Christian statement of the atrocities of Tisha B'Av against the Jews presented to the Knesset

Come, let us come to an understanding – says Hashem. Be your sins like purple, they can become white as snow; That they are red like dyed wool, they can become like a fleece. Isaiah 1:18 (The Bible of Israel ™)

A simple act of contrition from a pious Christian led to a powerful meeting in the Knesset and will lead, we hope, to a global initiative to heal The Difficult and Tough History Between Jews and Christians On Monday, 16 Christian and Jewish delegates gathered in the hall of Yuli Edelstein, Speaker of the Knesset, and handed him a statement signed by 1,500 Christians in which they expressed the desire to comfort the Jewish people for the crimes committed "

" We, the undersigned, recognize the long and horrible history of the anti-Semitic atrocities committed against the Jews in the name of Christ, "reads the proclamation. "We repent of these actions, pray that God will continue to transform the hearts of Christians into true love for his chosen people, and submit this statement to the representative of Israel and the Jewish people."

The proclamation is based on a list of these atrocities, focusing on those occurring on the ninth and tenth days of the Hebrew month of the Av. The ninth day of Av, Tisha B & Av in Hebrew, is a fast day for Jews commemorating the destruction of Jewish temples and several other heinous acts that appear on the list.

The list was compiled by Bob O Dell, Christian co-founder of Root-Source an online initiative that facilitates Israeli Jews teaching the Christians around the world.

The story behind the list is an inspiring story of personal service to God. After studying the Hebrew roots of his Christian religion for several years, O & # 39; Dell decided to do some research on the history of Christian atrocities against Jews. While reading the story books, he created a spreadsheet listing what he found. He was amazed when the list pbaded 500 main events.

"Jews think Christians are aware of the horrors in Jewish history perpetrated in the name of Christianity," O & # 39; Dell said Breaking Israel News . "The truth is that most Christians know only about the Holocaust and the Crusades, but even then we do not know the details or the full extent of the Jews in the hands of Christians." This aspect of Christianity His persecution of the Jews is enormous and we have never heard of it from the Church, and we certainly did not learn how much it was huge and overwhelming. "

" There is no country in the world that has persecuted its Jews.Even America has expelled the Jews and diverted them while they were fleeing the Nazis. Many Christians will be surprised at how Christian Hitler felt. "

Where Dell decided that on 9 Av, while Jews were fasting on the destruction of the Temples, it would do so, in an act of solidarity and contrition. , spend the day meditating on the list. He spent a minute meditating on each of the horrors committed against the Jews in the name of Christianity. It started at eight in the morning, but at one o'clock in the afternoon it was a little over half the list. He felt physically and emotionally broken from the experience and could not continue.

"I knew I could never be the same," said O & # 39; Dell. "How can all this happen and how could I, especially as a Christian, not know it?" And even more disheartening was thinking what my answer should be … It was unthinkable that I should simply miserly. I decided that I had to work to be a blessing for the Nation of Israel for the rest of my life. "

As difficult as this experiment was It was a positive transformational experience for O & # 39; Dell.

"I do not do any of this for guilt," O sad dell. "I can not change the past, I can not even change the perception of these atrocities But I can do something right now I can be sensitive to the truth I can change the paradigm by interacting with Israel in a positive way as a pious Christian, in direct contrast to what has been done in the past, I am better for that because now I am free, or at least on my way. "

C & Is this positive element that feels where Dell connects Christian repentance for past actions with Tisha B & Av. Although Tisha B & A is a fast day and a day of mourning, the prophet Zechariah declares that in the days preceding the Messiah he will become a day of joy.

Thus said God of the Armies: The fasting of the fourth month, the fasting of the fifth month, the fasting of the seventh month, and the fasting of the tenth month will become occasions of joy and joy, happy holidays for the house of Yehuda ; but you must love honesty and integrity. Zechariah 8:19

"It's my way of taking something terrible that Christians should do to repent and do something positive: the basis of a relationship Judeo-Christian and a personal service me as a Christian.I had to go through a difficult period of acceptance of what happened.After that, I felt free and happy since I no longer bore this hidden burden. "

Although O & # 39; Dell was unable to attend, Gidon Ariel, who co-founded Root Source, described the atmosphere of the meeting. the Knesset as positive, even light.

"After all, Jews and Christians met without the dark cloud of history being suspended," said Ariel Breaking Israel News "It was open and we were happy, ready to move on to better things."

While O p Dell As this is a necessary step in his Christian life, he realizes that it is not for everyone.

"It is clear to me that Jesus would have hated these things that were done in His name.They go against all that Jesus is.It is our duty as Christians to arrange this. "

" I challenge other Christians to look at the past, to look at the historical truth and seize it in the hope that a form of reconciliation will take place that will allow them to pbad to a higher level as Christians. There must be an internal and personal reconciliation as a Christian dealing with something awful that was done in the name of Jesus and of A reconciliation to the Jewish people.This is for people who have the good heart to receive it. "

O & # 39; Dell included a lonely positive historical event that took place on 9 Av .. The last event on the list took place at Tisha B & B 2015 when the Temple Institute presented to public plans for the Third Temple.

The list of atrocities and the registration sheet can be found on Source Source .