wfn.org | Leaders visit Middle East to seek transforming dialogue

["NCC News" <pjenks@ncccusa.org>]

Jewish and Christian leaders seek transforming dialogue in Middle East

Seventeen Jewish and Christian leaders have journeyed to Israel and Palestine
with the stated purpose of engaging in a transforming dialogue about
Israeli-Palestinian issues. "That Jewish and Christian leaders representing
their denominations and organizations are going on this trip together is in
itself a significant statement of trust and hope," said the Rev. Dr. Shanta
Premawardhana, Associate General Secretary for Interfaith Relations, National
Council of Churches USA. "Many of us have been there before and have seen the
realities on the ground and met people who are suffering as well as the
religious and political dignitaries. The difference this time is that we are
hoping to see and hear with the eyes and ears of the other, those same
realities and voices. We are hopeful that the trip will help transform us and
our dialogue table."

The seventeen leaders have issued the following statement.

JEWISH AND CHRISTIAN LEADERS ON MISSION OF PEACE TO JERUSALEM 

For over a year, leaders of the mainstream Christian and Jewish communities
of the United States have been working to constructively address issues that
concern the two communities, of which the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is by
far the most serious. Standing on the rich tradition of working together to
address questions of social justice, seventeen leaders representing eight
Christian denominations and national organizations and six national Jewish
organizations and religious movements, will spend five days together from
September 18-23, in the land that is holy to both faiths.

The trip seeks to demonstrate that Christians and Jews can work together and
dialogue on peace even when there is disagreement on specific policies and
solutions, and to enable the participants to become even more effective
advocates for peace. 

The group plans to meet with Israeli and Palestinian public officials,
religious leaders and scholars. Delegates will spend time together listening
to the voices of Israelis and Palestinians who have suffered in this
conflict. Each group will plan two days of the visit.  

These religious leaders hope to find new common ground in their commitment to
peace to more effectively mobilize their communities of faith, elected
officials and fellow citizens on behalf of a negotiated peace settlement. 
Further, they hope to more effectively support those Palestinians and
Israelis who are courageously working to establish a secure, viable and
independent Palestinian state alongside an equally secure State of Israel. 

The Jewish and Protestant leaders who will be making this journey are:

Rabbi Gary Bretton-Granatoor, Director of Interfaith Affairs of the
Anti-Defamation League

Vidette Bullock Mixon, Director, Corporate Relations, General Board of
Pension and Health Benefits, United Methodist Church

Dr. David Elcott, U.S. Director, Interreligious Affairs of The American
Jewish Committee 

Ethan Felson, Director, Domestic Concerns  of the Jewish Council for Public
Affairs Richard Foltin, Legislative Director and Counsel of The American
Jewish Committee 

Dennis Frado, Director, Lutheran Office for World Community, Evangelical
Lutheran Church In America

Rev. Canon Brian Grieves, Director, Peace & Justice Ministries, The Episcopal
Church

Dr. Darrell H. Jodock, Chair, Consultative Panel on Lutheran-Jewish
Relations, Evangelical Lutheran Church In America

Rabbi Dr. Eugene Korn, Director of Jewish Affairs of The American Jewish
Congress

Dr. Peter Makari, Executive for the Middle East and Europe of the United
Church of Christ and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

Rev. Dr. Shanta Premawardhana, Associate General Secretary for Interfaith
Relations, National Council of Churches

Mark Pelavin, Associate Director, Religious Action Center, Union of Reform
Judaism 

Rev. John E. Roberts, Alliance of Baptists

Rev. Dr. Jay Rock, Coordinator for Interfaith Relations, Presbyterian
Church(USA) 

Emily Soloff, Executive Director, Chicago Chapter of The American Jewish
Committee 

Mark Waldman, Director of Public Policy, United Synagogue of Conservative
Judaism 

Jim Winkler, General Secretary, General Board of Church & Society of The
United Methodist Church.

Contact NCC News: Philip E. Jenks, 212-870-2252, pjenks@ncccusa.org