CBN_April 11, 2008

Publication: CBN
Type: Online
Date: April 11, 2008
Country: Israel
Section: Jerusalem Dateline
Title: More updates on Ami Ortiz
Reporter: Chris Mitchell, Middle East Bureau Chief
Link: http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/355790.aspx

People around the world are still praying for Ami Ortiz, the 15-year-old boy who was severely injured just over three weeks ago.

On March 20, Ami opened a Purim holiday gift box with a bomb inside, which nearly killed him. Despite the horrific injuries he suffered, according to his doctors, he's making an amazing recovery.

But he still faces a long road to complete physical and emotional health. He needs prayer, in particular, for emotional healing. As you can imagine, anyone suffering these wounds would be going through a wrenching recovery emotionally.

Ami faces questions. Will I ever be the same? Will my body be like it was? Can I play basketball again?

Fifteen-year-olds get upset when their faces break out. How will Ami cope with the possibility of deep scaring?

In light of this, his family is asking for prayer, both for emotional and continued physical healing.

Send Encouraging Notes

By the way, if you want to send a note of encouragement to Ami and the Ortiz family, you can write to them at the following address:

P.O. Box 1903
Ariel 40700
ISRAEL

A Father's Faith and Forgiveness

Also, at the Epicenter Conference 08, held on, April 10, in Jerusalem, Joel Rosenberg introduced Ami's father, David Ortiz, to the more than 2,000 in attendance and thousands watching by Internet.

David shared a moving message about faith and forgiveness.

This week, two ministries released strong statements on the legalities of the bombing. The first is from Steve Strang, the publisher of Charisma magazine. The second is from the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem. Both reports are below.

Following is the April 7 edition of the STRANG Report:

This is what one of my friends in Israel wrote me about a terrorist attack against a Messianic Jewish family Friday, March 21. Click here to read one of the first articles written after its occurrence in The Jerusalem Post.

During the Purim holiday on Friday morning a package was made to look like a Purim gift and was left on the doorstep of the home of David Ortiz a Messianic pastor.

David Ortiz's 15-year-old son Ami sustained serious injuries from the blast after opening the package. Click here to read a personal e-mail account concerning the blast.

At first police thought it might be Palestinian terrorism, but now they believe it was from Jewish extremists. The boy had an 8-inch gash, like someone slit his throat. He had ruptured lungs. Doctors had to operate on his tongue. He had second degree burns on his chest and arms, there was no flesh on his thighs and they had to amputate a couple of toes.

Thankfully it appears that the boy will live. You can read a full report from the Jerusalem Post concerning the blast by Clicking here.

You can read an update concerning Ami from private e-mails, which have been edited for security purposes, by Clicking here.

When Palestinians attack Jewish settlements, there has been a great deal of outrage from the Christian community. Now I ask the question: why would Christians be outraged about attacking innocent Jews, but be silent when one of our Christian brothers is attacked in such a savage way.

I am outraged about this attack. Israel is a democracy that guarantees everyone's freedom of religion. However, some of the anti-missionaries have been so vicious that now it has escalated to violence. Israel cannot allow this type of violence. Thankfully some Israelis are speaking up. But usually violence of this type is soon forgotten and no one is brought to justice.

Messianic Judaism, while still a small percentage of the population, is growing rapidly and is considered a threat to some Orthodox Jews. I'm told that harassment of evangelical believers in general is increasing, especially against Messianic Jews.

When I was at the Feast of Tabernacles last September, some Israeli leaders were telling Jews to boycott the event because the thousands of Christians who were coming and showing unconditional love to them were doing it with a hidden agenda: to convert the Jews.

A couple of days after the attack, a package was left on the doorstep of another Messianic family and of course because of the previous attach the family thought it might be another bomb. Thankfully it wasn't. Click here to read the article from Thursday, March 23.

Messianic believers in Israel are concerned that the violence is escalating and that this may be a new round of persecution. One of my friends sent me a private email, which I've edited. You can read the anguish in his words if you Click here.

I'm not in Israel so I don't know if there is an outcry from Christian Zionists. If there is, I'd like to hear it. The International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (THEY DID SPEAK OUT. SEE THEIR STATEMENT BELOW) and other Zionist groups should speak up even though they mostly distance themselves from the Messianics to try to be a little less controversial.

Most Americans have not heard about this attack. Most Christians have not heard about it either. So in fairness, there hasn't been time to make a public outcry here. We need to send this e-mail to as many people as possible and urge leaders in the Jewish community to express their outrage.

