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Continuing the Conversation
Reflections on Jewish and
Presbyterian Dialogue at the Crossroads

by Gaylia R. Rooks

The opportunity to participate in this issue of Horizons means more to me than you can know. The invitation to add my voice to this interfaith discussion already begins the process of healing and interfaith dialogue to which I am so committed. As a Jewish woman, sharing my perspective with Presbyterian women, I believe we begin by working together to return to the state of trust and respect that described our relations in the past.

Establishing Common Ground
We begin by recognizing what unites us. Jews and Presbyterians both fervently want peace in the Middle East. Both support a two-state solution that will allow Israelis and Palestinians to fulfill their national aspirations in peace and security. Both deplore the violence and tremendous human suffering that the conflict has brought to each side. Both are also committed to maintaining the positive relations that have been built between the two faith communities in the United States.

This makes it all the more painful to witness the terrible rift that has recently divided us, after being such close friends and family for so long. The rift is real. The hurt is real. And the sense of betrayal is real. Recognizing this is the first step toward healing, but we proceed with the sure knowledge that beneath all this, thank God, lies a firm foundation of faith and trust. The long-standing work of decades of interfaith dialogue assures us that this very strength of friendship and family is strong enough to weather the current storm. American Jews who have long valued the respect and partnership of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) are waiting for an indication of how Presbyterian friends in churches across the country will respond and reach out to us.

Gaylia R. Rooks is Senior Rabbi at The Temple in Louisville, Kentucky, a graduate of Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati, and received her doctorate of ministry from the Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary in 2002.

Rabbi Gaylia Rooks responds from a Jewish perspective to the General Assembly decisions on divestment and evangelism. Read the full text of this thought-provoking article in the May/June 2005 issue of Horizons.

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