Ed Kessler
edkessler.bsky.social
Ed Kessler
@edkessler.bsky.social
Founder, Woolf Institute (www.woolf.cam.ac.uk)
Fellow, St Edmunds College (www.st-edmunds.cam.ac.uk)
Chair, Commission on the Integration of Refugees
Chair, Pathway to Progressive Judaism
interested in Abrahamic dialogue (& Arsenal supporter)
My reflections on Holocaust Memorial Day 2025 and its theme ‘For a Better Future’. @thetablet.bsky.social
January 26, 2025 at 8:21 AM
@pontifexes.bsky.social highlights the role of interfaith dialogue in building peaceful coexistence between peoples, cutures and religions. This means not defining ourselves by ourselves but defining ourselves in the presence of others.
www.vaticannews.va
January 17, 2025 at 2:07 PM
I've just learned that Jan 6th is not only the last day Christmas, the first day of Orthodox Christmas and the Feast of the Circumcision of Jesus, but is known in Ireland as Nollaig na mBan, or Women's Christmas - when traditional gender roles are to be reversed at home.
www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
The roots and traditions of Nollaig na mBan
There are many Irish folk rituals associated with January 6th, the last day of Christmas and the day known as Nollaig na mBan
www.rte.ie
January 6, 2025 at 12:37 PM
This year marks 60th anniversary of Nostra Aetate, one of the most important documents from #VaticanII. Here's a reflection on neo-conservative Catholic theological views of Jewish-Christian relations including fulfilment, salvation, mission & interfaith dialogue.
www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/15...
Fulfillment, Salvation, and Mission: The Neo-Conservative Catholic Theology of Jewish–Christian Relations after Nostra Aetate
The neo-conservative Catholic movement, led by prominent figures like Richard John Neuhaus and Michael Novak, played a significant role in shaping Jewish–Christian relations in the United States follo...
www.mdpi.com
January 5, 2025 at 3:39 PM
Am enjoying some R&R in the West of Ireland, thinking about #newyearresolution for 2025. #Dialogue over advocacy is my choice. No easy task: genuine dialogue requires taking someone else as seriously as you wish to be taken yourself. Here’s a 5-min reflection:
www.woolf.cam.ac.uk/podcasts/d-f...
Woolf Institute (en-GB)
The Woolf Institute provides an academic framework and space in which people could tackle issues of religious difference constructively.
www.woolf.cam.ac.uk
December 31, 2024 at 12:13 PM
Dec. 25 is not only Christmas but also the start of Chanukah, occurring only 4 times since 1900. Both are festivals of light: Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus, the light of the world for Christians;Chanukah, the Jewish Festival of Lights. Happy Christmas & Chanukah S'meach (a joyful Chanukah)
December 24, 2024 at 2:16 PM
@pontifexes.bsky.social delivers Christmas greetings to Roman Curia: ‘Speak well of others’. I can think of many people who could benefit from listening to and acting on this message (not least me).
www.americamagazine.org/faith/2024/1...
Pope Francis delivers Christmas greeting to Roman Curia: ‘Speak well of others’
In Francis’ 12th Christmas address to the Roman Curia, he reminded them, “An ecclesial community lives in joyful and fraternal harmony to the extent that its members walk the path of humility.”
www.americamagazine.org
December 22, 2024 at 9:30 AM
Latest issue of Fifteen Eight Four:
Academic perspectives from @cambridgeup.bsky.social
happily focuses on my new book.
cambridgeblog.org/2024/12/a-do...
A Documentary History of Jewish–Christian Relations
Twenty years ago Neil Wenborn and I celebrated the launch of our Dictionary of Jewish–Christian Relations, which comprised more than 700 entries, from ‘Aaron’ to ‘Zola’.
cambridgeblog.org
December 20, 2024 at 1:38 PM
If you're interested in reading a range of statements and opinion essays from those engaged in Jewish-Christian dialogue since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war, focusing on inter-religious relations, this is a valuable resource:
ccjr.us/dialogika-re...
Selected Texts on the Israel-Hamas War: Oct 2023 to the present
The outbreak of the Israeli-Hamas War in the wake of the massacre of approximately twelve hundred Israelis and other nationals, and the abduction of over t...
ccjr.us
December 19, 2024 at 11:36 AM
Today is #InternationalMigrantsDay. As chair of the Commission on the Integration of #Refugees, I am committed to the belief that society thrives when everyone, regardless of their background, can contribute to and benefit from strong, empowered, and connected communities.
refugeeintegrationuk.com
Commission on the Integration of Refugees - Home
The Commission on the Integration of Refugees is an independent commission that aims to improve the integration of refugees in the UK.
refugeeintegrationuk.com
December 18, 2024 at 12:01 PM
Catholic nun and Holocaust scholar bravely reflects on the impact of the brutality of the Gaza war on Christian-Jewish dialogue and calls for honest conversations about the tough questions, including genocide accusations.
international.la-croix.com/opinions/chr...
Christian-Jewish dialogue: Can we still talk?
Amid the brutality of the war between Israel and Hamas, Christian-Jewish dialogue faces strain. Can we address tough questions—genocide accusations, U.S. support for Israel, and interfaith divides—wit...
international.la-croix.com
December 17, 2024 at 7:26 AM
Woolf Institute is marking the end of its 25th anniversary year with the launch of a publication, telling its history from an idea shared between two friends in Cambridge cafe to a global centre of interfaith study and practice.

