A Reflection on the Icon and Spirituality
by Sr. Maureena Fritz, NDS (Founder of Bat Kol Institute)
Bat Kol is a Hebrew phrase that means "daughter of a voice."
The Bat Kol International activities and online course platform are administered and managed by the Religious of Notre Dame of the Missions (Philippine Region).
The Religieuses de Notre Dame des Missions (Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions) is a religious missionary congregation founded by Euphrasie Barbier in 1861. For more information, please visit the website, www.rndm.org.
In July 2019, Sr. Maureena Fritz, NDS, founder of the Bat Kol Institute in Jerusalem conferred with Sr. Petite Lao, RNDM (Bat Kol Alumna 2010, 2014, 2019) regarding the possibility of a grassroots initiative to animate the study of the Word of God in the spirit of Bat Kol. The concept was initially a pamphlet containing methods of community organizing. When COVID-19 struck, Petite was impelled to learn about the digital space and eventually came up with a prototype of an online course platform for Bat Kol-inspired courses accessible to grassroots communities. She presented this to Maureena, who fully supported the project and consented the use of the Bat Kol logo to accompany the website. With Maureena's consent and encouragement, Petite approached her congregation for the possibility of administering and managing this ministry and she obtained support since it is in line with the mission of the congregation.
The RNDM Philippine Region accepted the responsibility to be the home-base of this new initiative. Philippines as the home of Bat Kol International is significant. It is a predominantly Christian country located in Asia, where interreligious dialogue is very relevant. Furthermore, Philippines has a history with the Jewish people. President Manuel L. Quezon issued visas to about 1200 European Jews during the holocaust. It is one of the least known history of the Philippines. A film was made out of this in 2018, entitled, "Quezon's Game." These are good foundations for the work of Bat Kol International.
Bat Kol International supports the Ratisbonne Bat Kol Christian Center for Jewish Studies in Jerusalem that administers the programs and activities conducted in the Holy Land.
The Bat Kol International Administrative Team is composed of three RNDM Sisters from the Philippine Region: Srs. Petite Lao (BK Alum 2010, 2014, 2019), Weeyaa Villanueva (BK Alum 2010) and Mary Jeme (IFRS Alum 2020). If you wish to know more, please send an email: to batkolinternational@gmail.com
Vision:
Christians studying the Word of God within its Jewish Milieu using Jewish Sources
Mission:
To promote the study of the Word of God, inspired by the vision of Nostra Aetate, to grassroots communities worldwide
Objectives:
Provide accessible and affordable education through online courses
Promote the study of Nostra Aetate and other Church Documents on the history and relationship between Christians and Jews
Facilitate the integration of these studies into a Christian self-understanding that respects the Jewish people and the integrity of their traditions
VIEW Bat-Kol-35th-Anniversary-Brochure.pdf
"Barukh shehecheyanu vekiyimanu vehigianu lazman hazeh. Blessed are you, God, for granting us life, for sustaining us, and for bringing us to this moment."
(Sr. Maureena Fritz, NDS)
The Bat Kol Institute, for 35 years, trained Christians who are committed to Torah, Jewish Studies and Jewish-Christian Dialogue. They work in their respective communities, in their home countries.
This online platform was created to provide self-paced online courses to sustain the dynamism of the grassroots movement and to expand its reach in a digital setting.
If you enrolled in a course here on this website and your city or country is not represented, you are most welcome to add onto this map. Click the pink button.