Rabbi Howard Morrison

Many of us sports fans get excited with the anticipation of a home and home series. In a given week, the home and road teams will play two games switching venues from one game to the next.

We at Beth Emeth and our new friends at the King Street Community Church in Oshawa are in the midst of a home and home series. Two weeks ago, as we ushered in Shabbat on a Friday evening, Pastor David Larmour and roughly fifty members of his church visited our shul. They were given a tour of the sanctuary; they participated in our Kabbalat Shabbat service; and they joined us for a festive Shabbat dinner. During the program, the pastor and I spoke and then fielded questions from the attendees.

This Sunday, March 23, you are all invited to part 2 at the church. The church office is asking for advance registration to have a number count. We will join our new friends for their Sunday worship service which begins at 10:30AM. During the service, the pastor and I will deliver an excerpt from the talks we gave two weeks ago. Then, we will discuss the meaning of Psalm 23 in Jewish and Christian traditions. Finally, I have been asked to address the following questions in front of the several hundred worshipers who attend on a weekly basis:

1. Explain the following terms - Tikkun Olam, The righteous among the nations, Mitzvot, Hashem
2. In Judaism, what does "salvation" mean?
3. What is the biggest challenge being Jewish in Toronto in a post October 7 Canada? And how can the Christian community help?
4. What is the one thing you would want Christians to know about Judaism?

While I prepare myself for this coming weekend, how would you answer these questions for yourself and for those around you?

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Howard Morrison