About Us  


AMUTA Founded in Jerusalem in February 1966 by a group of clergy and theologians living in Israel. They shared the feeling that recent history demanded a fundamental consideration of Christian attitudes towards the Jewish faith and people, and that the State of Israel offered a unique setting for facing this task together.

The objectives of the Ecumenical Fraternity are: (1) To deepen the Christian relationship with Jews, Judaism and Israel. (2) To draw together the different Christian traditions into a theological fraternity. (3) To be a catalyst in Christian-Jewish dialogue and reconciliation world-wide.

Today, ETRFI is the recognized roof-organization for Christians engaged in Christian-Jewish dialogue in Israel. It is also the ecumenical group containing the widest range of members from all the historic churches. Members are representatives of the Protestant, Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches in approximately equal numbers, totalling more than one hundred, both locally and abroad.

FRATERNITY AGM 2024 LEADERSHIP INSTATEMENT

Executive Leadership Committee
Prof. Brad H. Young PhD (President)
Fr. Peter Ashton, ofm (Vice-President)
Rev. Dr. Petra Heldt (Director)
Br. Elio Passeto NDS (Treasurer)

Audit Committee 
Sr. Monika Duellmann, S.J.A.
Mr. Malcolm Lowe

Advisory Committee
Fr. Peter Ashton ofm
Fr. Koryoun Baghdasaryan
Rev. Aart Brons
Mr. Malcolm Lowe
Sr. Raffaela D'Este
Fr. Russell McDougall 

Past Presidents:
  • Dr. Maas Boertien (1966-67)
  • Dr. Hans Kosmala (1967-70)
  • Prof. Marcel Dubois (1970-72)
  • Abbot Laurentius Klein (1972-74)
  • Dr. Michael Krupp (1974-77)
  • Prof. Laurentius Volken (1977-79)
  • Dr. Wesley Brown (1979-81)
  • Rev. Josef Stiassny (1981-83)
  • Prof. Robert Craig (1983-85)
  • Sr. Lucy Thorson (1985-88)
  • Dr. Geert Cohen-Stuart (1988-91)
  • Prof. Marcel Dubois (1991-93)
  • Canon William Broughton (1993-95)
  • Abbot Nikolas Egender (1995-97)
  • Rev. Ermanno Garbi (1997-99)
  • Prof. Marcel Dubois (1999-2001)
  • Dr. Kirsten Stoffregen Pedersen (2001-05)
  • Fr. Dr. Thomas Maier, WF (2005-2012)
  • Canon  Dr. William Broughton (2012-2013)
  • Bishop elect Ieromi Cretu (2013)
  • Rev. Dr. Alexander Zanemonets (2014-2016)
  • Fr. Peter Ashton (2017-2020)
  • Fr. Tesfa (2021-2024)
General Secretaries:
  • Rev. Canon Peter Schneider (1966-71)
  • Rev. Dr. Coos Schoneveld (1971-80)
  • Rev. Åke Skoog (1980-87)
  • Rev. Dr. Petra Heldt (1987-present)

On the occasion of our 50th Anniversary, a greeting from Gail Marks, USA:
"Congratulations on 50 years of service. Great work and so needed. Also hard work and consistency. You all should be proud and continue on. May God bless all of your efforts."