At Interfaith Seder, Only the Herbs Were Bitter

April 2, 2007

Author: John Chadwick and Martha McKay

Source: North Jersey

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Jews, Muslims and Christians joined together Sunday in an interfaith Passover seder rarely attempted in North Jersey.

"Let us help one another overcome hardness of heart, opening minds to the challenges of faith," the crowd of about 120 people recited during an opening prayer at Congregation Beth Shalom in Pompton Lakes.

Joining the Conservative Jewish congregation were members of the Islamic Center of Passaic County in Paterson, Christ Episcopal Church in Pompton Lakes and St. Luke's Episcopal Church in the Warren County community of Hope.

Jews and Christians have long held interfaith events. But a Jewish-Muslim seder is almost unheard of in North Jersey, where strong feelings about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict have led to frosty relations between some members of the two communities.