Illustration by Chris Delorenzo
What can the intricacies of Jewish history, beliefs, and traditions teach seminarians in ATS schools? The question inspired the Academy for Jewish Religion (AJR) in Yonkers, New York, to launch a groundbreaking series of videos to create knowledge and understanding of Jews and Judaism, especially for a Christian seminary audience. Dr. Ora Horn Prouser, chief executive officer and academic dean at AJR, recently discussed the series titled, “Mosaic Religion and the Religious Mosaic,” with Matt Hufman, vice president of communication of the In Trust Center, for the Good Governance podcast, episode 65.
AJR applied for and received a Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative grant in the first phase the funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. to do the work. Academy leaders then conferred with other institutions accredited by the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) to develop content, structure, and format, assess their learning needs and identify preferred modes of delivery.
The idea of a video series emerged as a vehicle to give seminarians a foundation for understanding Jewish traditions, antisemitism, identity, beliefs, and history; and an academy-wide effort began.
Scripts developed by alumni were produced by students and faculty, and outside collaborators reviewed them for accuracy. The result: a series of 25 videos highlighting the diversity of Judaism.
Prouser and her team discovered a key issue while creating the videos: the potential for misunderstanding of terminology between Christians and Jews.
“When talking about the Church, we don’t mean the building on the corner,” she explained. “But when people mention the synagogue, they mean the building on the corner. It should be the Church and the Jewish community.” These basic clarifications, she believes, can foster long-term interfaith dialogues.
The videos have received positive and unexpected feedback, Prouser said, and have been well-received by seminaries, including Judaism classes at seminaries and people considering conversion. The videos can be used beyond a seminary classroom – churches and community groups could use them for discussion, and people could use them for continued learning.
Given its success, AJR plans a second stage, covering more comprehensive topics, including information on Israel.
Prouser also emphasized the importance of mutual learning, stating, “The Jewish community has to learn as much as we can about Christian communities.
“This is a two-way street.”
Find project links and the podcast on Episode 65: click here.