DOCSLIB.ORG

Op-Ed by Rabbi Alan Silverstein for the New Jersey Jewish News Which

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Op-Ed by Rabbi Alan Silverstein for the New Jersey Jewish News Which Op-ed by Rabbi Alan Silverstein for the New Jersey Jewish news which depicts the role-modeling of friendship and dialogue provided by the Pope and Rabbi Avraham Skorka. This fall marks the 50th anniversary of Nostra Aetate, the component of the 1965 Vatican II document that affirmed Catholicism’s opening itself to other faiths, most notably Judaism. The arrival in New York City of Pope Francis provides the occasion to reflect upon his unique role-modeling of Nostra Aetate’s call for deep friendship and dialogue with Jews, in particular his bonding with Rabbi Abraham Skorka. Nearly 20 years ago at an interfaith gathering hosted by the Archdiocese of Buenos Aires, the pope born Jorge Mario Bergoglio met Rabbi Skorka. Bergoglio was Buenos Aires' Archbishop, and was soon to become the Chair of the Argentina Conference of Catholic Bishops. Skorka was a senior faculty member of Latin America's premier rabbinic training institution, the Seminario Rabbinico Latinamericano, soon to be its Rector. He also was the spiritual leader of a Buenos Aires Conservative synagogue. A special friendship and dialogue ensued. The subsequent two decades witnessed numerous historic milestones in their furthering of Catholic-Jewish relations. Archbishop Bergoglio and Rabbi Skorka hosted a monthly television program on the national Catholic channel. As friends and dialogue partners, they discussed topics from the perspectives of each religion. Rabbi Skorka commented that during the television experience, "We would look into each other's eyes and know exactly how to proceed. We would have a theme and we'd reach an unspoken understanding. This is something that is only achieved over many years of friendship." Francis would add, "With Skorka I didn't ever have to compromise my Catholic identity, just as he did not with his Jewish identity. This was not only because of the respect we have for each other, but also because this is what we consider interreligious dialogue... I consider Skorka a brother and a friend." Another milestone was when the Argentina Catholic University in Buenos Aires awarded Rabbi Skorka an honorary doctorate, presented to him by the cardinal. As Rabbi Skorka noted, "This was the first time it has been awarded to a Jew [lay person] or a rabbi in the whole of Latin America.... It was [Archbishop Bergoglio's] move, he promoted it and it was a very strong sign." Reflecting the significance of this ceremony, October 30, 2013 Sacred Heart University bestowed a similar honor upon the rabbi. Also unprecedented was when the former Buenos Aires Archbishop decided that Rabbi Skorka, rather than a fellow Catholic cleric, should compose the prologue to El Jesuita, a book of interviews with Archbishop Bergoglio published in 2010. Moved by this honor, Skorka asked his dear friend why that special gesture had been extended. The Archbishop responded, "because that is what came from my heart." In gratitude, the rabbi commented, "that touched me deeply." Perhaps the highlight of their mutual affection was the 2010 publication of their book, On Heaven and Earth. The volume chronicles hundreds of hours of their dialogue about God, fundamentalism, death, women, abortion, education, globalization, the Holocaust, and the Arab-Israeli conflict, among a range of other topics. Rabbi Skorka noted that it was the pope's intent that this "should be a book of questions that any man on the street would ask. He believes you can say the most profound things in a very simple way." A most important subject addressed by On Heaven and Earth is the nature of the dialogue experience. In Francis's words, "Dialogue is born of an attitude of respect for another person, and a conviction that the other has something good to say; it assumes to make room in our hearts for his point of view, for his opinions and his suggestions." He added that "[d]ialogue involves a warm welcome, not condemnation. To dialogue, one must lower defenses, open doors, and provide human warmth." Pope Francis also cautioned that we ought not "succumb to attitudes that do not permit us to dialogue: domination, not knowing how to listen, annoyance in our speech, preconceived judgments, and so many others." To these profound insights, Rabbi Skorka added that "to have a conversation [dialogue] is to bring one's soul nearer to another's in order to reveal and illuminate his or her core... God's candle... man's soul.” He affirmed that "when dialogue reaches this level of magnitude, one becomes aware of what he or she has in common with the other person... the same persistent existential questions with their various interpretations." The rabbi added, "we have transformed our dialogue...exposing our souls. We accept all the risks this implies, yet remain profoundly convinced that this is the only way for us to [be]... moving ever closer to God." As this pope has taught the world: Dialogue is not only about words, it is also engaging in deep friendship. Critics of dialogue assert that truth is non-negotiable. Why water down truth? Proponents of dialogue however, accept that God’s truth is infinite. God’s truth is constantly being discerned. The search for the ineffable can be enriched by dialogue with genuine partners of other faith traditions, seeking to connect ever more strongly with the Almighty. .
