By Masorti and MERCAZ Olami Executive Director Rabbi Mauricio Balter

From November 16–20, I had the privilege of participating in “Nostra Aetate, 60 Years Later”, an international gathering held in Rome and organized by the Seminario Rabínico Latinoamericano Marshal T. Meyer together with the Instituto Universitario Abarbanel. This interreligious encounter brought together Jewish, Catholic, Muslim, and Buddhist leaders for days of sincere dialogue, shared learning, and the building of bridges of understanding among our diverse traditions. My gratitude to Rabbi Ariel Stofenmacher, Rector of the Rabbinic Seminary, and to Flavia Vaccarezza, the program’s coordinator, for their leadership and dedication in making this seminar possible.

The heart of the gathering was dialogue, not symbolic or superficial dialogue, but rather one that was courageous, honest, and grounded in mutual respect. We studied foundational texts together, reflected on the legacy of Nostra Aetate, the historic declaration of the Second Vatican Council that reshaped the relationship between the Catholic Church and the Jewish people, and reaffirmed the urgency of educating toward respect, human dignity, and a sense of universal fraternity.

We visited the Community of Sant’Egidio, a living example of how faith inspires solidarity with migrants and people in need. We stood in the heavy silence of the Ardeatine Caves, where 335 people, including 87 Jews, were murdered by the Nazis in 1944. Places like these remind us that antisemitism is not a relic of the past but a painful reality we are still called to confront today.

Our academic meetings at the Cardinal Bea Centre of the Pontifical Gregorian University and at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross deepened our exploration of comparative theology and the place of Judaism in contemporary thought. We also visited sacred spaces such as the Anshin Buddhist temple, the Great Mosque of Rome, and the Great Synagogue of Rome, celebrating the richness and beauty of spiritual diversity.

One of the most moving moments was our visit to the Vatican, including the museums, the Sistine Chapel, and the Apostolic Library. There, we had the extraordinary privilege of seeing the original manuscript of Nostra Aetate, a document that opened a new and hopeful chapter in Jewish Christian relations six decades ago.

It is impossible to reflect on Nostra Aetate without remembering Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel. Although he did not sign the declaration, his voice resonates throughout its ideas and spirit. With his prophetic depth, Heschel taught that interreligious dialogue is not a gesture of courtesy but an expression of Jewish spirituality. His relationship with Cardinal Bea remains a model of deep listening and moral courage, and his legacy continues to inspire us today.

These teachings were powerfully transmitted by Rabbi Marshall T. Meyer z”l, a close disciple of Heschel and my own rabbi and teacher. Marshall taught that interreligious dialogue is not merely diplomacy but an expression of our emunah, our belief that every human being is created b’tzelem Elohim, in the image of God. He lived dialogue as an act of justice and tikkun olam, healing a broken world through encounter, conversation, and commitment to the other. His legacy illuminates my own path as a Jewish leader in complex times and reminds me that true leadership also requires the courage to listen, especially when the other is different.

A particularly meaningful moment came during the general audience in St. Peter’s Square, before Pope Leo XIV and tens of thousands of people. As a rabbi and observant Jew, I was deeply moved by the devotion of the Catholic faith. I had the opportunity to exchange a few words with the Pope and presented him with a decoration bearing the word Shalom that I brought from Israel. I told him that, as a rabbi from Israel, I carried a message of peace and an invitation to pray together for a better world. He received it warmly. That brief exchange became, for me, a living mitzvah and a reminder of our sacred duty to promote peace among human beings, beyond creeds and borders.

Following this encounter, we signed an interfaith declaration that calls for tolerance and rejects all forms of violence. Together, we reaffirmed our commitment:

• To educate toward respect and fraternity
• To act together, in solidarity, for those most in need
• To care for Creation as a sacred inheritance
• To inspire future generations to live their faith in service to humanity, not as a source of division

At a time when antisemitism, disinformation, and hate speech, including against Israel, continue to rise, interreligious dialogue is not optional. It is a necessity, an ethical responsibility. As a Jew, a rabbi, and an Israeli, I believe deeply in our sacred duty to build bridges, to resist fear and hatred, and to work toward a world rooted in justice, deep listening, and lasting peace.

May we be shluchei shalom, messengers of peace, in our communities and beyond. May the Shalom we speak become real through the actions, commitments, and bridges we build.

Top image: Agenzia Fotografica Modica | Rome