WANNA-BE JEWS DEDICATE TORAH SCROLL

Many Jewish news outlets reported on a Torah dedication at Congregation Temple Bethel in Philadelphia. From the headlines you would think this was a normal Torah dedication at a Jewish synagogue.

Headline on ynetnews

African-American Jews gain acceptance
Congregation of African-American Jews in Philadelphia reaches out to broader Jewish community in bid to persuade Jews to break through racial division.

but here are some interesting excerpts from the article

The founder of Temple Beth'El, Louise Dailey, studied with a rabbi, but was not ordained by a recognized branch of Judaism. The synagogue has a kosher kitchen and a mikvah, or ritual bath, but Dailey also adopted some traditions that are alien to the ancient faith. Congregants called her "Mother Dailey," and she ordained Bowen, her daughter, before she died.

and

The ceremony was a mix of Hebrew readings and shouts of "Hallelujah!" — a worship style typical of African-American churches. The booming music came from what Christians would call a "praise band" — with electric guitars, drums and keyboard. There was a dress code — another unusual tradition for Jews — of blue, silver or white clothing. Bowen's garb was far from typical for a rabbi. She wore an elaborate, flowing white gown — like a wedding dress — with matching white shawl and a yarmulke.

The Jewish Exponent reported

At the start of the ceremony dedicating the congregation's new Sefer Torah, Rabbi Debra Bowen of Congregation Temple Beth'El in Philadelphia summed up the situation: "I'm beside myself, as are most of Congregation Temple Beth'El," she said. "We've been unable to sleep, unable to eat -- and our medical personnel have told us that we have 'Torah fever.' " Congregants of all ages came in droves for the big event at the largely African-American "Conservadox" shul in West Oak Lane.

But here are some telling excerpts from their article

When the congregation's response wasn't lively enough, Bowen reached into her soulful rabbinic arsenal for a guaranteed reaction: "I need to get some hallelujahs!" "This is how we daven!" exclaimed Bowen. The predominantly African-American synagogue occupies an unusual place in the Jewish communal landscape: a vibrant, lively Jewish congregation comprised of a population not traditionally thought of as Jewish.

The article claims the founder, Louise Elizabeth Dailey, converted to Judaism but the "shul's" website doesn't say anything about a conversion in the bio on Dailey. It does however say that Rabbi Debra A Bowen, who is Daily's daughter, received her ordination from her mother. According to the website, Dailey was a baptist (xian) non-Jew. She decided to call herself a Jew and teach others "Judaism". When she got a following she decided to buy a building and call it a "synagogue".
Congregation Temple Bethel runs a Hebrew Academy that teaches the New Testament along with Mishna and Talmud. The following is an excerpt from the website

The year 1995 was a milestone for Congregation Temple Beth `El. We were blessed with Rabbi Dahton Nasi as our Temple Rabbi who is an erudite scholar and a wonderfully warm and approachable person. Prior to his membership with Congregation Temple Beth`El, Rabbi Nasi served as Temple Rabbi and spiritual leader at Adath Emet Yisrael from 1962 to 1972. He received his rabbinical ordination documentation in 1962 after completing the required courses at a private university and at Rutgers College. Among his credentials beyond his Teudah at S'meechut is a Doctor of Divinity degree from the American Bible Institute. He also concentrated on such elective disciplines beyond his Rabbinic and Hebraic studies as counseling and applied psychology. Additional accomplishment of Rabbi Nasi is that he was founder and administrator of the Jehu S. Zebulun Hebrew School of Hebrew and Cognate Studies.

These people are not Jews. They are just observing another form of xianity mixed with Judaism. As if there weren't enough fake Jews around with the messianic Jews, Ephraimites, Hebrew roots xians, Netzarim, Black Hebrews/Israelites.

How does it happen?

These days you can never know for sure who it really is that is davening next to you in shul.

For Jerusalem's Hebrew-speaking Catholics, Jewish identity is cardinal

"...Neuhaus, the community's vicar, is a 46-year-old Jesuit priest raised as a Jew in South Africa. His path to Catholicism began when his parents sent him to study in a yeshiva in Jerusalem as a teenager. Neuhaus told of how in Jerusalem, he met a Russian-Orthodox nun related to the family of the last tsar of Russia, Nicholas II. "I was 15, and she was 89," Neuhaus carefully explained. "She had an incredible influence over me from a spiritual standpoint. She radiated the presence of God. Her influence raised many spiritual questions about my faith." Neuhaus promised his parents that he would discuss his religious direction with them and wait 10 years before making a final decision. He did as he promised, converting and becoming ordained at the age of 26.... "Many of our members attend synagogue as an act of solidarity."

