HOLY SEE – “Do not forget the hostages and strengthen the dialogue,”the message from Italian Jewish Communities to Leo XIV

A pin with a yellow ribbon from the international campaign “Bring Them Home” in support of returning all hostages taken on October 7 and fighting antisemitism. These were the central points of the message that Milo Hasbani, vice-president of the Union of the Italian Jewish Communities, brought to Pope Leo XIV during the meeting with leaders of other churches and religions held on Monday 19, the day following Pope Leo’s official inauguration. Representatives from the Italian and international Jewish world attended the event, including Chief Rabbi of Rome Riccardo Di Segni; Victor Fadlun, president of Rome’s Jewish Community; and Paolo Foa from the B’nai B’rith organization.

Hasbani presented the Pope with the yellow ribbon pin, the symbol of the international campaign to release hostages held captive in Gaza. He highlighted the urgency of a shared commitment to peace, dialogue, and combating antisemitism.

In his first address as pontiff to the religious leaders, Leo XIV reaffirmed the importance of the Jewish-Christian dialogue. “Because of the Jewish roots of Christianity, all Christians have a special relationship with Judaism,” the pope said, recalling the conciliar Declaration Nostra Aetate, which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year.

This document, he said, “emphasizes the greatness of the spiritual heritage shared by Christians and Jews, encouraging mutual knowledge and esteem. The theological dialogue between Christians and Jews remains ever important and close to my heart. Even in these difficult times, marked by conflicts and misunderstandings, it is necessary to continue the momentum of this precious dialogue of ours.”

His words come at a time marked by tensions between the Jewish world and the Catholic Church. Relations deteriorated after Pope Francis repeatedly criticized Israel for its military campaign in Gaza. Israel and the Jewish communities perceived his statements as imbalanced and not sensitive to the context of Hamas’s terrorism, which soured the interfaith dialogue.

Leo XIV’s words were welcomed as a positive development, and Hasbani responded favorably. However, the UCEI vice-president noted that the passage about Gaza in the Pope’s inaugural ceremony in St. Peter’s Square remains the sole dissonant note. “I was there on Sunday, and the absence of any mention of the hostages held by Hamas was the only critical point,” he said.

This absence was especially notable considering that, in his first public address after being elected, Leo XIV invoked the immediate release of the hostages. In a brief exchange, Hasbani thanked the Pope for acknowledging the hostages and encouraged him to continue the interfaith dialogue. He also officially invited the pope to visit the Holy Land. In St. Peter’s Square, Israeli President Herzog wore a sticker bearing the number of days the hostages had been captive; on Sunday, May 18, that number was 590.

d.r.