An extraordinary year by any standards! The publication of Dabru Emet: A Jewish Statement on Christians and Christian-ity ignited lively debates and searching reflection among Jews and Christians in North America and abroad. Indeed, many have heralded the document as a theological breakthrough. The global significance of the statement was evidenced at a the March conference in Cambridge, England, where repeated references to this document were made by Jews and Chris-tians from Russia, Poland, the Netherlands, Germany, England, and Israel. Conferences centering on Dabru Emet have taken place in Poland, France, Canada, and the United States, and new educational programs in other countries are under construction.

Last September also included the publication of Christianity In Jewish Terms, a collaborative achievement that establishes the academic underpinnings of this ambitious project. The second book, Irreconcilable Differences? A Learning Resource for Jews and Christians, is hot off the press. This volume features a collection of essays that open up the inescapable questions at the heart of the Christian-Jewish encounter. Composed by a group of distinguished Jewish and Christian educators, this publication is intended for a broader reader-ship. The book provides new audiences with the indispensable resources to become active participants in an emerging partnership, a partnership where we learn to live in creative tension with our ancestors, our neighbors, and ourselves.

Even a hurried inspection of this newsletter demonstrates the remarkable range of our educational programs. Most especially I want to alert you to the Seminary Consultation, coordinated by Dr. Rosann Catalano. In the coming year, we will build on this and other efforts, sharing our educational expertise with other communities around the country. All of these endeavors are made possible because of the dedication of our talented staff, board, and supporters. As a dynamic and growing organization, we have counted mightily on their generous contributions. Yet I am especially grateful for the leadership that the chairs of the ICJS board have provided so consist-ently over the years. They have anchored our success and stabilized our enthusiasms.

George Bunting, Bernie Manekin, and Charles Obrecht put down the cornerstone of the ICJS. They were there -- in the beginning -- developing the vision and grounding the dream on fertile soil. Along with Rick Berndt and George Hess, they were the original officers, the founding fathers of our Institute. Their keen interest, indeed their passion for the ICJS, rever-berates every place they go. When you are with any of these individuals, you quickly learn that there is no place in the bleachers. You have to plunge into the thick of things and struggle with the problems of an anguished history, you have to think outside the box and take action -- revolutionary action -- because our children and our grandchildren need and deserve religious traditions that take new and bold measures to honor our differences.

Although these individuals will remain active members of the ICJS board, they are passing their administrative duties to a new slate of officers. Kathy Hoskins was unanimously chosen to serve as the President of the ICJS. She was one of the founding members of the ICJS, and during the last few years has served as the chair of the Personnel Committee and the Executive Committee. When she is not juggling the many demands of our organization, she serves as a lawyer at Gallagher, Evelius, & Jones. Rabbi Joel Zaiman, the Senior Rabbi of Chizuk Amuno Congregation, will assume new respon-sibilities as one of the co-chairs. He has choreographed the work of the Program Committee and served as a key advisor in the configuration of the National Jewish Scholars Project. Redmond Finney will serve as the third co-chair, and his range of experiences at the Gilman School and on the Baltimore City School Board will moor the organization.

In conclusion, I want to express our gratitude to Rabbi David Sandmel for his many contributions to the ICJS. During the past two years, David took a wildly ambitious initiative and provided the requisite guidance to launch the National Jewish Scholars Project. We wish him the very best as he completes his dissertation at the University of Pennsylvania and takes on a new set of professional challenges. The quest for a new Jewish Scholar generated an extraordinary number of talented applicants. After an exhaustive and exhausting selection process, I am delighted to announce the appointment of Rabbi Charles Arian as the next ICJS Jewish Scholar. There are grand opportunities and daunting challenges ahead, and we are con-fident that Rabbi Arian's talents and sensitivities will greatly enhance our efforts. As new educational ventures unfold, we hope that you -- the friends and supporters of the ICJS -- will continue to enliven our programs with your participation and your support.