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April 4, 2005
Statement by the Orthodox Union on the Passing of Pope John Paul
II
The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America notes with
great sadness the passing of Pope John Paul II. The historic and
landmark contributions that he made to Catholic-Jewish relations
were pioneering and invaluable. The Pope’s denunciation of
anti-Semitism as a sin against God, which he made as he traveled
around the world, is all the more important in light of the
alarming trends we see today.
Pope John Paul II was the first pope to visit a synagogue, in
April of 1986, as he visited the Orthodox Synagogue in Rome. The
Jewish community had long called for diplomatic relations between
Israel and the Holy See and in 1993-1994 Pope John Paul II
announced formalization of these relations. He made constant
references to the memory of the Shoah (the Holocaust) and called
the twentieth century “The century of the Shoah,” so that the
tragedy will never be repeated again. The Pope’s visceral reaction
to the Holocaust was made evident by his visit to Yad Vashem, the
Holocaust memorial, in Israel. Moreover, he was the first Pope to
visit the President of Israel at his residence and the Chief
Rabbis of Israel at the Rabbinate.
Furthermore, we recognize the Pope’s contributions to many
important ethical and moral principles, especially regarding the
sanctity of life and the desire for true peace. We also recognize
his deep spirituality and his teaching of the importance of
tradition and the continuing relevance of religion in contemporary
life.
He was a Pope for the ages. We fervently hope that the good will
between the Jewish and Catholic communities that was engendered by
the historic steps taken by Pope John Paul II will resonate among
us in perpetuity and that his memory will be a constant
inspiration for world peace and harmony.
Stephen J. Savitsky
President
Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Weinreb
Executive Vice President
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