Paving the Way to Peace

removing obstacles between religious and initiating gestures of good will.

Pave the Way Foundation was founded in 2002 to initiate cultural, educational and technological exchanges between religions in order to build gestures of goodwill.

 

We identify non-theological obstacles in the diplomatic and political arena, unraveling and eliminating the barriers of disinformation that serve to stoke distrust between religions. Working quietly from behind the scenes we talk to people who will not talk to each other.

Embrace the Similarities – Savor the Differences

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9)

How we have made a difference….35 Years of Success 

International Media Coverage

 

For over 15 years we have worked to help Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, the hospital of St. Padre Pio, to negotiate their equipment needs from international medical manufacturers.

This hospital is a special institution, which serves the people of Europe. Through the leadership of the late champions of the hospital, Bishop Riccardo Ruotolo, Bishop Luigi Sposito and the devotion of Dott. Rolando Clementoni, we were able to enable it to become one of the best equipped hospitals in Europe, saving this Vatican owned facility over 17 million dollars.

The idea of Pave the Way Foundation began in 2002 with this historic visit to the VATICAN LIBRARY of prominent Jewish leaders from France, Israel, United States, and Italy.

The Vatican library is the largest repository world of medieval Hebrew manuscripts. We were asked by the Maimonides Research Institute of Haifa, Israel to obtain permission to view these priceless manuscripts. The event was historic because the text discovered was different than the known version of the Mishna Torah. This event “paved the way” to future historic and cultural gestures between Jews and Catholics and the inspiration to establish the “Pave the Way Foundation”.

Working since 2002, Pave the Way Foundation (PTWF) has helped finalize full diplomatic relations between Israel and the Holy See.

Documents ready for ratification will be resolving taxation and property issues and the legal status of the Holy See in Israel.

2005. PTWF initiated the interreligious gesture of the first loan in history from the Vatican Library to the State of Israel.

The Vatican library is the largest repository of medieval Hebrew manuscripts in the world. The Maimonides manuscripts are among the most important writings in Judaism. A most notable event in Jewish-Catholic relations.

2005. Sponsored projects to digitize the images of priceless manuscripts, including the Codex Vanicanus, the Centennial Doors of St. Peter’s Basilica, and 8,000 manuscripts for the Franciscan Custody in Israel.

PTWF identified donors to begin digitizing the Apostolic (Secret) Archives. These projects are essential for accurate historical educational and for preservation efforts for worldwide learning.

Since 2006 PTWF corrected and authenticated historical perspective of actions of the Holy See, during WWII by uncovering and amassing documents, eyewitness interviews and sponsoring symposia and exhibits in Rome, Paris, Dublin and at the United Nations

Photo: – Pope Pius XII is speaking to a young Jewish boy Heinz Wisla, loudly declaring “Always be proud to be a Jew” Jerusalem Post (Palestine Post) article of an April 28, 1941 audience

June 2006. Identified the private sale and donor to present the Bodmer Papyrus as a gift to the Vatican Library. Bodmer is the oldest known manuscript containing the Gospels of St. John and St. Luke.

Bodmer also contains the oldest written version of the Lord’s Prayer. Called by the Vatican “the most important manuscript in all of Christianity.”

2007. Pave the Way Foundation sponsors multiple events, which acknowledge the spirit of benevolence that truly exists between religions.

Pave the Way Foundation sponsored an event at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York, which acknowledged the benevolence between religions. “A Blessing to One Another: Pope John Paul II and The Jewish People.”

2009. PTWF interceded to define the action of Pope Benedict XVI, as he attempted to reach out to the 1970 breakaway, schismatic Society of Pius X, to bring them back to the Roman Catholic fold.