Load more

Recommended publications
  • פרשת במדבר Parshat B’Midbar
    There’s a Place for Me at CBD! פרשת במדבר Parshat B’midbar 5 Sivan, 5775 / May 23, 2015 Triennial Cycle Year II: Numbers 2:1-3:13 Ḥumash Etz Ḥayim, page 774 Haftarah Hosea 2:1-22 1. (2:1-31) The organization and order of the Israelite camp. 2. (2:32-34) The total enrollment of the Israelites, except for the Levites: 603,550. 3. (3:1-13) The special enrollment of the Levites, their tasks, and the story of how they received their special role in place of the first-born sons. Receptionist/Front Desk 408.257.3333 Philip R. Ohriner, Senior Rabbi [email protected] 408.366.9104 Leslie Alexander, Rabbi [email protected] 408.366.9105 Tanya Lorien, Director, Operations [email protected] 408.366.9107 Barbara Biran, Director, Ritual [email protected] 408.366.9106 Monica Hernandez, Member Accounts Associate [email protected] 408.366.9108 Lynn Crocker, Mkt. and Comm. Associate [email protected] 408.366.9102 Jillian Cosgrave, Front Office Associate [email protected] 408.366.9110 Iris Bendahan, Director, Jewish Education Program [email protected] 408.366.9116 Andrea Ammerman, School Admin. Assistant [email protected] 408.366.9101 Irene Swedroe, JET (Jewish Education for Teens) [email protected] Candle lighting time for Friday, May 22, 2015, 7:57 p.m. Volunteers Needed nd Abrahamic Alliance Dinner for the Homeless Friday, May 22 This is a unique opportunity where, along with likeminded Muslims 10:00am Talmud Study (P-3A) and Christians, we will prepare a meal and serve it to more than 200 11:15am Spiritual Ethics Discussion Group (P-3A) homeless people.
    [Show full text]
  • Rejecting Hatred: Fifty Years of Catholic Dialogue with Jews and Muslims Since Nostra Aetate
    Rejecting Hatred: Fifty Years of Catholic Dialogue with Jews and Muslims since Nostra Aetate The Reverend Patrick J. Ryan, S.J. Laurence J. McGinley Professor of Religion and Society Fordham University RESPONDENTS Professor Magda Teter, Ph.D. Shvidler Chair in Judaic Studies, Fordham University Professor Hussein Rashid, Ph.D. Hofstra University, Hempstead, N.Y. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2015 | LINCOLN CENTER CAMPUS WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2015 | ROSE HILL CAMPUS This lecture was previously published in Origins 45 (January 7, 2016): 531-39. Rejecting Hatred: Fifty Years of Catholic Dialogue with Jews and Muslims since Nostra Aetate The Reverend Patrick J. Ryan, S.J. Laurence J. McGinley Professor of Religion and Society Fordham University A cousin of my father, a big Irishman named Tom Ryan, was ordained a priest in Rome in 1938. After his ordination he studied there for some years and made a mark for himself as one proficient not only in Latin and canon law but also in Italian. Working for the Secretariat of State, which supervises the papal diplomatic corps, Tom was eventually assigned in 1943 to Istanbul to become Secretary to the Apostolic Delegate to the Catholic bishops in Greece and Turkey. Monsignor Ryan, as he was by that time, worked very well with the Italian Apostolic Delegate, Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, better known in later life as Pope John XXIII. Roncalli liked Tom and wrote home to his family in Italy in 1943 that his new Irish secretary “comes from good farming stock like ourselves” and also “speaks Italian just like us.”1 1 Ryan worked for Roncalli from July 1943 to late November 1944, even teaching him some English, until Ryan was eventually transferred to Cairo and Roncalli shortly afterwards to newly liberated France, where he became the Papal Nuncio and dean of the diplomatic corps.2 Bishop Ryan, as he later became, looked back on those months in Istanbul with some nostalgia.
