European Jewish Association welcomes pope’s rejection of antisemitism

(Oct. 22, 2026 / JNS)

The European Jewish Association on Thursday welcomed Pope Leo XIV’s reaffirmation that the Catholic Church rejects antisemitism, urging concrete steps to put that commitment into practice.

“This commitment must translate into education, local partnerships with Jewish communities and a shared defense of religious freedom,” the organization wrote on X.

The statement followed the pope’s meeting with a delegation of the American Jewish Committee at the Vatican on Thursday, according to Vatican News.

Leo recalled his declaration on the 60th anniversary of Nostra aetate, the Second Vatican Council’s declaration on relations with non-Christian religions, that “the Church does not tolerate antisemitism and fights against it, on the basis of the Gospel itself.”

“Differences of opinion, however profound, must never give rise to prejudice and hostility, which undermine the moral foundations of society,” he told the delegation.

The pontiff urged Christians and Jews to work together to defend human dignity, serve the poor, protect religious freedom and promote peace.