World Jewish leaders on Monday expressed concern to Pope Benedict about resurgent anti-Semitism and asked Vatican officials to take steps against a radical Polish priest accused of making anti-Jewish comments.
A World Jewish Congress delegation headed by the group’s president, Ronald S. Lauder, held talks with the Pope in the pontiff’s private study and also discussed ways that Christians, Muslims and Jews could work to improve dialogue.
WJC Secretary-General Michael Schneider told Reuters among the topics discussed was the problem of “resurgent anti-Semitism,” particularly in some European countries.
A WJC statement said the group “called on the Pontiff to take action against those in the Church who wanted to do damage to the close and positive relationship between Christians and Jews.”
Lauder told Vatican officials that statements by Father Tadeusz Rydzyk, a controversial broadcaster, “should not be tolerated anymore.”
Jewish and other groups have accused Rydzyk of spreading anti-Semitism and meddling in politics.
The Vatican has rebuked the priest for openly backing ruling conservative politicians in Poland. But Jewish groups complained in August when the Pope met Rydzyk, saying the encounter appeared to lend the priest legitimacy.
Human rights groups and Jewish groups have repeatedly called on Poland’s authorities and the Polish Church to remove Rydzyk from his position because of anti-Semitic and xenophobic remarks that often appear in his media.
The Polish Church has so far failed to take a common stance on Rydzyk, fearing many elderly and poor Poles for whom Rydzyk is a moral guide would turn away from the Church.
Rydzyk has strong support from Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski and his twin brother, President Lech Kaczynski.
(Source: Washington Post)
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6 Responses
Can someone please explain to me the rationale behind speaking to a former member of Hitler Youth about the rise of Anti-Semitism? Isn’t his philosophy that all Jews are to be punished, chas v’shalom, if they don’t accept Yoshka as their savior?
A bit of research in Wikipedia and its sources suggests that his membership in the Hitler Youth and the German army were compulsory and that he did as little for them as he could get away with. If he’s genuinely willing to cooperate with Jews to oppose anti-Semitism, why shouldn’t we take advantage of this? The point is to seek relative advantage. He has seemingly taken controversial stands against violent Islam.
WHY DOES EVERYONE MAKE A BIG DEAL ABOUT “ANTI SEMITISM”?
If us Jews would follow the Torah like we are supposed to there wouldn’t be any Anti-Semitism.
Yes Bubby,
We learn from Yaakov Avinu that you prepare for dealing with Gentiles in issues of Jewish security (which this probably is) in 3 ways: Tefila, Doron (which includes dialogue) and Milchama. Yaakov dealt with Esav, and as we know no one hates Yaakov more than him (Esav sonei es Yaakov).
Not that Ronald Lauder is a “Jewish” leader….
Ik,
How can you say that if everyone kept the Torah there wouldn’t be any antisemitism? The Gemara says “lama nikra shema sinai? Shemisham yarda sina le’akum” which is refering to when everyone keeps the Torah as well, as by Har Sinai.
harav meir kahane hy”d used to say the rashi — halacha be’yadua, esav soneh et yaakov — what does halacha and be’yadua mean — say one or the other — there is no extra word in rashi — but what does rashi mean — its both halacha, and if you dont know or dont accept halacha — be’yadua — esav soneh et yaakov.
either way, this guy benedict wants to do good with us — to some degree, so let’s humor him. these guys meeting with him (one was my chavrusa in yeshiva) are somewhat capable — so lets humor all of them by this meeting. provided no missionary work, etc. maybe we’ll get a few more kitvai yad from him (see the three page description by the almana and achim romm how they printed the shas, located either after masechet brachot or after masechet nashim — and you’ll see how they got many kitvei yad from the vatican — they even opened extra days to accomodate them; but note in that three page article, they dont mention the slavuta shas, so dont accept everything they say completely.)