the need to comprehend each other's narratives of exile; whether the ancient, ongoing and
profound Jewish link between a people and its homeland, spiritual centre and land of destiny,
or the Palestinian one of ‘Nakba’.
There was unanimous understanding of the firm conviction that our Christian partners, not only in Israel but world-wide have a role to play in terms of mutual recognition of the narratives.
Guided by the unique experience of our conference hosts, the Interreligious Coordinating Council in Israel (ICCI), the programme, starting with an insightful opening presentation by Rabbi David Rosen, a former ICCJ president and director of interreligious affairs of the American Jewish Committee, H.B. Michel Sabbah, Emeritus Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem and Qadi Muhammad Zibdi, Qadi of Jerusalem, included visits to institutes engaged in religious based reconciliation work in Israel.
An innovation were workshop outings enabling participants to face the realities of prevailing sensitivities as well as peace and reconciliation work in the country hardly anything of which is ever reported in the international press and media. The outings enabled participants to listen to the voices not only from different narratives, but from collaborators in the exchange of experiences, voices of children and students as well as the voices of long-standing inhabitants of Jerusalem.
In situ workshops included
- A Christian view of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict – as a challenge and an opportunity for
Jewish-Christian dialogue;
- The Arab Christians as a double minority and potential bridge between the Palestinian
Muslim minorities; and the Israeli majority;
- Humanistic Lessons from the Holocaust as a departure point for Jewish-Arab dialogue;
- Teaching an introduction to Judaism in the Palestinian context;
- Teaching Islam to Jews, and Judaism to Muslims;
- How the media cover the religious dimension of the conflict;
- Education for co-existence and reconciliation via film.
The conference had been preceded by a well attended women's conference on the contribution of women to the peace process.
The conference concluded by Jewish, Christian and Muslim text studies relating to animals at the beautiful zoo, followed by a guided zoo tour in one of the country's centres where Jews, Christians, Muslims, Arabs, Israelis Palestinians of all shades and convictions join in enjoyment of God's creation and bring their families and children. Then a summing up by outgoing ICCJ president Fr Prof Dr John T Pawlikowski and by the new president Dr Debbie Weissman in the open air theatre of the Biblical Zoo was followed by a wonderful meal.
A more comprehensive conference report can be found at: http://www.iccj.org/en/?id=361.
Friends and Sponsors: new policies
During the annual general meeting of the Friends and Sponsors of the Martin Buber house, held during the 2008 ICCJ conference in Jerusalem, it was decided to change fundamentally the aim of this independent foundation. Until now the Friends and Sponsors supported the general income of the ICCJ. Given the improved financial situation of the ICCJ, the Friends and Sponsors decided to support special projects, recommended by the ICCJ and its member organisations. Support will be given to the ICCJ youth activities in particular.
Help young people all over the world to enter into Jewish-Christian and Jewish-Christian-Muslim dialogue. Become a Friend or Sponsor! More info will reach you in due time.
2009 seminar in Jerusalem
Following the 2008 conference on the contribution of the Jewish-Christian-Muslim dialogue to peace building in the Middle East, a ten day seminar will be held in Jerusalem end of May 2009.
The issues discussed at this year’s annual conference will be subject of an in-depth study tour for a smaller group of approx 20 participants, representing the world wide ICCJ membership. More detailed information will be available from the Martin Buber House in Heppenheim, Germany, as soon as possible.
Whether this seminar will take place, depends on the interest shown by possible participants. If you are interested, please let the ICCJ know before September 30, 2008.
Eva Schulz-Jander: The story of a happy Jew
Dr. Eva Schulz-Jander, liaison to the ICCJ Executive Board on behalf of the German member organisation DKR, published: ‘From Kassel to Haifa. The Story of the Happy Jew Hans Mosbacher’. In this book a holocaust survivor tells the story of his father, Hans Mosbacher who lived in Kassel, Schulz-Jander’s residence, from where he was forced to emigrate to Haifa in 1937 (ISBN 978-3-933617-33-0).
Upcoming events
October 26-28, 2008. A conference co-hosted by the Faculty of Theology of the Fribourg University will prepare the ICCJ document on the future of Jewish-Christian dialogue to be published during the 2009 annual meeting in Germany.
end of May 2009 (!) ICCJ seminar in Jerusalem on the interreligious dialogue in the context of the Middle East conflict.
July 5-July 8 2009 (!) is the expected date for the 2009 ICCJ conference in Berlin, Germany. The project on re-assessment of Jewish-Christian dialogue and its future will be central during the 2009 annual conference.
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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