Disagreement and Dialogue: Coming Face to Face with our Presbyterian Neighbors

When Yassir Arafat died, my four year old overheard me talking about his death on the phone. And so he asked me, Mom, are you going to do the funeral? When I tell that story, it brings laughter because the world knows that such a notion is beyond anyone's greatest imagination.

As Jews, we understand the complex history that brought about the distrust between Palestinians and Israelis in the Middle East. Yet much of the greater world unfairly lays blame for the violence that exists primarily upon Israel. Such was the case when the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church U.S.A. voted last July to selectively divest from companies supporting what it deems wrongful Israeli actions. Their decision was a condemnation of Israel and appeared to equate the Israeli/Palestinian conflict with the South African apartheid of the last century. That vote brought about a quick and bitter response from our country's Jewish leaders.

Last year witnessed as well a disagreement between Presbyterians and Jews on the topic of Messianic congregations. In 2003, the Presbyterian Church of Philadelphia supported the founding of Avodat Yisrael, a messianic congregation which meets for a Saturday Shabbat service and weaves together the Jewish and Christian liturgy and practice. The Church reaches out to unaffiliated and secular Jews and people in interfaith marriages so that they can explore Christianity while maintaining some of their Jewish observances.

In my mind, this congregation is deceptive and is simply a Christian church clothed in Jewish garb so as to proselytize. But the founders of this Church see it differently. They see Judaism as the root of Christianity and find forms of Jewish worship a comfortable and natural jumping board for expressing their faith in Jesus. The leaders of this Church, along with some of our Presbyterian neighbors, struggle to understand why the notion of Jews for Jesus is so deeply disturbing to our community.

These two issues have brought our national Jewish and Presbyterian leaders into disagreement and dialogue. This month, that national debate will be brought to a local level. On Tuesday night, March 15th at 7:00 pm, our Temple will host a dialogue with our Presbyterians neighbors. Reverend Sam Roberson, the regional leader of the Presbyterian Church, and Reverend Tom Currie, Dean of Union Theological Seminary, will share their movements positive outlooks on Jewish- Christian relations as well as helping us understand the Church's thought behind their most recent actions. Rabbi Ezring and I will help the broader community understand why this notion of Messianic Judaism and divestment from Israel are so troubling. Ed Williams, editor of the Charlotte Observers editorial pages, will moderate our dialogue.

As you listen to clergy presentations and dialogue around tables with our Presbyterian neighbors, you will no doubt gain some valuable information and essential tools for discussing Messianic ministries and Israel with your neighbors and friends.