It all started out with a gesture of outreach and friendship.
Dr. Terris A. King, senior pastor of Ashburton’s Liberty Grace Church of God, contacted Beth Tfiloh Synagogue’s Rabbi Mitchell Wohlberg after reading “Not in my Neighborhood: How Bigotry Shaped a Great American City,” by former Sun reporter Antero Pietila.
Dr. King wanted to make a meaningful connection with the Pikesville shul and the Jewish community at large. Last November, the two congregations celebrated their interfaith bond at Liberty Grace’s 40th annual “Day of Unity” gathering.
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That spark of fellowship turned out not to be a photo-op one-time deal. For about three hours on Thursday night, July 25, women from Beth Tfiloh and Liberty Grace gathered in the synagogue’s Crane Multipurpose Room to cook up an interfaith feast, featuring their favorite traditional African-American and Jewish recipes.
The dishes will be served to members of both congregations on Saturday, July 27, at a kiddush luncheon after Shabbat services in Beth Tfiloh’s auditorium.
The gathering — featuring religious services, discussions, and cultural and culinary exchanges — is part of the Breaking Bread and Building Bridges program. Last January, the two congregations also enjoyed a “Unity Shabbat” event at Beth Tfiloh.
The menu for the July 27 feast will include fried chicken, collard greens, potato salad, gefilte fish, noodle kugel, falafel with pita, Israeli salad and more. The event will conclude with an intimate discussion about what unites the two congregations and their faiths, led by Dr. King and Rabbi Wohlberg.
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