Yishai calls for Gibson's Jesus film to be banned in Israel

Haaretz Israel ^ | 26 February 2004 | Amiram Barkat

[Hal1950]

Shas chairman MK Eli Yishai on Wednesday called for Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" movie to be banned from Israeli cinemas, calling it a blood libel.

In the U.S., the Anti-Defamation League issued a statement saying that the film "repeats all of the stereotypes and myths surrounding the death of Jesus that have accompanied anti-Semitism for the last 2,000 years. Regretfully, Gibson refused all of our attempts for a dialogue aimed at preventing this harm to Jews."

ADL National Director Abraham Foxman said he was troubled by Gibson's claim of historical accuracy. "He made his choice," Foxman told a news conference after viewing the film. "And it's to blame the Jews."

"The Passion," which depicts in gruesome detail the final hours of the life of Jesus, premiered in the U.S. and other countries Wednesday, but not in Israel.

Jewish and other religious groups in Manhattan planned protests for Wednesday. Amcha, The Coalition for Jewish Concerns, planned to wear concentration camp uniforms at a New York theater to link the film's portrayal of Jews to the sort of hate that led to the Nazi Holocaust.

"The whole thing is a blood libel," said Yishai, from the ultra-Orthodox Shas party, using a term that refers to a medieval slur that Jews used the blood of Christians to make unleavened bread for the Passover festival.

However, it appeared unlikely that the film would be banned. Few films have been barred in recent years, and the ones to be forbidden are usually pornographic. The Israeli film board, which makes these decisions, could not be reached for comment.

Yishai said the belief that the Jews had killed Jesus had led to "millions" of Jews being killed and persecuted in the last two millennia.

"This libel used to spread by word of mouth. Now the media are spreading it," Yishai told AP. "We should not accept this."

Yishai said he had also appealed to the Foreign Ministry to try to encourage other governments to bar the film.

Jewish leaders have said that the movie gives a harsh portrayal of Jews and blames them for death of Jesus. They have warned it could lead to a rise in anti-Semitism. Gibson, who also funded and co-scripted the film, denies that charge.

New York Cardinal Edward Egan, meanwhile, wrote to parishes to stress Jews were not responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus.

"He gave His Life for us," Egan wrote in a column to appear in next month's issue of Catholic New York. "No one took it from Him. This is, and has always been, Catholic doctrine.

[Piranha]

Sorry, Guillermo, I'll never let the truth get in the way of your rants again.

Chalk it up to inexperience.

[SauronOfMordor]

Historically, the Torah was not generally made available for non-Jewish public consumption.

Slight correction: Torah is what we call the Old Testement

You are thinking of the Talmud, and you are correct that Jews did not go out of their way to let Gentiles be able to read it, due to certain unflattering items about Jesus and Christians. One place where it's available is here

[missyme]

And so what is the harm? was he abused or was he loved? was he taught to honor G-d or was he taught to be an atheist? was he given a loving home to live in or was he subject to filth? what was his harm??

[jwalsh07]

The Torah is the Old Testament! The Five Books of Moses...

I'm going way back now to my high school days when I had a Jewish girlfriend but I think the Torah is much more than that. I think the confusion comes into play because the Old Testament is referred to as the Torah but the Torah (teachings) of Judaism involves other books and oral teachings as well. So Torah means two differtn things.

But my memory is shaky.

[Chris Talk]

Not talking about history, ugly incidents abound in the Middle Ages, we all know that.

TODAY, now, Jews and Muslims use the word "convert" as a transitive verb, something one human can do to another.

Today, now, Christians use this word only as an INTRANSITIVE verb, something one does internally with himself or herself. Or, if you will, God does it to him/her.

I am trying to get some understanding here. As long as that word [and others] is used with such different meanings, threads like this one can develop, which I deplore as much as anybody.

[Chris Talk]

Not talking about history, ugly incidents abound in the Middle Ages, we all know that.

TODAY, now, Jews and Muslims use the word "convert" as a transitive verb, something one human can do to another.

Today, now, Christians use this word only as an INTRANSITIVE verb, something one does internally with himself or herself. Or, if you will, God does it to him/her.

I am trying to get some understanding here. As long as that word [and others] is used with such different meanings, threads like this one can develop, which I deplore as much as anybody.

[mr.pink]

Why can't Stevie make a movie about this Brooklyn educated Talmudic Scholar/healer?

Doesn't that physician's oath say something about first "doing no harm"?

His monument is pretty impressive for a mass murderer, I'm sure you've seen the photos.

[af_vet_1981]

Conservatives supporting government censorship of religious movies?

No. I meant it also brought out alot of repressed hatred of Jews.

As for me, I think Catholics have a right to make movies that express their faith and devotion. I do not support government censorship of movies unless there is a compelling state interest (ie., if the movie caused riots and there was no other reasonable method to address the problem). I think people need to be responsible in their work, especially when they purport to represent something as coming from G-d. People like that have a higher standard than a director like Quentin Tarantino or Spike Lee.

[Piranha]

Jewish religious teachings do not mandate political viewpoints and some Orthodox Jews are political liberals (Joe Lieberman, for example, alternatively was described as a "traditional" or an "orthodox" Jew). In my experience, though, political liberals comprise only a minority (but a meaningful one) of Orthodox Jews.

[Guillermo]

What am I wrong about?

The Torah is both the Tanach and the Talmud.

[jwalsh07]

Is not the Talmud a sort of condensed version of the Torah that basically sets out Jewish Law?

[Guillermo]

The Torah is both the written and oral.

[Chris Talk]

Sorry, but you are mostly wrong. All that a Torah scroll has in it are the 5 books of Moses, the 5 first books in a KJV bible.

That is its only proper sense, TORAH.

Very much less commonly, the everyday meaning might be "religious or traditional or historic Jewish learning and teaching..." but that is a rather obsolete definition and would not be capitalized or be equiv to "THE" Torah.

[adam_az]

"Just out of curiosity, what is the Jewish belief regarding the crucifixion of Christ?"

That he was one of a string of false messiahs that were around during that timeframe. bar Kochba was another well known supposed messiah.

[gscc]

Repressed hatred of Jews - blatant hatred of the Christian faith

[af_vet_1981]

If harm comes to Jews, it will come from their own words, by their own hand and actions,

Is that your view of history ?

[adam_az]

I won't mention what the Talmud says about Jesus.

Please do. I'd love the opportunity to point out to you how every quote you post is out of context and doesn't refer to Jesus at all all.

[GeronL]

Israeli plans to make own movie about Jesus called The Carpenter Nailed Himself To A Cross /sarcasm.

Its amazing that Israeli's would bash the ONLY people in the world who stand up FOR their country.

[Chris Talk]

No. Far from being condensed, the Talmud is like a set of Encyclopedia Brittanicas. Perhaps 20 times the number of words as the whole Christian Bible. Maybe more, if all the marginal notes are included.

[kenth]

Why, because he is religious and is a military hawk when it comes to defending the USA!

And because of his protective stance on Israel. Some of the most vile anti-semitic rhetoric comes from the left.

Jesus gave his life for me. I blame no one else. No amount of name calling in an attempt to discredit the movie, or lessen it's viewership, will deny that truth.