Home page News
His Holiness Patriarch Kirill meets with Russia’s Chief…

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill meets with Russia’s Chief Rabbi Berel Lazar

On 28 October 2016, at the Patriarchal residence in St Daniel’s Monastery in Moscow, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia met with the Chief Rabbi of Russia, Berel Lazar, and Mr. Alexander Boroda, chairman of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia.

Representing the Russian Orthodox Church at the meeting were also Archimandrite Philaret (Bulekov), vice-chairman of the Department for External Church Relations, and Rev. Dimitry Safonov, DECR secretary for inter-religious relations.

Greeting the guests, His Holiness noted that he rated highly the level of cooperation between the Moscow Patriarchate and the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia. “We maintain very good cooperation on many issues at the level of the Interreligious Council. We hold the same views on the majority of the issues, basing ourselves on the Biblical moral principles,” His Holiness said.

The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church emphasized that the defence of moral life, of people’s spiritual life was the task of all traditional religions.

Rabbi Berel Lazar thanked His Holiness Patriarch Kirill for the meeting and said in particular, “We appreciate your openness, understanding and friendship, because you, indeed, set an example and, as a spiritual person, always find the right decision.”

According to the Chief Rabbi of Russia, many of today’s problems in the world are seen in the context of inter-ethnic and inter-religious conflicts. “Terrorism always finds justification for itself in religion. We always say that it is not religion; it is against religion,” Rabbi Berel Lazar said.

As he noted, today the ideas of inter-ethnic peace and inter-religious accord are becoming firmly established in the Russian society. “I think it happens thanks to you, to a large extent, and we are very grateful for that. We are glad that we can discuss with you various issues and promote cooperation with the Russian Orthodox Church,” he continued.

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill said in response, “Thank you for your kind words. All that has been achieved in inter-confessional relations is the fruit of our joint efforts.”

According to His Holiness, it is necessary to help people of different nationalities and religious traditions feel comfortable in Russia and express their religious feelings in accordance with their tradition.

The participants in the meeting discussed various aspects of inter-religious cooperation in Russia, including the activities of the Inter-Religious Council of Russia, the promotion of theology as a branch of science, and the defence of traditional moral values.

Patriarchal Press Service

DECR Communication Service

Share:
His Holiness Patriarch Kirill meets with Honorary Chair of Japan’s Sasakawa Peace Foundation

21.09.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill takes part in the closing ceremony of VIII Congress of the Leaders of World and Traditional Religions

18.09.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill meets with religious leaders on the sidelines of the Congress in Astana

18.09.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill meets with His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem

17.09.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill meets with Russia’s Ambassador to Kazakhstan Alexey Borodavkin

17.09.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill speaks at the opening of the VIII Congress of the Leaders of World and Traditional Religions

17.09.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill sends greetings to Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi on his 75th birthday

17.09.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill meets with President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev

17.09.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill meets with the Ambassador of Turkey to Russia

02.09.2025

Visit of Deans of the Patriarchal Exarchate of Africa to Russia concludes

01.09.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill meets with delegation of the Patriarchal Exarchate of Africa

27.08.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill celebrates All-Night Vigil in Cathedral of Christ the Saviour on the eve of Dormition

27.08.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill congratulates MGIMO rector Anatoly Torkunov on his 75th birthday

26.08.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill holds prayer service ahead of Russia-US Presidents' meeting in Alaska

15.08.2025

Meeting of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill with the President of the Lao People's Democratic Republic takes place

30.07.2025

DECR chairman concludes his visit to Northern Iraq

02.10.2025

Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk meets with Hierarch of the Syriac Orthodox Church

01.10.2025

DECR Chairman meets in Erbil with Director for the Preservation of Assyrian Cultural Heritage

01.10.2025

Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk meets Prime Minister of Iraqi Kurdistan

30.09.2025

Metropolitan Anthony meets with Russia’s Consul General in Erbil

29.09.2025

Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk meets with the Primate of the Assyrian Church of the East

29.09.2025

DECR chairman meets with Minister of Endowment and Religious Affairs of Kurdistan Region of Iraq

29.09.2025

Metropolitan Anthony meets with the Head of the Council of Ulema of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq

29.09.2025

DECR Chairman meets with representatives of Christian communities of Iraq

28.09.2025

Metropolitan Anthony meets with the Head of the Department of Foreign Relations of the Kurdistan Regional Government

28.09.2025

Metropolitan Anthony takes part in the Assyrian Church of the East Conference dedicated to the First Ecumenical Council

28.09.2025

DECR Chairman meets with the Primate and Members of the Synod of the Assyrian Church of the East

28.09.2025

Visit of the DECR Chairman to Northern Iraq begins

28.09.2025

Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolasmk leads patronal celebrations at the Church of the Renewal of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Danilovskaya Sloboda

26.09.2025

DECR chairman meets with Israel’s ambassador to Russia

25.09.2025

Metropolitan Hilarion: Many things in a person's life depend on faith

29.08.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: The Holy Spirit is the main treasure of the Christian soul

01.08.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: Holiness is a constant striving to imitate the Lord Jesus Christ

27.06.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: God does not want to condemn, but to save us

07.03.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: The Lord always grants to us the opportunity to display our talents

24.01.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: The Lord has imbued the waters of Jordan with his divine presence to wash away human sins

19.01.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: to repent means to change your way of life

17.01.2021

On commemoration day of St. Catherine, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk officiated at the Church of St. Catherine the Great Martyr In-the-Fields  the representation of the Orthodox Church in America

07.12.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: We can always show compassion for people

29.11.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion celebrates on commemoration day of St. Varlaam of Khutyn at the church of ‘Joy to All the Afflicted’ icon of the Mother of God

19.11.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: We should remember that the life of each human being is in the hands of God

06.11.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: For God there is nothing impossible

25.10.2020

Metropoplitan Hilarion: The cross which was an instrument of dishonourable execution becomes the symbol of salvation for millions of people

27.09.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: Eucharist is the wedding feast, to which Lord Jesus Christ invites each of us

13.09.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: Faith alone is not enough for salvation

30.08.2020

Page is available in the following languages
Feedback

Fields marked by * are mandatory required

Send a message
Рус Укр Eng Deu Ελλ Fra Ita Бълг ქარ Срп Rom عرب