CHRISTIANS IN ISRAEL: AN ENDANGERED SPECIES
By Rev. Ted Pike
7 Sep 06
PART I
Anti-Christianity in Jewish Sacred Literature
Today, most evangelical Christians regard Israel with respect and
gratitude—not only as our “democratic ally” in
the Mideast, but as the earthly source from which Christianity sprung.
Yet a realistic appraisal of modern Israel reveals a very different
reality: Israel is neither democratic nor benevolent toward Christians.
In this special two-part report, I will discuss first, anti-Christianity
in Jewish rabbinic literature. Next, I will show how hatred of Christ
and His followers has manifested itself repeatedly in the history
of modern Israel and is erupting in Israel today.
Israel could not thrive without the financial, religious, and political
support of Christian evangelicals. So Israel has a vested interest
in not alienating Christians, at least not yet. But rabbinic Talmudic
Judaism, the official religion of Israel, remains in fundamental
opposition to Christ and His church, intolerant of its spread among
the Jewish people.
Why does Israel oppose Christianity? Because the greatest, legal,
ethical, and spiritual authority for Judaism, the Talmud, is in violent
opposition to Christ. Here’s what it says about Him…
Tradition of Persecution
The New Testament history of the Jewish nation after Jesus’ crucifixion
was one of relentless attack on the fledgling church. In the centuries
following, the Talmud, codified by the Pharisees, encouraged Jews
to hate and oppose Christians by any means possible.
There were three great enemies of Judaism, the Talmud says: Balaam,
who led Israel into apostasy; Titus, who destroyed Jerusalem; and
Jesus, like Balaam, who seduced and deceived the people. 1
According to the New Testament, the Pharisees of Jesus’ day
considered Him to be possessed with a devil (John 8:48); a charlatan
doing great works by the prince of devils, Beelzebub (Matt. 12:24);
a deceiver of the people (Matt. 27:3); a blasphemer (John 10:36);
and having an unclean spirit (Mark 3:30).
Since the Talmud and Kabbalah were written by the Pharisees and
their descendants, it’s natural that the opposition found in
the New Testament should intensify in rabbinic literature.
The Jewish Encyclopedia tells us He was a bastard—“for
polemical purposes, it was necessary for the Jews to insist on the
illegitimacy of Jesus, as against the Davidic descent claimed by
the Christian church.” His mother, “…Mary…was
known to be an adulteress.” 2 Concerning “Miriam,” or “Mary,” the
Talmud in Sanhedrin 106b says: “… “She who was
the descendant of princes and governors played the harlot with carpenters.’…’”
The Jewish Encyclopedia’s article on “Jesus” (p.
170) includes such Jewish literature as the Talmud and the Toldoth
Jesu (a blasphemous medieval rabbinic tale mocking Jesus) as sources
for Jewish legends and beliefs about Christ.
“It is the tendency of all these sources to belittle the
person of Jesus by ascribing to him illegitimate birth, magic, and
a shameful death…”
Hiding Hatred of Christ
Because of the necessity in medieval times of evading Christian
censorship, the actual name of Jesus was usually not employed when
the rabbis meant to demean Him. Various pseudonyms such as “that
man,” “bastard,” “Balaam,” and “Yeshu” are
used instead.
With this in mind, we may comprehend the Talmud in Sanhedrin 43a
when it says: “On the eve of the Passover, Yeshu was hanged.
For 40 days before the execution took place, a herald went forth
and cried, ‘He is going forth to be stoned because he has practiced
sorcery and enticed Israel to apostasy’…”
Rabbinic sources also refer to Jesus as “Ben Stada.” 3
“Rabbi Eleazer said to the elders: ‘Did not the son
of Stada practice Egyptian magic by cutting into his flesh?’ They
replied, ‘He was a fool, and we do not pay attention to what
fools do.’” 4
Another pseudonym for Jesus was “Balaam.” Because Balaam
was a type of false prophet, seducing Jews to idolatry, the Jewish
Encyclopedia tells us, “Hence also the pseudonym ‘Balaam,’ given
to Jesus in Sanh. 106b and Git. 57a.” 5
The article continues: “In the process of killing Balaam
(Num. xxxi.8), all four legal methods of execution—stoning
burning, decapitation and strangling—were employed (Sanh. lc).
