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Plea To Pope: Reveal
Shoah Conversions
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In YIOP visit, Israel's chief Ashkenazi
rabbi tells of confab with pontiff.
Julie Edgar
Special to the Jewish News
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A14
May 21 . 2009
1
uring his visit with Pope
Benedict XVI last week,
Israel's Chief Ashkenazi
Rabbi Yona Metzger made a request:
release records of Jewish infants and
children sheltered by the Catholic
Church during the Second World War.
That way, he said, those Jews may
choose to rediscover their roots.
Just as important, Metzger said,
their existence will further break
down the historic anti-Semitism of
the Catholic people and priesthood, a
theme of his speech May 17 at Young
Israel of Oak Park's annual dinner.
Metzger, who became Israel's
youngest chief rabbi in 2003 at age
50, stopped in Detroit after a visit
to Cleveland a few days earlier. He
expounded upon a cause close to his
heart: the need for interfaith dialogue
to further understanding among indi-
viduals through their spiritual leaders.
"Religious leaders are very important
— because terrorists are religious',' he
said. "They don't understand diplomatic
language. Our voice needs to be hearE
The rabbi, whose job it is to mediate
in halachic (Jewish law) matters such
as conversion and kashrut, has called
for the formation of a United Nations
of religious leaders. He said he spoke
of his idea to Pope Benedict XVI.
The rabbi, a towering presence,
did not mention the pope's subdued
remarks at Yad Vashem, condemned
by many as a failure to appreciate
the enormity of the Holocaust. The
German-born pontiff, some noted, did
not condemn Holocaust deniers with-
in the Church, nor refer to Germans
or Nazis during his visit. He issued no
formal apology as did his predecessor,
Pope John Paul II.
Metzger instead focused on Catholics
who were enlightened by Pope John
Paul II's remarks during that pope's
meeting with Israel's former chief
rabbis in which he addressed them
as his "older brothers:' Metzger said
that comment changed the hearts of
individual Catholics, bringing a deeper
understanding of the close relationship
Rabbi Yona Metzger
between Christian and Jew.
Disagrees On Peace Plan
Metzger also steered clear of politics
during his speech, but later said he
rejects Pope Benedict XVI's support of
a two-state solution as "naive."
"How can we agree a country of
Palestinians won't be open to weapons
and tanks and airplanes, and they'll
attack us with support from Iran?
How can we agree to kill ourselves?"
Metzger said.
When Israel evacuated Jewish settle-
ments in Gaza, he said, Palestinians
did not use the opportunity to make a
new life for themselves. "They didn't
build one building. Instead of build-
ing a new life, they destroyed our life,"
he said, referring to the rockets sent
into southern Israel by Hamas, the
Palestinian leadership in Gaza.
As for Metzger's request of the names
of Jews hidden by Catholics, he said
the pope promised to bring it to the
Vatican, where it will wind its way
through an array of committees.
"It takes a lot of time," the rabbi said.
Young Israel of Oak Park member
Steven Z. Cohen, who served as master
of ceremonies Sunday, remarked that
he hadn't expected Metzger to be so
personable "and as open and encour-
aging of cooperation between various
religions to solve problems." 'I]