View source for Hebrew Catholics

{{Short description|Jews who converted to the Catholic Church}}
{{Infobox religious group
| group         = Hebrew Catholics
| image         = 
| image_size    = 
| image_alt     =
| image_caption = 

| population    = {{circa|1,000}}
| regions       = [[Israel]]

| religions     = [[Catholic Church]]
| scriptures    = 
| languages     = [[Hebrew]]
| related-c     = 
| website       =
| notes         =Prominent Communities: Church of San Giovanni Battista Decollato, also known as "Chiesa della Misericordia" 
}}
[[File:IMG 6849 - Duomo - Menorah Trivulzio - Foto Giovanni Dall'Orto 3-Mar-2007.jpg|thumb|The Gothic-style Trivulzio chandler, an early 13th century work of art by an anonymous Anglo-Norman master. It is shaped as a menorah, as a symbol of the passage from the Old Covenant (with the Jews) to the New Covenant (with the Christian Church).]] 
'''Hebrew Catholics''' ({{langx|he|עברים קתולים|Ivrím Katolím}}) are a movement of [[Jews]] who have converted to [[Catholicism]], and Catholics of non-Jewish origin, who choose to keep [[Law of Moses|Mosaic traditions]] in light of Catholic doctrine. The phrase was coined by Father [[Elias Friedman]] (1987), who was himself a [[Jewish Christian|converted Jew]]. In the [[Holy Land]], they are gathered in the '''Saint James Vicariate for Hebrew Speaking Catholics in Israel'''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.catholic.co.il/?lang=en|title = Catholic.co.il}}</ref> There is also a branch of the international Association of Hebrew Catholics for activities related to the Hebrew inheritance in the Catholic Church ([https://www.hebrewcatholic.net/yerushalom-havurah/ Yerushalom Havurah]).

As of 2013, there were approximately 500 Hebrew Catholics in Israel.<ref>{{cite news |last=Chabin |first=Michele |date=2013 |title=Hebrew Spoken Here: Inside Israel's Hebrew-speaking Catholic community |url=https://cnewa.org/magazine/hebrew-spoken-here-33670/ |work=Catholic Near East Welfare Association |location=New York City |access-date=19 October 2023}}</ref> By 2023, there were approximately 1,000. <ref>{{cite news |last=Bandini |first=Marinella |date=2023
|title=‘A battle inside us’: Hebrew Catholics in the Holy Land wrestle with challenges of war
|url=https://catholicworldreport.com/2023/11/19/a-battle-inside-us-hebrew-catholics-in-the-holy-land-wrestle-with-challenges-of-war/
|work=CNA Catholic News Agency |location=Irondale, AL |access-date=2 February 2025}}</ref>

==Beliefs==
{{unreferenced section|date=September 2021}}
Besides the segments of other religious communities in Israel and besides the segments of communities of [[Christianity in Israel|Christians in Israel]], from most of the [[Eastern Orthodox Christian]] groups to groups of Hebrew Catholics, these converted Jews subscribe to the theological doctrines and dogma of the [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]] faith and as a result, they are in [[full communion]] with the [[Pope]]. Culturally, many of them are closely affiliated with [[Eastern Catholicism]] and [[Greek Orthodox Christianity]]. Their main point of differentiation as Hebrew Catholics does not lie in the dogmatic beliefs of the Church which they belong to, instead, it lies in their personal liturgical practices. For example, they may celebrate [[Hanukkah]], and their liturgical calendar might differ from the liturgical calendar which is used by [[Latin Catholics]] because it retains certain [[Jewish holidays]]. As [[cultural Jews]], Hebrew Catholics may celebrate [[Passover]], [[Rosh Hashana]], [[Shavuot]], etc. and they may even perform rituals like the wearing of ''[[kippah|kippot]]'', ''[[tallit]]ot'', ''[[tefillin]]'', the use of ''[[mezuzot]]'' and they may also keep many of the ''[[mitzvot]]'' (commandments) which are prescribed in the [[Torah]] as a sign of their heritage, just like [[Orthodox Judaism|Orthodox Jews]]. When these Jewish holidays and practices do not conflict with Catholic doctrine, they are kept for ethnic reasons, much as [[Irish Americans]] might celebrate [[Saint Patrick's Day]] as a major feast day, regardless of the diocese which they reside in, out of a sense of [[Hibernophilia]] as [[Irish Catholics]]. In passing, [[The Acts of the Apostles]] states that [[Saint Paul the Apostle]] celebrated the Jewish religious holidays based on his stated belief that it is good for Christians to obey the Mosaic Law in any way they wish in accordance with their faith ({{bibleverse||Acts|18:21|RSVCE}}; {{bibleverse||Acts|20:6|RSVCE}}; {{bibleverse||Acts|20:16|RSVCE}}; and in {{bibleverse|1 Corinthians|16:8|RSVCE}}). Jesus Christ is also recorded to have observed the Jewish religious holidays during His Earthly ministry ({{bibleverse||Matthew|26:17|RSVCE}}; {{bibleverse||John|5:1|RSVCE}}; {{bibleverse||John|7:2|RSVCE}}; {{bibleverse||John|7:37|RSVCE}}; {{bibleverse||John|10:22|RSVCE}}; {{bibleverse||John|11:56|RSVCE}}; {{bibleverse||John|12:12|RSVCE}}; {{bibleverse||John|13:1|RSVCE}}; and {{bibleverse||John|13:29|RSVCE}}).

