Rabbi gives lessons for Lent

CHAPEL HILL -- The 40 days of Lent are a time when Christians are called to examine their faith. At Church of the Holy Family, members have been invited to examine it in a new way: through Judaism.

This year's Wednesday night Lenten series is being taught by a rabbi.

So far, the response has been enthusiastic.

"Lent is a time to step out of your comfort zone and try things you haven't done before," said Aileen Montes of Hillsborough, a member of Church of the Holy Family who participated in the first two of five Wednesday night Lenten studies. "It makes us think and reflect."

The series, taught by Rabbi Raachel Jurovics of Raleigh, is not an introduction to Judaism and certainly not an attempt to convert members of the Episcopal parish off U.S. 15-501.

Rather, it's an attempt to learn about some of the tools Judaism offers for accessing God.

"Many times interfaith gatherings aren't able to get past surface issues," said Jurovics. "To have the opportunity to present at a deep level the Jewish approach to theological concerns we share with every faith path is to say, 'Here's what we have to work with. We're happy to share that with you, and we want to hear how you struggle with those same issues.'"

Across boundaries

Lent, the 40-day period preceding Easter, is a time of spiritual preparation in imitation of the wilderness fasting of Jesus prior to his crucifixion. Many Christians give up certain foods and spend time reflecting on their relationship with God.

The invitation to Jurovics is part of a larger interfaith movement that is crossing boundaries in ways unimaginable even a generation ago. In living rooms, religious spaces, soup kitchens and other community projects, Christians, Jews and Muslims are crossing into one another's lives. The experience helps break boundaries of brick and mortar that once held religions apart, envisioning a God that lives within traditions but also outside of them.

At Church of the Holy Family, the initial thought was to have a Roman Catholic nun contribute to the Lenten series. Scheduling conflicts prevented that.

Drawing parallels

On Wednesday night, about 25 people sat in a corner of the sanctuary while Jurovics talked about how being created in God's image is a central component of Judaism, leading people to accept their flaws and failures while striving to lead holy lives. Later, participants partnered to read and discuss a text by Jewish theologian Martin Buber.

Throughout the one-hour talk, Jurovics mentioned Lent several times and drew parallels to Jewish seasons of introspection, such as the 49 days after Passover.

The Rev. Jim Melnyk, interim rector at Church of the Holy Family, said he invited Jurovics because he had worked with her in various interfaith settings before and thought she could contribute insights to the ways the two faiths are connected.

"Lent is a time when we say, not only, 'What do I need to do in my life?' but also 'How do I turn to God and move beyond myself?'" Melnyk said. "We want to draw attention to our shared sense of God's presence in the world."