Major U.S. Jewish Organizations Welcome Ecumenical Council Statement

Leaders of 14 major Jewish organizations issued a joint statement welcoming the overwhelming vote at the Ecumenical Council on the declaration proclaiming the Jewish people blameless in the crucifixion of Jesus and expressing hope that this action “will mark the continuation of a process that will contribute to effective elimination of anti-Semitism.”

American Jewish leaders who signed the statement, said that they were mindful of “the dedicated leadership provided by American cardinals and bishops in concert with like minded colleagues in other parts of the world in the achievement of this significant result;” The statement adopted at a meeting here under the chairmanship of Label A. Katz, reads:

“Jews of the world note with satisfaction the action of the Ecumenical Council in approving so overwhelmingly the schema on the relation of the Church to the non-Christian religions. We realize that the vote of the Council is an initial approval and the final promulgation must await the fourth session of the Council.

“When the Council fathers will have voted finally on this declaration and upon its promulgation the Catholic Church will have made an historic contribution to the advancement of harmonious relations among the peoples of the great faiths.

“We are encouraged to hope that formal promulgation of the schema will mark the continuation of a process that will contribute to the effective elimination of anti-Semitism and will lead to better understanding among all peoples. We reiterate our belief in the distinctive role of Judaism as a separate faith community in making its contribution to the achievement of the common goals of humanity.”

The statement was signed by representatives of the following organizations: The American Jewish Committee; American Jewish Congress; Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith; B’nai B’rith; Central Conference of American Rabbis; Jewish Labor Committee; Jewish War Veterans of the U. S. A.; National Community Relations Advisory Council; Rabbinical Assembly; Rabbinical Council of America; Union of American Hebrew Congress; Union of Orthodox Congregations of America; United Synagogue of America; and World Jewish Congress.

Morris B. Abram, president of the American Jewish Committee, commenting on the action by the Ecumenical Council, said the implementation of the schema would depend on the Catholic Church itself, which would have to remove from its religious texts and liturgy “whatever bias and anti-Semitism exists, particularly as related to the deicide charge.” The American Jewish Committee, at the invitation of Cardinal Bea, had submitted to the Vatican three memoranda on anti-Jewish bias in Catholic religious texts and materials.

Shad Polier, chairman of the Governing Council of the American Jewish Congress, in welcoming the schema, said that the significance of its adoption “lies in the implicit undertaking by the church that–through the daily teachings in its schools, in the sermons of its priests throughout the world, and in the revision of textbooks and other church documents–its communicants will be taught that anti-Semitism is incompatible with Catholicism and is contrary to the basic tenets of that religion.”