Pope Benedict XVI carried on the work of his predecessor Pope John Paul II in interfaith dialogue with the Jewish People and particularly with his fellow citizens in Europe.”

While perhaps his emotional commitment to this dialogue was not quite at the level of other recent Popes, his intellectual commitment as expressed in his firm stance against the collective and individual guilt of Jews in the killing of Jesus is one must appreciated by Jewish communities as indeed was his symbolic act at the very beginnings of his papacy to visit the Cologne synagogue.”

“The European Jewish Congress hopes that the legacy of Vatican II and Nostre Aetate will be carried forward by his successor and wish Pope Benedict a peaceful retirement.”