RABBI ABIE INGBER TO SPEAK AT XAVIER COLLEGE PREPARATORY

RABBI ABIE INGBER TO SPEAK AT XAVIER COLLEGE PREPARATORY

Xavier College Preparatory invites the community to hear the inspiring story of a childhood friendship and its power to heal our world. Please join us for “A Blessing to One Another: Pope John Paul II and the Jewish People” with Rabbi Abie Ingber. This special presentation will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 20, 2008 in the Virginia G. Piper Performing Arts Center on Xavier’s campus, located at 4710 North Fifth Street in Phoenix. “A Blessing to One Another” is open to the community and tickets may be purchased by contacting Sister Joanie Nuckols at (602) 240-3103 or jnu@xcp.org. Tickets are $5.00. All students with prior reservations from their church group or school will be admitted free.

Rabbi Ingber will share the inspiring story of the lifelong friendship of Mr. Jerzy Kluger and Pope John Paul II, begun in childhood in Wadowice, Poland before the outbreak of World War II, and the significant role their friendship played in the reconciliation of the Catholic Church with the Jewish people. In researching and documenting this friendship, Rabbi Ingber, along with Dr. William Madges and Dr. James Buchanan, interviewed Mr. Kluger and had an audience with Pope John Paul II. During his presentation, Rabbi Ingber will share film footage of these events and Pope John Paul II’s official state visit to Israel.

Rabbi Ingber is Founding Director for Interfaith Community Engagement at Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio, having recently retired from his long-time service as Executive Director of the Hillel Student Center in Cincinnati. Also an adjunct professor of theology at Xavier University and lecturer in Homiletics at Hebrew Union College, he is a child of Holocaust survivors. Rabbi Ingber has received numerous awards and recognition for his work in inter-religious dialogue and met early in September 2008 with Pope Benedict XVI in Italy.

Planning, publicity, and/or sponsorship of “A Blessing to One Another” is provided by a variety of Valley organizations and individuals including the Arizona Ecumenical Council, Arizona Interfaith Movement, Arizona Jewish Historical Society, ASU/The Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict, Chaparral Christian Church, Church of the Beatitudes, The Community of the Blessed Sacrament, Congregation Beth Israel, Interfaith Network of Scottsdale, Paradise Valley UMC, Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix, Scottsdale Presbyterian Church, Shepherd of the Hills Congregational Church, Temple Chai, The Franciscan Way/The Franciscan Renewal Center, Salaam Chai Paradise Tri-Faith Group and Xavier College Preparatory.