An Enlightening Article

One insight into why our people are at risk from missionaries:

The Dead-End of Jewish Culture

Xian "love" will destroy your soul

EXCERPTS FROM CASPARI MEDIA REVIEW MARCH 31

Anti-missionary Activities

HaModia, March 25 (pp. 1, 5), 26, 2009

Under the headline "Arad: Increase in missionary violence against city residents," HaModia (March 25, p. 5) reported the alleged incident in the following manner: "A shocking incident of assault took place last Thursday, near the meeting place of the mission on Gil'ad St. Two innocent residents stood there, exercising their legitimate right to inform passersby of the deceptive activity designed to convert being conducted in the building by the missionaries, and the need to keep a distance from the place and their crowds. The missionaries, whose anger is greatly aroused by protest activities of this kind, decided to attack the two men. All along, the missionaries have been attempting to present themselves as Jews and thus capture innocent Jews in their snare. The moment they understood that the two were endeavoring to expose their true purpose, they began to use physical violence. As already stated, last Thursday, another grave case of assault took place on the part of the missionaries, who pursued the men and tried to attack them in a very serious and extraordinary manner. By the grace of heaven, the two men managed to escape without harm. Yad L'Achim has reported that a complaint has been lodged with the police in Arad over the incident and that it is hoped that those responsible for the assault will be brought to trial. Orthodox elements in Arad told HaModia that the violence perpetrated by the mission in the city is one of the most well known cases and that the missionaries are a thorn in their side because they try to disguise themselves as 'compassionate and good people' in order to attract people and snare them in their net. It was further reported that the person responsible for the mission in the city's market, a man infamous in the past for having hit and injured residents and damaged their property, has been under house arrest recently, until his trial, scheduled for the coming months, is held. The man has been revealed as a danger to the public because of his serial violence and grave attempts to harm residents. People who see him wandering around outside their houses are requested to report the incident to the police on the grounds that he is violating the terms of his house arrest. Among the incidents of missionary violence was the wounding of a disabled IDF soldier whom they beat severely. Arad residents are waiting to see how the law enforcement authorities will act to restore peace and security to the city."

According to the same paper (March 25, p. 1), "dozens of Sha'arei Chesed [a Jerusalem neighborhood] residents will participate in the discussion to be held today in the district court regarding a petition to build a Christian prayer house in the neighborhood ... The petition, made by the Messianic congregation 'Netivyah,' was recently presented to the district court following the success of the residents' struggle in their appeal against the construction of the five-storey building ... According to the plans, the building will contain a large prayer hall and a conference hall, lecture- and class-rooms, and a kitchen and dining hall apparently intended to serve hundreds of outside visitors." One of the neighborhood residents was quoted as saying that the protesters include "'religious, traditional, and secular residents alike, with no distinction. This is an attempt to construct a huge public structure which will serve as a meeting place in the heart of a religious neighborhood. It's a serious disturbance and threat from all angles.'" The piece further reported that R. Shmuel Auerbach had given his support to the protest, stating that to do so was "'a biblical commandment [mitzvah d'oraita] to uproot idolatry from the land,'" it also being a mitzvah to participate in the court hearing.

HaModia (March 26) reported that that the "missionary" bulletin "Prayer for Israel" stated recently that "'[Binyamin] Netanyahu has promised us that he won't support any attempt on the part of the religious parties to pass a law stopping the activities of Israeli missionaries which is liable to prevent them from sharing their faith.'" Citing the "typical commentary" given by the bulletin, the article further cited it as saying, "'A radical right-wing government is a double-edged sword: while it safeguards Israel's national security, it doesn't protect the missionary organizations within the country. Our priority is naturally the protection of our fellow believers.'"

