St Peter’s Church welcomes Jewish community at historic interfaith service

People from the South Bucks Jewish Community (SBJC) and St Peter’s Church’s congregation came together on Sunday (October 9) for an historic interfaith service.

The event, which celebrated the Jewish festival of Sukkot combined with a traditional choral evensong, was part of the church’s 800th anniversary celebrations.

Rector of St Peter’s, Father Stuart Owen said: “We were delighted to welcome our friends from the South Bucks Jewish Community to celebrate with us and forge new bonds.”

Rabbi Neil Janes of the South Bucks Jewish community, an informal and inclusive Jewish community with members across Buckinghamshire and West Hertfordshire, said that it was very special to be welcomed warmly by St Peter’s Church.

Rabbi Janes said: “This was a unique moment to reflect on the last 800 years of history. Jews were expelled from Berkhamsted in 1242, so this was a real first to show to our communities and visitors throughout the week what we can create together 780 years later.”

Sukkot is one of the three pilgrim festivals when Jews made the pilgrimage to the Holy Temple in Jerusalem.

In the churchyard, SBJC created and decorated a Sukkah - a symbolic ‘hut’ commemorating the time God provided shelter for the Israelites when they wandered in the wilderness after the Exodus.

It is customary to decorate the Sukkah with foliage and fruit signifying this time of harvest.

Children in Berkhamsted visited the Sukkah throughout the week, to learn more about Sukkot.

A special service was held with palm branches, willow, myrtle and an etrog (citron) waved as traditional Jewish readings and psalms were recited in Hebrew.

The crowd moved into the church for further readings, prayers and Anglican choral music.

The service concluded with Father Owen and Rabbi Janes reciting the priestly benediction in Hebrew and English.

This Sunday (October 16), the communities will meet again for a bring-and-share lunch at St Peter’s at noon.

There will also be a Simchat Torah service where the Torah is unrolled and rerolled as the Jewish community restarts its cycle of reading, with singing and dancing.