Ninety-one Japanese Christians will arrive here next week, en route to Israel, and demonstrate at the United Nations on behalf of Jewish control of the Old City of Jerusalem. Professor Ikuro Teshima, the founder of the Christian “Original Gospel Movement,” and 90 of his followers are scheduled to arrive in New York Nov. 11. The following morning, they will demonstrate at the UN and present petitions to UN Secretary General U Thant and to Ambassador Adam Malik of Indonesia, President of the General Assembly. They will be seeking an “early authorization by the UN of the annexation of Old Jerusalem and all occupied territories in Israel.”
While in New York, they will meet with Abraham J. Heschel of the Jewish Theological Seminary and with Rabbi Wolfe Kelman, executive vice-president of the Rabbinical Assembly. The demonstrators are members of a Japanese Christian sect called “Makuya,” founded by Prof. Teshima 20 years ago. They strongly identify with the Jewish people and have strong ties with Israel.
Four hundred “Makuya” members have visited and lived at Kibbutz Heftzi-Bah to study the Bible and Hebrew language. Prof. Teshima and his group will leave for Israel, via Europe on Nov. 13 where they will be joined by another 210 “Makuya” members. They are scheduled to arrive in Israel on Nov. 17. The Original Gospel Movement” claims to have 20,000 followers.
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