Fall 2023 Newsletter

Dear Friends of the Center for Catholic-Jewish Studies: 

For over 25 years, the Center for Catholic-Jewish Studies has built mutual respect and understanding between Catholics, Jews and all people of good will. On Thursday, October 26th, the CCJS will celebrate its silver anniversary at a special dinner event to take place at the Shanna and Bryan Glazer Jewish Community Center, Tampa. The event features the 19th recipient of the CCJS Eternal Light Award, Rabbi Dr. David Fox Sandmel.

You can also find details about other upcoming programs including an international conference in Rome on the archives of Pope Pius XII (1939-1958) and their meaning for Jewish-Christian relations.

A happy and sweet 5784 to those who celebrate. May the holidays renew hope and bring strength for the new year.

Matthew Tapie

Director, Center for Catholic-Jewish Studies

Associate Professor of Theology

UPCOMING PROGRAMS

New documents from the Pontificate of Pius XII and their Meaning for Jewish-Christian Relations: A Dialogue Between Historians and Theologians

Monday, October 9th - Wednesday, October 11th

Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome

The Vatican Apostolic Archives, Cortile del Belvedere - 00120 Città del Vaticano Rome

In March 2020 Pope Francis made accessible millions of documents relating to the pontificate of Pope Pius XII (1939-1958), which have the potential to be studied via multiple approaches, relevant for both historical and theological questions.

It will take decades of examination and analysis to ascertain the real value of these archives, estimated to consist of at least 16 million pages. However, some important discoveries are ready to be shared with the public at large.

The conference New Documents from the Pontificate of Pope Pius XII and their Meaning for Jewish-Christian Relations will focus on the ways in which these archives cast light on the historical and theological controversies regarding Pope Pius XII and the Vatican during the period of the Holocaust, and on Jewish-Christian relations at various levels: from non-specialists to those who hold offices of authority in decision-making environments and in Jewish and Catholic institutions.

Indeed, in 1965 the Catholic Church renewed its teaching with Nostra Aetate, a declaration that condemns antisemitism and presents the Jewish people as blessed by God. What can the new documents tell us about the encounters that led to this crucial moment in the renewed teaching of the Church? The conference will bring together historians and theologians, Christians and Jews, who study together to advance historical knowledge and Jewish-Christian relations.

Program information is available here.

The event is open to the public. For further information, contact Dr. Paolo Pegoraro (Press and Communication Office of the Pontifical Gregorian University: press@unigre.it).

This international conference is organized by the following institutions:

CDEC – Foundation Centre of Contemporary Jewish Documentation, Milan

Cardinal Bea Centre for Jewish Studies, Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome

The Program on Ethics, Religion, and the Holocaust at the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Center for Advanced Holocaust Studies, U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, Washington DC

Institute for International Research Yad Vashem World Holocaust Remembrance Center, Jerusalem

The Center for Catholic-Jewish Studies, Saint Leo University, FL

The conference is sponsored by:

·     Union of Italian Jewish Communities

·     The Holy See, Vatican Apostolic Archive

·     The Holy See, Dicastery for Culture and Education

·     The Holy See, Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews, of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity

·     U.S. Department of State, Office of the Special Envoy for Holocaust Issues

·     U.S. Embassy to the Holy See

·     Israeli Embassy to the Holy See

·     John XXIII Foundation for Religious Sciences

·     Resilience, https://www.resilience-ri.eu

·     American Jewish Committee

25th Anniversary Dinner and Eternal Light Award Event: Why Catholic-Jewish Relations Matter Today

Thursday, October 26, 2023 | 6 - 9 p.m.

Shanna and Bryan Glazer Jewish Community Center, Tampa

For 25 years, the Center for Catholic-Jewish Studies has built mutual respect and understanding between Catholics, Jews and all people of good will. Please join us for a special dinner event to celebrate the silver anniversary of the CCJS, founded in 1989 by Rabbi A. James Rudin, and Dr. Arthur Kirk, former president of Saint Leo University.

featuring

The 19^th Recipient of the Eternal Light Award

Rabbi Dr. David Fox Sandmel



Chair of the International Jewish Committee for Interreligious Consultations, and Senior Advisor on Interreligious Affairs for the Anti-Defamation League

with a response by

Fr. Dennis McManus

Professor of Dogmatics at St. Patrick's Seminary, and Consultant for Jewish Affairs for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

Location:

Shanna and Bryan Glazer Jewish Community Center

522 N. Howard Ave Tampa, FL 33606

Honorary Dinner Chairs:

Gail Whiting and Maureen Cohn

Dinner Chairs:

Bishop Gregory Parkes of the Catholic Diocese of St. Petersburg

and Joseph Probasco

5 p.m. | Major Gifts Reception: Meet & Greet with Speakers

Visionary and Leader – $5,000 minimum contribution 

6 p.m. | General Reception 



7 p.m. | Program 

This in-person event is open to the public but space is limited.

You can read more about the event here.

Please RSVP by October 12.



