(November 30, 2010) The religious leaders of Israel will travel to the Vatican next
year to visit Pope Benedict XVI. The news was announced at the end of the fourth
annual meeting of the Council of Religious Community Leaders in Israel, held recently
in Galilee. A statement from the Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel
noted the significance of the historic visit to the Vatican, which it said "reflects
the positive attitude of the Vatican and the Pope to the forum,and the importance
of dialogue to guide and manage the relations between different religious communities
in Israel." The theme of the meeting of the council was "Freedom of Religion and
Worship in Israel The council, formed four years ago by Israel's Foreign Ministry,
is comprised of the leaders of the religious communities of Israel, including the
two chief rabbis of Israel, the leaders of the Christian churches, the Druse community,
the Islamic Appeals Court, the Baha'i community, and the Samaritans, Copts, Ethiopians
and Assyrians.