The first Catholic-Jewish dialogue ever held in Jerusalem ended last night with the issuance of a joint statement by the representatives of both faiths expressing “profound concern over the campaign to defame the State of Israel and the Jewish people and to isolate them from the international community.”
The statement, by the International Jewish Committee for Interreligious Consultations, headed by Rabbi Joseph Lookstein. Chancellor of Bar llan University, and a visiting Vatican delegation headed by Bishop Ramon Torella, declared that action must be taken to counteract the anti-Israel campaign. (See related story P. 4.)
The joint statement said that both parties to the dialogue were satisfied with the rejection by “various authorities in the Catholic Church” of the anti-Zionist resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly last year. The statement also expressed “deep joy” over “the historical and religious significance of the fact that they met for the first time in the Holy City of Jerusalem.”
SOURCE OF SATISFACTION
The statement was the source of considerable satisfaction in Israeli circles, especially since it referred specifically to “the State of Israel.” The Vatican has never recognized Israel and the visiting delegation from the Holy See did not respond to urgings by Ashkenazic Chief Rabbi Shlomo Goren that formal recognition be extended.
The visiting Catholic leaders decided, apparently on instructions from Rome, not to meet officially with Religious Affairs Minister Yitzhak Raphael. But Bishop Torella and Father Pierre de Cotenson, secretary of the Catholic delegation, held informal talks with the Minister before the dialogue opened officially on Monday.
These developments, and the language of the joint statement, indicated to observers here that a closer understanding has been reached between Israel and the Vatican. The three days of discussion covered past Jewish-Catholic relations and their possible broadening in the future.
The joint statement said that both faiths agreed to “examine further the issues of missions and witness”–meaning Catholic efforts to propagate their faith by conversions, a very sensitive issue in Israel. The statement said that matter would be taken up at the next dialogue which is expected to take place at the end of the year or early 1977, in Holland.
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