By PAUL LUNGEN, Staff Reporter
TORONTO ? Canadian Jewish Congress and the United Church of Canada appear to have resolved their differences over the Church's links to a Jewish organization that's highly
critical of Israel.
Bernie Farber
Congress and Church representatives met last week at the Lipa Green Building after Congress CEO Bernie Farber suggested the two organizations were close to schism.
Both sides emerged from the meeting pledging ?to seek ways of promoting ongoing dialogue, to hear each other's concerns.
?We put our feelings on the table and held the tensions creatively. Both groups made a commitment to ongoing dialogue to deal with difficult issues and to look for ways to work in common cause,?
a joint news release stated.
The meeting had been requested by Congress to voice its concerns over the Church's relationship with Independent Jewish Voices (IJV), a small group that accuses Israel of apartheid and human
rights violations.
The group had received a $900 grant from the Church and was involved in joint programs with Church regional bodies.
Farber said Congress was concerned over the Church's relationship with IJV and had requested a formal statement from the Church's senior national leadership dissociating it from the group. He
described IJV as ?a small rump group of people who engaged this debate in the [United'Church] and motivated [anti-Israel] resolutions at the Church's General Council meeting in Kelowna [last
summer].?
IJV states on its website that it ?has come under attack by pro-Israel groups because we challenge their contention that they speak for Canadian Jews, as well as their unqualified support for
Israeli behaviour even when it involves the violation of human rights and international law.?
The Church statement, which appears on its website, ?acknowledged its longstanding and historical relationship with Canadian Jewish Congress as the place for dialogue and consultation with the
Jewish community of Canada. The UCC reiterated its position that Independent Jewish Voices has not been and is not a partner of the United Church of Canada.
?For its part, Canadian Jewish Congress acknowledged that the UCC by its very nature listens to many voices and many perspectives in Canada and beyond on all issues including its reflections on
peace in the Middle East.?
Farber said that ?the meeting was cordial and focused. I think we all understand the need to reconcile for the sake of the faith communities. We both wanted it.?
Nora Saunders, general secretary of the Church's General Council, said that ?it was a good meeting and a reminder to us and everyone of the importance of sitting down and talking about things'?I
felt a renewed sense that there are things in common and things we disagreed with and we need to continue meeting.?
Both groups are ?rooted in faith, with some common roots. Through our different faiths, we're passionate about working for the good.?
At the same time, she said, ?I think we will always have differences ? differences in who we are and how we approach things.?
As for IJV, Saunders said the Church ?regretted' its prior relationship with the group. ?I'd also like to clarify that we have a longstanding relationship with Canadian Jewish Congress and see it
as the place for dialogue. We don't have any formal relationship with IJV.?
Asked whether she thought Congress' concerns might have been caused by the Church considering positions similar to those of IJV that are harshly critical of Israel, Saunders sidestepped the
query, saying differences must be resolved ?by sitting down and talking directly from time to time and to remember the things in common, as well as the differences.?
Canadain Jewish News
