Jewish leaders praise Benedict XVI

Jewish leaders have praised Pope Benedict XVI's work to strengthen the historically fraught relationship between Judaism and the Catholic Church during his pontificate.

Israel's Chief Rabbi Yona Metzger said that the Benedict XVI's pontificate has been characterised by the "best relations ever between Church and Rabbinate". "I think he deserves a lot of credit for advancing inter-religious links the world over between Judaism, Christianity and Islam," he said.

Israel's Chief Sephardic Rabbi Shlomo Amar called the Pope a "justice warrior" and said he should be commended for his "steadfast fight against any expression of anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial, inside and outside the Church."

Pope Benedict faced criticism from Jewish groups in 2007 when he authorised the reintroduction of the 1962 "Tridentine" liturgy. In response the Pope amended the contentious Good Friday prayer for the Jews that had asked God to remove their "blindness", though the new version was still criticised for praying that the Jews acknowledge Christ as Saviour.

Source: thetablet.co.uk (Feb.14, 2023)