Christian-Jewish relations under fire

Determined Israeli politician gains support of top religious authorities in effort to end cooperation between Evangelical Christan world and Israel.
by Ryan Jones

An Israeli politician who has for years sought to put an end to Christian-Jewish relations may now be making progress after gaining the ear of Israel's top religious authorities.

Jerusalem City Councilwoman Mina Fenton's past efforts have come to naught largely because Israel's religious authorities under the leadership of former chief rabbi Meir Lau were generally tolerant, and often supportive, of Christian-Jewish reconciliation and cooperation.

But Lau's replacement, Rabbi Yonah Metzger, has been described as far more political and suspicious in his outlook.

Earlier this month, Fenton and her allies in various anti-missionary Jewish groups managed to convince a top rabbinical court to ban Jewish participation in an inter-faith women's conference put on by the parliamentary Christian Allies Caucus and two Jerusalem-based Christian ministries.

Of greater concern to pro-Israel Bible believers was the fact that caucus chairman and staunch proponent of Christian-Jewish relations, Member of Knesset Benny Elon bound himself to the ruling and did not attend the conference.

Fenton told Israel Today that the evidence of missionary activity presented at the rabbinical court hearing had convinced Elon of the so-called "dangers" inherent in Christian-Jewish cooperation at the public level, and that he promised to never again organize such an event.

Mr. Elon was unavailable for comment, but the fact that he avoided the conference as a result of the ruling and in opposition to his previously stated position on Christian-Jewish relations spoke louder than any denial could have.

Mina Fenton's long-standing quest is based on her belief that there is simply no religious basis for dialogue or cooperation between the Evangelical Christian world and Israel.

"One must understand that the idea of the mixture between Jews and Christians" is all wrong, Fenton told Israel Today. "These are two different religions, two different attitudes ... the whole idea of Christians and Jews coming together, cooperating, dialoguing, working together" is just not kosher.

Fenton labeled as "a falacy" the Christian assertion that it is anchored in the Jewish faith and that Jesus and nearly all his early followers were Jews. "It's an attempt to fool Jews, to pull Jews toward Christians and make as if there is no difference between Jewish and Christian values," she said, explaining that the values in question "are Jewish values, and Christianity took them. Christianity is a distortion of the Bible."

Christians will always be motivated by their need to convert the Jews, insisted Fenton. As for working together for the sake of the State of Israel, she claims the Christians' ultimate goal is the physical conquest of the Holy Land.

"These Christians come every year and strengthen themselves in Jerusalem," said Fenton, referencing the annual Feast of Tabernacles celebration. "They want to bring Jesus to reign over Jerusalem as soon as possible. ... Their aim is to conquer Israel and Jerusalem!"

Fenton said this month's ruling and the effect it had on the women's conference marked a "historic turning point" in her efforts, and she is determined to use the precedent it set to hinder and prevent further collaboration between Christians and Jews.

Having gained favor with Israel's top religious authorities, Fenton may be poised to do some real damage, warned David Parsons, spokesman for the International Chrisitan Embassy Jerusalem, one of the organizations involved in the women's conference.

"Mina Fenton has been a problem for years, and she won't stop, and now that she has [the ear of the rabbinical] council, she could try to block anything we do with Israelis," said Parsons.

Although "missionary" organizations mentioned in the article annoying the councilwomen do exist, the vast majority of Evangelical Christians who support the Nation of Israel do so with honorable motives—including the people of the International Christian Embassy of Jerusalem.

As Dr. James M. Hutchens of The Jerusalem Connection states: Our vision: To show mercy because of mercy received (Romans 11:31).

Nonetheless, there will be divisions between Christianity and Judaism. Still, if we purport to model the heart of the Lord, His heart is clearly for Israel, Jerusalem, and the Jewish people. As His servants, we should serve His people and purposes, not expecting anything in return.

"...Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not. So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do. [Luke 17:9-10]

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“What is the background of this Mina Fenton broad and what is her political affiliation? Does she have any ties to the American left?”

“Fenton sounds more like a secular Humanist than Jewish to me.”

