God, how majestic is Your presence in all the earth.
Praised be the glory of God in heaven and earth. (Gates of Prayer)
Here is another important part of the worship service that is similar in both the Christian and the Jewish traditions. For Christians, it is the Lord’s Prayer:
Our Father, who art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy Kingdom come,
Thy will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory.
For ever and ever. Amen
During their religious services, Jews recite the Kaddish several times. As with other parts of Sabbath worship services, the Kaddish is not a prayer per se; it extols the glory and name of God, but it does not ask for anything. While the theology behind the Kaddish is very different from that behind the Lord’s Prayer, look at the similarity:
Let the glory of God be extolled, and God’s great name be hallowed in the world whose creation God willed. May God rule in our own day, our own lives, and the life of all Israel, and let us say: Amen.
Let God’s great name be blessed for ever and ever.
Beyond all praises, songs, and adorations that we can utter is the Holy One, the Blessed One, whom yet we glorify, honor, and exalt. And let us say: Amen.
For us and for all Israel, may the blessing of peace and the promise of life come true, and let us say: Amen.
May the One who causes peace to reign in the high heavens, cause peace to reign among us, all Israel, and all the world, and let us say: Amen. (Gates of Prayer)
As both Jews and Christians know, bread and wine are common to both religions, but in very different ways. For centuries, Jews have been accustomed to making blessings over bread and wine, both in the synagogue and at mealtime at home with friends and family. At the end of a Jewish service, the leader and/or members of the congregation recite the blessings.
According to the Gospels, at the Last Supper, Jesus inaugurated and defined a rite that is central to Christian belief and to church services, the Eucharist. Here is the passage from Matthew 26:26-28:
While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”
I have observed the solemnity with which churchgoers receive communion, the rite that has links to the Jewish ritual consumption of bread and wine and to the temple sacrifices in ancient Jerusalem. I also have learned that a key to understanding the Eucharist is in Jesus’ command, “Do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19).
Water is an important part of both Jewish and Christian rituals. In Judaism, water is used for conversion as well as for cleansing and renewal, and it is usually linked to the use of the mikvah, the ritual bath (see “Shabbat—The Sabbath”), although immersion can take place in any body of moving water (the Jordan River, for example). There is evidence that the mikvah was being used in the first century CE, and evidence of a mikvah bath is found at the ruins of Masada (see “Israel”). The idea of using a bath and immersion in water as a means of repentance was used in ancient times and is common today to cleanse and prepare for prayer.
In Christianity, water is used in the baptism ritual, which is the sacrament of regeneration and admission into the Christian community. In this manner, the person being baptized receives a new and spiritual life. A baptism can be performed with symbolic sprinkling of or actual immersion in water.
Christianity and Judaism share many roots—in worship, liturgy, and rituals. Of course, there remain much controversy and grounds for scholarly debate about two thousand years of history, belief, and learning. But I will leave the debate, research, and controversy to the scholars and end with a blessing common to both the Jewish and Christian traditions.
I have heard the Priestly Blessing recited by rabbis at synagogue services for my entire life, and I hear it now at many of the church services I attend. Also known as the Aaronic Benediction, it is the blessing of the Lord with which Aaron and his sons were to bless the children of Israel (Numbers 6:24-26):
The LORD bless you and keep you;
the LORD make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you;
the LORD lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.
Jews, Jesus, and Christianity
Most modern Jews would agree that Jesus was a great man, a teacher, and even a prophet who traveled the land performing wonderful, miraculous deeds and preached love and kindness. Christians recognize Jesus as Christ, the Son of God, their savior, and the Messiah.
The Jewish people believe that when the Messiah comes there will be an end to world suffering. They look to Isaiah 2:4, which says, “they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.” When the Messiah comes, the world will no longer be a place of hunger, hatred, and injustice, and the wolf, lamb, lion, and calf will all live together. Jews do not believe, therefore, that the Messiah has come, and they do not recognize Jesus as their savior or as the Son of God.
Thus, Jews who believe in either the coming of the Messiah or a messianic age continue to await the event, while Christians await the second coming of their Messiah.
Fortunately, there are signs of growing understanding, respect, and acceptance among many members of the Jewish and Christian faiths. Ongoing affirmations between leaders of Catholic and Jewish groups indicate agreement that both faiths are beloved of God and assured of God’s grace. In many communities, interfaith councils and coalitions of religious congregations work to promote and maintain religious tolerance, mutual support, political action, and education. I have had the privilege to serve on such an interfaith group as a representative of my own congregation, and found it quite interesting and rewarding.
If Jews are permitted to believe what they believe, and Christians are permitted to believe what they believe, all will benefit. History has shown that when one group forces their beliefs on another, serious problems occur.
Because of the nature of American society, many Christians and Jews work together, socialize, live in the same neighborhoods, and send their children to the same schools. If Christians attend a synagogue service for a bar or bat mitzvah, a wedding, or a funeral service, they will recognize or be comfortable with many of the things being said. After all, such ceremonies use the same prayers and
