The first Comfort My People was on December 15th, 2002. On the Hebrew
calendar the Fast of the Tenth of Tevet had just finished, which marks when
King Nebuchadnezzar breached the wall of Jerusalem and to which the prophet
Isaiah wrote, "Comfort, Comfort My People." (Isaiah 40:1) Roughly 2500 years
to the date after this occurrence Jews and Christians came together to
support and celebrate the state of Israel in a small church in Salem,
Massachusetts.

Seven months earlier, in May of 2002, on the National Day of Prayer, a group
of Christians marched from Boston's State House to the Israeli Consulate to
New England with a letter of support. Israel was in the midst of the second
Intifada and to our horror local leaders representing the Christian
community were protesting against the state of Israel. It was a time to not
be silent! As we delivered the letter, heart felt words were exchanged and
Consul General Hillel Newman offered to come and speak to a group in the
near future.

At the same time, friendships were being built between the members of
Christian Renewal Church and the synagogue across the street, Temple Shalom.
As the evening of December 15th approached, the Salem Evening Newspaper
released a report entitling, The Bridge Across Lafayette Street. The church
was filled with Christians and Jews, celebrating Israel and the G-d of
Israel. When Dr. Newman came to the podium to speak he asked that the music
not stop and added that he wondered if the Peace of Jerusalem could begin
right there, that night in Salem, Massachusetts. Before the evening was
over, Rabbi Weinsberg of a synagogue in Swampscott, Massachusetts announced to the entire congregation that his synagogue would host the next Comfort My People. And it did!

When we walked across the common on that rainy day in May to deliver a letter of
support, we had no idea how we might actually fulfill the commitments we
set forth in it. We are grateful that God has given us opportunities to help fulfill the words commanded in Isaiah 40:1.