Latest news with #RabbiNoamMarans
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
At Pope Leo XIV's inaugural Mass and beyond, Jewish leaders show hope in Jewish-Catholic relations
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Jewish leaders got up-front seats at Pope Leo XIV's inauguration Mass. An American rabbi there and other representatives saw that as a hopeful sign for an upswing of Catholic-Jewish relations under the first U.S.-born pontiff, after a strained relationship with his predecessor. With growing antisemitic rhetoric and attacks in various countries, as well as mounting international criticism of Israel's conduct in its war with Hamas, the moral voice of the leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics can make a real difference, they said. 'It can save Jewish lives,' Rabbi Noam Marans, the American Jewish Committee's director of interreligious affairs, told The Associated Press. Wearing his kippah, he attended Sunday's Mass at St. Peter's Square only days after he received a letter from newly elected Leo highlighting the importance of dialogue and cooperation. 'No pope had ever written to an American rabbi in this way,' Marans said. 'The success of the post-Council Jewish-Catholic relations is demonstrated better in the United States than anywhere else.' It was 60 years ago that the Second Vatican Council issued the proclamation 'Nostra Aetate' (Latin for 'in our time'). It marked a turning point in the 2,000-year-old history of two major religions by focusing on the shared heritage between Judaism and Christianity, rejecting the centuries-old belief of Jewish guilt in the killing of Christ, and denouncing antisemitism as a sin. Since then, the Vatican has sought to bolster relations with other faiths, including Judaism. In 2016, Pope Francis became the third pope to visit Rome's main synagogue, after a Vatican declaration that the church didn't support official efforts to convert Jews. But Francis also dismayed numerous Jewish leaders with some of his remarks about Israeli's military operations in Gaza that followed the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel by Hamas militants. More than 1,200 people were killed then, mostly civilians, and 250 abducted, with dozens still believed held in Gaza. More than 53,000 people there have been killed in the war since, according to Palestinian authorities. There was widespread anger over a public letter from Francis on the one-year anniversary of the Hamas attack that expressed empathy with the people of Gaza, but never mentioned Israel or the Jewish people. A month later, news broke that Francis in an interview had called for an investigation to determine if Israel's attacks in Gaza constitute genocide. 'It was painful to hear from the pope the word genocide or even suspicion of genocide,' said Noemi Di Segni, president of the Union of Italian Jewish Communities, which represents Italy's 25,000 Jews. 'It really devastates us, and a crisis was created.' Di Segni said she also received a letter from Leo, just days into his papacy. It made her hopeful, she said, that he would make the Vatican's official position of dialogue with and respect for Jews trickle down to the reality of small Italian parishes, where the faithful might never have interacted with a Jewish person. Centuries of discrimination when Jews were made to live in ghettoes, including in Rome – often at the instigation of the church – have left vivid memories in Jewish communities across Europe, as has the trauma of the Holocaust. Interfaith relations have been smoother in the United States, several faith leaders said, both at the official and daily levels. In December, the American Jewish Committee and U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops jointly published a booklet to combat antisemitism. In the United States and Israel, Jewish faith leaders said they were encouraged by Leo's commitment to interreligious dialogue. They also praised his mention of the hostages in his first Sunday blessing, when he also called for a ceasefire in Gaza. In the blessing following his inaugural Mass, Leo called out 'those who suffer because of wars' in Gaza, Myanmar and Ukraine – no mention of the Jewish hostages. 'The suffering of innocent non-combatants in any conflict is a tragedy,' Marans said after the Mass, echoing sentiments from other Jewish leaders who expect Leo to strike a different tone than Francis even while maintaining political criticism. 'Our hope is to return to the direct, frank dialogue between friends that can take place behind closed doors,' said Rabbi Joshua Stanton, who oversees interfaith initiatives for Jewish Federations of North America. He added that Pope Leo 'is known for working well with people quietly.' The trickiest question is how the dialogue with Jewish faith leaders will translate into a dialogue between the Holy See and Israel, especially over the ongoing war. The two states only established diplomatic relations in 1993. For many Jews around the world – regardless of religious observance, politics and opinions about the Israeli government – the state of Israel, and its security, are crucial to their identity. Francis sometimes failed to see that, said Jerusalem-based Rabbi David Rosen, who was invited to attend Leo's inauguration Mass and has long worked with the Vatican on interreligious affairs. 'Francis was a great friend, but not always considerate,' he added, while Leo has shown 'greater sensitivity' in his statements about the war. Israel's ambassador to the Holy See, Yaron Sideman, said relations with Francis had become 'very complicated,' but he met Leo on Friday alongside the rest of the diplomatic corps and praised the pope's commitment to engage. 'We both stand for something much bigger than geopolitical entities,' Sideman added of the Israeli and Vatican states. 'You can't separate dialogue with Jewish people and the state where half of Jewish people live. This is where it needs to be fundamentally restructured.' ___ AP journalist David Crary in New York contributed to this report. ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
