Fonds 2023-03-13/10 - Jakob Jocz fonds

Jakob Jocz was born in Vilno, Lithuania, on October 18, 1906. His father was Basil Jocz. Jocz married Joan Alice Gapp in 1936, in London, United Kingdom. They had three daughters and one son; Elizabeth Anne, Winifred Mary, Christine Joan, and Philip Vernon Jocz.

Jocz began his studies at the Methodist Episcopal Seminary in Frankfurt, Germany. He completed his studies there in 1932 and graduated with a Masters degree. From there he attended St. Aidan's College in Birkenhead, Cheshire, England. He was ordained Deacon in the Church of England in August 1935 by the Bishop of Fulham and was ordained as a Priest in August 1936. He graduated from New College in Edinburgh in 1943 with a Ph.D. and D. Litt.

Jocz was sent by the organization Church Missions to the Jews as a Chaplain of the Anglican Church in Warsaw, Poland where he served from 1935-1939. In 1939 he returned to England on holiday and was prevented from returning to Warsaw by the outbreak of World War II. He lead the Church Missions to the Jews in London, United Kingdom from 1939 –1948. He served as a lecturer at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland in 1948, and as Rector at St. John's, Hampstead, London from 1948 to 1956. He immigrated to Canada in 1956, and was appointed as Priest-in-Charge and Superintendent of the Nathanael Institute, Toronto, October 1, 1956, which was concerned with missions to the Jews. On September 1, 1960 he accepted a position as a Professor of Systematic Theology at Wycliffe College, University of Toronto. He was appointed Bishop's examining Chaplain March 15, 1965 and held the position until August 31, 1975. From March 4, 1969 to February 1, 1976 he was Honorary Assistant at the Church of St. Alban-the-Martyr, Toronto and served as Priest-in-Charge for a short time. Jocz retired from active ministry and from his position with Wycliffe College on June 30, 1976. In September 1979 he accepted the appointment of Honorary Assistant at the Church of the Messiah, Toronto and then later the position of Priest-in-Charge.

Jocz wrote on the theme of Christian and Jewish relations. He had nine books published, and wrote a column for the Canadian Churchman from 1972 to January 1980. He was President of the International Hebrew Christian Alliance beginning in 1955.

Jocz passed away on August 14, 1983. His funeral was held at the Church of the Messiah on Sunday August 21, 1983.