According to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz and the World Jewish Congress' website, Francis is to meet with 40 delegates from the World Jewish Congress (WJC) including Jack Terpins, Chella Safra, a number of Jewish community heads, and senior WJC officials in honor of the Talmudic/Kabbalistic holiday of Rosh Hashanah. The delegation is to be headed by Ronald S. Lauder and will meet with Francis at his residence in the Vatican City during the evening to discuss several topics. One wonders what Talmudic traditions will take place in the Vatican? Will a cantor sing the Alenu? Will Francis blow the shofar and will "Torah" scrolls be paraded around a Vatican apartment? Will they practice the Babylonian superstition, tashlikh, and throw crumbs into water to mark the occasion?
Rabbi Claudio Eppelman who will be part of the visit said,
"We want to share with the pope our message of peace and prosperity for the New Year."
We at Call Me Jorge... smell something very fishy. Why are all these non-Christians always meeting with Francis at the Vatican? Are the WJC:
- giving Francis his marching orders,
- telling Francis to support Israel's wars in the Middle East,
- simply celebrating the eve of a Talmudic/Kabbalistic holiday with a fellow brother,
- or just dropping in to say hello to their old friend?
For more on what might be discussed and Francis relationship with the WJC see,
The official (for public consumption only) clip of last year's visit by the WJC delegation 2 days before Rosh Hashanah
