The Popes and The Jews: An Interfaith Dialogue featuring Dr. Carol Rittner

On Wednesday, April 2, 2014 at 7:00 pm at Congregation B’nai Israel (CBI) in Rumson, Dr. Carol Rittner, a Catholic nun and a Distinguished Professor of Holocaust and Genocide Studies at The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey will speak about Jewish-Catholic Relations from Pope John XXIII to Pope Francis I. The lecture, which is co-sponsored by CBI, the Church of the Nativity of Fair Haven (Nativity) and the Center for Holocaust Human Rights & Genocide Education (CHHANGE) in Lincroft, will include comments from Reverend Robert J.W. Schecker, Pastor of Nativity, and Rabbi Jeff Sultar, spiritual leader of CBI. The lecture, which is supported by a grant from the Jewish Federation of Monmouth County, is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.  

Jack Needle, former Director of Holocaust Studies at Brookdale Community College and a member of the CBI Adult Education Committee, initiated the program. He explained,  “this is an unrivaled era in relationships between the Church and Judaism, and an appropriate time to embrace a dialogue.”  Dr. Yona Shulman, CBI Adult Education Committee Chair, is excited to bring this program to the community.  She said, “[w]e have always had an excellent rapport with our neighbors at the Church of the Nativity so when Dr. Rittner agreed to speak, we asked Pastor Schecker if the Church would like to cosponsor and participate in the program and he eagerly accepted.”

CBI is located at 171 Ridge Road at the corners of Hance and Ridge Roads in Rumson, New Jersey.  Serving the Jewish community for more than 90 years, the synagogue serves as a spiritual home for families throughout Monmouth County and provides religious education for preschoolers to adults and hosts social and civic functions for the community. For more information about CBI and to register for the program, visit www.cbirumson.org.  For more information about Dr. Rittner, visit www.mercywords.com.