AJCommittee Deeply Touched By National Conference Of Catholic Bishops' Donation To Rebuild Firebombed Synagogues

American Jewish Committee
Tuesday, 27 July 1999

The American Jewish Committee today expressed its deep appreciation to the National Conference of Catholic Bishops (NCCB) for their $25,000 contribution to help rebuild three Sacramento, California synagogues severely damaged by arsonists last month.

In a letter to The Most Reverend Joseph A. Fiorenza of Houston, Texas, NCCB President, AJC leaders called the donation "a powerful statement of solidarity with the Jewish people."

AJC President Bruce M. Ramer, Executive Director David A. Harris, and Interreligious Affairs Director Rabbi A. James Rudin added that the NCCB response is "a tangible sign of the mutual esteem that has grown in recent years between our two faith communities. We are especially touched by your public statement that 'when synagogues are burned, all Christians are Jews.'"

The AJC thanked all the members of the Conference for "their commitment to the sacred cause of building not only houses of God, but also human bridges of understanding and respect between peoples of God."

For more information, or to contact American Jewish Committee, see their website at: www.ajc.org