“We ask Your Holiness to use your power, to use your strength, to get these hostages released. You may be the only person who has the moral authority to do this\u201d. So the World Jewish Congress WJC President Ronald S. Lauder appealed to Pope Francis during their audience at the Vatican last week. Amb. Lauder asked the pope to continue to leverage his moral authority to urge for the safe return of Israeli hostages held in Gaza in the aftermath of Hamas’ assault on the Jewish State and to strengthen the dialogue between Jews and Christians.
\nThe meeting dovetailed with the inauguration of the World Jewish Congress\u2019 representative office to the Holy See, marking the establishment of the first-ever liaison office of a Jewish organization on Vatican property and signifying deepening Jewish-Catholic ties. \u201cFor decades, the World Jewish Congress has tirelessly pursued a deeper bond between world Jewry and the Catholic Church\u201d, remarked Lauder. \u201cOur Vatican office\u2019s inauguration crystallizes the unwavering dedication of both the WJC and the Holy See to mend historical rifts and sculpt a future underscored by unity, particularly as Israel counters devastating assaults\u201d.
\nIn a symbolic gesture, Ambassador Lauder bestowed upon Pope Francis a seminal document, \u201cKishreinu\u201d (Hebrew for \u201cOur Bond\u201d). This document encapsulates the intricate historical and cultural tapestry binding Jewish and Catholic communities around the globe. It stands as the WJC\u2019s heartfelt response to the groundbreaking Nostra Aetate Declaration by the Second Vatican Council in 1965, which heralded a modern chapter in relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the Jewish people.
\nPreviously, Pope Francis had again called for the release of all hostages expressing concern about their fate and acknowledged of Israel\u2019s right to self-defense.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"