Portrait Of A Good Rabbi

(YNetNews.com) - The Chief Rabbinate recently released a statement against handing over holy sites to the Vatican and right-wing rabbis have called on Israel's chief rabbis to boycott a planned meeting with the pope, but shortly before Benedict XVI's arrival in Israel a Rabbinate official decided to come to the Christian leader's defense.

Rabbi David Rosen, an advisor and member of the Chief Rabbinate's inter-religious relations committee and chairman of International Jewish Committee for Inter-religious Consultations, stated that the claims made against the pope in the past few days were "unfounded" and slammed the rabbis who voiced them...

read full story here

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: Let me stress here, that as a Catholic knight with Jewish family members, I am keenly aware of the difference between good rabbis, and not-so-good rabbis. This man in the article above is part of the former group. Another example would be Rabbi David G. Dalin, who wrote the bestselling book "The Myth of Hitler's Pope," in which he debunks the KGB propaganda against the wartime Pope Pius XII in page after page. Here we have two examples of men who are faithful to their Jewish religion and heritage, and at the same time they are fair and honest in their approach with Christians. The New Testament speaks of men such as these, in reference to a rabbi of that time period, a rabbi named Gamaliel, who is famous in Jewish history as well. He spoke up for St. Peter and the apostles, advising the Jewish council to leave them alone and let God determine the success or failure of the early Christian movement. Throughout Christian history, the Church has always encountered three kinds of Jews.

The first kind accepts the Gospel of Jesus Christ and becomes Christian. The second kind outright rejects the gospel and works to persecute it's adherents in any way they can. The third kind may, or may not, hold any opinion on the gospel, but follows the heart of the Mosaic Law by treating Christians kindly, and dealing with them fairly, sometimes even coming to their defense when necessary. These men and women are the true children of the commandments, and they should be applauded. For even though they may refuse to make a decision about Jesus of Nazareth, they nevertheless follow the spirit of the Mosaic Law by treating their neighbors with fairness and kindness. This is the way God intended through Moses, and we praise our Jewish friends who follow this rule of life, giving credit where credit is due.