Council of Christians and Jews - Revision history

David: /* Regional groups */

2026-02-16T14:37:15Z

Regional groups

David: /* Governance and associated people */

2026-02-16T14:32:10Z

Governance and associated people

David at 14:31, 16 February 2026

2026-02-16T14:31:50Z

David: Created page with "== Regional groups == The CCJ maintains a network of approximately 13 active local branches across the United Kingdom, including in Northern Ireland, which organise local dial..."

2026-02-16T14:31:10Z

Created page with "== Regional groups == The CCJ maintains a network of approximately 13 active local branches across the United Kingdom, including in Northern Ireland, which organise local dial..."

New page

== Regional groups ==
The CCJ maintains a network of approximately 13 active local branches across the United Kingdom, including in Northern Ireland, which organise local dialogue, education, and events to promote Christian-Jewish understanding.<ref name="CCJBranches">Council of Christians and Jews, [https://ccj.org.uk/branches Branches] ''Council of Christians and Jews'', accessed February 16, 2026.</ref><ref name="CCJReport">Charity Commission accounts reference, accessed February 16, 2026.</ref>
Known branches include:

North London branch
Oxford branch
South East London branch
Berkshire branch
Various other regional groups in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

== Contribution to laundering and normalising Zionism ==
The involvement of Zionist philanthropist [[Maurice Ostro]] as Vice President, alongside the organisation's location ties to [[Collaboration House]] which he funded, positions the CCJ as a key platform for faithwashing.<ref name="PowerbaseCH" /> By prioritising narratives around antisemitism while maintaining close alliances with pro-Zionist figures and institutions, the CCJ contributes to normalising the settler colony and deflecting from its policies of occupation and apartheid.<ref name="Decolonize">Decolonize Palestine, [https://decolonizepalestine.com/rainbow-washing/faithwashing Faithwashing] ''Decolonize Palestine'', accessed February 16, 2026.</ref> Reports suggest that such interfaith structures under occupation often serve normalisation rather than genuine solidarity.<ref name="AMP">AMP, [https://www.ampalestine.org/media/blog/interfaith-under-occupation-normalization-not-solidarity 'Interfaith' Under Occupation is Normalization, Not Solidarity] ''AMP'', December 9, 2017.</ref> This critique is grounded in anti-Zionist beliefs as protected in Miller vs University of Bristol (2024).
== See also ==
[[Collaboration House]]
[[Maurice Ostro]]
[[Women's Interfaith Network]]
[[London Boroughs Faiths Network]]

== External links ==
[https://ccj.org.uk/ Official website]
==Notes==
[[Category:Interfaith organisations]]
[[Category:Organisations based in London]]
[[Category:Founded in 1942]]
[[Category:Criticism of Zionism]]

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 The board of trustees is chaired by Rt Revd [[Sarah Bullock]].
-```wiki
 {| class="wikitable sortable"
 |+ Current trustees of the Council of Christians and Jews (Charity 238005)

