Spirituality

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Special seder brings Temple Israel,
Third New Hope Baptist Church
members together in celebration
of freedom from slavery.

SHELLI LIEBMAN DORFMAN
Stair Writer

P

articipants in an April 3 pre-Passover event at
Temple Israel knew they were in for a special
evening even before they were handed a
booklet titled, "The Freedom Seder
Haggadah: A Celebration of Freedom for African
Americans and Jews."
All 200, half from Temple Israel in West Bloomfield
and half from the Third New Hope Baptist Church in
Detroit, knew they were there to share and celebrate
together the stories of one another's road to freedom.
"The theme of the seder was celebrating the freedom
that Jews and African Americans have won over slavery
and recognition of our successes in spite of oppression,"
says Fran Heicklen, who chaired the event with fellow
Temple Israel member Barbara Hechtman and church
members Yvonne Moore-Fant and Carloyn Dubose.
"I think we came away understanding that we have
more things in common than we have differences,"

Heicklen says.
The seder was directed by
Rabbi Joshua Bennett of Temple
Israel, who developed the seder
from an idea of David Gad-
Harf, Jewish Community
Council executive director.
Participants dip their fingers in "wine" (grape juice) as the Ten Plagues are recited.
"They both felt the activity
would serve as an opportunity
congregation, including a description of the four cups
to bring the African American and Jewish communities
of wine, which were subtitled the cups of freedom, dig-
together and form a basis for an ongoing relationship,"
nity, unity and hope. The combined group recited
Heicklen says.
together words of significance to all participants, such
A Haggadah was created by Rabbi Bennett, Rabbi
as: "We rejoice in our heritage that teaches us to love
Robert Scott of Temple Israel, the Rev. Edward L.
freedom for all people."
Branch and Minister David Jefferson, both of Third
The Haggadah included readings that ranged from
New Hope Church. Complete with a glossary of
letters written by modern Ethiopian Jewish women of
Passover terms, the Haggadah included an explanation
their struggle to reach Israel, to a phrase about the cost
of the seder, with blessings in English, Hebrew and
of liberation by the Archbishop Desmond Tutu, to "Still
transliteration. It emphasized remembering the Jewish
I Rise," a poem by author and civil rights activist Dr.
exodus from slavery.
Maya Angelou.
Parts of the seder were read by members from each

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