During the week covered by this review, we received 9 articles on the following subjects:
The Pope and the Vatican
Jewish-Christian Relations
Miscellaneous
Archaeology
The Pope and the Vatican
Maariv, September 3; Makor Rishon, September 4, 2015
President Reuven Rivlin recently spent three days in Italy; while there, he visited Pope Francis at the Vatican and assured him that “the Israeli government is doing everything possible to prevent Christian churches from being damaged by extremists.” Rivlin’s visit follows an increase in price-tag incidents, specifically the arson at the church in Tabgha, and the Palestinians’ attempts “to drag the Vatican into a conflict with Israel at the United Nations.” In an interview with La Repubblica, Rivlin attacked extremist elements in Israel, calling them “the greatest danger to the independent existence of the State of Israel.”
During his visit, Rivlin also met with his Italian counterpart, President Sergio Mattarella, and with leaders of the Jewish community.
Jewish-Christian Relations
The Jerusalem Post, September 2, 2015
A delegation of 20 pastors from the Church of God in Christ denomination in the USA recently completed a visit to Israel, during which they particularly focused on the situation among African asylum-seekers in Tel-Aviv. Pastor Jeremiah Sunday Dairo, who is “active in providing assistance to the needy from the community,” said, “Israel has its own issues and it is first and foremost a Jewish nation which everybody knows, but this situation has arisen in which some of these people have no other place to go. … They can really stand out and contribute to Israeli society if they’re given the chance.”
The delegation was hosted during their visit by the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews.
Miscellaneous
Index HaEmek VeHaGalil–Nazareth Ilit, August 21, 2015
In a meeting regarding education in Nazareth Ilit, city council member Yitzhak Pinto drew attention by stating that “separate educational systems is not racist: why should Muhammad be forced to sing ‘a Jewish soul still lives’? Why should Fatima have to go to a synagogue and learn our prayers? Everyone should learn their own values, their own scriptures, in their own education system.”
Archaeology
HaPeles; Yated Ne’eman; HaMevaser, September 1, 2015
A pyramid shaped flight of stairs was recently discovered in the City of David, in a tunnel underneath the Herodian street running from the Siloam pool towards the Temple Mount. Whole clay pots, as well as stone and glass tools, were found at the base of the steps. This structure is unique among all the findings in the area, and for this reason archaeologists are still determining its purpose; one supposition is that the stairs were used as a podium from which to attract the attention of passersby.
HaModia, September 1, 2015
This article reiterates the story about a Jewish ritual bath that was discovered two months ago in excavations in Jerusalem’s Arnona neighborhood (see previous reviews). Upon investigation, the site was proved to date to the Second Temple period; it consists of a subterranean cave with an anteroom and benches around the periphery, and many frescoes and Aramaic inscriptions on the walls. Roi Grinwald and Alex Wigman, heads of the excavation from the Israel Antiquities Authority, stated, “It is without doubt a significant discovery. Such a high concentration of such well-preserved symbols and inscriptions in one site is rare and unique.” To date, the inscriptions and symbols, as well as the connection between them, have yet to be deciphered.
Israel Hayom, September 4, 2015
This article is an interview with Dr. Donald Sanders of the Institute for the Visualization of History and Learning Sites organizations, who recently visited Jerusalem and spoke on the subject of Nineveh at the 16th City of David research conference. The interview particularly touched on the subject of antiquities destroyed by IS. Sanders is persuaded that the West is not doing enough to preserve them; although attempts have been made by countries as well as private individuals, nothing has as yet been achieved.