Newspaper Page Text
An Atlantan’s impression
of pope’s synagogue visit
by Betty G. Cantor
On Monday, April 14, following
the Sunday afternoon historic visit
of Pope John Paul II to the Central
Synagogue of Rome, a number of
Atlantans had the opportunity to
view via satellite the unprece
dented proceedings.
The invitation was extended by
the archdiocese of Atlanta and the
Southeast Regional Office of the
Anti-Defamation League. The mo
mentous Sunday event had been
televised by Italian TV, then trans
mitted to the Catholic Television
Network, and by it to 61 dioceses
throughout the country. In each of
these centers Catholics and Jews
under the auspices of the two
groups gathered to share this uni
que experience.
At the Catholic Center in At
lanta members of the ADL board
and staff, a number of rabbis.
Archbishop Thomas A. Donnellan
and Monsignor Noel Burtenshaw,
and other invited guests saw the
entire one hour and fifteen minute
service.
There was simultaneous transla
tion into English from Italian and
Hebrew by Monsignor Thomas
Hartman, director of communica
tions, diocese of Rockville Center,
N. Y., who was to moderate, follow
ing the service, a panel discussion
involving Rabbi Ronald B. Sobel,
senior rabbi, Temple Emanu-El,
Pope John Paul
New York City, chairman of ADL’s
Intergroup Relations Committee;
and Dr. Eugene Eisher, executive
secretary, Secretariat for Catholic-
Jewish Relations, National Con
ference of Catholic Bishops.
There has been only fleeting
coverage on American television
of the pope's visit and brief news
paper accounts. This account con
veys impressions after viewing the
ceremony.
The synagogue has been the site
of great happiness and great sad
ness in the life of Jews in Rome.
During the Holocaust many Jews
were deported from its immediate
surroundings. In 1982 it was the
scene of a terrorist attack as child
ren and adults were leaving. One
little boy was killed and others
seriously wounded, stark contrast
to this time of gladness. The attack
followed closely an audience ex
tended to PLO Chairman Yassir
Arafat by the pope.
On the screen we watched with
deep emotions as Chief Rabbi Elio
Toaff greeted the pontiff at the
gate. The two religious leaders,
robed in white, embraced and en
tered the sanctuary to a joyful cho
rus of the 150th Psalm;
“Hallelujah. Praise God in His
sanctuary... Praise Him with stringed
instruments and the pipe...Let
everything that hath breath praise
the Lord.”
To applause, they proceeded up
the bright blue carpeted center
aisle. The TV cameras scanned the
burnished woods and gleaming or
naments of the synagogue, obvious
ly adorned and readied with care
for this occasion. The expectant
faces of the congregation added to
the charged atmosphere.
The service was as exquisitely
composed and orchestrated as a
magnificent symphony, with recur
ring themes, and the pope’s mes
sage as the stirring climax.
The repeated themes were from
Scriptures, underscoring Jewish hopes
and yearnings. From Genesis
15:1-7;
“The Lord said to Abraham...I
See Pope, page 28.
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PAGE 7 THE SOUTHERN ISRAELITE April 18, 1986