In a rare spectacle, a group of Christians from Papua New Guinea recently chanted together one of the most central Jewish prayers – the Shema Yisrael.

Those special moments were documented on video by Yakov Damkani, who wrote, “We came to Papua New Guinea and found a real, genuine love for Israel.”

The Shema Yisrael is a centerpiece of the morning and evening Jewish prayer services. The term “Shema” is in fact a reference to the whole part of the daily prayers that comprise Devarim (Deuteronomy) 6:4–9, 11:13-21, and Bemidbar (Numbers) 15:37–41.

The first verse, Deuteronomy 6:4, encapsulates the monotheistic essence of Judaism: “Hear, O Israel – the Lord is our G-d, the Lord is one.”