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WHAT DOES KAROL WOJTYLA’S BEATIFICATION MEAN TO JEWS?

For “Vatican Insider” By Lisa Palmieri-Billig

The figure of John Paul II elicits a wide variety of positive reactions in the Jewish world, ranging from distant respect to warm, very emotional appreciation, depending on the personal life history of each individual Jew. However, it would be difficult to find a Jewish person who does not feel that Karol Wojtyla was a very special, in fact, an extraordinary, human being.

The act of beatification, on the other hand, is extraneous to the Jewish mentality, since the concept of sainthood does not exist in Judaism, which teaches veneration for God alone. However, saints serve as moral examples in Catholic education, and Jewish leaders recognize their potentials for a positive or negative influence on inter-religious relations.

For example, the sainthoods or proposed sainthoods of Pius XII, Edith Stein, Pius IX, are perceived as problematic role models, each for a different reason. But in the case of John Paul II, only positive feelings emerge, based on a deep appreciation for his proven commitment to safeguarding the destiny of the Jewish People and on the many ways he showed respect for the Jewish religion.

Asked to comment on Pope Wojtyla’s beatification, Rabbi David Rosen (Director of International Interreligious Relations for the American Jewish Committee) said, “While beatification is a Catholic procedure with its own internal character, it is universally perceived as a moral statement about the person concerned and his/her record. Among Blessed John Paul II’s most notable and public demonstrations, were his unique and historic contributions to Catholic/Jewish reconciliation. It was in this light that world Jewry overwhelmingly celebrated his beatification.”

Wojtyla walked with giant steps up the road of reconciliation first paved by his spiritual predecessor, John XXIII. Pope Roncalli was the first Pope to stop in front of the Main Synagogue of Rome and bless Jewish children returning from prayers. He was the first to abolish the term “perfidious Jews” from Good Friday services and he was the Pope who called for the Second Vatican Council which, without his impetus, would not have produced the document, “Nostra Aetate” that was to delegitimize forever the nefarious “deicide” accusation and all associated theological justifications for what used to be a widespread “teaching of contempt” against Jews. That many pre-World War II circles of Catholic leadership and their followers were conditioned by a false and perverse

interpretation of the Gospels, was brought to John XXIII’s attention by the Jewish historian and Holocaust survivor, Jules Isaac. Already sensitized by his own experiences with persecuted Jews as Papal Nuncio during the war, Roncalli immediately accepted the imperative that the disparaging theological and social atmosphere which enabled Nazi anti-Semitism to take root and lead to the tragedy of the Shoah, had to be changed and abolished, once and for all.

The Polish Pope elected nearly two decades later, was also a personal witness of the Holocaust. He could not halt the persecution, deportation and decimation of his Jewish classmates, who comprised about one fourth of the entire student body in Wadowice, Karol Wojtyla’s home town. These painful wartime memories, along with his joyful recollections of “Friday afternoons, Sabbath candles in the windows, psalms being sung, children’s voices….” (as he recalled to an AJC delegation in 1990). together with his intimate religious conviction that the Jewish People are “the dearly beloved elder brothers of the ancient covenant never broken and never to be broken” and that the Holocaust was “the worst trauma of the 20 th century, and Christians and Jews must work together to make sure it never happens again” (as he said in 1994 to Rabbi David Rosen and myself during a private audience in Assisi following our participation in an interreligious prayer for the Balkans) constituted the psychic background that compelled John Paul II to move forward with determination, knocking down one barrier after another.

His historic visit to Rome’s Main Synagogue and lifelong friendship with Chief Rabbi Elio Toaff, his calling a Summit of world religious leaders to pray for peace in Assisi, his unconventional personal intervention in the Auschwitz Carmelite Convent dispute, his decision to open diplomatic relations with Israel, his pilgrimage to the Jewish State and his unforgettable act of penance in slipping a prayer into the Western Wall asking forgiveness for the harm done by the “sons and daughters of the Church” to “the children of Abraham”, his countless visits to Jewish communities during his travels – are but a small part of the long list of John Paul II’s public actions aimed at communicating his – and the Catholic Church’s -- commitment to a new relationship between religions and above all, between Catholics and Jews.

“Vatican Insider” contacted many Jewish friends in different walks of life to hear their spontaneous reactions to John Paul II’s recent beatification. Their responses were very similar, despite their different levels of familiarity with the history of Catholic-Jewish relations.

