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The October launch in Melbourne of “Gesher? the annual magazine published
by the Victorian Council revealed a new look for the prestigious publication.
Driven by its new editor, Dr. Morna Sturrock the publication has been given a
face lift in reproduction terms and greater news componentry in its content. The
recently-retired President of the Lutheran Church of Australia in
Victoria/Tasmania, Rev. Dr David Stolz officially launched the publication with
an erudite address, during which he said that sixty years ago the word “ecumenical?
had hardly been invented whereas the ecumenical movement now talks much more in
terms of covenanting together to do and be various things. It builds alliances.
It signs agreements. ?The journey of dialogue is not an easy task – but task
it is!? Dr. Stolz said. “
Dr. Stolz went on to say that the call to dialogue is urgent. It is the pre-eminent call of our time and in every corner of the globe. “I am heartened by the accounts of dialogue and by the stories of inter-faith and inter-cultural learning in this edition (of Gesher). But these initiatives are the exception rather than the rule,? he continued, urging the Council to do everything in its power to ensure that dialogue baton is passed on to the next generation. “Just as the story of faith is passed on by faithful fathers and mothers so the task of bridge building but the charter is not finished. The hard yards are still to be run. Faith hardy people must continue to be recruited to write articles, debate issues and provide funding. “Of this we can be sure, the God who calls us to dialogue will sustain us as we build bridges towards the goal of one people under God?, he concluded.
International Council appoints new General SecretaryDr. Sybille Fritsch-Oppermann, a pastor of the Evangelische Kirche in Hessen
and Nassau, Germany, has been appointed General Secretary of the International
Council of Christians and Jews, succeeding Rev. Friedhelm Pieper, who completed
his term of office earlier this year.
Prominent Sydney journalist’s insights into “Interrupted Journeys?, the stories of young refugees from Hitler’s Reich
Ethics Director challenges
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As the dark storm clouds of World War II threatened to engulf Europe, a small
number of German and Austrian teenagers fled Nazi oppression in their homeland,
leaving behind their parents, families and everything familiar, to find a refuge
in Australia. Simultaneously an exodus of younger Jewish children – later to
be known as Kindertransports – was heading for Britain. Many arrived only days
or hours before Britain and France formally declared war. The majority in both
groups would never see their parents again. Not all were able to participate in
these “escape lines?. The return of peace heralded another exodus from “old
Europe? – this time of the many thousands of Jewish children, dubbed “war
orphans?, who had spent the war years in hiding, or incarcerated in
concentration camps, where they bore the full brunt of Nazi horrors. They
re-emerged after the war as displaced persons (known to most simply as DPs) to
await re-settlement in a new host country. Australia, by virtue of its
remoteness, proved a popular choice. Shipping and other difficulties?
including a notorious “quota? restricting the percentage of Jews – meant
that by the time of their arrival, up to five years had elapsed since the war’s
end. Interrupted Journeys tells the stories of these and other young
people whose life journeys were “interrupted?, in fact underwent permanent
change as a result of Hitler’s Reich, including the extraordinary story of the
Vienna Mozart Choir. Alan Gill (pictured) gained access to former secret
archives to examine, dispassionately, claims that the choirmaster was a secret,
high level Nazi. Gill, formerly the Sydney Morning Herald’s long-time
Religion writer, is the author of Orphans of the Empire, which tells the
compelling story of several thousand British child migrants, sometimes known as
the “white stolen children? or “Leaving of Liverpool? kids. As with the
earlier work, he has drawn on years of diligent research and many hours of
sometimes painful interviews with people who found “opening up? stressful
but therapeutic.
St.
James Ethics Centre Director, Dr. Simon Longstaff challenged the 2004 Annual
General Meeting of the NSW Council of Christians and Jews last month when he
took his audience on a slalom ride of philosophical analysis on the future
longevity of faith. Posing the question as to whether faith still has a voice in
the 21st century, Longstaff claimed the concept of faith as human kind has
described it over the centuries is on a slippery road. “It does and should
have a voice in modern times but it’s going to be a close thing?, he said.
The
Annual General Meeting saw the re-election of the present Executive with
President Rabbi Jeffrey Cohen serving a second year with vice president Fr.
Joseph Sobb (pictured together at right at the AGM ) Also (pictured below left)
with Fr. Sobb is Sr. Giovanni Farquer who made the arrangements for the AGM to
be held at Polding House, new headquarters of the Catholic Diocese of Sydney. |
| Rabbi Raymond Apple AM, RFD, will officially retire as Chief Minister of Sydney’s Great Synagogue early in 2005. In recognition of his tireless efforts over many years in the cause of interfaith dialogue and understanding, the NSW Council has bestowed an Honorary Life Membership. At its December Executive meeting, the Australian Council invited Rabbi Apple to accept a patronage of the Council. |
Asked some years ago a series of questions on current issues, the about-to-retire Sydney Great Synagogue chief minister’s answers are illuminating, to say the least.
