1. Name. The name of this organization shall be "Council of Centers on Jewish-Christian Relations" (hereinafter referred to as "the Council").

2. Purposes: The purposes of the Council are:

   • To provide a vehicle for exchange of information, cooperation, and mutual enrichment among centers and institutes for Christian-Jewish studies and relations in the United States and Canada.

   • To promote research and publication on the history, theology, and contemporary realities of Jewish-Christian relations.

   • To foster mutual understanding between Christians and Jews through dialogue that respects Judaism and Christianity in their religious distinctiveness and integrity. Our members are committed to interreligious dialogue the purpose of which is neither to undermine or to change the religious identity of the other, but rather seeks to be enriched by each other's religious lives and traditions. 

   • To relate to similar undertakings in other parts of the world through membership in the International Council of Christians and Jews.

3. Membership: There are four types of membership in the Council:

   • Regular members: Centers, institutes, and similar entities in the United States and Canada with a major concern for Christian-Jewish studies and relations shall be eligible to be Regular Members of the Council. New Regular Members may be admitted by majority vote of the existing Regular Members. Each Regular Member organization is entitled to one vote in Council deliberations provided the organization’s annual dues have been paid.

   • Affiliate Members: Centers, institutes, and similar entities outside the United States and Canada with a major concern for Christian-Jewish studies and relations shall be eligible to be Affiliate Members. Affiliate Members have voice but not vote in the affairs of the Council. They shall be approved for this status by majority vote of the Regular Members.

   • Liaison Representatives: National ecclesiastical bodies and national Jewish religious or communal organizations may have Liaison Representatives on the Council. Liaison Representatives have voice but not vote in the affairs of the Council. They shall be approved for this status by majority vote of the Regular Members

   • Individual Members: Individual members are individuals active in the field of Christian-Jewish relations who are invited to attend annual CCJR meetings but do not participate in the business meeting. After an application process, individual members are approved by the Board.

4. Revocation of Membership: Membership will be revoked after two consecutive years of failure to respond to dues notices (24 months after the last payment of dues). In cases of financial hardship, members should apply to the secretary-treasurer for an extension. Those removed from membership are welcome to reapply through the normal application process.
   
   

5. Officers: The Council shall have the following officers: Chair, Vice Chair, and Secretary-Treasurer. The officers shall be elected by majority vote of the Council for renewable three-year terms.

6. Board of Directors: The Board of Directors of the Council shall consist of three officers, a Chair, a Vice Chair, and a Secretary-Treasurer, and two at-large members. The Chair shall be elected from among the Regular Members. The other directors may be elected from among any category of membership. All shall be elected by majority vote of the Council for renewable three-year terms.

7. Meetings: The Council shall meet annually. The Board of Directors shall determine the agenda for the annual meeting. Special meetings may be called at the discretion of the Board of Directors or by petition from one-third of the Regular Members.

8. Attendance: Each Regular Member organization shall appoint one or more individuals to represent it at Council meetings, and shall designate which representative shall cast the Regular Member organization’s one vote.

9. Committees: The Council may appoint such committees or other working groups as it may find necessary.

10. Finances: The Council shall be financed by dues from its member organizations, together with such other sources as may become available. An annual budget shall be proposed by the Board of Directors and approved by majority vote of the Council at the annual meeting. The Council’s fiscal year shall be July 1 through June 30. Membership dues shall be determined by the Board of Directors and are to be paid for the current fiscal year by September 1.

11. Programs: The Council may sponsor such programs and projects and issue such publications as it may find useful in the fulfillment of its purposes.

12. Quorum: A quorum for the transaction of business at meetings of the Council shall consist of one-third of the Regular Members. Votes on Council matters may be taken electronically.

13. Amendments: These Bylaws may be amended by a majority vote of Regular Members of the Council provided that thirty days' notice has been given of any proposed amendment. Votes on amendments may be taken electronically.

14. Ratification: These Bylaws take effect when approved in writing by ten or more founding Regular Member organizations.

Note: The original version of the Bylaws became effective in the summer of 2002 with their approval by twenty-four founding Regular Member organizations. The current Bylaws were revised and approved after the November 2, 2015 annual meeting.