American Jewish leaders visit Latin Patriarchate

The Jewish Council for Public Affairs is an important Jewish lobby that seeks to promote Jewish interests in the United States and in Israel. About twenty leading figures from this organization, led by its chairman, Conrad Gilles, its president, Rabbi Steve Gutow and the American Jewish Congress international director of interreligious affairs, Rabbi David Rosen, came to the Latin Patriarchate to meet with Christian Church leaders in Israel. Among the Christian Church leaders gathered at the Patriarchate were Latin Patriarch Fouad Twal and his auxiliaries Bishop William Shomali, Emeritus Bishop Kamal Bathish and Father David Neuhaus from the Saint James Vicariate, Anglican Bishop Suheil Dawani, Armenian Archbishop Aris Shirvanian, Greek Catholic Archbishop Yusef Zreyi, Syrian Catholic Bishop Pierre Melki and Lutheran Propst Uwe Grabbe.

In his word of welcome, the Latin Patriarch described the present reality of Christians in the Holy Land and the interreligious efforts being made to improve the lot of the residents of the Holy Land. He asked American Jews to help those seeking building permits in Jerusalem, family reunification and particularly in the promotion of dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians. The other Church leaders raised various issues including the granting of resident permits and visas for clergy, the incidents of spitting at Christian clergy and the situation of the migrant populations in Israel.

The Jewish visitors expressed great willingness to help and the meeting concluded with warm reciprocation of greetings.

See article on Latin Patriarchate site here