Meet the Makuya, Israel's most unwavering supporters

Times of Israel ^ | Saturday, May 30, 2015 | Aviva and Shmuel Bar-Am

[SunkenCiv]

Four students (out of the 35 currently in Israel) live at the Jerusalem Makuya Center, along with its new director Asher Seito Kimura, his wife Tzofiya and their children. Each Makuya member has a Hebrew name, taken, or given to him or her upon arrival in Israel. They chat easily about their faith, which is based heavily on the Old Testament and doesn't contain even a hint of proselytism. But none of the Makuya will discuss politics. They will talk with feeling, however, about their position on Israel. Every Makuya, they say proudly, identifies with -- and wholeheartedly supports -- the State of Israel.

Outward manifestations of support began in 1967, before the onset of the Six Day War, when Teshima set up the "Israel Emergency Relief Committee of Japan." He flew to Israel with relief goods as soon as the war broke out, and not long afterwards he entered reunited Jerusalem to pray at the Western Wall.

Six years later, Israel was attacked by the combined forces of Egypt and Syria. A threatened oil boycott had caused Japan to reverse its normally neutral position and adopt a blatantly pro-Arab stand.

"Israel cannot, indeed must not, be forsaken in her time of need," declared Teshima. Although gravely ill, he organized a large pro-Israel demonstration in downtown Tokyo. It extended over two kilometers and more than 3,000 men, women and children sang joyful Hebrew songs as they danced in the streets. Teshima, who had put his heart and soul into the demonstration, insisted on participating despite the bitter winter cold. He died three weeks later, at the age of 63.

[SunkenCiv]

Makuya members at the Jerusalem center (Shmuel Bar-Am)

[SunkenCiv]

More pictures in the original.

[Olog-hai]

A threatened oil boycott had caused Japan to reverse its normally neutral position and adopt a blatantly pro-Arab stand. …

Well, well, well.

[no-to-illegals]

from the article ...
"Israel cannot, indeed must not, be forsaken in her time of need," declared Teshima. Although gravely ill, he organized a large pro-Israel demonstration in downtown Tokyo. It extended over two kilometers and more than 3,000 men, women and children sang joyful Hebrew songs as they danced in the streets. Teshima, who had put his heart and soul into the demonstration, insisted on participating despite the bitter winter cold. He died three weeks later, at the age of 63.

Have to believe Teshima laughs and sings Praises with God everyday since his death ...

[chajin]

There was once a theory that some Japanese were descended from the ten lost tribes

[SunkenCiv]

Oh, that was just a huge coincidence. ;’)

[SunkenCiv]

:’)

[SunkenCiv]

Oy gevart...

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/877114/posts

[Olog-hai]

Hmm. Why does “arigatō” sound so much like Portuguese “obrigado”? or “namae” like English “name”?

[jjotto]

The founder of the Makuya held a belief about Jewish origins of some Japanese:

http://www.jcpa.org/jl/jl425.htm

[chajin]

Lots of circumstantial evidence, no direct evidence: Israelites Came to Ancient Japan

[SunkenCiv]

The ancestors of the Kaifeng Jews in China arrived there no later than the early Middle Ages, and Jews were in China during the Han Dynasty, i.e., during the Roman Empire. Rome and the Han Chinese conducted commerce by sea and overland; the silk route is so old that it’s not too much to speculate that members of the Israelite tribes (including the “lost tribes”) entered China during the eventful centuries of the post-Judges kingdoms.

http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/edictsofashoka/index