
I think the people of Israel are clearly suffering from Pope fatigue, but I suppose a little closure is called for over this failed multi-million shekel venture, traffic headache, and momentous waste of time and energy.
The rabbis featured prominently during Benedict XVI’s visit…

Back in April
JewishIsrael suggested that
Jewish sensitivities were going be sacrificed on the altar of diplomacy. But still, it was a disappointment to see our anti-cross Rabbi of the Kotel buckle to the powers-that-be. Not only did
Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovitch accompany the pontiff to the last remnant of the Jewish Temple, but the Holy site was
cleared of Jewish worshipers in order to make room for the head of the Roman church .
Rabbi Metzger made headlines with a mysterious, still unsubstantiated, claim that
“the Catholic Church will cease all missionary activity among Jews… Rabbi Yona Metzger thanked the pope for his announcement, calling it an "historic agreement and, "for us, an immensely important message. “
There’s been deadly silence on that “good news”, and no historic agreement has surfaced.
JI member Moshe Burt also expressed his doubts about any agreement in
his blog where he writes :
“One must ask Rabbi Metzger, did he get the Pope’s pledge in writing, or did the Pope only “agree” orally?”

Sometimes silence is golden.
Israel’s Chief Sephardi Rabbi, the Rishon Letzion Rabbi Shlomo Amar,confronted the Pope’s cross with the ultimate Jewish answer… He sported his own golden-plated ornament depicting the Tablets of the Law (The Ten Commandments).
Arutz 7 reports that Rabbi Amar also made sure to
hold and consult a book of Torah law during the meeting and follow-up speeches.

A member of the
Jewish Israel team (too shy to expose his name) feels that under the circumstances Rav Amar deserves a JewishIsrael Prize and he suggested the following titles:
a)
the "Literal Yolk of the Torah" award.
b)
The "Jewels for Judaism" award?
c)
the "Israel Blings to the Jewish People" award?
JI members, feel free to add your 2 cents (or if you have gold, kindly go to the
Jewish Israel donation page).
And the booby prize goes to…
That Vatican spokesman who thought he was doing the Pope a favor by declaring that
the Pope was 'never, never, never' in the Hitler Youth. The press had a field day and the Vatican retracted within hours.
From now on, Benedict XVI will go down in history as
"the pope from never,never,never land”
Someone should remind that official Vatican spokesman that three "nevers" do not make a right.

While people will continue to debate the

Pope’s wartime record, what we do know is that –unlike Peter Pan – the Pope can’t fly.
Rav Yisrael Meir Lau doesn’t forget his wartime past, and Comedy Central's pompous, left-wing but – at times- very funny
John Stewart took an unfair crack at the Rabbi - but absolutely (and justifiably) trampled the pope.
Is it fair that America gets to laugh while a few months ago our own late night comedienne, Lior Shlein had to
apologize for “blasphemy” against the Catholic church. The Vatican also managed to secure an apology from then-PM Olmert.
So like I said back then…
"These are dark times, and disputes with the Vatican and other Christian denominations over property rights, rights to proselytize and the right to freedom of Christian expression appear to be on the increase...and we Jews had better find our voice and assert our rights to laugh, legislate, smash idols and bloodlessly slaughter sacred cows." (Excerpt from
"The Right to Smash Idols")
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