Pope warns of rising anti-Semitism

Pope Benedict XVI warned Friday of rising anti-Semitism and hostility to foreigners as he made only the second visit by a pope to a synagogue.

Speaking before Germany’s oldest Jewish community in Cologne, Benedict said that “Today, sadly, we are witnessing the rise of new signs of anti-Semitism and various forms of a general hostility toward foreigners."

During the synagogue visit, the Pope paused to pray and remember Holocaust victims with Cologne’s Jewish community.

Benedict stood quietly with his hands clasped during a Hebrew prayer before a memorial to the six million Jews killed by Nazi Germany, and strode into the main hall as the choir sang, “Shalom Alechem,” Or “Peace be with you.”

A shofar, or ram’s horn, sounded as Benedict sat at the front. He then listened intently to the cantor’s singing in the blue-domed synagogue.

‘A step toward peace’

Rabbi Natanel Teitelbaum said the pope’s visit was “a step toward peace between the peoples of the world.”

Benedict made the visit to underline his commitment to continue the path followed by his predecessor John Paul II, who visited the Rome synagogue in 1986. The German-born pope has been praised by Jewish leaders for laying much of the theological groundwork for John Paul’s outreach while he was a Vatican doctrinal official.