Jesus and the Jewish roots of the Eucharist Mayte Rodríguez: "Jews and Christians must work and dialogue on everything that unites us"."Caring for those around us", an antidote to euthanasia, says Benigno BlancoThe seventeenth bilateral Commission meeting of the delegations of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel and the Holy See's Commission for Religious Relations with Judaism was held in Jerusalem from May 2 to 4, 2023. The theme was: "Jewish and Catholic considerations on care in terminal illness: what is forbidden, what is permitted and what is obligatory", and the rejection of euthanasia by the two religions was reiterated.
Terminal illness
Chief Rabbi Arussi welcomed the delegations at the opening session. Rabbi Yehudah Cohen, the new Director General of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel, expressed his admiration for the work of the Bilateral Commission and its importance in society.
Issues related to the treatment of the terminally ill were highlighted, citing the words of Pope Francis: "The contemporary socio-cultural context is progressively eroding the understanding of what makes human life precious."
Joint rejection of euthanasia
The dignity of every human being was reaffirmed, a perspective shared by both Catholics and Jews, according to the 2006 bilateral Commission statement: "We affirm the principles of our respective religious traditions, according to which God is the Creator and Lord of every life, and human life is sacred because, as the Bible teaches, the human person is created according to the divine image (Gen 1:26-27). (...) Therefore, we reject the concept of active euthanasia and assisted suicide as an illegitimate human arrogation of an exclusively divine authority to determine the moment of a person's death".
– Supernatural statement points out that "for both Jews and Christians caring for the terminally ill with faith, respect and love truly means lighting the lamp of faith and hope at a time of darkness and a feeling of loneliness and abandonment for both the patient and those close to him."
Importance of palliative care
The importance of palliative care and every possible effort to alleviate pain and suffering has been stressed, citing the 2019 Joint Declaration of the three Abrahamic religions against euthanasia.
The second session dealt with terminal treatments according to the Jewish tradition, pointing out the difference between active euthanasia and the suspension of continued therapeutic treatments beyond human needs.
The director of Shaare Zedek Hospital in Jerusalem received the delegations, who were able to visit the center and witness the treatments. palliative of the terminally ill, which were in line with Judeo-Christian principles.