A selection makes the point.
Q. What lessons have we learned in recent times?
A. The days of the easy ride are over and everything requires effort –
effort to come to grips with the complexities of modern life with all its
challenges.
Q. If you were having a meal with the Prime Minister, what would you
say to him?
A. Please put more passion and compassion into the policies you put
forward on our behalf.
Q. Are we building the best kind of society. If not, how should we
improve it?
A. We need to work on overcoming greed and selfishness, particularly on
the part of the high flyers who exploit the little people.
Q. How should the nation’s leaders deal with the asylum seeker
issue?
A. Give every asylum seeker a quick, humane opportunity to have their
case heard and dealt with.
Q. The question is often asked that Jews are frequently referred to as
a race: is this correct?
A. Not in any scientific sense. Walk into any Israeli town and you will
see Jews of many races. What unites them as Jews is their religion and culture.
It is not only non-Jews who talk about a Jewish race. They even talk about
Jewish blood which, taken literally is nonsense. Probably what is meant is that
there are certain attitudes derived from Jewish history and ethics. They are
acquired not because of DNA but because they are part of the cultural
precondition of a Jewish environment.
VALE: RABBI RUDOLF (RUDY) BRASH
The death occurred last month of Rabbi Rudolf Brash, a major name in the Jewish
community of Sydney, indeed of Australia and ? in his capacity of a most
prolific author ? of the world. A religious leader, considered the
"father" of modern liberal Judaism in Australia, Brasch was also a
writer and broadcaster, a wit and a storyteller in the classic Jewish tradition.
His wise counsel and tolerant approach to religious differences meant that
Christians, as well as Jews, regarded him as their "personal padre",
as a Sydney Morning Herald reader put it. His literary output was
prodigious ? some 37 books in as many years. It began with serious works, such
as The Eternal Flame, The Unknown Sanctuary, The Judaic
Heritage: About Jewish life and theology. Though considered minor classics,
they were swamped in public interest by lighter works, best known of which were
his How Did …. Begin? Series. Early in his ministry Rudy took an
interest in inter-faith dialogue ? then a rarity. He was invited to preach at
a North London Anglican church, but was distracted when, on climbing into the
pulpit, he found the congregation still kneeling. Normal custom is for the
preacher to say, "In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost",
which would hardly do for a rabbi. On the other hand, he didn't want to say
merely, "Please be seated". He did some quick thinking and offered the
ancient prayer: "May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart
be acceptable unto Thee, oh Lord, my rock and my redeemer." It produced a
most fervent "Amen". This and similar activities led to the formation
of London's first major Jewish-Christian ecumenical venture, an organisation now
known as the Council of Christians and Jews, with which he was associated in
Australia for many years. (Source: Extracts from Alan Gill’s Obituary in the SMH
of November 16).
Around the World |
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Jewish groups condemn threat to
US Presbyterian Church over Israel US Jewish groups have condemned a terror threat against the Presbyterian Church (USA) that threatened retaliation for what it said were the denomination's 'anti-Israel and anti-Jewish attitudes'. "Threats of violence against any houses of worship are intolerable," said Kenneth Bandler, spokesman for the American Jewish Committee (AJC). Officials at the Presbyterian Church's headquarters in Kentucky have tightened security and have urged the denomination's 11 000 congregations to exercise caution, after receiving the threat. Religion in Vietnam faces new restraints says Catholic archbishop Spirituality in the pub
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Candadian clergy plan to join
trade union to protect their interests The Canadian Auto Workers Union has accepted a request from some United Church of Canada clergy in Ontario to represent ministers of religion and is to launch a campaign to unionise the 4000 ministers of Canada's largest Protestant denomination. Ecumenical Patriarch tells UK Catholics of delight at Pope’s
gesture Churches denounce killing of Dutch film maker, plead for calm Church of England set for decision on women bishops ICCJ Patron, Sir Sigmund Sternberg honoured by French GovernmentICCJ patron, Sir Sigmund Sternberg OBE was recently awarded the highly prestigious Legion of Honour by the French Government for his accomplished work in many aspects of interfaith relations. He has also been granted the Francisco de Miranda Order in its First Class by the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela for his “exceptional merits as a promoter of inter religious and inter cultural understanding.? In addition, late last year King Abdullah of Jordan gave an audience at Buckingham Palace to Sir Sigmund, Sheikh Dr. Zaki Badawi and Rev. Marcus Braybrooke. Stressing the importance of the work of the Three Faiths Forum, he promised that he would help foster a spirit of co-operation and understanding. |
