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T

he 21st Interfaith 
World Sabbath will 
return to an in-person 
event after a COVID hiatus on 
Sunday, March 19, from 4 to 
6 p.m. Temple Israel will host 
the 2023 interfaith celebration, 
which will include prayers, 
songs, dances and rituals of 
many Metro Detroit faiths. 
Young people from local 
Christian, Jewish, Muslim, 
Sikh, Hindu and other con-
gregations will be the focus.
The program will feature 
the blowing of the shofar by 
a young Jewish member of 
Temple Israel; the traditional 
Muslim call to prayer; and 

the blowing of a conch shell 
— a Hindu prayer tradition. 
Members of 12 to 15 local 
congregations are expected to 
participate.
World Sabbath, presented 
by the InterFaith Leadership 
Council of Metropolitan 
Detroit, was organized in 2000 
by two clergymen from Christ 
Church Cranbrook. Gail Katz, 
a member of Temple Israel 
and a West Bloomfield resi-
dent, became involved as part 
of her interest in interfaith 
activities, inspired by teaching 
English as a second language 
to immigrant children in the 
Berkley School District. 

“We are trying to teach our 
diverse population in Metro 
Detroit a responsibility for 
everyone,” Katz says.
When one of the organiz-
ers of the World Sabbath left 
Detroit in 2004, Katz became 
event chair, shifting the focus 
from members of the clergy 
to youth. Since then, children 
sing the “Children of Peace” 
song, and many make peace 
banners that are featured in a 
processional at the event. 
Two other members of 
the Jewish community 
serve on the World Sabbath 
Committee. Carol Kravetz 
of West Bloomfield has been 
involved for many years. “It’s 
important to know our sim-
ilarities, to value our differ-
ences and pray for peace,” she 
says.
Raymond Kach, Farmington 
Hills, values the World 
Sabbath because “it highlights 
some of the traditions of dif-
ferent faiths. In these divisive 

times, it’s critical for us to 
realize that we can get along.”
Rick Joseph, a member of 
Christ the King Church in 
Detroit who succeeded Katz as 
World Sabbath chair last year, 
views the World Sabbath as a 
way of building the “beloved 
community” described by the 
Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. 
“It’s so inspiring on many lev-
els. We realize commonalities 
and that we’re not that differ-
ent after all,” he says.
“I hope people leave with 
new eyes — understanding 
who my neighbor is regardless 

Interfaith event will celebrate shared values 
and commitment to unity and peace.
Interfaith World Sabbath

SHARI S. COHEN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The Mission of World Sabbath
The mission of the World Sabbath is to teach Metro 
Detroit’s diverse population that the work of building a 
community of justice, equality, respect and peace is a 
calling shared by all, especially young people, regardless 
of individual religious traditions. It is a joyous interfaith 
experience of music, dance and prayer.

Young children 
sing the “Children 
of Peace” song 
at a prior World 
Sabbath.

Gail 
Katz

MARCH 2 • 2023 | 31

