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The People in the Room: Rabbis, Nuns, Pastors, Popes, and Presidents
Go behind the headlines and read the inside story told by “one who was in the room” as Christians and Jews—strangers and adversaries for nearly twenty centuries—reversed that sad history and created an extraordinary revolution of the human spirit. Told by a global interreligious leader, this authoritative book is the riveting personal account of the significant issues and major personalities he encountered in the vital effort to permanently change the relationship between two of the world’s major religious communities.
His belief in the goodness of humanity and undying faith that with interreligious dialogue we can find good in all religions, Rabbi James Rudin opens up to his life’s work, his journey into the soul of religion, spirituality, and life.
Rabbi Rudin takes us inside the Vatican, Camp David, churches, synagogues, and other stops across the globe, where he and so many others worked under the radar, tirelessly, for a lifetime, building rapport and bringing the religions together with interfaith dialogue. Rabbis, reverends, pastors, priests, nuns, popes, all working in tandem to make our world a better place.
As Rabbi Rudin and others keep putting their next foot forward, we find inspiration to
Are there possibilities where we never dreamed they existed?
Have we given enough of ourselves to the good of the world?
How can we continue the work Rabbi Rudin and others have done?
Most people look at peace through a broad lens—either we have it or we are at war—but the day-to-day efforts of moving toward love and understanding have escaped us. This hopeful explanation shows that one person, one of many, can work diligently behind the scenes, toward peace. Such tenacity, such grit in believing so strongly in human nature’s possibilities will accomplish miracles.
His belief in the goodness of humanity and undying faith that with interreligious dialogue we can find good in all religions, Rabbi James Rudin opens up to his life’s work, his journey into the soul of religion, spirituality, and life.
Rabbi Rudin takes us inside the Vatican, Camp David, churches, synagogues, and other stops across the globe, where he and so many others worked under the radar, tirelessly, for a lifetime, building rapport and bringing the religions together with interfaith dialogue. Rabbis, reverends, pastors, priests, nuns, popes, all working in tandem to make our world a better place.
As Rabbi Rudin and others keep putting their next foot forward, we find inspiration to
Are there possibilities where we never dreamed they existed?
Have we given enough of ourselves to the good of the world?
How can we continue the work Rabbi Rudin and others have done?
Most people look at peace through a broad lens—either we have it or we are at war—but the day-to-day efforts of moving toward love and understanding have escaped us. This hopeful explanation shows that one person, one of many, can work diligently behind the scenes, toward peace. Such tenacity, such grit in believing so strongly in human nature’s possibilities will accomplish miracles.
312 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 25, 2022
About the author
A. James Rudin
26 books4 followersRabbi James Rudin was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and grew up in Alexandria, Virginia. He attended Wesleyan University and graduated from George Washington University with academic distinction. While in college he was a member of the wrestling and track teams and a student government officer.
He received his rabbinical ordination from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion and did graduate studies in History at the University of Illinois. The rabbi holds honorary doctorates from Saint Leo University, Saint Martin’s University and HUC-JIR.
As a member of the American Jewish Committee’s professional staff for thirty-two years, Rabbi Rudin served as the AJC’s Interreligious Affairs Director. He is currently the AJC’s Senior Interreligious Adviser and a member of the organization’s Board of Governors.
He is Distinguished Visiting Professor of Religion and Judaica at Saint Leo University and teaches at Florida Gulf Coast University Renaissance Academy.
Rabbi Rudin served congregations in Kansas City, Missouri and Champaign-Urbana, Illinois and was a United States Air Force Chaplain stationed in Japan and Korea.
Awards & Honors
Nostra Aetate Award
The Center for Catholic-Jewish Understanding
Sacred Heart University
Fairfield, Connecticut
Council of Centers on Jewish-Christian Relations Shevat Achim Award
Nominated for 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Biography
Nominated for the 2016 National Jewish Book Award
Honorary doctorates from Saint Leo University, Saint Martin's University and HUC-JIR
Jewish-Catholic Accomplishment Award, St. Joseph’s University.
Guest of honor at the 1994 Vatican Concert that commemorated the Shoah.
Polish Council of Christians and Jews "Person of Reconciliation" Award
International Council of Christians and Jews Interfaith Gold Medallion
Anti-Defamation League Exceptional Leadership Award
American Jewish Committee Professional Leadership Award
International Jewish Committee for Interreligious Consultations Leadership Award
Joseph Award of Villa Nazareth, a Pontifical institution
Eternal Light Award, Center for Catholic-Jewish Studies, Saint Leo University
Service to the United States
United States Air Force Chaplain
Stationed in Japan & Korea
Camp David Presidential Retreat Interfaith Chapel Committee
Martin Luther King, Jr. Federal Holiday Commission
Voting Rights drive participant; Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Founding Member of the New York State Task Force on Life and the Law
Director of American Jewish Committee Hurricane Katrina Emergency Relief Services
Author
Authored or edited seventeen books
Commentary writer for Religion News Service (RNS) since 1991
Published by The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post and more.
He received his rabbinical ordination from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion and did graduate studies in History at the University of Illinois. The rabbi holds honorary doctorates from Saint Leo University, Saint Martin’s University and HUC-JIR.
As a member of the American Jewish Committee’s professional staff for thirty-two years, Rabbi Rudin served as the AJC’s Interreligious Affairs Director. He is currently the AJC’s Senior Interreligious Adviser and a member of the organization’s Board of Governors.
He is Distinguished Visiting Professor of Religion and Judaica at Saint Leo University and teaches at Florida Gulf Coast University Renaissance Academy.
Rabbi Rudin served congregations in Kansas City, Missouri and Champaign-Urbana, Illinois and was a United States Air Force Chaplain stationed in Japan and Korea.
Awards & Honors
Nostra Aetate Award
The Center for Catholic-Jewish Understanding
Sacred Heart University
Fairfield, Connecticut
Council of Centers on Jewish-Christian Relations Shevat Achim Award
Nominated for 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Biography
Nominated for the 2016 National Jewish Book Award
Honorary doctorates from Saint Leo University, Saint Martin's University and HUC-JIR
Jewish-Catholic Accomplishment Award, St. Joseph’s University.
Guest of honor at the 1994 Vatican Concert that commemorated the Shoah.
Polish Council of Christians and Jews "Person of Reconciliation" Award
International Council of Christians and Jews Interfaith Gold Medallion
Anti-Defamation League Exceptional Leadership Award
American Jewish Committee Professional Leadership Award
International Jewish Committee for Interreligious Consultations Leadership Award
Joseph Award of Villa Nazareth, a Pontifical institution
Eternal Light Award, Center for Catholic-Jewish Studies, Saint Leo University
Service to the United States
United States Air Force Chaplain
Stationed in Japan & Korea
Camp David Presidential Retreat Interfaith Chapel Committee
Martin Luther King, Jr. Federal Holiday Commission
Voting Rights drive participant; Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Founding Member of the New York State Task Force on Life and the Law
Director of American Jewish Committee Hurricane Katrina Emergency Relief Services
Author
Authored or edited seventeen books
Commentary writer for Religion News Service (RNS) since 1991
Published by The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post and more.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
June 22, 2022
A wonderful memoir that provides pragmatic hope to a troubled nation.
November 5, 2022
Fascinating. Rabbi Rudin has captured a lifetime career in Christian-Jewish relations in this wonderful memoir. I learned so much!!
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews