It's too early of course to say how Bishop Kurt Koch, the new president of the Pontifical Commission for Relations with Jews, will deal with the thorny issue of Catholic-Jewish relations. But a good omen is that one of Judaism's foremost interlocutors with the Church, Rabbi David Rosen, is pleased with the Holy Father's appointment. His statement reads:
The AJC congratulates Bishop Kurt Koch of Switzerland on his appointment by Pope Benedict XVI's as successor to Cardinal Walter Kasper, giving him the leadership responsibility for the Vatican's relations with the Jewish People as well as with non-Catholic Christians.
"Bishop Koch has a fine record of deep friendship with the Swiss Jewish community as well as profound commitment to the singular religious and historical nature of the Church's relationship with Judaism and Jewry " declared Rabbi David Rosen, AJC's International Director of Interreligious Affairs. He added "accordingly we warmly welcome this appointment and look forward to a close working relationship with Bishop Koch.
In truth, what usually upsets the Jews rarely - if ever - comes from the joint commission, but it still helps that they have someone in the Vatican to confide in when relations pass through a rocky patch, as they no doubt will again.
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