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Editorial
The Editors

The central theme of this issue of SIDIC is the Talmud. It is, of course, impossible to treat the Talmud in any adequate way in the few articles of a periodical. We have nevertheless ventured to say something about it in the following pages - for several reasons.
The Talmud has played and still plays an essential role in Jewish life. On the other hand it has been almost completely unknown in the Christian world except by a few people, many of whom misquoted and misused its passages, accusing the Jews of the most abominable crimes. History reveals a great deal about the attitude of Christian authorities toward this collection of rabbinic writings. Falsifications and burnings of the Talmud were prominent among anti-Jewish measures. For most Christians even today the Talmud is a closed book.
The articles in this issue of SIDIC hope to show some of the richness, the depth and the beauty of the Talmud. They outline both its growth and its importance for Jewish life, as well as the surprising discovery of its study and its value for Christians. We are most grateful to all those who contributed to making this issue a real source of knowledge and deeper understanding between Christians and Jews.
We have been following with great concern and distress the events of the latest war between Israel and several Arab States which was started on the very day of Yom Kippur. Jews and Christians alike have sent us letters expressing their feeling of regret. We deeply share these feelings and pray with profound desire that the new sufferings and almost universal injustices may be surmounted, that conditions may be created in which Israel and her Arab neighbors may live at peace and develop in fruitful collaboration.