The Newport Fellowship is rooted in four foundational principles that form the basis for a new Jewish-Christian alliance and friendship at this defining moment in the history of our civilization.

1. The Hebraic Vision: We believe that the Hebrew Bible illuminates the most significant truths of the human condition: that human life is sacred and that all men and women are made “in the image of God”; that presidents, prime ministers, and political regimes are answerable to an ultimate Judge; that human behavior should be governed by the moral truths of the Bible; that we live from generation to generation, with the responsibility to pass down our civilization to our sons and daughters; and that the human story is hopeful and human history has a purpose. God summoned Abraham to create a new way of life, and we are summoned, in our age, to work together as Jews and Christians to defend our shared ideals in the public square.
   
   
2. The Meaning of Israel: We believe that Israel is the ancient and indivisible homeland of the Jewish people and that Jerusalem is a sacred city: the moral and spiritual capital of the Western world. The re-birth of the Jewish nation-state—in the aftermath of the Holocaust and in the face of many great trials—is a miraculous event; and the political founding of Israel is a story of great heroism and hope. We believe that the preservation of Jewish sovereignty in Israel is a moral and political imperative, and that American Jews and American Christians should stand together in support of Israel in the face of zealous threats and radical enemies.
   
   
3. The Meaning of America: We believe that America is a Providential land of liberty shaped by the spirit of religious freedom and the aspiration to become a “city on a hill.” We believe that America is a force for good in the world and a nation that welcomes and celebrates the flourishing of both Jewish and Christian communities of faith. And we know that America needs the dedication and energy of committed Jews and Christians, bringing the biblical vision back into the center of our culture, our character, and our communities.
   
   
4. The Dangers of Anti-Semitism: We believe that anti-Semitism in all forms is a dangerous ideology: hostile to our shared biblical inheritance, hostile to Jews, hostile to Israel and Jewish peoplehood, hostile to the Jewish origins of Christianity, and hostile to the American spirit of liberty. As we have learned from history, anti-Semitism is a poison that destroys everything it touches. Jews and Christians should stand together to oppose this cultural, civilizational, and political pathology.

The Newport Fellowship aims to create a movement of Jews and Christians who believe in these ideals, who turn to the Hebrew Bible as a source of wisdom and inspiration, and who partner together in the civic, political, and educational arena to strengthen the American project.

1. The Foundations of Biblical Renewal: Public Reading of Scripture

The Newport Fellowship is rooted in the belief that the Bible is the foundational text of American civilization. Our learning sessions will always include the “Public Reading of Scripture,” reading and listening to the biblical text in a wisdom-seeking and civic spirit.

2. The Great Questions Facing Jews and Christians in the Modern Age: Just Show Up

Together we will study primary sources, excerpts and essays—reading and listening together in “Just Show Up” seminar discussions—that illuminate the history and meaning of religious freedom in America, the significance of Jewish-Christian friendship, the spiritual and historical centrality of Jerusalem and the State of Israel, and the translation of biblical renewal into a practical agenda for strengthening modern America.

3. Dialogue with Civic Leaders

We will invite some of the most interesting civic and political leaders—from both the educational and public policy arenas—to share their insights on the great challenges and opportunities facing Jews and Christians today.