B"H"Nazi - Pope" - this is the name by whom many Israelis call the present Pope. Hitler Youth and German Wehrmacht, this is simply too much for a country where countless Holocaust survivors are still alive. The Pope is also considered being a tax waste: "He travels on our expenses and shouldn't even be in Israel !"
The previous Pope John Paul II. was still, more or less, acceptable but the German Benedict is anything but welcomed in Israel. The more his visit approached, the more the media and inhabitants got wild. Only the Israeli government (with exceptions) stands behind him. Especially President Shimon Peres who seems to be a little senile anyway. The secular Israeli press reports about a "Pope with the shdow of his past".
About two hours ago, the Pope landed at Ben Gurion Airport where he was welcomed by Peres and Benjamin Netanyahu. Actually the Vatican didn't want Netanyahu at the airport but Israel insisted on a welcoming by the Prime Minister.
But have a look of who is not there:
The two Israeli Chief Rabbis apparently refused greeting the Pope at the Airport. I always wish that one of our real leading rabbis in Israel, Rabbi Eliyashiv, Rabbi Steinman, Rabbi Karelitz, Rabbi Kanievsky or the chassidic Rebbes would challenge the Pope and have a "nice" discussion with him. But this never was and never will be !
However, we Jews, and in particular Israelis, have something better to do tonight and tomorrow. We are going to celebrate the Yahrzeit of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. Thousands of people have already arrived in Meron where Rabbi Shimon is buried.
Nevertheless, the Pope accomplished one thing:
He all made us united by refusing him. The right - wingers as well as the left - wingers. Even the extreme left - wing party MERETZ (see Nitzan Horowitz) are against the Pope's visit in Israel.
Link:
http://www.jewishisrael.com/page/jewishisrael-launches-with-a
Message to the Pope
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