Manhattan rabbi knighted by Pope Francis looks forward to his New York City visit

NEW YORK (WABC) -- In two weeks, Pope Francis arrives in New York City, and it's not just the Catholic faithful looking forward to the visit.

A rabbi from the Upper East Side has actually been knighted by the pope and has a long history with the Vatican.

He spoke to us about what he thinks the visit means for the Jewish community.

Pointing out his welcome to Pope Francis at the wall in Jerusalem, Rabbi Arthur Schneier stood in front of his own wall, of sorts, covered with papal pictures...because after all, he's met every pope since Paul VI.

Rabbi Schneier is a Holocaust survivor who's worked closely with the Vatican for decades now.

"John Paul openly declared, 'Jews are my big brother', condemning anti-Semitism wherever he went. So did Pope Francis," said Rabbi Schneier.

In fact the rabbi's congregation at Park East Synagogue on the Upper East Side hosted the very first papal visit to a synagogue from Pope Benedict XVI back in 2008.

And two weeks from now when Pope Francis comes to New York City, the rabbi will meet with him twice, once at the U.N., but also at the World Trade Center site.

And on the eve of 9/11, Rabbi Schneier is confident the pope's message will resonate with New York's Jewish community as well.

"And you need a religious leader, I wish there would be more, to come forward as a counterforce to these radicals. He has and he will," he said.

The rabbi also says it's very significant that the pope is coming here on Yom Kippur, the holiest of days on the Jewish calendar, because it's a time when so many people feel closer to God.

"Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is really to be at one with God, and to be at one with your fellow human being," said Rabbi Schneier.

And from his hand in helping with the release of political prisoners to his visit to Jerusalem, this pope's message ... "co-existence ... peaceful coexistence ... inclusiveness," the rabbi said, is one he hopes New Yorkers won't soon forget.