He met his death at the age of 33 (ib.); and it is stated that he
had no portion in the world to come (Sanh. x2;90a).” 6
In Gittin 57a, Jesus (Balaam) is portrayed as wallowing in hell
amid boiling excrement. He is eternally regretful that He did not
bless the “apple of God’s eye” as He should have.
7
Reviling Christ
The Talmud encourages Jews to insult the name and reputation of
Jesus. Since the word “Jeschua” means “savior,” religious
Jews in Israel usually do not refer to Christ by that name. Instead,
they call Him “Jeschu,” which means, “May his name
and memory be blotted out.” 8 This was confirmed to me by an
ex-Hassidic Jew.
The Talmud encourages the denigration of anything that has to do
with the name and reputation of Jesus. “…In the case
of the wicked Balaam: whatever you find [written] about him, lecture
upon it [to his disadvantage]…” 9
As with Christ, references in the Talmud to His followers are veiled
by terms not understood by Christian censors. Three of the most common
for Christians are “min;" its plural, "minim;” and “minuth.” The
footnote to Abodah Zarah 16b (p. 84) says that “minuth” refers
to “heresy with special reference to Christianity.”
In Shabbathai 116, Rabbi Tarbon says: “The writings of the
minim deserve to be burned, even though the holy name of God occurs
therein, for paganism is less dangerous than 'minut'…”
Brotherly love need not extend to the Christian “minim.” They
may be legally thrown into a pit to die, as A. Z. 26b says: “R.
Abbahu recited to R. Johanan: ‘Idolaters and (Jewish) shepherds
of small cattle need not be brought up, though they must not be cast
in, but minim, informers, and apostates may be cast in and need not
be brought up.’”
Christians, Keep Out
Concerning Gentiles and Messianic Jews, who presume to make use
of the Jewish Sabbath, the Jewish Encyclopedia tells us: “Resh
Lakish (D. 278) said, ‘A Gentile observing the Sabbath deserves
death.’ (Sanh. 58b)… ‘The Sabbath is a sign between
God and Israel alone.’ And it was probably directed against
the Christian Jews who disregarded the Mosaic laws yet observed the
Jewish Sabbath.” 10
Christianity is vividly described in the Talmud as being worse
than even the most wicked behavior of a Jew. In A. Z. 17a, it says: “Rabbi
Eleazar Dordia did not leave out any harlot in the world without
coming to her." Yet he attained forgiveness because he had not
committed the unforgivable sin of accepting Christianity. Likewise,
incest is a “light sin” compared to Christian conversion.
The Talmud considers "minim" and the Roman government to
be the two daughters of hell, one seducing Jews to idolatry, the
other imposing fresh taxes.
Because of the untrustworthy nature of a Christian, the Jewish
Encyclopedia tells us: “The testimony of a min…was not
admitted in evidence in Jewish courts…and an Israelite who
found anything belonging to one who was a min was forbidden to return
it to him (Hoshen Mishpat 266, 2).” 11
They Will Persecute You
Christ’s prediction that His disciples would suffer persecution
is verified by the Talmud. Sanh. 43a describes how “Yeshu’s
disciples ‘Mathi,’ ‘Nakai,’ ‘Nezer,’ ‘Boni,’ and ‘Thoda’ were
executed by the Jews.” The Jewish Encyclopedia confirms that
these pseudonyms refer to Matthew, Luke, “Nazarene—a
general description for a Christian in antiquity,” Nicodemus,
and Thaddeus. 12
The Rabbinic treatise on funerals (Treatise Semahot Ch. 2, p. 35)
sums up a few of the many references against Christians in the Talmud: “At
the death of one who has severed all ties with his people, no rights
whatever should be observed. His brothers and relatives should dress
in white and cloak themselves in white. They should eat, drink, and
be merry, for an enemy of God has perished. As it written, do not
I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? And do not I strive with those
that rise up against thee? I hate them with utmost hatred: I count
them mine enemies (Ps. 139:21-24).” 13
It is significant that even before the collapse of Communism, Billy
Graham was invited to some Iron Curtain countries to hold evangelistic
meetings; yet when Graham requested to preach in Israel, he was denied
the opportunity to speak in the land where Christianity was born.
The government told him that "mention of Jesus Christ or Christianity
in important cities results in violent demonstrations." 14 Anti-Christian
feeling was so strong in Israel that riots against him would erupt
everywhere. Why is Israel even more opposed to Christianity than
atheist, communist countries?
