Jewish Leaders

Chief Rabbi Eliyahu Bakshi-Doron, Israel

Rabbi Bakshi Doron has written dozens of articles dealing with religious issues. His first book (1982) researches halachic questions, and the second (1989) and third (1995) volumes deal with daily halachic issues and include orations given by him on special occasions. He serves as president of the Israeli Sephardic Community Committee, as president of various charity foundations and is a member of the directorate of LIBI.

Chief Rabbi Shear Yashuv Cohen, Israel

Rabbi Cohen serves as Chief Rabbi of Haifa. He is also the Founder and President of Ariel and President of the Haifa District Rabbinical Courts. Rabbi Cohen has achieved wide recognition for his work in bridging differences and solving internal divisions within Israeli society and the Jewish world.

Chief Rabbi Gilles Bernheim, France

Rabbi Bernheim has been serving as chief rabbi of France since 2008 and before then was head rabbi at the Great Synagogue de la Victoire, the largest synagogue in Paris. He currently chairs the Committee on Medical Ethics at the Consistory of Paris and is also vice-president of the Jewish-Christian Friendship of France. Bernheim is well known for building bridges between Jews and other communities and religions, and is greatly respected for his writings on the topic.

Rabbi Menachem HaCohen, Romania

Rabbi Menachem HaCohen currently serves as chief Rabbi of Romania. His rich rabbinic and public career includes many years in army chaplaincy, and service as a Rabbi of labor unions as well as of the labor settlements in Israel. A prolific writer and educator, he also served for 14 years as a member of the Israeli parliament.

The International Jewish Committee On Interreligious Consultation, USA

IJCIC, the International Jewish Committee on Interreligious Consultations, represents the major Jewish religious streams and communal agencies, develops and coordinates relations with the Roman Catholic Church, the World Council of Churches, the Orthodox Church and other international central religious bodies. IJCIC provides ongoing consultations, promotes and participates in conferences, forums and dialogues on behalf of world Jewry to promote interfaith cooperation and to develop common agendas among religious andcommunities.

Chief Rabbi Berel Lazar, Russia

Rabbi Berel Lazar was elected Chief Rabbi of Russia in 2000. He currently serves as the Chairman of the Rabbinical Council of the World Congress of Russian Jewry and Chairman of the Rabbinical Alliance of the CIS. Chief Rabbi Berel Lazar opened Russia's first Jewish, post-communist day school and currently oversees 80 educational institutions. He is a leading advocate of religious freedom and human rights in Russia.

Rabbi Richard Marker, USA

Rabbi Richard Marker, currently Vice Chair of the International Jewish Committee on Interreligious Consultations, has been involved in interfaith matters his entire career.  His academic degrees are in comparative religion; he has worked as a Chaplain in an interfaith chaplaincy at one of the Ivy League Universities in the US; he has chaired numerous interfaith dialogue groups; he has taught Jewish theology at a Jesuit University and elsewhere; he has lectured at various schools of theology and universities both in Europe and the United States; and has been involved with the Board of World Religious Leaders since its inception.  Currently he teaches Philanthropy at New York University.

Rabbi Michael Melchior, Israel

Since 1980, Rabbi Michael Melchior has held the position of Chief Rabbi of Norway. He is the International Director of the Elie Wiesel Foundation as well as an administrator of various human rights, immigration and educational organizations. Since 1996, Rabbi Melchior has served as Chairman of Meimad, a modern-Orthodox political party in Israel. He was elected to the Israeli Parliament in May 1999. Rabbi Melchior has received the Norwegian Nobel Institute's Prize for Tolerance and Bridge-Building.

Rabbi David Rosen, Israel

Rabbi David Rosen is the Director of the Department for Interreligious Affairs and Director of the Heilbrunn Institute for International Interreligious Understanding of the American Jewish Committee. Rosen is the former Chief Rabbi of Ireland and served as a Professor of Jewish Studies at the Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies. He serves on the permanent bilateral commission of the State of Israel and the Holy See as well as on the International Jewish Committee for Interreligious Consultations.

Rabbi Shmuel Rene Sirat, France

Rabbi Shmuel Rene Sirat holds a PhD in Hebrew Language and Literature. He has taught at the Institute of Oriental Languages and Civilizations at the University of Paris and served as Chief Rabbi of France from 1981-87. He is currently Grand Rabbi of the Central Consistory and Vice Chairperson of the Conference of European Rabbis. As holder of a UNESCO Chair for the Mutual Knowledge of Religions of the Book and the Teaching of Peace, he is involved in a variety of interfaith teaching and research, through a variety of academic institutes of which he is president.

Rabbi Awraham Soetendorp, Holland

Sjalom Awraham Soetendorp is Rabbi of the Liberal Jewish Community in The Hague (The Netherlands).  He presides over the European Region of the World Union for Progressive Judaism, and serves as Earth Charter Commissioner and is a Founding Board Member of the Green Cross International.  Since 1993, Awraham Soetendorp has been co-chair of the Global Forum of Spiritual and Parliamentary Leaders with Sheikh Ahmed Kuftaro, Grand Mufti of Syria.  He acts as advisor to the American Jewish World Service and is the Founder and Chair of the Hope Foundation for Children for Universal Education.