By Nate Feldman
NPR recently posted an article about interfaith relations between Jews and Catholics in Haifa, Israel ("Despite Vatican-Israel tensions, Catholics and Jews work to build trust in Haifa" by Jerome Socolovsky).
The article begins with a Christmas tree lighting event at the Saint Louis the King Catholic Cathedral in Haifa. During the event, the priest, Reverend Yousef Yacoub, and Na'ama Dafni, a local rabbi, light the tree and give speeches.
The article says that Revered Yacoub "invited the rabbi to show 'that we are praying, both of us, for light and for peace and for happiness for people.'
The two are members of an interfaith forum at Haifa University's Laboratory for Religious Studies, which now has a graduate course in interfaith dialogue.
The article highlights how during Israel's recent war in Gaza, there were a lot of tensions between the Vatican and Israel, with the late Pope Francis being highly critical of Israel's actions during the conflict. The interfaith programs not only help Jews and Catholics work together but also helps prevent communal tensions in Haifa, a multi-religious, multi-ethnic city.
