Maoz Israel - January 17, 2013

Publication: MAOZ Israel
Type: Online
Date: January 17, 2013
Country: Israel
Title: Our God Is A God Of Justice
Reporter: Chaim Goldberg
Article: link

Our God Is A Just God

Yesterday was quite a day for the Ortiz family and the Messianic Jewish community as a whole, here in Israel. We could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

After nearly five years, yes "5" years...there is finally justice for Ami Ortiz and the other victims of the man who's come to be known as the 'Jewish terrorist', Jack Teitel.

It was March 2008 when Teitel left a bomb, disguised as a Purim gift basket at the Ortiz family's home in Ariel, Israel. It was meant for David Ortiz, who is the leader of a Messianic Jewish congregation. But, it was discovered instead by the Ortiz's youngest child, Ami. Excited by the candy and other treats he could see through the cellophane, he opened the package...his life would never be the same.

Shrapnel and fire exploded in the teenage boy's face. The force of the bomb destroyed much of the Ortiz's apartment and shattered windows throughout their apartment building.

Ami was left in a pool of blood, with burns and wounds all over his body. No one thought he would survive. Thanks to the prayers of millions around the world, he did.

It would be years before police would even discuss the case openly. Years before an arrest was made. And still more years before a verdict was handed down in the case.

Yesterday, Judges Zvi Segal, Moshe Hacohen and Moshe Yair Drori did the brave thing, the right thing, they convicted Jack Teitel of two counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder including that of Ami.

There was enormous pressure on these judges. Teitel's lawyers argued that he was insane, and therefore not responsible for his actions. The judges ultimately rejected that argument.

Had they found him insane that would have meant a mental facility for Teitel instead of prison. Perhaps he would be out of the hospital within months or years. This would send a signal to others like him, that trying to kill Messianic Jews will only cost you a little bit of time in a hospital. So perhaps it's worth it.

Teitel has admitted to attending meetings of the group 'Yad L'Acim' which persecutes Messianic Jews here in Israel. Teitel has admitted to being a 'volunteer' for them.

Teitel's actions were the most extreme ever taken against Messianic Jews, but by far, not the only ones. Just recently a Messianic congregation in Kiryat Gat was burned down. Its congregational leader and his wife are continually harassed and have their photos hung up on posters all over town, warning people to 'beware of missionaries'.

Messianic Jewish bakery owner, Pnina, still does not have her Kosher certificate from the chief rabbi of Ashdod, despite repeated rulings from Israel's Supreme Court that he must in fact give her the license. The chief rabbi says he'd rather "be hung on a tree" than give her the kosher license. This is the same chief rabbi who was caught on camera by this blogger, comparing Messianic Jews to Hitler and calling for their expulsion from the land of Israel.

So persecution persists. But now, at least, those who would seek to emulate Teitel know that there are real consequences to their actions. Even though Yad L'Achim has strong political connections to the Shas party, who's representatives in the Knesset currently control Israel's Ministry of Interior, yesterday's verdict shows that even they can not get away with murder and attempted murder.

Teitel will be sentenced next month. We're all praying he will get the maximum sentence of life in prison.

Ami Ortiz, while now a college student, still faces many painful surgeries to remove the burns and scars from his body.

And next week Israeli voters will have the chance to re-shape our government. Let us pray that Shas and other radical ultra-orthodox political parties, who encourage groups like Yad L'Achim...will have no place in the new leadership of our nation.

So may it be.

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