Sacred space

Interfaith sharing at Holy Blossom Temple

January/February 2005

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For some years now, Scarboro Missions has been co-sponsoring interfaith events in houses of worship of various religions. In the spring of 2002, one such site visit took place at Holy Blossom temple, a Reform synagogue in Toronto. "Sacred Space" was the theme for the day-long event.

David Hart of the Holy Blossom Interfaith Committee opened the program with a basic introduction to Judaism. In keeping with the theme of Sacred Space, Mr. Hart invited all members of the multifaith audience into the sanctuary area of the synagogue. There, he explained the meaning of the various sacred objects including the Torah (sacred book), the ark, the menorah, the ner tamid (ever-burning light) and the bimah (platform from which the Torah is read).

After a tasty lunch provided by the synagogue, everyone had an opportunity to learn about sacred space from the perspective of a number of spiritual traditions including Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, and Native Spirituality. Representatives from each of these traditions shared their teachings in small groups.

This special interfaith day signaled another step forward in the important realm of Jewish-Catholic dialogue initiated by the Second Vatican Council.

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