David Gerbi, an Italian Jewish Jungian psychologist of Libyan origin, said that as a Jew he is unable to conceptualize the religious values attributed to beatification - just as he is unable to understand the religious significance of a Muslim’s pilgrimage to Mecca - but as an Italian citizen he recognizes that John Paul II fully merited international acclaim. “The Jewish world is moved by his © 2011 La Stampa - LaStampa.it All rights reserved.

many conciliatory gestures and especially his friendship with Rome’s former Chief Rabbi, Elio Toaff, who received the Pope in the Main Synagogue and who is mentioned in John Paul II’s Testament together with only two other people. John Paul II’s openings to the Jewish People were inclusive and revolutionary. He was the first Pope in history to have travelled the short distance across the Tiber to enter a synagogue.”

Ariel Dumont, a French Jewish journalist living in Rome, who also admits the beatification has no personal meaning for her, believes that this ceremony also served a political function in distracting people’s attention from the current problems and scandals plaguing the Catholic Church. However, she too feels that John Paul II was “highly charismatic, a master of communication and that his papacy was of great political importance. I remember his eyes,” she recalls, “his expression when I saw him during World Youth Day – so warm and engaging.”

The Vienna born rabbi, Arthur Schneier, who received John Paul II in his Park East Synagogue in New York in 2008, also stresses the political aspects of the Wojtyla papacy, recalling the joint efforts of Schneier’s Appeal of Conscience Foundation and the Vatican in working towards religious freedom in the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. “John Paul II was very sensitive to Jewish suffering related to the Shoah, and made major contributions to Catholic-Jewish relations by recognizing Israel, reconfirming the ‘Nostra Aetate’ guidelines. and being outspoken in condemning anti-Semitism as a Sin against God and Man.”

Daria Nahum, who directs the Jewish bookshop near the Rome Synagogue recalls that the commemoration of John Paul II’s beatification organized by the City of Rome in the Auditorium was attended by a substantial delegation of the Jewish Community, headed by Chief Rabbi Riccardo Di Segni who spoke in Wojtyla’s honor. “I have no feelings regarding his beatification, but John Paul II was certainly a distinguished, memorable, exceptional human being.” She added as an afterthought “Perhaps if I were Catholic, I would be disturbed about the Church’s cover-ups of the pedophile scandals that took place throughout all the papacies.”

Prof. Giacomo Saban, who emigrated to Rome from Istanbul, formerly taught Mathematics at Rome University and served as President of the Rome Jewish Community during John Paul II’s historic visit to the Synagogue in 1986, recalls that “the simple fact – the image itself - of his visit, of his embrace with Chief Rabbi Toaff, shattered an age-old stereotype of Jews being ‘cursed’ and ‘untouchable’. John Paul II had enormous charisma. He made a big impression on the young people in the Synagogue. They were all very impressed by his smile and way of talking. He was very sincere about his wish to improve relations between Catholics and Jews.”

Because beatification is not a Jewish concept, most Jewish leaders observed the beatification event at St. Peter’s last May 1 from a distance, with silent approval. Some, however, wished to openly express their esteem by attending the ceremony. Most notably, the State of Israel sent a delegation accompanied by Israel’s Ambassador to the Holy See, Mordechay Lewy and led by Minister Yossi Peled, a Holocaust survivor saved by a Belgian Catholic family. The delegation also included Ambassador Bahig Mansour, Director of Israel’s Department of Interreligious Affairs.

Minister Peled declared that as a survivor, he found John Paul II’s beatification “particularly significant”.

“This man”, he said, “born in a period of publicly approved anti-Semitism, stood up and challenged those who wanted to subjugate the spirit of the human race.” Referring to the Pope’s trip to Israel, he said, “The image of his encounter with his childhood friends in Poland is still fresh in my mind.” Recalling John Paul II’s prayer for forgiveness at the Western Wall and his decision to initiate diplomatic relations with Israel, Minister Peled said John Paul II “made possible the start of a new relationship between Christians and Jews. Probably no other man is more fitting to represent the true spirit of Christianity” he concluded.

Others who attended the May 1 ceremony were Prof. Marco Morselli co- president of the Rome Jewish Christian Friendship Association, in representation of Rome’s Chief Rabbi Riccardo Di Segni; myself as AJC’s Liaison to the Holy See and in representation of Rabbi David Rosen, AJC’s Director of International Interreligious Affairs; and the renowned conductor, Sir Gilbert Levine, who was a personal friend of John Paul II.