We’ll find out in Part 2 tomorrow...
PART II
Anti-Christianity in Israel Today
Even in our era of ecumenical “tolerance," the Talmud's
hatred of Christianity has not subsided in the hearts of Orthodox
and ultra-Orthodox Jews in Israel. Especially in the occupied territories,
the admonitions of the Talmud to persecute Christians and dishonor
the name and reputation of Jesus are taken very literally.
According to Dr. Israel Shahak, an Israeli citizen, former WW2
concentration camp inmate and founder of Israel’s Human Rights
League, “Dishonoring Christian religious symbols is an old
religious duty in Judaism. Spitting on the cross, and especially
on the crucifix, and spitting when a Jew passes a church, has been
obligatory from around 200 A.D. for pious Jews…The increasing
strength of the Jewish nation has caused these customs to become
more open again but there should be no mistake: the spitting on the
cross for converts from Christianity to Judaism, organized in Kibbitz
Sa’ad and financed by the Israeli government, is an act of
traditional Jewish piety.”
Shahak expands: “Pious Jews object to the international plus
sign for it is a cross, and it may, in their opinion, influence little
children to convert to Christianity. . . It would then be difficult
to ‘educate’ them to spit on the cross. . . .In all Hebrew
elementary schools (and now many high schools as well) the international
plus sign has been forbidden.” 1
Orthodox religious authorities for the state of Israel also advocate
burning the New Testament. “…No less a figure than Professor
Yehoshaphat Harkabi, former head of Israeli military intelligence,
has revealed the facts surrounding Israel’s official burning
of the gospels so cherished by all Christians . . ." General
Harkabi writes: ‘Chief Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef, who is considered
to be a moderate. . .(in 1979) issued a ruling that copies of the
New Testament should be burned. This ruling did not remain a dead
letter. An item in the newspaper Ma ‘ariv (14 June 1985) reported
the burning of a copy of the New Testament found in the library of
the Chief Educational officer of the Israeli army. . .’” 2 (Encyclopedia
of the Palestine Problem, by Issa Nakhleh, p. 395)
Five Years in Prison for ‘Proselytizing’ in
Israel
Although it remains legal in Israel for a Christian to talk with
an Israeli about Christ, Israel’s anti-missionary law, conspicuously
passed during Christmas week on Dec. 27, 1977, makes it a crime punishable
by up to 5 years in prison to attempt to convert an Israeli to Christianity
by use of any material inducement. If a Christian gives even a gospel
leaflet to an Israeli, he violates this law. Also, if the Israeli
converts to Christianity after receiving the leaflet he himself could
face 3 years in prison. 3
Of course, because of Israel’s dependence on Christian and
American goodwill, this statute, while on the books, is not rigorously
enforced. Israel has incarcerated 9,000 Palestinians without trial,
yet remains reluctant to imprison even one American missionary. This
could alienate the evangelical “cash cow” whose resources
are vital in keeping Israel’s sagging socialist economy afloat.
For now, Israeli law enforcement walks a middle road, having to be
content with partial measures against proselytizing.
Instead of jailing Christians, Israel demanded about five years
ago that some 50 evangelical organizations which lead tours to Israel
forbid their participants to witness while in the “Holy Land.” All
50 agreed.
An acquaintance of mine, an itinerant preacher, described to me
his experience of witnessing in Haifa last year. He and a friend
began to talk with Israelis on the streets about Christ. The Israeli
populace did not, in general, appreciate such concern for their souls.
They followed the missionaries, yelling insults and surrounding them
in mounting hostility. The shirt and beard of my friend were pulled
violently. The police then seized and detained the two Christians.
Yet while the angry crowd distracted the police, the missionaries
slipped away and made their escape.
Decades of Persecution
The late Dr. Issa Nakhleh was a Christian Palestinian lawyer and
diplomat. In his Encyclopedia of the Palestinian Problem (present
in most university libraries), he presents a long and detailed chronology
of many dozens of attacks against Christians, Christian holy places,
and Christian rights in Israel. Many of these outrages were committed
during and after the 1948 Israeli-Arab war and during the 1967 war
but have recurred up to the present in every part of Israel. 4
For decades, attacks on Christian churches in Israel by angry Orthodox
Jews and Israeli soldiers have been reported.
