On Sunday, just days before his hundredth birthday, Elio Toaff, the former chief rabbi of Rome, died. A great promoter of Catholic-Jewish dialogue and friend of St. John Paul II, Rabbi Toaff was witness to an age when Catholics and Jews â?? who trace a common spiritual lineage to Abraham and share the Old Testament, yet were often separated by history â?? dramatically abandoned old prejudices.
Although Christianity grew out of Judaism, relations between Christians and Jews have often been painful. In 1215, the Fourth Lateran Council decreed that Jews wear special clothing to distinguish them from Christians. In 1555, Pope Paul IV created a Jewish ghetto in Rome, which was the last European ghetto until it was abolished in 1888. Many Christians accused Jews of killing Christ, and Good Friday passion plays not infrequently inspired anti-Jewish violence across Europe.
Read Full Article »