The relations between Pope Benedict XVI and Judaism remained fairly good, although concerns were raised by Jewish leaders over the political impact of Traditionalists in the Church during the papacy of Benedict.
Election
When Benedict ascended to the Papacy his election was welcomed by the Anti-Defamation League who noted "his great sensitivity to Jewish history and the Holocaust". However, his election received a more reserved response from the United Kingdom's Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks who hoped that Benedict would "continue along the path of Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II in working to enhance relations with the Jewish people and the State of Israel." The Foreign Minister of Israel also offered more tentative praise, though the Minister believed that "this Pope, considering his historical experience, will be especially committed to an uncompromising fight against anti-Semitism."
Cologne synagogue
Shortly after his election the Pontiff visited the Cologne synagogue where, speaking to Jewish leaders, he condemned Nazi ideology as "insane" and committed to strengthening ties of "friendship" between the Catholic Church and Jews. However, despite much praise from Jewish leaders across Europe, Benedict received criticism from Israel for not "singling out the Jewish state as a victim of terrorism."
Auschwitz
In 2006 Pope Benedict visited Auschwitz where he recounted the vital historical tie between Christianity and Judaism. The Pope said the Nazis' aim was "By destroying Israel, they ultimately wanted to tear up the tap root of the Christian faith and to replace it with a faith of their own invention". While the visit was received as a warm gesture, one Rabbi noted "Will it make any difference to Jewish-Catholic relations?...No, because Jewish-Catholic relations anyway are no longer based upon our view of the past but on the nature of relations in the present, and from that perspective Benedict XVI is as good as it gets."
First 100 days
According to rabbi Gary Bretton-Granatoor, the "first 100 days" in the papacy of Benedict XVI were good for the Jews. Rabbi Bretton-Granatoor wrote that the facts on the ground are all that's needed to show that the improvement of relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the Jews—begun 40 years ago with the Second Vatican Council and a major legacy of Pope John Paul II—would continue during the tenure of the new pontiff.
Scholarly relationship with Jacob Neusner
Rabbi Jacob Neusner has written a number of works exploring the relationship of Judaism to other religions. His A Rabbi Talks with Jesus (Philadelphia, 1993; translated into German, Italian, and Swedish) attempts to establish a religiously sound framework for Judaic-Christian interchange. Neusner has earned the praise of Pope Benedict XVI and the nickname of "Pope's Favorite Rabbi". In his book Jesus of Nazareth, Benedict refers to it as "by far the most important book for the Jewish-Christian dialogue in the last decade."
US Synagogue
Despite deteriorating relations the Vatican claimed it was still dedicated to dialogue with the Jewish faith, and in what was called an "unprecedented outreach effort" Benedict visited Park East Synagogue in New York City, the United States, on the eve of Passover 2008. Rabbi Arthur Schneier, the leader of Park East, stated that the Pope's visit was a "tangible expression of his [the Pope] outreach to the largest Jewish community in the world outside of Israel. ...The very clear message is that Jews and Catholics and Christians, we are in the same boat, we have common concerns for humanity."
Pius XII
However, shortly after the Pope's visit to America speculation arose that the Pontiff intended to accelerate the canonization process of World War II pope Pius XII. Pius XII's role in the Second World War had been an underlying issue in Catholic-Jewish relations throughout Benedict's papacy, and indeed that of John Paul II. Many believe that Pius turned a blind eye to the Holocaust and did not confront Hitler's policies. Jewish groups across the world began to condemn Pius XII and any attempts to canonize him. Despite Jewish opposition Benedict maintained support for Pius XII, saying that the wartime pontiff "acted in a secret and silent way because, given the realities of that complex historical moment, he realised that it was only in this way that he could avoid the worst and save the greatest possible number of Jews."