New Pope Francis I aka Jorge Bergoglio in 2008. Photo: Wikipedia

Israel’s Chief Rabbinate has commented Thursday on the accession of Pope Francis I. In a statement the Chief Rabbinate said:

“The dialogue between the Holy See and the Chief Rabbinate of Israel was welcomed and nurtured with personal involvement by the two previous Pontiffs. The Chief Rabbinate of Israel is confident that Pope Francis, whose good relations with the Jewish People are well known, will keep the same spirit, and strengthen and develop the Roman Catholic Church’s connections with the State of Israel and the Jewish People.”

The Chief Rabbinate extolled its relationship with the Holy See in recent years, stating that “there has been a rich and fruitful dialogue between the Holy See and the Chief Rabbinate of Israel on primary issues such as banning terrorism in God’s Name, the sanctity of life, the sanctity of the family unit, etc.” adding that “this dialogue has led to significant achievements over the years.”