44 The Jewish Herald • Friday, March 22, 2013 27 REL I G I ON


Jews Find Early Signs From Pope Francis Encouraging R


Francis is known for living simply, taking the subway and answering his own phone


Ruth Ellen Gruber


OME — When the white smoke rose last week at the


Vatican, signaling to the world that the College of Cardinals had chosen a new pope, Catholics weren’t the only ones waiting with bated breath. Jews, too, were eager to see


whether the new pontiff would be someone familiar with their concerns. Would he be a non-Europe-


an unfamiliar with the Jewish People and the weighty legacy of the Holocaust? Would he carry on the legacy of his immediate predecessors and work to further Jewish-Catholic relations? After the new pope appeared before the masses in St. Peter’s Square, it didn’t take long for him to sig- nal that he would maintain the church’s outreach to Jews. Nor did it take long for the Jews to sing his praises. As it turns out, Pope Fran-


cis, 76 — nee Jorge Bergoglio of Argentina — was from outside Europe and had a long history of interfaith outreach and good relations with the Jews. He’s the first pope from the Ameri- cas, as well as the first in more than a millennium from out- side Europe. The new pontiff “is no strang-


er to us,” World Jewish Congress President Ronald Lauder, who met with Bergoglio in Buenos Aires in 2008, said in a state- ment. “He always had an open ear for our concerns. “By choosing such an expe-


rienced man, someone who is known for his open-minded- ness, the cardinals have sent an important signal to the world,” Lauder said. “I am sure that Pope Francis will continue to be a man of dialogue, a man who is able to build bridges with oth- er faiths.” Like Benedict before him, Francis in one of his first offi-


Turn your USED CAR into a new mitzvah SAVE ON YOUR TAXES


BY DONATING INSTEAD OF TRADING IN!


COLLECTION


UMBRELLA TZEDAKA


MAXIMUM


DEDUCTION GIVEN


Call Chabad Direct: 1 (800) 37-DONATE (373-6628) WE SEND A MENTSCH, NOT A MIDDLEMAN! NO “GIFTS” THAT JEAPORDIZE DEDUCTIBILITY.


We pass along full donation value.


It’s fully tax deductible & helps needy Jews of all backgrounds.


and others are not believers, I give this blessing from my heart, in silence, to each one of you, re- specting the conscience of each one of you, but knowing that each one of you is a child of G-d,” Francis said in his address, ac- cording to the New York Times. “May G-d bless you.” Pope John Paul II had made


Pope Francis Lauded For Interfaith Dialogue Then-Buenos Aires Archbishop Jorge Mario Bergoglio lights first candle on the menorah at a Chanukah ceremony


Almudena Calatrava and Damian Pachter B


UENOS AIRES, Argentina — The election of Pope


Francis has thrilled Jewish leaders in Argentina, who predict that their friend will continue to foster warm rela- tions and open dialogue between Catholicism and other faiths during his pontificate. They’ve seen it firsthand as


recently as December, when then-Buenos Aires Archbishop Jorge Mario Bergoglio lit the first candle on the menorah at Temple NCI-Emanu El during a Chanukah ceremony. “He’s got a very deep capaci-


YourPersonalChef PHONE:


0 0


(718) 998-0800 1920AVEM


rsktalg FAX:


(718) 872-6563 WEDELIVER


KIDDUSH SPECIALS! GROCERY • APETIZING • MEATS


0 0


•GefilteFish•Chrain& Carrots•Cholent• • PotatoKugel •NoodleKugel •Kishka • •Soda •PaperGoods • FancyCakes •


$799


PER PERSON Min.100Ppl.


Ask For Shmiel


LetUsCaterYourNext Simcha


� EngagementParties � SweetTables � Bris � Aufrufs � BarMitzvahs � BasMitzvahs � ShevaBrochos


� Pidyon HaBens � If it’s aSimcha,make it aMeal Mart Simcha.Yoursatisfaction is our pleasure!


ON-PREMISES PARTY PLANNER


ExclusiveCatererAtTorahU’Tefilloh 3304BedfordAvenue (AvenuesK-L)


SeatingUpTo 150Guests


ty for dialogue with other reli- gions,” Rabbi Alejandro Avruj said on Monday, recalling the moment. “He spoke of light as renovation, of the re-inaugura- tion of the Temple of Jerusalem 2,200 years ago, and the need to carry light to the world.” As Tuesday’s papal instal-


lation ceremony drew dozens of Jewish, Orthodox and other Christian leaders to the Vati-


cial acts wrote to Rome’s chief rabbi, Riccardo Di Segni. He invited Di Segni to the papal


Seeking Board of Directors Position


Three Doctorial Degrees, 2 Fellow Degrees,


MD, JD, MBA, SJD, Health Law & U.S. Patent Atty, with Experience in Business, Medicine, Radiation and Military Special Ops.


