Publication: Israel Today
Type: Online
Date: March 30, 2008
Country: Israel
Section: N/A
Title: Shame
Reporter: Tsvi Sadan
Link: http://www.israeltoday.co.il/default.aspx?tabid=182&view=item&idx=1700&skintype=G&skinname=_default&skinsrc=printmodule.ascx&containertype=G&containername=_default&containersrc=printContent.ascx&mid=942
Shame
A suspected Orthodox Jewish bombing of a Messianic household in Israel marks an escalation that should make all Jews feel shame.
During the feast of Purim it is customary to send “Purim gifts” to friends, neighbors and even total strangers. This lovely custom is in fact gleaned from the book of Esther. When the plan to annihilate the Jews was frustrated, the book records that the Jews started to “hold the fourteenth day of the month of Adar as a day for gladness and feasting, as a holiday, and as a day on which they send gifts of food to one another.” (Esther 9:19)
The bomb that severely wounded young Ami Ortiz (15) on March 20 was camouflaged as a “Purim gift.”
Ami is the youngest son of the Ortiz family who immigrated to Israel from the United States in 1986. David, Leah and their six children settled in the town of Ariel. Since their arrival David is working as an active Christian missionary. Leah, who shares her husband’s religious convictions, is Jewish and therefore, according to Jewish and Israeli law, her children are also Jewish. The family’s religious convictions labeled them as a “Messianic Jewish” family.
In the eyes of most Israelis, the term “Messianic Jew” simply means “converted Jew,” which is significant because in Jewish memory (both distant and recent) not a few converted Jews turned out to be the Jews’ worst enemies. Therefore, antagonism toward those perceived to be engaging in attempts to convert the Jews to Christianity is understandable.
However, the attempt to murder a missionary (most likely by Jewish extremists) goes beyond this antagonism and enters the ugly realm of hate crimes. Those who did this cowardly crime are most probably religious people who pray every morning: “To those who curse me, let my soul be silent; and let my soul be like dust to everyone.” Therefore, this kind of action is unjustifiable by any standard and certainly goes against the spirit of Judaism.
This act of terror not only desecrates the name of God; it also puts Judaism under bad repute and even threatens to rile up anti-Semitic sentiments. This kind of action should not only be condemned but also put any decent Jew to shame. I am ashamed.
Type: Online
Date: March 30, 2008
Country: Israel
Section: N/A
Title: Shame
Reporter: Tsvi Sadan
Link: http://www.israeltoday.co.il/default.aspx?tabid=182&view=item&idx=1700&skintype=G&skinname=_default&skinsrc=printmodule.ascx&containertype=G&containername=_default&containersrc=printContent.ascx&mid=942
Shame
A suspected Orthodox Jewish bombing of a Messianic household in Israel marks an escalation that should make all Jews feel shame.
During the feast of Purim it is customary to send “Purim gifts” to friends, neighbors and even total strangers. This lovely custom is in fact gleaned from the book of Esther. When the plan to annihilate the Jews was frustrated, the book records that the Jews started to “hold the fourteenth day of the month of Adar as a day for gladness and feasting, as a holiday, and as a day on which they send gifts of food to one another.” (Esther 9:19)
The bomb that severely wounded young Ami Ortiz (15) on March 20 was camouflaged as a “Purim gift.”
Ami is the youngest son of the Ortiz family who immigrated to Israel from the United States in 1986. David, Leah and their six children settled in the town of Ariel. Since their arrival David is working as an active Christian missionary. Leah, who shares her husband’s religious convictions, is Jewish and therefore, according to Jewish and Israeli law, her children are also Jewish. The family’s religious convictions labeled them as a “Messianic Jewish” family.
In the eyes of most Israelis, the term “Messianic Jew” simply means “converted Jew,” which is significant because in Jewish memory (both distant and recent) not a few converted Jews turned out to be the Jews’ worst enemies. Therefore, antagonism toward those perceived to be engaging in attempts to convert the Jews to Christianity is understandable.
However, the attempt to murder a missionary (most likely by Jewish extremists) goes beyond this antagonism and enters the ugly realm of hate crimes. Those who did this cowardly crime are most probably religious people who pray every morning: “To those who curse me, let my soul be silent; and let my soul be like dust to everyone.” Therefore, this kind of action is unjustifiable by any standard and certainly goes against the spirit of Judaism.
This act of terror not only desecrates the name of God; it also puts Judaism under bad repute and even threatens to rile up anti-Semitic sentiments. This kind of action should not only be condemned but also put any decent Jew to shame. I am ashamed.