The Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA) welcomes the upcoming visit of Pope John Paul II to Israel. This trip will mark the first papal visit to Israel and to its capital, Jerusalem, since the establishment of formal diplomatic relations between the Holy See and the Jewish State.

Jews worldwide have been moved by Pope John Paul II’s years of outreach to the Jewish people and by his dedication to seeking repentance, reconciliation, and mutual understanding.

While there are some issues on which we disagree, Jews and Catholics can justly celebrate the many achievements of our communities over the last 35 years in building bridges of understanding and acceptance. We hope that the Pope’s personal pilgrimage provides additional inspiration for the work ahead, as we continue to advance our relationship in an atmosphere of honesty and mutual respect. We wish him well on this historic journey.

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