Father David Mickiewicz (r.) and Rabbi Greg Weitzman lead the group through the “Portal.” Fr. Kane is behind them at left, with green folder, holding hand of Rabbi Dan Ornstein. –Photo by Cindy Schultz
Father Jim Kane led a service including prayers and psalms for peace and the cessation of hatred, Friday, June 21, at the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception on Madison Avenue in Albany, next to the State museum. Ceremonies at the outside “Portal” sculpture were followed by lunch inside the cathedral. Christians and Jews attended under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese’s Commission for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs. Bishop Edward Scharfenberger was out of town.
By Father Jim Kane
During these increasingly turbulent times, standing together is more important than ever. And, when we can stand together against hate we are, as my friends in the Jewish community say, doing a mitzvah.
The Diocese of Albany has been at the forefront of developing and strengthening the Jewish-Catholic dialog. The first reconciliation service in the world between Jews and Catholics was held at Albany’s Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in 1986. At a ceremony held on Palm Sunday of that year, then Bishop Howard Hubbard formally apologized on behalf of the church for centuries of antisemitism.
Portal is an embrace
To create a more concrete manifestation of this event, a sculpture created by Schenectady artist Robert Blood called “Portal” was erected in 1989 outside of the Cathedral and, at its dedication, Bishop Hubbard and Rabbi Martin Silverman joined hands to walk through the arch as a gesture of friendship and symbolize the path we were taking to fight hate and antisemitism together.
Members of the interfaith community on Friday, June 21, 2024, at the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception in Albany, N.Y. The event, which included prayers and singing, recreated The Portal’s dedication. The sculpture represents forgiveness between Christians and Jews. Photo by Cindy Schultz
Nearly 40 years have passed since Bishop Hubbard took that unprecedented step and, in the face of the current unprecedented rise in antisemitism, I led “Stand Up to the Hatred of Jews” June 21 at that sculpture on Madison Avenue.
I had the honor of starting the ceremony and said, in part, “We are standing at this Portal, which was dedicated March 19, 1989— it represents a Jew and Christian in embrace. The sculpture commemorates the great event that we had here in this Cathedral — From Fear to Friendship — on March 23, 1986, that spearheaded our modern Jewish-Roman Catholic dialogue, co-founded by Bunny Kahn and Joan Dunham, through the Commission for Ecumenical & Interreligious Affairs on this day, 40 years ago.”
End antisemitism!
The gathering started with Father Longobucco offering a prayer for an end to antisemitism: “Almighty and Merciful God, we turn to you as always in the most precarious and dangerous of times. We turn to you brothers and sisters adoring and worshiping our God. And we ask for your help to repel the evil of hatred that divides people; especially we ask for your intercession that the sin of antisemitism can be eradicated and hearts of compassion and goodwill reign among our people and around the world.”
The highlight of the ceremony was Father Mickiewicz and Rabbi Weitzman walking together through the Portal, recreating that famous event nearly 40 years ago, singing “We Shall Overcome.” They were followed by the rest of the group. Rabbi Spitzer, president of the board of rabbis, offered a prayer referencing the reconciliation of Isaac and Ishmael as they buried their father. To end the ceremony, the three-fold Blessing of Aaron was read in English and Hebrew by Kathleen Kerrigan Duff and Bonnie Cramer.
Taking part in the ceremony were Rabbi Beverly Magidson, Rabbi Greg Weitzman of Congregation Beth Emeth in Albany, Rabbi Rafi Spitzer of Congregation Agudat Achim in Niskayuna, and other Jewish leaders of the Jewish-Roman Catholic Dialogue Committee. Catholic leaders included Father Robert Longobucco, Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia, Father Mickiewicz, and Father Thomas Morrette, co-chair of the Jewish-Roman Catholic Dialogue. Members of the interfaith community were also present.
In history, there are certain inflection points which can shape a society or culture as we move forward. The Book of Ecclesiastes teaches that there is a time to be silent and a time to speak; this is a time to speak.
I remain proud to speak up against hate and to walk arm-in-arm with my Jewish brothers and sisters.
Father Jim Kane of the Albany Roman Catholic Diocese is a longstanding voice in the Capital Region for ecumenical and interfaith dialogue and respect for all religions. Segments of this piece came from an article in The Evangelist weekly newspaper, the official publication of the Diocese of Albany.
