season overshadowed by an attack against at least one of their congregations.
Orthodox Jews disrupted a Messianic congregation’s worship service in the Israeli town of Beersheba on Saturday, December 24, where two young women from a nearby town were to have been baptized, said Christian news agency Compass Direct.
As the service was beginning, over 300 orthodox Jews, including children, reportedly gathered and entered the private property of the Nachalat Yeshua Messianic Congregation.
CONGREGATION’S PASTOR
The congregation’s pastor, Howard Bass, was quoted as saying that the Orthodox group was first welcomed to stay and attend the service, but that they soon started to move around, dance, sing and overturn chairs and tables.
Initially two or three policemen arrived, however “it got out of hand beyond anything they could handle," Bass told Compass Direct, adding that they had to call in reinforcements.
During the disruption of the service, attackers allegedly struck Messianic believers in the face, back and stomach. Though one received a blow near his eye, no one needed medical attention, Compass Direct reported.
BAPTISMAL POOL
When demonstrators discovered the baptismal pool, they went wild and started to throw objects in the pool, Bass reportedly said. He himself claimed to have been thrown in the water, breaking his multi-focal glasses in the fracas.
The demonstrators apparently also caused damage to an overhead projector, a front door
lock, fencing and cars. "We can’t find a set of keys that belong to the property, and we don’t know whether they have it," Bass explained. “So we have to replace the locks and the keys, which are a special system.”
He estimated total damages to be about $2,000.
CHIEF RABBI
The Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Beersheba, Yehuda Deri, was seen standing outside speaking to demonstrators during the incident, but "did not claim any responsibility for the violence," Pastor Bass stressed. Police handcuffed two of the more violent agitators, but then released them in Deri’s presence, Compass Direct said.
One non Jewish Christian who tried to videotape the incident was forced by police to stop his work after demonstrators yelled that this was "forbidden on Shabbat” (Jewish Sabbath). A female member of the congregation said she was "shocked" by "the hatred" she encountered from youths when attempting to enter the building. They told her that Christians "were Nazis and that she deserved a bullet through her head," the news agency quoted her as saying.
Those attending Beersheba’s weekly worship service, which is conducted in Hebrew, are nearly all Messianic Jews and Christians. Seven years ago a similar demonstration took place in front of the building, Bass said, but the protesters did not try to enter.
MESSIANIC FAMILY
The two women to be baptized were both over 18. One of them is from a Jewish Messianic family and both from a Messianic congregation in Arad. Neither had arrived in Beersheba when the incident began, reported Compass Direct.
The congregation had planned a picnic following the baptisms, but eventually the women were baptized elsewhere. Saturday’s attack underscored concern about growing tensions between Orthodox and Messianic Jews. Pastor Yakim Figueras said demonstrations also took place in Arad last Saturday in front of his house and other places where believers meet.
Since April 2004, Israeli police have refused permission for large demonstrations in front of the house of a Messianic family in Arad. A lawyer of the ultra-orthodox Gur Hasidim turned to the High Court of Justice to appeal that decision in September, but the court has not yet ruled on the case.
"OUT OF CONTROL"
Figueras told Compass Direct that last weekend’s incident in Beersheba could actually improve the position of Messianic believers in court. "It was out of control. This could be in favor of our case," the Messianic leader was quoted as saying.
Unlike Orthodox Jews, Messianic Jews believe in Jesus as their Messiah. Most of them prefer to call Him by His Jewish name, Yeshua. Although small in number, they are a vocal group, constantly challenging the Jewish spiritual and secular authorities with their presence, demanding recognition as Jews, representatives say.
Of the estimated 14 million Jewish people up to 30,000 people, born Jews, believe in Jesus, according to estimates. They also believe in the Torah and the rest of the Tenach and practice Jewish customs and religion. (With BosNewsLife Research and reports from Israel).