==History==
The main associations of the movement are the [[Association of Hebrew Catholics]] (AHC),<ref>Association of Hebrew Catholics[https://www.hebrewcatholic.net/]</ref> Remnant Of Israel (ROI) which was founded in 1976 by Father Arthur Klyber, and Miriam Bat Tzion. The AHC and the ROI are English-speaking organizations, and Miriam Bat Tzion is a [[French language|French]]-speaking one. There is also a group of [[Spanish language|Spanish]]-speaking Hebrew Catholics in [[Venezuela]]<ref>[http://hebreoscatolicos.blogspot.com/ Católicos de Tradición Hebrea Mashíaj]</ref> as well as other places.

According to David Moss, the current president of the AHC, it was estimated to have around 10,000 members in 2000. The countries with the largest membership are the USA and Israel, but members are also found in [[Canada]], [[France]], [[Italy]], [[Australia]], [[Spain]], [[England]], [[Argentina]], [[Brazil]], [[Mexico]], [[Venezuela]], [[Colombia]], [[Belgium]], [[New Zealand]], and [[Germany]].{{cn|date=September 2021}}

Hebrew Catholics should not be confused with Protestant Christians of Jewish origin that call themselves [[Messianic Judaism|Messianic Jews]], who are members of a variety of denominations, ranging from [[Anglican]] e.g. [[Christ Church, Jerusalem]] to independent [[Jewish Christian]] ones, many of which are [[seventh-day Sabbatarian|Sabbatarian]] [[Protestantism|Protestant]], and like some Hebrew Catholics, some of their members also celebrate Jewish holy days and emphasize Jewish elements within [[Christianity]]. Hebrew Catholics are in full communion with the Bishop of Rome and are not an independent movement, and they may be either liberal or traditionalist. While some form of corporate ecclesial and ritual identity had been raised by some Hebrew Catholics prior to 2009, [[Pope Benedict XVI]]'s Apostolic Constitution Anglicanorum Coetibus prompted suggestions that [[personal ordinariate]]s could also be appropriate for other groups, such as Hebrew or Jewish Catholics.<ref name="Levy proposes Jewish ordinariate">"Lévy’s third and longest section... sets his proposal for a Jewish ordinariate within a profound examination and reflection on the nature of the Church..." {{cite journal |author1=Antoine Levy, OP |title=Jewish Church: A Catholic Approach to Messianic Judaism by Antoine Levy, OP – Kesher Journal |journal=Kesher |date=30 April 2023 |issue=42 |url=https://www.kesherjournal.com/article/jewish-church-a-catholic-approach-to-messianic-judaism-by-antoine-levy-op/ |access-date=12 January 2024}}</ref> This would allow for the preservation of Jewish identity within the Catholic Church<ref>{{cite web|last=Bloomer |first=Athol |url=http://aronbengilad.blogspot.ca/2011/01/mazeltov-to-anglican-ordinariate-of-our.html |title=Mazeltov to the Anglican Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham |publisher=A Catholic Jew Pontificates |date=16 January 2011 |accessdate=9 March 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Burke |first=Raymond |url=http://catholicknight.blogspot.ca/2011/02/archbishop-burke-on-hebrew-catholics.html |title=Cardinal Burke on Hebrew Catholics |publisher=The Catholic Knight |date=17 February 2011 |accessdate=9 March 2012}}</ref> and the restoration of the corporate life of the Jewish church in particular.<ref name="DCosta response">"The Jewish Church would also have its own bishops. It would be in unity in the same way as the Eastern Catholic churches, with their very different rites, are in communion with Rome. Levy prefers to think of the Jewish Church as an “ordinariate” in order to preserve its vital role in the definition of the church, constituting part of its DNA so to speak." {{cite web |title=DCosta response |url=https://ejournals.bc.edu/index.php/scjr/article/download/13385/10331/ |access-date=29 May 2023 }}</ref>

