I would like to share with you a very interesting presentation being offered by our Catholic-Jewish Commission of Southern New Jersey next month. Our Catholic-Jewish Institute for Understanding will present a program “Voting Your Faith: What does it mean?” on Wednesday, Oct. 10, at 7:30 p.m. at the Katz Jewish Community Center, 1301 Springdale Road, Cherry Hill. Cost is $10 advance registration/$15 at the door. To pay in advance please send your check to: Catholic Jewish Commission, 1301 Springdale Road, Cherry Hill, NJ 08003. For more information, contact Helene Klimberg at 856-751-9500 x1117 or email hklimberg@jfedsnj.org.
Join us for an in-depth look at the ways in which religious beliefs and commitments play out in contemporary American culture and how this affects the way people vote. With a major election just weeks away we have recently witnessed the topic of God and religion playing an important part in the unfolding political conversation. This election season is playing out during difficult and challenging times for our local communities, our country and the world. Divisive and heated rhetoric dominates the public dialogue and the voice of big money often mutes the voice of the average voter. More and more people are withdrawing from engagement in the political process out of a growing sense of cynicism and mistrust. As people of faith, we can play a unique role in encouraging civil, respectful dialogue that builds community and offers a hope-filled vision for the future.
Our keynote speaker is Perry Dane, professor, Rutgers School of Law—Camden. Professor Dane received his J.D. from Yale Law School, where he was note editor of the law journal and received the Israel H. Peres Prize awarded by the faculty for the best student contribution to the Yale Law Journal. After law school, he clerked for Judge David Bazelon of the U.S. Court of Appeals and Justice William Brennan of the U.S. Supreme Court and then served for nine years on the Yale Law School faculty.
Professor Dane has written landmark articles on choice of law, religion and law, the jurisprudence of Jewish law, legal pluralism and jurisdiction. He teaches courses in Conflicts of Law, Constitutional Law, American Indian Law, Jurisdiction, Law and Religion, Nonprofit Organizations, the Canadian Legal System and seminars on “Legalism” and “Religion and the State in Cross-National Perspective.” He was a Distinguished Visiting Professor at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law, teaching an intensive course on Religion and the Law. Recently, he taught a course on Religion and the State in Cross-National Perspective as a visiting professor at the University of Western Ontario Faculty of Law.
Our keynote presentation will be followed by guest panelists representing both the Catholic and Jewish community who will respond to the keynote speech. Representing the Catholic tradition will be Father Robert J. Gregorio, senior priest at St. Joseph Church in Somers Point, a professor of theology and long time columnist for the Catholic Star Herald writing on various issues dealing with justice, law, government, policy issues, and a plethora of moral and ethical issues facing the church and our world. The Jewish responder is Rabbi Avi Winokur, rabbi at Society Hill Synagogue, Philadelphia. He began his career as an attorney and earned his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center. After eight years in law practice in California, he decided to fulfill his dream of becoming a rabbi. Rabbi Winokur is a graduate and current board member of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association.
Pope Benedict recently told the bishops of the United States to encourage political awareness and participation. He explained, “Here once more we see the need for an engaged, articulate and well formed Catholic laity … The preparation of committed lay leaders and the presentation of a convincing articulation of the Christian vision of man and society remain a primary task of the Church in your country.”
Our program is an attempt to help Jews and Christians to reflect upon the teachings and influence of our faith when it comes to the voting box. I hope to see you at our exciting program on Oct. 10 at the JCC in Cherry Hill. It promises to be an interesting presentation and we look forward to a lively conversation during the question and answer segment. Please call now and make your reservation for a great evening.
Father Joseph D. Wallace is coordinator, Ecumenical and Inter-religious Affairs, Diocese of Camden.
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