The first Jew to address a Vatican synod told the gathering yesterday that Jews "cannot forgive and forget" that some major religious leaders during the Second World War did not speak out against the Holocaust.

Rabbi Shear-Yashuv Cohen's words, spoken in the presence of Pope Benedict, were a clear reference to wartime Pope Pius XII, who many Jews say did not do enough to help them.

"We cannot forget the sad and painful fact of how many, including great religious leaders, didn't raise their voice in the effort to save our brethren but chose to keep silent and helped secretly. We cannot forgive and forget it," said Cohen, the chief rabbi of Haifa in Israel, in unprepared remarks at the end of his address.

Last month Benedict forcefully defended Pius, saying he "spared no effort" on behalf of Jews during the war.

Some Jews maintain Pius did not do enough to save Jews. The Vatican says he worked behind the scenes to help because more direct intervention would have worsened the situation.

Cohen, 80, told Reuters he might have stayed away if he had known the gathering co-incided with ceremonies on Thursday to honour Pius on the 50th anniversary of his death.

"He (Pius) may have helped in secrecy many of the victims and many of the refugees but the question is 'Could he have raised his voice and would it have helped or not?' " Cohen said.

"We, as the victims, feel yes. I am not empowered by the families of the millions of deceased to say 'We forget, we forgive.' "

Cohen also appealed to the synod to denounce Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who made another virulent anti-Israel speech last month at the United Nations.

© The Gazette (Montreal) 2008