October 1, 2024
Dear Sisters and Brothers of the Jewish Community,
On behalf of the Catholic community of the Diocese of Harrisburg, I offer heartfelt prayers and warmest best wishes as you prepare for the sacred observance of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. This sacred time of year marks not just the beginning of the Jewish New Year, but also an opportunity for reflection, renewal, and the reaffirmation of shared values and traditions.
May the celebration of Rosh Hashanah be an opportunity to look back on the past year, to reflect on the goodness and blessings of our Creator, and also to look to the New Year ahead with renewed commitment to faith, family, loved ones, and to the wider community. Especially at this time, we are united with you in prayer for peace in the Holy Land, and for an end to any form of anti-Semitism in our country and throughout the world. I echo the words of Pope Francis, who said earlier this year, “Together with you, we Catholics are very concerned about the terrible increase in attacks against Jews around the world. We had hoped that ‘never again’ would be a refrain heard by the new generations, yet now we see that the path ahead requires ever closer collaboration to eradicate these phenomena.”
I pray that the New Year ahead will be blessed in every way, and hold new opportunities for our continued dialogue, and deepened mutual respect and friendship, as we work together for peace and justice in our communities.
Shana Tovah!
Most Reverend Timothy C. Senior
Bishop of Harrisburg