The Independent
19-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
At Pope Leo XIV's inaugural Mass and beyond, Jewish leaders show hope in Jewish-Catholic relations
Jewish leaders got up-front seats at Pope Leo XIV's inauguration Mass. An American rabbi there and other representatives saw that as a hopeful sign for an upswing of Catholic-Jewish relations under the first U.S.-born pontiff, after a strained relationship with his predecessor. With growing antisemitic rhetoric and attacks in various countries, as well as mounting international criticism of Israel 's conduct in its war with Hamas, the moral voice of the leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics can make a real difference, they said. 'It can save Jewish lives,' Rabbi Noam Marans, the American Jewish Committee's director of interreligious affairs, told The Associated Press. Wearing his kippah, he attended Sunday's Mass at St. Peter's Square only days after he received a letter from newly elected Leo highlighting the importance of dialogue and cooperation. 'No pope had ever written to an American rabbi in this way,' Marans said. 'The success of the post-Council Jewish-Catholic relations is demonstrated better in the United States than anywhere else.' It was 60 years ago that the Second Vatican Council issued the proclamation 'Nostra Aetate' (Latin for 'in our time'). It marked a turning point in the 2,000-year-old history of two major religions by focusing on the shared heritage between Judaism and Christianity, rejecting the centuries-old belief of Jewish guilt in the killing of Christ, and denouncing antisemitism as a sin. Since then, the Vatican has sought to bolster relations with other faiths, including Judaism. In 2016, Pope Francis became the third pope to visit Rome's main synagogue, after a Vatican declaration that the church didn't support official efforts to convert Jews. But Francis also dismayed numerous Jewish leaders with some of his remarks about Israeli's military operations in Gaza that followed the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel by Hamas militants. More than 1,200 people were killed then, mostly civilians, and 250 abducted, with dozens still believed held in Gaza. More than 53,000 people there have been killed in the war since, according to Palestinian authorities. There was widespread anger over a public letter from Francis on the one-year anniversary of the Hamas attack that expressed empathy with the people of Gaza, but never mentioned Israel or the Jewish people. A month later, news broke that Francis in an interview had called for an investigation to determine if Israel's attacks in Gaza constitute genocide. 'It was painful to hear from the pope the word genocide or even suspicion of genocide,' said Noemi Di Segni, president of the Union of Italian Jewish Communities, which represents Italy's 25,000 Jews. 'It really devastates us, and a crisis was created.' Di Segni said she also received a letter from Leo, just days into his papacy. It made her hopeful, she said, that he would make the Vatican's official position of dialogue with and respect for Jews trickle down to the reality of small Italian parishes, where the faithful might never have interacted with a Jewish person. Centuries of discrimination when Jews were made to live in ghettoes, including in Rome – often at the instigation of the church – have left vivid memories in Jewish communities across Europe, as has the trauma of the Holocaust. Interfaith relations have been smoother in the United States, several faith leaders said, both at the official and daily levels. In December, the American Jewish Committee and U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops jointly published a booklet to combat antisemitism. In the United States and Israel, Jewish faith leaders said they were encouraged by Leo's commitment to interreligious dialogue. They also praised his mention of the hostages in his first Sunday blessing, when he also called for a ceasefire in Gaza. In the blessing following his inaugural Mass, Leo called out 'those who suffer because of wars' in Gaza, Myanmar and Ukraine – no mention of the Jewish hostages. 'The suffering of innocent non-combatants in any conflict is a tragedy,' Marans said after the Mass, echoing sentiments from other Jewish leaders who expect Leo to strike a different tone than Francis even while maintaining political criticism. 'Our hope is to return to the direct, frank dialogue between friends that can take place behind closed doors,' said Rabbi Joshua Stanton, who oversees interfaith initiatives for Jewish Federations of North America. He added that Pope Leo 'is known for working well with people quietly.' The trickiest question is how the dialogue with Jewish faith leaders will translate into a dialogue between the Holy See and Israel, especially over the ongoing war. The two states only established diplomatic relations in 1993. For many Jews around the world – regardless of religious observance, politics and opinions about the Israeli government – the state of Israel, and its security, are crucial to their identity. Francis sometimes failed to see that, said Jerusalem-based Rabbi David Rosen, who was invited to attend Leo's inauguration Mass and has long worked with the Vatican on interreligious affairs. 'Francis was a great friend, but not always considerate,' he added, while Leo has shown 'greater sensitivity' in his statements about the war. Israel's ambassador to the Holy See, Yaron Sideman, said relations with Francis had become 'very complicated,' but he met Leo on Friday alongside the rest of the diplomatic corps and praised the pope's commitment to engage. 'We both stand for something much bigger than geopolitical entities,' Sideman added of the Israeli and Vatican states. 'You can't separate dialogue with Jewish people and the state where half of Jewish people live. This is where it needs to be fundamentally restructured.' ___ AP journalist David Crary in New York contributed to this report. ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
