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In memoriam (William W. Simpson - Dr. Joseph Lichten)
The Editors

William W. Simpson
SIDIC wishes to pay tribute to a dear friend and colleague, Bill Simpson, who died suddenly on 29th August. He will be remembered as a great pioneer in Jewish-Christian relations. His sympathetic interest in the Jewish People dates from his boyhood. As a young Methodist minister he studied Judaism at Jews' College. London. It was almost unheard of in those days for a Christian to study there. After working with Jewish refugees during the war he was actively involved in setting up the British Council of Christians and Jews in 1942 and became its first General Secretary. The fostering of Jewish-Christian understanding and combatting anti-semitism was his life's work though he was also involved in wider humanitarian con-cerns and in the Christian ministry. Those of us who came to know him well, found in him a wise counsellor and a warm-hearted and loyal friend. His wisdom, faith and natural optimism never failed even in difficult and tense situations. He began the C.C.J. journal Common Ground and his publications include Youth and Antisemitism, Mini Commentary on Pentateuch, Light and Rejoicing: A Christian's Understanding of Jewish Worship, Jesus in the Background of History (with A.I. Polack) and a great many articles. After his retirement in 1974 he continued with this main interest, writing, speaking, studying. He was vicepresident of the International C.C.J. Bill leaves a great legacy and inspiration —may we continue to walk in the path he forged.

Dr. Joseph Lichten
Dr. Joseph Lichten, a great pioneer in Catholic-Jewish relations and a dear friend of SIDIC died suddenly and peacefully at his home in Rome on 15th December 1987.
Dr. Lichten was born and educated in Poland. He endured the crucible of Jewish suffering during the Nazi era. It is a tribute to the stature of this true human being that his determination to work for better Catholic-Jewish relations emerged in this context. After the war he joined the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith in New York as Director of its Intercultural Affairs Department. He initiated many Catholic-Jewish interfaith programes and studies in anti-semitism and religious anti-Judaism. He himself wrote many articles and was the author of "A Question of Judgement -Pope Pius XII and the Jews" which was published in Italian this year.
He came to Rome during the Second Vatican Council and played a prominent part in the deliberations that led to the promulgation of the historic Nostra Aetate in 1965, providing information and background material. From 1971 until 1986 Dr. Lichten was head of A.D.L's liaison office tothe Vatican. In August 1986 he was designated Knight Commander of the Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Gregory the Great by Pope John Paul II for his more than four decades of leadership in building mutual understanding between Catholics and Jews. On this occasion Cardinal Willebrands said of Dr. Lichten, "the Pope wishes in these circumstances to honour a person who has always shown humanity and affability, a person of competence and courage, thus indicating the path we must follow".
Dr. Lichten is survived by his beloved wife Caroline. The Holy Father transmitted his message of condolence to her and Cardinal Willebrands. President of the Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews, expressed his own sorrow and sympathy to her. Monsignor J. Melia, Vice-President of the Pontifical Commission of Justice and Peace, S.E. Mons. Henryk Muszynski, Auxiliary Bishop of Cherrno, Poland, Mons. Eric Salzman and Rev. P.F. Fumagalli, Secretary of the Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews. were present at the funeral service at the Jewish cemetery and recited Ps. 130 in Hebrew. Dr. Lichten will be much missed in Rome and especially at Sift. We wish to convey to Caroline, his widow, our sympathy in her loss and also our gratitude for his life and friendship.