ROME (EJP)---Jewish community leaders from 13 Latin American countries were  received in private audience by Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican on Thursday.

In an address to the Pope, Jack Terpins, President of the Latin American Jewish Congress (LAJC), who led the Jewish delegation to the half-hour long meeting, highlighted the "close and fruitful” cooperation between Catholics and Jews in almost all Latin American countries. He said this cooperation was "an example not only of positive coexistence, but of friendship."

"Agreement among religions is not the only prerequisite but certainly means a major step forward. Together, we can send out a strong message to society at large, i.e. working to help the neediest and defending family, pluralism and democracy, always under the umbrella of the common values revered by our religious traditions," he said.

Terpins also expressed his appreciation at the fact that the Vatican had full diplomatic relations with Israel, "that 64-year-old, young state, in a changing world in which the old anti-Semitism is often disguised as anti-Zionism."

Also present at the meeting – the first of its kind - were World Jewish Congress (WJC) President Ronald S. Lauder, WJC Secretary General Dan Diker, and leaders of the Jewish communities of Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Panama, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela. 

"Today, relations between Jews and Catholics are better than at any time over the past 2,000 years, despite the occasional disagreement here or there. This is especially true in Latin America which is overwhelmingly Catholic. The enormous efforts Pope Benedict and his predecessor have invested are now paying off, and they have reduced tensions noticeably. We appreciate the hand of friendship which the Pope has again extended to the Jewish people," Lauder declared.