The Pope and the Vatican

Yediot Ahronot, March 25; HaModia, March 27; Haaretz, March 30; Jerusalem Post, March 30, 2009 Israel expects to spend six million shekels on the pope's visit to Nazareth alone, according to a report in Haaretz (March 30). Nazareth City Council has elected to "entrust organizing the mass to an external production company due to its complex logistical demands and the tight time frame. Organizers will still need to recruit funds for a satellite communication infrastructure to transmit the mass to a worldwide audience. They must also arrange security measures and organize transportation. The Vatican is expected to send Israel its guidelines and requests for the ceremony over the coming days. As of yet, Israel has received only the plan for the ceremony's set, part of which will comprise ancient artifacts."Yediot Ahronot (March 25) provided details concerning all 25 events scheduled during Benedict XVI's visit. Participants at these will be pre-invited guests only, whose background will be investigated before they are allowed to take part. Much of the preparation is linked to security issues, Israel being ready to field an assassination attempt on the pope's life or a terrorist attack designed to cloud the visit. The Vatican is also feeling the pressure of a German pope who grew up in Germany during the Holocaust visiting the Western Wall and Yad Vashem. It will thus take pains to ensure that none of his speeches contain controversial statements but attempt to appease everyone concerned - "Israelis, Palestinians, and members of all the religions." One logistical problem has already revealed itself: no building license has been issued for the construction of an amphitheater at the Mount Precipice in Nazareth, leading to fears that the Interior Ministry will forbid any such work and frustrate the planned mass.In light of the pope's upcoming visit, HaModia (March 27) joined the chorus of people perusing the history of Pius XII, stating that the answer lies hidden in the secret Vatican archives, which resemble a nuclear shelter.David Rosen, head of the American Jewish Committee's Department of Interreligious Affairs and chairman of the International Jewish Committee for Interreligious Consultations, contributed an opinion piece entitled "Pope Benedict XVI and the Jews" to the Jerusalem Post this week (March 30). Rosen suggested that the pope's efforts to restore relations with the Jewish community should come as no surprise to those familiar with his record: "He was the first pope to invite Jewish leaders both to the funeral of Pope John Paul II and, above all, to the celebration of his own ascension to the throne of St. Peter in 2005. Little more than a month later he received a delegation of the International Jewish Committee for Interreligious Consultations. This roof body, embracing the principle [sic] Jewish advocacy organizations as well as the major streams of contemporary Judaism, is the official partner of the Holy See's Commission for Religious Relations with Jewry. Notably he received this Jewish delegation almost immediately into his pontificate, before he had even received delegations from other branches of Christianity, let alone other religions." Citing several of Cardinal Ratzinger's writings and speeches, Rosen stated: "It is significant to condemn anti-Semitism as evil and it is remarkable to condemn it as 'a sin against God and man' as did Pope John Paul II (words that have been reiterated by Pope Benedict XIV himself). However to describe anti-Semitism as an assault against the very roots of Christianity means that for a Christian to harbor such sentiment is to attack and betray his own faith - a message of enormous pedagogical importance in the struggle against hatred directed towards Jews and Judaism." Finally, in relation to the State of Israel, Rosen wrote: "Not everyone in the Church has appreciated the central role that Israel plays in contemporary as well as historic Jewish identity. Pope Benedict XVI does, and he fully realizes that the relationship between the Vatican and the State of Israel is inextricably bound up with the relationship between the Jewish people and the Catholic Church."

Copyright 2009, Caspari Center.

EXCERPTS FROM THE CASPARI MEDIA REVIEW MARCH 26, 2009

Anti-missionary Activities

HaMachaneh HeCharedi, March 19; Yom L'Yom, March 19; HaModia, March 18, 20; HaMevaser, March 18, 2009

In the wake of the recent story about Netzarim settlers who refused to accept a donation from Christians, it was reported this week that a wealthy Venezuelan Jew has offered to make up the sum they "lost" by contributing the funds to Yad L'Achim and give them the money himself

(HaMevaser , March 18; HaModia , March 20; HaMachaneh HeCharedi , March 19; Yom L'Yom , March 19).

According to HaModia (March 18), "The residents of Arad hold legal protests every day of the year against the missionary organizations in the city in order to reveal their true face and their devious intentions. The missionaries in Arad present themselves as Jews to all purposes by wearing Jewish dress and authentic Jewish symbols and the Orthodox Jewish community in Arad has been hurt by this. Over Purim, therefore, when we are commanded to destroy Amalek, the residents put greater stress than usual on their fight against the mission, which pursues innocent Jews and snares them in its net. On Shabbat Zekhor, residents returning from synagogue and passing the mission building on Gil'ad St. stopped and protested the campaign of apostasy being carried on there. Some of the worshipers recited the usual Purim prayers which refer to wiping out the memory of Amalek. The principal demonstration was held on the actual day of Purim: a special horse parade - 'Mordechai's procession' - was held with posters saying, 'The mission - the spiritual Haman of our generation' and 'We want an Arad free of missionaries' ... The group wore special T-shirts from the Yad L'Achim organization with the inscription, 'Lost - a Jew. Last seen going around with the missionaries.' The procession wound its way all through the town, expressing its identification with the local protest. Those involved stated that the protest went very smoothly, the public being exposed time and again to the mission's true face and taking pains to keep its distance from it and its deceitful workers - in close cooperation with Yad L'Achim, which participates in the daily protests in the city throughout the year."

