Benedict XVI will dialogue with Jews.

Vatican City--One of the cornerstones of the pontificate of John Paul II was his effort to reconcile Christianity and Judaism. This was manifested in many of his actions, such as his 1986 visit to the Rome synagogue (the first by any pope) and his prayer for forgiveness placed in Jerusalem's Wailing Wall in 2000. A highlight of the last months of this Pope's life was the January 18, 2005, papal audience with a large group of Jewish leaders. The rabbis gathered for this occasion gave thanks to the Pope for his consistent fight against anti-Semitism.

Upon the April 19 election of Benedict XVI, a concern arose among some Jewish religious leaders mainly over the fact that the new pope was German.

However, those who know Benedict's record as cardinal have spoken out to remind the public that his personal history reflects the path chosen by his predecessor. As Cardinal Ratzinger, Benedict was a key member of the negotiating team that set up the Holy See's diplomatic relations with Israel in 1993. He has always been very conscious of the horrors and injustice of the Holocaust and this has been reflected in his writings. In fact, one of his books is used in the class of Rabbi Michael Singer, who is this year a guest professor at Rome's Gregorian University. Benedict's election was also commended by most Jewish leaders, secular--such as Israeli President, Mosle Katsav--and religious--such as Rabbi David Rosen of the U.S. Jewish Committee's Interreligious Affairs Department. Rabbi Rosen said, "It's difficult to think of a better choice for pope ... precisely because of his background and knowledge of the evils of anti-Semitism."

Since his election, the Pope has made several moves expressing his attention towards the Jewish community. In May, he greeted 50 Jewish representatives attending the first international Judaeo-Christian Symposium organized by the Focolare Movement. Rabbi Rosen was among the participants at this meeting.

The Pope's commitment to dialogue was reinforced at a larger meeting with world Jewish leaders at the Vatican on June 9 at which he called for increased mutual understanding between the two religions and condemned "all manifestations of hatred, persecution, and anti-Semitism." In particular he committed himself to following up on the work of Pope John Paul II in improving relations with the Jewish people. "It is my intention," he stated, "to continue on this path."

Benedict then recalled that October 27 of this year will see the fortieth anniversary of Nostra aetate, the Second Vatican Council document whose teaching has served as the basis of the Church's relationship with the Jewish people since then.

Other pointers indicating the pope's attitude in Jewish/Christian relations include his message of congratulation to Israel when Blessed Elisabetta Hesselblatt, a Sister of the Bridgettine Order, was honoured as "Righteous Among the Nation" by the Yad Vashem Insitutute in Jersualem. Mother Elisabetta was honoured for sheltering Jews in Rome during World War II. She was beatified in 2000.

The beatification process is also moving ahead for another "Righteous" honouree. This is Brother Emmanuele Stablum, a doctor of the Dermatological Institute of the Immaculate Conception, who used his position to similarly shelter Jews in Rome.

Meanwhile, the beatification process for French priest Fr. Leon Dehon (1843-1925) has been held up while a commission appointed by the Pope looks into allegations of anti-Semitism in some of his writings. The Superior of the Order he founded, the Dehonians, has made the point that the criticisms are based on phrases taken out of context.

Finally, a successful meeting was held June 26 to 28 in Jerusalem between the delegations of the Holy See's and Chief Rabbinate of Israel's commissions for mutual religious relations. The Vatican's chief representative was Jorge Cardinal Mejia; his Jewish counterpart was Chief Rabbi Shear Yashuv Cohen. Special mention was made of the initiative of John Paul II which had started these meetings. The first gathering of the new pontificate ended with promises of collaboration and an agreement that states and religions must co-exist with mutual respect, and must accord to each individual the right to religious liberty (Zenit, National Catholic Register).