Understanding Your Neighbor's Faith

Book excerpt: "Understanding Your Neighbor's Faith: What Christians and Jews Should Know About Each Other was the brainchild of Rabbi Philip Lazowski of Hartford, Connecticut. The idea was born several years back after he invited a group of non-Jewish clergymen to visit the Holy Land with him. Priests, ministers and some members of their congregations who wanted a better understanding of Israel and Judaism enthusiastically accepted his gesture of good will. Rabbi Lazowski's unique perspective as a Holocaust survivor made him ideally poised to teach others about the historical and philosophical context of Judaism as well as its rich tradition of practice. Rabbi Lazowski also learned much from his colleagues of other faith traditions. This unprecedented volume gives Rabbi Lazowski and the other clergy the opportunity to explicate their religion, using their own language and concepts in responding to the questions of people of goodwill outside their faith. Difficult, even uncomfortable, questions are asked--and answered. No question is too simple or too complex. Every chapter, each by an author belonging to a different Christian faith tradition, will prove as informative to the co-religionist as to the outsider. The concise, straightforward question-and-answer style allows the book to be studied in full, read casually, or consulted for reference.