During the week covered by this review, we received 10 articles on the following subjects:
- Christians and the Holocaust
- Christian Zionism
- Jewish Attitudes Concerning Christians
- Christian Tourism
- Conversion to Judaism
- Science and Technology
- Miscellaneous
- Archaeology
Christians and the Holocaust
Maariv, January 28, 2015
The non profit organization Yad Ezer L’Chaver and the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ) marked the international Holocaust Day on January 27 with an event held at the home for Holocaust survivors in Haifa. Many survivors were present, as well as MKs Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid), Hilik Bar (Labor), Shimon Ohayon (Israel Beiteinu), Haifa Mayor Yona Yahav, and David Parsons, ICEJ’s media manager.
Lapid, whose own father was a Holocaust survivor, criticized the government’s relation to the survivors, saying it had “sinned’ towards them. Bar and Ohayon spoke of the rise of anti-Semitism in Europe, with Bar giving particular emphasis on fighting back. Parsons spoke about the church’s silence during World War II, asking in particular, “How is it that so many Christians in Europe were willing collaborators with Hitler’s crimes?” Yad Ezer’s CEO, Shimon Sabag, mentioned how one of the government ministers had told him that one in every five Holocaust survivors was poor, and emphasized that he himself wanted there to be not one poor survivor.
Maariv, January 28, 2015
A prayer assembly for the slain in the Holocaust and for world peace was held in central Leipzig on January 27. Some 2,000 people were present, among them many Christian clergy. The assembly was managed by Rabbi Mordechai Zvi Balla, the Leipzig congregation’s rabbi, and was held in Hebrew.
Christian Zionism
Israel Hayom, January 30, 2015
After lengthy preliminaries, Smith Jedsimi, a 26-year-old Christian from a wealthy family in southern Nigeria, recently donated a kidney to Umeima Halabi, a 20 year old Druze woman from Daliyat al-Karmel. The donation was arranged through the Israeli “Gift of Life” nonprofit organization for “altruistic kidney transplants,” which Jedsimi had found while surfing the internet for a worthy charity. “My parents taught me to give more to others than I give to myself,” said Jedsimi. The transplant took place in the Rambam Hospital in Haifa.
Now, after Jedsimi and Umeima have recovered from their operations, Jedsimi has discovered the Shevet Achim organization, which brings children from all over the Middle East to Israel for lifesaving heart operations. He intends to use his remaining time in Israel in helping these children.
Jewish Attitudes Concerning Christians
HaMevaser, January 30, 2015
The anti-missionary activist organization Yad L’Achim has sent an urgent protest to the defense minister regarding an event organized by the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem honoring soldiers who took part in Operation Protective Edge, as “the soldiers were forced to listen to an evangelistic speech from an American preacher” and “were sent to the event directly from their bases.”
Christian Tourism
HaChaim HaTovim, January 22, 2015
A visit to the Protestant cemetery on Mount Zion affords an interesting view of Israel’s history, as many famous figures from past years are buried there, such as Michal Shlomo Alexander, Jerusalem’s first Protestant bishop; Joseph Barclay; Flinders Petrie; Conrad Schick; James Starkey; Charles Drake; Ludwig Schneller, and many others.
Conversion to Judaism
Yom L’Yom, January 29, 2015
Miriam Maimoni, born Liesl Bender to a German farming family, never felt a connection to the Christian church in her village; Maimoni’s mother had taught her to pray directly to God, so she didn’t understand the need for a mediator. Maimoni’s thoughts and struggles continued all through her childhood, till she came to know an American Jewish girl of Tunisian ancestry, through whom she discovered Judaism. She then decided to convert to Judaism, and married within the Tunisian Jewish community in Miami. Eventually Maimoni and her husband decided to make aliyah to Israel with their eight month old son, and have lived in Israel ever since. “To this day thank the Creator of the universe who chose me to be his true daughter, a daughter of Israel,” says Maimoni.
Science and Technology
Segula, January 27, 2015
The Israel Antiquities Authority has been using new photographic equipment and methods to photograph the Declaration of Independence, in order to collect information as to the texture of the declaration’s material, its ink, and its typography, as well as enabling researchers to read markings that have already faded. This new and innovative system will apparently also enable the making of an exact copy, including the signatures.
The Declaration of Independence is the first document showing Jewish sovereignty since the time of the Hasmoneans, and is apparently “the first to reflect the aspiration towards democratic sovereignty.”
Miscellaneous
Kalkalist, January 29, 2015
The Drum Major Institute has recently given an award for justice to Meshulam Riklis for “exceptional global leadership, advancement of the human race and implementing Martin Luther King Jr.’s main concepts.” Riklis, known for having been on the Forbes 400 list, is also known for having given King bail for release from prison, as well as being one of the first to end racial segregation in his chain of US diners.
Archaeology
Chadash b’Beit Shemesh, January 8, 2015
This article reiterates the story of how a Beit Shemesh resident was recently caught with 800 ancient coins, arrowheads, cosmetic implements, and other artifacts in his possession. The suspect has been released with restrictions, and will soon be indicted.
Segula, January 27, 2015
The Unit for Prevention of Antiquities Theft of the Israel Antiquities Authority, as well as the border police, have succeeded in apprehending suspects in some three cases of looting recently. While commending the unit for its successes, the IAA nevertheless reminds the public that antiquities theft is a criminal offense in Israel, punishable by a fine or even by imprisonment.