His Holiness lifted the ban of excommunication, decreed by the illicit ordination of bishops, which only allowed the Vatican to negotiate the return to church teachings. Many of the world’s religious leaders and organizations perceived that the Pope was lifting the ban against Richard Williamson, an illicitly ordained bishop who is an infamous Holocaust denier. This action raised major international concerns. Pave the Way Foundation immediately acted to advise the Vatican to issue a press release explaining to the public that the ban did not bring the group back to full communion with the Catholic Church

May 2012. PTWF intervened with through the Turkish Ambassadors for the EU, the United States and the United Nations with a letter addressed to the Prime Minister requesting the reopening of the Greek Orthodox Halki (Heybeliada) Seminary. In 1970 the Turkish government declared that the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople can on be a Turkish citizen. The government then closed the only Greek Orthodox Seminary in Turkey

Partial success- Islamic director in Turkey Mehmet Görmez stated: “ As the Religious Affairs Directorate, we see non-Muslim citizens living in Turkey as an integral part of this country. Regarding religious freedoms — freedom of religion, freedom to receive an education and the sacredness of places of worship — we demand for them the same rights that we demand for ourselves. We think it is a fundamental right for people from every ethnicity and religion not only in our country but also in every part of the world to practice their religion freely, educate their children in accordance with their beliefs and raise their own theologians,”

2015. Bringing international recognition of the Fatwa of the Prophet Muhammad, called The Covenants of Protection of Christians and Jews.

This fatwa, decreed by the Prophet Muhammad in 628 AD, has the same religious mandate as the Holy Quran, but is mostly unknown by the Muslim World.

2015. PTWF director for Germany, archival researcher, noted historian and author, Dr. Michael Hesemann, discovered countless documents in the Apostolic (Secret) Archives on the Vatican’s Attempt to end the Armenian Genocide by the Ottoman Turks.

Dr. Hesemann’s research unearthed these documents during his research of Eugenio Pacelli’s (future Pope Pius XII) effort to protect the Jews of Palestine from the fate suffered by the Armenians. This discovery led to the Armenian documents. Dr. Hesemann’s book the Vatican and the Armenians.

2016. Interceded, through the Knesset to the Israeli Prime Minister’s office, to lift the illegal seizures of bank accounts of Christian churches.

Until such time as schedules of taxable church owned entities are negotiated and agreed to, arbitrary bank account seizures for back taxes are not legal.

March 2017. When many nations were ignoring the persecution of Christians in radical countries, Israel quietly began “Operation Good Neighbour” to rescue persecuted Syrian Christians.

At the request of the Israeli government, PTWF purchased medications and baby formula needed for the Israeli rescue effort of the Syrian Christians.

2017. PTWF supplied protective vests for civilians guarding against snipers from Gaza.

The small yellow square shows a bullet hole in the donated vest, which saved this man’s life.

30 October 2019. Sandra Gering, and Pave the Way Foundation, presented Pope Francis with a replica of the English translation of the Tikkunei Zohar, an ancient sacred text of the Jewish Kabbalah

Pave the Way Foundation organized the trip to Rome to present the pope with a copy of a Jewish sacred text for part of the permanent collection of the Vatican Library. The Tikkunei Zohar replica was inside a silver encasement that was designed by Israeli artist Ghiora Aharoni. A tree of lights” LED display created by Leo Villareal, the cover of the book, and inside are illustrations of the Mother and Child, drawn by New York artist Ryan McGinness.

April 3-9, 2022. Pave the Way Foundation sponsored the Museum of Remembrance of the lifesaving efforts of the clergy and citizens of Assisi Italy during WWII.

The citizens and clergy saved over 300 persecuted Jews earning them 7 “Righteous Among Nations Awards” in recognition by the Holocaust Memorial Yad Vashem in Jerusalem, Israel. We held two museum exhibits one at Temple Israel of New Rochelle and the second at St. John’s University in Queens, NY. The delegation from Italy included Archbishop of Assisi Domenico Sorrentino, Canon of the Basilica of St. Francis Monsignor Anthony Figueiredo, Journalist and curator of the Museum Marina Rosati, Professor Johan Ickx , Archivist of the Vatican Secretary of State.