    [Show full text]
  • PDF on Heaven and Earth: Pope Francis on Faith, Family, and The
    [PDF] On Heaven And Earth: Pope Francis On Faith, Family, And The Church In The Twenty-First Century Abraham Skorka, Jorge Mario Bergoglio - pdf download free book Free Download On Heaven And Earth: Pope Francis On Faith, Family, And The Church In The Twenty-First Century Full Popular Abraham Skorka, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, I Was So Mad On Heaven And Earth: Pope Francis On Faith, Family, And The Church In The Twenty-First Century Abraham Skorka, Jorge Mario Bergoglio Ebook Download, On Heaven And Earth: Pope Francis On Faith, Family, And The Church In The Twenty-First Century Free Read Online, PDF On Heaven And Earth: Pope Francis On Faith, Family, And The Church In The Twenty-First Century Full Collection, full book On Heaven And Earth: Pope Francis On Faith, Family, And The Church In The Twenty-First Century, online free On Heaven And Earth: Pope Francis On Faith, Family, And The Church In The Twenty-First Century, Download Online On Heaven And Earth: Pope Francis On Faith, Family, And The Church In The Twenty-First Century Book, On Heaven And Earth: Pope Francis On Faith, Family, And The Church In The Twenty-First Century Abraham Skorka, Jorge Mario Bergoglio pdf, the book On Heaven And Earth: Pope Francis On Faith, Family, And The Church In The Twenty-First Century, Download On Heaven And Earth: Pope Francis On Faith, Family, And The Church In The Twenty-First Century Online Free, Read On Heaven And Earth: Pope Francis On Faith, Family, And The Church In The Twenty-First Century Online Free, Read Best Book On Heaven And Earth: Pope
    [Show full text]
  • Address of Rabbi Dr. Abraham Skorka Rabbi Dr
    Address of Rabbi Dr. Abraham Skorka Rabbi Dr. Skorka was born in Buenos Aires and obtained a Ph.D. in Chemistry. He was ordained a Rabbi in 1973 at the Latin-American Rabbinical Seminary and was appointed Em. Professor of Jewish Law at Salvador University in 2002. He is a Doctor Honoris Causa of the Jewish Theological Seminary, the Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina and the University of the Sacred Heart. Since 1976 he has been the Rabbi of the Benei Tikva Community. He is the Rector of the Latin-American Rabbinical Seminary and has authored several books, including On Heaven and Earth – Dialogues with Today’s Pope Francis. In 2014 he organised the meeting of Pope Francis with Shimon Peres, former President of Israel, and Mahmoud Abbas, President of Palestine, at the Casina Pio IV. CEREMONY FOR THE SIGNING OF THE JOINT DECLARATION OF RELIGIOUS LEADERS AGAINST SLAVERY Casina Pio IV, Tuesday, 2 December 2014 All Forms of Slavery are Crimes against Humanity This paper provides a brief overview of what Hebrew Law[1] says about all forms of slavery, including forced labour and prostitution. Even though slavery was accepted under biblical regulations, a Hebrew would only be subjugated to slavery if he or she had stolen a thing which they failed to return, or if they became so impoverished that they had to sell their services to be able to survive[2]. However, a Hebrew slave was considered to be like a hired servant under Leviticus 25:40. A Gentile slave does not have the same status as a Hebrew slave, and is considered to be just one more asset of his master.