| Prior to a meeting of the Three Faiths Forum Advisory Board at the Mansion House in London earlier this year a portrait of the Lord Mayor by Valerie Wiffen was unveiled. Pictured left to right: Imam Abduljalil Sajid, Sir Sigmund Sternberg, former Lord Mayor of London Sir Gavin Arthur and Rev. Marcus Braybrooke. | |
A Pilgrimage on WheelsFrom the Vatican via Athens...to the Western Wall, Jerusalem?February/March 2005 |
The Pilgrimage on Wheels is an interfaith cycle ride which will reflect on
the Jewish-Christian relationship and raise awareness of the importance of
dialogue between the faiths. The ride starts in St Peters Square in Vatican
City, with a blessing from Pope John Paul II, and ends at the Western Wall in
Jerusalem’s Old City three weeks later. The Pilgrimage has been split into
three legs: The first leg will take cyclists through the heart of Italy,
starting in the Eternal City of Rome and passing medieval spa towns,
monasteries, palaces and castles. The second leg then heads across to Greece and
crosses from West (Igomenitsa) to East (Athens) and the third and final leg of
the challenge goes from the Northern Negev Desert in Israel via the ancient city
of Arad and on to Nazareth and Jerusalem.. The Pilgrimage on Wheels will witness
the transformation in Jewish-Christian Relations in the last 50 years. It will
demonstrate the Christian re-awakening to the Jewish origins of Christianity and
a positive appraisal of Judaism as an ’elder brother’. Among Jews, there is
a growing awareness that the Church has taken and continues to take a strong
stand against antisemitism. Pope John Paul II, for example, has firmly condemned
it as a sin and called on the faithful to do teshuva (repentance) for misdeeds
against Jews. Jews also acknowledge the need to engage in dialogue and writers
such as Martin Buber and Claude Montefiore have reminded Jews that Jesus was a
fellow Jew (their "great brother", as Martin Buber described him). No
healthy and enduring relationship between people is built on guilt and Jews and
Christians now need to move on to a more positive basis for relations. The cycle
ride aims to provide not only a physical challenge but will also challenge
participants to reflect on an encounter that continues to shape the religious
world. The relationship between Jews and Christians is one of the few pieces of
good news in interfaith relations today. The Rome-Jerusalem cycle ride will show
how this bitter past has been and provide hope that other conflicts that exist
in our world can also be resolved.
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“In a world still scarred by ethnic and
religious conflict, at the close of the bloodiest century since human life
began, the path to reconciliation still awaits us if we can find it, and
the only way we can do so is together.? Chief Rabbi of Great Britain, Dr Jonathan Sacks |
"God of our fathers, you chose Abraham and his descendants to bring your Name to the Nations: we are deeply saddened by the behaviour of those who in the course of history have caused these children of yours to suffer, and asking your forgiveness we wish to commit ourselves to genuine brotherhood with the people of the Covenant". Pope John Paul II | |
Letters to the Editor (Email address: ) |
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Puzzles of interfaith friendships
As we move from the stage of Interfaith dialogue to that of interfaith friendships at grassroots level, are there no remaining problems; is everything settled? Far from it! The Jewish dietary laws create an invisible but immobile barrier between their adherents and the rest of us (as Anglicans) Whereas we can enjoy our Jewish friends’ hospitality, we cannot reciprocate. When so often (at functions) light refreshments are served, dare I invite my (Jewish) guests to partake or could such an invitation cause embarrassment? Perhaps wisest not to ask? I think it a pity that such an obstacle should exist. But if indeed, it is the Will of the Almighty for the House of Israel, who am I to query it? Daphne McLachlan, Double Bay, NSW
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Inadequate review
I read with concern the publication of Aharon Ben Anshel’s review of Daniel Goldhagen’s book “A Moral Reckoning?. The review most inadequately acknowledges the numerous positive developments in the relationship between the Roman Catholic Chruch and world Jewry. Nowhere is the relationship more positive than in Australia. Indeed it has developed far beyond Vatican II. Channels of dialogue are open and effective and it behoves SCENE fully to reflect the strength of this relationship. David D. Knoll President, NSW Jewish Board of Deputies
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Please see membership applications for Victoria
and New South Wales
This edition's book reviews Irving Greenberg, Philip A. Cunningham
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