Whereas Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Archbishop of Buenos Aires was recently elected as Pope Francis;

Whereas his great commitment to interfaith dialogue, prayers and TV programs and the special consideration he has given to Judaism and the Jews as seen in the book ‘Sobre El Cielo y La Terra’ (On Heaven and Earth) written with our colleague and his close friend, Rabbi Abraham Skorka; and

Whereas Pope Francis recognizes and appreciates the vital importance of the State of Israel for the continuity and development of the Jewish people.