    [Show full text]
  • Local Bishop Says Government Abandoned
    OF MANY THINGS 106 West 56th Street merica’s marketing department an hour well spent. New York, NY 10019-3803 Ph: 212-581-4640; Fax: 212-399-3596 likes to remind people that at After lunch, I headed down Fordham Subscriptions: 1-800-627-9533 the time of my appointment, I Road and boarded a train to Grand www.americamagazine.org A facebook.com/americamag was the youngest editor in chief in the Central Terminal. (Not to be too magazine’s history. It’s not, however, as pedantic, but while Grand Central twitter.com/americamag impressive as it sounds. For one thing, is often called a station, it’s actually a PRESIDENT AND EDITOR IN CHIEF the Catholic priesthood is one of the few terminal because the rail line terminates Matt Malone, S.J. places where 40 is actually considered there.) EXECUTIVE EDITORS young. My nieces and nephews, for If you’ve ever made this trip from Robert C. Collins, S.J., Maurice Timothy Reidy example, a couple of whom have just north of the city down to Grand Central, MANAGING EDITOR Kerry Weber started college, probably think that I’m as millions do every year, then you know LITERARY EDITOR Raymond A. Schroth, S.J. more than a little out of touch. They what a delight it is to emerge from the SENIOR EDITOR AND CHIEF CORRESPONDENT listen respectfully but with healthy dank and dusty rail platform into the Kevin Clarke skepticism whenever I talk about my magnificent, even breathtaking main EDITOR AT LARGE James Martin, S.J. own university years.
    [Show full text]
  • Pope Francis' Dialectical Approach to Political Theology
    religions Article The Bergoglian Principles: Pope Francis’ Dialectical Approach to Political Theology Ethna Regan School of Theology, Philosophy, and Music, Dublin City University, D09N920 Dublin, Ireland; [email protected] Received: 23 November 2019; Accepted: 10 December 2019; Published: 14 December 2019 Abstract: Pope Francis (Jorge Bergoglio) is a complex thinker whose political and theological views range from the illiberal to the radical, defying easy categorization within the binaries of contemporary politics. In this article, I examine the influence of theological debates in the post-Vatican II Latin American church on his development, especially la teología del pueblo, which was, ‘to some extent’, an Argentine variant of liberation theology. This article presents a critical analysis of four ‘Bergoglian principles’—which Francis says are derived from the pillars of Catholic social teaching—first developed when he was the leader of the Jesuits in Argentina during the period of the ‘Dirty War’: time is greater than space; unity prevails over conflict; realities are more important than ideas; and the whole is greater than the part. While Francis’ work draws from a variety of theological roots and employs a range of ethical theories and methods of moral reasoning, it is these principles, with their dialectical and constructive approach to political theology, that remain constant in his work and find expression in his papal writings, including Evangelii Gaudium and Laudato Si’. They clarify his operative priorities in political conflict, pluralistic dialogue, pastoral practice, and theological analysis. Keywords: Pope Francis; Bergoglian principles; teología del pueblo; liberation theology; political theology; historical realism; social criteria; dialectical; Evangelii Gaudium; Laudato Si’; Amoris Laetitia 1.
    [Show full text]
  • A Response to Rabbi Abraham Skorka
    JEWISH-CATHOLIC DIALOGUE Consultation of the National Council of Synagogues & The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Fordham University at Lincoln Center New York, NY Wednesday, June 19, 2019 A RESPONSE TO RABBI ABRAHAM SKORKA Manuel J. Rodríguez Rabbi Skorka has highlighted the remarkable cultural, socio-political and religious differences which make of the Americas a continental territory composed mainly by two major societal realities: the United States and Canada, on one side, and Southward from the border between the U.S.A. and Mexico, the Latin American peoples. Both sides of the Americas, at the time of the formation of their current social shape, were deeply influenced by the ideas and values of the European Enlightenment and the French revolution, but their respective processes of development were far from similar: the U.S.A. and Canada were molded according to the paradigms of the world-power which was England and its Anglican and Protestant faith, while the Latin American peoples, conquered by Spain and Portugal, were born under the influence of the Roman Catholic faith and remained marked by the significant presence of indigenous populations and substantial interbreeding. 1 The struggle about the conquer and protection of personal rights has shaped the history of the North American peoples, whose first settlers came in to stay permanently, looking forward to freely exercise their rights as human beings. In most Latin American peoples, the Europeans just came to make some money and then return back to Europe. Latin America has always fallen short from achieving the formation of true democratic countries, firmly established on the rule of law.
