Dutch Christian Zionists Sponsor Europe's Largest Menorah

Christian Zionists in the Netherlands raised $30,000 to build a huge Chanukah menorah with a sign that says, "We wish the Jewish community worldwide a happy Chanukah." Appreciation for the Jewish people shows that the nations are ready for the Redemption.  Further, it should be said that it was the Rebbe who initiated giant menorahs on public property and overcame tremendous opposition to do so. We see today that large menorahs on civic sites are the norm during Chanukah across the globe.

"We did not approach Jewish or Israeli businesses or donors, only Christian ones, because this is
supposed to be our gift to the Jewish people." - Sara Van Oordt, Christians for Israel, Netherlands

JTA News Brief

Dutch Christian Zionists to unveil ‘Europe’s largest menorah’

November 5, 2013 5:26am

An artist's impression of the Hannukia scheduled to be placed at Nijkerk.
 Photo Credit: Christians for Israel

AMSTERDAM (JTA) — Christian Zionists in the Netherlands are building what they believe will be Europe’s largest menorah as a Hanukkah gift to the country’s Jewish community.

The Hanukkah candelabrum, or hanukkiyah, will be approximately 36 feet tall and made out of metal, Sara van Oordt of the Netherlands headquarters of the Christians for Israel organization told JTA on Monday. It will be placed near the group’s offices in Nijkerk, 30 miles east of the Dutch capital.

“We think that this is a good way to show our support and solidarity for the Jewish community worldwide,” van Oordt said.

Shaped like a Star of David, the giant candelabrum will have nine branches running along its top beam. According to Christians for Israel, it will be both Europe’s largest hanukkyiah and its largest menorah.

It is scheduled to be inaugurated at Nijkerk on the eve of Hanukkah, Nov. 27, by Binyomin Jacobs, a chief rabbi of the Netherlands, who has agreed to light the first candle of Hanukkah at a public ceremony that is expected to draw several hundred people.

The hanukkiyah cost just over $30,000 to make and is currently being manufactured in Friesland in the northern Netherlands under the supervision of Arjen Lont, the Christian Zionist owner of a construction firm.

Lont, who also participated in the reconstruction of Jerusalem’s Montefiore windmill last year, has sponsored a part of the hanukkiyah’s cost, according to van Oordt.

“We did not approach Jewish or Israeli businesses and donors, only Christian ones, because this is supposed to be our gift to the Jewish people,” van Oordt said.

The five-ton hanukkiyah will be transported in several parts from Friesland to Nijkerk.

Jacobs told JTA that the Netherlands has several large menorahs and hanukkiyahs that became popular with local Jews and Christians about 10 years ago.

“Not everyone was enthusiastic at first, but they kept popping up,” he said. “It brings people who would not normally celebrate Hanukkah to partake and it shows the world in general that we, Jews, are also here and a part of this society.”

Large menorahs or hanukkiyahs can be found in 18 Dutch cities including Amsterdam, The Hague, Maastricht, Haarlem, Groningen and Rotterdam, Jacobs said.

Rabbi Benyamin Jacobs, Chief Rabbi, Netherlands

Major Tennis Tournament Ejects Tunisia for Anti-Semitism

When we see administrative decisions that openly reject prejudice in a courageous and forthright manner, we are looking at a kinder, more civilized world,...the world of the Redemption.

“The Board felt that suspension from the Davis Cup, a competition that was founded 113 years ago to encourage better understanding through sport, would (be)…a fitting penalty for their unfortunate action.” - Francesco Ricci Bitti, ITF President

Algemeiner.com

November 4, 2013

Tunisia Suspended From Major Tennis  Tournament for Pulling Out of Match

Against Israeli

Tunisia has been suspended from the 2014 Davis Cup tennis tournament, one of the most important tournaments in men’s tennis, after one of its team members was ordered not to compete against an Israeli opponent last month.

Tunisia's top-ranked tennis player,
Malek Jaziri

Malek Jaziri, his country’s highest-ranked player at #215 in the world, withdrew from a match against Israel’s Amir Weintraub at the 2013 Tashkent Challenger in October citing a knee injury.

But Jaziri’s brother Amir, who also happens to be his coach, told AFP that he pulled out under orders from the Tunisian Tennis Federation not to play an Israeli. An email ordering Jaziri to pull out of the match was published by Tunisia’s state news agency. Tunisian sports ministry spokesman Sadok Touati confirmed that the federation sent the email after consulting the ministry.

In light of the revelation, The International Tennis Federation board voted unanimously to suspend the Tunisian Tennis Federation for one year from the Davis Cup.

“There is no room for prejudice of any kind in sport or in society. The ITF Board decided to send a strong message to the Tunisian Tennis Federation that this kind of action will not be tolerated by any of our members,” said ITF president Francesco Ricci Bitti.

President, International Tennis Federation,
Francesco Ricci Bitti

 Excerpt from Commentary Magazine
Ben Cohen, Nov. 3, 2013

Malik Jaziri, the top-ranked tennis player in Tunisia who has an impressive record of representing his country in international tournaments, was about to play a quarterfinal match at the ATP Challenger Tournament in Uzbekistan last October. Moments before stepping onto the court, he received a career-shattering email from his bosses at the tennis federation back in Tunis.

Jaziri had been drawn against an Israeli professional, Amir Weintraub; the Tunisian tennis federation, which continues to follow the Arab League boycott of the State of Israel to the letter, declared this to be a red line that Jaziri was not permitted to cross. “Following a meeting this afternoon with the Ministry of Youth and Sports, I have the immense regret to inform you that you are ordered not to play against the Israeli player,” read the email. Jaziri had no choice but to withdraw and Weintraub went through to the semi-final on a forfeit.

