I

To Life!

AROUND TOWN

Soulful Seder

Dinner unites church and synagogue
members around the Passover story.

S

Rev. Nicholas Hood III of Plymouth United

Church of Christ, Rabbi Arnold
Sleutelberg of Congregation Shir

Tikvah, Rev. Kenneth Flowers

of Greater New Mount
Moriah Missionary Baptist

Church and Rev. Robert
Dulin Jr. of Metropolitan

Church of God

ABOVE: Rena

and Jerry
Cohen of West

Bloomfield

'AT et , A.

Helen Lenner of

West Bloomfield
with Darrie and

Billy Jones and
Donald Rafal,

all of Southfield

Sandra Conley and David Weiner,

both of Oak Park

if you look at the fact
teel drums, a
that we're all human
gospel choir
beings;' Rev. Flowers
and interpretive
said.
dancers were part of an
The program includ-
uplifting multicultural
ed traditional seder
Passover celebration at
prayers and rituals
Congregation Shaarey
mixed together with
Zedek Southfield.
R obin
reflections'on societal
The second annual
Sch wartz
concerns like poverty,
Soul Seder, held March
Col u mnist
hunger, drug addiction
30, brought together more
and crime.
than 500 members of
In addition to matzah, charoset
various local synagogues and
and bitter herbs, the meal includ-
churches. Participants learned •
about each other's traditions and ed cornbread, watermelon and
collard greens. Participants were
also learned they share many
encouraged to go around their
common concerns.
tables and talk about the plagues
"The idea is for Jews and
that afflict their communities.
African-American Christians
"It's been a real treat; I learned
to come together and to share
a lot tonight:' said Camilla
their faiths, their backgrounds,
Doniver of Detroit. The event
their hopes and dreams:' said
Shaarey Zedek Rabbi Jonathan was the first Passover celebration
she ever attended.
Berkun, one of the organizers.
"This is really edUcational,
"The program is based on the
and it's a good time to fellow-
theme of liberation, of exodus,
ship and worship together:'
of the human yearning for free-
said Minthone Washington
dom," Rabbi Berkun said.
of Detroit, a member of the
"We have a common heritage
Metropolitan Church of God.
in terms of bondage and slav-
,"Our cultures are so diverse, but
ery and freedom;' added Rev.
we still have a lot in common —
Kenneth Flowers, pastor of
so it makes for a very interesting
the Greater New Mount Moriah
evening."
Missionary Baptist Church in.
Detroit.
"I think it's time for us to look
at our commonalities; we really
don't have that many differences

Gary Rimar of Bloomfield
Hills sat alongside Washington.
"As far as I'm concerned, God
made one race — the human
race — and we all need to sup,
port each other:' Rimar said.
To conclude the program,
everyone in the room joined
hands and sang "We Shall
Overcome."
"This is an effort to build
bridges betWeen the city and
the suburbs:' Rabbi Berkun said.
"This city could use a lot of heal-
ing — and times like this remind
everyone that this community
can be different and it can be
better."
The Soul Seder was sponsored
' by the Detroit Jewish Initiative of
the Jewish Community Council
of Metropolitan Detroit along
with the clergy and congregants
of New Light Baptist Church,
Congregation Shaarey Zedek,
Metropolitan Church of God,
Greater New Mount Moriah
Missionary Baptist Church,
Plymouth United Church of
Christ, Congregation Beth
Shalom, Community of Faith
Baptist Church, Congregation
Shir Tikvah and Restoration
International Ministries. ❑

BELOW: Dr. Ronald
Turner of Restoration •

International
Ministries, Rabbi David
Nelson of Congregation
Beth Shalom and Dr.

Benjamin Baker of New
Light Baptist Church

ABOVE:
Breanna
Sullivan, 10, of
Detroit with

Gary Rimar
of Bloomfield

The Fishman family: Steven, Eric, 14, Jeri

Hills

and Rachel, 9, of Southfield

Rhoda Byrd of Novi, Nancy Goldberg of West

Bloomfield and Janet Pont of Southfield

36

Apri ± 13 , 2006