Vatican City, Jan 9, 2005 / 22:00 pm
Soon, the Vatican will present the works of Moses Maimonides, one of the most influential figures in modern Jewish thought to Israel for scholarly study.
With this gesture, the Vatican hopes to continue to bridge the divide between Jews and Christians worldwide.
Later this month, Pope John Paul II will receive a delegation of about 160 rabbis, cantors and American lay Jews who wish to thank the Pope for his years of good will and hard work toward bridging cultural and religious divides between the two faiths. There, they will discuss the display of the priceless artifacts for the first time in Israel.
The Vatican’s gesture is being viewed as a major step toward improved relations. According to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, “The loaning of the manuscripts is also viewed as an offering to resolve other political and social disagreements in Israel, including Hebrew University's partial use of a convent since 1948 that the Vatican wants back, and property tax exemptions for religious institutions.”