She is a member of one of the highly conservative Orthodox parties, as indicated in the following article:

‘Modesty parade’ protests gay parade
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3263625,00.html

Rabbi Amnon Yitzhak expects thousands from around world to attend Modesty Parade, scheduled for 2 days before WorldPride parade in Jerusalem this summer, to negate ‘abomination and defilement’ of pride march and ‘demonstrate the extraordinariness of the way of the Torah’

Neta Sela
Published: 06.16.06, 09:10 / Israel News

Battle against holding the annual gay WorldPride parade in Jerusalem this summer heats up: Repentance Rabbi Amnon Yitzhak announced that he plans to hold a “modesty parade” in response to the gay pride parade scheduled to march through Jerusalem August 11. The event is planned to precede the WorldPride parade by a few days, and expects an attendance of over 20,000 people.

The event is being planned by the “Shofar” group and is being publicized, among other places, on their website. Shofar, founded by Rav
Yitzhak, is devoted to promoting the “return to religion” (hazara be’tshuva) amongst secular Jews. According to the site, “Two days before the date on which the vile souls are planning their World ‘March of Abomination,’ thousands of Jews whose souls have been saved and have chosen God’s path will hold a ‘Modesty march’ of incredible proportions. Its very occurrence will denunciate the abomination and defilement, will vomit out its participants from among us and will set fire to their infection. Thousands of Jews from Israel and the world, to whom the purity and sanctity of Jerusalem is important, will demonstrate the extraordinariness of the way of the Torah chosen by thousands.”

The Modesty Parade will also mark 20 years of Shofar’s activities. “It’s time to show the whole world that in the last 20 years we have changed the face of Judaism unrecognizably and those loyal to God and his Torah have become the leaders, against the disseminators of darkness. The fact that the Torah of Israel commands us to act modestly and self-deprecatingly has given this raucous and rebellious minority an opportunity to act out their pride and boastfulness all the way to Jerusalem, the holy city, in order to soil it.”

Rabbi Yitzhak’s website promises that the demonstration will include “pyrotechnics shows with light defeating darkness as never seen before.”

Petition against parade

Meanwhile, objectors to the gay pride parade are threatening to file a petition to the High Court of Justice against it. During a city council meeting this week, National Religious Party Councilwoman Mina Fenton introduced a petition calling for the march to be cancelled. Twenty-three out of the 31 council members signed the petition.

“I am sure that the first 100,000 signatures will prove to the High Court the position of the majority, and the risks and humiliation of letting the parade happen,” Fenton said.

“Holding the gay pride parade, especially in Jerusalem, severely harms the city’s unique Jewish character and constitutes an act of defiance, purposeful disrespect and a challenge to everything holy in the city of Jerusalem in the eyes of the whole world. This will be wept about for generations and we must prevent it now,” the petition read.

A center of tolerance, pluralism and humanity

A member of the city council from the Meretz party, Saar Natanel, said in response to Fenton’s initiative: “The delusional attempts by Mina Fenton and the rest of the Orthodox-Religious coalition members in Jerusalem won’t succeed. Gays and lesbians have a place in Jerusalem too. It is the community’s right to hold the march. This right is legitimate, legal and democratic. The pride parade is important to Jerusalem to show that Israel’s capital has other voices as well that support democracy, pluralism and equality. Jerusalem cannot be represented by religious extremists alone.”

Noa Satat, Chairman of the Jerusalem House for Pride and Tolerance, a gay and lesbian foundation in the capital, explained the importance of holding the pride parade in the city. “The World pride event will take place in Jerusalem because we believe Jerusalem should be a center of tolerance, pluralism and humanity. Unfortunately, there are those who prefer Jerusalem to be fanatical, dark, pursuing strife and hatred. Those same people ignore the Torah’s greatest rule: Love thy brother as thyself.”

“The many participants who will take place in the pride activities – from Israel and the world – will best answer this demonstration of darkness that is shaming Judaism and Jerusalem. We invite Mr.Yitzhak and his disciples to take part in the inter-religious gatherings in the framework of World pride events. Religious figures from gay, Jewish, Christian and Muslim communities will partake in the assembly and will represent a religious voice that respects all mankind created in the image of the lord, and committed to the traditional Jewish values of tolerance and love of humanity,” Satat said.

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