40th Anniversary of Vatican II Document on Christians and Jews: Rabbi Moshe Rubin

Reception at Archbishop's House, Edinburgh

Speech by Rabbi Moshe Rubin of the Giffnock Synagogue

Tuesday 15 November 2005

Your Eminence, Rabbi Weiss, Rev, Ladies and Gentlemen

First of all, on behalf of all those present and on behalf of all Jewish communities in Scotland, I would like to than Cardinal O'Brien for hosting this reception to mark the 40th anniversary of the publication of the Nostra Aetate.

On Friday I was present at an award ceremony of the police force for officers who have served the force for over 22 years. Part of the ceremony was a presentation of what was in fashion, what was the music and the fad 22 years ago. That got me thinking about 40 years ago when, as a result of the Second Vatican Council, an historic Declaration was made entitled “Nostra Aetate – Relation of the Church to Non-Christian Religions”.

The 60s are days that I was told about but not directly involved in, being just a twinkle in my parents' eyes. But they were the days that the youth led the way. They demanded peace, love and friendship. The world needed these things as it was still coming to terms with effects of World War 2. It needed the youth to sing at Woodstock about love and it needed the Catholic Church to make a declaration like Nostra Aetate.

It was a brave declaration, especially in relation to the Catholic view on the Jewish religion.

Let me quote you some of the statement:

In her rejection of every persecution against any man, the Church, mindful of the patrimony she shares with the Jews and moved not by political reasons but by the Gospel's spiritual love, decries hatred, persecutions, displays of anti-Semitism, directed against Jews at any time and by anyone.

These words were a breath of fresh air to our ears and words of hope and reconciliation, especially after the terrible events of the Holocaust.

The declaration was followed up by an historic visit of Pope John Paul II to the Holy Land and the Western Wall – the only remnant of the biblical Temple of Solomon – where the Pope placed a note in the wall which read:

God of our Fathers, you chose Abraham and his descendants to bring Your Name to the nations. We are deeply saddened by the behaviour of those who in the course of history have caused these children of Yours to suffer and asking Your forgiveness, we wish to commit ourselves to genuine brotherhood with the people of the Covenant.

Pope John, when asked to reveal his intentions in forming the Second Vatican Council, simply moved to a window and threw it open, to let in a draught of fresh air.

Much fresh air has blown through those windows and we hope that window will never be closed.

The declaration has created friendship, dialogue, cooperation, mutual respect and much more, all of which we have felt here in Scotland.

But now to the future.

I commented from my pulpit to my congregants that after the sad passing of Pope John Paul the Second we all witnessed the thirst for moral leadership and religious guidance in the world in general. Youth in particular have so much yearning. There in Rome there were 1000s of youngsters holding candles and praying.

The people deep down are looking for guidance and we need, together, to respond to that calling.

The 18th Century Rabbinic leader and the founder of Chassidism, Yisroel Bal Shem Tov, would refuse to enter a town or village that did not have a church within its boundaries.

When asked for an explanation he explained that a church in a town represented a certain fear of God and respect for the World's Creator, and if that is not there that indicates a lack of morality and Godliness.

We need, with the power of the declaration, to go further and take this respect and friendship we share to the streets. To the youth who perhaps are caught in a trap of hate towards society, which manifests itself through crime.

We need to talk louder than bombs and terrorism, we need to find ways, together, in combating the few who believe that they can conquer the world's belief and mind through terror.

We all standing here, both Jews, Christians and representatives of all faiths – as Martin Luther King said – “We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality – whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly”.

Societies march towards more and more permissiveness, and lack of values or respect for values affects us all. We need to stand together, with the power of Nostra Aetate, and show the world a better and more uplifting way of life.

Two weekends ago, Jewish communities around the world studied the story of Noah and the Ark. As Noah leaves the Ark he is faced with a tremendous responsibility of restarting a world, a society built on better values than the previous one, and he is afraid. God shows him the rainbow, the sign of forgiveness, hope and optimism.

We representatives of all faiths, we are the rainbow of our society, many colours and beliefs so let us be the sign of hope and faith.