During the week covered by this review, we received 17 articles on the following subjects:
Jewish/Christian Relations
Conversion to Judaism
Interfaith Relations/Dialogue
Israeli/Jewish Attitudes Concerning Christians/Christianity
Political Issues
Anti-missionary Attitudes
Jewish/Christian Relations
Various articles
As mentioned in our previous review, following actions taken by Yad L’Achim, a large monument that was placed at the national heritage site of Ein Keshatot in the Golan Heights was covered before it is removed entirely. The monument, which is meant to represent inter-religious fraternity, was erected by Curt Landry Ministries in conjunction with the Golan Regional Council. When Yad L’Achim found out that Curt Landry is an Evangelical Christian preacher, and that he included the Messianic symbol of the fish in his art, with “a quote from Christian sources that means that the Jews will join this unholy religion,” they addressed the Regional Council, along with a list of rabbis and other public figures, asking to have this “idolatry” removed.
Bakehila, July 28, 2022
This was an interview with Rabbi Isaac Antebi Sacca, the Sephardi Chief Rabbi of Buenos Aires, who has an “unusual friendship” with the Pope. Rabbi Sacca has known Pope Francis since he was a Cardinal in Argentina. Their friendship began when they collaborated on a joint program of Jews and Christians to aid the poor in Argentina. While working on that program, they devised a strategy to fight intolerance within both religions, which has proven to be very successful. They have remained friends ever since, exchanging emails at least once a month. “He is a very intelligent man, who understands Jews well,” Rabbi Sacca said about Pope Francis. “He grew up with Jews… It is actually the first time that Rome has a pope who knows Jews personally, and not through the Christian Scriptures. He told me many times: ‘Nobody is going to tell me who the Jews are, I know them personally.’ He meant it positively, of course.” When asked about their conversations, the rabbi replied, “The Pope respects the Jewish religion, but mostly, us, Orthodox Judaism. He always says that a nation should keep its tradition as it was received. He prefers to be in contact with us than with the other communities. But I keep emphasizing the point that despite the fact that we have good relationships with leaders of all religions, and it’s important for proper social life, we are careful not to lose our identity.”
Conversion to Judaism
Shabbaton, July 29, 2022
This article, which was written by a rabbi, expressed an opinion about conversion to Judaism. “A true proselyte is one who truly rejected the fundamentals of his previous faith and embraced the basics of the Jewish faith. The faith in Jesus as Messiah… is contrary to the fundamentals of the Jewish faith… One must not allow conversion to someone who did not abandon the ways of idolatry and chose the Jewish faith.”
Interfaith Relations/Dialogue
Jerusalem Post, August 2, 2022
This article, written by a rabbi, quoted the words of the late Holocaust survivor and Nazi hunter, Simon Wiesenthal, who said: “We Jews were virtually alone. The world was blind to our suffering. The Jewish people must seek new allies and new friends; we can never defeat anti-Semitism on our own.” The article called for an interfaith dialogue, stating that “people of faith can be a source of light and hope.”
“In today’s world, no one can guarantee the future of any faith community,” it argued. “We must therefore be there for each other – to protest when any house of worship is attacked, when faithful sequester at home, too afraid to gather for communal prayer. And all of the children of Abraham must work together to deepen and expand the first signs of peace in the Middle East.”
Globes, August 3, 2022
Enes Kanter Freedom, an American professional basketball player who was raised in Turkey, met in Tel Aviv with former NBA player Omri Casspi and Olympic medalist Yael Arad, for a discussion about the NBA, sports and coexistence. “I believe we can use sports to promote tolerance, respect and coexistence,” said Kanter, who came to Israel to take part in a summer camp in Jerusalem for children from various backgrounds – Jews, Muslims, Christians and Druze. Kanter taught the children basketball techniques, and talked with them about his values. “By bringing youth together on a basketball court, we can show them the importance of respecting people of all faiths,” Kanter said. “I played in the NBA for 11 years as an observant Muslim, shoulder to shoulder with my Jewish and Christian brothers. We always respected each other, and I learned a lot from them and about them and their faith.”
Israeli/Jewish Attitudes Concerning Christians/Christianity
Jerusalem Post, August 2, 2022
“Evangelical Christians have emerged as Israel’s most reliable defenders. But aside from stalwart defense of the Jewish state, there is something that we in the Jewish community can learn from our Evangelical brothers and sisters… In an age where we all hear the whispers of a culture that tells us we’re small, Evangelicals continually hear a drumbeat saying that they are big … that they are the apple of God’s eye,” stated the author of this opinion piece Shmuley Boteach, who has been nicknamed ”America’s Rabbi”. “I am a passionately Orthodox Jew and would not contemplate living any other way. And I reject completely Saint Paul’s argument that Judaism gets lost in the minutiae of the law… But I also recognize that we need to be reminded that the purpose of fulfilling the mitzvot is to grow closer to God. We in the Jewish community have to hear that the source of our self-worth is being children of God, and it’s a message the Torah requires us to spread.” The article concluded with a call to all American Jews: “Let’s join with our Christian brothers and sisters to create an America where all feel that ‘it’s not by bread alone that man lives; rather, it’s by the word of the living God that man shall live.’ ”
Haaretz, August 5, 2022
“Jews who kidnap Christian children, torture them and drink their blood? A little hard to believe, but this is still the narrative in Western European Festivals in the 21st century,” began the article, and went on to describe in detail a gruesome blood libel from the 13th century. According to the article, similar stories propagated between the 12th and 19th centuries, are still perpetuated today in certain Spanish cities by traditional celebrations held by Catholic priests. Uriel Macías, a specialist in Spanish Judaica bibliography , argued that “the saddest thing isn’t that the Catholic Church encourages these traditions, but that these traditions are maintained due to the criminal cooperation of the civil authorities.”
Political Issues
Shavua Israeli, July 27, 2022
As mentioned in a previous review, former US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley hinted that she would become a candidate for the 2024 US presidential elections, during a speech she made at Christians United for Israel’s (CUFI) annual Washington Summit. “If this President signs any sort of [Iran nuclear] deal, I’ll make you a promise: The next president will shred it on her first day in office,” Haley told the cheering crowd.
Globes, August 4, 2022
“Something important and threatening is happening in the international public opinion: Guilt over the actions of the European settlers is becoming a political weapon. One must listen without panic,” stated this opinion piece. In the midst of all the criticism against Israel, it argued, Israel must follow suit, but most Israelis are afraid to admit fault, because they fear that some kind of “original sin” will be applied to the Zionist movement. The article gave as example the Pope’s visit to Canada, to apologize before the natives for the “genocide” that the Catholic Church committed against them in the past.
Anti-missionary Attitudes
Yediot Hadera, August 5, 2022; Yediot Netanya, August 5, 2022
Residents of the Agamim neighborhood in Netanya complained about missionary materials placed in their mailboxes. “We are under attack,” said one of the residents. Other residents expressed shock and claimed that missionaries are trying to lure their children by sending comic books that are intended to lead you to believe in Jesus.