Latter-day Saints and American Jewish Committee Deepen Friendship Through Dialogue

A 13-person delegation from the American Jewish Committee (AJC) visited Salt Lake City from August 11 through 13 to meet with leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The visit, which focused on dialogue and bridge-building, allowed the global Jewish advocacy group to deepen their understanding of the Church’s work. The group visited key sites in Salt Lake City and Provo, including Brigham Young University, Welfare Square, and the Humanitarian Center (where they assembled cleaning kits for disaster relief).

During dinner on Tuesday, the AJC delegation shared impressions from their visit and gifted Church leaders and hosting volunteers with challah bread as a symbol of shared values and hospitality. Rabbi Noam Marans, AJC’s Director of Interreligious Affairs, compared the Church’s hosting efforts to the welcoming spirit that Abraham and Sarah display in Genesis 18 of the Old Testament.

“[You made] us feel like there was nothing else in the world you had to do,” said Rabbi Marans, who has visited Church headquarters multiple times. “We don’t know how to thank you. The Jewish people needs its loyal friends at this moment in a way that has no parallel in my lifetime.”

Another member of the delegation, Joyce Silberstang of the AJC Executive Council, also expressed gratitude for the Church’s generosity.

“You have welcomed our AJC delegation not as strangers but as fellow children of God,” Silberstang said. “You have shown us, all of us, what hospitality truly means. Your openness, your sincerity, your warm embrace has touched us all. Thank you.”

The relationship between the two organizations goes back many years. AJC leaders have attended temple open houses and visited Salt Lake City many times. Latter-day Saint leaders have made reciprocal visits to AJC headquarters in New York City.

For Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, the evening’s dialogue rekin­dled personal memories and emotion. Before his call as an Apos­tle, beginning in his early professional career he formed numerous treasured relationships with colleagues, associates and friends of the Jewish faith and culture.

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“They became such dear friends, Many of them were mentors for me in my business career," Elder Stevenson said. "We attended their children’s bar mitzvah and bat mitzvahs celebrations and weddings. Tonight, I find myself overwhelmed with warm memories and emotion triggered by this interaction. This brings a rush of love and appreciation for each of you, who you are, and what you represent.”

Also at the dinner was Elder Matthew S. Holland, a General Authority Seventy and former Raoul Wallenberg Scholar at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He shared two Old Testament scriptures (Deuteronomy 6:4–5 and Leviticus 19:17–18) that teach foundational principles of loving God and loving one’s neighbor.

“These are fundamental ideals for us that prompt us to reach out across divides and to receive people with as much hospitality and kindness and generosity as we can,” Elder Holland said. “Our doctrine stands opposed to violence and hatred and anti-Semitism. Those are anathema to the things that we believe in and cherish, and that runs as deep as anything we have in our tradition.”

After learning more about the Church’s global humanitarian efforts earlier on Tuesday, Silberstang said she was “totally blown away.” During dinner, she reflected on core values shared by Jews and Latter-day Saints.

“It is evident that we share many faith-based values and that these values inform how we live and what we do,” she said. “Allow me to name just a few. ‘Tzedek,’ which is justice. ‘Hesed,’ loving kindness. ‘Kevod habriot,’ human dignity. ‘Tikkun olam,’ repairing the world. It is my hope that, moving forward, we deepen our friendship and find new ways to work together to make the world a better place.”