Pope honored for 'lifelong friendship' with Jews by Wiesenthal Center

Published: 2003-12-01

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Representatives of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, a Jewish human rights organization, gave Pope John Paul II the center's 2003 Humanitarian Award for his "lifelong friendship" with the Jewish people and for his efforts to promote Catholic-Jewish understanding. The delegation, led by Rabbi Marvin Hier, the center's founder and dean, met the pope Dec. 1 at the Vatican. The pope thanked the center for the award and told the representatives, "In these difficult times, let us pray that all peoples everywhere will be strengthened in their commitment to mutual understanding, reconciliation and peace."

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