To strive for accuracy in reporting. To write with moral clarity. To try to have empathy and to be able to see different sides of a story. To know history and to try to see a path forward. To be relevant and to “entertain” to a point. And to try to present hope and encouragement in a darkened world. It’s not always easy to bring it all together and to keep the proper perspective.
My parents lived (as first generation, full Americans) at the time of the Holocaust. My dad served in the Army Air Corps during World War II. My two uncles who spoke Yiddish helped liberate the death camps. My grandparents on both sides were able to escape the pogroms of Eastern Europe/Russia and the gas chambers and concentration camps of the Nazis in time. Many of my relatives “didn’t make it” and only their pictures remain. The older generation had firsthand stories to tell.
It was always “us” (the Jewish people) and “them” (everyone else). I don’t think it helped that I grew up in the South at the time of segregation, both racial and religious. I vividly remember signs on hotels and restaurants and on the gates of the country club/golf course/swimming pool that said “No Negroes. No Jews. No dogs.” True fact. Often I was the only Jewish kid in my class. Our was the one house in the neighborhood without Christmas lights. It was an area in the country where the KKK was present and active. Outwardly, we did not show any signs of Judaism for our own personal safety.
I grew up with a fear of Christians. They were the ‘other.’ I knew all the atrocities committed throughout history at the hands of the Christians. It wasn’t pretty. Forced exclusions. Blood libels. Ghettoes. Killings. Inquisitions. Expulsions and Holocausts. We were different. We were Jewish. We ate different foods and stayed away from certain foods altogether. We celebrated different holidays. Even spoke a different language (my parents, although well educated professionals, spoke mostly Yiddish at home).
As I grew older, left home and entered university and later the world, most of my friends were various denominations of Christian. The older I became the more I realized that not all Jews are good and not all Christians are bad. We are all human. We are all fallible. We have a good inclination and an evil inclination and are faced with temptation to do the wrong things every single day.
That said, and to be fair, I do not approve of the actions of all Jewish Israelis here. I understand many of the ultra Orthodox still carry a fear and dislike of the “other,” but this past week’s defacement of signage is wrong. Groups of Jewish teens spray painted in black over the highway signs pointing to churches like Capernaum and Tabgha here in the Galilee. The signs for the Mount of Beatitudes were defaced. As were other Christian holy sites signage. It is disrespectful. It is wrong.
I find it repugnant when some of the extremely religious Jewish youth spit on Christians or heckle priests and monks in Jerusalem. It is unacceptable behavior. Fear or no fear. Bad history or none. It does nothing to advance dialogue, community-building or peaceful living.
Many Bible believing Christians are the greatest friends and supporters of Israel. We share the same foundation. The same values, and many of the same Scriptures, prayers and roots. We cooperate in work to preserve the same freedoms, work ethics, education, culture and ideals that form Western civilization.
Here in the Holy Land all Israeli citizens have full rights according to the law. It matters not if one is Jewish, Christian, Druze, Muslim or Baha’i. We share the same benefits – access to health care and education and freedom to worship in the way we choose. Yet age old tensions exist and are very real.
I cannot begin to imagine the Catholic parishioners’ plight in Gaza at this time. At the very beginning of the conflict, the IDF encouraged them to leave for safer places. Several countries and parishes abroad offered to take them in, but for some reason, they decided to stay in their homes and their church. Even the women and children. In the middle of a war zone.
I have been asked why we chose to stay in Israel despite the war. John and I discussed our situation, which was completely different than the families in Gaza. We were not near a front or in a war zone. Israel has spent their money on multiple layers of defense to protect their citizens. Everyone has a fortified room in their home or apartment or nearby. There are concrete bunkers everywhere. Early warning systems and sirens alerting us of the trajectory of any incoming missile. Plus, John and I have extreme faith in G-d and have never once felt our lives were in danger. We do not have children or other family here.
The Holy Family Parish has been well stocked with all the supplies they need. They have received material help from Medical Mission Board, Aid to the Church in Need, Catholic Relief Services, Catholic Near East Welfare Association, Catholic Charities, the Vatican, and individual church donations. In addition to UN and international aid, there are warehouses in Jordan chock full of everything from dry goods to hygiene products, medicines to generators, water and fuel.
Yes. It is a war zone. Yes. They have made the choice to stay and not evacuate. Yes. They have been hit by an accidental IDF tank shelling which unfortunately and sadly killed three people and did minor damage to the outside roofing structure of the church. At the beginning of the conflict two women were shot just outside the church (despite what was originally reported) by snipers. That is a true tragedy. But if you look at their church services posted to social media and YouTube, the people are clean and fed. There is electricity. There is always incense and candles and fresh floral arrangements on the altar. That is a good thing. I am glad they have their immediate needs met.
I understand the need to be a light and to be strong in the face of adversity. Partially for this reason, and partially because they had supplies and protection, Holy Family Church has taken in hundreds of their non-Christian neighbors seeking sanctuary or shelter. The church offers a small bastion of security for these people because the IDF neither targets Christians nor their holy sites, despite what you might hear. I have received verifiable information from four separate and trustworthy sources, and I cannot reveal their names at this time for obvious reasons, that Hamas has not booby trapped or targeted this building because they have “protektzia.”