It goes without saying that Jaziri himself was blameless in the matter. Interviewed after being forced to withdraw, he expressed the fear that the decision would badly damage his career. His brother and manager, Amir Jaziri, slammed the decision as “shocking, because it brings politics into sport.”  Meanwhile, Amir Weintraub himself described Jaziri as “a good friend,” adding wistfully that the Tunisian had “really wanted to play.”

That in of itself is not a surprise; after all, athletes live for competition, not political strife. But what is noteworthy is that the International Tennis Federation (ITF), mindful that this was not the first time that Israeli players had been subjected to a boycott, and anxious to bring the practice to an end, took unprecedented action.  Hence this statement released yesterday by the ITF’s Board of Directors at their meeting in Cagliari, Italy, confirming that Tunisia has been suspended from next year’s Davis Cup: 

The Board was not satisfied with the case put forward by the Tunisian Tennis Federation and voted to suspend Tunisia from the 2014 Davis Cup by BNP Paribas competition. The decision of the ITF Board was unanimous although ITF Board Member from Tunisia, Tarak Cherif, recused himself from the discussion and the vote.

The 2013 ITF Constitution states the ITF and its members must preserve the integrity and independence of Tennis as a sport and must carry out their objects and purposes without unfair discrimination on grounds of colour, race, nationality, ethnic or national origin, age, sex or religion.

 “There is no room for prejudice of any kind in sport or in society,” said ITF President Francesco Ricci Bitti. “The ITF Board decided to send a strong message to the Tunisian Tennis Federation that this kind of action will not be tolerated by any of our members.

“The Board felt that suspension from Davis Cup, a competition that was founded 113 years ago to encourage better understanding through sport, would provide a good lesson for the Federation and a fitting penalty for their unfortunate action.”

The decision of the ITF Board of Directors is final.

Nigeria Seeks Spiritual Support from Israel To Fight Terrorism

Facing huge threats from Muslim terrorism like other African states, the President of Nigeria undertook an historic first trip to Israel to seek help and to pray. Views expressed in African media expressed hope and approval and great admiration for the Israelis from every standpoint,--their technological expertise, their sense of brotherhood, their courage and determination in fighting terrorism, and the success with which God blesses them.
Also in the news, the governor of one of the Nigerian states issued a public statement that he envisions a spiritual transformation for his country as a result of this visit.

“This being the first pilgrimage by a Nigerian leader to Jerusalem, I believe that God is going to look at Nigeria favourably and our lives would never be the same again."

- Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom, Nigeria

"I will bless them that bless thee…" - God to Abraham, Genesis 12:3

Seen first on COLLIVE.COM

Nigerian President, on Historic Visit to Israel, Vows Support for the Rebbe's Emissary   

Rabbi Yisroel Uzan, the Rebbe's emissary, Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz,
 Rabbi of the Western Wall, and Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan 

After praying at the Kotel, President Goodluck Jonathan made a vow to Rabbi Israel Uzan, the Rebbe's emissary to Nigeria.

By COLlive reporter


Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan is leading a pilgrimage of 3,000 countrymen to Israel, visiting holy sites in Jerusalem and Nazareth.

His entourage includes eight governors, seven ministers, three members of the National Assembly and several church leaders.

Also traveling with the first sitting Nigerian president to visit Israel is Nigerian Chief Rabbi Israel Uzan, Director of Chabad Lubavitch of Lagos Nigeria in Victoria Island, Nigeria.

Increasingly large numbers of Nigerians visit Israel annually, President Jonathan said in a meeting with Israeli President Shimon Peres. Last year the number came to 30,000, and a significant rise is expected this year.

Israel and newly independent Nigeria established diplomatic relations in 1960, which were severed by Nigeria in 1973 following the Yom Kippur War and renewed in September 1992, the Jerusalem Post reported.

During the initial relationship with Nigeria, Israel sent experts to help modernize agriculture, health services, and education and also accepted hundreds of Nigerian students for studies in various fields in Israel.

After the renewal of relations, Nigeria became an important, multimillion-dollar export market for Israeli military and surveillance equipment, for which Israel also provided the training, according to The Post.

President Jonathan visited the Kotel as well, accompanied by Rabbi Uzan and greeted by Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, the Rabbi of the Western Wall and the Holy Sites in Israel.

After praying together, Jonathan vowed to help the Chabad Shliach with opening a Jewish center to serve the local Jews and many Israeli visitors to Nigeria. He noted his friendship to the Jewish nation and Israel. "I am very emotional from this visit," he said.

Premium Times

Akpabio says Jonathan’s pilgrimage to Israel will change Nigeria

Published: October 30,2013

 

Governor Godswill Akpabio of the Nigerian state of Akwa Ibom

 Akpabio says: ““This being the first pilgrimage by a Nigerian leader to Jerusalem, I believe that God is going to look at Nigeria favourably and our lives would never be the same again.“


Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom says President Goodluck Jonathan’s participation in the 2013 Christian pilgrimage to Israel is a turning point in the spiritual rebirth of the country.

This is contained in a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mr Aniekan Umana, in Uyo on Wednesday.

“I believe strongly that being the first historic pilgrimage by any president in Nigeria since 1914 would be a turning point for our country.

“I know that past Heads of State and Presidents who were Muslim had undertaken pilgrimages to Medina and Mecca.

“This being the first pilgrimage by a Nigerian leader to Jerusalem, I believe that God is going to look at Nigeria favourably and our lives would never be the same again.

“I am very convinced that this is a turning point for national rebirth.

“This is a turning point by Mr President to transform this nation.

“Any transformation that does not have spiritual connotation is not enough,” the statement quoted Akpabio as saying.