A letter to those who are concerned and shocked by the tragedy that is currently unfolding in the Holy Land.

Dear Friends,

We met in Oświęcim at the Centre for Dialogue and Prayer as people who have been involved in Christian-Jewish dialogue for years. We walked in silence through the area of the former Birkenau camp, remembering the tragedy of the Jewish Nation during World War II. We prayed… It is our way of expressing closeness to those who are directly affected by the current tragedy.

The establishment of the State of Israel after World War II was the most important Jewish response to the experience of the Holocaust. It was supposed to be a safe house. The current war has destroyed this safety. Anti-Semitic sentiments and attacks have revived again all over the world. The horrific vision of a repeat of the Holocaust is before our eyes.

We also have friends among the Palestinians. Their tragedy is also close to us. We see their suffering and longing for a safe home. There is no good solution to this fundamental conflict in sight.

We carry the uncertainty of the future in our hearts, we engage in prayer and reflection, and we look for ways of peace.

We feel particularly responsible for what is happening around us. We want to continue our commitment to dialogue.

We greet you warmly and invite you to cooperate.

Fr. Manfred Deselaers

Fr. Łukasz Kamykowski

Sr. Katarzyna Kowalska, NDS

Marta Titaniec

(signatures in alphabetical order)

Photos: Katarzyna Kowalska, CDiM