    [Show full text]
  • 1 the Pope and the Rabbi Rabbi Stuart Weinblatt November 2, 2013
    The Pope and the Rabbi Rabbi Stuart Weinblatt November 2, 2013 Today’s Torah portion with its numerous subplots can be read on many levels. Consequently, it lends itself to broad interpretation and many themes, and therefore is in many respects a goldmine for darshanim, for rabbis and those giving sermons. We can read the narrative as the disturbing story of what happens when there is a breakdown in communication between husband and wife, mother and father. The Netziv, Rabbi Naftali Zvi Yehudah Berlin, the dean in the 19th century of the yeshivah in Volozhin commented, Rebecca’s “relationship with Isaac was not the same as that between Sarah and Abraham or Rachel and Jacob. When they had a problem they were not afraid to speak about it. Not so with Rebecca” (Commentary to Gen. 24: 65). He traces the distance between the two of them to the time when Rebecca saw Isaac meditating in the field at which point she covered herself with a veil. The Netziv explains, “She covered herself out of awe and a sense of inadequacy as if she felt she was unworthy to be his wife, and from then on this trepidation was fixed in her mind.” The Bible never tells us that Rebecca informed Isaac of the oracle she had received before giving birth, which is why she preferred Jacob and resorted to deception to ensure that the correct child would receive the blessing. On another level, it is the story of poor parenting, and the disastrous consequences of what happens when favoritism is shown by parents towards a child, as in the case of Jacob and Rebecca, when each parent has his or her own favorite.
    [Show full text]
  • On Salvation and Redemption [Published in the Vatican Newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, December 21, 2020, P
    On Salvation and Redemption [Published in the Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, December 21, 2020, p. 9.] Jewish Reflections as Christians Celebrate the Nativity by Abraham Skorka Among the concepts in the Bible that are central to the faiths of both Israel and Christianity are redemption (geulah) and salvation (yeshuah). While often the two terms are casually used interchangeably, there are certain distinctions worth noting in the Jewish tradition. While salvation refers to the liberation of a human being from the oppression inflicted on him or her by another (Exodus 14:13; Psalm 14:7), or an oppression inherent in the drama of the human condition (Psalm 62:2), redemption seems to allude to a return to an ideal past situation that was impaired or lost. In Leviticus 25, the word geulah is applied to the return or redemption of property to its original owners. This would re-establish the Hebrew vision of an ideal society in which land or property was equitably divided among families so as to make them self-sufficient. In Jewish understanding, redemption, although it ultimately comes from God, requires the collaborative efforts of God and humanity. God revealed to Moses the divine intention to redeem the Children of Israel from Egypt and restore their freedom (Exodus 6: 6), but this plan would require Moses to encourage the Hebrew people to leave the land of their enslavement. In contrast, salvation is a revelation or deed of the Creator in which the Jew must place his or her faith and hope. The Talmud (b. Shabbat 31, a) describes six questions that the heavenly tribunal asks each Jew who has died.
    [Show full text]
  • Annual Review 2013
    AA Masorti Olami Annual Review 2013 World Council of Conservative/ Masorti Synagogues Seminario Rabinico Latinoamericano Marshall T. Meyer Rabbinic Ordination Ceremony in August 2013 2 Annual Review 2013 Contents Greetings 4 In Memoriam 5 The Masorti Rabbi & The Pope 6-7 NOAM Olami 8-9 MAROM Olami 10-11 ATID conference in Latin America 12-13 Evening of Tribute 14 Activities around the world 15-19 MERCAZ Olami 20-21 2013 Fiscal Year Review 22 Supporters and Leadership 23 3 Greetings Dear Friends, Thanks to you, this has been one of the most successful years in Masorti Olami history. In January, a group of young adult leaders from Latin America visited the Los Angeles Jewish community to connect with Conservative institutions and leaders; our first ATID conference in Buenos Aires brought adults and youth together in August; Masorti Olami's Simchat Torah flags were used, in record numbers, by kehillot around the world and we were proud to sponsor the “Pope’s Rabbi”, Rabbi Abraham Skorka, on his multi-faceted tour of institutions on the East Coast, and television appearances aired around the world. And this doesn’t include the many, many programs that took place in Latin America, Europe, Africa, Israel and Australia. These programs spanned not only the globe but the generations; youth from around the world gathering in Argentina and Baltimore, young adults in Paris and Budapest, adults in London and Lisbon and even toddlers in Berlin and Spain. Masorti Jews sat down together in cities both big and small, to plan the present and dream of the future.
