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Jerusalem - Rabbi Metzger: Vatican Vowed to Stop Missionary Activity on Jews |
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Jerusalem - In his welcoming address today to Pope Benedict XVI at Heichal Shlomo, adjacent to Jerusalem's Great Synagogue, Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi Yona Metzger said that the pontiff had agreed that the Catholic Church would cease all missionary activity among Jews, and thanked him for the gesture.
Metzger opened by congratulating the pontiff on his arrival to "our holy land - the land to which we prayed to return during 2000 years of exile... And, with God's help, our meeting today is taking place in the Land of Israel, in our city of Jerusalem - the eternal capital of the Jewish people."
Speaking of the necessity to hold dialogue between the faiths, Metzger said that "if a historical meeting such as this, where the head of the largest religion in the world meets in Jerusalem with the head of the Jewish religion, had taken place many years ago, how much blood would have been spared and senseless hatred prevented."
Metzger thanked Benedict for preventing the return to the Catholic Church of the Holocaust denier Bishop Richard Williamson.
"Had you not done so," Metzger explained, "a message may have been understood by another Holocaust denier- the president of Iran, granting legitimacy to his sinful declarations of his will and intention to destroy our country. I commend with appreciation your clear proclamation that anti-Semitism is not only a sin against the Jews, but also a sin against God."
In a hint of criticism over Benedict's speech at Yad Vashem on Monday, which was received with some disappointment for his failure to apologize on behalf of the Catholic Church while paying tribute to the memory of the six million Jews who perished in the Holocaust, Metzger hailed Benedict's predecessor, "Pope John Paul II, who visited us nine years ago, placed a note between the stones of the Western Wall, and in it a request for forgiveness from the Jewish people for the suffering caused to them throughout history, and of the Christian commitment towards true fraternity between our peoples."
Alluding to the threat of Islamic extremism, Metzger said "we must teach the leaders of other religions that it is not with terror that they will obtain their aims, not by the killing of innocent people do they represent their God."
The chief Ashkenazi rabbi went on to thank the pope for his "historic agreement and the commitment given by the Vatican, that the Church will henceforth desist from all missionary and conversion activities amongst our people. This is for us an immensely important message."
Metzger then asked the pope to act on the issue of lost Jewish refugees; children saved by Christians during the Holocaust and never told by their adopting parents that they were Jewish.
"Your Holiness - as you know, during the Holocaust many parents deposited their children in trust with the various churches throughout Europe," he said. "To our sorrow, six million Jews did not return. Many of the children who survived thanks to the Church, grew up unaware of their Jewish heritage. We ask that the Church under your guidance, display transparency and reveal their roots so that they may choose their national and religious paths.
"A lack of transparency on this sensitive issue may perpetuate the suffering of many Jews and ultimately obtain the Nazi's aim - the annihilation of the Jewish People."
Metzger also mentioned the pope's visit to the Western Wall which is a "house of prayer for all people," but lamented that "unfortunately there are those who have transformed their houses of prayer into warehouses of weapons and terror."
"One thing alone still threatens us all," he said, "the use of religion as a means for the killing of innocent people."
He concluded by calling to establish "an international body, a UN for religions alongside the UN for diplomats and statesmen."
"It is my heartfelt blessing that together we will merit to add love, mutual respect and peace in our world," the rabbi ended his speech. "For each people will walk in the name of his God; And we will walk in the name of the Lord our God..."
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Read Comments (17) — Post Yours »
1
May 12, 2009 at 07:11 AM barry Says:
Rabbi Metzger,
Good job! It was brilliant to throw Achmadinejad's name into the quagmire of holocaust deniers/muslim radicals!
Achmadinejad heard what you said and so will millions around the world!
Thanks for getting it right and not being afraid of saying it as it is.
10 points!
2
May 12, 2009 at 07:05 AM AAA Says:
"together we will merit to add love" . what a shame !!
3
May 12, 2009 at 07:26 AM Anonymous Says:
“ "together we will merit to add love" . what a shame !! ”
why is that a shame? maybe instead of whining about all the jewish blood the church has spilled in the past, we can actually do something about the future.
4
May 12, 2009 at 07:41 AM Anonymous Says:
“ "together we will merit to add love" . what a shame !! ”
It looks as though you really needed to get your magnifying glass out to find that one... I'm no Zionist, and I recocognize Rabbi Metzgers limitations, but c'mon, give credit where credit is due.
5
May 12, 2009 at 06:58 AM cdc Says:
In the begining of his speach he says that over 2000 years we prayed to go out of exile & finally they are in thier OWN land. so thing about it .... still he needs help from a pope that they should stop movments between jews ?
is that the same people who say halel on 5 eer ?
looks like after moshiach comes we will still need help prom a pope shr"y.
6
May 12, 2009 at 08:14 AM my option Says:
why did he call him, his holy the guy a filthy Rasha.
7
May 12, 2009 at 07:58 AM Anonymous Says:
I would like to see this article posted in the NYT headline
8
May 12, 2009 at 09:04 AM moish Says:
very nice speech, except for his holiness, how could he even let those words out of his mouth, what is holy about the pope, would he also call jesus holy chas vesholom
9
May 12, 2009 at 09:13 AM moish Says:
also about the missonarizing, theres not a chance that the church is serious about it or that its going to stop, it is one of the basics of their religion
10
May 12, 2009 at 10:43 AM Shloimy Says:
As far as missoinizing, the pope only has authority over the Catholics. Assuming he means it when he says he will put a stop to it (who knows?). But that will have no effect on the evangelists, protestant fundamentalists, baptists, mormons and others who prey on wayward yidden with empty but nice-sounding promises of happiness and meaning.
