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Editorial
Good News — Bad News

First Bad News. These days we read the newspaper headlines Palestinian suicide bomber kills 15 Jews at a bus terminal. Israeli soldiers fire a bomb at Arafat’s headquarters — Kill Jews — Kill Arabs — Drive the Jews into the sea — God gave this land to the Palestinians — Jerusalem for the Jews — No Sharing.

Obviously, these headlines stir up our emotions like have and revenge. We ask will there ever be peace in the Holy Land? Many say No. Many are pessimistic. Hope seems to be be diminishing day by day. No one seems to know what the future holds. Neither do we.

However, our main feature is dedicated to the City of Jerusalem which the prophet Isaiah said, “the City that God loves” (Is.62:12). We don’t have the answers to the Jerusalem Question but we want to awaken Jerusalem’s historical and religious history. Hopefully it will give us an insight to the problem. Hopefully there is an insight to an answer.

Jerusalem is unique. It is sacred to the three major religions Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. All three believe in the same God. The three groups share in the same religious crisis created by the political and non-political scene. All three groups seek peace and security. It seems to us that the solution to the Jerusalem Question rests with a sincere and honest dialogue with God’s teachings as its basis. Then. Peace will come to Jerusalem, the Jewel of God.

Now the Good News. Recently Rabbi Bruce Goldwasser of Temple Shalom in Flushing, New York spoke to sixty six graders at St. Margaret’s Catholic Church. The first time a Rabbi came to this 143 year old parish. The reaction? At first, a little fear-a little tension-then after the first five minutes, there were questions, laughter, applause and love. The kids loved Rabbi Bruce. He loved them. After the Rabbi left, the kids asked me, “when will he come back-we like him-he is like us.”

Slowly we are making progress to bridge our mutual faiths. Our publication reaches over 450 people. Growing gradually.

Finally, another bite of good news. I received a warm letter from Bishop Thomas V. Daily of the Brooklyn Diocese. I quote from his letter, “…thank God for your good work and your vital interest, which is so important in our time and place. Enclosed is a token of appreciation.”

Our Catholic-Jewish bridge grows stronger everyday. God will bless our work.

Canon Badia