Saturday, November 19, 2005
Saving Mount Zion! Round-up for Now by Ellen Horowitz
by Ellen W. Horowitz ellenwrite@bezeqint.net
THE HISTORIC MOMENT
What was originally heralded as a soon-to-be HISTORIC VISIT followed by International and Catholic press reports of an HISTORIC SWAP, ended up being a "friendly" discussion about tax issues??!! (Don¹t believe it.)-----
THE SWAP WE CAN LIVE WITH: A swap of sorts did take place between the pope and President Katsav...A copy of a papal paper declaring that not all Jews are responsible for killing Christianity¹s lord was exchanged for a few books and some photos of an ancient church - located on the grounds of maximum security prison - that sits on the site of biblical Armageddon (talk about high-risk real estate).
I can live with those types of gestures. No disappointment here.But there are those who must be broken-hearted....
THE DISAPPOINTED ONES...THE VATICAN: They anticipated that the draft would be signed by Katsav on this trip.To view a copy of the draft go to http://isfsp.org/draft.html
THE PATRIARCH OF JERUSALEM, MICHEL SABBAH :( a Palestinian) who can be heard on an October 12th audio clip on Radio Vatican proclaiming that a draft agreement has been drawn up and that the Vatican awaits Israel¹s ³fine gesture².
http://www.oecumene.radiovaticana.org/en1/Articolo.asp?id=52079
THE PRESS: Richard Owen, of the London Times, who reported on the swap deal. The London Times, who confirmed that their sources for the story were in the Vatican. Signor Orazio Petrosillo Vatican correspondent of Il Messaggero, who reported the swap as a fait accompli in "The Room of the Last Supper to Return to the Friars" http://isfsp.org/zion37.html
FRANCISCAN FATHER DAVID M. JAEGER:Who told the National Catholic Reporter that: Restitution of the Cenacle ³would make the climate a lot more favorable for the rest of the negotiations.² and who when asked in a recent interview what he expected from President Katsav¹s visit replied:That the church in Caesarea will be rebuilt. That the Convent of St. Anthony [a part of Hebrew University] will finally be returned fully to the Franciscan Sisters. Most of all, that the present negotiations will be accelerated with a view to an early conclusion, in accordance with the Fundamental Agreement. Then I will know that the great hopes we had in 1993 were truly justified http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=4603
PAPAL KNIGHT RABBI DAVID ROSEN, interreligious affairs director for the American Jewish Committee (AJC), who endorsed Gary Krupp and Pave the Way Foundation¹s ³efforts to galvanize Israeli compliance with its commitments made in the Fundamental Agreement and to demonstrate gestures of goodwill to the Vatican...² http://66.249.93.104/search?q=cache:3twEJSlX458J:www.pavethewayfoundation.org/My_Homepage_Files/Download/Brochure2005 3.pdf+oded+ben+hur+%2B+gary+krupp&hl=en
DirectorJEWISH PAPAL KNIGHT GARY KRUPP, founder of Pave the Way Foundation who publicly and resonantly announced his intentions ³to urge upon the Israelis... the return of the Shrine of the Cenacle² http://www.nationalcatholicreporter.org/word/word012005.htm
THE FRIARS (as in Franciscan) who have a site, which links directly from Pave the Way Foundation homepage picture of the Cenacle (Last Supper room), espousing replacement theology and declaring: ³The jewish temple of Sion had passed away but the new Christian Sion had arisen.² http://servus.christusrex.org/www1/ofm/pope/10GPen/12/12GPsh05.html
Sorry Friars, but we Jews are very much alive, well, and living in Israel, AND studying Torah on MT. Zion.------
1993 FUNDAMENTAL AGREEMENT (which Rabbi Rosen of AJC wants Israel to comply with) is as old, obsolete and problematic as the Oslo agreements:
For just a glimpse of some of the problems inherent in that agreement read:The Vatican's Betrayal of Israel By Don Kenner in Front Page Magazine http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=12287 For a look at the full accords see: http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/anti-semitism/holysee.html
Pay attention to article10 US PRESIDENTIAL PRESSURE (what would we do without Uncle Sam?):
Bush appeal to Sharon gives impetus to Israel-Vaticannegotiations (Excerpts from must -read article in Haaretz) The foot-dragging ended only after U.S. PresidentGeorge W. Bush broached the subject with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon at their last meeting. Accordingto one source, Bush even raised the issue twice... "Why can't you complete the negotiations?" Bushreportedly asked, after which Sharon ordered that the issue be handled urgently...
