During the week covered by this review, we received 7 articles on the following subjects:
Anti-Missionary Activity
Christian Sites
Arab Believing Communities
Christian Organizations
Anti-Semitism
Anti-Missionary Activity
Yom LeYom, June 18, 2020; Ma Nishma, June 19, 2020
In response to reports of Australian missionary Andrew Scott Lewis’s attempts to “take over southern cities” by evangelizing in playgrounds, synagogues, and neighborhoods, Yad L’Achim has organized a large protest in front of his house. Lewis featured in recent reports after having his children put up missionary posters in children’s playgrounds.
Christian Sites
Haaretz, June 23, 2020
Dr. Ami Zoran has published a book entitled God’s Gardens in the Holy Land, which features gardens from more than 50 monasteries from across the country. Zoran noted that many Israelis are not aware of the existence of these gardens, which he said facilitate a sense of mystery and peace, providing a haven in the middle of busy cities.
Arab Believing Communities
Israel Hayom, June 23, 2020
Christian Arabs have expressed anger after finding out that the Latin Patriarchate sold a large amount of property in Nazareth to a private investor. Community leaders demanded more information about the sale, which they believe was purposely kept hidden, and have argued that the Christian community could have benefited from use and development of the property. The Latin Patriarchate has said that it was forced to sell for financial reasons, after having invested in building a Catholic university in Jordan. But local Christians are not accepting that explanation and feel some details are being hidden from them. The Christian community fears losing more of its young people to emigration. Without assets, lands, and opportunities, younger Christians are more likely to leave.
Christian Organizations
HaShavua BaDarom, June 19, 2020
The Christian Embassy of Jerusalem facilitated the donation of a sealed room in Sderot Negev, and held a ceremony to put up the mezuzah. Family members and Christian representatives were present at the ceremony.
Anti-Semitism
Maariv, June 24, 2020; HaModia, June 25, 2020
The University of Tel Aviv’s Kantor Center put out a report, which drew from hundreds of smaller reports from around the world, stating that the current pandemic has fueled a new wave of anti-Semitism. Jews, or Zionists, are being either blamed for the pandemic, or being accused of profiting from it. Such conspiracies tend to come from the far right, from conservative Christians, and from Islamists.