==Some halachic points of view==
{{see also|Halakha|Dual-covenant theology}}
According to Bloomer in 2008, "There is a broad range of Jewish Catholics. From those who observe nothing much of the Jewish ways up to those who observe the same as [[Orthodox Judaism|Orthodox Jews]]. There are many different opinions but they all try to accept each other, whatever their level of observance." 

Furthermore, [[David Neuhaus]], patriarchal vicar for Hebrew-speaking Catholics in Jerusalem and himself a Jew by birth, declared in 2008 that "[[Kashrut|Dietary laws]] are not obligatory for those [Jews] who live in Christ. I would only understand dietary laws being observed by Jewish Hebrew Catholics if they had always practised these laws before becoming Catholic. It certainly does no harm. But adopting the laws as Catholics (or as secular Jews who have become Catholic) does not make much sense as we have the fullness of the promise in Jesus."

==In modern-day Israel==
Since most Christians in Israel and the [[Palestinian territories]] are of Arab ethnicity, Christian clergy are mostly involved in community work with [[Arab citizens of Israel|Israeli Arabs]] or with residents of the Palestinian territories, but rarely with Israeli Jews except Russian immigrants who have Jewish ancestry but consider themselves Christians. Israeli Arabs who belong to the Christian religion are recognized as such under Israeli law, but Jews who have converted are in most cases still registered as Jewish, because the State is very reluctant to recognize such conversions, even though there is no law against them. Some changes in attitude have taken place, as Israeli society is becoming more accustomed to the presence of a variety of religious denominations.

Another sensitivity is regarding Protestant Christians of Jewish origin who still regard themselves as practicing the same Judaism that other Jews practice – [[Messianic Judaism|Messianic Jews]] – considered by both traditional Jews and traditional Christians to be a marginal movement. They do not consider themselves Catholic and are not considered as such by the Catholic Church.

A significant aspect in Jewish–Christian and Jewish–Catholic relations in Israel is government policy. Ever since the foundation of the State of Israel in 1948, [[Judaism]] has been used in government policy and legislation as a means to give Israeli society a sense of identity. As a result, all matrimonial laws in Israel are religious, because no civil marriages can take place. Education is also segregated to a large degree between various religious denominations.

Animosity towards Catholics of Jewish origin was displayed in 1995, when Cardinal [[Jean-Marie Lustiger]] visited Israel and the Chief Rabbi [[Yisrael Meir Lau]] publicly accused him of betraying the Jewish people.<ref>{{cite web |last=Harris |first=Ben |url=http://www.jta.org/news/article/2007/08/06/103467/lustigerjews |title=Lustiger: a friend and puzzle to Jews |publisher=Jta.org |date=6 August 2007 |accessdate=6 January 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120927175750/http://www.jta.org/news/article/2007/08/06/103467/lustigerjews |archivedate=27 September 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/1995/04/26/new-controversy-swirls-around-jewish-cardinal/ |title=New controversy swirls around Jewish cardinal |publisher=Articles.baltimoresun.com |date=26 April 1995 |access-date=6 January 2012}}</ref>

