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Pope John Paul II helped to make mankind better
The entire world is united by a profound sense of loss and sorrow at
the passing of His Holiness Pope John Paul II, whom history shall surely
remember as one of the most admirable leaders to grace the face of this
earth. His humanism, unlimited sense of compassion and concern for the dignity
and inalienable rights of his fellow human beings, regardless of creed,
race or color of skin, led him in word and deed to honor the image of
God, which he, as few have, appreciated in each and every one of them.
Jewish tradition emphasizes that it is on the merits of the "36
Righteous of the World," whose identities, as of yet, remain unknown,
that mankind will be redeemed. It also advises that one of those 36 might
be no other than a neighbor, to emphasize that we are all endowed with
the potential to help the world move closer to redemption. While their identities remain shrouded in mystery, nothing stops one
from pointing to those who, by virtue of their unshakable determination,
tireless endeavors and innumerable accomplishments in helping to achieve
the betterment of the human race, should belong to that morally and spiritually
inspiring "elite." One need only admiringly look at Pope John Paul II's commitment to build
bridges with other faiths and to his fight to preserve the freedom and
dignity of all world citizens to rightfully place him among those selected
few. His guiding role in strengthening the nature of ties between Catholics
and Jews, whom he lovingly referred to as "our dearly beloved, elder
brothers," has greatly resonated with world Jewry. So have his often
stated condemnation of anti-Semitism as a sin against God and humanity,
and his profound pain when referring to the Shoah (Holocaust), and the
unspeakable horror inflicted on six million Jews -- many among them the
friends of his youth -- which truly and eloquently bespoke his deep spiritual
kinship with the people from whom Jesus came. To this giant of a man we say: Go thou in peace, and, as you embark on
your eternal journey, may these words of the Prophet Isaiah (58:8) be
fulfilled, "Thy righteousness will go before thee, God's glory backing
thee." Rabbi Alfredo Winter is a member of Vineland Ministerium, and is the
spiritual leader of Vineland's Beth Israel Congregation, a member organization
of Jewish Federation of Cumberland County. Originally published April 7, 2005
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