ELCA NEWS SERVICE September 20, 2005 ELCA Representatives Part of Sept. 18-23 Middle East Journey 05-176-JB CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Two representatives of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America are part of a group of 17 Christian and Jewish leaders who will visit Israel and Palestine this week with the purpose of engaging in a "transforming dialogue" about Israeli-Palestinian relations. The trip, organized through the National Council of Churches USA (NCC), began Sept. 18 and concludes Sept. 23. Representing the ELCA are Dennis W. Frado, director, Lutheran Office for World Community, New York, and Dr. Darrell H. Jodock, St. Peter, Minn., chair, ELCA Consultative Panel on Lutheran-Jewish Relations. "That Jewish and Christian leaders representing their denominations and organizations are going on this trip together is in itself a significant statement of trust and hope," said the Rev. Shanta Premawardhana, NCC associate general secretary, Interfaith Relations, New York. "Many of us have been there before and have seen the realities on the ground and met people who are suffering, (and met) religious and political dignitaries. The difference this time is that we are hoping to see and hear, with the eyes and ears of the other, those same realities and voices. We are hopeful that the trip will help transform us and our dialogue table," Premawardhana said. In a statement the 17 journey participants said that for more than one year leaders of the mainstream Christian and Jewish communities of the United States have been working "to constructively address issues that concern the two communities, of which the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is by far the most serious." The trip aims to demonstrate that Christians and Jews can work together and discuss peace even when there is disagreement on specific policies and solutions, the statement said. The participants hope the journey will enable them to become more effective advocates for peace, the statement said. The group plans to meet with Israeli and Palestinian public officials, religious leaders and scholars. They will listen to Israelis and Palestinians who have suffered in the conflict. Two days of the visit were planned by Palestinians, and two days were planed by Israelis. "These religious leaders hope to find new common ground in their commitment to peace to more effectively mobilize their communities of faith, elected officials and fellow citizens on behalf of a negotiated peace settlement. Further, they hope to more effectively support those Palestinians and Israelis who are courageously working to establish a secure, viable and independent Palestinian state alongside an equally secure State of Israel," the statement said. In addition to the ELCA and NCC, Christian groups with journey participants are the Alliance of Baptists, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Episcopal Church, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), United Church of Christ and United Methodist Church. Jewish groups participating include the American Jewish Committee, American Jewish Congress, Anti-Defamation League, Jewish Council for Public Affairs, Union of Reform Judaism and United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism. --- Details of the Sept. 18-23 Israel-Palestine journey, including a list of participants and their statement, is at http://www.ncccusa.org/news/050919ChristianJewishJourney.html on the NCC Web site. For information contact: John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask] http://www.elca.org/news