Why in the heck are these rabbis going to visit the pope? He is meaningless to Jews, he's not holy or special or close to God. Theres nothing to be gained.

Jewish people? Form a little organization and everyone thinks you represent all of us, You do not and all these Jewish "leaders" should shut up.

Grown "men" giving their life over to such transparent bubbe mayse, the worst is that these "rabbis" probably accept the christian storyline to a great degree, which is so sad that people who have suffered at christianity's hand would basically believe in the myth and fiction at the center of it all.

The caption should have been: "If thy right hand offend thee, cut it off"

No one among the rabbis is better suited to represent Israel than him (other than perhaps Rabbi Lau). He was a member of the Brit Hashmona'im underground resistance against the British Mandate. He also was a Haganah member. In the War of Independence, he fought in the defense of Gush Etzion and the Jewish Quarter in Jerusalem, and was severely wounded in battle and was a POW in Jordan. He served in the IDF for 7 years and reached the rank of Sgan Aluf. He was chief rabbi of the Israeli Air Force. He volunteered to fight in the Yom Kippur War and served as rabbi in the group that crossed the Suez Canal. He was deputy mayor of Jerusalem. He is now Chief Rabbi of Haifa. In addition to being distinguished from most other rabbis in that he actually walked the walked and didn't just talk the talk, Cohen was no bleeding heart peacenik either. He fervently opposed the disengagement from Gaza and evacuation of Gush Katif, and upheld the principle to settle the Land of Israel. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/She'ar_Yashuv_Cohen So, I suggest you examine the facts before engaging in diatribes.

I agree with you that he is not holy or special but don't you think that the descision about whether or not he is close to G-d is a little above your pay grade? Also you ask, what do the Jews get out of this, Well, its a fair question. So is, what does the Catholic Church get out of it? Two religions that disagree is what we have here. The Pope is going to Yisra'el to try to better relationships. When did the last Rabbi visit the Vatican to try and better relations? You see Azi, if you study Torah you will find that things like, justice, mercy, love for your fellowman, care of the poor etc. are things that are important to HaShem. Not what you can get out of it. If you are not a believer in Torah then what business is it of yours? If you are a believer in Torah, then you should know better.

There are many millions of Catholics in the world, and the Pope has a lot of influence with THEM. The pope sets a moral example for his followers. The fact that he chooses to set an example of friendship toward Jews, respect for rabbis and sensitivity toward Jewish concerns should be applauded. The fact that he sets an example of condemning anti-Semitism helps to reduce anti-Semitism among his followers, who are very numerous. This is a good deed ethically speaking, and helps to protect our people around the world. There will always be anti-Semitic Catholics. But when the pope treats Jews as human beings and friends, this ultimately reduces the anti-Semitism that used to be extremely pervasive among Catholics. Better peaceful relations than mutual condemnation. Shame on you!

Many distinguished Jews have sold-out our people over the centuries. What is wrong with you? Do you know your Jewish history Jake? Do you remember Golda Meir selling out the Jewish people as she groveled before Pope Pius XII? Then there was war-hero, Ariel Sharon who sold out the Jews of Gush Katif to American traitor, George W. Bush. "Distinguished Rabbi?" Please. Did Pope Benedict, who served in the Hitler Youth, reverse his decision to reinstate this Holocaust denier? Who are you fooling other than yourself Jake? Why did they meet with this man?

Pope Benedict and the Vatican fervently believe in the dismantlement and the destruction of the Jewish state. Vatican fervently believes in the establishment of a Muslim-terror state in the "Holy Land" as Benedict terms it. In other words the Vatican ignores God's word through his holy prophets, and instead supports Israel's annihilation. Why do you defend this? Why do you support meeting with this?

representative? As distinguished a career as he has,he was not elected by the people to talk in our name. Nor were the others!

Chief Rabbanut" , not elected , but representing an important quantity of Israelis . As head of a religion it were religious who had to talk with him . During his visit here , he , as head of a State , will also meet elected people to discuss with , so wait 2 months , and you will see it .

This is an article about religious matters. You are an athiest. Not your business.

A J4J guy? If he is then that is totally messed up because in America the J4J guys are have a televangelist podium where they are systematically convincing the population that "real Jews" believe in Jesus (see Jonathon Bernis popular TV Show Jewish Voice). If they called themselves Ebionites or something like that - it would be a little more acceptable but, they straight up offer themselves as Yehudim. I liken their whole "Dogma" to a uniquely American form of the Endlosung Der Juden Frag . At least Catholics don't proffer themselves as Jews they are supersessionist but, they aren't trying to usurp identity. As for R. Cohen (ADMOR) meeting Pope - well I just think it will be pointless because the Pope is merely attempting to keep his vast congregation in order by maintaining his popularity and relevance and in order to do that he must take a "strong " position in regards to Jewry since a sort of general malaise and even "contempt" toward the "perfidious Jews" has befell the Nations lately.

This david , who stole a Jewish name , is a yeshua believer , a 100 % Goy . Regarding this meeting , i prefer discussions above war .

And it are Judeo-catholic discussions , 100 % my interests as i am a 100 % Jew .

I have nothing to do with J4J. I have nothing to do with any TV preacher guys. I don't claim to be Jewish, I am just a man (God fearer) who is trying to live by Torah and Love God and yes I believe Yeshua is Mashiach, I just contend that no one else can make the claim to be Jewish 100% either because you have been in diaspora 2000 years. You don't know if your blood is mixed. Try and prove otherwise Mr. Lamb. Show your proof. Put up or shut up. Don't give me this DNA argument. You claim to be Jewish by your mother. Torah says by Father but you people say mother. HItler said mother, God said Father. Who do you follow? Mothers DNA does not prove lineage. Only Y-DNA from the Father. You have no way of proving your pure blood line just as I can't, so get over yourself. Your Lashon hara will be waiting for you soon.

