Temple B'nai Torah Hosts Interfaith Service, Dialogue

Temple B'nai Torah in Wantagh hosted its second annual  this past Friday night in honor of a late longtime member of the congregation who valued dialogues between different faiths. 

Temple B'nai Torah's spiritual leader Rabbi Marci Bellows invited three members of the Wantagh Clergy Council to lead Friday's Shabbat service in memory of Joyce Berger and then host a discussion on how God intervenes in daily life and what that means to each faith and their traditions. Participating in the interfaith service and dialogue were Father Christopher Hofer of, Pastor Ron Garner of and Rev. Maurene O'Hagan, who is an ordained minister with the United Reformed Church of the United Kingdom. 

"I think interfaith activities are important, especially in this time," said Rev. Garner, an Indiana native who took over as pastor of Wantagh Memorial Congregational Church three years ago. 

"It's good that we can all come together and pray together because we all pray for the same God," said Father Hofer, who is also originally from Indiana and has led The Church of St. Jude on 3606 Lufberry Ave. in Wantagh since July 2004. 

Temple B'nai Torah was formed in July of 2008 by a merger of The Suburban Temple in Wantagh and Temple Judea in Massapequa.

Father Hofer said the Wantagh Clergy Council is committed to holding interfaith events throughout the year. The group organizes an annual interfaith dinner and service on Thanksgiving Eve with rotations each year at different congregations in the community.