“During the June war of 1967, Israeli forces opened the church
of the Holy Sepulchre to Jews who poured into the holiest place in
Christendom, indecently dressed, joking and pouring Pharisaic hate
and insults against Christianity and against Jesus Christ inside
the Holy Sepulcher and next to the tomb of Jesus Christ.” 5
During the first half of the 20th century, Palestine, like modern
Lebanon, was home to many Christians. In 1945, 20 percent were Christians.
But in 1948, 100,000 terrorized Christian Palestinians fled the Israelis
into neighboring countries; many would spend the rest of their lives
in detention camps. Today only 2 percent of Israelis are Christians. 6
Similarly, modern Lebanon, so recently bombed to rubble by Israel,
is 39 percent Christian. That means about 500 Christians died in
Israel's recent attack.
Reign of Terror in Southern Israel
One of the most vehement and prolonged persecutions of Christians
is taking place today in southern Israel. In Arad, a community of
Messianic Christian Jews has been under relentless harassment by
the surrounding ultra-Orthodox Jews, the Haridim. These Orthodox
literal interpreters of the Talmud and Kabbalah are especially numerous
among settlements in the outlying regions and occupied territories.
They believe Christians and Gentiles are animals without souls. To
them, "Jewish apostates" (Messianic Jews) are worthy of
death.
The horrifying truth is revealed in testimony from Lura Maiman
Beckford, a Jewish Christian missionary to Arad, and Schmulik Eitan,
a secular Jew and tour guide of the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial
in Jerusalem.
Both report that daily harassment and discrimination occur against
Christians in Arad. Local police actually encourage the Haridim,
often watching as the Orthodox mock, insult, and assault Christians.
According to Beckford, the government of Israel has adopted a hands-off
approach. Israel’s Foreign Ministry says the fault lies with
the Christians who should expect such a reaction if they attempt
to win Jews away from the faith of their fathers.
Here are only a few of many quotations from Beckford, Eitan and
other reputable sources.
Beckford (Feb. 6, '06): "The congregation meets on Saturdays
and the parishioners need to go through a gauntlet of curses from
40 or more Haridim standing in front of the entrance. All through
the service, screams, chants and curses can be heard from outside."
"We have been told that we are animals without souls (Talmud
teaches that) and threatened with being carried out of Arad in coffins,
or shot, or dozens of other threats."
"They vandalize our property-- they attack our people-- they
burned our chess club (only visible reminder that there are Christians
in Arad and the only place to get a Bible in Arad)."
"They stormed into a congregation in Beersheva, during the
service and wrecked the place and threw the pastor into the baptismal
and they did about $2000 worth of damage."
"The police are refusing to take our calls. They are afraid
of the Haridim."
"[There is] very intense persecution of Messianic Jews in
the southern-Israel city of Arad by a large group of Haredi Jews
called the Gur Hassidim."
"They now randomly attack believers in the streets wherever
they recognize them, in some cases shouting at a single mother with
her little girl who is under 5 years, "Dirty Christian, you
filthy Christian!" and to the girl they shout, "Your mother
is a whore!"
"Almost every day there are a few of them that somehow ambush
the house -- sometimes stoning it early in the morning, sometimes
just suddenly banging on the windows and shouting obscenities like "Jesus,
the bastard," "Nazis," "Filthy Christians," etc.
And every week on the same day there is a major demonstration outside
their house with the Hasidim carrying big signs against believers
and shouting obscenities again-- with police looking on and many
times giggling with demonstrators."
"By now it has become abundantly clear that the authorities
are not at all interested in implementing the democratic right of
Freedom of Worship in Israel, when it comes to the Messianic Jews
of Arad. They will most probably only take action if and when there
is bloodshed."
"It's amazing -- in the Jewish state of Israel, you can be
a Buddhist, a Bahai, a gay or lesbian -- and your democratic rights
are fully protected and upheld. But if you are a Messianic Jew, they
will do nothing for you unless they absolutely have to."
According to the Jewish Virtual Library: "Evangelical
Christian and other religious groups have complained that the police
have been slow to investigate incidents of harassment, threats, and
vandalism against their meetings, churches and other facilities by
two ultra-Orthodox [and anti-missionary] Jewish groups, known as
Yad L'achim and L'achaim." (1998 Report on International Religious
Freedom, Israel)
Assist News Service reports: "An orthodox group called
Gur Chassidim has been persecuting 30 Messianic Jews in Arid. They
have been insulted in public as Nazis, whores and dirty Christians.
