Netherlands

History

Country:
The Netherlands

Organization name:
OJEC – Overlegorgaan van Joden en Christenen

Preferred English translation of the name of your organization:
Conversation Platform of Christians and Jews

Year of establishment or foundation of the organization: 
1981

Brief history of the organization:

The OJEC originated from an initiative of a number of church members who considered the relationship ‘Church & Israel’ highly. They needed mutual conversation and meeting. They tried to do this by organizing lectures, conferences and regional meetings. Those principles still apply. In addition, the OJEC collects teaching materials for young people and organizes a meeting weekend for ‘Leren en Vieren’ ‘Learning and Celebrating’. Since one year, the OJEC is publishing a digital newsletter.

How many members (approximately) does your organization have?
We have 16 board members

Where is your organization based?
Our correspondence address is in Nieuwegein, Tormentilgaarde 1. We have no physical office.

Activities

Main focuses/areas of your work:

• Promoting and facilitating dialogue between Jews and Christians
• The organization of events, symposia and ‘Learn & Celebrate’ weekends
• Sharing knowledge, facilitating in learning materials

Which audiences do you work towards?

• Academics
• Grassroots
• Young professionals
• Retired professionals
• Clergy
• Students

How often does your organization meet?
We have approximately 4 board meetings a year and in addition to that the Executive Committee meets also at least 4 times a year.

Events regularly hosted and/or sponsored by your organization:
2019, September 9: symposium ‘Freedom of speech’ – hosted by our organization
2019, January 29: symposium ‘The Commandments’ – hosted by our organization
2018, June 12: symposium ‘The Temple Mount’ – hosted by our organization

Does your organization have any regular publications (in print or online)?
Every two months we send a digital newsletter, see our newsletter of September 2020 (in Dutch).

Has your organization figured in any published online material such as newspapers, books or blogs, databases?
Blog and columns on the OJEC website. Latest non-line material (book): Sha'ar, OJEC study platform: ‘Belief in Violence?’, Interreligious Considerations on Violence, 2020 (BookScout edition)

Organization

Main working/publishing language of your organization:
Dutch

Officers of your organization:
President: Piet van Midden
Treasurer: Elja Schwarz
Secretary: Annemieke Mulder

Briefly describe your organization’s relationship to the ICCJ:
It is good to have international contacts. But the OJEC is a volunteer organization. And the field of activity is enormous. We have to be sparing with our time, which puts international contacts under some pressure.

What is the greatest challenge your organization faces at the moment?
Growing anti-Semitism.
It has even settled into politics.
For our own organization: we are looking for rejuvenation. There is too little interest within the 'youth' category.

Is your organization active on Social Media platforms?
Yes, on Facebook. Just search for OJEC – Overlegorgaan van Joden en christenen

E-mail address to contact your organization:
info(at)ojec.org

Website of your organization:
www.ojec.org