New York City, N.Y., Jul 6, 2010 / 00:41 am
Germany's Passion Play at Oberammergau – an event which only takes place every 10 years – was recently lauded by New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan and Rabbi Gary Greenebaum as more balanced and less prone to what has been viewed as anti-Semitic stereotypes in the past.
Both the New York prelate and rabbi watched the play, which runs from May 15 to October 3, last Thursday in the Bavarian village where it has been performed for more than 400 years.
The Passion Play, considered to be one of the most famous in the world, supposedly began in the 1600s to thank God for preventing Oberammergau from undergoing the Black Plague. Held every 10 years, the event is performed by some 2,500 people, around half of the town's population.
In separate phone interviews, the two religious leaders told the Associated Press (AP) that this year's performance was more sensitive in avoiding what has been viewed as anti-Jewish stereotypes in past events.