Does the ELCA have Jewish and Israeli peace partners?
ELCA members and leaders who are Middle East peace advocates communicate and collaborate with Jewish and Israeli partners at grassroots, national, and international levels. ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson is active in the National Interreligious Leadership Initiative for Peace in the Middle East, a national group that includes major Jewish – as well as Christian and Muslim – leaders, and that regularly communicates shared concerns with the U.S. government. The ELCA is fully involved in Churches for Middle East Peace, an ecumenical Christian alliance that cooperates with such groups as Americans for Peace Now and the Israel Policy Forum. Palestinian Lutherans are led by Bishop Munib Younan, a key organizer in the Council of Religious Institutions in the Holy Land, a group of Jewish, Christian, and Muslim leaders who meet regularly to foster mutual respect, protect holy sites, and consult with government officials.