    [Show full text]
  • The Sources Behind “The Gifts and the Calling of God Are Irrevocable
    SCJR 12, no. 1 (2017): 1-39 The Sources behind “The Gifts and the Calling of God Are Irrevocable” (Rom 11:29): A Reflection on Theological Questions Pertaining to Catholic-Jewish Relations on the Occasion of the 50th Anniversary of Nostra Aetate (No. 4) Commission of the Holy See for Religious Relations with the Jews December 10, 2015 PHILIP A. CUNNINGHAM [email protected] Saint Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, PA 19131 Note: This version of “Gifts and Calling” has been supplemented with footnotes to provide quotations or close quotations of often uncited allusions to earlier texts. The footnotes also provide selected references to topically relevant recent Catholic texts from the Vatican and the United States.1 The annotations are not exhaustive but do illustrate key points. A list of abbreviations used in the notes appears at the end. This article was generated from the February 2016 Saint Joseph’s University “Consultation on the Newest Statements about the Christian-Jewish Relation- ship.” 1 [Some texts from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops are cited herein because this journal is published in the United States, but also because the world's largest Jewish diaspora popula- tion lives in close contact with large Catholic communities there. This has allowed the Catholic- Jewish dialogue in the United States occasionally to attain significant depth and duration. N.B.: “The vast majority of the (roughly) 14 million Jews in the world live in the United States and in Israel (ap- proximately 11 million). In both countries, numerous dialogue initiatives are underway, even if the contexts are notably different: whereas in the United States, the Jewish community represents a small minority of the population, living alongside a great variety of Christian denominations, in Israel the situation is reversed: the Christian communities are a minority alongside the Jewish majority.
    [Show full text]
  • A Shift in Jewish-Lutheran Relations? a Shift in Jewish-Lutheran Relations?
    LWF Documentation DOC 48 A Shift in Jewish-Lutheran Relations? A Shift in Jewish-Lutheran Relations? The Lutheran World Federation 150, rte de Ferney CH-1211 Geneva 2 ISSN No. 0174-1756 Documentation No. 48/03 Switzerland ISBN No. 3-905676-00-1 The Lutheran World Federation LWF LWF A Shift in Jewish-Lutheran Relations? A Lutheran contribution to Christian-Jewish dialogue with a focus on antisemitism and anti-Judaism today Documentation No. 48 January 2003 Edited by Wolfgang Greive and Peter N. Prove on behalf of The Lutheran World Federation Department for Theology and Studies Office for Theology and the Church A Shift in Jewish-Lutheran Relations? LWF Documentation 48, January 2003 Editorial assistance: Iris J. Benesch Design: Stéphane Gallay, LWF-OCS Published by: The Lutheran World Federation 150, rte de Ferney P.O. Box 2100 CH-1211 Geneva 2 Switzerland © 2003, The Lutheran World Federation Printed in Switzerland by ATAR ROTO PRESSE S.A. ISSN 0174-1756 ISBN 3-905676-00-1 4 LWF Documentation No. 48 Contents Introduction 11 ........ A Long Road: Turning Points Wolfgang Greive 17 ........ Jews and Christians—Past, Present and the Prospects for the Future: The View of a Hungarian Jew Tamás Lichtmann Antimemitism and Anti-Judaism Today 25 ........ Antisemitism and Anti-Judaism Today: A Human Rights Perspective Peter N. Prove 29 ........ Antisemitism and the Struggle for Human Rights Jean Halpérin 33 ........ Some Reflections on the Theme Antisemitism and Anti-Judaism Hans Ucko Christology without Anti-Judaism? 41 ........ Anti-Judaism: A Core Problem of Christian Theology Leon Klenicki 69 ........ Anti-Judaism – A Problem for New Testament Theology: An Exegetical, Historical Perspective Wolfgang Kraus A Shift in Christian and Jewish Relations? 89 .......
    [Show full text]