According to eyewitnesses, the police have turned a blind eye and
even sided with the persecutors. An assembly hall has been burned
down."
Ha'aretz confirms: "In the past few weeks, the Haridim
of Arad have been harassing the 15 Messianic Jewish families in the
Negev town [Harad]. Hardly anyone has come to their aid. The police
gave the Haridim a permit to hold demonstrations opposite the homes
of the Messianic Jews. The mayor is ignoring the harassment, the
members of the municipal council, those who are secular, report the
Haridim to have representatives in the local governing coalition." (2004)
Incredible Blindness
Recently, members of our staff and I attended a meeting of "Israel-first" evangelicals,
watching Israeli-made propaganda films glorifying Israel. Afterward,
we talked with some of the viewers.
We tried to inform them of such realities as the Deir Yassin massacre
and resultant exile in terror of more than 700,000 Palestinians,
many of whom are Christians. They made it clear that, even if such
atrocities happened, they did not care. The more quickly Arabs are
driven from God's Holy Land today, the better. Without compassion
for Arab suffering, they were also unconcerned that Judaism or Israel
is in opposition to Jesus Christ.
In fact, many believe that since Jews are so divinely favored and
peace-loving, they have no need, at least at this time, to be saved
by Jesus Christ. One lady suggested that since Jews, like Christians,
are earnestly awaiting "the Messiah," it is actually premature
and presumptuous to try to bring them to faith in Jesus. Christ will
convert them, she said, in His good time, at His second coming.
Death Wish
Every few years in the Arctic, countless hordes of lemmings are
seized with a compulsion to swim out to sea and drown. A similar
blind insanity now grips teaming masses of evangelicals. They scorn
Biblical truth. They reject the facts of modern history. They rush
to assist oppressors, as long as those oppressors are Jewish. They
mock the suffering of innocents. They call evil good and good evil.
Yet Scripture tells us that evangelicals will not always remain
in such delusion. Israel, the great harlot (See, "Israel:
On the Way to Empire in the Mideast") will someday turn
in fury and devour the hand that has coddled it for more than a century.
Christianity began under Jewish persecution at the hand of the Pharisees. 7 Jesus
prophesied that also in the last days persecution of His Church would
come from such evil Jewish leadership: “…They will lay
their hands on you and will persecute you, delivering you to the
synagogues and prisons…” (Luke 21:12)
Today, anti-Christian “civil liberties” groups, top-heavy
with Jews, such as ADL, ACLU, People for the American Way, Southern
Poverty Law Center, etc., are attempting to bring Israeli-style anti-Christianity
and hatred of Christian symbols to the United States. Along with
the Jewish-controlled media, they denigrate the reputation of Jesus,
forbid the use of His name by chaplains, and curb the proclamation
of the gospel in public places.
Two years ago the Jews of ADL tried to imprison 11 Christians in
Philadelphia for 47 years for the “hate crime" of preaching
the Gospel (See, "Eleven
Christians Jailed for Criticizing Homosexuality"). Even
now, ADL hate laws bankrupt and exhaust Christians in the western
world (See, “David
Irving: Like Galileo, Victim of Thought Crimes Inquisition”).
And in the future, Zion will eventually persecute the Church worldwide.
As Orthodox Jews are now daily harassing Christians in Arad in Israel,
so the Church will be “worn out” (Daniel 7:25) from international
persecution by the “synagogue of Satan.” So intense will
be this coming decimation of Christianity that the Zionist new world
order will be “drunken” with the blood of the martyrs
(Rev. 17:6).
How will the Church respond in that day? Will it continue to lavish
flattery on its tormenters? Hardly. The Church will then agree with
the voice of heaven in the book of Revelation: "Pay her back
even as she has paid, and give back to her double according to her
deeds…"(Rev.18:6)
Incidentally, I have found “Messianic” Jews in America
to be arch ‘Israel-firsters,” and even more vociferous
against me than the ADL. Claiming to be “experts” on
the Talmud, yet Christians, they are very effective in persuading
evangelicals that what I say is false. They have vilified me in the
print media and for hours on Christian radio. Yet, as will happen
for the whole Church someday, even Messianic Jews, when mercilessly
persecuted, will eventually agree with St. Paul that their unbelieving
brethren are “enemies” of the gospel (Romans 11:28).
