Christian Churches and Christians in Jerusalem have recently been the victims of a number of anti-Christian attacks by ‘ultra-Orthodox’ Jews.
[Haaretz] These churches are located outside the Old City walls and in proximity to the ultra-Orthodox neighborhood, and include Polish, Ethiopian, Romanian and Russian places of worship. They have recently encountered serious harassment and violence in the form of spitting and curses aimed at nuns and monks, a dead cat thrown into one church’s courtyard, anti-Christian slogans spray-painted on walls, and stone throwing.
The harassment has led to formal complaints lodged by a number of foreign states and resulted in a meeting between the Churches, the Israeli foreign ministry, and an ‘ultra-Orthodox’ rabbi.
Alright, somebody tell me how this is any different from the way the lefty media has treated Brit Hume. Maybe Brit should hide out in those Jerusalem churches because there he would likely get better treatment.
January 8, 2010 at 5:37 pm
According to Zenit "Leaders of the Jewish ultra orthodox community in Jerusalem are condemning spitting and harassment against Christians perpetrated by some of the community's young people."
January 8, 2010 at 5:54 pm
I live in the burbs of DC and was being nice to an orthodox Jewish neighbor. She took it as an attempt to convert her and assumed a hostile air towards me. I haven't been spat at though. It's all coming from the fear that they will be converted away; they're upset in a similar way as we are with the Islamization of Europe. The joke is "What do you call the children of a mixed marriage? Answer: Christians."
I hope they recall how Christians risked their lives during WWII to save them. Anyway, I find the reformed and conservative Jews are more respectful and tolerant in general.
January 9, 2010 at 12:38 am
Yeah, you guys, this isn't news. I dare anyone here to go to Israel with a cross on their neck and try to strike up a conversation with ANY Jew in a public setting, orthodox or otherwise. You will most likely get 1 of 4 scenarios: 1) a dismissive hand-wave 2) asked for your identification/papers 3) a hostile response ranging from spitting to stomping their feet or clapping their hands centimeters in front of you 4) an actual cordial to friendly response.
The problem is, you never know when number 4 will happen as it is rare. So, many Christians tend to isolate themselves and try to simply "get by". It is a very stressful, difficult and at times humiliating experience to be a Christian in Israel. This is the fact, and it has been since the '90s. Once again, this is not news.
Last point – it is ilegal for ANYONE to proseletyze in Israel. So, the hostility as a "fear of being converted" is unfounded. It's simply an "us against them" mentality; payback for perceived centuries of non-stop abuse by Christians.
January 9, 2010 at 4:43 am
I've never been to Israel but I did live for a time in an orthodox jewish neighborhood (in an eruv actually) in Dallas and my neighbors were kind and respectful, even going so far as to invite us over. It's probably best to stay away from stereotypes…
January 9, 2010 at 6:10 am
And anyone can say whatever they want to anonymously. And we should all take it for what it's worth.
January 9, 2010 at 6:25 am
Not to belabor the point or this story, but this IS a real problem in Israel. This isn't about Jews in the US or worldwide per se. It's about one group having power over another and treating them as second class citizens. If you've never seen them, there are several videos documenting this kind of treatment on youtube. If you can stomach it, you can watch them
Here
Here
Here (caution, strong language)
there are really too many to post.
January 9, 2010 at 12:31 pm
I'm really afraid that this incident will spark anti-semitic backlashes.
January 9, 2010 at 1:39 pm
I really hope Brian isn't arguing that we should hang the last few Christians in the Holy Land out to dry, for fear of sparking "anti-semitic backlashes."
I have several Israeli friends. I doubt if any of them would share Brian's concern. They're too decent to condone such behavior.
We don't advance the cause of righteousness by ignoring facts, and we certainly don't advance it by ignoring fellow Christians in need, even (perhaps especially) in the cause of political correctness.
Christians should make sure that Christians treat Jews with courtesy; Jews should make sure that Jews treat Christians with courtesy.
This is a two-way street. Jews have every right–indeed, I'd think it was an obligation–to come to one another's defense if needed.
But Christians should also defend other Christians, whether in America, Europe, India…or Israel. We owe it to one another.
January 9, 2010 at 2:05 pm
No, I do not suggest hanging anyone.
Allow me to link to Zenit this time.
http://www.zenit.org/article-27986?l=english
January 9, 2010 at 2:36 pm
Sorry, Brian, I split my metaphor: "hanging…out to dry."
Your Zenit link rather supports my point about Israelis understanding the need to defend one another. At least the better ones do. There'll always be some people who want to make life miserable for others.
January 9, 2010 at 6:31 pm
Paul I agree. No one gets a "pass" to behave like that. The bitter irony is that in many ways the Israelis are for the conservatives what the blacks are to liberals. They get get a "pass" to do or say whatever they want, and it gets dismissed as "well, look at their past and all that has been done to them! They don't know any better! They're only acting this way because they are trying to survive! And you would too!"
No. I agree with you 100%. And so do the good Israelis who can see the forrest for the trees and have the courage to speak out against the kind of harassment that this article refers to.
January 10, 2010 at 4:28 pm
While this behavior is inexcusable, don't forget that Orthodox Jews in the U.S. are some of our greatest allies. They stand against abortion and gay marriage when liberal Jews and Catholics do not.
January 11, 2010 at 4:18 am
P.Button – Orthodox Jews allow abortion up to the 1st trimester. You have been misinformed.
January 11, 2010 at 5:23 am
Your right. My bad. They are conservative on other issues though.
January 11, 2010 at 5:35 pm
P. Button so are Mohammedans, Hindus, Mormons and atheists. Everyone is "conservative" when it has to do with issues concerning their own group.
Move along. Nothing to see here.