CAN CHRISTIANS CHANGE
PALESTINIAN HEARTS?
I
’ve made reference to my friend, Jonathan Feldstein, an American-Israeli who runs the Genesis 123 Foundation, an international ministry devoted to strengthening ties between Christians and Jews.
Jonathan has launched several charitable efforts associated with defense and war recovery, since the Hamas terrorist network slaughtered and kidnapped hundreds of people in southern Israel last year. That vicious attack set off Israel’s drive to eliminate the Islamist threat to the Holy Land.
Now Jonathan is looking ahead to the end of the war and the need to reconstitute a devastated Gaza. And he’s launched his boldest project yet. He’s making an appeal for Christians to come and rebuild this war-torn region.
An Orthodox Jew, himself, Jonathan hopes that a demonstration of Christian love and service can have a positive effect, not just on physical restoration, but in altering the attitudes of Palestinian Muslims.
Gaza has always had the potential to be a thriving center of international business and global tourism. It could be a point of exchange between technologically advanced Israel and struggling Muslim nations around the world.
It could be a great resource for peace.
That is to say, it could be.
But this development isn’t even imaginable until the totalitarian rule of Hamas and the perverse ideology of Islamist radicalism which supports it are removed. And that requires the changing of hearts.
Jonathan is realistic enough to expect that outreach from Jews — no matter how well intentioned — would be resisted. Religious rivalries are too deep, and the war has bred too much hard feeling.
However, he believes that Christians might be able to make a real difference.
Jesus holds a place of great importance in Muslim theology and religious tradition. Muslims might be open to a bit of Christian doing-unto-others, and hopefully, to Christian influence as well.
Is his idea realistic? Listen to a conversation with Jonathan Feldstein on my radio show/podcast, “Free Expression,” and judge for yourself…
https://billkassel.podbean.com/e/free-expression-episode-126/
The episode also features a look at life on an unusual college campus — one where cell phones are prohibited.
Check out these stories. Then come back and offer your thoughts in the Comments section.
Leave a Reply