A Catholic Heart For Israel And The Jewish People: Reflections On Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur
I have been, and always will be, a fierce supporter and defender of Israel and the Jewish people. Unlike many, my commitment is not political: it is deeply personal and spiritual. As a Roman Catholic, my faith is rooted in the same soil from which Judaism blossomed. The story of the Jewish people is, in many ways, the foundation of my own. Each time I travel to Israel, each time I walk the streets of Jerusalem or stand upon the Galilee’s shores, I feel that profound connection—a bond of shared history, shared reverence, and shared faith in the G-d of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
But beyond history and politics, what inspires me most is the living tradition of the Jewish people today. I have a thirst to learn, to listen, and to be present with those who live out their faith with devotion. In the company of observant Jews, I have encountered not only rituals and customs but deep wells of wisdom and spirituality. To me, respect for these traditions is not just admiration from a distance, but a genuine desire to share in the rhythm of Jewish life and to carry its lessons into my own.
For Catholics, the Holy Land is sacred because it is where our Savior lived, preached, and gave His life. For Jews, it is the eternal homeland promised by G-d. Walking the streets of Jerusalem, I feel both my own faith and the continuity of the Jewish story intertwined. When I visit the Western Wall, I see not only the remnants of a Temple but the resilience of a people who have carried their faith across millennia of trials. My prayers there are Catholic, but they are also profoundly respectful of the Jewish longing for renewal and redemption.
It is in Israel that my respect and adoration for the Jewish people has deepened. Each stone, each sacred site, reminds me that Catholicism is not an isolated path but one that grows out of Judaism. In many ways, we are bound as brothers, separated by theology but united by reverence for the same G-d.
To me, respect for Judaism means more than tolerance. It means standing in awe of a faith that has sustained a people through exile, persecution, and revival. It means recognizing the beauty of Torah study, the rhythm of Shabbat, the sanctity of prayer, and the joy of festivals. I have sought to learn—from rabbis, friends, neighbors, and community leaders—not as a scholar, but as a brother.
There is something remarkable in the Jewish tradition: the ability to weave together everyday life and divine commandment. The dietary laws, the prayer shawl, the mezuzah on the door—each small act becomes a thread in a larger tapestry of holiness. As a Catholic, I am inspired by this discipline, by the way Jewish faith is not confined to a pew but lived at the table, the workplace, and the family home.
My thirst to learn is not idle curiosity; it is a desire to understand the heart of a people I admire. I want to enter respectfully into their world, not to claim it as my own, but to honor it for what it is—a unique and sacred calling.
Among the Jewish High Holidays, Rosh Hashanah speaks to me in a profound way. It is the Jewish New Year, a time of reflection, renewal, and hope. The sounding of the shofar—that piercing call of the ram’s horn—is not only a reminder to the Jewish people of their covenant with G-d but also a universal summons. It calls all of us, Jew and non-Jew alike, to awaken from complacency, to examine our lives, and to return to the path of righteousness.
I am struck by the sweetness of the customs—apples dipped in honey, prayers for a year of blessing. These symbols reflect something universal: the human desire for renewal, for a future brighter than the past. As a Catholic, I see in Rosh Hashanah a parallel to the seasons of Advent and Lent—times when we too prepare ourselves spiritually, seek forgiveness, and pray for new beginnings.
But what makes Rosh Hashanah extraordinary is its boldness in combining solemnity and joy. It acknowledges human frailty while also affirming divine mercy. To me, that balance is a lesson for all faiths: we must face our faults with honesty but also embrace the sweetness of G-d’s grace.
If Rosh Hashanah is the beginning of reflection, Yom Kippur is its culmination. It is the holiest day of the Jewish year, a day set aside for fasting, prayer, and atonement. On Yom Kippur, the Jewish people stand before G-d, stripped of distraction, humbled by repentance.
As a Catholic, I find in Yom Kippur echoes of our own practices of confession and penance. We too believe in the necessity of contrition, in the courage to admit sin and seek forgiveness. I reflect to confession inside the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Yom Kippur has a communal weight that is deeply moving. It is not merely about personal sin but about collective responsibility, about the entire people standing together before G-d.
I admire the discipline of the fast, the intensity of the prayers, the humility of the confessions. Yom Kippur reminds me that faith is not comfortable—it demands honesty, sacrifice, and courage. It challenges us to confront who we are, who we have been, and who we hope to become.
What resonates most with me in the High Holidays is not just their rituals but their universal themes. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur call us to repentance, forgiveness, and renewal. They remind us that life is fragile, time is precious, and each year is a gift.
In Catholicism, we too speak of repentance, of confession, of turning away from sin. We too seek renewal, forgiveness from G-d, and reconciliation with others. In this way, the Jewish High Holidays are not distant customs but familiar echoes. They remind me that our faith traditions, while distinct, share a deep moral and spiritual core.
As I reflect on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, I am filled with admiration for the Jewish people—for their resilience, their devotion, their faithfulness. I am humbled by the richness of their traditions and the depth of their spirituality.
As a Catholic, I do not claim these holidays as my own, but I cherish the chance to witness them, to learn from them, and to let them shape my own journey of faith. My respect for the Jewish people is not abstract; it is lived in my friendships, my travels, my prayers, and my public service.
Above all, my commitment to the Jewish people and to the State of Israel is unwavering. I will always stand ready—in word and in deed, at the podium and in the halls of government—to defend safety, dignity, and the right to exist in peace. Antisemitism has no place in our country or the world, and I will fight tirelessly against hatred, bigotry, and policies that threaten the Jewish community. My respect for Jewish tradition, my love for the Holy Land, and my deep friendships within the Jewish community compel me to act: to listen, to learn, and to push back against injustice wherever it appears. In solidarity and with humility, I pledge to continue building bridges between our faiths and to protect the Jewish people as an essential part of our shared moral and democratic fabric.
I vow to continue to learn, to honor, and to stand beside the Jewish people—in times of joy and in times of challenge. For in their story, I find not only the roots of my own faith but also a living testimony to G-d’s enduring covenant with His people.
May this Rosh Hashanah bring sweetness, and may this Yom Kippur bring forgiveness. And may the bonds of respect and friendship between Catholics and Jews continue to grow, for the sake of our faiths, our communities, and our shared humanity. Much love. nCongressman Anthony D’Esposito was nominated by President Donald Trump to serve as Inspector General of the Department of Labor. Previously, he served in Congress, representing New York’s 4th Congressional District. Anthony served as a Councilman in the Town of Hempstead after retiring from the NYPD as a highly decorated Detective. He also served as Chief of the Island Park Fire Department and helped lead the all-volunteer organization’s response to Super-Storm Sandy. The Congressman appears frequently on Fox News, Newsmax, ABC National News, and 77 WABC Sid and Friends in the Morning. To contact, email [email protected]