Church leader David Yaeger said... that theIsraeli government only wakes up when it comes underpressure from the Americans. http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/objects/pages/PrintArticleEn.jhtml?itemNo=646778 ------
CONTINUING EFFORTS:The church will continue their efforts to gain control of Mt. Zion and other areas in Eretz Yisrael, so we must continue our efforts to hold on to and develop the area.
AN OPPORTUNITY:
VOICES MAGAZINE ORGANIZES TOUR OF MT. ZION:
To promote Jewish interest in the area, VOICES Magazine is planning a "King David" tour of Mt. Zion and environs for this Sunday. The tour will include visits to the City of David, Mt. of Olives, the new Maaleh HaZeitim neighborhood, and King David's burial site on Mt. Zion. The cost: 50 shekels. Transportation from Jerusalem at the Haas Promenade at 9 AMTransportation from the Efrat Community Center at 8:30 AM
For more information, send email to izzy@actcom.co.il. -----
CONCLUSION:
After a full month of research and campaigning on this issue, I can only conclude that Israel and its leaders are indeed under immense pressure from all directions. Activism is an essential component in reminding our leaders and all Jews of who they are and where they are standing. What I find profoundly tragic is the role that certain Diaspora Jews and Jewish organizations play in jeopardizing their people, heritage and eternal inheritance.
THANK YOU to all of the many activists who rallied to the cause and protested via articles, radio, cyberspace, email, letter, fax, phone, vigil, and visits to the Diaspora Yeshiva. We¹re far away from victory on this issue but, as MK Rabbi Benny Elon stated, eliciting a denial from President Katzav's office was, "A major achievement, and was the result of public pressure." I feel especially grateful for having the opportunity to work with the following team of outstanding individuals both in Israel and the Diaspora: Shelomo, Yisrael, Batya, Sharon, Barbara,and Michelle.
We will will continue this campaign.For the Sake of Mt. Zion (and all of Eretz Yisrael) We Will Not Be Silent!
DISCUSSION, INFORMATION AND FUTURE UPDATES:
Regular email updates of this type will not be sent out over the next 3 weeks. For updated information go to out situation room at:
http://www.isfsp.org/zion.html
http://www.isfsp.org/updates.html
To join in a discussion on the situation, join our newly formed Save Mt. Zion Yahoo Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/savezion/
For other inquiries regarding our activities, contact: Shelomo email@isfsp.org
THE HISTORIC MOMENT
What was originally heralded as a soon-to-be HISTORIC VISIT followed by International and Catholic press reports of an HISTORIC SWAP, ended up being a "friendly" discussion about tax issues??!! (Don¹t believe it.)-----
THE SWAP WE CAN LIVE WITH: A swap of sorts did take place between the pope and President Katsav...A copy of a papal paper declaring that not all Jews are responsible for killing Christianity¹s lord was exchanged for a few books and some photos of an ancient church - located on the grounds of maximum security prison - that sits on the site of biblical Armageddon (talk about high-risk real estate).
I can live with those types of gestures. No disappointment here.But there are those who must be broken-hearted....
THE DISAPPOINTED ONES...THE VATICAN: They anticipated that the draft would be signed by Katsav on this trip.To view a copy of the draft go to http://isfsp.org/draft.html
THE PATRIARCH OF JERUSALEM, MICHEL SABBAH :( a Palestinian) who can be heard on an October 12th audio clip on Radio Vatican proclaiming that a draft agreement has been drawn up and that the Vatican awaits Israel¹s ³fine gesture².
