Good Friday, commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus, coincides with the start of the Jewish festival of Passover this week . It will be a special day of prayer and festivities for thousands of Christian and Jewish Londoners. The third Abrahamic faith, Islam, is also in the midst of Ramadan, making an unusual treble of the three great monotheistic religions celebrating major festivals on the same day. This “festive hat-trick” last occurred over 30 years ago.
Passover commemorates the exodus of the ancient Israelites from slavery in Egypt. Moses famously told Pharaoh, the leader of ancient Egypt, “let my people go.” This story has inspired historic struggles for freedom throughout the ages, including Martha Luther King and the campaign for civil rights for the black community in America.
Passover is an 8-day festival, featuring a ritual meal or “Seder” at the start. Surveys show that attending a Passover Seder is the most popular Jewish ritual, observed by 74% of Jewish people. At this meal, bitter herbs are eaten to symbolise the hardship of slavery as well as unleavened bread or “Matza” because the Israelites did not have enough time for the dough to rise in their rush to leave Egypt. The story of the Exodus is told and children are encouraged to ask questions. The importance of freedom is an overriding theme.
The Passover Seder is commonly thought to have been Jesus’ last supper. Judaism and Christianity are theologically and historically intertwined. One Pope, John Paul II, called Judaism our “elder brothers in faith.” However, the relationship has not always been so rosy. For hundreds of years Christians blamed Jews for the murder of Jesus, which sparked attacks on Jewish communities. These attacks often became particularly venomous in the run-up to Easter.
In the Middle Ages Jews were falsely accused of killing Christian children and using the blood to make their unleavened bread for Passover. The blood libel was invented in England in 1144 and exported all over the world. It led to persecution of Jewish communities at that time. Walking around London, there are signs of the Jewish community of this era such as the street, “Old Jewry”, in the city and the “Domus Conversorum” in Holborn, which was a house for Jews who converted to Christianity. After prolonged victimisation, the Jews were expelled in 1290 and only resettled in Britain 350 years later.
Fast forward to today, and there are positive ties between London’s faith communities. We talk to each other, undertake joint projects and meet as friends. This takes time, patience and hard work. We share much in common, but also respect our differences.
The three festivals taking place from tomorrow all feature prayer and reflection, as well as gatherings of families and communities, particularly welcome after the last two years of Covid-induced restrictions. One of the other recurring themes of all three festivals is food. One wag once joked that all Jewish festivals can be summarised as “they tried to kill us, let’s eat”! Whilst the quip is an exaggeration based on tragic events of Jewish history, Jews will eat special foods on Passover, such as unleavened bread on Passover. In the meantime, no Easter is complete without the traditional chocolate egg whilst Muslims are enjoying their Iftar meals at the end of each long day of fasting.
At the Seder, Jews will rejoice in the freedom won by their ancestors, following slavery in Egypt. We symbolically lean on our chairs to re-enact that freedom. Freedom is hard won and easily lost. In Britain, we are fortunate to enjoy freedom of speech and religion, whereas in so many countries these are restricted. Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine is a sharp reminder of how freedom can be removed abruptly and without legitimacy. The charity, the Council of Christians and Jews is encouraging people to leave an empty chair at their festive tables as a reminder of how many people around the world lack basic freedom. As we gather together for the first time since 2019, all those celebrating a religious festival in London can rejoice in the occasion and be thankful for our liberty above all else.