Vatican attitudes towards Israeli Catholics of Jewish origin have also shifted. From 1955, unofficial communities began celebrating the Mass in Hebrew with official Vatican endorsement.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.catholic.co.il/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=30%3Achronology-a-1947-1965&catid=7%3Aour-history&Itemid=12&lang=en |title=Chronology of the Hebrew Catholic community in Israel until 1965 |publisher=Catholic.co.il |date=14 December 2007 |accessdate=6 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131018155139/http://www.catholic.co.il/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=30%3Achronology-a-1947-1965&catid=7%3Aour-history&Itemid=12&lang=en |archive-date=2013-10-18 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The number of Israeli Catholics of non-Arab origin increased during the 1990s, due primarily to immigration from the former Soviet Union. As a result, the Vatican changed its policies in 2003, for the first time ordaining [[Jean-Baptiste Gourion]] as [[Auxiliary Bishop]] to overlook the Hebrew Catholic community in Israel.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.zenit.org/article-22834?l=english |title=Israel's Hebrew-Speaking Catholics: Interview With Father David Neuhaus |publisher=Zenit.org |date=8 June 2008 |accessdate=6 January 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120927020453/http://www.zenit.org/article-22834?l=english |archivedate=27 September 2012 }}</ref> The appointment of [[David Neuhaus]] as vicar upon Gourion's death in 2003, however, is not in conformity with the importance that the Holy See ostensibly attributes to the newly emerging community.{{Opinion|date=March 2021}} On the other hand, Neuhaus did participate in the Synod for Middle Eastern clergy as a special invitee of the Pope, and Hebrew – for the first time ever – was one of the official languages in which [[Radio Vatican]] covered the event.

From 2017 to 2021, Father [[Rafic Nahra]] was the patriarchal [[vicar]] for Hebrew-speaking Catholics.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.lpj.org/bishops-and-vicars/vicar-for-hebrew-speaking-catholics/ | title=Rafic Nahra new patriarchal vicar for Hebrew-speaking Catholics | access-date=2019-10-18 | archive-date=2018-05-17 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180517082034/https://www.lpj.org/bishops-and-vicars/vicar-for-hebrew-speaking-catholics/ | url-status=dead }}</ref>

Since August 2021, [[Piotr Zelazko]] is the new vicar for Hebrew-speaking Catholics.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lpj.org/archives/new-priests-assignments-in-the-latin-patriarchate-of-jerusalem-2021.html|title = New priests' assignments in the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem 2021}}</ref>

==References==
*Friedman, Elias (1987). ''Jewish Identity''. New York: The Miriam Press. {{ISBN|0-939409-003}}(HB), {{ISBN|0-939409-01-1}}(PB).
*Stern, Rafael. (1978) "El credo que ha dado razón a mi vida" {{ISBN|84-330-0400-X}} (in Spanish language)
*David Paul Drach. (1835) "De L'harmonie Entre L'église Et La Synagogue Ou Perpétuité Et Catholicité De La Religion Chrétienne"(in French language)
*Gamboa, Richard "Reviviendo los huesos secos" (no ISBN) (in Spanish language)

==Citations==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.catholic.co.il/ Hebrew Speaking Catholic Vicariate in Israel (Hebrew, English, French, Russian and Italian)]
*[http://www.hebrewcatholic.org The Association of Hebrew Catholics]
*[https://archive.today/20121229234518/http://www.hebreoscatolicos.com.ar/ AHC Hebreos Católicos de Argentina]
*[https://hebreoscatolicos.blogspot.com/ Asociación de Católicos de Carisma Hebraico y de Tradición Hebrea, Maracay, Venezuela] A Spanish Site
*{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20071018205812/http://israelcatholic.com/ Catholics for Israel]}} Catholics for Israel and Catholics in Israel committed in fostering dialog and friendship between Jews and Catholics
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20120422110953/http://www.catholim.com/ Hebrew speaking Catholics in Israel (Hebrew)] Portal Notzri Qatholi
*[http://www.remnantofisrael.net Remnant of Israel (Mark Drogin)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080214225701/http://www.remnantofisrael.net/ |date=2008-02-14 }}
*[https://www.salvationisfromthejews.com/ Salvation is From the Jews (Roy Schoeman)]
*[https://secondexodus.com/ Second Exodus (Marty Barrack)]
*[https://www.angelfire.com/ny/Yeshuaslight/ Yeshua's Light]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20091027045537/http://mx.geocities.com/movimientojc  Rakhem Adonay - Católicos Hebreos - Hebrew Catholics (Spanish and English)]
*[http://www.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fhebreus-catolicos.blogspot.com%2F&langpair=pt|en&en=pt&en=UTF8/ Hebreus-Católicos] A Portuguese blog, with English version.
{{Christianity in Israel}}
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