Orthodox Jewish Youths Burn New Testaments in Israel
by Staff
June 6, 2008
(christiansunite.com) - Orthodox Jews set fire to hundreds of copies of the New Testament about two weeks ago in the town of Or Yehuda, Israel. The books were given to the town's Ethiopian Jews by a Messianic Jewish group -- Jews who believe that Jesus is the Messiah.The deputy mayor of Or Yehuda said that he received complaints about the books, and arranged for them to be burnt. He has now apologized after his actions have been compared to those of Nazis and others who burnt Jewish holy scriptures.
The Israeli government and Jewish groups have also condemned as "despicable" the burning of the New Testaments by Jewish yeshiva or seminary students in the town.
After this incident, CBN News spoke with Victor Kalisher, director of the Bible Society in Jerusalem. As the son of Holocaust survivors and a Messianic Jew himself, Kalisher expressed shock at the incident. You can view that interview at www.persecution.tv.
Pray for the continued witness of the followers of Jesus in Israel in an environment of opposition (Ephesians 6:19).
For more information on the persecution facing Christians in Israel, go to www.persecution.net/country/israel.htm.
