Jews and the American Public Square is a three-year program of communal dialogue, research and publication. These programs are related, with the research supporting communal education and dialogue.

Research and Publication Program

The research and publication program is divided into two phases:

1. The first phase supports research into two broad themes: History, Ideology and Issues, and Communal Practice and Organizations. We are commissioning approximately thirty scholars to write essays in these areas. The essays are to be published in two volumes, and will also be made available in pamphlet form where appropriate. The research will form the educational foundation for the regional seminars discussed below.

2. The second research phase will address the topic of Jewish and Other Religious Communities in the Public Square: Religious Diversity and Common Democratic Principles. This is also the topic of a major conference, discussed below. The essays we will commission on the conference theme, together with major addresses and lectures at the conference, will be published in a third volume.

Intra- and Inter-Communal Dialogue

The Dialogue phase is also divided into two phases:

1. The first phase will be to conduct four regional seminars, in Philadelphia, Miami, Chicago and Los Angeles. The purpose of the seminars is to introduce the topic of Jews and the American Public Square to Jewish communal leaders, communal service professionals, and others. We will use, as educational background material the research of the first research phase described above.

2. In the last year of the Program, we will hold a major conference in Philadelphia on the theme of Jewish and Other Religious Communities in the Public Square: Religious Diversity and Common Democratic Principles. In this phase, we hope to engage both Jews and non-Jews in a dialogue. The lectures and addresses given at this conference will be published in book form.

For additional information, and to be placed on our mailing list, please contact:

CENTER FOR JEWISH COMMUNITY STUDIES Baltimore Hebrew University 5800 Park Heights Avenue Baltimore, MD 21215 USA Tel. (410) 664-5222; Fax. (410) 664-1228 cjcs@cjcs.net

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