Developing awareness, cooperation, understanding, and action in Jewish – Catholic Relations through the creation of an innovative website and focus week.

“I am Joseph, your brother.”

Components: informative and engaging website + focus week bringing Houston’s Jewish and Catholic young adult communities together for a week of learning, partnership, and service.

This initiative is focused on development in awareness, cooperation, understanding, and action in the field of Jewish – Catholic Relations. The intertwining Jewish and Catholic histories have been plagued by much tragic violence and strained, hateful perceptions between Jews and Catholics. The twentieth century saw the long-overdue establishment of positive Jewish-Catholic relations and the genesis of true reconciliation, most notably under the leadership of Pope John XXIII. The shift under Pope John XXIII opened the door for a bright future between the Jewish and Catholic communities. We live in a unique period for Jewish-Catholic relations – an opportune time ripe to further reconciliation and cultivate fruitful understanding, cooperation, and friendship between the vibrant Houston Jewish and Catholic communities.

The tangible, long-lasting element of this project will be the informational, engaging website for Jewish-Catholic relations. There is a specific need of an online platform for young Jews and Catholics to learn about the history between them, what changes happened in the twentieth century for the groups, and opportunities to continue healing, reconciliation, and friendship. The focus week will serve as an on-the-ground movement to facilitate opportunities for young Houston Jews and Catholics to meet, learn from one another, serve the community, and promote friendship between their groups. Finally, to the best of my knowledge, there has also been little celebration or recognition of Pope John XXIII’s enormous role in Jewish-Catholic reconciliation in U.S. Jewish and Catholic communities. This week will serve to spotlight Pope John XXIII as well as other Jews and Catholics in the 20th century who helped bring about an era of positive Jewish-Catholic relations.

Components:
-Website launch
-Houston Jews and Catholics Together Week

Monday – Speaker Event with Cardinal DiNardo and Rabbi Rosen
Tuesday – Houston Holocaust Museum evening/day
Wednesday – Pope John XXIII table @ RMC
Thursday – Shepherd School Celebration Concert, President Leebron for brief address
Friday – open Shabbat
Saturday – combined service project
Sunday- open Mass/celebratory dinner (Pope John XXIII celebration @Rice CSA)

 

 

Audience: Special Interest

Total Amount Requested: $17,150

Read the full proposal here!