Pave The Way Foundation Projects & Actions

Projects of Pave the Way

Peace

Supporting inter-religious action that promotes peace through projects that can change the course of history.

Culture

Sending our message of benevolence through music, art and commemoration.

Education

Sponsoring international events, lectures and historic exhibits that encourage a scholarly approach to bringing the faithful together.

Technology

Implementing advanced medical and educational technologies to benefit all.

Obstacles & Controversy

Working to introduce a balanced and mindful dialogue to impact the obstacles that obstruct peace and positive relations amongst religions.

Charity & Commemoration

Projects of charity that give back.

Gary Krupp remembers Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI

PAVE THE WAY FOUNDATION HIGHLIGHTS

Remembering the Holocaust: The Documented Efforts of the Holy See and the Catholic Church to Save Lives (UN Web TV)

27 Jan 2020 – Event organized by the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See on the occasion of the commemoration of the International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

(A speech by Mr. Gary Krupp, Founder and President of the Pave the Way Foundation commences at the 9min mark.)

Sir Martin Gilbert- Distinguished British Historian.
Pope John Paul II Welcomes Pave the Way Foundation
Pope Benedict XVI response to the PTWF symposium

Some Wonderful remarks from our friends

It is with affection that I greet the members of the Pave the Way Foundation and I thank Mr. Krupp for the kind words which he has addressed to me on your behalf.
Pope John Paul II

January 18, 2005

His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI

“I am happy to meet with you at the conclusion of the important symposium organized by the Pave the Way Foundation. I know that many eminent scholars have participated in this reflection on the numerous works of my beloved predecessor – the Servant of God Pope Pius XII – accomplished during the difficult period around the time of the second world war. I warmly welcome each of you especially Mr Gary Krupp, President of the Foundation, whom I thank for the kind words expressed on your behalf. I am grateful to him for informing me how your work has been undertaken during the symposium. You have analyzed without bias the events of history and concerned yourselves only with seeking the truth. I also greet those accompanying you on this visit, as well as your family members and loved ones at home.”

ADDRESS OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE SYMPOSIUM ORGANIZED BY THE “PAVE THE WAY FOUNDATION”. Hall of the Swiss, Castel Gandolfo Thursday, 19 September 2008 

H.E. Ambassador Shmuel Hadas

First Israeli Ambassador to the Holy See.

“As the first Israeli Ambassador to the Holy See for Israel, I am keenly aware of the importance that the relations between Israel and the Holy See be strengthened. As many of the individual items you are working on may seem difficult, I encourage you to persevere in your efforts. The notion of arranging cultural exchanges as the exhibits you hope to launch here in Israel and the return of religious property to the Church, will most assuredly promote gestures of goodwill between the religions.”

Rabbi David Rosen

Signatory to the Alexandria Declaration and International Director of the American Jewish Committee

“I am sending you this letter of support to express my deep appreciation for your remarkable work to promote good relations and cooperation between the Holy See and the State of Israel. In particular your efforts to galvanize Israeli compliance with its commitments made in the Fundamental Agreement and to demonstrate gestures of good will to the Vatican are of enormous importance, both for the bilateral relations themselves and for Catholic- Jewish relations around the world.”

The Reverend Dr. David-Maria A. Jaeger, OFM

Official spokesperson for the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land

“Once more I feel impelled by events- this time happily positive developments-to express my profound gratitude and appreciation for the unique contribution you have been making with the Pave the Way Foundation, to securing onward progress in building up the relationship between the Catholic Church and the Jewish People. There are, of course, many organizations devoted to advancing Catholic Jewish dialogue and friendship. None, however, has equally grasped the indispensable requirement of a healthy relationship between the Church and the State of Israel”

Special thanks to PTWF director John Drexel IV for supporting our website upgrade.
With special thanks to Richard Torrenzano, The Torrenzano Group, for his guidance

 

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