With the presence of the Archbishop of Panama, Monsignor José Domingo Ulloa Mendieta, Cardinal José Luis Lacunza, Bishop of David, and Rabbi Gustavo Kraselnik, this virtual meeting organized by the Latin American Jewish Congress (CJL) was held.
Last Tuesday, March 16, 2021, 40 Latin American Catholic bishops and Jewish leaders connected from a dozen cities, from Mexico to Buenos Aires, to share a special moment on the eve of Catholic and Jewish Passover(Pesach). Participants from the Catholic Church and Jewish communities highlighted common aspects of both celebrations.
“The matzah (unleavened bread) and wine of the Pesach meal became the host and wine of the Eucharist,” said Claudio Epelman, executive director of the CJL, to emphasize the extent to which the two religious celebrations, which will begin soon, are linked.
Rabbi Marcelo Polakoff, commissioner for interreligious dialogue of the CJL, opened the meeting telling the central place that solidarity and inclusion have in Pesach: “during that night, we opened the doors twice, the first time to share the bread, and the second time for the last glass of wine, as now, we invite you to celebrate with us”. Rabbi Gustavo Kraselnik, representative of the organization for interreligious dialogue in Central America, was in charge of conducting the activity.
“The word Eucharist means ‘Thank you’, and I want to thank you for this space. We were enriched by each other,” said Monsignor Pedro Torres, Auxiliary Bishop of Cordoba and President of the Commission for Interreligious Dialogue of the Argentine Episcopal Conference. For his part, the Bishop of David (Panama), Cardinal José Luis Lacunza, emphasized that “sometimes, due to prejudice or ignorance, we fail to perceive the connection between both traditions. It is important to put ourselves in the place of the other to advance in the dialogue”.