Associated Press
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
At Pope Leo XIV's inaugural Mass and beyond, Jewish leaders show hope in Jewish-Catholic relations
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Jewish leaders got up-front seats at Pope Leo XIV's inauguration Mass. An American rabbi there and other representatives saw that as a hopeful sign for an upswing of Catholic-Jewish relations under the first U.S.-born pontiff, after a strained relationship with his predecessor. With growing antisemitic rhetoric and attacks in various countries, as well as mounting international criticism of Israel's conduct in its war with Hamas, the moral voice of the leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics can make a real difference, they said. 'It can save Jewish lives,' Rabbi Noam Marans, the American Jewish Committee's director of interreligious affairs, told The Associated Press. Wearing his kippah, he attended Sunday's Mass at St. Peter's Square only days after he received a letter from newly elected Leo highlighting the importance of dialogue and cooperation. 'No pope had ever written to an American rabbi in this way,' Marans said. 'The success of the post-Council Jewish-Catholic relations is demonstrated better in the United States than anywhere else.' It was 60 years ago that the Second Vatican Council issued the proclamation 'Nostra Aetate' (Latin for 'in our time'). It marked a turning point in the 2,000-year-old history of two major religions by focusing on the shared heritage between Judaism and Christianity, rejecting the centuries-old belief of Jewish guilt in the killing of Christ, and denouncing antisemitism as a sin. Since then, the Vatican has sought to bolster relations with other faiths, including Judaism. In 2016, Pope Francis became the third pope to visit Rome's main synagogue, after a Vatican declaration that the church didn't support official efforts to convert Jews. But Francis also dismayed numerous Jewish leaders with some of his remarks about Israeli's military operations in Gaza that followed the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel by Hamas militants. More than 1,200 people were killed then, mostly civilians, and 250 abducted, with dozens still believed held in Gaza. More than 53,000 people there have been killed in the war since, according to Palestinian authorities. There was widespread anger over a public letter from Francis on the one-year anniversary of the Hamas attack that expressed empathy with the people of Gaza, but never mentioned Israel or the Jewish people. A month later, news broke that Francis in an interview had called for an investigation to determine if Israel's attacks in Gaza constitute genocide. 'It was painful to hear from the pope the word genocide or even suspicion of genocide,' said Noemi Di Segni, president of the Union of Italian Jewish Communities, which represents Italy's 25,000 Jews. 'It really devastates us, and a crisis was created.' Di Segni said she also received a letter from Leo, just days into his papacy. It made her hopeful, she said, that he would make the Vatican's official position of dialogue with and respect for Jews trickle down to the reality of small Italian parishes, where the faithful might never have interacted with a Jewish person. Centuries of discrimination when Jews were made to live in ghettoes, including in Rome – often at the instigation of the church – have left vivid memories in Jewish communities across Europe, as has the trauma of the Holocaust. Interfaith relations have been smoother in the United States, several faith leaders said, both at the official and daily levels. In December, the American Jewish Committee and U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops jointly published a booklet to combat antisemitism. In the United States and Israel, Jewish faith leaders said they were encouraged by Leo's commitment to interreligious dialogue. They also praised his mention of the hostages in his first Sunday blessing, when he also called for a ceasefire in Gaza. In the blessing following his inaugural Mass, Leo called out 'those who suffer because of wars' in Gaza, Myanmar and Ukraine – no mention of the Jewish hostages. 'The suffering of innocent non-combatants in any conflict is a tragedy,' Marans said after the Mass, echoing sentiments from other Jewish leaders who expect Leo to strike a different tone than Francis even while maintaining political criticism. 'Our hope is to return to the direct, frank dialogue between friends that can take place behind closed doors,' said Rabbi Joshua Stanton, who oversees interfaith initiatives for Jewish Federations of North America. He added that Pope Leo 'is known for working well with people quietly.' The trickiest question is how the dialogue with Jewish faith leaders will translate into a dialogue between the Holy See and Israel, especially over the ongoing war. The two states only established diplomatic relations in 1993. For many Jews around the world – regardless of religious observance, politics and opinions about the Israeli government – the state of Israel, and its security, are crucial to their identity. Francis sometimes failed to see that, said Jerusalem-based Rabbi David Rosen, who was invited to attend Leo's inauguration Mass and has long worked with the Vatican on interreligious affairs. 'Francis was a great friend, but not always considerate,' he added, while Leo has shown 'greater sensitivity' in his statements about the war. Israel's ambassador to the Holy See, Yaron Sideman, said relations with Francis had become 'very complicated,' but he met Leo on Friday alongside the rest of the diplomatic corps and praised the pope's commitment to engage. 'We both stand for something much bigger than geopolitical entities,' Sideman added of the Israeli and Vatican states. 'You can't separate dialogue with Jewish people and the state where half of Jewish people live. This is where it needs to be fundamentally restructured.' ___ AP journalist David Crary in New York contributed to this report. ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
