‘Even when we disagreed, he welcomed me’

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A high-ranking world Jewish leader with close ties to Australia has paid tribute to his personal friend, the late Pope Francis, who died on Easter Monday.

From their years together in their native Argentina, World Union for Progressive Judaism (WUPJ) president Rabbi Sergio Bergman, who has made numerous visits to Australia, was rabbi of Templo Libertad in Buenos Aires when he first established ties with the future pontiff who, as Jorge Mario Bergoglio, was archbishop of Buenos Aires.

Rabbi Bergman told The AJN this week that the Pope and he “shared many common values: pursuing national unity through a diversity of identities in Argentina, his constant support for my civic vocation and public service, and his guidance in my political journey”, when the rabbi served as Argentina’s environment minister.

He reflected that Pope Francis “always respected our differences, which were not minor, especially in recent years, with the war in Ukraine and his comments regarding Israel after the Simchat Torah pogrom of October 7. And yet, he never ceased to listen and engage.

“Even when we disagreed, he welcomed and heard me speak of his greatness as a spiritual leader and global statesman,” he said.

Rabbi Bergman recalled, “Just one year ago, we had the privilege of meeting him again in the Vatican with the WUPJ delegation. He welcomed us warmly, and in our final embrace, I felt the essence of our years together — a journey where his wisdom helped me find harmony between spirituality and public life.”

Dr Ron Hoenig, chair of the Australian Council of Christians and Jews, described Pope Francis as “a beacon of hope and a model of genuine inter-religious friendship. His enduring relationship with Rabbi Abraham Skorka, forged in Buenos Aires and immortalised in their joint work, On Heaven and Earth, stands as a testament to the power of honest, loving dialogue between faiths.

“Together, they demonstrated how warm friendship, mutual respect and open conversation can help to bridge centuries of misunderstanding and foster a spirit of fraternity that transcends doctrinal differences.”

Hoenig said this relationship symbolised the personal friendships between people from different religious traditions that lie at the heart of the ACCJ, as evidenced during its conference in Melbourne in February.

“I remember being in Rome during a conference of the International Council of Christians and Jews in 2015 and the great honour I felt when I, as one of some 300 international delegates who were presented to him, was able to shake his hand. I also admired his fortitude.”

Hoenig noted that Pope Francis’s leadership was “built upon the historic transformation initiated by the Second Vatican Council’s Nostra Aetate, which repudiated antisemitism and affirmed the shared heritage of Jews and Christians”.

Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Peter Wertheim noted, “We know what a revered figure the Pope is for our Catholic friends. We extend them our sincerest condolences on his recent passing, and trust that they will soon receive comfort and reassurance by the election of a new Pope.”

Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council executive director Colin Rubenstein and interfaith & community liaison Rabbi Ralph Genende jointly stated that Pope Francis  “will be remembered not only for his reforms within the Church, but also for his warm support of the Jewish people, his powerful condemnation of antisemitism, and his visits to the State of Israel. While we may not always have agreed with all of his views, we always appreciated his understanding of the devastating impact of the Shoah and his unwavering support of our people. Our thoughts and prayers are with all Catholics during this time of loss and grief.”

The Union for Progressive Judaism, the Australian Reform Zionist Assoication and the Assembly of Rabbis and Cantors of Australia, New Zealand and Asia issued a statement describing the late pontiff as “a spiritual leader who displayed equal measures of courage, vision and humility. He championed social justice and respect for all peoples, regardless of background or faith. He was a friend of the Jewish community who embraced Catholic-Jewish reconciliation and condemned antisemitism.”