Three days ago the Israeli Right wing paper The Jerusalem Post published an exposé of the growing tendency of Orthodox Jews in Jerusalem to spit on their Christian neighbours (âMouths Filled with Hatredâ, By Larry Derfner The JPost, Nov. 26, 2009).
Father Samuel Aghoyan, a senior Armenian Orthodox cleric in Jerusalem's Old City, told the JPost âthat he's been spat at by young Haredi (God fearing religious Jews) and national Orthodox Jews âabout 15 to 20 timesâ in the past decadeâ. Father Aghoyan added, "Every single priest in this church has been spat on. It happens day and night."
Similarly Father Athanasius, a Texas-born Franciscan monk who heads the Christian Information Centre in Jerusalemâs Old City, said he's been spat at by Orthodox Jews "about 15 times in the last six months"..
Jewish spitting is not exactly breaking News. I myself have explored the issue more than once. The Israeli professor Israel Shahak commented on Jewish hatred towards Christianity and its symbolism, suggesting that âdishonouring Christian religious symbols is an old religious duty in Judaism.â According to Shahak, âspitting on the cross, and especially on the Crucifix, and spitting when a Jew passes a church, have been obligatory from around AD 200 for pious Jews.â
Interestingly enough Jewish spitting has had an impact on the European urban landscape. The following can be read in a âTravel Guide for Jewish Europeâ.
http://www.thepeoplesvoice.org/TPV3/Voices.php/2009/11/30/united-against-spitting
Father Samuel Aghoyan, a senior Armenian Orthodox cleric in Jerusalem's Old City, told the JPost âthat he's been spat at by young Haredi (God fearing religious Jews) and national Orthodox Jews âabout 15 to 20 timesâ in the past decadeâ. Father Aghoyan added, "Every single priest in this church has been spat on. It happens day and night."
Similarly Father Athanasius, a Texas-born Franciscan monk who heads the Christian Information Centre in Jerusalemâs Old City, said he's been spat at by Orthodox Jews "about 15 times in the last six months"..
Jewish spitting is not exactly breaking News. I myself have explored the issue more than once. The Israeli professor Israel Shahak commented on Jewish hatred towards Christianity and its symbolism, suggesting that âdishonouring Christian religious symbols is an old religious duty in Judaism.â According to Shahak, âspitting on the cross, and especially on the Crucifix, and spitting when a Jew passes a church, have been obligatory from around AD 200 for pious Jews.â
Interestingly enough Jewish spitting has had an impact on the European urban landscape. The following can be read in a âTravel Guide for Jewish Europeâ.
http://www.thepeoplesvoice.org/TPV3/Voices.php/2009/11/30/united-against-spitting