Christians in Israel

Dakot 24, March 17; Haaretz, March 17; Mishpacha, March 19; HaModia, March 17; HaMevaser, March 17, 23; Makor Rishon, March 17; Yated Ne'eman, March 17; Globes, March 23, 2009

A guard and Orthodox Scout leader at a Yaffo church was arrested this week on suspicion of molesting several youths in the church where he works and on scout outings (Dakot 24 , March 17). According to Haaretz (March 17), the 25-year-old man's detention was extended for three days.

Several of the religious papers reported the decision taken by the Tel Aviv municipality to discuss Simon Duka's request that he be permitted to open his used-clothing shop on Shabbat. Duka is a Christian refugee from Sudan and wishes his day of rest to be Sunday rather than Saturday. A magistrate has already ordered the municipality to cancel the fines it imposed on Duka for opening on Shabbat (Mishpacha , March 17; Makor Rishon , March 17; Yom L'Yom , March 17). HaModia (March 17) was of the opinion that Duka is "seeking to alter the order of Tel Aviv." The present law allows the granting of licenses to open on Shabbat only to shops in non-Jewish areas. The municipality's committee has been ordered to convene within 60 days to discuss the matter (HaMevaser , March 17).

According to a report in HaMevaser (March 23), "While police in Jerusalem were preventing the celebrations of 'Jerusalem as the capital of Arab culture' planned by the PA in the Jewish capital, it transpires that no consensus exists in the matter within the Palestinian community itself. The head of the Latin church in Gaza stated that the Hamas government prevented a Christian school from holding an event within the same framework. The Hamas movement denied the claims."

Globes (March 23), featured an article on the history of the "American Colony" in Tel Aviv-Yaffo: The "American Colony" was established in 1866 by "156 Protestants from the state of Maine, U.S. The purpose of the settlement was the restoration of the Jews to the Land of Israel, which would bring Yeshu's return and the redemption. It contained only two roads: Be'er Hoffman and Auerbach. The settlers only managed to hold on for two years, being torn apart by plagues and economic difficulties. In 1868, the settlement was barren. Within a few years, however, the houses had been purchased by the German Templars, who developed the settlement and created public institutions. In 1881, it already contained 26 residences - eight of wood and the rest of stone, being surrounded by stone walls. The German Kaiser Wilhelm II stayed in the Park Hotel in the colony in 1898, his entourage staying at the nearby Jerusalem Hotel. In 1904, Emmanuel Church was completed, one of the colony's most prominent features. The German Colony flourished until it was destroyed by the British during the Second World War and its residents expelled; the buildings were confiscated by the government. Most of the houses have been restored and preserved as a tourist attraction. Recently, well-known architects have also bought apartments and sites there."

Jewish-Christian Relations

Haaretz, March 20; Yediot Yerushalayim, March 20; HaMevaser, March 18; BeKehilah, March 19; HaModia, March 23; HaShavua BiYerushalayim, March 19; Kol Ha'Ir, March 18; BeSheva,
March 19, 2009

HaModia (March 23) reported Pope Benedict's apology for his handling of the Williamson affair (see previous Reviews).

