During the week covered by this review, we received 19 articles on the following subjects:
The Pope and the Vatican
Anti-Missionary Activity
Political Issues
Christian Zionism
Messianic Jews (Individuals)
Messianic Jews (Organizations)
Interfaith Dialogue
Christian Tourism
Miscellaneous
The Pope and the Vatican
Yediot Ahronot; Haaretz, May 14; The Jerusalem Post, May 15, 2015
The Israeli Foreign Ministry is deeply concerned about the recent announcement made by the Vatican mentioning “the state of Palestine” for the first time, particularly as it took place so near to the Israeli elections. A Vatican spokesman has clarified that the mention, made as part of a treaty on Catholic activity in the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem, is in fact a recognition. A Foreign Ministry official has stated, “This doesn’t advance the peace process and postpones the return of the Palestinian Authority to direct negotiations.”
In The Jerusalem Post’s article Melanie Phillips analyzes this move, and concludes that by his act of appeasement “the pope has now openly made Catholics complicit with reneging on promises and shattering bonds of trust.”
Anti-Missionary Activity
Yediot HaSharon-Kfar Saba; Kol Ra’anan; Makor Rishon, May 8, 2015
These articles reiterate the story from previous Media Reviews regarding a “mass conversion event” planned by the non-profit Jehovah’s Witnesses Mitzpe L’Israel organization, which was held in Raanana on Saturday, May 2. Hundreds demonstrated outside the hall, some in prayer groups, and two men who refused to respond to police instructions forbidding them to enter the building were detained and taken from the scene. “This was an awesome occasion of sanctification of God’s name, the like of which the city has not seen,” said Rabbi Yitzhak Peretz, Ra’anana’s city rabbi, who went on to protest the Supreme Court’s decision to allow the event to take place.
The event, recently the center of a legal battle, had originally been planned for Saturday, April 18, but was postponed due to stiff objections from the anti-missionary activist organization Yad L’Achim, religious Ra’anana city council members, and residents of the city. Mitzpe L’Israel petitioned the district court in Lod and then the Supreme Court on the matter; the final decision given was that the event must be allowed to take place, since canceling it would constitute an infringement on “the petitioner’s constitutional right to freedom of religion and assembly.”
Political Issues
Haaretz, May 11, 2015
Although it seems that support for Israel is growing, this is in fact not the case, as the growing numbers of minorities, liberals, young adults, and those without religion do not tend to support Israel. “The BDS [Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions] movement has not caused any American university to withdraw its investments from Israel,” but the atmosphere on campuses is heating up. Research has proven, as well, that those who are students now will most likely keep the views they developed at university age.
Christian Zionism
Zman Ma’ale, May 7, 2015
Frank and Kay Dibianca (Bridges for Peace) of Memphis, Tennessee, recently visited Ma’ale Adumim. During their time in the city they visited an outlook towards Jerusalem, visited the industrial zone of Mishor Adumim, and “discussed ways of helping the city.” Since they are now retired, the Dibiancas wish to spend more time “serving the public” in Israel and in Ma’ale Adumim. They would like the residents to know that “US citizens are always in support of them and support them in love, regardless of the political situation.”
Messianic Jews (Individuals)
Simta’ot, April 30, 2015
This article tells the story of Anne, one of the founders of the event hall and coffee shop on the bottom floor of the Clal Building in Jerusalem; a counseling center is planned as well, and there is a prayer and music room on the 14th floor.
Yediot Eilat, May 11, 2015
27-year-old Maxim Kelmakov, formerly a belligerent youth who would drink alcohol and smoke light drugs, testifies that his life completely changed during his stay at the Shelter in Eilat. As he read the Bible and the New Testament, he turned from a hater into someone who loves everyone. This love has found particular expression in helping the Sudanese refugees who began arriving in 2007, and one in particular, Abdullah Dominic. Dominic, who wished to stay in Israel to study agriculture, was forced to leave with other refugees in 2012. Kelmakov accompanied him to Juba to help him, but found a very hard situation among the expelled refugees with not much work and very little food. Kelmakov left as much as he could behind to help. Dominic has since left Sudan for Kenya, where he volunteers at a school founded by Israelis for expelled Sudanese children.
