How does hatred become respect, especially if it deeply rooted in religious belief? Searching for the answers to that question is the life work of two Christian professors, who will be our teachers and guests May 17-19, 2018.

Dr. Ursula Rudnick who is Head of the Desk for Jewish-Christian Relations in Lower Saxony, Germany, and Professor in the Institute of Comparative Religion and Theology at the University of Hanover, will bring a delegation of German Lutherans to engage with members of our synagogue in interfaith learning. Professor Rudnick, who is an ordained Lutheran minister, earned one of her MAs and her PhD at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York. Dr. Rudnick, who has visited CAI before, is the recipient of the of the Buber-Rosenzweig medal, the most important distinction in the field of dialogue between Jews and Christians in Germany.

She has published 13 books, as well as many articles. Two of her books are: On the long Journey to the Neighbor’s House: Positions of the Evangelical [Protestant] Church in the Christian-Jewish Dialogue and their location in Theology; and The Scent of Paradise, Encounters with the Jewish Tradition.
 

We are honored, as well, to have as a scholar-in-residence, Dr. Mary Boys, Dean of Academic Affairs and the Skinner and McAlpin Professor of Practical Theology at Union Theological Seminary, New York City. Dr. Boys is also an adjunct professor at the Jewish Theological Seminary. She is the recipient of the Shevet Achim Award of The Council of Centers on Jewish-Christian Relations.

Dr. Boys is the author of six books, all in the CAI library.

Two of them are: Has God Only One Blessing?: Judaism as a Source of Christian SelfUnderstanding; and Redeeming Our Sacred Story: The Death of Jesus and Relations between Jews and Christians.

Our interfaith learning will include talks by community leaders, text learning, challahbaking, shared Shabbat experiences, the Tikun Lel Shavuot, home hospitality for our guests, and major presentations by our visiting scholars.

Drs. Boys and Rudnick will speak on Shabbat morning about Christian-Jewish relations in the past. Following Kiddush, they will speak at a Lunch and Learn talk about where Catholic and Protestant relations with Jews are now, and where they are going.

We are happy to share sponsorship of Dr. Boys’ visit with the First Presbyterian Church, where Dr. Boys and Dr. Rudnick will speak on Sunday morning. This weekend is coordinated by the CAI Interfaith Committee, headed by Glenn Sacks.

**Please include the names of those attending in the notes section.