Caspari Center Media Review…………… January 2002, #1
In the period of time covered by this review, we received 70 articles on the subjects of Messianic Jews, Christianity and the Mission. Of these:
- 14 articles dealt with missionary activity in the country
- 14 articles dealt with land issues
- 12 articles dealt with Christmas celebrations in Israel
- 6 articles dealt with the Greek Orthodox Church
- 3 articles dealt with tourism in the country
- 3 articles dealt with Christian support of Israel
- 2 articles were book and television reviews.
The remaining 16 articles were single articles dealing with matters of Jewish or Christian interest on their own merit.
Yad Le’Achim Against a Kibbutz (2/01/2002, Ha’Modia)
In this religious weekly paper, Yad Le’Achim is said to have broken up an evening activity in the left wing Kibbutz Tzirah. The evening was intended to be an educational experience researching the roots and spirit of Jewish backgrounds and was intended for the children of the Kibbutz. Due to Yad Le’Achim’s interference, by sending letters to the Kibbutz members, the attendance was minimal.
Jesus as a Jew (1/01/2002, Ma’ariv)
In this major daily paper, there is a call to remember the original nature of Christianity and Jesus himself as Jewish. Influenced by the new year and the Christmas celebrations, the article calls on the Israeli educational system to put more of an emphasis on Christian History in the land, as well as studies of the Holy sites in the land so that the subject of Christian Jerusalem will not be reduced to a mere political struggle between Israeli and Arab parties.
New law proposed (1/01/2002, Ha’Modia, 2/01/2002, Ha’Aretz)
A new law proposal will be brought to the Knesset for its first reading. The law, as proposed by MK Yosef Lapid (Shinui,) proposes to make it legally possible for a person to adopt the child of their spouse, even if the child is of a different religion.
The law met great opposition among the religious parties, headed by MK Moshe Gafni (Yahadut Hatorah), on the claim that it undermined the existing status quo on matters of religion, and that it was dangerous to the Jewish nation, as it would give Muslim and Christian families the right to adopt Jewish children.
Lapid explained his proposal as necessary because of the large percentage of mixed marriages especially among the new immigrants from the Former Soviet Union. He continued to state that the existing law unnecessarily robs these families of their unity.
Cabinet halts mosque construction (7/01/2002, 10/01/2002, 11/01/2002, 13/01/2002, 14/01/2002 The Jerusalem Post, 10/01/2002, 14/01/2002, Ha’Aretz, 10/01/2002, 13/01/2002, Yediot Acharonot, 10/01/2002, Ma’ariv, 10/01/2002, Ha’Zofe, 28/12/2001, Yated Ne’eman
Following up on the situation in Nazareth regarding the building of the mosque (see media review, December 2001 #2) the cabinet has decided to halt all construction. The decision, praised by U.S. Jews as well as Christians world wide, has drawn a sharp and angry response from the Muslim community who is threatening to resort to violence if the decision is not revoked.