‘Truly Inspirational’
During a residential week for young people at Ammerdown, an interfaith retreat centre in Somerset, Salaam Shalom hosted a Seder meal on the second night of Passover. The meal was a truly unique experience for a group of people from numerous faiths and those of none; eating, joking, singing and celebrating freedom together, while sharing in Jewish tradition and ritual.
Led by Ted and Becky Truitt and their son Caleb from the Bristol and West Progressive Jewish Congregation, members of the local Jewish community attended together with people from different faiths, backgrounds, cultures and ages (from 2 years old to 60!). Euan Tait, Training and Interfaith Officer at Ammerdown, reflected, ‘It so was moving to witness everyone engaged in acts of worship together, regardless of religious background, singing, laughing and experiencing the sacredness and inner meaning of food and communal eating from an ancient and holy spiritual tradition … truly inspirational’.
The Seder was a high point of the residential week for many of the young people staying at Ammerdown. For many, a new experience and one which provided the opportunity to engage with a different culture in a meaningful and memorable way:
‘The highlight was definitely the Jewish Passover meal. This was my first Passover meal and the food was delicious and I learnt a lot more about Jewish culture’
‘The Hebrew singing at Passover… Truly beautiful’
Celebrating together, everyone was able to share in the Passover message of freedom and hope for the future.
