An American Jewish Committee delegation was en route to Tunisia today after visiting Pope Pius XII in the first audience of the Pontiff with a Jewish group during which the Pope condemned racial discrimination and persecution of Jews.
In a prepared statement, also believed to be the first in such audiences. Pope Pius declared his solidarity with the AJC fight for the rights of man. In appealing to all Governments to aid refugees, the Pontiff singled out anti-Semitism for condemnation He thanked Irving M. Engel, AJC president, for bringing a message of greeting from Chief Rabbi Isaac Halevi Herzog of Israel.
Other events during the Rome stay of the delegation included a reception from American Ambassador James D. Zellerbach and from Foreign Minister Giuseppe Pella Mr. Engel expressed his delegation’s gratitude for Italy’s assistance to North African and East European Jewish refugees. Speaking later at a banquet of Italian Jewish leaders, Mr. Engel advocated Vatican intervention in fighting anti-Semitism in East Europe and praised the absence of religious discrimination in Israel.
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