Seventh-day Adventists from 23 countries gathered February 6 for a six-day "Adventist Jewish Friendship Conference" aimed at building bridges between Adventists and Jews.

In his opening address to the 140 delegates, Dr. Bertil Wiklander, president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Trans-European region, noted several Adventist beliefs that suggest a close connection with Judaism and Jewish people.

"We have the Sabbath in common and with it a high regard for God's law as an ethical guide, and we wait for the 'advent' of the Messiah. We are united by Torah and Messiah," said Wiklander.

Rabbi David Bateman, of Kehilat Ya'ar Ramot, a conservative Jewish congregation in the Jerusalem suburb of Ramot, gave a presentation on the subject of "The Place of Israel in Jewish Thinking."

Other presentations came from Adventist scholars and pastors from around the world, many of whom have Jewish backgrounds. Topics included "Continuity and Discontinuity Between the Church and Israel" by Dr. Gunnar Pedersen of Newbold College, England; "Jewish Understanding of Messianic Prophecies" by Dr. Jacques Doukhan, from Andrews University, U.S.A.; "Adventist-Jewish Issues" by Dr. Reinaldo Siqueira from Brazil; "Common Jewish Objections to Jesus" by Dr. Daniel Duda of the Trans-European church region; "Survey of the History of Anti-Semitism" by Dr. David Penner, principal of Newbold College; and "Reading the Bible after the Holocaust" by Dr. Laurence Turner, also of Newbold College.

Richard Elofer, director of the Global Centre for Adventist-Jewish Friendship, gave some practical advice on methods and tools for reaching Jewish people, and Pastor Siqueira, as well as Pastors Alex Schlussler, from Florida, Alexander Bolotnikov, from New York, and David Barzola, from Argentina, presented workshops on planting an Adventist-Jewish synagogue.

Reaction from delegates in attendance was positive.

"As Seventh-day Adventists, we are deeply indebted to the rich cultural and spiritual heritage that Judaism has given us. This conference has challenged us not only to build more effective bridges to our Jewish friends, but also to look more closely at how our Jewish heritage can enhance our own faith and practice," said Gary Krause, director of the Office of Adventist Mission for the world church.

Pastor Alexander Schlussler, congregational leader of Beth Tehillah Vetikva and pastor of the Boyton Beach Adventist Church in Florida, U.S.A., recalled, "Looking down over Jerusalem [as] we worshiped on the Mount of Olives, there we lifted our voices and felt the presence of God. For to experience worship in a Jewish context is to touch the very heart of the Lord."

One of the most heartfelt testimonies came from Marija Trajkovska, Women's Ministries director for the South-East European Adventist Church region, with headquarters in Serbia. Her grandparents were involved in hiding and protecting Jews during the Nazi occupation of Nis, Serbia, in the Second World War, she said, and she has always had a burden for Jewish-Adventist relations.

"I have always loved reading the Bible, but after this visit to the Holy Land of Israel I will read it from a new and completely different perspective. I have always loved Jewish songs and tried to memorize them; this visit helped me to take part in them in an unforgettable and most impressive way," Trajkovska said.

"The first thing we need to build, however, is friendship and dialogue" says Wiklander, "and this is done only by mutual sharing. Although some Adventists would like to, we must not see our relation to Jews as a one-way communication. We must also listen, receive, and enter into the rich world of Jewish thinking." At the same time, he emphasized the Adventist tradition of respecting and honouring the free exercise of all faiths.

The Trans-European church region previously organized a successful conference on Adventist-Muslim Friendship in 2003 and views this format as an important way of alerting Adventist leaders to the need for being bridge builders to all peoples, including those of other faiths.

There are approximately 1,500 Seventh-day Adventists worshipping in 29 congregations in Israel. [Editor: Miroslav Pujic for ANN/APD]