You told us that you are "jewish" in your belief , now you say you don't claim it . You are a yshu believer , a 100 % Goy , maybe a pure one . Yes , Jews have genes non Jews don't have , i told this already , but you can't read . I'm a Jew , a 100 % one sinve more than 20 generations , but you as a stupid yeshu believer can't accept it and ask stupid questions . The names of my father's father , his father , so 20 generations were written in a Tanach . Do you at least know who your father is ?

By Halakah, being Jewish is a binary distinction - either you are or you are not. If you are part of a matrilineal line of people who either were already jewish by their mother or converted, you are Jewish. If you are not, then you are not. There are people who have some hebrew ethnicity who are not jewish, e.g. if their father is but their mother is not. There are also people who are Jewish by halakah but are not religious. To the extent that we get the definitions by Halakah it is a simple question with the only confusion possible being in not knowing someone's family or personal history, not in the rules themselves.

The lineage of your name in your situation may be true, but what about the thousands of European Jews who changed their names to Hebraic ones in 1947? My last name is not Hebraic, but of course my first name is. My identity of being Jewish has absolutely nothing to do with my name or biological heritage, but rather what the religion has made of me and my connection to the past. Aharon, the speaker for Moshe, who is not afraid to be the voice in the face of opposition.

Charles, let me try this one more time. Put on your best effort to understand English. I know it is difficult for you. I have said, I believe I have Jewish blood, but I don't claim to be genetically Jew because I can't prove it. I have said I believe I am from the tribe of Dan. I can trace my family back to their migrations into Ireland where they settled and my fathers came from. I said I believe I am Jewish spiritually because Rav Shaul said he is a Jew who is one inwardly. That is the only claim I have ever made and I stick by it. I do my best to follow Torah but only the written Torah like the Karaites. Now you can continue to get as nasty as you wish but I am not a liar. I don't expect you to believe as I do. I know you will not do that. I only ask you to mind your own business and allow me to believe as I wish without all your hate and insults. You could just quit reading my posts and keep your mouth shut and I will do the same for you. If you would like the last word fine go ahead and take it.

OK, let's start with introductions..I am a Catholic and have never been a Jew. Debate history and your blood lines all you want but it seems that you should not alienate yourselves by disparaging a man of peace and leader of the Catholic faith. Don't whine about the world not "understanding" your "special needs" if you spit in our faces. Turn off a huge part of the US population and see how much $ and sympathy you'll get. Jews and Israelis diminish themselves by telling Catholics what to do inside our own faith...unless you want Vatican nastygrams sent to your rabbinate about Judaism . And how about some doctrinal fairness and stating that "anti-Catholicism by Semites" (i.e. Jews) is also wrong. Last, don't forget that many priests and Catholics died in the Holocaust as well. Pax

This Dam Middot or "blood measure" I am not comfortable with either for your information. I just believe it is unnecessary for a particular identity to be usurped. i.e. I had a dear friend just an innocent admirer of the indigenous peoples of the Americas, he got involved with the Caucasian folks that lived between Beaver Creek Ohio and German Town Ohio that petitioned the BIA (Bureau of Indian Affairs) for recognition as descendants of Native Americans from the that Ohio valley region. Now as I said he was just an innocent admirer but, it was discovered that certain leaders of this initiative were just greedy profiteers looking for material gain through fraudulent accreditation. Some might say what is wrong with that? What is wrong with that is material acquisition of fortune, in the span of time, will prove to be inadequate compensation to continue the cultural observances and thus leading to a diminishing or devaluation of the consequence or relativity of that culture. Adonai, the one you claim to revere wanted “the way” of the Ivriim to continue in the land of Yisroel. Now the reason for this is beyond me, I just have opinions and theories. But let me be clear, I am in the galoos, I have no more right to boast or be prideful than you. As far as Charles goes I, have tracked (with much) interest his TBs on a variety of subjects and though he can be a bit direct I have observed him to be a patriot and a Maccabee, a loyal sentinel serving a “good” in which the magnitude he probably doesn't even fully grasp. So "there it is” - I, protest the J4J, the Kerem Adonai, the adherents of Jesus that claim (what I consider a null) Jewish Identity and for what? My own benefit? No, I protest for their benefit. Disagree if you will but, I sincerely apologize for the lashon ha Ra for which I am accused and I trust this suffices as adequate compensation for the damages you incurred.

Did'nt you make an error ? Was your TB adressed to me ? European Jews who changed their names to Hebraic ones in 1947 , you wrote . 1947 ???

The last significant visit of Rabbis and World Jewish leaders to the Vatican - about 150 of them - was to pay their respects to Pope John Paul the Second before he died and thank him for his efforts towards rapprochement between us and the Vatican. Possibly from a business point of view, however, Rome has to distance itself from Jerusalem to keep the royalties flowing....so I guess we'll never be super buddies I agree wholeheartedly with Zvi #8 bar the shame bit

As an ex-Catholic who has studied Vatican history, I deeply believe this to be a dangerous step on the part of Israel. The Vatican's goals are the same now as they were when it mobilized thousands of Catholics during the Crusades.. it would be folly to think otherwise since no statement has ever come from the Holy See renouncing the doctrine of supremacy in the Holy Land. The Vatican is the deadly enemy of the people of Israel.. be forewarned!

I must say I am very disappointed in the reaction of #10 and #27 especially- how do you KNOW the Catholic church is a 'deadly enemy of the Jews?' 'dismantling the Jewish state?' where do you read stuff like this? I thought that was Islam? I guess it is everybody now? I agree with #7 and #8: steps have been taken to improve relations- but all I see is here is blatant hatred and rejection.... bad things have happened in the past- isn't it time to make the future better?