The Christian-Jewish Alliance and Its Enemies

It was around 25 years ago that I made the unusual academic decision to enroll in Yale University’s divinity school. I arrived at Yale in early September a little nervous, aware that I was very possibly the first Orthodox rabbi to attend Yale Divinity School to study Christian philosophy. My own sense of standing out was not assuaged at student orientation, when we sat in a circle on the quad and a sincere Christian from one of the Dakotas (I forget which) said, “You know, I feel like I really stick out around here, being a Presbyterian among so many Episcopalians.” On the other side of the circle, I—the guy with the yarmulke—was thinking, “Yeah, I hate when that happens. You’re Presbyterian and everyone else is Episcopalian. That’s the worst.”

But soon after, I found interfaith friendship. That academic year Orthodox Jews were forced to contend with a most inconvenient Jewish calendar, as many of the fall holidays fell on weekdays. I sent an email to my classmates asking if any of them would be willing to tape the classes I would miss for me. This was before the age of the smartphone, when recording was an effort that required an actual recording device. I received an immediate response: “Dear Meir, my name is Jim. . . . I am in Professor Adams’s class with you and would be happy to tape the classes you’ll miss.” I was delighted.

Soon, however, another email from Jim arrived. “Dear Meir,” it began. “On second thought, are you allowed to ask me to tape the class for you? Perhaps I should say: if I happen to be taping the class (assuming I could find a tape recorder), would you like to listen to the tapes? Yours in fun, Jim.”