Many years ago at the Vatican, the Pope and the Cardinals held a meeting. "They just have to go. Vatican City is for Catholics, the Jews must leave." All agreed that the Jews would be told to leave, but the problem was none of them spoke Hebrew. The Pope himself says that he will meet with the head rabbi, and try to communicate using sign language.
Shortly thereafter, the Pope enters a meeting room with a table in the center. The head rabbi enters through another door, and both sit, staring across the table at each other. Finally, the Pope begins, raising his hand, with 3 fingers up. The Rabbi looks at him perplexed, but then responds by raising his hand with one finger pointed up.
The Pope seems surprised, thinks for a moment, then sweeps his arms in a big circle, as if parting the air in front of him. The rabbi turns his finger downward and taps the table in front of him.
The Pope is taken aback by this, but then takes out wine and bread and partakes of them both. The rabbi opens up a bag pulls out an apple, and takes a bite. The Pope leans back in his chair, gives a thoughtful smile, and stands up and leaves. The Rabbi shrugs and heads back out his door.
"Well, did you communicate to them that they must leave?" the cardinals ask. "No, no," the Pope replied, "we can't make them leave! They are such sincere people." "What do you mean?" they all ask. The Pope explained their conversation: "I said to him, God is Three. (Gently raising 3 fingers to show them the signs he used.) He replied that God is also One. (Raising 1 finger) I said God is everywhere (gracefully waving his arms) and he responded that God is right here (pointing at table) I then took Holy Communion to show Christ's sacrifice for us and victory over sin. But he then ate an apple to remind me of all people's original sin!"
Upon hearing this, all the cardinals agreed that they should be allowed to stay, and to this day the Jews have never been asked to leave Vatican City again. Meanwhile, back at the Jewish community, all gather excitedly around the rabbi...
"Moishe, what did he tell you? Do we have to leave?" The rabbi finally gets the crowd to settle enough to be heard, then explains, "OY!, it was the most confusing meeting I've EVER been in! First he tells me, you have THREE DAYS to get out! (Shaking 3 fingers sternly in the air) I told him, WE'RE NOT LEAVING! (Shaking one finger angrily, the other Jews cheering him on.) He then told me, you MUST LEAVE the city (waving his arms rapidly) and I told him we're staying RIGHT HERE!!! (Rapping his finger loudly on the table, the cheers increasing.)"
"So you convinced him to let us stay?" one of the Jews interjects.
"I don't KNOW! This is what I'm TELLING you!!!"
"What do you mean Moishe? What happened next?"
"We broke for lunch!"
No comments, yet...