Dr Ed Kessler MBE, Chair of the Advisory Board overseeing the unification of Reform and Liberal Judaism, has been awarded the 2024 Seelisberg Prize.

Dr Ed Kessler MBE receives his award from Prof Gregor Hoff (Paris Lodron Universität Salzburg) and Liliane Apotheker ⁦(Amitié judéo-chrétienne de France)

Granted annually by the International Council of Christians and Jews (ICCJ), and the Centre for Intercultural Theology and Religions at the University of Salzburg, it honours individuals who have played major roles in developing understanding between the two religions.

The Prize is named in memory of the groundbreaking gathering that met in the Swiss village of Seelisberg in 1947 to address perennial Christian teachings of contempt for Jews and Judaism. It published A Call to the Churches, now widely recognised as transforming relations between the faiths which have continued over the past 70 years.

Ed, who is Founder President of the Woolf Institute, has written or edited 12 books on Jewish-Christian relations. He said was “honoured” to be recognised in this way.

He was awarded the prize this week, during the opening of the ICCJ Conference in Salzburg.