• Jewish-Christian dialogue in Hungary

    The International Council of Christians and Jews noted with growing concern the reports about growing anti-Semitism in Hungary. It was therefore decided to visit our two Hungarian member organizations: the Christian-Jewish Society and the Hungarian Council of Christians and Jews. Dr. József Szécsi, General Secretary of the Society and Board Member of the Council, is very helpful in preparing the visit, which will take place most probably end of November. He wrote a report on the situation in Hungary, the history of both ICCJ members in the country and what they do trying to turn the tide. Excerpts from this report may be found below.


  • Growing intolerance

    Several European cities recently have seen attacks on individuals and buildings, clearly anti-Semitic in character. The General Secretary of the Jewish Central Council in Germany was attacked verbally on Yom Kippur in Berlin. And last week stones were thrown at the Jewish community center in Malmö. Muslim and Christian sites in Israel are very often under attack. The walls of the Latrun Monastery, the Dormitio Abbey and other Christian places were defaced with very offensive “price tag” graffiti.


  • Tools for constructive dialogue

    The ICCJ has long been involved in the discussions that arise when in Jewish-Christian dialogue the problems of the Middle East are discussed. In the "Twelve Points of Berlin" the ICCJ has outlined its starting position: Working together for a just solution.


  • Shana Tova

    Shalom from Jerusalem. I am writing this message on the eve of the Jewish High Holydays and specifically want to wish our Jewish members a happy, healthy, peaceful and sweet New Year.


  • image-3126

    ICCI denounces attack on the Latrun monastery

    In the early hours of the morning on Tuesday, Sept. 4th, 2012, the Trappist monastery in Latrun was vandalized and anti-Christian graffiti were sprayed on the walls. This appears to be again the work of the extremist Jews who call their actions "the price tag."Our Israeli member orgainization has issued the folloiwng press release:


  • image-3125

    In Memoriam Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini

    The ICCJ joins with the rest of the inter-religious dialogue community in mourning the passing of Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, former Catholic Archbishop of Milan and a long-standing member of the Vatican's Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews.


  • Eid Mubarak

    Dear friends,The International Abrahamic Forum of the ICCJ extends its warm greetings to our Muslim members together with all Muslims around the world on the occasion of Eid ul-Fitr.May Allah accept your fasting, prayers and charity during the holy month of Ramadan and may He continue to bestow his blessings upon youon this Holiday and throughout the coming year. Eid Mubarak!"


  • Letter from the President

    Dear friends:It’s been quite a while since I have written to you. This has been a very hot summer in Israel—I’m referring to the weather. I was glad to get away twice, both times on ICCJ business. The first was late June, early July, when I went to Manchester for our very successful annual conference. I want to thank all those who worked hard for this event. A friend here in Jerusalem has been very jealous of me ever since I told him that our closing dinner was held in the Manchester United football club, Old Trafford. We again congratulate the CCJ of the UK on 70 years of Jewish-Christian dialogue. I then had the opportunity to visit Ireland, where I met, for a second time, with the CCJ in Dublin, and spent the rest of the week travelling around that very beautiful island.


  • Promise, Land and Hope

    Partially in response to increased polarization in Christian-Jewish dialogues around the world caused by the ongoing lsraeli-Palestinian conflict, the PROMISE, LAND AND HOPE project will shed light on one of the conflict's specifically religious dimensions: how different disputants draw upon scriptural or other authoritative religious texts to advance their arguments. By becoming aware of how different voices adduce texts, it becomes possible to get beyond their contradictory conclusions to understand why people argue as they do. This kind of awareness enables dialogues to move from endless arguments over policies or actions to constructive engagement with diversity.


  • ICCJ on Facebook

    A few weeks ago ICCJ created a Facebook page. The ICCJ Young Leadership Council and the ICCJ International Abrahamic Forum did so even before ICCJ itself became part of the FB community. The reason why is obvious: social media play an ever growing role in web communication. In particular younger people create their network on line. But not only the younger generation! To individuals and institutions social media offer an unheard opportunity to reach out to the general public. So: join us on Facebook!


  • All Manchester Keynotes on line

    Three weeks ago the 2012 ICCJ international conference in Manchester ended. For three days the 180 participants enjoyed an excellently prepared program of plenary sessions, no less than 25 workshops, outings and cultural events. ICCJ and all conference delegates showed their gratitude to our Manchester friends during the gala dinner on the grounds of Manchester United Football Club. Now already all major addresses and the responses are on line on this website.


  • ICCJ Abrahamic Forum on circumcision ban.

    During its recent meeting in Manchester, the ICCJ International Abrahamic Forum issued a statement responding to the ruling of the Cologne District Court in Germany on circumcision. The Abrahamic Forum will publish soon a more extensive position paper on issues like the Court’s ruling. In several countries, like in Holland and Sweden, a ban on ritual slaughter was discussed. Switzerland banned the building of minarets. Other countries consider a so called burka-ban. As one of the presenters during the annual ICCJ Manchester conference stated: the real clash in the near future will be the clash between law and religion. In western societies rights and freedoms, secularized and religious, will struggle for new relations to each other.