The Council of Christians and Jews was established in 1942 to fight ‘religious and racial prejudice’, especially antisemitism, and to ‘promote religious and racial harmony’. Racial justice and diversity has also been high on the agenda of Jewish and Christian groups particularly since the murder of George Floyd in the USA in May 2020. 

 A new Inclusion and Diversity Project will help CCJ work towards these founding goals in three ways:

1. Establishing a small twinning scheme between synagogues and Black majority congregations in at least three cities in the UK.

a) A twinned pair will host a ‘get-to-know-you’ meeting between the clergy and rabbis or two senior members of the communities, and/or a shared social or educational event  
b) These events could be shared as appropriate on social media and through blogs CCJ will publish, thus growing understanding 

2. Organising one national event at the end of the project 
3. Establishing a project oversight group, which will: 

a) Oversee the twinning project 
b) Serve as a bridge between ongoing Jewish and Christian conversations around inclusion, diversity, and racial justice 

                              Theo Shaw, Project Manager

Project Manager Theo Shaw has a BSc in Social Policy and a MSc in Refugee Studies. She is a community organiser with Citizens UK in South London, has previously worked for the Diocese of Southwark as Public Policy Research Officer, and worships in a black majority Anglo-Catholic church in Southwark, where she leads on the church's young people’s ministry. 'The purpose of this project is essentially to help people listen and build intentional relationships with each other,' Theo said. 'I love exploring my West African heritage, and I look forward to getting to know Jewish communities in all their diversity'.

CCJ Chair Bishop Michael Ipgrave, who worked with Theo while Bishop of Woolwich, said, 'Theo brings extraordinary energy to this role as well as an ability to bring people together. Don't miss your chance to work with her on this exciting project.'

There is financial support from CCJ available which twinned pairs of synagogues and churches can use to publicise and host events.

The project begins the week of 10th May 2021. For conversations about the project before then, please email CCJ Interim Director Nathan Eddy on nathan.eddy@ccj.org.uk. For full information about the project and to express your interest, please email inclusionanddiversity@ccj.org.uk.