Michael Signer Memorial Scholarships

Michael SignerRabbi Dr. Michael Signer served as the Abrams Chair of Jewish Thought and Culture at the University of Notre Dame from 1992 until his untimely death in January 2009. Among his many contributions to Christian-Jewish relations, he was one of the four authors of the historic statement, Dabru Emet: A Jewish Statement on Christians and Christianity. From 2005-2008, he also served the Council of Centers on Jewish-Christian Relations as Vice-Chair, providing wise and energetic leadership to the Council. His death was a significant loss to the field. His many colleagues and friends testified to this fact, especially noting how Rabbi Singer inspired thousands of students over the years. 

To honor his memory and legacy, the CCJR has established Michael Signer Memorial Scholarships in the amount of five hundred dollars ($500) to assist graduate students formally studying in a field related to Christian-Jewish Relations to participate in annual meetings of the CCJR or of the International Council of Christians and Jews (ICCJ). Scholarships are competitive and based on the number of applications received in a given year. 

To apply, interested students are asked to write to the CCJR Secretary-Treasurer, Bonnie Shafrin (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) and indicate:

  • the academic institution and degree program in which they are matriculated
  • the subjects in Christian-Jewish relations in which they are interested
  • their future career plans regarding interreligious relations
  • and how participation in the CCJR or ICCJ meeting will benefit their studies