Benedict's scheduled visit to the Western Wall is creating additional severe strains on Jewish-Catholic relations. According to several reports (HaShavua BiYerushalayim , March 19; Kol Ha'Ir , March 18; BeSheva , March 19; Yediot Yerushalayim , March 20; HaMevaser , March 18), the Security Service's decision to close the plaza 15 hours before the pope's arrival, thus preventing worshippers from praying there, has aroused the ire of the Wall's Chief Rabbi, Shmuel Rabinovitz. "'In my opinion, we cannot close the Wall and limit prayer there ... the principle guiding me is to find security solutions which will simultaneously permit continuous entrance during the pope's visit ... There cannot be a situation in which prayer at the Western Wall stops even for one second. I intend to demand that entrance is permitted before the visit and during it in order to enable proper prayer services to continue as normal.'" Rabinovitz expressed similar views regarding the fact that the pope arrives on the eve of Lag B'Omer, a fact which may affect the celebrations on Mount Meron when he arrives in Nazareth, objecting that closing the roads would interfere with thousands of people making their way north for the celebrations. According to BeSheva (March 19), the original security plans called for the Wall to be closed from midnight. "In his statement he [Rabinovitz] said that the pope couldn't be given priority over other worshipers, and in particular should not be allowed to infringe on those who prayed at the Wall regularly all during the year." The same report also noted that Rabinovitz has requested that the pope refrain from wearing a cross at the Wall, having already succeeded in gaining the compliance of two other high-ranking Catholic figures from entering the site "wearing the symbol of their worship." An organization called "Independence" is also protesting the pope's visit to the Wall on the grounds that the "religious public must fiercely oppose the intention of the head of Catholic Christianity which hates Judaism to visit this sanctified place." According to HaMevaser (March 18), several other rabbis and Torah scholars have appealed to Rabinovitz against the closure of the Wall "from which the Shekhina [God's presence] has never moved." BeKehilah (March 19) further noted that the pope's scheduled visit to Mount Zion is arousing fears that "as a gesture, the government might grant the Vatican authority over part of King David's tomb, thereby impinging on the tomb and its worshipers." It likewise reported that Benedict's visit to Nazareth has been postponed in light of the Lag B'Omer celebrations.

Michael Schudrich, Chief Rabbi of Poland since 2004, contributed an opinion piece to Haaretz (March 20) entitled "What I learned from John Paul II": "I recently returned from giving a lecture honoring the memory of Pope John Paul II, at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (the Angelicum) in Rome ... What a humbling, and particularly relevant experience ... John Paul II profoundly explained: 'The Jewish religion is not "extrinsic" to us, but in a certain way is "intrinsic" to our own religion. With Judaism, therefore, we have a relationship we do not have with any other religion.' Christianity's unique relationship with Judaism creates special responsibilities - an essential lesson for Christians. But it's a lesson for us Jews, too, who have learned from bitter historical experience to close our doors to the outside world. Pope John Paul II understood the Jewish concept of 'the other.' When one is well rooted in one's own tradition, one only benefits by studying and experiencing other religious traditions ... My synagogue in Warsaw announced a memorial prayer for him at the start of Shabbat [following his death]. As I approached the synagogue, I was shocked. The line of those waiting to get inside was huge. Over 1,000 people attended - a few hundred were local Polish Jews, but the rest were Polish Catholics. Just think about it - hundreds of Catholics accepting that it was normal to share a prayer for the Pope in a synagogue in Poland! At that moment, I saw before my very eyes how Pope John Paul II had changed the world. How so much of what he practiced during his own life had truly inspired others to act similarly. For me, this is the ultimate tribute to the teachings and life of Pope John Paul II."

The Pope and the Vatican

Calcalist, March 23; Haaretz, March 23 (Hebrew and English editions); Jerusalem Post, March 17, 2009

A report printed in Haaretz (March 23, Hebrew and English editions) and Calcalist (March 23) noted that "A special crew comprised of both Jews and Christians will serve Pope Benedict XVI and his entourage on their El Al flight home from Israel on May 15. According to El Al, the entourage will include 30 church officials and 70 journalists. The airline also plans to paint the Pope's plane with the Vatican logo. Tens of thousands of pilgrims are expected to accompany the Pope on his visit here, and El Al is hoping for a piece of that action as well: It will inaugurate direct flights between Tel Aviv and Sao Paolo, Brazil on May 2, and is planning an aggressive advertising campaign in other South American countries too."

According the Jerusalem Post (March 17), "After more than a decade of negotiations, Israel and the Vatican are nearing an agreement on a longstanding tax dispute over Church properties in the Holy Land ... At the core of the tax dispute is hundreds of millions of shekels owed to the city by the Vatican ... The total amount of unpaid property tax amounts to roughly NIS 300 million, with the Latin Patriarchate the biggest offender ... Any agreement reached between the Prime Minister's Office and the Vatican will be precedent-setting, since it will apply to all church properties in Jerusalem." Despite the progress in talks, however, it is doubtful whether the issue will be resolved prior to the pope's upcoming visit.

Copyright 2009, Caspari Center.

