From left: Rabbi Rebekah Goldman Mag of Farmington Valley Jewish Congregation – Emek Shalom, Rabbi Alan Lefkowitz of Congregation Beth Ahm, and Rabbi Debra Cantor of B’nai Tikvoh-Sholom lead Seder participants in traditional Passover songs.

More than 100 people from 25 different faith communities participated in the Cathrine Fischer Schwartz Annual Interfaith Seder on Sunday, March 19, at Congregation Beth Israel in West Hartford. Each year this unique program, which is free and open to all, brings together the Jewish community and those of other faiths to explore and enjoy the tastes and traditions of Passover. The seder was led by Rabbi Debra Cantor of B’nai Tikvoh-Sholom in Bloomfield and Rabbi Rebekah Goldman Mag of Farmington Valley Jewish Congregation – Emek Shalom in Simsbury. Eight more rabbis were among those who helped to facilitate the festive meal, including Rabbi Yitzchok Adler of Beth David Synagogue; Rabbi Jeremy Bruce of Hebrew High School of New England; Rabbi Steven Chatinover of Solomon Schechter Day School; Rabbi Andi Fliegel of Congregation Beth Israel; Rabbi Randall Konigsburg of Beth Sholom B’nai Israel; Rabbi Alan Lefkowitz of Congregation Beth Ahm; Rabbi James Rosen of Beth El Temple; and Rabbi David Small of The Emanuel Synagogue. The Interfaith Seder was presented by the Social Justice Committee of the Jewish Community Relations Council, part of the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford, with program partner Congregation Beth Israel. Generous support for the Seder was provided by the Cathrine Fischer Schwartz Federation Fund at the Jewish Community Foundation.

CAP: Seder participants raise glasses of grape juice to remember the redemption of the Israelites from slavery.