How It All Started

In 1994, our Catholic cousins who live in Charlotte, NC, USA, Tony and Zaydee Lopez- Ibanez sent Bernardo Benes a book. The book was entitled "A Letter to a Jewish Friend," by Gian Franco Svidercoschi, which covers the simple and extraordinary story of Karol Wojtyla- later Pope John Paul II- and Jerzy Kluger, his Jewish childhood friend from Wadovice, Poland. Once Mr. Benes finished reading he immediately considered Karol Wojtyla the individual who establish the reconciliation of Catholic and Jews. He was so impressed that he sent a copy to some friends, including David Lawrence, then Publisher of The Miami Herald. On the next day, David's secretary called Mr. Benes asking him where she could buy ten copies because David wanted to send them to friends. Right away, he knew that he was right in considering Pope John Paul II one of his heroes. On April 4th in the year of 2005, Mr. Benes attended his funeral in Rome as a simple Jewish pilgrim. While in Rome he met with Jerzy Kluger who confirmed to us that from childhood-11 years old-Karol Wojtyla had genuine positive feelings towards the Jewish people. Then Mr. Benes decided to do something that would enhance the legacy of Pope John Paul II. That is the genesis of "Our Elder Brothers and Sisters Foundation Inc."

Bernardo Benes Attends Funeral of Pope John-Paul II

Let's hope new pope reaches out as John Paul II did

By Bernardo Benes

Sun Sentinel April 25, 2005

Earlier this month, I traveled to Rome to attend the funeral of Pope John Paul II, a hero partly for his efforts to bring reconciliation between Catholics and Jews. I wanted to pay a humble and discreet homage to his work and to his love for humanity, and in the process I met two extraordinary men.

One of them was Jerry Kluger, a Jewish lifelong friend of John Paul II. I learned about Kluger years ago when I read a book about the pontiff, Letter to a Jewish Friend, written by a former assistant editor of the Vatican City newspaper.

The book detailed the friendship between Kluger and the pope, nicknamed "Lolek" by his childhood pal decades ago while living in the Polish town of Wadowice.

It was not easy to find Kluger, but when I did I was glad for the effort. He told an anecdote dating back to when they were 11 years old and were expecting to hear their grades on final exams. Having to attend church, Lolek asked his pal Jerzy to find out the results of their exams and to find him at church to tell him.

Jerzy learned they had both passed, and went running to the church. He located the future pope in a pew and whispered in his ear: "Lolek, we both passed." At the end of the Mass, Lolek met Jerzy, who had waited in the back of the church to share the excitement.

A parishioner saw them and, in a threatening tone, demanded of Lolek, "What is the son of the president of the Jewish community doing in the church?" At which Lolek laughed and replied, "Why not? Don't you know that God created all of us as equals?"

This story moved me. If only Lolek had been the pontiff in 1940, I thought, maybe, just maybe, I would have been able to meet three of my grandparents who were killed by the Nazis.

I also went on the Sabbath to the Synagogue of Rome to meet Rabbi Emeritus Elio Toaff. Rabbi Toaff greeted John Paul in 1986 when he visited the synagogue, the first time in the history of the Catholic Church that a pontiff visited a synagogue.

Rabbi Toaff, a friend of the pope, and I had a very lively conversation. Today he is 90 years old, but with a very clear mind and sharp memory. He also reminded me that, in 1994, John Paul II hosted a Vatican concert commemorating the Holocaust. At the event, the pope said, "We risk making the victims of the most atrocious deaths die again if we do not have a passion for justice."

Rabbi Toaff repeated he was very, very proud of his friendship with John Paul II. He believed the pope was genuine in his outreach to Jews, addressing him and other Jews as "our older brothers."

Why is this important to recall now that the Vatican has a new leader, Pope Benedict XVI? Because much has been made of the similarities in theological positions between this new pontiff and his predecessor, and their close friendship.

Let us all pray that, when it comes to reaching out to peoples of other faiths, Pope Benedict XVI will be at least a carbon copy of John Paul II in seeking reconciliation.

Miami banker Bernardo Benes helped establish the Cuban Hebrew Congregation after arriving in Miami from Cuba in 1960.