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Metzger meets clergy on tensions
By the Associated Press
Ha'aretz, English Edition
Wed., October 27, 2004
JERUSALEM - Chief Rabbi Yona Metzger yesterday held an unprecedented
meeting with Christian clergy in Jerusalem to try to ease tensions
after an Orthodox Jew spat at an Armenian bishop near a holy site in
the Old City.
Metzger sat at the head of a table surrounded by clerics with gold
crosses, black robes and silver staffs and denounced attacks on any
religious clergy in Israel. "As sons of Abraham, we are brothers," he
said. "We denounce any act that is meant to degrade religious people."
The meeting was called after the Oct. 10 incident in which a yeshiva
student spat on an Armenian archbishop carrying a cross in Jerusalem,
sparking a fist fight that damaged the cleric's ancient medallion.
Many of the 14 church representatives at the meeting complained that
the incident was just one of dozens of similar attacks every year.
"Unfortunately this incident was not an isolated incident," Armenian
Bishop Aris Shirvanian said. "Quite frequently we suffer some kind
of indignity ... at least once a week."
Shirvanian said Israeli rabbis needed to do a better job of educating
their followers not to participate in such attacks.
By the Associated Press
Ha'aretz, English Edition
Wed., October 27, 2004
JERUSALEM - Chief Rabbi Yona Metzger yesterday held an unprecedented
meeting with Christian clergy in Jerusalem to try to ease tensions
after an Orthodox Jew spat at an Armenian bishop near a holy site in
the Old City.
Metzger sat at the head of a table surrounded by clerics with gold
crosses, black robes and silver staffs and denounced attacks on any
religious clergy in Israel. "As sons of Abraham, we are brothers," he
said. "We denounce any act that is meant to degrade religious people."
The meeting was called after the Oct. 10 incident in which a yeshiva
student spat on an Armenian archbishop carrying a cross in Jerusalem,
sparking a fist fight that damaged the cleric's ancient medallion.
Many of the 14 church representatives at the meeting complained that
the incident was just one of dozens of similar attacks every year.
"Unfortunately this incident was not an isolated incident," Armenian
Bishop Aris Shirvanian said. "Quite frequently we suffer some kind
of indignity ... at least once a week."
Shirvanian said Israeli rabbis needed to do a better job of educating
their followers not to participate in such attacks.