If you have questions about the event please contact Sasha Bergstrasser:

sasha.bergstrasser@saintleo.edu

Beyond Tolerance: How to Build Understanding and Respect in Christian-Jewish Relations

Monday, November 13th

7 - 8:30pm | Congregation Schaarai Zedek, Tampa FL

How do Jews and Christians relate today? How have they related in the past? What are the challenges facing Jewish-Christian relations? Join Rabbi David Maayan and Dr. Tapie for the first session in a three-part series on Jewish-Christian relations today. The aim of the series is to discuss how to move beyond tolerance toward a deep appreciation and respect for the other.

Rabbi David Maayan

Maureen and Douglas Cohn Visiting Chair in Jewish Thought

& Assistant Director of CCJS

Dr. Matthew Tapie

Associate Professor of Theology

& Director of CCJS

This event is free, in-person, and open to the public, but space is limited.

Congregation Schaarai Zedek is located at

3303 W Swann Ave. Tampa, FL 33609

Church and Synagogue Visit and Guided Tour

One way to build understanding among members of different religious traditions is to study and dialogue about our respective approaches to prayer and worship.

In an effort to build deeper appreciation of the religious life of our neighbors, the CCJS invites members of the public to take guided tours of Congregation Rodeph Sholom, and Christ the King Catholic Church. Members of the Catholic community and others are invited to tour Rodeph Sholom on Tuesday, November 28th. And members of the Jewish community and others are invited to tour Christ the King Catholic Church on Monday, December 4th. Please mark your calendars for both dates.

During these tours, attendees will have the chance to learn about the distinctive liturgical traditions of each community. A question and answer time moderated by Dr. Tapie and Rabbi David Maayan will follow each tour. Light refreshments will also be served.

The CCJS would like to thank Fr. Len Plazewski, of Christ the King Catholic Church, and Rabbi Kornworcel, of Rodeph Sholom, for their generous invitations for us to learn about their communities.

To register you must use the RSVP buttons below. NOTE: If you wish to attend both tours please RSVP for each event.

This event is co-sponsored by Christ the King Catholic Church

and Congregation Rodeph Sholom

RECENT NEWS AND ACTIVITIES



CCJS Collaborates with Florida Holocaust Museum

In April, the CCJS and the Florida Holocaust Museum co-organized a program entitled, Eli's Story and Catholic Reaction to the Holocaust. The program featured Dr. Meri-Jane Rochelson, Dr. Burton Rochelson, and Dr. Kevin Spicer. The scholars presented the story of Eli Rochelson as well as Catholic reaction to the Holocaust and displaced persons after the Second World War. The program was moderated by Rabbi David Maayan and it was viewed online by over 600 people. You can read more about the program here.

Dr. Amy-Jill Levine and Dr. Joseph Sievers Lead Workshop at the Diocese of St. Petersburg's Clergy Study Day

Earlier this year, clergy of the Diocese of St. Petersburg participated in a workshop co-organized by the CCJS and the Priestly Growth and Enrichment Commission of the Diocese of St. Petersburg, on how to interpret references to the pharisees in the New Testament. The workshop took place at the Bethany Retreat Center, Lutz, FL, and was led by Dr. Joseph Sievers and Dr. Amy-Jill Levine, the co-editors of the book, The Pharisees (2021).

FACULTY NEWS

Rabbi Maayan to Speak at International Conference on Comparative Theology of Religions

On Monday, September 18th, Rabbi David Maayan will present a paper entitled, "Critical Considerations for a Jewish Theology of Religions," at a conference in Germany hosted by the University of Bonn's Comparative Theology of Religions Group. The conference brings together an international group of scholars and theologians of Judaism, Christianity and Islam to discuss the traditions' theologies of the religious other. The goal is to name challenges and analyze possibilities, as well as to share resources from within each tradition to nurture a profoundly respectful and appreciative view of other religions.

Dr. Tapie and Rabbi Maayan to Teach New Undergraduate Course: Christian-Jewish Relations and the Culture of Encounter

Dr. Tapie and Rabbi Maayan will teach a Spring 2024 course entitled, Christian-Jewish Relations and the Culture of Encounter for the Saint Leo University Honors Program and Department of Philosophy, Theology, and Religion. Interested Saint Leo faculty and students are encouraged to reach out to the CCJS to learn more. Email matthew.tapie@saintleo.edu.

Dr. Tapie and Rabbi Maayan in the Center for Catholic-Jewish Studies.

Dr. Tapie and Rabbi Maayan to Guide Local High School Students in Reflection on the Holocaust

Dr. Tapie and Rabbi Maayan have been invited by the Theology Department of Academy of the Holy Names, a local Catholic high school, to guide their students in a reflection on the profound ethical, theological, and historical questions raised by the Holocaust. Founded in 1881, the Academy of the Holy Names is a Catholic school for boys and girls in pre-kindergarten through 8th grade and an all-girls high school. The school is sponsored by the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary. Dr. Tapie and Rabbi Maayan will teach the high school students in November, after the students visit the Florida Holocaust Museum in St. Petersburg, FL.

SUPPORT THE CCJS



For 25 years, the CCJS has worked to build bridges of mutual understanding and respect between Catholics and Jews, and all people of good will. Your gift helps us advance scholarship in Catholic-Jewish studies, and provides interreligious education to thousands of students, religious leaders, and members of the public.

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