COMMERCIAL MANSION


Wide mansion with commercial zoning and 12,000 sf. Mint condition, elevator.


GW van der Ploeg, EVP (212) 891-7621


DOUGLAS ELLIMAN


can, those who knew Bergoglio in his previous role say he con- sidered healing divisions be- tween religions a major part of the Catholic Church’s mission. “He’s the one who opened


the cathedral of Buenos Ai- res for interfaith ceremonies, like when we prayed for peace. He’s not one of those who waits for you to call them to partici- pate in these events — he pro- motes them,” said Avruj, who met Bergoglio after both lead- ers launched projects in the same slum in a gritty area of southern Buenos Aires. Bergoglio brought leaders


of the Jewish, Moslem, evan- gelical and Orthodox Chris- tian faiths into the Metro- politan Cathedral to pray for peace in the Middle East last November. “Everything is lost with war, everything is gained through peace,” Bergoglio said then. “With peace wins victo- ry and respect.”


C ONT I N U E D ON P A G E 23


inaugural and said he hoped “to be able to contribute to the progress that relations between Jews and Catholics have expe- rienced” since the Second Vat- ican Council in the 1960s. The election of Francis, Di


Segni wrote back, “gives us the hope that the path of friendship, respect and productive collabo- ration will continue.” On Saturday, the pope went


(276) 970-3888 belong to the Catholic Church —Voted #1 in Timeout NY! VAN MAN SUPER


Serving the Community for Over a Generation! FAMILY OWNED/OPERATED


718-384-8721 646-369-4305


out of his way to acknowledge non-Catholics in a blessing of- fered to news media. “Given that many of you do not


outreach to Jews one of the pil- lars of his papacy. His succes- sor, Benedict XVI, continued di- alogue with the Jews but also made several policy decisions that angered Jews, including lifting the excommunication of a renegade bishop who turned out to be a Holocaust denier. Francis projects a man-of-


the-people style in sharp con- trast to Benedict, who was seen as removed and cold. Francis is known for living simply, taking the subway and answering his own phone. He spent virtually his entire career in Argentina, away from the intrigues of the Vatican’s Roman Curia — the central governing body of the Catholic Church — and other scandals that dogged the pa- pacy of his predecessor. However, within days of the


new pope’s election, the Vati- can faced questions about what Francis did — and did not do — to oppose the military junta that ruled Argentina from 1976 to 1983. Critics have said the church did not do enough to op- pose the military dictatorship’s Dirty War, including the kid- napping of two Jesuit priests in 1976. Francis has said he worked behind the scenes to free the priests and sheltered others by hiding them at a Jesuit school. The questions about Fran-


cis’ past carry echoes of the Ho- locaust-era controversy sur- rounding Pope Pius XII. Many Jews charge that Pius did not do enough to oppose the Nazis, but the Vatican and Pius’ pro- ponents say he worked behind the scenes to save Jews. While a staunch conserva-


tive on social issues such as gay marriage, female priests and abortion, Francis spent years working among the poor and made interfaith outreach one of his priorities. “The Latin American Jewish


Congress has had a close rela- tionship with Monsignor Jorge Bergoglio for many years,” said Claudio Epelman, executive di- rector of the congress. “We know


C ONT I N U E D ON P A G E 27


***BEST VALUE FOR THE $*** ***IN WILLIAMSBURG!***


3200 SF Flr thru Multi-Level Condo/ Raw Space PRIME LOCATION: 56 Morton St, 4th Floor. ***PRICE REDUCED TO $665,000***


Large enough to construct 5 LG BR, 3 Bth Perfectly laid out to create a full LR + EIK Apt also features HUGE PRIVATE TERRACE


(200 SF) and ATTIC — Attic can be turned into a loft or 2nd Floor for more space


1600 SF - Floor Space + 1600 SF - Attic $87/mo - Maintenance


Located in South Williamsburg, just blocks to JMZ Line and East River Ferry


THE IDEAL DREAM HOME IN WILLIAMSBURG! CALL THEO FOR MORE DETAILS


718.536.7787


FREE TOWING!


PROMPT PICKUP!


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42