“His Holiness John Paul II was the most inspiring, the most generous patron any artist could imagine” said Sir Gilbert. “I was privileged to create and conduct numerous concerts with his direct creative and spiritual impetus and support, at the Vatican and in great cities around the world, for more than 17 years – concerts intended by His Holiness to bring adherents of all the world’s diverse religions together in peace and harmony. The most historic of these were his Papal Concert to Commemorate the Shoah of 1994 and the Papal Concert of Reconciliation of 2004.”

Pope Wojtyla and he, Sir Gilbert Levine recalls, “prayed together, conversed together, smiled together, with him teaching me more about the world than I could ever hope to learn, deepening my Jewish faith all the while. A relationship that ennobles my art immeasurably to this day.”

Sir Levine also believes that John Paul II performed “a living ‘miracle’, by bringing hope and light back into the life of my mother-in-law Margit Raab- © 2011 La Stampa - LaStampa.it All rights reserved.

Kalina who had witnessed the murder of her entire family during the Shoah. He first met Margit in 1988, prayed for her, and reached into Margit’s soul, bringing her his profound human understanding and love, over the more than nine years they knew each other. I miss the Blessed Pope John Paul, as does the whole world – Christian and non-Christian alike. For me, he was, as they acclaimed at his funeral ‘Santo Subito’. His rise to the altar is the inexorable answer to the prayers of all the world.”

The story of this rather unique friendship can be read in the conductor’s autobiographic book, “The Pope’s Maestro.”

John Paul II had other close Jewish friends, such as his childhood classmate, Jerzy Kluger, who lives in Rome and regularly came to visit him.

Between the Pope and former Chief Rabbi Elio Toaff, there was “a special feeling”, as Rabbi Di Segni recalls. Toaff who turned 96 on May 1, the very day of Karol Wojtyla’s beatification, contributed words of praise to the May 3 issue of “L’Osservatore Romano.” They are worth recalling.

“The memory of Karol Wojtyla will remain indelible in the collective memory of the Jewish People with his call for brotherhood and for a spirit of tolerance foreign to all violence.

“In the troubled history of relations between Popes and Jews”, he continued, “in the shadow of the ghetto in which Jews were enclosed for over three centuries in humiliating and depressing conditions, his image emerges in all its resplendent exceptionality. In the relations between our great religions, in this new century already sullied with barbaric wars and the plague of racism, the heritage of John Paul II remains one of the few spiritual islands guaranteeing the survival and spiritual progress of mankind.”

“L’Osservatore Romano” also published a tribute to John Paul II’s beatification by Rome’s present Chief Rabbi, Dr. Riccardo Di Segni.

“A Jewish view must necessarily distinguish the human values demonstrated by this Pope from any theological consideration that might still separate us” he wrote.

“John Paul II brought about a revolution, breaking down the thousand year old wall of diffidence against the Jewish world. He conveyed a great sentiment of sympathy. His visit to the Synagogue of Rome, to Israel, his initiating diplomatic relations with the Jewish State, were fundamental steps. Obviously, the process of beatification is totally extraneous to the Jewish mentality, but we must conceive this great day in Rome in honor of John Paul II as an important

manifestation of religious sentiment, a fact that demonstrates how religious sentiment is a necessity felt by millions of citizens.”

Later, Rabbi Di Segni added , “This Pope was able to break the ice and today we all realize that his gesture has forever changed the atmosphere of our relations.”

Rabbi James Rudin, AJC’s Senior Interreligious Adviser, gets straight to the point in commenting on the beatification in an article for Religious News Service paradoxically entitled, “John Paul II, the Jewish Saint”.

“When the Vatican beatifies someone and places the person just one step away from sainthood, it usually attracts scant attention among Jews because it is correctly perceived as an internal church process” wites Rabbi Rudin. “But the recent beatification – and likely canonization – of the late Pope John Paul II is different. The Jewish community remembers the Polish-born Karol Wojtyla as the best Pope the Jews ever had. As he moves along the path to sainthood, Jews are among those cheering him on” .

“The tragedy of the Holocaust and a warm personal relationship with Jews were both etched into the Pope’s head and heart” Rudin continues. “During the 27 – year pontificate John Paul’s positive actions earned him an honoured place in Jewish history.”