In my work with Christians United for Israel, I've gotten to know some high-ranking Israeli officials, some of whom have become good friends. I'm going to write each one and ask them to stand with us when violence is perpetrated against evangelical Christians. Civilized people of all types should not tolerate this type of violence, but especially when it's violence against evangelicals in Israel especially when evangelicals are among the few friends Israel has - some would say the only friends Israel has.

Thankfully a few voices in Israel are speaking up. I've included an article Click here featured on YNetNews.com in which a Jewish writer compares this to an anti-Semitic attack that happened in France and French officials bent over backwards to prove that all of France was not anti-Semitic. Now it's time for Israel, which now seems to appreciate support from the evangelical Christian community, to show they are not anti-Christians.

I've published many articles and several books that blast anti-Semitism. There's a long, sad history of that. But there are also those who are anti-Christian. Many are secularists. Some are radical Muslims. But there are also ultra-Orthodox groups like Yad L'Achim, who are responsible for constantly harassing Christian believers in Israel.

What can we do? I hope you'll join me in writing letters of concern on behalf of evangelical and Messianic believers in Israel and bombard Israeli officials from the Foreign Ministry, the Tourism Ministry, the Prime Minister's Office, and the Ministry of Justice. I have included the links to their respective offices with their mailing address:

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Tzipora Livni, MK, Vice Prime Minister
Minister of Foreign Affairs
9 Yitzhak Rabin Blvd.
Kiryat Ben-Gurion Jerusalem 91035
Tel. 972-2-530-3111
Fax 972-2-530-3367

Ministry of Tourism
Rami Levi
Tourism Ambassador to North and South America
800 Second Avenue
New York, NY 10017 USA
Tel. 1-212-499-5650
Fax: 1-212-499-5655

Prime Minister's Office
Ehud Olmert
Prime Minister
3 Kaplan St.
Hakirya Jerusalem 91950
Tel. 972-2-670-5555
Fax 972-2-670-5475

Ministry of Justice
Daniel Friedmann
Minister of Justice
Salah-a-Din 29
P.O. Box 49029
Jerusalem 91490
Tel. 972-2-646-6340, ext.321
Fax 972-2-646-6357

When you contact them, say you're concerned about this violence and something needs to be done about it. It may or may not have been caused by these radical Orthodox Jews. But, someone did it and they should be brought to justice.

Also say that Israel's reputation as a liberal democracy is at stake if they turn a blind eye to this type of violence. And, remind them to stand with the evangelical community as the evangelical community has stood by them.

I hope you join me in raising a voice of concern and support for believers in Israel!

Next is the statement from the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem.

ICEJ Urges Israeli Authorities to Pursue Perpetrators of Ariel Bombing

Like so many others in Israel, the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem was shocked by the malicious bombing attack against a Christian pastor and his family in the town of Ariel on the eve of the Purim holiday last month. We did, however, refrain from any immediate reaction in hopes the police investigation would quickly identify those responsible for this appalling act, which left young Ami Ortiz severely injured and fighting for his life.

It has now become clear that the Ortiz family was targeted because of their faith and ministry, and thus we must go on record as fully condemning this vicious attack as well as those who carried it out, whether Jewish or Arab.

After regular consultations with the Ortiz family, we understand that the police investigation, while not ruling out Muslim involvement, has focused primarily on likely Jewish perpetrators. Israeli police have imposed a media blackout on details of their probe, but we are also informed that after nearly a month of investigation there are still no suspects.

Thus, we urge Israeli authorities to take this criminal assault seriously and to commit all the resources, manpower and willpower necessary to see the investigation through to conclusion and to prosecute to the fullest those deemed responsible. The 'Purim gift basket bombing' has caught the attention of the Christian world and Israel needs to assure everyone that it is indeed a democracy that safeguards the rights and lives of its religious minorities.

In this regard, we note that some local Israeli authorities have tended to overlook past harassment, intimidation and even physical violence against Messianic Jews carried out by Jewish anti-missionary activists, creating the impression abroad that such religious persecution is officially tolerated here. This must never be the case!

Finally, we commend the community of Ariel for its embrace of the Ortiz family throughout this tragic ordeal, and we join with everyone in earnestly praying for Ami's full recovery and healing.

For more information contact: David Parsons: 052-381-621; david.parsons@icej.org

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