Neither of Israel’s chief rabbis will attend the funeral of Pope John Paul II, apparently because of the upcoming Passover holiday. The Chief Rabbinate said Tuesday that its director general, Oded Viner, will travel to the Vatican to pay the pontiff respects, along with Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom and President Moshe Katsav. Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Yona Metzger and Sephardi Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar are preoccupied with nationwide preparations for Passover, the rabbinate said.
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