Nostra Aetate at Forty

Washington Jewish Week Online reflects on the Second Vatican Council's famous Healing words here. Paula Amann explores how the relationship between the Catholic Church and Jews has changed since 1965:

"The document Nostra Aetate was a significant breakthrough in changing centuries-long patterns of hostility on the part of the church toward Jews and the Jewish community," said Schnitzer. "What we've seen in the interim four decades are major changes in attitude and action."

As evidence, he cited the Vatican's recognition of Israel, papal trips to both the Jewish state and synagogues, and greater church sensitivity toward the Holocaust.

Nostra Aetate "became one of the most important documents of the Vatican II because the Holy Father was determined to undo the bad things of the past and this was his charter," McCarrick said. "He spoke of it often."

These changes in Rome are felt today in Washington, say local Jewish leaders.

Halber flags the 2003 award his group gave McCarrick for combating anti-Semitism. Jewish and Catholic officials, says the JCRC chief, work together on a "first-name basis."

Jewish communal leaders who can recall the 1960s and their aftermath point to the Vatican's change of heart and methods.

"I think it's been revolutionary," says Al Vorspan, 81, former director of social action of the Jewish Reform movement. "In fact, of all the revolutions [of the 1960s], this may have had as profound an impact as any of them."

Before 1965, Catholics and Jews had a poor relationship, he said.

"There was a deep divide" over church-state separation, civil liberties and other public policy, recalls Vorspan.

He should know. In 1963, with Rabbi Eugene Lipman of the District's Reform Temple Sinai, he wrote a study of interreligious relations, A Tale of Ten Cities.

After Nostra Aetate, rabbis and priests began exchanging pulpits in what became "an era of good feelings," says Rabbi Stanley Rabinowitz, who served the Conservative Adas Israel Congregation, also in the District, from 1960 to 1989.

"To the extent we had issues, at least we could talk about them with ease," Rabinowitz recalled.

In the years that followed, Jews and Catholics in Greater Washington battled together for fair wages and worker rights, and fought housing discrimination and hunger, says Samuel "Buddy" Sislen, 63, a former official with what is now the JCRC. He recalls many such coalitions with Msgr. Ralph Kuehner, 81, a semiretired consultant for the office of justice and service in the Washington Archdiocese.

Kuehner shares memories of joint work, including a Jewish-Catholic dialogue group he started with Rabbi Joshua Haberman of Washinton Hebrew Congregation in the District.

A brief aside: I could nitpick Mike Goggin, assistant director of the Interfaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington, ridiculous statement: "There was a time that the church taught that outside the church, there was no salvation." I could explain that the Church has never denied that teaching. I could even add that the Second Vatican Council helped the Catholic Church to fully understand that God alone knew the borders of his Church. Or, as Mark Shea has said, we know where the Church is; we don't know where the Church is not. Yes, I could bring all this up. But I won't.

Moving right along: Nostra Aetate gave Catholics and Jews an opportunity to reconcile after nearly 2000 years of bitter acrimony. Essau and Jacob could again make peace. Brothers in the covenent of Abraham could respect one another's convictions without condemnation at last. Catholics and Jews could then work side by side in helping manifest God's presence in a world enshadowed by sin.

Today, this renewed relationship continues to grow. Orthodox Rabbis have defended Catholics when secularists have attempted the usual brownshirt tactics. The Vatican recognized the State of Israel. Catholics and Jews freely associate without risk of becoming front page news or backroom gossip. The world has become a better place since NA.

May the renewal of our relationship with our Jewish brothers continue to bear fruit.