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17th January 2006
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Catholics very close to Jews
In an audience yesterday with the Chief Rabbi Riccardo Di Segniof Rome and members of the Jewish community, Pope Benedict affirmed the close ties between the Catholic Church and the Jewish people.
"The Catholic church is close to you" the pope told Rabbi Di Segni, going on to explain that because of our Fathers (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob), the Jewish people are very close and are our favourite brothers. Paraphrasing St. Paul, Pope Benedict said that through Christ, Christians are grafted on to the one holy tree of the People of God.
The pope reflected that the many needs and challenges of the world invited Christians and Jews to unite in solidarity, justice and charity in order to transmit the values of the Ten Commandments.
Read the full text of the address