During the week covered by this review, we received 9 articles on the following subjects:
Anti-Missionary Activity
The Pope and the Vatican
Christian Zionism
Anti-Semitism
Jewish-Christian Relations
Conversion to Judaism
Archaeology
Anti-Missionary Activity
HaModia, February 18, 2016
The anti-missionary activist organization Yad L’Achim wishes to alert the public to a widespread missionary campaign taking place all over the country, consisting mostly of three-person teams going from door to door, and free book distribution stands set up in public areas. Yad L’Achim has been countering this initiative by sending activists to the book stands to explain the missionary nature of the material being distributed, and by distributing flyers titled “You have been chosen as a target” in residential areas, cautioning those who live there about what is going on.
The Pope and the Vatican
The Jerusalem Post, February 14, 2016
An historic meeting took place on Friday, February 12, between Pope Francis and Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill. The two united “to issue a global appeal for the protection of Christians under assault in the Middle East,” stating that “in many countries of the Middle East and North Africa whole families, villages and cities of our brothers are being completely exterminated,” and “lamenting the massive exodus of Christians” from Syria and Iraq.
Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill met in an airport terminal in Cuba, where Francis stopped on his way from Rome to Mexico. This is the first meeting ever to take place between a Roman Catholic pope and a Russian Orthodox patriarch, as Eastern Orthodoxy split from Catholicism in 1054.
Haaretz, February 15, 2016
On his recent visit to Mexico, Pope Francis rebuked the Mexican bishops for “having lost their way” and being concerned with “gossip and intrigues.” “Do not believe in the ‘chariots and horsemen’ of the modern day Pharaohs,” said Francis. “I have never heard such a stiff rebuke to bishops,” said Robert Blancaretta, expert in church issues at the Colegio de Mexico. “The bishops will need to do some self-examination.”
Francis’ visit has been described as a pilgrimage, and he held a mass at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe on Saturday, February 13. His rebuke to the bishops comes contrary to the expectations of many, who thought he would speak of the “corruption and bloodshed” in the country.
Christian Zionism
Yediot Haifa, February 12, 2016
A delegation of thirty ministers and other US leaders, members of Christians United for Israel (CUFI), visited Rambam Hospital last week. The delegation met with hospital manager Prof. Rafi Bi’er, who was accompanied by the heads of the research and trauma departments.
Anti-Semitism
Yated Ne’eman, February 19, 2016
The Latin Patriarchate, the official representation of the Catholic Church in Israel, apparently stated at a recent conference of Middle East Catholic leaders that “Israeli policies have caused despair and frustration among the Palestinians, making them to turn to terror.” No mention was made of the Palestinian Authority’s incitement to violence, although “it was written [in the statement] that Israelis have the right to security and calm.”
Jewish-Christian Relations
The Jerusalem Post, February 19, 2016
In this article, Shmuley Boteach presents his utter rejection of pastor Mike Bickle’s recent statement that “Jews were punished in the Holocaust for failing to embrace Jesus.” Boteach states that by so saying, Bickle has “blasphemed Christianity,” that his statement was “the ultimate spiritual abomination,” and that his statement “turned Jesus into a mass executioner.” Regarding Bickle’s endorsement of Republican presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz, Boteach says that in addition to repudiating Bickle’s comments, Cruz should reject Bickle’s endorsement of him.
The Jerusalem Post, February 19, 2016
Reuven Hammer responds to David Brooks’ criticism of Sen. Ted Cruz, in which he said Cruz is guilty of pharisaism, saying that this is “an overzealous application of the letter of the law in a way that violates the spirit of the law, as well as fairness and mercy.” Hammer is of the opinion that Brooks has a mistaken idea of who the Pharisees were; contrary to widespread opinion that Judaism teaches unwavering strictness and Christianity teaches love and mercy, “the quality of mercy is the very essence of Judaism.” This can be seen in the Torah’s concern not only for the neighbor but for the stranger; the teachings of Hillel and Rabbi Akiva that loving one’s neighbor is fundamentally important for a righteous life; and the teachings of the Talmud that “in clothing the naked, visiting the sick and comforting the mourners,” one is “following the attributes of God.”
Conversion to Judaism
The Jerusalem Report, February 17, 2016
A group of people in the city of Jayapura in Papua, Indonesia, having begun to question their church’s practices in the light of Old Testament teaching and being convinced that they are the descendants of Peruvian Jews who came to Indonesia to escape persecution, have decided to become Jews and live as Jews. They celebrated their first Shabbat in 2014, and are largely self-educated on the subject of Jewish observance, although they have established contact with the Jewish communities in Jakarta and on the islands of Sulawesi and Sumatra.
Archaeology
Makor Rishon, February 19, 2016
This seven-page article describes the discovery of an apiary, dating from the 9-10th centuries BCE, at Tel Rechov in the Beit She’an Valley. The apiary consists of between one and two hundred cylindrical plaster hives, stopped with mud on one side with a hole for the bees to come in and out, and with a lid with a handle on the other side for extracting the honey. Microscope analysis of burnt honeycombs revealed bee muscles, wings, legs, and eyes. Archaeologists estimate that each hive could have produced between three and five kilos of honey and between a half and one kilo of wax—far beyond the city’s consumption ability.
Although the finds are still being researched, one supposition is that the wax from such a big apiary may have been needed for copper production at the two big mines in the area (Timna and Khirbet al-Nakhas in Finaan in Jordan). Additionally, as an inscription saying “of Nimshi” was found in Tel Rechov, another supposition is that the family of Jehu Ben Nimshi owned the apiary. It is surmised as well that Rechov was destroyed by Hazael, king of Aram.
Although written evidence has been found regarding honey, this is the first ancient apiary to be discovered, “and this is what is new,” said Prof. Amichai Mazar, leader of the dig and winner of the Israel Prize for Archaeology in 2009.