Sukkot with Interreligious Community in Singapore
Beneath the shelter of a Sukkah, encircled by members of the Jewish community in Singapore and friends from diverse religious backgrounds; I found myself immersed in a moment of profound connection. Amongst this eclectic gathering were cherished companions with whom I've shared enduring bonds, navigating the intricate tapestry of our beliefs, traditions, cultures, and personal journeys over the years.
While Sukkot was a familiar celebration, this occasion held a unique significance for me as I assisted in crafting the speech for the President of the Inter-Religious Organization, Singapore. In the days leading up to the event, we collaborated tirelessly to ensure that our words highlighted the pivotal role of the Jewish community within Singapore's interfaith fabric. This commitment has endured since the inception of the IRO in 1949. Our speech underscored the Jewish community's steadfast dedication to fostering interfaith relations and their invaluable contributions to Singapore's religious harmony. Additionally, I had the opportunity to reflect upon my own observations gleaned from my deepening connection with the community in recent years.
It was yet another poignant moment where the bonds between the Jewish community in Singapore and individuals from diverse religious backgrounds were strengthened. It served as a profound opportunity to contemplate the significance of this occasion through an interfaith lens.
Just five days following Yom Kippur, Sukkot—a festival symbolizing the harvest and commemorating God's protection of the children of Israel during their exodus from Egypt—unfolded before us. Central to the celebration was the ritual of waving the "Four Species" (lulav, etrog, myrtle, and willow), rooted in ancient agricultural practices. Sukkot embodies joy, hospitality, spiritual introspection, nurturing gratitude, and unity within the Jewish community.
In my quest for deeper understanding, I embarked on an interfaith exploration of the Bible and Quran to illuminate the origins of the Jewish festival I had just participated in.
Turning to the Torah, Leviticus 23:42 (in English translation) reads:
"You shall dwell in booths for seven days...that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt."
Similarly, an examination of the corresponding Quranic verses at 44:31-33 (in English translation says:
"And indeed, God delivered the Children of Israel from the humiliating torment [inflicted] upon them by Pharaoh. They were indeed a people who were [deeply] sinful and disobedient. And We chose them, knowingly, above the worlds, and gave them signs of a clear trial [of their faith]."
Sharing this revelation with a Jewish friend, I was guided to Deuteronomy 7:6-8 in the Hebrew Bible, which articulates (in English translation):
"For you are a people consecrated to Adonai your God: of all the peoples on earth that Adonai your God has chosen to be His treasured people, cherished out of all the peoples on earth. It was not because you are the most numerous of peoples that Adonai set His heart on you and chose you—indeed, you are the smallest of peoples; but it was because Adonai favoured you and kept the oath He made to your fathers that Adonai freed you with a mighty hand and rescued you from the house of bondage, from the power of Pharaoh, king of Egypt."
In delving into these passages that bridge the narrative of the Exodus across Islamic and Jewish traditions, I humbly acknowledge my limited expertise in Quranic and Bible studies. However, I think there is always a merit to the interfaith reading of scriptures of connected religious history, which brings us closer while preserving out distinct identities.
