The Dayton Christian Jewish Dialogue has its roots in the 1965 Vatican II document Nostra Aetate, which encouraged the Church to examine its relationship with Judaism. Inspired by this, a Marianist priest named Father Philip Hoelle organized a regional workshop in 1972 for the south-central Ohio region at the Bergamo Center in Dayton, Ohio to discuss Catholic-Jewish relations. Over seventy participants attended this first workshop, which led to the official establishment of the Dayton Christian Jewish Dialogue.
In November 1973, the group hosted the first National Christian-Jewish Workshop, featuring Father Edward Flannery as a speaker. The event was so successful that national workshops have been held on a biannual basis in cities around the nation. The Dayton Christian Jewish Dialogue has served as a model for interreligious dialogue groups around the nation.
The Dayton Christian Jewish Dialogue held regular meetings, with time spent on socialization, organization business, and education. Each meeting had a topic of discussion, including books, films, and invited speakers. The Dayton Christian Jewish Dialogue has also sponsored public events in the Dayton community. Members came from diverse religious backgrounds, and included both clergy members and laypeople. The group met on a monthly basis for many years, and continues to meet intermittently today.
From the guide to the Dayton Christian Jewish Dialogue collection, 1967-2003, (University of Dayton)
