Protestant-Jewish Dialogue and Cooperation

At the beginning of 2022, the cooperation between the SIG and the Protestant Church of Switzerland (Evangelisch-reformierte Kirche Schweiz EKS) was placed on a new footing and was intensified. The interreligious dialogue is conducted in particular at presidential level with the support of an advisory committee of experts.

Top-level meetings and specialist committee for Jewish-Protestant issues

The two presidents of the SIG and the EKS meet regularly, at least once a year. At these meetings, the representatives of the two religious communities aim to gain an overview of topical theological, ethical, social, cultural and political issues that concern and connect them. A specialist committee (Fachgremium für jüdisch-evangelische Fragen) is available to prepare and deal with specific questions. The committee’s membership is made up ad-hoc depending on the topic at hand, and is supplemented by experts in the field concerned.

Decade-long partnership

This dialogue-based form of cooperation is a seamless continuation of the traditionally good relations between the SIG and EKS, which date back to the years immediately after the Second World War. From 1987 it was institutionalised as the Protestant-Jewish Working Group (Evangelisch-Jüdische Arbeitsgruppe) and from 2004 to 2021 as the Protestant-Jewish Dialogue Commission (Evangelisch-Jüdische Gesprächskommission).

Enhancing religious peace and religious freedom

As the umbrella organisation of Switzerland’s Jewish communities, the SIG cultivates regular contacts with representatives of other religious communities. Besides cooperating with the EKS, the SIG is also active in several other interreligious bodies and organisations that conduct theological dialogues and strive for common positions in support of religious peace and religious freedom.