Contact: CJCUC Media Department, 516-882-3220

MEDIA ADVISORY, March 9, 2011 /Christian Newswire/ -- Ohr Torah Stone's Center for Jewish- Christian Understanding and Cooperation (CJCUC) in Efrat, Israel is pleased to announce that it has now joined forces with Zion's Gate International, a faith-based family foundation headquartered in Oklahoma City, OK. "For over three decades, this organization has been promoting support for the State of Israel among the Christian world as well as the advancement of the Hebraic foundations of Christianity. Pooling our resources together can enhance the legacy established by Zion's Gate International founders, Gary and Connie Bachman, and take it to the next level," said CJCUC’s founder Rabbi Shlomo Riskin.

For years the Bachmans have been staunch supporters of Ohr Torah Stone and Rabbi Riskin's work around the world. Learning of CJCUC's work for the last three years in exploring ways Judaism and Christianity can find common ground to show the world that religion can be used as an instrument for peace instead of conflict, the Bachmans decided to unite with the Center to cultivate the next generation of leaders in the field.

"We have always looked at Rabbi Riskin as a visionary for his people, but the willingness to open the first orthodox Jewish center to religiously dialogue with Christians is truly historical," commented Gary Bachman. He added that "Christians and Jews are two different covenanted communities of interpretation. However, the commonalities that bind us such as telling the world about a God of love, peace and morality far outweigh our fundamental differences. CJCUC has created that platform."

CJCUC's Executive Director, David Nekrutman, remarked that the organization is shaping the future through dialogue. "Judaism and Christianity need each other to search for the Ezra and Nehemiah of our times, a spirituality of faith in a world invaded by unbelief, easy-going ideologies, and materialism." Rabbi Riskin added that both religions have a common mission to fulfill Amos 5:24 - But let justice well up as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream. "Since we are witnessing the eternity of God to a universe of transitory values both our religions are being sidelined in the 21st century and succumbing to post-modernism. It is imperative for Judaism and Christianity to finally work with one another," Riskin stated.

Zion's Gate International co-Founder Connie Bachman observed that "our generation is indeed living in privileged times; the restoration of Jewish sovereign state and the unprecedented interaction of two faith communities." She added that, "the final implications of this movement cannot be fathomed, but we believe our calling is to increase the support network for what Rabbi Riskin is doing."