Messianic Jews (Organizations)
Kan Darom, May 8, 2015
The non-profit organization Derekh V’Emet in Ashdod, recently in a civic battle with the Ashdod municipality regarding the municipal tax, has been declared a religious institution, and as such their property is exempt from this tax.k
Interfaith Dialogue
Yediot Yerushalayim, May 15, 2015
Yinon Kahati is a grandson of Moshe Kahati, who was a member of the Jerusalem municipality in the 1930s; John Elias Dabis was injured by an IDF stun grenade while working as an AP photographer; Fatima Abed-Bakri is a member of the Palestinian media. What is shared by the three is an initiative they have started, called “Cleaning Up the Hate,” which is focused on cleaning up the streets of the Old City as an activity based on humanity rather than politics. The three have also recently decided to found a non-profit organization called “The Home,” aimed at ending the conflict through “concentration on everyday activities and common problems.”
Christian Tourism
Ha’Ir Kol Ha’Ir, May 8, 2015
This article, a weekly list of exhibitions to be found at various museums in the Jerusalem area, includes the Gush Katif Museum, the Burnt House Museum in the Old City, the Wohl Museum of Archaeology, the Israel Museum, and the Rockefeller Museum of Archaeology.
B’Ruach Glilit, May 11, 2015
Yesod HaMa’ala in the Hula Valley is an intriguing place to visit; it includes not only the houses of some early settlers from the 1880s and 1890s, but also Crusader-era ruins, including a plastered pool for making sugar that had apparently been exported to Europe. However, of particular interest in the village’s history is the Dubrovin family farm; the Dubrovins were Sobotniks [Russian Orthodox] who believed in Christianity but also in keeping Jewish law.
Globes, May 14, 2015
This article recommends “Little Switzerland” on Mount Carmel as a place to see Madonna lilies in May. Famous in Judaism because of being the shape of the arms of the temple menorah, and in Christianity as a symbol of the immaculate conception, the bulbs had almost become extinct in Israel. However, two small sites were found, and the species was preserved.
Miscellaneous
Kan Darom, May 8, 2015
Dr. Eli Necht of Ashdod was recently awarded the Ukrainian Ivan Sirko Medal, third class, for his work in strengthening Israel’s international relations “with the Christian world in particular and the countries formerly in the Soviet Union in particular.”
Yediot Ahronot, May 12, 2015
Markus Flohr of Germany came to Israel as part of a year of study. However, now it is his book Where Saturdays are always Sunday, about his experiences in Israel, for which he is known. Flohr states that he was surprised by “how small Israel is, how beautiful the Galilee can be in the spring, and that somehow I managed to get lost in the Old City.” He also says, “If there is any country Germany should support, protect, and counsel with, it is Israel.”
Haaretz, May 12, 2015
Although Hungary and Israel have a mutually low opinion of each other, both countries enjoy a prosperous commercial partnership in spheres ranging from investments to real-estate to high tech. Dr. Andor Nagy, Hungary’s ambassador to Israel, supports this partnership: “You have markets you can’t enter and we can, but we don’t have the technology or the products to sell in these markets and Israel does. For this reason we can cooperate and succeed together.”
Yediot Yerushalayim, May 15, 2015
Pierre Bassnino, former president of the European Jewish Congress and born in Tunis, became a businessman in France. After succeeding in business he decided to dedicate 10 years to philanthropy, and now, at the end of those years, he, has purchased the rights to the Burger King chain and made aliyah with his wife.
Bassnino’s activity as president of the European Jewish Congress consisted mostly of advocacy for Israel and encouraging aliyah. When asked, he stated that “we are in a third world war, and the Jews are on the front line.”