September 16, 2005
Israel's two chief rabbis have asked the Pope to speak out against the destruction of synagogues abandoned by Israel in the Gaza Strip. Meeting with Benedict XVI in his summer residence in Castel Gandolfo near Rome the rabbis warned the desecration of churches and other holy places could follow unless a strong stand is taken. "The Second World War started with burning of synagogues; then the crematoriums, burning people," Ashkenazi chief rabbi Yona Metzger said. "We are fearful the same terrorism of desecrating synagogues (...) will spill over into other parts of the world," he said, noting that churches and mosques could be targeted.
Metzger and Sephardic chief rabbi Shlomo Amar also invited the pontiff to visit Israel and asked him to urge priests, bishops and cardinals around the world to set aside one day of the year to preach the teachings of a landmark Vatican document on relations with Jews that deplored all forms of anti-Semitism. The document, "Nostra Aetate", was published on 28 October 1965, and the rabbis suggested that day be used. The Pope said he would try to respond "in a positive way" to this request, Israel's ambassador to the Holy See, Oded Ben-Hur, was quoted by the media after the meeting.
The leadership of the International Jewish Committee on Inter-religious Consultations (IJCIC) expressed its satisfaction about "the warm reception" that the chief rabbis received from Pope Benedict.
