The Rabbi Goes to Church on Xmas Eve: A Gift of Hospitality & Light

Andy Bachman, the rabbi at Congregation Beth Elohim in Park Slope, reflects on Xmas Eve at Old First Dutch Reformed Church on his blog Water Over Rocks.

Last night I participated in the Christmas Eve service at Old First Reformed Church, having been invited by my dear friend the Rev. Dr. Daniel Meeter.
I will admit to both externally accepting the invitation with great joy
while internally contemplating for a few weeks the symbolism of the
gesture and I want to share some of those thoughts with you, dear
reader.

The first thought is about the practice of being able to
accept the gift of hospitality. A friend invited me into his home–his
spiritual home–and on one of the holiest days of the year, no less.
The intimacy of this gesture is great.

The second thought is
that the music for Christmas Eve is just out of this world–and being
so close to it, watching the cues, behind the scenes, as it were, made
those aesthetic moments that much better.

Then the third thought
dawned on me: I'd be wearing a kippah in the church on the holiday that
celebrates the birth of the messiah I do not accept. I wondered if this
was hypocritical; or syncretistic; or confusing for those witnessing
the event. Would theological lines be crossed?

Read more here.