Vatican Moves Jewish Studies Institute to Rome

VATICAN CITY — The Vatican will close its institute for Jewish studies in Jerusalem and transfer the program to a similar center at the Jesuit-run Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.

A statement in the Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano made no reference to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but cited “increasing financial problems of several years’ standing.”

It also said the move would give the Jewish studies program greater stability and visibility, and permit it to offer an academic degree.

Israeli academics had criticized plans for the move, calling it potentially harmful to Catholic-Jewish relations.

The statement -- signed by Cardinals Zenon Grocholewski, prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education, and Walter Kasper, president of the Commission for Religious Relations with Judaism -- called Judeo-Christian studies an “important commitment” growing out of the Second Vatican Council.