Paven ber rabbier erkjenne den katolske fordømmelsen av anti-semittismen

Assures Them He Has Done Everything Possible To Overcome Prejudices

JERUSALEM, MAR 23 (ZENIT.org).- The meeting John Paul II with the Chief Rabbis of Jerusalem ended with a firm handshake. The Pope met with Meir Israel Lau and Mordechai Bakshi-Doron, who, respectively, represent the two branches of Judaism - the Ashkenazim, who settled in middle and northern Europe after the Diaspora, and the Sephardim, who settled in western Europe, primarily Portugal and Spain, before the Inquisition - ended in a firm handshake.

At the end of the meeting, the Jewish religious leaders gave the Pope an ancient copy of the Old Testament, known as the «Jerusalem Bible.» Raising his voice, Rabbi Lau read the dedication in clear Biblical language: «Blessed be you upon arrival and blessed be you upon departure.»

The meeting, which lasted almost a half an hour, was held at the headquarters of the Grand Rabbinate of Jerusalem, following the Pope's Mass in the Cenacle. The Pope was accompanied by several Cardinals of the Roman Curia and Latin Patriarch Michel Sabbah of Jerusalem.

When addressing the Rabbis, John Paul II said: «Personally, I have always wanted to be counted among those who work, on both sides, to overcome old prejudices and to secure ever wider and fuller recognition of the spiritual patrimony shared by Jews and Christians.»

The Holy Father repeated what he said in the Synagogue in Rome in 1986: «We Christians recognize that the Jewish religious heritage is intrinsic to our own faith: 'you are our elder brothers.'»

But the Roman Pontiff also requested that «the Jewish people acknowledge that the Church utterly condemns anti-Semitism and every form of racism as being altogether opposed to the principles of Christianity. We must work together to build a future in which there will be no more anti-Judaism among Christians or anti-Christian sentiment among Jews.

The Holy Father concluded:«There is much that we have in common. There is so much that we can do together for peace, for justice, for a more human and fraternal world.»

After the private meeting with the Rabbis, the Pope greeted the rest of the Jewish religious leaders.«There continue to be technological and ideological differences between us, but we are faced by the common challenge of globalization and 'technologization'»,Mordechai Bakshi-Doron said.

The Pontiff then went by car to the presidential palace where he was received by Ezer Weizman. Among the diplomats, was Leah, the widow of Yitzhak Rabin. During the meeting, John Paul II stressed the new era of reconciliation and peace that is evident in relations between Jews and Christians.

Zenit - The World Seen From Rome