Swedish Church – a Reflective Visit

By Golan --- Some IJC friends and I recently had the opportunity to attend an engaging talk by Rev. Dr. Jesper Svartvik at the Church of Sweden in Brussels. A respected Christian theologian and a true friend of the Jewish people, he spoke about the need for Christianity to reconnect with its Jewish foundations, both as a matter of historical relationship and as a living part of Christian identity today.

I was deeply touched by his sincere reflection on the role some past Christian teachings have played in the history of antisemitism. The tone and content of his work felt like a true act of kiruv levavot, a bringing of hearts closer. This Hebrew phrase speaks to the healing of past wounds and the fostering of genuine understanding between people. Through both his theological insights and personal presence, Rev. Dr. Svartvik conveyed a commitment to building bridges and trust between our communities.

I’m grateful to Pastor Tina Haettner Blomquist for organizing this event and for inviting IJC members to attend. Effie, Mikael, Olga and others joined me (see photo), and we were all touched by the warm welcome we received. I very much hope we’ll be able to host Pastor Tina to an IJC event in the future, and perhaps welcome Rev. Jesper as well, should he return to Belgium.