Living in the Middle East, I have learned the term “protektzia.” It is a known fact that there are Russian Mafia who control some of the Russian Israeli population and Muslim/Bedouin Mafia. If a targeted business or family refuses to pay the ‘protektzia money’ they can expect damage and harm to building, home and family…even leading to death. A prime example of this is in Bethlehem (and now Nazareth). Palestinian Muslim thugs demand high payment/graft from the Christian business owners in return for not having physical harm done. As a result, the Christian population has dwindled as they move to safer countries providing refuge.
One of the reasons the church in Gaza has not been hit is that they are paying large sums of money directly to Hamas for protection – the money they get from charitable donations. So, I’m hoping it is inadvertently, at least at first, that terrorism is supported. Also, I have heard directly from priests who have visited that their fresh fruits and vegetables and meat come at an exorbitant monetary price and from those who have been hoarding the stolen food to sell at Black Market cost. Directly from the terrorists. It’s a tangled web.
There is one particular Catholic aid organization run by an American man, that on the surface is slick and glossy and uses some great deception tactics to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars. The founder is extremely anti Israel and anti semitic to a degree I have not seen before. He has appeared on EWTN and many podcasts and religious sites making a plea for money. And he has disseminated blood libels like nothing I’ve ever witnessed from a Christian. Absolute dangerous falsehoods. I will not mention his name, but if you are Catholic, you have probably seen his appeal. I have no doubt his original intentions were to be an aid and lifeline for suffering humanity. But something is just not right.
He claims that “Israel had dropped a 2000 pound bomb on the oldest church in Gaza founded by James himself. These were the original believers and the church has stood for over 2000 years.” This is completely false. The IDF does not have a 2000 pound bomb (that’s why they called I the US to help with Iran’s nuclear sites) and they have not targeted and destroyed a Gaza church. He states that “Israel is purposely starving and targeting the poor Christians of Gaza.” Another falsehood. On his presentations he shows the horrific and absolutely pathetic (arousing pity and emotion) photos of the sick children that he says are starving. These are the photos that the BBC and New York Times among other outlets have had to recant as not telling the whole story. The children had preexisting medical conditions. He displays the photos of children lined up with pots and pans begging for food through a metal fence. That entire video has been proven to be a ‘Pallywood’ staged event. The videos and pictures are heart wrenching.
This man talks about the sordid living conditions. Not having fuel or access to clean water. He has reported that just last week Israel bombed two warehouses of diapers and cans of formula and baby supplies. Another falsehood. The warehouses in question were proven upon investigation to be weapons storage units for the Hamas terrorists. Lastly, he says that over 50 of his men were shot and killed while trying to deliver the aid trucks.
I have heard from my four sources who know this man that he has paid tens of thousands of US dollars and European euros to hire Hamas operatives, and sometimes these armed escorts have been shot by other Hamas terrorists who attempt to subvert the deliveries. His libels about the Israeli army have been picked up by Catholic outlets and podcasters and are leading to vast hatred of Zionists, Israel, Jews…and also Christian Zionists, who he also badmouths. His language is incendiary and he always ends his pitch with a plea for monetary donations.
At present the parish is in a vey precarious position. Last Thursday, the IDF started mass evacuations of Gaza City. They handed out tents, yoga mats, sleeping bags, food and hygiene boxes, water and had medics to care for any minor medical problems. The priest, Fr. Gabriel Romanelli, reported that they had received tents and directives and were preparing to leave against their will. They do not know what will be left when they return. It is war and it is not pretty.
The next day, the priest said he had not received any word of evacuation. They had not been given tents or supplies or any direction whatsoever. They were staying put. The IDF has plans to move in and completely clear out the area of terrorists. Because of the dignity and value of innocent civilian life, evacuations of women, children and elderly has already begun. It is mandatory. Yesterday Fr. Romanelli said they were evacuating. It is all quite confusing.
There is strong reason to believe that these poor parishioners are being used as human shields, as pawns by Hamas. That is their modus operendi. If any of these poor people, G-d forbid, is hurt, the onus will be on the evil Israelis (Jews). The church is most likely going to be booby trapped by Hamas or brought down by the IDF as the neighborhood will be an active military zone. I pray that is not the case. I ask you to pray for the protection of these people. They are in an awful place.
The Catholic Church has called for a complete ceasefire and “end to the barbarity in Gaza.” There is no mention of the release of hostages or of the complete disarmament of Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Daesh. They have also called for the establishment of a Palestinian state, which has rewarded Hamas and caused them to cease all negotiations. In their eyes, they have won international support and therefore are victorious.
It is the blood libel of targeted attacks, intentional starvation, genocide that have the power to incite violence and antisemitism. Three weeks ago I received an email from a subscriber who follows some of these well-meaning, but vitriolic religious pundits. I was shaken to my core. It was a picture of Crusaders with his message below:
Do you not think it is time for another Crusade? It is time to rid the Holy Land of the Jews and the Muslims. Deus veult. You cannot be both American and Israeli. It is time to make your choice.
I still have lots and lots of Christian friends and supporters from all denominations. I cherish them deeply. But this. THIS. It scares the hell out of me. This is why some Jewish people are still wary and have a fear of the other…..
Israel Dreams 