Rabbi Elio Toaff
1915-2015

For a momentous half-century, he served as Rome’s Chief Rabbi, guiding the Jewish community of the Eternal City through tremendous joys and significant challenges and changes—and, through it all, becoming one of the most beloved and respected leaders of European Judaism.

Dr. Victor Goldbloom
1923-2016

It isn’t everyone who can rightfully title their autobiography “Building Bridges”. But, in the case of Dr. Victor Goldbloom, bridge-building—whether religious, cultural or linguistic—is what has defined his life’s work, as a physician, a public figure, and a leader in the field of interreligious dialogue."

Cardinal Augustin Bea
1881-1968

At an age when many people have long since retired, Augustin Bea found himself thrust into the heart of some of the most controversial debates in modern Catholic history—and became one of the quiet heroes of modern Jewish-Catholic relations.

Tullia Calabi Zevi
1919-2011

Journalists often have the opportunity for rare, up-close vantage-points on key historical events; they are frequently eyewitnesses to history.

Claire Huchet Bishop
1899-1993

A native of France and a longtime citizen of the United States, Claire Huchet Bishop had the unique ability to pen prize-winning stories that captured the imaginations of generations of children—and also to provide leadership on some very adult problems, such as anti-Semitism.

Pope John Paul II
1920-2005

The man who was arguably the greatest champion of modern Jewish-Christian dialogue was known to the world as John Paul II (or “JP2” to many), but when he was born, on May 18, 1920 in Wadowice, Poland, his birth name was Karol Wojtyła.

Bruno Hussar, OP
1911-1996

An “oasis of peace”—for many religious Jews, Christians and Muslims, that is what they believe the Holy Land is meant to be, and what they hope and pray it will ultimately become some day.

Anna Hedwig Wahle, NDS
1931-2001

Although her parents were Catholics, her grandparents had been Jewish and, under the Nuremberg racial laws enacted by the Nazis, she and her family were considered Jewish for government purposes.

Msgr. John M. Oesterreicher
1904-1993)

Today, there are several dozen centres around the world dedicated to studying the relationship between Christians and Jews. But it was Monsignor John Oesterreicher who deserves the credit for establishing the first of them.

Natân André Chouraqui
1917-2007

André was born on August 11, 1917 in Algeria, into a devout and distinguished Sephardic Jewish family which had fled to North Africa just prior to the expulsion of Spain’s Jews in the late fifteenth century.

Charlotte Lea Klein, NDS
1915-1985

Charlotte Klein was born in Berlin in 1915 and brought up in a pious Orthodox Jewish home. She was a headstrong, passionate, impulsive personality with a great zest for life.

Pope St. John XXIII
1881-1963

After his seminary studies, he was ordained a priest in 1904, and was sent to pursue further studies in canon law., and he later served as a professor of Church history at the local seminary." width="242" height="300" />

After his seminary studies, he was ordained a priest in 1904, and was sent to pursue further studies in canon law., and he later served as a professor of Church history at the local seminary.

Sister Rose Thering, O.P.
1920-2006

An educator throughout her long religious life, Sister Rose earned a Bachelor’s degree from Dominican College in Racine, before going on to graduate studies—a Masters degree from the College of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN, and a Ph.D. from St. Louis University in 1961.

Rabbi Dr. Abraham Joshua Heschel
1907-1972

Arguably one of the most influential Jewish thinkers of the twentieth century, Abraham Joshua Heschel was born in Warsaw on January 11, 1907, the descendant of two prominent rabbinic dynasties.

Jules Marx Isaac
1877-1963

Born in Rennes (Aix-en-Provence), France, Jules Isaac grew up in a largely assimilated Jewish family, and pursued a career as a professional historian and academic.