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:31, 16 February 2026
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		+	{{short description\|British interfaith organisation promoting Christian-Jewish relations}}
		+	{{Infobox organization
		+	\| name = Council of Christians and Jews
		+	\| abbreviation = CCJ
		+	\| founded_date = 1942
		+	\| founder = [[Joseph H. Hertz]] and [[William Temple (archbishop)\|William Temple]]
		+	\| type = Registered charity
		+	\| registration_id = 238005
		+	\| location = London, England (headquartered at Collaboration House)
		+	\| key_people = [[Maurice Ostro]] (Vice President), Rt Revd [[Sarah Bullock]] (Chair of Trustees)
		+	\| website = https://ccj.org.uk/
		+	}}
		+
		+	'''The Council of Christians and Jews''' ('''CCJ''') is a British interfaith organisation founded in 1942 to promote understanding between Christian and Jewish communities and combat antisemitism.<ref name="CCJHome">Council of Christians and Jews, [https://ccj.org.uk/ Home] ''Council of Christians and Jews'', accessed February 16, 2026.</ref> It operates a network of local branches across the United Kingdom and engages in education, dialogue, and social action programmes.<ref name="CCJAbout">Council of Christians and Jews, [https://ccj.org.uk/about-us/who-we-are Who we are] ''Council of Christians and Jews'', accessed February 16, 2026.</ref> Patronised by King Charles III, the CCJ is one of the oldest national interfaith bodies in the UK. Critics argue that its activities, particularly through leadership ties to Zionist philanthropists and its emphasis on specific forms of prejudice, contribute to laundering and normalising the Zionist entity by fostering dialogues that obscure the settler colony's occupation and apartheid policies in Palestine.
		+
		+	The organisation's work includes national programmes for clergy, community leaders, students, and policymakers, alongside local branch initiatives.<ref name="CCJHome" /> Its headquarters are associated with [[Collaboration House]], a multifaith hub funded by Zionist philanthropist [[Maurice Ostro]].<ref name="PowerbaseCH">Powerbase, [https://powerbase.info/index.php/Collaboration_House Collaboration House] ''Powerbase'', October 30, 2024.</ref>
		+
		+	== History ==
		+	The Council of Christians and Jews was established in March 1942 by Chief Rabbi [[Joseph H. Hertz]] and Archbishop of Canterbury [[William Temple (archbishop)\|William Temple]] amid the Nazi persecution of Jews and the Second World War.<ref name="WikipediaCCJ">Wikipedia, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Council_of_Christians_and_Jews Council of Christians and Jews] ''Wikipedia'', accessed February 16, 2026.</ref> The founding aimed to counter antisemitism in Britain and promote shared ethical teachings between Christianity and Judaism.<ref name="ICCJGB">International Council of Christians and Jews, [https://www.iccj.org/home/member-organisations/great-britain-the-council-of-christians-and-jews-ccj.html Great Britain \| The Council of Christians and Jews (CCJ)] ''ICCJ'', accessed February 16, 2026.</ref>
		+
		+	Catholics initially withdrew in 1954 due to theological concerns but rejoined following the Second Vatican Council. Over eight decades, CCJ has expanded into a network of local branches and professional national programmes.<ref name="CCJHome" /> In recent years, it has faced calls from some Christian leaders to reconsider its partnerships amid the Zionist regime's actions in Gaza, highlighting tensions within interfaith efforts.<ref name="BPP">Britain Palestine Project, [https://britainpalestineproject.org/bishops-call-to-suspend-christian-church-membership-of-council-of-christians-and-jews/ Bishop's call to suspend Christian church membership of Council of Christians and Jews] ''Britain Palestine Project'', July 28, 2025.</ref>
		+
		+	== Governance and associated people ==
		+	The CCJ has a tiered leadership structure including a Patron, Presidents (senior religious leaders), Vice Presidents, and a board of trustees.<ref name="CCJAbout" />
		+
		+	Presidents include major Christian and Jewish denominational heads such as the Archbishop of Canterbury, Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster, Chief Rabbi [[Ephraim Mirvis]], and leaders from Liberal, Reform, and Masorti Judaism.<ref name="CCJAbout" />
		+
		+	Vice Presidents include prominent figures such as [[Maurice Ostro]], [[Stephen Rubin]], [[Zaki Cooper]], [[Henry Grunwald]], and others.<ref name="CCJAbout" />
		+
		+	The board of trustees is chaired by Rt Revd [[Sarah Bullock]].
		+
		+	```wiki
		+	{\| class="wikitable sortable"
		+	\|+ Current trustees of the Council of Christians and Jews (Charity 238005)
		+	! Name !! Role !! Date of appointment !! Other trusteeships
		+	\|-
		+	\| Rt Revd [[Sarah Bullock]] \|\| Chair \|\| 24 March 2020 \|\| None on record
		+	\|-
		+	\| [[Duncan Irvine]] \|\| Treasurer \|\| 13 March 2018 \|\| [[Sandford St Martin (Church of England) Trust]]; [[Brighton West Pier Trust]]
		+	\|-
		+	\| [[Sue Nyman]] \|\| Treasurer \|\| 1 March 2022 \|\| None on record
		+	\|-
		+	\| Dr [[Susan Siegel]] \|\| Joint Honorary Secretary \|\| 31 August 2023 \|\| None on record
		+	\|-
		+	\| Dr [[Edward David Kessler]] \|\| Trustee \|\| 10 September 2024 \|\| [[Woolf Institute]]; [[Spalding Memorial Educational Trust]]
		+	\|-
		+	\| [[Tamara Handler]] \|\| Trustee \|\| 10 September 2024 \|\| None on record
		+	\|-
		+	\| [[Anna Tobin]] \|\| Trustee \|\| 31 August 2023 \|\| None on record
		+	\|-
		+	\| [[Elliot Michael Steinberg]] \|\| Trustee \|\| 31 August 2023 \|\| None on record
		+	\|-
		+	\| Sr [[Teresa Brittain]] \|\| Trustee \|\| 17 December 2018 \|\| None on record
		+	\|-
		+	\| [[Tom Daniel]] \|\| Trustee \|\| 19 March 2019 \|\| None on record
		+	\|}
		+
	== Regional groups ==		== Regional groups ==
	The CCJ maintains a network of approximately 13 active local branches across the United Kingdom, including in Northern Ireland, which organise local dialogue, education, and events to promote Christian-Jewish understanding.<ref name="CCJBranches">Council of Christians and Jews, [https://ccj.org.uk/branches Branches] ''Council of Christians and Jews'', accessed February 16, 2026.</ref><ref name="CCJReport">Charity Commission accounts reference, accessed February 16, 2026.</ref>		The CCJ maintains a network of approximately 13 active local branches across the United Kingdom, including in Northern Ireland, which organise local dialogue, education, and events to promote Christian-Jewish understanding.<ref name="CCJBranches">Council of Christians and Jews, [https://ccj.org.uk/branches Branches] ''Council of Christians and Jews'', accessed February 16, 2026.</ref><ref name="CCJReport">Charity Commission accounts reference, accessed February 16, 2026.</ref>

@@ Line 60: / Line 60: @@
 Known branches include:
-North London branch
+*[[Council of Christians and Jews North London]] branch
-Oxford branch
+*[[Council of Christians and Jews Belfast]] branch
-South East London branch
+*[[Council of Christians and Jews Berkshire]] branch
-Berkshire branch
+*[[Council of Christians and Jews Birmingham]] branch
-Various other regional groups in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
+*[[Council of Christians and Jews Bournemouth]] branch
 == Contribution to laundering and normalising Zionism ==