Remember when Jews, Christians came together not in crisis but in joy Austin Albanese

On an August afternoon in 1872, Milwaukee’s Jewish community gathered at the corner of Broadway and Martin Streets to dedicate a new synagogue, Temple Emanu-El.

The sanctuary was filled with congregants and neighbors alike. Fourteen children, dressed in white and carrying flowers, led the procession. Torah scrolls were placed in the ark while a choir singing in German filled the space with music. And then, in a moment that might surprise us today, a Christian minister rose to speak.

The Reverend John Dudley of Plymouth Congregational Church preached alongside Rabbi Max Lilienthal, who was visiting from Cincinnati to help dedicate the synagogue. Rev. Dudley spoke of common ground between Jews and Christians — monotheism, justice, and shared morals — and praised Milwaukee’s Jewish congrega