As the warm glow of candlelight filled the second-story church fellowship hall, the sweet richness of charoset and the fiery bite of horseradish mingled in the air, setting the stage for an atmosphere of sacred stillness. Voices softly rose in prayer and song, enveloping the gathering in reverence and fellowship. About 50 people, both Adventist believers and Jewish guests, gathered for a Passover Seder hosted by Pastor Igor Kolesnik and the Willowdale Seventh-day Adventist Church in Toronto.
“This Seder was a true community effort,” Pastor Kolesnik observed. “Everyone participated in the preparation, including new Jewish friends who are not members of our church but are part of our group. That kind of involvement meant a lot.”
One of the evening’s many blessings was the presence of Dr. Bolotnikov, an Adventist pastor, theologian, and scholar who traveled to Toronto for the event. With a Haggadah he meticulously prepared in English, Russian, and Hebrew, the service was multilingual with Dr. Bolotnikov providing English introductions and explanations throughout the Seder while also conducting the ceremony in Russian. He unveiled the profound meaning in each Passover custom, where the snap of the matzah, the pungency of the bitter herbs, and the sweetness of the wine awakened the senses to a timeless story of liberation and hope. Dr. Bolotnikov revealed how the Seder not only connects with Jewish customs but also reaches into the heart of Christianity, offering a revelation of the eternal fulfillment of God’s covenant and the transformative, life-giving love of Jesus.
In each symbol, from the bread to the wine, Jesus’ sacrifice was not only remembered but made present, offering a love that redeems, transforms, and renews, drawing all hearts toward the promise of eternal communion with God. Through this lens, the Seder became a living testimony to the power of God’s grace. For the Jewish guests, it was an invitation to experience the Seder through a new spiritual lens where the heritage of Exodus converges with the redemptive power of Jesus.
“He beautifully showed how the Last Supper was, in fact, a Passover Seder,” Pastor Kolesnik reflected on the eloquence of Dr. Bolotnikov’s presentation. “He explained how Jesus took specific symbols from the Seder and gave them new meaning, revealing the beauty of Jesus as the Mashiach and the power in His blood. For me, this was especially meaningful from the perspective of the Jewish festival and our Jewish guests who are not Adventist. It was powerful for them to see the connection that the story of Jesus, though not traditionally accepted in Judaism, is deeply rooted in the Seder. The way Dr. Bolotnikov emphasized this was very moving and significant.”
The evening reached its pinnacle with the presentation of a Torah scroll — an act that profoundly touched everyone present. Pastor Ralph Ringer, Coordinator of Jewish Ministries for the North American Division, had facilitated the scroll’s journey from Fletcher, North Carolina, to Great Falls, Montana, where he entrusted it to Dr. Bolotnikov. From there, Dr. Bolotnikov transported the scroll across the US-Canada border to Toronto. At the conclusion of the Seder, Pastor Ringer formally dedicated the Torah scroll to the congregation, signifying its new place within their community.
“Many had never seen a Torah scroll up close before,” Pastor Kolesnik shared. “Now, we’re not just a group that talks about Torah. We’re like any other synagogue, with an actual scroll. For many, that was a profoundly meaningful moment.”
The Torah is not just a revered text; it is the heart of Jewish faith, culture, and history, typically found only in synagogues. Beyond religious observance, the Torah is material evidence of the ancient and enduring covenant between God and His people; this covenant is brought to life through each person who reads, sees, or touches it. Holding a Torah scroll connects one to the essence of tradition, a continuous thread that unites the past, present, and future. Its wisdom is not just laws or stories; it guides us to live lives of holiness, justice, humility, and mercy, urging us to walk humbly with God and extend compassion to all.
For both Adventist and Jewish participants, receiving the Torah scroll was not only an honor but a powerful symbol of shared faith. As the scroll was unrolled, its timeworn parchment and Hebrew text captivated the eyes and hearts of all present. The delicate rustling of the scroll and the intricate curves of the Hebrew letters created a direct connection to the past. Many attendees gently traced their fingers over its calligraphy in solemn reverence, while others immortalized the moment, snapping photos with their phones, filled with awe and gratitude.
Ringer, who made a surprise visit to the event, captured the celebration in photos. As the cool evening breeze from Lake Ontario drifted through the windows, filling the air with the fresh scent of spring, he shared a few heartfelt words. In those moments, he dedicated the Torah scroll to the Toronto church group, imbuing it with its heavenly significance and its new place within their congregation. This moment elevated the gathering, transforming it from a simple meal into something far more profound. It became a living testament to God’s covenant, offering both Adventist and Jewish participants a chance to experience a shared spiritual journey marked by hallowed faith and a unified purpose in God’s divine plan.
Pastor Ringer recalled that when he left the event, about 60% of the attendees were still there. “There was a lot of fellowship after the service, and many people wanted to take pictures with Dr. Bolotnikov. It was very well received,” he said.
Several Adventists, many of whom had not previously understood the depth of Passover’s significance, expressed their newfound understanding. “A few Adventists who aren’t Jewish came up to me and said, ‘Now this gives better background to Passover. It really fills in the meaning and shows how it points to the Messiah,’” Pastor Ringer shared. “They said they’d never realized how deeply the Messiah is woven throughout the Passover traditions.”
Among the attendees was Veronika, a Jewish-Adventist woman who has lived half her life in Israel and is a regular participant in the group’s events. Reflecting on the evening, she shared: “This is not the first time I have attended the Passover Seder in our Adventist group. And each time I understand that every Christian should know the importance of Seder services in their spiritual life, its significance and inalienability. This time, within the framework of the Seder, a bar mitzvah ceremony was held, which made this evening even more solemn. I look forward to that day when we, together with all the brothers, will hold the ultimate Seder service with Yeshua on the new earth in eternity.” Her words captured the deep spiritual resonance of the evening, not only as a commemoration of history but as a glimpse of a promised future.
One conversation that stood out to Pastor Ringer was with a Jewish woman named Larisa who had attended the Seder. Originally from Russia, she had lived in Toronto for about 30 years and raised her children in Jewish schools. Despite her long history with the tradition, she shared that it had always seemed performative. “She told me it always felt like just ritual, something without deeper meaning,” Pastor Ringer recalled.
However, after attending Torah study sessions at the church, she began to see a new dimension to her faith. “A friend invited her to a Torah study held on Sabbath afternoons in the upper room at the church, and she’s been coming regularly,” Pastor Ringer continued. “She said she’s been learning so much more there. She had also been attending Torah studies at a synagogue, but felt it was more about going through motions than truly understanding what it meant.”
Pastor Ringer emphasized that the event had left a lasting impact on both Jewish and Adventist attendees. “So overall, the event had a very positive impact,” he concluded.
In the end, it proved to be a night filled with blessings: outpourings of unshakable devotion to the one true God, authentic expressions of community, and moments immersed in age-old tradition. Reflecting on the evening’s success, Pastor Kolesnik summed it up simply and beautifully: “I am grateful to God for this event. We were blessed in so many ways.”