www.woolf.cam.ac.uk/assets/file-...
December 16, 2024 at 7:03 AM
If you're interested in my view of the impact of October 7th and the war in Gaza on interfaith relations, especially between Jews, Christians and Muslims, have a listen to the interview on Leading with Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/i...
Israel-Gaza: How the conflict divided Britain and the US, with Ed Kessler
Podcast Episode · Leading · 07/04/2024 · 53m
podcasts.apple.com
December 13, 2024 at 9:59 AM
Thoughtful, honest and sometimes searing post-October 7th reflection on Jewish-Christian relations today, by Catholic theologian @peteradmirand.bsky.social. Well worth a read.
ejournals.bc.edu/index.php/sc...
Confessions of a Catholic Theologian: On Silence, the Shoah, and the War in Israel-Palestine | Studies in Christian-Jewish Relations
ejournals.bc.edu
December 13, 2024 at 9:54 AM
Research on forgiveness in post-conflict societies, led by Woolf Institute Research Fellow, Kitty O'Lone, just published by @undp.org. The team focused on Bosnia, Northern Ireland & South Sudan, using an AI system designed to study religious & ethnic conflict.
hdr.undp.org/content/simu...
Simulating Sustainable Societies: Uncertainty, Complexity and Multi-Agent Artificial Intelligence Modelling | Human Development Reports
This background paper provides a case study from a project led by The Woolf Institute that combined news media analysis tools, stakeholder interview methods and simulation technologies to shed light o...
hdr.undp.org
December 12, 2024 at 11:01 AM
Newly published research (and accompanying podcasts) exploring relations between Muslims and Jews in Germany, France and UK. It considers not only Islamophobia and antisemitism but also more positive cultural and commercial exchange, including in music and the Arts.
www.mmg.mpg.de/640536/encou...
Encounters - ORA Joint Research Project
www.mmg.mpg.de
December 11, 2024 at 12:41 PM
Pleased to be interviewed by @nickferrarilbc.bsky.social @lbc.co.uk this morning discussing the implications of the fall of Assad on Syrian refugees in the UK. Starts at 7.05am.
www.globalplayer.com/catchup/lbc/...
LBC
Get the very latest UK and world news along with video interviews and analysis - only on LBC. Leading Britain's Conversation.
lbc.co.uk
December 10, 2024 at 12:18 PM
Since Turkey will play a key role in Syria's future, it's good hear the Foreign Minister call for protection of minorities. Christians, 10% of the pop. (Greek Orthodox c.8% and Armenian c.2%), were dependent on Assad for protection and are understandably nervous.
www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/12...
Turkiye urges inclusivity, fair treatment of minorities in post-Assad Syria
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stresses importance of national unity and sovereignty after fall of Bashar al-Assad gov’t.
www.aljazeera.com
December 9, 2024 at 10:26 AM
Standing Together is a courageous Jewish-Palestinian organisation working to combat polarisation and fear mongering in Israel. Here’s an article describing its newest initiative, aimed at countering the self-censorship by some of the Israel news media www.haaretz.com/israel-news/...
A Palestinian-Israeli group bought bus stop ads. They filled them with images from Gaza
***
www.haaretz.com
December 6, 2024 at 5:39 PM
Pleased to share news of my new book, 'A Documentary History of Jewish–Christian Relations' published @cambridgeup.bsky.social. It's the first comprehensive single-volume history of Jewish–Christian relations over 2,000 years. Further info, inc. launch discount: www.woolf.cam.ac.uk/research/pro...
December 5, 2024 at 11:29 AM
Pleased (& relieved) to have joined exodus from Twitter and made the journey to BlueSky. This is my first post and I simply want to share my life's work: fostering better relations between Jews, Christians and Muslims. This photo (from recent Woolf Institute conference) says it all.
December 4, 2024 at 5:34 PM
Reposted by Ed Kessler
#OnlineCourse: The Woolf Institute (Cambridge) is delighted to announce that applications are now being accepted for the online course, Jews, Christians and Muslims in Europe: Modern Challenges. Applications are due August 1.

More information at:

mesana.org/resources-and-…
November 25, 2024 at 5:02 PM