Jewish Israeli leaders met with a Catholic delegation for the third time in Jerusalem in December 2003, to produce a statement condemning terrorism and anti-Semitism. Chief Rabbi Shear Yashuv Cohen, with four other rabbis and two Jewish scholars, convened for three days with Cardinal Jorge Mejia and five delegates from the Holy See's Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews. The resulting joint declaration, which follows below, urges people of faith to become examples of kindness, justice, and humility for the advancement of human rights and the work of peace.

1. After two meetings, in Jerusalem (June 2002, Tammuz 5762) and in Grottaferrata/Rome (February 2003, Shvat 5763) the respective high-ranking delegations convened in Jerusalem to discuss the theme of “The Relevance of Central Teachings — The Holy Scriptures Which We Share for Contemporary Society and the Education of Future Generations Accordingly.”

2. The deliberations took place in an atmosphere of mutual respect and amity, and satisfaction was expressed regarding the firm foundations that have already been established between the two delegations with great promise for continuity and effective collaboration.

3. The participants expressed their profound appreciation for the forthright statements emanating from the Holy See condemning violence against innocents and denouncing the current resurgent manifestations of anti-Semitism, as declared in the statements of the Cardinals of the Vatican's delegation to the Joint Commission Cardinals Walter Kasper, Jorge Mejía and Georges Cottier.

In this spirit, His Eminence Jorge Mejia wrote to the Chief Rabbis of Israel: "It is indeed not only cruel but vile and quite incompatible with any acceptable human standards to attack people in their places of prayer." Indeed, at the time of the Joint Commission's meeting, His Holiness Pope John Paul II issued a powerful appeal “to all men and women of good will to join your voices with mine as I repeat that the holy name of God must never be used to incite violence or terrorism, to promote hatred or exclusion.”

4. The presentations focused on the foundational teaching in the Holy Scriptures which we share, which declare the faith in the One Creator and Guide of the Universe who has formed all human beings in His Divine Image with free will. Humankind is thus one family with moral responsibility for one another. Awareness of this reality leads to the religious and moral duty that may serve as a true charter for human rights and dignity in our modern world and provide a genuine vision for a just society, universal peace and well-being.

5.We live in a global village of unparalleled technological and scientific advances. These present us with the challenge to use them for good and blessing and not for evil and curse, God forbid. In this regard, the global system of mass communication serves as a key edification vehicle. It behooves us to constructively utilize this opportunity for global edification in keeping with our aforementioned shared religious and moral aspirations.

6. It was emphasized that the response to the challenge of promoting religious faith in contemporary society, requires us to provide living examples of justice, loving-kindness, tolerance and humility, in keeping with the words of the Prophet Micah. “It has been told to you, O man, what is good, and what the Lord requires of you: But to do justice and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God” (Mic 6:8).

7.Religious education can and must provide hope and direction for positive living in a human solidarity and harmony in our complex modern times. Above all, it is faith in God that gives us true security and joy, in keeping with the verse in Psalm 16: “I have set the Lord always before me ... and my heart rejoice” (Ps 16:8-9).

8. In particular, religious leaders and educators have the special duty to instruct their communities to pursue the paths of peace for the well-being of society at large.

We issue this appeal especially to the family of Abraham and we call upon all believers to put aside weapons of war and destruction — “to seek peace and pursue if ” (Ps 34:15).

9. As religious leaders we share in the pain and sorrow of all who suffer in the Holy Land today — individuals, families and communities — and express our fervent pope and prayers for an end to the trials and tribulations in the Land that is holy to us all.

10. Finally, we urge our own communities, schools and families, to live in mutual respect and understanding and to immerse themselves in the study and teachings of our Holy Scriptures which we share, for the ennoblement of humanity, universal peace and justice. Thus will the words of the Prophet be fulfilled: “and they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation and they shall not learn war any more” (Isaiah 2:4).

Jerusalem, Kislev 8, 5764. December 3, 2003

Rabbi Shear Yashuv Cohen (Chairman of the Jewish Delegation)

Rabbi Rasson Arussi

Rabbi David Brodman

Rabbi Yossef Azran

Rabbi David Rosen

Oded Wiener

Shmuel Hadas

Cardinal Jorge Cardinal Mejia (Chairman of the Catholic Delegation)

Bishop Giacinto-Boulos Marcuzzo

P. Elias Chacour

Pier Francesco Fumagalli

P. Norbert Hofmann S.D.B.

Archbishop Pietro Sambi

Back to 2003 News & Events    Next Page