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March 5, 2004/Adar 12 5764, Vol. 56, No. 24
Letters to the EditorMarch 5, 2004
Support during difficult timesEditor:As a Christian coming from Germany, I have a hard time thinking of Mel Gibson's film, "The Passion of the Christ" - though I have not yet seen it. The history of Christianity toward the Jewish people is extremely sad. The atrocities go through many centuries including the Crusades, the Inquisition, the teachings of Martin Luther - which Hitler used to justify the concentration camps - and the pogroms that often erupted after the so-called Passion plays. We Christians might not know or not remember these facts, but we can be sure our Jewish fellow-citizens do. All through the Tanach (Hebrew scriptures) it is clear that God is "the God of Israel." He calls the Jewish people "My people." He solemnly declares, "Who touches you, touches the apple of My eye." This should make us Christians aware of how serious it is to hurt our Jewish brothers and sisters in any way. I understand that our Jewish neighbors and friends and Jewish communities are deeply concerned about the consequences this film might bring. I want them to know that I share these concerns. I feel their anxiety. And I want to speak out in their defense and offer support because there is a deep grief in my heart too. Sister Deborah Kalb Phoenix
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