Conference taveng::bagels

109.0. "The Pope Goes To Shul" by GRAMPS::LISS (Fred - ESD&P Shrewsbury MA) Mon Apr 14 1986 08:51

Associated Press Sun 13-APR-1986 21:53                            Israel-Pope

   Rabbis Welcome Papal Visit To Synagogue
With AM-Pope-Synagogue Bjt
   TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) - Israelis welcomed the visit by Pope John
Paul II to Rome's central synagogue, the first such recorded visit
in history, but warned against exaggerating its importance.
   The Pope's visit to the huge synagogue Sunday represented ``a
public condemnation of Christian anti-Semitism, and any one who
knows what this anti-Semitism did to the Jewish people can only be
pleased,'' former Israeli ambassador to Italy Yitzhak Minervi told
Israel radio.
   Although the Pope did not request Jewish forgiveness for
Christian persecution through the centuries, as some churchmen had
proposed, Minervi pointed out that the pontiff did refer to the
persecutions.
   ``This was unavoidable,'' Minervi said, ``since he was in the
middle of what was the Rome ghetto, where for nearly 500 years the
church's state forced the Jews to remain shut up and wear the mark
of shame.''
   He also stressed that the historic meeting with Rome's Jewish
community expressed a change in the Vatican's attitude toward the
Jews based on ``the church's internal need for renewal and the need
to cleanse itself of (Pope) Pius XII's silence during World War II,
during the holocaust.''
   David Flusser, a Hebrew University expert on early Christian
history, was quoted in the daily Haaretz newspaper as saying the
papal visit was ``a positive step that indicates the change in the
atmosphere between the Vatican and Judaism.''
   Ashkenazi chief rabbi Avraham Shapira said in a statement that
he hoped the visit ``will prompt a decline in anti-Semitic
feelings, so much of which has been maintained over generations by
the Catholic Church.''
   But David Cassouto, head of the Italian Jewish community in
Jerusalem, said the Catholic Church could not be so easily forgiven.
   ``The Jewish people know how to remember. It has not forgiven
Spain for 500 years (since the Jews were expelled in 1492), and I
am convinced that this single meeting with the Pope will not wipe
out everything that happened.''
   Rabbi Moshe Solomon, director-general of the Religious Affairs
Ministry, was quoted as saying in an interview with Hadashot
newspaper: ``If his (the Pope's) intentions are good, maybe there
will be a change in relations between Israel and the Vatican. We
need friends.''

    	 Its a wonderful thing when the Pope speaks out publicly 
         against anti-Semitism. I believe his message was honest and 
         sincere. Several months ago Cardinal Law, of the Boston area, 
         also spoke out against anti-Semitism. It is a step forward 
         when Christian leaders speak out publicly about these topics.
    
    	 The only thing that concerns me is what is being done on the 
         grass roots level. Are individual Priests speaking out in 
         there weekly sermons? I bring this up because three weeks ago 
         on a Friday night several classroom windows in our Yeshiva 
         were broken with rocks and eggs were thrown at the front 
         door.
    
				Fred

    How come it's taken so long for the Pope to get round to going?
    After all, it's a beautiful building!  And we're a wonderful people!!!
    
    I was in Rome about a month ago with some friends and we decided
    to visit the Shul (after Mass!!!!), and found it one of the most
    beautiful buildings I've had the pleasure to see.  However, we were
    greeted by 2 armed guards (sub-machine guns and bullet-proof vests)
    who wouldn't let us in, because the museum inside wasn't open, and
    when we went back later and saw the caretaker, he wouldn't let us
    in either!  So we never got the chance to see the interior.  I took
    a photogragh of the outside that turned out really quite good, because
    although it was an overcast day, the menorah on the top of the Shul
    was completely lit up by a shaft of sunlight.  It was incredible!
    If you do ever go to Rome, try to get to the Shul (it's probably
    better to go on Shabbos and join a service), coz it's amazing!
    
    Susan.

    RE: .0
    
      Could someone tell me what the "mark of shame" was back then.
      Thanks.
    
                                                     Andy