News24
13-05-2025
- Politics
- News24
Pope Leo XIV seeks to build bridges with Jews, vows to strengthen dialogue
Pope Leo XIV wants to strengthen the Roman Catholic Church's dialogue with Jews. Rabbi Noam Marans will attend Leo's inaugural Mass, sources say. Relations between the Vatican and Israel soured after the start of the war in Gaza. Pope Leo XIV has told the world's Jewish communities he wants to strengthen the Roman Catholic Church's dialogue with them, in a message coming after a souring of relations between the Vatican and Israel over the war in Gaza. The first US-born pope sent a letter to Rabbi Noam Marans, the Director of Interreligious Affairs of the American Jewish Committee, who posted the letter on the social platform X late on Monday. 'Trusting in the assistance of the almighty, I pledge to continue and strengthen the Church's dialogue and cooperation with the Jewish people in the spirit of the Second Vatican Council's declaration Nostra Aetate,' Leo said in the letter. Nostra Aetate was a landmark document in the 1962-1965 Council that repudiated the concept of collective Jewish guilt for the death of Jesus and urged dialogue with non-Christian religions. The brief document revolutionised Catholic relations with Jews after centuries of persecution and mistrust. Dialogue that ensued over the following two decades made it possible for Pope John Paul II to become the first pontiff to visit a synagogue, giving a speech in Rome's main temple in 1986, where he called Jews 'our beloved elder brothers'. After years of often tense relations, the Vatican and Israel signed a 'fundamental agreement' in 1993 and exchanged full ambassadors the next year. A Vatican source said Marans would attend Leo's inaugural Mass on Sunday. More than a dozen other Jewish leaders from around the world were also expected to attend, the source said. It was not yet clear if any Israeli government leader would attend the Mass. While the late Pope Francis often condemned antisemitism, relations between the Vatican and Israel soured after the start of the war in Gaza in 2023. Hamas militants attacked Israel on 7 October 2023, killing about 1 200 people and taking about 250 hostages to Gaza. More than 52 000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since then, Palestinian authorities say, and swathes of the heavily built-up enclave have been laid to waste. The Israeli delegation to Pope Francis' funeral in April was headed by its ambassador to the Vatican, Yaron Sideman, which sources said at the time was an intentionally low-level representation because of Francis' comments about Gaza. Francis, who visited the Holy Land in 2014, suggested last November that the global community should study whether Israel's military campaign in Gaza constituted genocide, in some of his most explicit criticism of Israel's conduct in its war with Hamas.
The Herald
13-05-2025
- Politics
- The Herald
Pope Leo tells Jews he wants to strengthen dialogue
Pope Leo XIV has told the world's Jewish communities he wants to strengthen the Roman Catholic Church's dialogue with them in a message coming after a souring of relations between the Vatican and Israel over the war in Gaza. The first US-born pope sent a letter to Rabbi Noam Marans, director of interreligious affairs of the American Jewish Committee, who posted the letter on the social platform X late on Monday. 'Trusting in the assistance of the Almighty, I pledge to continue and strengthen the Church's dialogue and co-operation with the Jewish people in the spirit of the Second Vatican Council's declaration Nostra Aetate ,' Leo said in the letter. Nostra Aetate was a landmark document in the 1962-1965 Council that repudiated the concept of collective Jewish guilt for the death of Jesus and urged dialogue with non-Christian religions. The brief document revolutionised Catholic relations with Jews after centuries of persecution and mistrust. Dialogue that ensued over the next two decades made it possible for Pope John Paul II to become the first pontiff to visit a synagogue, giving a speech in Rome's main temple in 1986, where he called Jews 'our beloved elder brothers'. After years of often tense relations, the Vatican and Israel signed a 'fundamental agreement' in 1993 and exchanged full ambassadors the next year. A Vatican source said Marans would attend Leo's inaugural Mass on Sunday. More than a dozen other Jewish leaders from around the world were also expected to attend, the source said. It was not yet clear if any Israeli government leader would attend the Mass. While the late Pope Francis often condemned anti-Semitism, relations between the Vatican and Israel soured after the start of the war in Gaza in 2023. The Israeli delegation to Pope Francis' funeral last month was headed by its ambassador to the Vatican Yaron Sideman, which sources said at the time was an intentionally low-level representation because of Francis' comments about Gaza. Francis, who visited the Holy Land in 2014, suggested last November the global community should study whether Israel's military campaign in Gaza constituted genocide in some of his most explicit criticism of Israel's conduct in its war with Hamas. Reuters
