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> Communiqué: The Anglican Jewish Commission

Posted On : April 7, 2009 12:29 PM | Posted By : Admin ACO
Related Categories: ACO - NIFCON

ACNS: http://www.anglicancommunion.org/acns/news.cfm/2009/4/7/ACNS4594

Of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Chief Rabbinate of Israel

> Third meeting, Jerusalem 24th-25th March 2009

The third meeting of the Anglican Jewish Commission of the Archbishop of
Canterbury and the Chief Rabbinate of Israel[1] took place at the
offices of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel on 24th and 25th March 2009/
28th and 29th Adar 5769. The Commission's mandate is taken from the
provisions of the joint declaration of the Archbishop and the Chief
Rabbis at Lambeth Palace on 6th September 2006 and confirmed at their
second meeting in Jerusalem on 31st October 2007.

The leaders of the Commission delegations, Chief Rabbi Shear Yashuv
Cohen of Haifa and the Rt Revd Michael Jackson, Bishop of Clogher,
recalled with pleasure the previous meeting of the Commission and
welcomed the confirmation and renewal of friendship which this third
meeting of the Commission represents for Jewish Christian relationships.
The Anglican delegation regretted the unavoidable absence of Rabbi David
Brodman and wished him a speedy and full recovery

The Commission's meeting in Jerusalem took place in the context of a
number of significant events including the tensions created as a result
of recent suffering in Gaza and southern Israel; the increase in anti
semitic incidents in Europe and elsewhere; and the forthcoming visit of
Pope Benedict to Israel. The Commission also coincided with the meeting
of the Council of the Religious Institutions of the Holy Land and the
members of the Commission were glad to be able to exchange greetings and
discuss matters of mutual interest in the context of a joint luncheon
with Council members.

The Commission members also appreciated the hospitality of the Director
of the Department for Religious Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, Mr Bahig Mansour, who briefed the delegations on the proposed
arrangements for the visit of Pope Benedict and other matters of
interest including the continued detention of Gilad Shalit beyond the
conventions on the treatment of prisoners.

The Anglican delegation enjoyed a tour of the Jewish Quarter led by
Rabbi Professor Daniel Sperber, including a visit to his home and
library in the heart of the old city

At the opening session Chief Rabbi Shear Yashuv Cohen welcomed the
Anglican delegation to Jerusalem, a city of holy places for Jews,
Christians and Muslims. The Rt Revd Michael Jackson brought greetings
from the Archbishop of Canterbury and from the Rt Revd Suheil Dawani,
Bishop in Jerusalem and thanked the Chief Rabbinate for their
hospitality

The theme of the Commission's meeting was 'Jerusalem' and papers were
presented by Rabbi Professor Daniel Sperber on behalf of the Jewish
delegation and by Mrs Clare Amos on behalf of the Anglican delegation.
Extensive discussions took place in a friendly and constructive
atmosphere on the many issues raised by the papers

Both papers noted the conjoined terrestrial and celestial understandings
of the significance of the city and the creative tensions between them
and both appreciated the implications of the theological and scriptural
perspectives for the present and future life of Jerusalem. In discussion
it was noted that Jerusalem is at the centre of historical and
contemporary Jewish identity and also the importance of understanding
Jerusalem as a city to be shared between the religions, a house of
prayer for all nations and a city which should make all people friends
beyond possessiveness. The peace of Jerusalem for which Jews, Muslims
and Christians pray should be such as to be a light to all nations

In his paper, Rabbi Sperber spoke of the traditional understanding of
the degrees of sanctity emanating outwards from the heart of the temple,
the Holy of Holies extending outwards and represented in the mediaeval
view of Jerusalem as the navel of the world. The terrestrial Jerusalem
is mystically connected to the celestial Jerusalem and is the point from
which all creation expanded. The physical Jerusalem is thus a glimpse of
the celestial and is the place to which all prayer is oriented and
though which all prayers pass. He cited Nathan Sharansky's understanding
of Jerusalem as being the spiritual centre of gravity for all Jews and
of the spark of Jerusalem's sanctity in every Jewish soul.

Clare Amos in her paper took the vision of Jerusalem in the New
Testament book of Revelation as her starting point, and explored four
key themes with which Christians have engaged: The renewed or heavenly
Jerusalem; Jerusalem as the dwelling place of God; Jerusalem as the
centre of the world; Jerusalem as the rejecting and suffering one. She
drew on material from the Old and New Testaments, and well as Christian
history and poetry. Her presentation made it clear that cherishing
Jerusalem was deeply embedded in the faith of many Christians, and that
linked to that, Christians from other parts of the world needed to have
a special care for their Christian brothers and sisters who lived in the
region. She suggested that reflecting on Jerusalem as a 'sacrament'
allowed us both to hold an ideal vision before our eyes, but also
acknowledged that, for Christians, the present reality was less than
perfect.

The Commission members looked forward to the next meeting of the
Archbishop and the Chief Rabbis of Israel in Jerusalem and to the next
meeting of the Commission in London in 2010.

Chief Rabbi Shear Yashuv Cohen                     The Rt Revd Michael
Jackson

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> --------

[1] Delegation of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel
Rabbi Shear Yashuv Cohen, Chief Rabbi of Haifa
Rabbi Professor Daniel Sperber, Bar Ilan University
Rabbi David Rosen, President IJCIC
Mr Oded Wiener, Director General of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel

> Delegation of the Archbishop of Canterbury

The Rt Revd Michael Jackson, Bishop of Clogher
Mrs Clare Amos, Director of Theological Studies, Anglican Communion
Dr Jane Clements, Consultant to the Council of Christians and Jews
The Ven Michael Ipgrave, Archdeacon of Southwark
Canon Guy Wilkinson, Archbishop of Canterbury's Secretary for Inter
Religious Affairs

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