Since the first part of this report came out yesterday, Lura Maiman
Beckford, Messianic Jewish spokesperson for the persecuted Messianic
Christians of Arad in Israel, e-mailed me: “As persecuted Israelis
we appreciate your stand for truth. We are being persecuted relentlessly
in this so-called 'democratic' country. Please add our name to your
list and feel free to use our website as reference." 8
Learning the Hard Way
Someday, the appreciation of Lura Maiman Beckford for the warning
I am giving will be shared by all the Church. But by that time, Christians,
confined to Arctic gulags or concentration camps in heartland USA
or sweltering tropical hell holes, will have lost their opportunity
for deliverance. For them, like the millions of Christians in Communist
China in 1950, deliverance will not come through the “rapture.” It
will come through death.
The time to speak out is now.
Endnotes for Part 1:
1 Gittin 56b-57a
2 “Jesus,” Jewish Encyclopedia, p. 170
3 “Jesus,” Jewish Encyclopedia, p. 170, citing Shabbethai
104b and Sanh. 67a
4 Sanh. 67a, uncensored edition, translated by Rev. I. B. Pranaitus,
The Talmud Unmasked, p. 34
5 “Balaam,” Jewish Encyclopedia, p. 469. See also “Jesus,” p.
172
6 Here is the Talmud’s description of Christ’s gruesome
death, Sanhedrin 106a-106b.
7 Here is the Talmud’s description of Christ in hell, Gittin
56b-57a
8 Pranaitus, I. B. The Talmud Unmasked, p. 28
9 Sanh. 106b
10 J. Encyc. “Gentiles,” p. 623
11 J. Encyc., “Minim,” p. 595
12 J. Encyc., “Jesus,” p. 171
13 Tractate Semahot, transl. by Dove Ziotmick of the Jewish Theological
Seminary, New Haven, London, 1966
14 Nakhleh, Issa, The Encyclopedia of the Palestine
Problem, "Destruction
and Desecration of Christian Holy Places and the Violation of Christian
Rites", p. 402
Endnotes for Part 2:
1 Dr. Israel Shahak, quoted in Encyclopedia of the
Palestine Problem, p. 404.
2 Harkabi, Yehoshaphat. Israel’s Fateful
Decision, (London: L.B. Tauris and Company, Ltd., 1998),
pp. 161-162
3 The Penal Law Amendment (Enticement to Change Religion—Law,
5738-1977) was passed by Knesset during Christmas week (Dec. 27,
1977) and went into effect Easter week (April 1, 1978). Violation
is punishable by 5 years in prison or a fine of 50,000 Israeli
pounds (or the equivalent in shekels). It is enforced against those
attempting to convert someone to their faith if a material benefit
is offered. The state of Israel also metes out 3 years in prison,
or a 30,000 Israeli pound fine, against a Jew who receives such
materials and converts. The Law says: “1. Whoever gives or
promises to a person money, money’s worth or some other material
benefit in order to induce him to change his religion or in order
that he may induce another person to change his religion is liable
to imprisonment for 5 years or a fine of 50,000 pounds. 2. Whosoever
receives or agrees to receive money, money’s worth or some
other material benefit in return for a promise to change his religion
or to cause another person to change his religion is liable for
imprisonment for a term of 3 years or a fine of 30,000 pounds.”
4 Nakhleh, Issa. Encyclopedia of the Palestine Problem.
5 Nakhleh, Issa. “Jews Attempting to Eradicate
Christianity in Palestine,” The Cross and the Flag,
date unknown.
6 Holy Land Ecumenical Foundation.
7 Edward Gibbon, perhaps the greatest authority on ancient
Rome suggests that Nero’s Jewish wife, Poppaea Sabina, incited
Nero to accuse a relatively unknown and peaceful sect, the Christians,
for the burning of Rome (Edward Gibbon, The History of the
Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, volume 1, p. 459, uncensored
version). Gibbon’s theory becomes especially plausible since
we read in the Talmud that ‘Nero was converted to Judaism
and from him was descended Rabbi Meir’. Meir was one of the
very greatest of Talmudic rabbis. (‘Nero,’ Jewish
Encyclopedia pg 88). Poppaea may well have inherited the same
Judaic zeal to destroy Christianity which motivated the Pharisees
in the book of Acts.
8 Lura Maimon Beckford’s website is: http://www.angelfire.com/super/redhorse/Reports/Reports.html It
contains graphic documentation of the effects of Jewish persecutions
of Christians at Arad.
