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Editorial
The Editors
Modern youth's search for God is the main theme of this issue of SIDIC. The :problems and the promise of the young in today's rapidly changing world and society can, of course, be approached from many angles. Innumerable publications do, in fact, deal with the political, sociological, psychological and religious aspects of the role of youth in a world full of fermentation. « Youth » can here be understood to mean young people, but it may also include all those who « feel young », who have many ideas in common with the young, and whose reactions to society and to religion are the same as theirs. In this sense youth may be called the conscience of society, and the expression of society's growing awareness that there is an urgent need for a new world, far new interpersonal relations, and for a reexamination of values; an awareness, too, that in spite of much vagueness and insecurity these ideals are beginning to be realized.
In the context of Jewish-Christian relations we have asked several experts, Jews and Christians who are in close contact with the young, to express their views on youth and its search for God. In their different ways, our collaborators, to whom we are most grateful, have reflected on their experience in this field. We note the similarities, convergencies, and differences in their approach to the realities with which they are concerned. We are convinced that their insights will greatly contribute to a better knowledge of the situation and of the tendencies of the young people of both communities. These young people are very often striving with great sincerity for authentic human values, for a deeper understanding of the sense of life and community. They are sometimes in the hopeless position of being now attracted, now repelled by the ideal of transcendental fulfillment; they have a strong intuition that the fullest self-expression of the human person cannot be attained without a very existential integration of true human values.
What answers do Judaism and Christianity give to the questions that are being asked today? Does a new awareness of the relations between the two faiths help Christian youth to discover the deepest meaning of life? Such questions form the background of this issue of SIDIC.
Attention is also given to events in various parts of the world as they affect the different relations between Christians and Jews. Some of these are positive, some negative, but they are all signs of a progressive, though difficult, struggle towards deeper mutual understanding. They are expressions of the conviction that search for God is not possible without search for man.