http://www.oecumene.radiovaticana.org/en1/Articolo.asp?id=52079
THE PRESS: Richard Owen, of the London Times, who reported on the swap deal. The London Times, who confirmed that their sources for the story were in the Vatican. Signor Orazio Petrosillo Vatican correspondent of Il Messaggero, who reported the swap as a fait accompli in "The Room of the Last Supper to Return to the Friars" http://isfsp.org/zion37.html
FRANCISCAN FATHER DAVID M. JAEGER:Who told the National Catholic Reporter that: Restitution of the Cenacle ³would make the climate a lot more favorable for the rest of the negotiations.² and who when asked in a recent interview what he expected from President Katsav¹s visit replied:That the church in Caesarea will be rebuilt. That the Convent of St. Anthony [a part of Hebrew University] will finally be returned fully to the Franciscan Sisters. Most of all, that the present negotiations will be accelerated with a view to an early conclusion, in accordance with the Fundamental Agreement. Then I will know that the great hopes we had in 1993 were truly justified http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=4603
PAPAL KNIGHT RABBI DAVID ROSEN, interreligious affairs director for the American Jewish Committee (AJC), who endorsed Gary Krupp and Pave the Way Foundation¹s ³efforts to galvanize Israeli compliance with its commitments made in the Fundamental Agreement and to demonstrate gestures of goodwill to the Vatican...² http://66.249.93.104/search?q=cache:3twEJSlX458J:www.pavethewayfoundation.org/My_Homepage_Files/Download/Brochure2005 3.pdf+oded+ben+hur+%2B+gary+krupp&hl=en
DirectorJEWISH PAPAL KNIGHT GARY KRUPP, founder of Pave the Way Foundation who publicly and resonantly announced his intentions ³to urge upon the Israelis... the return of the Shrine of the Cenacle² http://www.nationalcatholicreporter.org/word/word012005.htm
THE FRIARS (as in Franciscan) who have a site, which links directly from Pave the Way Foundation homepage picture of the Cenacle (Last Supper room), espousing replacement theology and declaring: ³The jewish temple of Sion had passed away but the new Christian Sion had arisen.² http://servus.christusrex.org/www1/ofm/pope/10GPen/12/12GPsh05.html
Sorry Friars, but we Jews are very much alive, well, and living in Israel, AND studying Torah on MT. Zion.------
1993 FUNDAMENTAL AGREEMENT (which Rabbi Rosen of AJC wants Israel to comply with) is as old, obsolete and problematic as the Oslo agreements:
For just a glimpse of some of the problems inherent in that agreement read:The Vatican's Betrayal of Israel By Don Kenner in Front Page Magazine http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=12287 For a look at the full accords see: http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/anti-semitism/holysee.html
Pay attention to article10 US PRESIDENTIAL PRESSURE (what would we do without Uncle Sam?):
Bush appeal to Sharon gives impetus to Israel-Vaticannegotiations (Excerpts from must -read article in Haaretz) The foot-dragging ended only after U.S. PresidentGeorge W. Bush broached the subject with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon at their last meeting. Accordingto one source, Bush even raised the issue twice... "Why can't you complete the negotiations?" Bushreportedly asked, after which Sharon ordered that the issue be handled urgently...
Church leader David Yaeger said... that theIsraeli government only wakes up when it comes underpressure from the Americans. http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/objects/pages/PrintArticleEn.jhtml?itemNo=646778 ------
CONTINUING EFFORTS:The church will continue their efforts to gain control of Mt. Zion and other areas in Eretz Yisrael, so we must continue our efforts to hold on to and develop the area.
AN OPPORTUNITY:
VOICES MAGAZINE ORGANIZES TOUR OF MT. ZION:
To promote Jewish interest in the area, VOICES Magazine is planning a "King David" tour of Mt. Zion and environs for this Sunday. The tour will include visits to the City of David, Mt. of Olives, the new Maaleh HaZeitim neighborhood, and King David's burial site on Mt. Zion. The cost: 50 shekels. Transportation from Jerusalem at the Haas Promenade at 9 AMTransportation from the Efrat Community Center at 8:30 AM
For more information, send email to izzy@actcom.co.il. -----
CONCLUSION:
After a full month of research and campaigning on this issue, I can only conclude that Israel and its leaders are indeed under immense pressure from all directions. Activism is an essential component in reminding our leaders and all Jews of who they are and where they are standing. What I find profoundly tragic is the role that certain Diaspora Jews and Jewish organizations play in jeopardizing their people, heritage and eternal inheritance.
THANK YOU to all of the many activists who rallied to the cause and protested via articles, radio, cyberspace, email, letter, fax, phone, vigil, and visits to the Diaspora Yeshiva. We¹re far away from victory on this issue but, as MK Rabbi Benny Elon stated, eliciting a denial from President Katzav's office was, "A major achievement, and was the result of public pressure." I feel especially grateful for having the opportunity to work with the following team of outstanding individuals both in Israel and the Diaspora: Shelomo, Yisrael, Batya, Sharon, Barbara,and Michelle.
We will will continue this campaign.For the Sake of Mt. Zion (and all of Eretz Yisrael) We Will Not Be Silent!
DISCUSSION, INFORMATION AND FUTURE UPDATES:
Regular email updates of this type will not be sent out over the next 3 weeks. For updated information go to out situation room at:
http://www.isfsp.org/zion.html
http://www.isfsp.org/updates.html
To join in a discussion on the situation, join our newly formed Save Mt. Zion Yahoo Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/savezion/
For other inquiries regarding our activities, contact: Shelomo email@isfsp.org