CASPARI MEDIA REVIEW DECEMBER 29

December 29, 2008
During the week covered by this review, we received 24 articles on the subjects of Messianic Jews, attitudes towards Christianity, anti-missionary activity, Christian Zionism, Christians in Israel, Christian and holy sites, Christian tourism, the Pope and the Vatican, and anti-Semitism.

Messianic Jews

Jerusalem Post, December 17, 2008
The Jerusalem Post (December 17) printed a letter from Howard Silverman of the UMJC in reponse to the paper's coverage of Jamie and Stacy Cowen's detention (see last week's Review): "Sir, - The Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations deplores the detention of Jamie and Stacy Cowen upon their arrival in Israel ('Messianic Jews detained at Ben-Gurion Airport,' December 15). As president of the UMJC, Cowen spearheaded humanitarian aid to Israel and participated in social causes for the betterment of the Jewish people. The UMJC continues to support these efforts and does not engage in any activity that is outside the bounds of Israeli law. In 2003, and most recently in the summer of 2008, the UMJC convened its annual conference in Israel, which the Jerusalem Post reported. We call upon the government of Israel to uphold the freedom of religion of all."

Attitudes toward Christianity

Kol Ha'Ir, December 19; Makor Rishon, December 21; Yediot Ahronot, December 22, 2008 Under the title "A Christmas legend," Kol Ha'Ir (December 19) ran a short column encouraging Israelis to partake in the Christmas festivities: "With all due respect to doughnuts, dreidels, and, of course, the wonderful lights of Hanukkah, we have to admit that Christmas represents no small attraction to Jews. Who amongst us did not grow up on dozens of series and American films in which the whole family decorates their Christmas tree with lights and colorful ornaments? Who was never jealous of the young kids, whose fathers or grandfathers crept into the living room through the chimney disguised as Santa Claus in a red-and-white suit and distributed longed-for presents wrapped in colorful, rustling paper? At midnight on December 24, the bells of churches all across the world will ring out, and festal and devout prayers will begin in Bethlehem and throughout Jerusalem. Even if you are a Jew who is settled in his religion, there's no reason for you not to join in and come to watch the devout masses which celebrate the birth of Yeshu." Interactive participation was recommended, in the form of a night tour conducted by the Reform-run Beit Shmuel on Christmas eve, which included a walk on the roofs of the city and through the alleys of the Christian Quarter in the Old City.The religious weekly Makor Rishon (December 21) also joined in the festive spirit, with the publication of an article entitled "Hannuchristmas." Noting, once again, the beloved films about Christmas, Nahum Mokiach summed up the atmosphere in "Jew York": "The two holidays, Hanukka and Christmas, mark the united and unifying gathering together of families. The Jews have ceremonies, the blessing over the lighting of the candles, and the eating of doughnuts and latkes (potato pancakes) together. The Christians have crowding together around the Christmas tree and the ceremony of opening the presents. This combination of the ceremonies of two parallel holidays shines a powerful ray of closeness and fellowship."Gili Sofer, reporting on Christmas eve in Nazareth, on the other hand, suggests that one could be forgiven for thinking oneself abroad on that night (Yediot Ahronot, December 22). At the same time, she also notes that "despite being a Christian holiday, Christmas is celebrated by Christians and Muslims alike" in Nazareth. Likewise, the Church of the Annunciation - the largest church in the Middle East - was "symbolically" built by an Israeli company (Solel Boneh), with the use of Muslim laborers and money from the Vatican.

Missionary and Anti-missionary Activity

Ha'Ir-Tel Aviv, December 19; HaModia, December 21; BeKehila, December 18; Yom L'Yom, December 18; HaShavua BiYerushalayim, December 18; Mishpacha, December 18, 2008
A brief notice in Ha'Ir-Tel Aviv (December 19) reported the distribution of a comic book in the streets of Tel Aviv last week depicting the apocalypse. The tract opens with the hero surviving a car accident, an event which is explained in terms of salvation through Yeshua since in him "God's wrath won't come upon us." "Thus, one after the other, all the central tenets of the Christian faith are presented ('Yeshua comes from heaven and sheds his blood in order to cleanse us from our sins'), accompanied by quotations from the sources." According to the article - entitled "Batman returns: Yeshua also returns (in up-to-date comics) and wipes the smile off the faces of all the jokers" - "the double-sided tract, which was disseminated on Tuesday (Dec. 16) on Rothschild Ave., in fact charges the 'Edomites' ('the nation of Christians') with responsibility for the financial crisis and the approaching apocalypse."The remainder of the articles all related to Yad L'Achim's "Million-name petition," an initiative recently inaugurated by the anti-missionary organization designed to effect changes in the current "missionary law." The petition "calls on the religious parties [in the Knesset] to exploit the momentum which has been created on the eve of the Knesset elections and include in the platform of each party a clear and unambiguous clause according to which the parties will act to insist that the missionary law be amended so as to halt all missionary preaching of whatever sort by any member of any religion towards any member of any other religion. The law will put a stop to missionary activity, which ironically and outrageously is presently permitted by Israeli law unless directed towards minors or in exchange for material benefits." The petition further calls on the relevant parties to make the adoption of this clause an unconditional prerequisite for their participation in any future coalition.

