Pope, Israel's chief rabbis pledge common efforts for dialogue, peace

Published: 2004-01-16

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Religious leaders must do everything in their power to promote dialogue and peace, Pope John Paul II told the chief rabbis of Israel. In the first-ever visit of Israel's chief rabbis to the Vatican, Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi Yona Metzger and Chief Sephardic Rabbi Shlomo Amar spent about 35 minutes with the pope Jan. 16 before visiting the Vatican Library. "It was a very important meeting," Rabbi Amar told reporters afterward. "It increases hope for reconciliation and brotherhood between our two religions." The rabbis were in Rome for discussions with Vatican officials and to attend a Jan. 17 concert dedicated to reconciliation among Christians, Jews and Muslims. Their visit to Rome also was pegged as returning the visit the pope made to the Chief Rabbinate when he visited Israel in 2000.

Copyright (c) 2004 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .