Gobind Sadan
It was the inspiration of Reb TZiPi, a woman rabbi from the United States who returned to Gobind Sadan in January after 18 years, to put a Jewish prayer shawl on Jesus. She reasoned that as a pious Jewish man, Jesus had probably worn a prayer shawl, or tallit. A clue is found the New Testament of the Christian Bible, Matthew 9:20-22 and Mark 5:25-34, which recount the healing of a bleeding woman who touches the “fringe of his cloak.” Reb TZiPi pointed out that the word for fringes in Hebrew is tzitzit, and specifically refers to the special knotted fringes on the four corners of the traditional prayer shawl that are to help keep one’s mind and heart focused. She went to Rabbi Ezekiel Isaac Malekar of Judah Hyam Synagogue in New Delhi for help. Rabbi Malekar is an old friend of Gobind Sadan, and he agreed that Jesus could wear a Jewish prayer shawl. In fact, he had a special one from Jerusalem that he gave her for Jesus. Now every evening when the prayers are said at Jesus’ Place, Jesus wears his prayer shawl. The children and sangat of various religions recite the Lord’s Prayer, the Sh’ma (central profession of faith in Judaism), a prayer given by Baba Virsa Singh Ji Maharaj, and a passage from Psalms, and sing “Gun Gavoh,” the song in praise of Jesus written by Joginder Kaur. Jesus seems happy with this interfaith programme initiated by Baba Virsa Singh Ji, and everyone who comes is blessed.