Christian Zionism

Yediot Netanya, December 19, 2008
The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ) has donated 250 shekels each to 1,750 elderly people in Netanya, for the purpose of helping them heat their homes this winter.

Christian and Holy Sites

Ma'ariv, December 19; Haaretz, December 18 (x 2), 22; Yediot Ahronot, December 21, 22, 2008
Ma'ariv (December 19) recommended a visit to the church which, according to Christian tradition, commemorates the house of Anna and Jehoiakin, "Yeshua's (Yeshu's) grandmother and grandfather." "Here, it transpires, Miriam, Yeshu's mother, was born to barren parents." The Byzantine church, which is almost completely preserved, is located close to Tzippori (Sepphoris) in central Galilee. "The courtyard and beautiful church are one of the points of the walking tour in the footsteps of the life of Yeshu, the project known as the 'Jesus trail' - a walking tour of around 60 km and 3-5 days' walk beginning in Nazareth and ending at the Mount of Beatitudes."In a column dedicated to "sites," Yediot Ahronot focused on "Christian Nazareth" this week (December 21, 22). The first column indicated that around 60,000 pilgrims are expected to visit the city in the week between Christmas and the civil New Year. It pictured Sister Sylvia of the Rosary Monastery, which will provide accommodation for several of the pilgrims. Sister Sylvia was born in Nazareth, served most of her "working" life dedicated to "the Christian savior" in monasteries in Jerusalem, and only returned to Nazareth six years ago. The second featured "Kiriakos, the Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox community in the North, the second most important church figure following that of the Patriarch, who resides in Jerusalem." "'When I need to be, I'm a cook, when I need to be I'm the archbishop,' says Kiriakos as he fried fish in the Greek style."In a review of how the danger levels of the Sea of Galilee are determined, Eli Ashkenazi looked into the history of the discussion and noted that when the electicity company first began utilizing the lake, it encountered opposition from the "monks from the Italian and German monasteries" who protested against the "intervention in nature" as a "'desecration of the waters of the Sea of Galilee sacred to all the Christians in the world'" (Haaretz, December 22).According to a report in the same paper (Haaretz December 18, Hebrew and English editions), the Israeli government is "mulling [a] proposal to repair Muslim holy sites for [the] first time since [the] establishment of [the] state." "After the 1948 war the Israeli government took possession of much of the property left belonging to the Arab population, which either fled or was expelled from their homes during the war and in its immediate aftermath. Unlike Muslim sites, sites holy to Christianity remained in the hands of the churches after the 1948 war and were not seized by the state due to international pressure." Now, mosques as well as synagogues and churches may be renovated by the government across the country.

Christian Tourism

Haaretz, December 17, 18; Jerusalem Post, December 16, 2008
In one of the worst traffic accidents in Israeli history, 24 Russian tour operators were killed and another 25 injured almost immediately following their arrival in Eilat (Haaretz, December 18). Among those in hospital was Vladislaw Gomglev. In stable condition, he remarked to reporters that he still hadn't seen the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and would therefore need to return to Israel again to do so.Tourism is on the increase, both for pilgrims and holidaymakers, according to a report in Haaretz (December 17). The Italian government has approved regular Eurofly flights between Milan and Israel. El Al is also renewing its regular flights to and from St. Petersburg, while Arkia will begin flights to and from Azerbaijan, Kiev, and Bakku, and Sun Dor will bring Portuguese pilgrims from Lisbon. "Arkia and Sun Dor are building on religious tourism - Jews who will fly to Kiev and Christians who will arrive from Portugal."Bethlehem is also benefiting from the increase in the tourist trade. According to a report in the Jerusalem Post (December 16), "After eight bleak years, Jesus' birthplace finally has a Christmas season to cheer about . . . With calm gradually returning to the West Bank, Bethlehem has again become a magnet for Christian pilgrims . . . Palestinian officials say 1.3 million tourists have visited the West Bank this year, nearly double last year's level. The total for 2008 could rise to 1.6 million. The tourism boom has created 12,000 new jobs, said Palestinian information Minister Riad Malki . . . Officials say 40 percent of the city's 32,000 residents are Christian, down from 90 percent in the 1950s. The rest are Muslims. Christmas decorations are being put up, with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas a major player in the Christmas tree lighting ceremony in Manger Square . . . Bethlehem is being turned into a showcase for Palestinian security forces, who have been gradually expanding areas under their control. Some 1,500 Palestinian police officers will be deployed in Bethlehem during the holiday . . . Israeli security officials say they are working with their Palestinian counterparts to ensure easy access to Bethlehem."

