Every year, as the fall approaches, Jews have an opportunity to “wipe the slate clean.” Each Rosh Hashanah, we reflect on our actions of the past year and seek forgiveness for those we have wronged. We attempt to take moral responsibility, make amends, and commit to change.
It seems that the new Pope is also taking the same approach as he begins his first few months in office.
In a heartfelt message to the Jewish people this week, Pope Leo XIV, the first American-born pontiff, has offered a reset of sorts in the Vatican’s dialogue with the global Jewish community. In a letter addressed to Rabbi Noam Marans of the American Jewish Committee, Leo pledged to continue to strengthen the Church’s dialogue with the Jewish people.
“Trusting in the assistance of the Almighty, I pledge to continue and strengthen the Church’s dialogue and cooperation with the Jewish people in the spirit of the Second Vatican Council’s declaration Nostra Aetate,” the pontiff stated in the letter.
Nostra Aetate was a landmark document in the 1962-1965 Council that repudiated the concept of collective Jewish guilt for the death of Jesus and urged dialogue with non-Christian religions.
It is a timely message, and a necessary one.
Ties between Israel, Vatican under strain
The relationship between Israel and the Vatican has been under strain in recent years. The war in Gaza has only heightened the tension, as Pope Francis, Leo’s predecessor, often spoke about the conflict in ways that many Jews felt betrayed the balance and moral clarity expected of the Holy See.
While he condemned terrorism, Francis at times failed to mention Hamas by name or to recognize the depth of Jewish pain after the October 7 massacre. His silence or perceived ambiguity alienated not just Israel, but Jewish communities around the world.
Leo XIV, however, called for a ceasefire in Gaza, and the release of all Israeli hostages held by Hamas last Sunday in his first message to crowds in St. Peter’s Square since his election as pontiff.
The Pope’s message, therefore, is not only a diplomatic gesture but also a moral reset, one that invokes Nostra Aetate, the document that transformed Catholic-Jewish relations nearly 60 years ago. By affirming that dialogue and reconciliation are possible, even after centuries of mistrust, that document helped lay the groundwork for mutual respect. Leo’s promise to renew that spirit is a welcome step, especially after 18 months in which Jews have found themselves demonized worldwide over Israel.
But this moment must not be symbolic alone. With the inauguration of Pope Leo scheduled for next week, and President Isaac Herzog expected to attend, the time is ripe for a deeper reaffirmation of ties between the Vatican and the Jewish state.
This relationship is profoundly religious as well as political. Millions of Christians around the world come to Israel every year because of their faith, because of Jesus, and because of Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and Nazareth. Their pilgrimages, prayers, and spiritual identity are deeply bound up in the very Land of Israel. Strong relations between the Vatican and the Jewish state are not merely diplomatic niceties but are essential to sustaining the sacred geography that binds both traditions.
It is no exaggeration to say that Jerusalem, as well as being the Jewish state’s capital, is also a spiritual beating heart for Christians. Those who come to the Holy Land walk in the footsteps of Jesus, visit the Mount of Olives, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and the Sea of Galilee. These experiences are made possible by Israel’s stewardship and religious pluralism. A strong Vatican-Israel bond ensures that these sites remain protected, accessible, and infused with meaning for future generations.
As we approach the 60th anniversary of Nostra Aetate, we urge the leadership of both the Vatican and Israel not to let this moment pass. Let the warmth of Leo XIV’s message translate into renewed dialogue, pilgrimages, and educational initiatives – and above all, a shared commitment to peace and understanding.
The Jewish people believe in the possibility of return. Rosh Hashanah is a time not only of judgment but of teshuvah – of repentance, of returning to what is right. The Church, too, has its own tradition of grace, of forgiveness, and of reconciliation.
This year, that spirit may well be used to further Jewish-Catholic relations.