During the week covered by this review, we received 7 articles on the following subjects:
Political Issues & Anti-Semitism
Anti-Semitism
Anti-Missionary Attitudes & Activities
Interfaith Relations
Political Issues & Christians Organizations
Christian Sites
Political Issues & Anti-Semitism
Iton Shacharit, April 29, 2018
A judicial committee of the Icelandic Parliament has halted the controversial bill to ban circumcision in Iceland. Chairman of the European Jewish Association, Menachem Margolin, praised the development, but warned that vigilance is still necessary. “We welcome the news,” said Margolin, “but we must continue to stand on guard. We have seen situations in the past where a bill which fails in one country is nevertheless adopted by another.”
Anti-Semitism
Haaretz, April 30, 2018
The newly appointed representative of the German Government charged with the task of tackling the rise of anti-Semitism, Felix Klein, has stated that he is not surprised German Jews are considering leaving the country. This comes in the aftermath of a week in which a series of hate crimes against Jews were widely reported. Klein said the anti-Semitic worldview has become mainstream in Germany, and that he understands that those who fear for the safety of their children would want to depart. “I hear it from my Jewish friends,” said Klein; “but we must do everything in order to prevent that.” Some believe the rise in anti-Semitism is the result of Muslim immigration. However, Klein stated that studies show about 20% of Germans hold to anti-Semitic views. Joseph Schuster, President of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, has called Jews to refrain from wearing kippahs in the big cities.
Anti-Missionary Attitudes & Activities
HaShabat BeNetanya, April 27, 2018; HaModia, May 3, 2018
In the city of Netanya, missionaries went from house to house delivering missionary material to residential mailboxes. The group responsible is a Messianic Jewish group that has “Christianized,” which apparently “has not heard of the Pope’s decision that Christians ought not try to convert the Jews to Christianity anymore.” Lev L’Achim has advised that upon finding these materials, residents ought to destroy or burn them – even though the name of God appears on the pamphlets. Given the nature of the material, the name of God is not considered holy. The same advice is given about Bibles which contain the New Testament – they must be burned.
The second article reports that missionaries have taken over Jerusalem’s Hassidic neighborhoods in a widespread campaign costing more than a million dollars. Missionaries covered billboards with clever comic strips, in which illustrated Hassidic Jews deliver missionary messages. Yad L’Achim has taken the incident to the Municipality of Jerusalem, which in turn plans to take legal action. Large teams of Hassidic activists came to Jerusalem, took down the posters, and called on the public to be vigilant. It is reported that the missionaries dressed up in religious garb in order to blend in.
Interfaith Relations
Hadashot Haifa veHaTzafon, May 2, 2018
President of Israel, Reuven Rivlin, and Mayor of Haifa, Yona Yahav, visited the Greek Orthodox Church in Haifa for Easter. Rivlin praised Mayor Yahav, telling him: “You are a man who builds bridges between the entire population – Jews, Arabs, Christians, Muslims, Bahá’í, and others. You provide an example not only for the country, but for the whole world, in how you run your city.”
Political Issues & Christians Organizations
The Jerusalem Post, April 29, 2018
The International Christian Embassy of Jerusalem (ICEJ) only has two weeks left as the sole embassy in the city, before the American, Guatemalan, and Czech embassies begin to establish themselves in their new locations. Unfortunately, real estate prices, which are already high, are expected to skyrocket as a result. Executive Director of ICEJ, Jürgen Bühler, is hosting a “Jerusalem Day” reception next week. The commentator goes on to note that famed Israeli author, Amos Oz, has expressed the view that he has no problem with embassies moving to Jerusalem, so long as embassies for the State of Palestine can be built across the road. The author signals her agreement: “It would be a great basis for multilateral cooperation, and would give new impetus to ‘Out of Zion shall go forth….’”
Christian Sites
Yerushalayim Shelanu, April 27, 2018
The neighborhood of Ein Kerem has been nominated to receive the status of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The residents have long been battling against the Municipality of Jerusalem’s plans to develop the neighborhood by adding 900 residential units and two hotels. Residents want to keep the neighborhood small, with a vision towards cultivating its character as an “ecological-biblical” site. The neighborhood is home to seven churches, including the Church of the Visitation and the Church of Saint John the Baptist, and is, as the names indicate, the place where Elizabeth and Mary met as pregnant cousins, and where John the Baptist was subsequently born. The Municipality’s continued efforts to develop the area would reduce the chances that UNESCO would recognize the uniqueness of Ein Kerem. For now, the Supreme Court has accepted the town’s appeal and halted all construction plans.