Honoring the memory of Cardinal Martini in Israel

A high ranking delegation of Jews and Catholics from Italy visited Israel in order to honor the memory of Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, Archbishop of Milano, who passed away in 2012. Among those in the delegation were Maris, sister of the late Cardinal, and Giovanni, his nephew. Also travelling with them were Cardinal Francesco Coccopalmerio, President of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts, and other distinguished priests from Milan, and Rabbi Elia Richetti, President of the Italian Rabbinical Assembly, and distinguished Jewish leaders.

On Sunday, June 16, 2013, a first stop was at Givat Avni in Galilee in order to inaugurate a forest in the name of Cardinal Martini. The moving ceremony, organized by the Jewish National Fund, was attended by the Italian Ambassador to Israel, H.E Francesco Maria Talò, and other guests.

Later that day, the group was hosted at the Jezreel Valley College for a colloquium commemorating the Cardinal. The colloquium was organized by the Galilee Center for Studies in Jewish-Christian Relations, directed by Dr. Faydra Schapiro. Before two academic lectures, a series of Jewish and Catholic leaders saluted the memory of the Cardinal. The speakers were:

Italian Ambassador to Israel, H.E Francesco Maria Talò,

Rabbi Anshel Kreiman, former chief rabbi of Chile, who represented the Chief Rabbinate,

Latin Auxiliary Bishop of Nazareth Giacinto-Boulos Marcuzzo,

Rabbi Elia Richetti, President of the Italian Rabbinical Assembly,

Father David Neuhaus SJ, Latin Patriarchal Vicar,

Professor Ariela Lowenstein, President of the College.

They were followed by two Jewish professors, one Italian and one Israeli. Italian Professor David Meghnagi spoke on the images of the Jew and Judaism in European culture after the Second World War. Israeli Dr. Yaacov Azuelos spoke on the Jewish-Christian polemic in the Aramaic Targum and medieval Jewish exegesis.

In remembering Martini, Jews and Christians came together to strengthen the dialogue between them.