The Pope and the Vatican

Yediot Ahronot, December 18; Jerusalem Post, December 18, 2008
In light of the upcoming papal visit in May, Bethlehem's mayor, Victor Batarseh, has announced that he has been informed by Vatican officials that Benedict XVI "will visit his town in May" (Jerusalem Post, December 18). According to a second report in Yediot Ahronot (December 18), the pontiff will also visit the Western Wall and the Aida refugee camp in Bethlehem. Following an initial meeting with President Shimon Peres, the pope will meet with Jewish, Muslim, and Christian leaders at Notre Dame. The following day, he will meet with the chief rabbis and then go to the Temple Mount. In Bethlehem, he will visit the Church of the Nativity and hold a mass "in a nearby square. He is also due to visit Yad Vashem and to take part in a ceremony in the Hall of Remembrance."

Anti-Semitism

Makor Rishon, December 19, 2008
An article in Makor Rishon (December 19) examining anti-Semitism in Norway was written by Manfred Gerstenfeld, author of a recently-published book on Scandinavia, Israel, and the Jews. Gerstenfeld opened with some of the "jokes" told by "comedian" Otto Jepersen, which were backed by the director of the TV channel on which they were aired: "I would also like to take the opportunity to remember all the billions of fleas and lice that lost their lives in German gas chambers, without having done anything wrong other than settling on persons of Jewish background." Jepersen also ended one of his performances by extending Christmas wishes to the Jews - and then apologized for his rudeness, having "forgotten" that the Jews had killed Jesus. Gerstenfeld attributed such phenomena to the rise in institutionalized Norwegian anti-Semitism, "hidden behind a front of criticism of Israel due to its policies in Judea and Samaria."

Book Review

HaZofeh, December 19, 2008
Baruch Kahane reviewed Shahar Peled's book Formulators/Shredders of Identities (Pardes; Hebrew) in HaZofeh (December 19). Peled argues that the whole discipline of "Jewish Studies" was "created as part of the Christian Protestant fight against Judaism." These "scientists" (in Hebrew, the discipline is known as "Jewish Sciences") "have their own way of destroying - shredding, in Peled's words - Judaism as a force capable of withstanding Christianity and presenting itself as an alternative to it. Their method is to turn Judaism into an 'object of research' and to examine each claim that it makes as though it were a scientific object like any other, such as a rare germ or sub-atomic particle. From the moment that this 'objective' method was introduced we cease relating to Judaism as a partner for dialogue, and in effect cease relating to it altogether . . . We have here an outward appearance of heeding and paying attention, even of deep study, but without any relation to the truth being expressed - not even in order to contradict what is being said. Judaism is simply not related to as having any significance." Moreover, Peled insists that this process forms "a decisive chapter in Christian efforts to usurp Jewish history for itself. From its inception, as is well known, Christianity saw itself as the 'True Israel' - the 'Israel of the spirit.' Protestantism gave birth to a new version of this attempt. Its thinkers aspired to uncover the primary sources of the Christian idea in order to overcome the distortions produced during the long period in which Christianity had been dominated by the Catholic pope. In their opinion, the distortions of Judaism would also be 'uncovered.'" The "science of Judaism" created in the wake of the emergence of Protestantism provided Jews with the possibility of identifying with their Christian colleagues without abandoning their own identity - at least on a "scientific" level. This came at the expense, however, of losing the "soul" of Judaism: "Why should anyone be interested in studying the Bible if all it is is ancient literature and a collection of superstitions which may, perhaps, have impressed the people of antiquity?" Peled's conclusion is that the only people who now truly understand Judaism form part of the religious community.
Copyright 2008, Caspari Media Review.