Reviewed by: A Blessing to Each Other: A New Account of Jewish and Christian Relations by Rebecca Moore Theresa A. Yugar A Blessing to Each Other: A New Account of Jewish and Christian Relations. By Rebecca Moore. (New York: The Crossroad Publishing Company. 2021. Pp. v, 300. $34:95 paperback. ISBN-13: 978-0-8245-9500-5.) Rebecca Moore’s book, A Blessing to Each Other: A New Account of Jewish and Christian Relations, is a refreshing read because it offers a beacon of hope in a religiously and racially divided world. It is a fiftieth-anniversary response to Pope John Paul II’s prophetic statement on the heroic acts of Jews as they resisted the Nazi invasion in Warsaw, Poland, during World War II. He stated, “As Christians and Jews, following the example of the faith of Abraham, we are called to be a blessing to the world” (p. 205). Moore’s book responds to this prophetic call by refashioning the dominant theological “master narrative” of Jewish Christian relations, which until now has unfortunately been focused heavily on animosity, conflict, contention, and discrimination (pp. 3, 6). Moore’s book emphasizes the importance of understanding “that religious commitments” are not “firm and fixed” but rather are part of a “dynamic process” (p. 68). She contends that this hostile narrative “is incomplete and even inaccurate” (p. 4). Her analysis evaluates the sacred texts in both religious traditions as either a “bridge” or a “barrier” (p. 33). She believes that if a “bridge” is to occur, the historical evidence of these “barriers” between Jews and Christians needs to be looked “in a fresh [new] way” (p. 7). Thus, it is critical to contextualize specific times and places because of the complex relationship between the two traditions (pp. 4, 77, 79). Moore emphasizes that it wasn’t “until the late fourth century” that these negative “barriers” were created (p. 67). Her book is distinctive because she broadens this dominant narrative by documenting a rich history of biblical and non-biblical evidence, both “material” and “social,” that testifies to “bridges” of on-going trust, partnership, mutual respect, collegiality, and appreciation of Jews and Christians working together for a common cause (pp. 2, 207–208). She brings fresh eyes to the methodological approaches of sociologist Lori Beaman and French philosopher Jacques Derrida, and sees a “history of tolerance and friendship” between Jews and Christians (pp. 7, 209). Beaman’s focus on “deep equality” emphasizes a recognition and acceptance of similarities and differences, while Derrida’s concept of “living well together” reflects the qualities necessary for the reciprocity of this complex relationship (p. 7). To substantiate her claims, Moore documents concrete examples from the past as well as the present. Some examples of “deep equality” are Jewish and Christian biblical scholars engaged in interreligious dialogue (p. 83); Jews and Christians [End Page 601] equally helping Jews during and after World War II (pp. 121, 137–138); and Christian Churches acknowledging, and rectifying, antisemitism in liturgy and evangelization practices (pp. 151–152). Moore’s book is an ambitious endeavor that could only have been successfully done by a scholar well-versed in biblical, Christian, and Jewish history. Her work is scholarly, comprehensive, substantiated with concrete evidence, and readily available to academics and non-academics alike (pp. 12–13). This book is an extremely helpful resource for Christian and Jewish religious pastoral leaders, theological academics, and educators. A Blessing to Each Other is inspirational, as it documents a litany of courageous Jews and Christians who are healing our imperfect world. In Judaism, the phrase is tikkun olam, i.e., “the Jewish commitment to repairing the world” (p. 2). The question is whether each one of us can be a blessing in this healing and repairing process. Theresa A. Yugar California State University, Los Angeles Copyright © 2022 The Catholic University of America Press
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Apr 9, 2022
Laura E Alexander 
Open Access
