Rabbi Abraham Skorka’s informative and thought-provoking piece published in the Italian edition of L' Osservatore Romano on April, 17 links ancient traditions to urgent contemporary challenges facing countries and societies. The Catholic Church Jubilee call for action in 2025 reflects the spirit of the ancient Jubilee traditions of social justice and they link Jewish and Christian traditions. How far can and will this ancient wisdom and call for justice and fairness speak to finance gurus gathered in Washington during the week of April 21 for the annual Spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank? And later in the year when G20 leaders gather in South Africa?
In the many discussions that Rabbi Skorka and Pope Francis had when the Pope was Archbishop of Buenos Aires, the core notions of Leviticus 25.9 were a recurring theme.
The biblical book of Leviticus in chapter 25, Skorka writes, describes “the society that the people of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (or Israel) were to form when they reached the land promised to their forebears. Each family group was to be allotted a non-transferable plot of land; it could be leased but not sold. The land was to be cultivated for six years and left to rest in the seventh year, known as Shemitah. After seven cycles of Shemitah, or in the fiftieth year, the Jubilee Year or Yovel occurred. In that year, all plots of land were to be returned to their original owners and any leases would expire.”
And a special tradition demands further that after 50 years: “You shall proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you: you shall return, every one of you, to your property and every one of you to your family.” (Leviticus 25:10)
The Jubilee call and system, Skorka writes, aimed to prevent the emergence of large estates, which often relied on cheap labor or slavery, and also to promote care for the earth. In Leviticus 25 “the themes of environmental stewardship and social justice intertwine regarding the Jubilee Year.” The Jubilee tradition is linked to Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement). “The announcement of the Jubilee was to be made by blowing a ram's horn (shofar) to signify its beginning and to proclaim the liberation of slaves and the sanctity of that year.” The Hebrew yovel means ram, “which can be understood from the references in Joshua 6:4-5 to be associated with the shofar. In fact, yovel has become equivalent with shofar, a loud blast of which accompanied the revelation of God at Sinai and the giving of the Torah (Exodus 19:19).
Skorka highlights that the presence of synonymous words—Yovel / Shofar—in the regulations of the Jubilee Year and in the account of the giving of the Torah suggests a parallel between the two. “Yom Kippur is a significant and unique moment in the Hebrew calendar, marking a time when God forgives the transgressions of the people, who, by their repentance, turn back to God. It is through God's forgiveness that individuals find purification, achieved after reconciling with those they have offended, mistreated, or harmed. The Jubilee points to a society of justice and respect for God's work, essential elements of the teachings (Torah) revealed by God at Sinai, which constantly challenge us. The voice of the Yovel / Shofar still claims our human attention.”
The Catholic Church adapted the practice of observing Jubilee Years beginning in 1300, under Pope Boniface VIII (the Book of Leviticus is a canonical scripture in its “Old Testament). Now, the Church marks an ordinary Jubilee Year every 25 years. On Christmas Eve 2024, Pope Francis ceremonially launched the current, 2025 Catholic Jubilee Year with the theme “Pilgrims of Hope.” Echoing Jewish spiritual feelings on Yom Kippur, Francis said that the Catholic Jubilee Year ‘is a summons not to tarry, to be kept back by our old habits, or to wallow in mediocrity or laziness.’ Rather, he said, Catholics should be “pilgrims of light amid the darkness of this world.’”
Rabbi Skorka reflects on the meaning and challenge of these traditions in today’s fractured world, “where tensions, fanaticism, hatred, and irrationality dominate? Wars provoke uncontrolled passions that cloud judgment, disrupting the balance needed for thoughtful action and evaluation. Values such as mercy, common sense, justice, and spirituality are dramatically diminished. So-called leaders and social commentators often selfishly heighten tensions and violence instead of seeking solidarity and understanding. The channels of dialogue between peoples, cultures, and religions have been severely damaged, but Jews and Christians cannot allow them to be yet further victims among the countless others afflicted by conflict.”
Skorka’s conclusion? “The Jubilee of Hope celebrated this year by the Catholic community can serve as a valuable source of inspiration for reconciliation among people everywhere. As Pope Francis has said of the Catholic faithful, the Jubilee "calls us to spiritual renewal and commits us to the transformation of our world, so that this year may truly become a time of jubilation."
Editor's Note: This post was originally published by the G20 Interfaith Forum and is reproduced here with permission.
