Israeli Rabbis Boycott Chrisian Festival in Jerusalem
As I prepare to leave for the Middle East to observe the Feast of Tabernacles I see this article in the Jerusalem Post. It seems that a group of rabbis are not cooperating with an annual evangelical event in Israel.
More than 6,000 Christians from over 90 nations are expected to arrive in Jerusalem this week to take part in the 28th annual Christian celebration of the week long Jewish holiday of Sukkot, or Feast of Tabernacles, according to the event's organizers, the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem.
These evangelicals read the Old Testament and put their interpretation into the event. The rabbis say that many of the evangelicals want to convert Jews to Christianity, something Israeli law forbids.
I don't doubt that many of the pilgrims over the years have made efforts to proselytize among the Jewish community. They only follow a long tradition of such activity by British and American missionaries. It is seen as a duty to do this by Christians as a fulfillment of prophecy in advance of Christ's second coming.
I will be in Israel the week after the Feast of Tabernacles so I will miss this activity. Thankfully.
