wfn.org | [AJC] AJC Welcomes Vatican Clarification on Easter Prayer for the Jews

["Ari Gordon" <gordona@ajc.org>]

AJC Welcomes Vatican Clarification on Easter Prayer for the Jews

May 27, 2008 - The American Jewish Committee welcomed an official Vatican
clarification concerning the Easter Prayer for the Jews. The statement was
delivered by Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican's Secretary of State, to
the Chief Rabbis of Israel. 

"While the Catholic Church still faces the challenge of how to fully
understand its relationship with the Jewish people, this important
declaration makes it categorically clear that the Church has not changed its
position of deep respect for the integrity of the Jews and its opposition to
proselytizing," said Rabbi David Rosen, AJC's International Director of
Interreligious Affairs. 

Cardinal Bertone confirmed that the Latin prayer, recently reformulated by
Pope Benedict XVI, expresses a hope for the "end of days" and is in no way a
warrant for proselytizing among Jews, to which the Church has declared its
opposition in the past. This position had been previously communicated to
Rabbi Rosen by Cardinal Walter Kasper, the Vatican's official liaison to the
Jewish people.

"We too have our dreams and prayers relating to the Messianic Age, but as
long as these do not seek to undermine another's religious identity in the
here and now, these should not be an obstacle to close relations and
collaboration," said Rosen.

AJC requested such a clarification at the time the text of the prayer was
released, and the Chief Rabbinate of Israel made the continuation of its
ongoing bilateral dialog with the Vatican, contingent on such clarification.

>Ari M. Gordon
>Assistant Director
>Department of Interreligious Affairs
>American Jewish Committee
>165 E56th St.
>New York, NY 10022 
>(212) 891-6768
>(212) 751-4000 x266
>www.ajc.org
>www.engagingamerica.org 
>