Most of the groups that Yad L'Achim fights against are not catholic. So, I doubt that this will change things in any event.
It is our job to reach the wayward Yidden with the emes, before the others come with the sheker. When we don't, that is our fault.
11
May 12, 2009 at 11:18 AM PMO Says:
“ As far as missoinizing, the pope only has authority over the Catholics. Assuming he means it when he says he will put a stop to it (who knows?). But that will have no effect on the evangelists, protestant fundamentalists, baptists, mormons and others who prey on wayward yidden with empty but nice-sounding promises of happiness and meaning.
Most of the groups that Yad L'Achim fights against are not catholic. So, I doubt that this will change things in any event.
It is our job to reach the wayward Yidden with the emes, before the others come with the sheker. When we don't, that is our fault. ”
You are absolutely right. The Catholics have not been the ones actively seeking to convert yidden for the last 40 years. It has been the evangelical xian groups like the Southern Baptists. All you here who think that American xians are our "friends" are blind to this for some reason. Evangelicals and Southern Baptists make a commitment to spread the word and convert non-believers [in the church]. They built a theme park here in FL that is supposed to feel like you are in Jerusalem... it is called The Holy Land Experience. It was specifically designed to bring Jews in to teach them about their phony messiah. They create groups like J for j with the one single goal of converting yidden. Both of these things are paid for by the Southern Baptist Conference (the evangelical side of the Baptist church).
While I appreciate the Pope reaffirming his stance that yidden not be targeted for conversion, that has not been a problem for us for MANY years. Where is the similar statement from our so-called Baptist/evangelical "friends" in the US? It has consistently been denied. These phonies claim it is part of their "religion" to "spread the word" and not something they can compromise on.... while we sit back and watch them target unaffiliated yidden accross college campuses around the country.
12
May 12, 2009 at 02:44 PM Anonymous Says:
“ why did he call him, his holy the guy a filthy Rasha. ”
It is called RESPECT.
13
May 12, 2009 at 03:28 PM moish Says:
“ It is called RESPECT. ”
1.its called a lie, 2.if its respect then that's even worse, he should respect an a.z. by calling it holy!? afra lepumei
14
May 12, 2009 at 03:01 PM Milhouse Says:
“ You are absolutely right. The Catholics have not been the ones actively seeking to convert yidden for the last 40 years. It has been the evangelical xian groups like the Southern Baptists. All you here who think that American xians are our "friends" are blind to this for some reason. Evangelicals and Southern Baptists make a commitment to spread the word and convert non-believers [in the church]. They built a theme park here in FL that is supposed to feel like you are in Jerusalem... it is called The Holy Land Experience. It was specifically designed to bring Jews in to teach them about their phony messiah. They create groups like J for j with the one single goal of converting yidden. Both of these things are paid for by the Southern Baptist Conference (the evangelical side of the Baptist church).
While I appreciate the Pope reaffirming his stance that yidden not be targeted for conversion, that has not been a problem for us for MANY years. Where is the similar statement from our so-called Baptist/evangelical "friends" in the US? It has consistently been denied. These phonies claim it is part of their "religion" to "spread the word" and not something they can compromise on.... while we sit back and watch them target unaffiliated yidden accross college campuses around the country. ”
Why do you call them phonies? Their philosemitism is very real, but so is their commitment to evangelism. Both are directly derived from the Bible, so how can they compromise on either? They are our true friends, but some of the "help" they offer us isn't very helpful. Think of them as the aunt who is always pushing "natural remedies" on you, and urging you to go to some homeopathic quack instead of to a doctor. She truly loves you, but teach your children to ignore her medical advice.
15
May 12, 2009 at 02:57 PM Milhouse Says:
“ also about the missonarizing, theres not a chance that the church is serious about it or that its going to stop, it is one of the basics of their religion ”
No, it isn't. The previous Pope already opened the possibility that Jews might have a different path to salvation. Remember, these are not fundamentalists or evangelicals. They don't care very much what the Bible says, if the teaching authority of the Church says differently.
16
May 12, 2009 at 11:49 PM PMO Says:
“ Why do you call them phonies? Their philosemitism is very real, but so is their commitment to evangelism. Both are directly derived from the Bible, so how can they compromise on either? They are our true friends, but some of the "help" they offer us isn't very helpful. Think of them as the aunt who is always pushing "natural remedies" on you, and urging you to go to some homeopathic quack instead of to a doctor. She truly loves you, but teach your children to ignore her medical advice. ”
My crazy aunt... and oddly I do have one.... does not go and pray every day that I will die in a fiery war. My aunt does not spend money trying to convert unsuspecting yidden to xianity by lying to them and slowly leading them into J for j. These crazy evangelicals are NOT our friends.
17
May 13, 2009 at 07:48 AM Milhouse Says:
“ My crazy aunt... and oddly I do have one.... does not go and pray every day that I will die in a fiery war. My aunt does not spend money trying to convert unsuspecting yidden to xianity by lying to them and slowly leading them into J for j. These crazy evangelicals are NOT our friends. ”
Nor do the evangelicals. You are repeating lefty propaganda without any basis but your unreasoning hatred for those who take their Xianity seriously. The evangelicals do exactly what the crazy aunt does - try to help, sometimes effectively, sometimes not. They are definitely our friends, they love us, but they don't always know what's in our best interest.
If you believed your loved ones were headed for Hell, wouldn't you try to save them? What kind of person, believing that he had found the only way to eternal happiness, WOULDN'T want to share it with you? Only an enemy, who would rather you go to Hell forever than risk upsetting you.