Dear Pastors and Conference Deans,

I am sending this e-mail and attachments to all Conference Deans and to selected pastors.

The attached documents are copies of letters that I sent to 5 Jewish synagogues located within the East Central Synod of Wisconsin.  With the rise of anti-Semitism, bigotry and violence across the country our Presiding Bishop encouraged us to care, love, support and reach out to our Jewish brothers and sisters.  I tried to identify the synagogues the best I could, knowing a couple are quite small.  Some synagogues have closed in places like Manitowc and elsewhere.  If I’ve missed any, please let me know.

I would assume come of you already have relationships with some Jewish neighbors.  If not, I enourage you to reach out and personally express our support in these days and offer whatever we might do to build stronger relationships of understanding and respect.  I have enclosed copies of both Bishop Eaton’s statement of December 30th and the 1994 Declaration of the ELCA to the Jewish Community.

In many respects I’m a novice in these Lutheran-Jewish relationships.  So anything you can do to assist your bishop will be appreciated.  J  I tried to identify those pastors nearest to the synagogues to receive this e-mail.  If I’ve missed someone pass this e-mail along.  The letters to the Jewish congregations went in the mail this afternoon.

Blessings and peace,

Jerry

Bishop Gerald L  Mansholt
East Central Synod of Wisconsin
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
16 Tri-Park Way
Appleton, Wisconsin   54914
Office phone:  920-734-5381
Cell:  920-809-9231
www.ecsw.org