wfn.org | ELCA Representatives Part of Sept. 18-23 Middle East Journey

[<NEWS@ELCA.ORG>]

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

September 20, 2005

ELCA Representatives Part of Sept. 18-23 Middle East Journey
05-176-JB

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Two representatives of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America are part of a group of 17 Christian
and Jewish leaders who will visit Israel and Palestine this week
with the purpose of engaging in a "transforming dialogue" about
Israeli-Palestinian relations.
     The trip, organized through the National Council of Churches
USA (NCC), began Sept. 18 and concludes Sept. 23.  Representing
the ELCA are Dennis W. Frado, director, Lutheran Office for World
Community, New York, and Dr. Darrell H. Jodock, St. Peter, Minn.,
chair, ELCA Consultative Panel on Lutheran-Jewish Relations.
     "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. Shanta Premawardhana, NCC associate general secretary,
Interfaith Relations, New York.
     "Many of us have been there before and have seen the
realities on the ground and met people who are suffering, (and
met) 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," Premawardhana said.
     In a statement the 17 journey participants said that for
more than one 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."
     The trip aims to demonstrate that Christians and Jews can
work together and discuss peace even when there is disagreement
on specific policies and solutions, the statement said.  The
participants hope the journey will enable them to become more
effective advocates for peace, the statement said.
     The group plans to meet with Israeli and Palestinian public
officials, religious leaders and scholars. They will listen to
Israelis and Palestinians who have suffered in the conflict. Two
days of the visit were planned by Palestinians, and two days were
planed by Israelis.
     "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 statement said.
     In addition to the ELCA and NCC, Christian groups with
journey participants are the Alliance of Baptists, Christian
Church (Disciples of Christ), Episcopal Church, Presbyterian
Church (U.S.A.), United Church of Christ and United Methodist
Church.
     Jewish groups participating include the American Jewish
Committee, American Jewish Congress, Anti-Defamation League,
Jewish Council for Public Affairs, Union of Reform Judaism and
United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism.
---
     Details of the Sept. 18-23 Israel-Palestine journey,
including a list of participants and their statement, is at
http://www.ncccusa.org/news/050919ChristianJewishJourney.html
on the NCC Web site.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news