Abbreviation | NCCJ |
---|---|
Formation | 1927 |
Headquarters | Middletown, CT |
Region | United States |
Affiliations | National Federation for Just Communities |
Website | https://www.nccj.org/ |
Formerly called | National Conference of Jews and Christians |
The National Conference for Community and Justice is an American social justice organization focused on fighting biases and promoting understanding between people of different races and cultures. The organization was founded in 1927 as the 'National Conference of Jews and Christians in response to anti-Semitism and anti-Catholic sentiment surrounding Al Smith's run for President.
The NCCJ was established in 1927 by social activists, including Jane Addams and US Supreme Court Justice Charles Evans Hughes, [1] to bring diverse people together to address interfaith divisions. [2] [3] Over the course of its history, the organization expanded its purview to all issues of social justice; in 1998 its name changed from "National Conference of Jews and Christians" to "National Conference for Community and Justice". [4] A number of regional offices exist under the auspices of the National Federation for Just Communities. [1]
The NCCJ promoted inclusivity through various events and programs. One of the first was the "Tolerance Trio", a traveling roadshow which toured the country with a priest, a rabbi, and a clergyman, all making jokes and providing entertainment. [2] Throughout its tenure, the NCCJ offered interfaith events, school-age programs, and youth leadership programs aimed at promoting values such as understanding, respect, and community building.
The "Anytown" program began in the 1950s and was designed for youth ages 14–18. It was intended to educate and empower its participants through multi-day intensive retreats.
The NCCJ promoted a "National Brotherhood Day" in the 1930s, expanding to Brotherhood Week starting in 1936 with President Franklin D. Roosevelt named honorary chairman. [2] In 1944 the week included extensive radio programming, military and USO participation, and an "education program of nationwide scope" aimed at "extending good will and understanding among religious groups". [5] By the early 2000s the event had lost relevance and was eventually canceled. [2]
Tom Lehrer satirized National Brotherhood Week in a 1965 song of the same name, recorded on his album That Was the Year That Was . [2]
Laura Jane Addams was an American settlement activist, reformer, social worker, sociologist, public administrator, philosopher, and author. She was a leader in the history of social work and Women's suffrage. In 1889, Addams co-founded Hull House, one of America's most famous settlement houses, in Chicago, Illinois, providing extensive social services to poor, largely immigrant families. Philosophically a "radical pragmatist", she was arguably the first woman public philosopher in the United States. In the Progressive Era, when even presidents such as Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson identified themselves as reformers and might be seen as social activists, Addams was one of the most prominent reformers.
The Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA) is an American Jewish nonprofit organization that advocates for progressive and liberal policies. Founded in 1944 as the umbrella organization for local Jewish advocacy arms known as community relations councils, for almost 80 years it represented approximately 125 local Jewish federations and community relations councils and was the coordinating body for 15 national Jewish organizations.
The National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, usually identified as the National Council of Churches (NCC), is the largest ecumenical body in the United States. NCC is an ecumenical partnership of 38 Christian faith groups in the United States. Its member communions include mainline Protestant, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, African-American, evangelical, and historic peace churches. Together, it encompasses more than 100,000 local congregations and 40 million adherents. It began as the Federal Council of Churches in 1908, and expanded through merger with several other ecumenical organizations to become the National Council of Churches in 1950. Its Interim President and General Secretary is Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie.
Interfaith dialogue refers to cooperative, constructive, and positive interaction between people of different religious traditions and/or spiritual or humanistic beliefs, at both the individual and institutional levels.
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The Council of Christians and Jews (CCJ) is a voluntary organisation in the United Kingdom. It is composed of Christians and Jews working together to counter anti-semitism and other forms of intolerance in Britain. Their patron was Queen Elizabeth II.
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Samuel Parkes Cadman was an English-born American liberal Protestant clergyman, newspaper writer, and pioneer Christian radio broadcaster of the 1920s and 1930s. He was an early advocate of ecumenism and an outspoken opponent of anti-Semitism and racial intolerance. By the time of his death in 1936, he was called "the foremost minister of Congregational faith" by the New York Times.
The Miami Coalition of Christians and Jews is a nonsectarian nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing understanding and respect among people of all cultures, religions and races. The organization strives for a community free from intolerance in which every person enjoys dignity and respect.
Marc H. Tanenbaum (1925–1992) was a human rights and social justice activist and rabbi. He was known for building bridges with other faith communities to advance mutual understanding and co-operation and to eliminate entrenched stereotypes, particularly ones rooted in religious teachings.
The Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities (VCIC) is a non-profit organization that works to reduce prejudice in schools, businesses, and communities. Its activities include workshops, retreats, and customized training and education programs. VCIC also trains leaders to promote inclusion. VCIC's programs and services have been recognized by local and national organizations.
Bet Mishpachah is a non-denominational Jewish egalitarian worshiping community and congregation that supports a synagogue, located in the Dupont Circle area of Washington, D.C., in the United States.
The Jordanian Interfaith Coexistence Research Center is a non-governmental organization for promoting peaceful religious coexistence based out of Amman, Jordan. It focuses on fostering interfaith dialogue on a grassroots level and creating interreligious harmony. The JICRC is currently run by its founder and director, Father Nabil Haddad.
Muhammad bin Abdul Karim Issa is a Saudi Arabian religious leader, Secretary General of the Muslim World League, President of the International Islamic Halal Organization, and former Saudi Minister of Justice.
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United States Fellowship of Reconciliation was founded in 1915 by sixty-eight pacifists, including A. J. Muste, Jane Addams and Bishop Paul Jones, and claims to be the "largest, oldest interfaith peace and justice organization in the United States." Norman Thomas, at first skeptical of its program, joined in 1916 and would become the group's president. Its programs and projects involve domestic as well as international issues, and generally emphasize nonviolent alternatives to conflict and the rights of conscience. Unlike the U.K. movements, it is an interfaith body, though its historic roots are in Christianity. Both the FOR in the United States and similarly named organizations in other countries are affiliated with the International Fellowship of Reconciliation.
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The National Federation for Just Communities is a coalition of social justice member organizations across the United States which work to overcome racism, bias, and discrimination. The coalition of was formed in 2006 after the dissolution of the National Conference for Community and Justice. Members meet annually at a conference hosted by one of NFJC's affiliate offices.