Dear Pastors and Conference Deans,
I am sending this e-mail and attachments to all Conference Deans and to selected pastors.
The attached documents are copies of letters that I sent to 5 Jewish synagogues located within the East Central Synod of Wisconsin. With the rise of anti-Semitism, bigotry and violence across the country our Presiding Bishop encouraged us to care, love, support and reach out to our Jewish brothers and sisters. I tried to identify the synagogues the best I could, knowing a couple are quite small. Some synagogues have closed in places like Manitowc and elsewhere. If I’ve missed any, please let me know.
I would assume come of you already have relationships with some Jewish neighbors. If not, I enourage you to reach out and personally express our support in these days and offer whatever we might do to build stronger relationships of understanding and respect. I have enclosed copies of both Bishop Eaton’s statement of December 30th and the 1994 Declaration of the ELCA to the Jewish Community.
In many respects I’m a novice in these Lutheran-Jewish relationships. So anything you can do to assist your bishop will be appreciated. J I tried to identify those pastors nearest to the synagogues to receive this e-mail. If I’ve missed someone pass this e-mail along. The letters to the Jewish congregations went in the mail this afternoon.
Blessings and peace,
Jerry
Bishop Gerald L Mansholt
East Central Synod of Wisconsin
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
16 Tri-Park Way
Appleton, Wisconsin 54914
Office phone: 920-734-5381
Cell: 920-809-9231
www.ecsw.org