Jewish history. The Inquisition, the
pogroms and the Holocaust tell them
all they need to know-- so the
Israeli educational authorities seem to
believe — about Christians,
Ya'acov Stein, who was a princi-
pal and a history teacher for several
decades, says, "I have always felt
that we weren't giving the kids the
kind of background they should
have in this sphere. But so little
time is allocated to the teaching of
history that we can barely get
through the basics, and successive
ministers of education haven't
regarded an introduction to
Christianity and Islam as being
among the basics. This may have
something to do with the marked
influence of those elements who are
fearful that Jewish children might be
influenced by foreign creeds."
Some have been, but not in
most cases, by Christianity or
Islam. Instead, we have the phe-
nomenon of Israeli backpackers
who are drawn to Oriental mysti-
cism during their sojourns in India
and Nepal. For most of them, this
possessors of the truth."
Yet as the pope left Israel in the
twilight of his papacy, it remained
unclear whether the deep personal
commitment to reconciliation with
the Jewish people would continue
under his successor. The Polish-born
pope was personally motivated by wir-
nessing the Holocaust as a young
priest during World War II.
It is unlikely, said Rabbi Rosen, that
the next pope will be as committed.
"Nevertheless, I think he has set
down solid foundations for a very
healthy relationship between the
Catholic Church and the Jewish peo-
ple," he said. "It is impossible today
to have a serious position in the
Catholic Church and to express an
anti-Judaic opinion."
Basis For Peace
Rabbi A. James Rudin, interreligious
affairs director for the American
Jewish Committee, said the messages
affirming the Jewish state and con-
demning the Holocaust would not be
lost on the pope's followers.
"We are trying to get rid of 2,000
years of distrust and mistrust and we
are getting there," said Rabbi Rudin.
"This trip is going to move it forward,
not so much for Jews but for 1 billion
Catholics around the world for whom
this man has enormous charisma, even
ends on their return to Israel,
though there are still a number of
Israelis who have remained in the
ashrams of the Indian subconti-
nent.
This phenomenon, while inter-
esting, is not significant. Israelis
whether they like it or not — are
living in a world dominated by the
adherents of Christianity and Islam.
And if they are to prosper, or even
survive, they must be well acquainted
with the history and beliefs of those
two powerful religions.
As of now, such is not the case with
Israel's younger generation. The grad-
uates of secular schools know precious
little about the other monotheistic
creeds, and the graduates of religious
schools, in most cases, know nothing
at all about them.
One can only hope that the visit
of the pope will awaken an interest
in the beliefs of the "goyim," and to
changes in the curricula of Israeli
schools.
❑
Nedierniah Meyers is a writer living
in Rehavot, Israel
in the twilight of his papacy. He has
expended enormous moral and spiri-
tual capital here in Israel."
For Marcel Dubois, a Dominican
monk who served on the pontifical
council for relations with Judaism for
15 years, it was an overwhelming week.
Dubois, a philosophy lecturer at the
Hebrew University who has lived in
Jerusalem since 1962, felt the visit, and
especially the ceremony at Yad Vashem,
was a validation of his own efforts to
bridge the Jewish-Christian gulf.
"The most important message was
that Jerusalem is the pinnacle of rela-
tions between the faiths, because it is
the only place that we are sure God
touched," said Dubois. "If people in
Jerusalem can learn to respect one
another, then this will be the basis
for peace between peoples all over
the world."
Dubois was encouraged that Israelis
had internalized these positive messages.
The "ambassadors of resentment," he
added, who preferred to focus on issues
such as the pope's failure to condemn
the silence of Pope Pius XII during the
Holocaust, "were proved wrong."
"The pope's personality brings
together all of the good things
between Christians and Jews," he said.
"His pilgrimage was the first meeting
between the people of Israel and the
heart of the church."
❑
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