Presbyterian Church In Westchester County Opens Doors To Members Of Local Synagogue
RYE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Congregations of two different religions in Westchester County are preparing to worship under one roof.
Worshipers at a synagogue needed a place to go because of a renovation project, so a Presbyterian church in the area stepped up and opened its doors.
As CBS2's Brian Conybeare reported, bells have been calling worshipers to the historic Rye Presbyterian Church since 1870. Now, it's welcoming its Jewish neighbors as well.
"Yeah, we are going to be the wandering Jews," Rabbi Leora Frankel from the Community Synagogue of Rye said.
The associate rabbi says her congregation is about to do a $6 million renovation and nearly wound up homeless while the 14 month project is underway.
"Our neighbors who so graciously have welcomed us in for this upcoming year," she said.
"This is the congregation that is very open and welcoming," Reverend John Miller, co-pastor at Rye Presbyterian tells CBS2. "Sp this would be the arc of the covenant."
He highlighted the chapel now home to both Christian bibles and Hebrew Torahs.
"They will be worshiping on Friday night and Saturday morning," Reverend Miller said. "We will use that same space for Saturday night and Sunday morning, it's by the flexible space so that all religious images can be in place for our services and there's gonna be a place for their services."
Last Sunday, the synagogue held a ceremonial Torah march -- transporting its sacred scrolls to the church less than a mile away. Sunday school students created homemade signs welcoming their neighbors adorned with words like "peace" and "shalom."
"It's wonderful and I'm not surprised," synagogue member Ron Cohen said. "I think it's important that we be a part of a community whether it be a religious community or a community as a whole, a municipality that we stand together in these divided times."
