An Israeli-Palestinian Primer: A Guide for Mainline Christians
Welcome to An Israeli-Palestinian Primer: A Guide for the Mainline Christian
The Rev. Dr. Kathleen J. Rusnak
Writer/Editor-in-Chief
is a Lutheran pastor (ELCA) and long-time student of Judaism and Holocaust Theology. Her Psychology and Religion dissertation was titled, “Post-Holocaust Theology on a European Christian Kibbutz in Israel: Nes Ammim.” Dr. Rusnak lived at Nes Ammim for two years while working as Study Program Coordinator and Interim Head of the Theology Department, where she developed curriculum and organized seminars for international Christian residents. Rusnak invited the Jewish staff from the neighboring Ghetto Fighters Museum to participate in developing her annual Holocaust seminar at Nes Ammim. Rusnak initiated the first tri-faith—Muslim, Christian, and Jewish—Kristallnacht commemoration service. She acted as liaison between the kibbutz and the Ecce Homo Convent and Guest House of the Sisters of Sion in Jerusalem, whose purpose was to “witness by our lives to God’s faithful love of the Jewish people.
Dr. Rusnak was invited to write an article for publication on Nes Ammim and to give a presentation of the article at Oxford for the conference: “Remembering for the Future.” Besides her devotion to educating Christians about the importance of our Jewish religious heritage, Rusnak worked for thirty years as a pastor for three Lutheran congregations in New Jersey. Today, Dr. Rusnak continues to give lectures, host seminars, and lead community events to educate Christians about Jewish history, theology, and to expand understanding about Jewish-Christian relations.
Claire F. Pace Research and Analysis
As a Vestry member and a Warden for St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in New London, NH, Claire joins the Israeli-Palestinian Primer (IPP) staff with a life-long Christian interest in Israel and the Holy Land, which she has visited several times. Her analytical and research skills are grounded in her significant career as administrator for a large Hospice organization as well as her commitment to humanitarian aid and support, particularly in Haiti. The IPP staff enjoys continuous benefits from her attention to detail and knowledge.
Suza Lambert Bowser Staff Writer/Editor
Writer, editor, and fellow member of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in New London, NH, Suza brings her academic and professional background to the IPP staff along with her dedicated interest in theological and historical perspectives. Having discovered a wellspring of knowledge about these subject areas in her mentor, Kathleen Rusnak, Suza is dedicated to developing, writing, and editing the Israeli-Palestinian Primer blog. She shares an eagerness to learn—along with other mainline Christians who want to understand more about the Middle East and our shared religious roots.
