The Council of Christian Churches in Israel has protested vigorously against a recently enacted law imposing prison terms and fines for certain types of missionary activity. A delegation representing the churches met yesterday with Yisrael Lippel, director general of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, to protest that the law was written without consulting the Christian community. They also charged that its aim was to create “a feeling of hare and suspicion against the Christian church.”
The law provides penalties of five years in prison or on IL 50,000 fine for anyone attempting to persuade another person to convert to his religion in return for material benefit is subject to three years imprisonment or an IL 30,000 fine. The law itself does not mention missionaries nor does it contain the word “Christian.”
But the explanatory paragraphs attached to the bill when it was presented in the Knesset warn against the allegedly growing influence of missionary elements in Israel who take advantage of financial difficulties of Jews to convert them to Christianity. It was the explanation which aroused the anger of the Council of Churches.
DETERMINED TO FIGHT THE LAW
the church representatives told Lippel they were determined to fight to have the law abolished. Lippel said they should understand Israel’s sensitivity to missionary activity, especially after the Holocaust. He conceded, however, that the Christian community should have been consulted before the law was adopted.
The bill was originally submitted to the Knesset in 1975. It was passed only late last year in accordance with promises made by the Likud government to its Aguda Israel coalition partners. The Aguda has been inveighing against missionary activity for years, claiming it was conducted on a large scale. But the church delegation noted that the conversion rate of Jews to Christianity is less than ten a year compared to as many as 2000 Christians who convert to Judaism each year.
Observers here said the law was not necessary because in the few cases where missionary activity was successful, the converted families soon left the country.
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