Page 90 - October 7 - Teresa Pirola

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What I Wish the Pope Had Said in His Letter to Jews in Israel
wrote a letter to his ‘Jewish Brothers and Sisters in Israel’ in response to an open letter from Jewish leaders and scholars. The papal letter contained important reassurances of solidarity, and was gratefully acknowledged by some Jewish respondents. However, for many Jews, and others too, the Pope’s letter was too little, too late. What was missing? and how might Pope Francis have spoken differently? An imagined papal
letter follows, suggesting words that Pope Franc”is could have uttered. I offer it as a reflection and
15 February 2024
“ How does a Catholic Pope reach out to the hearts of Jews? On 2 February 2024, Pope Francis
stimulus for church leaders who are considering making public statements post–October 7.
To My Jewish Brothers and Sisters in Israel,
Yet again, our world, including the Holy Land, has been plunged into terrible events involving terrorism, war and humanitarian crises that are at risk of expanding and escalating. My heart is breaking at the suffering of so many. Amidst this tsunami of human tragedy, I acknowledge that October 7 represents a particular moment of distress.
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