Cardinal Dziwisz of Poland visits Holocaust memorial in Israel

A group of 300 Polish pilgrims led by the Catholic Cardinal Archbishop Stanislaw Dziwisz of Cracow visited the Yad Vashem memorial to the Holocaust during a tour of Israel. Cardinal Dziwisz prayed briefly and left flowers at the memorial in a trip arranged by the Anti-Defamation League's (ADL) Israel Office. Cardinal Dziwisz heads Poland's Catholic-Jewish Dialogue, and was the longtime personal secretary and friend to Pope John Paul II, whom he accompanied on the latter's historic visit to Israel 10 years ago, in March 2000.

Cardinal Dziwisz came to Israel on a journey of remembrance and to promote Catholic-Jewish relations. The Cardinal made a special visit to Yad Vashem, where he placed flowers in the Hall of Remembrance, strolled along the Avenue of the Righteous Among the Nations and met with Avner Shalev, the Chairman of Yad Vashem, and other officials.

The Cardinal also held meetings with Chief Rabbi Yona Metzger and Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem Naomi Tsur.

According to a press release, ADL leader Abraham H. Foxman, "Poland holds a special significance to the Jewish people." Foxman was born in Poland and was saved during the Holocaust by his Polish Catholic nanny. Said Foxman, "Today, as anti-Semitism continues to be a serious global problem, it is important that religious leaders follow Cardinal Dziwisz's example of engaging in and promoting Catholic-Jewish and Catholic-Israel relations."