Noam Marans

Rabbi Noam Marans is American Jewish Committee’s (AJC) Director of Interreligious Affairs, heading the agency’s global interfaith outreach and advocacy. He served as chair of IJCIC, the International Jewish Committee for Interreligious Consultations, world Jewry's official dialogue partner with the Vatican, Ecumenical Patriarchate, World Council of Churches, World Evangelical Alliance, and other bodies. He has participated in multiple audiences with Pope Francis and served as the lead Jewish speaker in programs convened by the pontiff on the environment and education. He expanded AJC’s engagement with Muslims, Latino Evangelicals, and Latter-day Saints, and spearheaded constructive engagement of the controversial Oberammergau Passion Play, successfully collaborating with the play's leadership toward elimination of its historically anti-Jewish elements. Before arriving at AJC in 2001, he served for sixteen years as rabbi of Temple Israel in Ridgewood, NJ. He earned a B.A. in political science at Columbia University and an M.A. and Rabbinical Ordination at the Jewish Theological Seminary. He was recognized with the Seton Hall University Sister Rose Thering Award for Outstanding Service in Education for Interreligious Harmony and is a past president of the Northern New Jersey Board of Rabbis.