B’nai B’rith International President Moishe Smith and Executive Vice President Daniel S. Mariaschin joined a delegation of leaders from the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations on February 12 in an audience with Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican.
This was the first meeting between the pope and Jewish leaders since the recent controversy over the reinstatement of Holocaust-denying Bishop Richard Williamson, who has asserted that no Jews died in gas chambers during World War II and that the Holocaust claimed no more than 300,000 Jewish lives. Williamson is a member of the fundamentalist Society of St. Pius X, which rejects the Vatican’s 40-year-old positive overtures to Jews.
The pope spoke about Catholic-Jewish relations and concluded his remarks: "The hatred and contempt for men, women and children that was manifested in the Shoah was a crime against God and against humanity. ... It is beyond question that any denial or minimisation of this terrible crime is intolerable and altogether unacceptable."
“The pope’s positive message to us today demonstrates he is willing to work to ensure that Catholic-Jewish relations continue to move forward in a positive way,” Smith said. Mariaschin added, “We are optimistic that this meeting helped clear the air and will begin to heal the recent rift in Catholic-Jewish relations.”
During the meeting, the pope also confirmed plans to visit Israel in May.
Click here to see the Vatican's account of the meeting.
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