▁Francis ▁arrived ▁in ▁Jordan , ▁at ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁a ▁tour ▁of ▁the ▁Middle ▁East , ▁" a im ing ▁to ▁boost ▁t ies ▁with ▁Muslim s ▁and ▁Jews ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁eas ing ▁an ▁age - old ▁r ift ▁within ▁Christian ity ". ▁ ▁In ▁a ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁survey , ▁Francis ▁was ▁viewed ▁favor ably ▁by ▁almost ▁two - third s ▁of ▁Jews , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁major ities ▁of ▁Protest ants ▁and ▁the ▁ir rel ig ious ; ▁minor ities ▁of ▁Buddh ists ▁and ▁Muslim s ▁had ▁favor able ▁views ▁of ▁him . ▁ ▁J uda ism ▁ ▁Berg og lio ▁has ▁close ▁t ies ▁to ▁the ▁Jewish ▁community ▁of ▁Argentina , ▁and ▁attended ▁Ros h ▁Hash an ah ▁( J ew ish ▁new ▁year ) ▁services ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁at ▁a ▁syn agog ue ▁in ▁Buenos ▁Aires . ▁He ▁told ▁the ▁Jewish ▁con greg ation ▁during ▁his ▁visit ▁that ▁he ▁went ▁to ▁the ▁syn agog ue ▁to ▁examine ▁his ▁heart , ▁" like ▁a ▁pil gr im , ▁together ▁with ▁you , ▁my ▁elder ▁brothers ". ▁After ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁A MI A ▁bomb ing ▁of ▁a ▁Jewish ▁Community ▁Center ▁that ▁killed ▁ 8 5 ▁people , ▁Berg og lio ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁public ▁figure ▁to ▁sign ▁a ▁pet ition ▁condem ning ▁the ▁attack ▁and ▁calling ▁for ▁justice . ▁Jewish ▁community ▁leaders ▁around ▁the ▁world ▁noted ▁that ▁his ▁words ▁and ▁actions ▁" show ed ▁solid ar ity ▁with ▁the ▁Jewish ▁community