Rabbi Chaim Sitrin, the mashgiach, or kosher supervisor, at Pikesville's Beth Tfiloh Synagogue, lends a hand to Michelle Epps, a congregant of Liberty Grace Church of God, as she prepares food for an interfaith Shabbat service and reception. (Photo by Steve Ruark)

It all started out with a gesture of outreach and friendship.

Dr. Terris A. King, senior pastor of Ashburton’s Liberty Grace Church of God, contacted Beth Tfiloh Synagogue’s Rabbi Mitchell Wohlberg after reading “Not in my Neighborhood: How Bigotry Shaped a Great American City,” by former Sun reporter Antero Pietila.

Dr. King wanted to make a meaningful connection with the Pikesville shul and the Jewish community at large. Last November, the two congregations celebrated their interfaith bond at Liberty Grace’s 40th annual “Day of Unity” gathering.

Patsy Collins, left, of Beth Tfiloh Congregation, and Cathy King, whose husband is pastor of Liberty Grace Church of God, help prepare a meal for a shared Shabbat service and reception. (Photo by Steve Ruark)

Beth Tfiloh Congregation members Marlene Hollander, left, and Lindsay Gaister prepare noodle kugel for a shared Shabbat service and reception with Liberty Grace Church of God. (Photo by Steve Ruark)

Cathy King, left, whose husband is pastor of Liberty Grace Church of God, and Gracie Hanner, also a Liberty Grace member, slice potatoes while working with Beth Tfiloh Congregation members to prepare a meal for a shared Shabbat service and reception. (Photo by Steve Ruark)

Michelle Epps, left, of Liberty Grace Church of God, and Shelley Kaye, of Beth Tfiloh Congregation, chat while preparing chicken wings for an interfaith Shabbat service and reception. (Photo by Steve Ruark)

Rabbi Chaim Sitrin, right, the mashgiach at Beth Tfiloh Congregation, talks to women from Beth Tfiloh and Liberty Grace Church of God, as they prepare food for an interfaith Shabbat service and reception. (Photo by Steve Ruark)

Women from Beth Tfiloh Congregation and Liberty Grace Church of God prepare collard greens for a shared Shabbat service and reception. (Photo by Steve Ruark)

From left, Cathy King, whose husband is pastor of Liberty Grace Church of God, prepares collard greens with Beth Tfiloh Congregation members Lindsay Gaister, Shelley Kaye, Ayelet Steiner and Alicia Broth. Women from both congregations gathered to prepare a meal for a shared Shabbat service and reception at Beth Tfiloh on Saturday, July 27. (Photo by Steve Ruark)

Rabbi Chaim Sitrin, the mashgiach, or kosher supervisor, at Pikesville's Beth Tfiloh Synagogue, lends a hand to Michelle Epps, a congregant of Liberty Grace Church of God, as she prepares food for an interfaith Shabbat service and reception. (Photo by Steve Ruark)















That spark of fellowship turned out not to be a photo-op one-time deal. For about three hours on Thursday night, July 25, women from Beth Tfiloh and Liberty Grace gathered in the synagogue’s Crane Multipurpose Room to cook up an interfaith feast, featuring their favorite traditional African-American and Jewish recipes.

The dishes will be served to members of both congregations on Saturday, July 27, at a kiddush luncheon after Shabbat services in Beth Tfiloh’s auditorium.

The gathering — featuring religious services, discussions, and cultural and culinary exchanges — is part of the Breaking Bread and Building Bridges program. Last January, the two congregations also enjoyed a “Unity Shabbat” event at Beth Tfiloh.

The menu for the July 27 feast will include fried chicken, collard greens, potato salad, gefilte fish, noodle kugel, falafel with pita, Israeli salad and more. The event will conclude with an intimate discussion about what unites the two congregations and their faiths, led by Dr. King and Rabbi Wohlberg.