Rabbi’s Update 5/9/2025

Dear Friends:

As you surely know, a new Pope was selected yesterday. Pope Leo XIV was until the moment he became Pope known as Robert Prevost. He became a Cardinal in 2023 and for the last two years was the head of the Dicastery for Bishops in the Vatican, meaning he was the head of the department which helped the Pope select and oversee bishops. Although he is an American originally from Chicago, he spent most of his career in Peru, where he was sent shortly after ordination by his religious order, the Augustinians. He became the bishop of Chiclayo, Peru, and is a naturalized Peruvian citizen.

For Jewish leaders around the world, the first question which was raised was “what does the election of the new Pope portend for relations between the Catholic church and the Jews?” Will Pope Leo XIV continue to seek positive relations and interreligious understanding?

The new Pope spent most of his career in Chiclayo, Peru, where there is no organized Jewish community. There are about 2,000 Jews in Lima, a journey of over 12 hours and 500 or so miles. Pope Leo XIV has no record of public statements about Jews, Israel, or the current war between Israel and Hamas.

But there are signs that Pope Leo will continue in the path of Pope Francis. He grew up in Chicago, which has a large and vibrant Jewish community. In graduate school, he studied under Fr. John Pawlikowski, who is someone I know from my prior professional work in the field of interreligious relations. Fr. Pawlikowski is one of the pioneers in the field, having held one of the first chairs in Catholic - Jewish relations and having served four terms on the board ot the Holocaust Museum in DC. Fr. Pawlikowski remembers the new Pope as very bright and open minded, committed to dialogue and the values of Vatican II. Fr. Pawlikowski said ““He hasn’t really been stationed in any area where there was a really pronounced Jewish community,” he said. “On the question of interreligious [affairs], he’ll have to show us where he is, but I would assume he had an outgoing, positive attitude generally.”

I share Fr. Pawlikowski’s optimism. Pope Leo XIV seems to share very much the same priorities as Pope Francis, and he began his papacy with a call for dialogue. Time will tell, but I am very hopeful.

Last night I began a new adult education class called “Echoes of the Spirit: Exploring the Psalms’ Wisdom.” We had a nice turnout for the class and a spirited discussion, and you are welcome to join the class which will be every second and fourth Thursday. A recording of the first class can be found here.

As a reminder, I am having drop-in hours on Thursday afternoons from 2 to 4 at the shul. For my drop-in hours, you do not need to make an appointment -- that would negate the whole point of drop-in hours -- but I’d urge you to check and make sure I am there regardless as sometimes there are unavoidable pastoral or other emergencies which might take me away from the building.

As always, if I can do anything for you or you need to talk, please contact me at rabbi@kehilatshalom.org or 301-977-0768 rather than through the synagogue office. I am happy to meet you at the synagogue by appointment; if you want to speak with me it’s best to make an appointment rather than assuming I will be there when you stop by. 

Additionally, if you know of a Kehilat Shalom congregant or another member of our Jewish community who could use a phone call, please let me know.

L’shalom,

Rabbi Charles L. Arian