THE FEAST

 

To Christians, Succot is known as The Feast of Tabernacles, or just, The Feast.  Every year since 1980, during this festival week, the International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem has organized what has become Israel's largest tourist event and this year was no exception.  Around 6,000 Evangelical Christians from 90 different countries, have been staying in Jerusalem and apart from the usual western countries, there have been participants from more distant places such as Bolivia, Botswana, Cambodia, Latin America also Africa and Asia.  The theme of this year's Feast was The Spirit of Prayer and Supplication from Zecharia 12:10 and during the week-long celebration, participants went on tours of the country, attended seminars and prayer services, including a day of prayer for The Peace of Jerusalem, and had opportunities for volunteering.  They showed their love and support for Israel publicly when they took  to the streets, as they do each year, enthusiastically waving Israeli flags, in the annual, Succot week, Jerusalem March There were also evening events that were notable for their pageantry in music and dance.  One of these evenings was designated, Israeli Night when a special programme was arranged for an invited audience of Jewish Israelis. It was a hugely enjoyable evening, apart from the wonderful orchestra, choir and dancers, one speaker after another praised Israel and declared their love and support for our country and the entire Jewish people.  Balm to the soul for those of us working in 'hasbara' who are daily bombarded with recordings of hate-filled speeches and accusations against Israel of racialism and Apartheid.

Most moving among the speakers was Umar Melinde from Uganda, the Christian Pastor, a convert from Islam,  who had acid poured over his head by Moslem extremists chanting, "Allah Akbar."  Umar, his face concealed by a mask, is having his terribly damaged face reconstructed free of charge at the Burns Unit of Sheba Medical Centre, he talked about the wonderful kindness he has experienced in this country and his great love for Israel.  The Director of Sheba Hospital joined him on to the stage and was presented with a donation of $10, 000 Dollars by the ICEJ, to help the continuation of the Sheba Burns Unit.

 

Among the many other speakers was the Pastor of the Baptist church in Bethlehem whose church has been fire-bombed 7 times.  It was amazing to hear an Arab declaring his love for Israel and the Jewish people, he spoke with great sincerity and impressed us as being an incredibly brave man who is prepared to risk his life for his beliefs and to stand up for the truth.  South African member of Parliament and member of the Israel Christian Allies Caucus, Kenneth Meshoe, gave a rousing speech against the allegations of Apartheid in Israel, saying he knew the real meaning of the word and saw no evidence of it in Israel where he had witnessed people of all creeds and colours on buses, in shops, and in hospitals, all mingling freely. Amid great applause, he told how he had been instrumental in the repealing of the anti-Israel boycott in South Africa.  Other speakers who received resounding applause, included Josh Reinstein, Director of the Knesset Christian Allies Caucus, recently named as one of the world's 50 most influential Jewish leaders.

A film was shown about the wonderful Haifa home for elderly Holocaust survivors, about which we have written previously, which was built and is maintained by the ICEJ in partnership with the local charity, Yad Ezer L'Chaver.  A  group of the home's residents was in the audience and received a standing ovation when they were asked to stand up and show themselves.

This was altogether the most encouraging and heartwarming evening from which my young Israeli friend and I, came away feeling strengthened and cheered by this unusual outpouring of love and support towards our, too- often, maligned little country.