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Pioneer Efforts in South America: Brazil and Argentina
Joanina Schlesinger, Maria Lucia Sampaio Pinto, Giselda Rollemberg da Foinseca, Marta Bauchwitz
This brief report only begins to open a window to the early and very noteworthy efforts in Christian-Jewish relations in South America. It briefly introduces us to two Brazilian pioneers in the Dialogue and to the small group of persons responsible for bringing to birth the Confraternidad Judeo-Cristiana de la Republica Argentina in 1958.
Hugo Schlesinger
Hugo Schlesinger was born in Biala/Bielsko in Poland in 1920 and died in Sao Paulo in 1996. He began his studies in economics in the land of his birth and moved on to continue them in Cracow. In 1939 he left Poland by way of Hungary, Yugoslavia and Italy, taking an active part in the allied army during the war.
Already prior to the war, in Cracow, Hugo wrote for various newspapers. He continued this effort in several European countries during the war eventually becoming "war correspondent" in Italy. It was in this capacity that he participated in the Nuremberg Trials and in the Peace Conference of Paris. After arriving in Brazil following the war in 1946 he continued writing columns for various newspapers as a freelance writer. In 1965 he was honored with a medal, the Medalha Hipólito José da Costa, from the International Association of the Press. With both his intellect and his pen he served this profession as his vocation until the end of his life.
Hugo received several national and international distinctions. Among many others these included: member "emeritus" of the Casa de Cultura de Israel; president for several terms of the Confraternity of B'nai B'rith; president of the Fritz Pinkus Foundation. He was also part of the directorship of the Centro cultural Brasil-Israel. In the area of Jewish-Christian relations he was co-president for three consecutive terms of Conselho de Fraternidade Cristão-Judaico (the Council of Christian-Jewish Relations), and was part of the Comissão Nacional do Diálogo Religioso Católico-Judaico, da CNBB (the National Commission of Catholic-Jewish Dialogue, of CNBB)1.
Schlesinger authored several interesting works including: Pequeno ABC do Pensamento Judaico (Mini ABC of Jewish Thought), Raízes Judaicas do Cristianismo (Jewish Roots of Christianity), and Pequeno vocabulário do Judaísmo (Mini Lexicon on Judaism). As President of the National Human Rights Commission of B'nai B'rith he was part of the founding group of Fórum Brasileiro de Religiões (the Brazilian forum of Religions). With P. Humberto Porto he co-authored such important works as Os Papas e os Judeus (The Popes and the Jews), Anatomia do Antisemitismo (Anatomy of Antisemitism) and Jesus era Judeu (Jesus was a Jew). These constituted a trilogy on interreligious dialogue. He also co-authored the Dicionário Enciclopédico das Religiões (Dictionary Encyclopedia of Religions) edited in 1996.
The activities as well as the many written contributions of Hugo Schlesinger serve to place him among the pioneers of Christian-Jewish Dialogue in Brazil.
Isabel Sampaio Wilken, NDS, 1913-1991
Making profession in the Congregation of Our Lady of Sion in 1937, Isabel Sampaio Wilken consecrated fifty-four years of her life to the ideal proposed to the Religious of Sion by their founder, Theodore Ratisbonne: "Souls consecrated to the work of Sion must be filled with a great generosity, a spirit of sacrifice and joy." Isabel realized this ideal and transmitted it to all those among whom she lived and worked. Her spirit of sacrifice expressed itself in the various undertakings to which she was called.
She was a member and the first treasurer of the Council of the Christian-Jewish Confraternity of São Paulo. In 1969 she became Council secretary and remained in this position until the end of her life, accomplishing much remarkable work in this capacity. In her relationships with Christians of other denominations as well as in her relationships with Jews, she manifested a warmth and understanding which attracted all whom she encountered. The Confraternity of São Paulo wistfully remembers her contribution as a member of the editorial team of the review Encontro (Encounter), of the collection Estudos (Works), and of the information bulletin Caminhemos Juntos (Let Us Walk Together). She also helped organize a specialized library for the Dialogue. She was a member of the Ecumenical Commission and Religious Dialogue of the Archdiocese of São Paulo, as well as a member of the National Commission of Catholic-Jewish Dialogue of the CNBB. She was responsible for numerous evening courses on subjects related to the Dialogue, and for articles in specialized publications, among them several Jewish reviews.
To enable her to contribute effectively to the charism of the Congregation of Sion Isabel received valuable intellectual preparation: a Licenciada em Letras (License of Letters) with specialization in Latin and Greek, and a certificate in oriental languages. She studied Hebrew in Israel, and followed a Hebrew course at the University of São Paulo under the direction of Rabbi Fritz Pinkus. With the help of priests, religious and lay persons she herself provided Hebrew correspondence courses for Jews and Christians.
Sr. Isabel travelled to Israel several times, in 1983, 1987, 1989. She enthusiastically and effectively participated in the 1986 international meeting of ICCJ in Madrid, Toledo,and Salamanca at which Christians, Jews and Muslims worked together, energized by the power and inspiration of God. At their final assembly they recalled the words of Pope John Paul II - "Discover your origins. Revive your roots. Reconstruct spiritual unity in a climate filled with respect for other religions." - words which aptly describe the life of this Brazilian pioneer in Christian-Jewish relations.
Founders of the Confraternidad Judeo-Cristiana de la Republica Argentina
On September 3, 1958 three persons representing Catholicism, Judaism and Protestantism came together to help promote understanding and friendship among people of different faiths in the Republic of Argentina. This effort was initiated by the Catholic priest, Dr. Carlos Cuchetti, who was joined by the Grand Rabbi, Dr. William Schlesinger, and the Protestant Pastor, Dr. Adam E. Sosa. In this simple manner the Confraternidad Judeo-Cristiana de la Republica Argentina was born, following trails already blazed by illustrious persons and institutions in Europe and North America.
As expressed by Jacques Maritain, nothing is farther from the goals of the Confraternidad than achieving a syncretism which tends to suppress that which separates us. On the contrary, a full and clear understanding of our differences continues to serve as the foundation of the friendship and common intentions which were initiated by the Confraternidad in 1958. It continues these goals today in its efforts to help spread throughout the world the ethical principles of Judaism and Christianity. *
* This brief report was prepared with the help of the wife of Hugo Schlesinger, Janina Schlesinger of São Paulo; Maria Lucia Sampaio Pinto and Ir Giselda Rollemberg da Fonseca of São Paulo; and Sor Marta Bauchwitz of Buenos Aires. Their contributions were translated from Portuguese and Spanish.
