Project Understanding

Breaking the Separation between Church and Synagogue

Thomas Matranga ’26

“So what exactly is the Trinity? Does Jesus play a role in it? Why is Jesus so important in Christianity?” These are just a few questions I examined on this collaborative trip between twelve Jewish and twelve Christian students, trying to find common ground in a world full of prejudice and misinformation. I initially expected to find clear-cut answers to my questions, but instead I left with a newfound sense of clarity and a group of friends. I hope to stay in touch with these people for the rest of my life.

I would not call myself an expert in Christian theology, not even an expert student on the topic. I don’t go to church every Sunday, I make mistakes, and many days I forget to pray before I eat. When I applied to the Project Understanding program, I felt I was the least qualified candidate to be nominated. However, when they chose me, I was ecstatic. I have always been curious about Judaism and its traditions in comparison to Christianity. When I heard about an organization that brought both religions together for multiple joint religious experiences culminating in a trip to Israel, I jumped at the proposition, regardless of whether I felt qualified. I thought, “This is my chance to have a deeper understanding of my own faith and the faith of Jesus Christ.” However, what I learned was so much more important than knowledge: compassion.

What was meant to be a group of twelve juniors (six Jewish and six Christian) became a group of twenty-four as last year’s group was cancelled due to rising tensions in the Middle East. For safety, the organization decided to travel to Spain, where the three Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam blended together over the centuries. Lauren Chizner runs the organization along with her husband, Rabbi Todd Chizner. Brother Peter Sennert from Kellenberg Memorial High School served as the Christian teacher representative on our journey. The group met multiple times before heading to Spain to learn more about each other’s faiths before the big trip. We attended a Christmas/Hanukkah celebration as well as a Mass/Shabbat service. It was really interesting to learn about each other’s religions, but I didn’t really get a sense of the people until we traveled to Spain. I had yet to realize where the real impact of the trip would be.

The trip began in Madrid and took us all over the country to visit different sites such as Toledo, Cordoba, Zaragoza, Sevilla, Granada, and more. While there, we saw amazing structures and artifacts, such as the Pillar of Our Lady as well as a medieval Jewish cemetery. But these sights never impacted me as much as the people did. I learned more from talking to my new friends than from actually listening to the tour guides at some points. We traveled the whole country, yet my favorite parts were the late-night conversations and card games in the lobby of each hotel. No structure nor city was ever as important to me as those nights—the nights when we could truly be free. Free to talk, free to roam, free to laugh, and free to bond. It wasn’t just curiosity that brought the whole group together, but willingness to be open with someone of a different religion and culture.

Over the course of this journey, I have created relationships that I believe will never truly fade away. My friend group created a group chat that is still active, and we talk roughly every day. Thankfully, we have one more reunion lunch before the end of the organization’s usual meet-ups. I know that day will be more emotional than any other meet-up we have had during the year.

I have learned a lot about myself and others on this trip. I expected this trip to change me, but not to the extent that it did. I learned the importance of perspective and empathy, as well as how easy it is to throw away those valuable core beliefs when confused. However, the most important thing to take away from this trip was also the biggest thing separating Judaism from Christianity: ourselves. We are so focused on stereotypes and ignorance that we fail to realize how much we actually have in common with one another. Our own stubbornness is the problem.

Perhaps this project started off as just a trip to Israel, but instead it blossomed into a journey of love, friendship, and most importantly, understanding.