Cantors make history with papal visit

Last month, 13 members of the Jewish Ministers Cantors Association of America converged in Rome with the express purpose of making history. We joined a worldwide delegation of 160 cantors, rabbis, and other Jewish community leaders to meet with Pope John Paul II.

The purpose of this mission was to express appreciation for the many ways this Pope has shown support for the Jewish people. Gary Krupp, president and founder of Pave the Way Foundation, a group dedicated to bridging the gap between religions, organized the expedition. As one of only seven Jews to have been knighted by Pope John Paul II to the Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Gregory the Great, Krupp was uniquely qualified to lead this delegation.

On the evening of Jan. 17, the 13 cantors presented the first-ever cantorial concert in the enormous 100-year-old Great Synagogue of Rome, for the members of the delegation, representatives of the Vatican, the Roman Jewish community and other dignitaries. The enormous synagogue was filled to capacity throughout the entire two and a half hour concert, even though it was heated only by the warmth of the spirit of those in attendance. RAI (Italian television) covered the concert and broadcast our performance, making us recognizable to many Romans as we met them on the streets during the rest of our stay. At the conclusion of the concert, with the audience already standing, we all spontaneously began singing the Hatikvah. There were very few dry eyes.

The next morning, members of the delegation loaded onto buses for the short trip to the Vatican. The buses wove through the narrow streets of the Vatican City, passing several checkpoints manned by guards who stood at attention and saluted our buses as we passed.

We met with the Pope in the Clementine Hall of the Apostolic Palace, a large hall covered by colorful frescoes. Rabbi Barry Dov Schwartz noted that the guards in the room seemed not quite sure what to make of the group. Usually people in this room sat in silence and observed extreme decorum while waiting for their audience with the Pope. This group was buoyant and noisy during the half hour we waited.

Finally the rear doors opened and the Pontiff was wheeled into the room seated on a thickly uphostered white chair, waving to the now standing and applauding delegation. After the Pope was situated, Krupp, dressed in his full Knightly regalia, addressed the Pontiff with a carefully crafted message: "We are a group of people who represent a cross-section of Judaism, who have traveled here with the blessings of millions of our faith in order to thank you.

"You have defended the Jewish people at every opportunity, as a priest in Poland and during your 26-year pontificate. You have denounced anti-Semitism as a sin against God and humanity."

Krupp listed the many different ways in which this pope has pursued peace and reconciliation. He closed his statement by saying, "You have referred to us, the children of Abraham, as your beloved elder brothers. My prayerful wish is that Jews, Christians and Muslims, the three children of Abraham, may soon bond together in one common cause and voice to defend all humanity against those who defame God by committing wanton acts of violence in His holy name. Your Holiness, thank you, thank you, thank you. Shalom, shalom, shalom."

The Pope responded, first by noting that this year marks the 40th anniversary of the Vatican's landmark Nostra Aetate declaration, which rejected the charge that Jews collectively were responsible for the death of Jesus. He continued, "May this be an occasion for renewed commitment to increased understanding and cooperation in the service of building a world ever more firmly based on respect for the divine image in every human being ... Upon all of you I invoke the abundant blessings of the Almighty and in particular the gift of peace. Shalom aleichem."

Three rabbis, Barry Dov Schwartz, Benjamin Blech and Jack Bemporad, all of whom are members of the Pave the Way Foundation board, approached the Pontiff and collectively gave him a blessing. The 13 cantors then chanted the Shehecheyanu prayer. The Pope demonstrated his enthusiasm for this gathering by personally greeting all those in attendance individually. Each member of the delegation was invited to greet and shake hands with the Pontiff. I found it interesting to note that while he appeared to be frail, his handshake was firm and purposeful, and his eyes were clear and sharp.

Rabbi Blech commented to me that the fact that our delegation was met and greeted by the very same person who welcomes the president of the United States or the secretary of state is an indication of just how far we've come in building relations with the Church. He also mentioned that a priest with whom he traveled commented on the individual greetings with the Pope and stated that he had never seen a grand gesture like that before. It was a clear indication of the love that this Pope felt from us and that he wanted to return.

Cantor Victor I. Beck, a part-time resident of Ahwatukee, is the president of the Jewish Ministers Cantors Association of America.

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