Jews and Non-Jews: Interfaith Relations "Dialogue" is the
watchword in defining relations between Jews and peoples of
other religions, particularly in North America's environment of
religious pluralism. The emphasis on dialogue comes as a result
of years of hard work on the part of religious leaders and a
growing concern about religious intolerance that has continued
to brew and cause turmoil throughout the world. Leaders from the
Catholic Church, for example, take a proactive role in seeking
dialogue with Jewish leaders. Since the Vatican II decision of
the 1960s formally ending the Catholic belief that Jews were
responsible for Jesus' death, Catholic leaders such as Pope John
Paul II have attempted to change their relationship with Jewish
people. All major archdiocese include specific offices of
interreligious affairs, in which a team of priests, nuns, and
educators work with members of clergy from the Jewish (and
other) faiths. These offices often play a key role in helping to
create annual community-wide