International Council of Christians and Jews
E-bulletin # 3
PLEASE, forward this ICCJ e-bulletin to your friends and colleagues. Ask them to let the ICCJ know their e-mail addresses to have a free subscription: info@iccj-buberhouse.deIn this e-bulletin:
- 2008 ICCJ Conference in Israel
- 2009 ICCJ Conference in Germany
- Local outreach from the Martin Buber House
- New publication by former ICCJ General Secretary
ICCJ, the International Council of Christians and Jews:
A global network that
- builds Jewish-Christian understanding;
- brings the religious and moral principles of these traditions to bear upon the problems of interfaith, inter-racial and international relations;
- strives to eradicate prejudice, discrimination and their consequences;
- promotes attitudes of tolerance and mutual respect.
2008 ICCJ Conference in Israel.
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While the participants of the 2007 ICCJ conference in Australia still prepare for the main ICCJ event of this year, we proudly announce next year’s annual conference which will be held in Jerusalem. The Executive Board of the Interreligious Coordinating Council Israel, ICCJ member, invited the International Council of Christians and Jews to come to Jerusalem in the first half of July 2008. Exact dates to be announced.
The theme for the 2008 ICCJ conference in Jerusalem will be: The Impact of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict on Jewish-Christian Dialogue. No need to say that Jewish, Christian and Muslim, Israeli and Palestinian voices will be heard during this conference. In a wide variety of lectures, workshops and study visits there certainly will be an opportunity to visit our Palestinian partners.
The 2008 conference will be part of a new ICCJ project. From September 2007 on the conference will “start” on the Internet. An internetforum composed of experts will discuss the impact of the conflict in the Middle East on Jewish-Christian relations. All those interested in the topic, are invited to read the contributions of the invited experts and to take part in the discussion. If you are interested, please let the ICCJ know: info@iccj-buberhouse.de |
2009 ICCJ Conference in Germany
Another important issue on the ICCJ agenda for the next years is the Re-assessment of Jewish-Christian Dialogue. At a conference in Seelisberg (Switzerland) in 1947 the need for an International Council of Christians and Jews was strongly stressed. In Seelisberg the so-called ‘Ten points of Seelisberg’ were addressed to the churches. Sixty years later the ICCJ wants to look back to explore ways for the future. The time has come to formulate ten new points for Jews and Christians alike as guidelines for the future of Jewish-Christian dialogue.
The ICCJ proposed to its German member, the German Coordinating Council for Jewish-Christian cooperation, to let this next step in Jewish-Christian dialogue take place in Germany, seventy years after the start of World War II. A positive answer to this proposal is expected soon. The preparations for the 2009 conference will start in September this year in the same way as the 2008 Jerusalem conference. If you want to take part in the internet discussion on the Re-assessment of Jewish-Christian dialogue, please contact ICCJ at info@iccj-buberhouse.de
The 1947 conference will also be commemorated at a special event in Seelisberg in July of this year. Dr Markus Himmelbauer of the Austrian ICCJ member organisation will represent the ICCJ on this occasion.
Regional work from the Martin Buber House
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Moving in 1981 from London to the former house of the Jewish philosopher Martin Buber in Heppenheim, Germany, ICCJ promised to keep alive Buber’s spiritual heritage. Since the year 2000 this promise is delivered by a series of ten lectures each year, each series under an overall theme relating to a major thought of Martin Buber: the necessity of dialogue.
The subject this year was: Enlightenment. Experts, mostly from German universities, were invited to Heppenheim to lecture on Enlightment in Jewish, Christian and Muslim traditions. In return for the continuous support for ICCJ by the City of Heidelberg, where Martin Buber lectured, it recently was decided to have two additional lectures each year in Heidelberg. The first lecture will be held coming October by former ICCJ General Secretary Rev. Friedhelm Pieper.
Responsible for ICCJ’s regional outreach is Mrs. Andrea Thiemann, a graduate theologian from Heidelberg university. |
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New publication by Dr Jacobus Schoneveld
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Former ICCJ General Secretary Dr Jacobus Schoneveld, who served ICCJ from 1981 till 1996, took up his scholarly work in Israel again after leaving the ICCJ. An important item in Schoneveld’s work always has been to analyse Israeli and Palestinian textbooks in order to eradicate mutual prejudice. As a fruit of this effort a new book was published: “Living in the Holy Land, Knowing and Respecting Each Other”. ICCJ congratulates our friend Coos for co-authoring this publication. |
Support the ICCJ by making a donation to „Sparkasse Starkenburg“ Heppenheim, Germany. The ICCJ bank account is # 121350.
If necessary: IBAN: DE20 5095 1469 0000 1213 50 SWIFT/BIC: HELADEF1. Your financial support is very much needed.
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