SUSAN GRANT

Staff Writer

p

rom the seder plate
filled with charoset
and other customary
Passover symbols to the
reading of the Haggadah
and blessings over the four
cups of wine, it almost looks
and sounds like a traditional
seder.
But there is nothing tradi-
tional about the 100 par-
ticipants sitting at the seder
table or their leader. For this
takes place, not in a Jewish
home, but in a church. In-
stead of a rabbi, Father
Robert Kerr of St. Joseph
Catholic Church in Ypsilan-
ti conducts the seder for his
congregation.
Leading a seder is nothing
new to Father Kerr. He at-
tended his first seder 21
years ago after accepting an
invitation from a Jewish
family and discovered the
ritual had meaning for
himself as well as for his
Jewish hosts. Since then, he
has incorporated a seder into
his church liturgy.

Father Kerr is not alone.
He is part of a growing
number of Christian clergy
who now hold sedarim for
their congregations.
Since Vatican II, Chris-
tians have sought to discover
their Jewish roots, said
Father Ray Claes of St.
Germaine Catholic Church
in St. Clair Shores.
"Much of our faith is
intertwined with the Jewish
world," said Father Claes,
whose congregation held a
March 26 seder. "To ignore
that is a mistake."
"I think that many Chris-
tians don't have a good grasp
of our Jewish heritage," said
Susan Bennett Stiles of Lola
Valley United Methodist
Church in Redford, who
presided over a March 28
seder. The seder provides an
opportunity to explore that
common past. While the
seder is undeniably a Jewish
ceremony, it also has
significance, Christians say,
for them.
Holy Thursday, the day
preceding Good Friday,
celebrates the Last Supper

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THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS 15

