TORONTO — The mood of a multifaith Tu b’Shvat celebration was upbeat and congenial as a group of people from diverse backgrounds and faiths shared their reverence for the beauty and bounty of the earth.
Some 60 people representing Jewish, Muslim and Christian congregations gathered Feb. 3 at Eastminster United Church on Danforth Avenue to attend a Tu b’Shvat seder conducted by Rabbi Miriam Margles, spiritual leader of the Danforth Jewish Circle (DJC).
The community event was organized by the Danforth Multi-Faith Committee, made up of representatives from the DJC, Eastminster, the Pakistani Community Centre, Glen Rhodes United Church, Neighbourhood Unitarian/ Universal Congregation and the Ethiopian Church.
Karen Robbins of the DJC, a co-chair of the committee, co-founded the group in 2007 with Eve-Lynn Stein of the DJC and Tasleem Riaz of the Pakistani Community Centre. Members of the Pakistani centre pray at Madinah Masjid, the mosque at Danforth and Donlands avenues. The group rents space at Glen Rhodes, which is at Gerrard Street and Coxwell Avenue.
Robbins said the goal of these multifaith events is to strengthen community ties. “There are no politics. We’re all about community-building. We meet in each other’s homes.
“For me is about spending time together. We want to get to know each other. We want to be in each other’s lives.”
Over the years, the committee has held several events – community walks, women’s evenings and a cricket match last spring. “This year we decided to participate in each other’s calendar events,” Robbins said, noting that Rabbi Margles suggested the DJC host a multifaith celebration for Tu b’Shvat, the New Year of Trees.
The rabbi told The CJN that an important theme of Tu b’Shvat – gratitude for the abundance of nature – presented an opportunity for people “to bring the wisdom of their own respective traditions” in sharing an appreciation for the environment and its sustainability.
“It’s so valuable for people from different cultures and from different religious communities to spend time together engaging in how a particular practice touches a universal theme, particularly in relationship to the environment.”
The rabbi and DJC Cantor Lisa Kent led participants at the seder in prayer and songs. People recited the Hebrew blessings for the wine and the fruit of the trees as they sampled grape juice, olives, figs, dates, pomegranates, almonds and walnuts, all symbolizing many of the species mentioned in the Bible.
There was even a Canadian twist to the Tu b’Shvat menu: maple syrup was added to represent this nation’s iconic tree.
In between fruit courses and blessings, people crossed the room, greeting each other with shalom or salaam and handshakes, and later they talked to each other about their cultural traditions, including food.
In one exercise, the rabbi had participants forming human chains, and in another exercise, people exchanged partners, moving around the room as if they were square dancing.
Two members of the United Church clergy were on hand. Rev. Sarah Miller from Eastminster and Rev. Robin Wardlaw of Glen Rhodes each read a poem to the group.
When asked about the event, both of them were very positive.
“I though it was a beautiful celebration of community,” Rev. Miller said.
Rev. Wardlaw noted the “gracious tone of the evening” and diversity of the group. “The breadth of participants – there were people from all over the world.”
Yafet Tadesse of the Ethiopian Church likened the event to the changing of the seasons. “We are ushering in a new season of acceptance.”
Rafaqat Ali Malik, who participated as both a member of the Pakistani Community Centre and a representative of Asian Communities Council of Canada, said the evening had transcended the barriers of “colour and creed.”
For Robbins, the seder was a great success. “I felt it was a real opportunity for connecting. People were really talking to each other. The goodwill was palpable.
“Rabbi Miriam was excellent in navigating us to a space that was open for everyone to feel love for the earth and nature. We could share that no matter what our backgrounds.”
