(PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE)
Chareidi vandals are blamed for smashing and destroying a model of the world’s Aron HaBris, which was placed in Kikar Tzahal in Jerusalem on the eve of Shavuos. Police who were prevent did not prevent vandalism, but arrested a suspect.
A model of the world’s largest Aron, given as a gift to the residents of Jerusalem, was destroyed on Shavuos morning, at around 3:00AM, by anonymous persons assumed to be chareidim.
Policemen who were present at the scene and part of the time witnessed vandalism and breaking the model of the Aron did not prevent the shameful incident, but arrested a suspect.
The construction and installation of the model of the Ark of the Covenant initiated, produced and contributed to the residents of the city of Jerusalem by businesswoman Grace Gupana, of the Philippines, a staunch lover and supporter of Israel. According to her, the model of the Ark of the Covenant was first exposed in Jerusalem in September 2013 during the Jerusalem March.
Gupana emphasized that she was shocked, painful, and sad about the vandalism and destruction of the model and that the punishment of those who destroyed the model of the Ark of the Covenant would come from God. She stressed that the city of Jerusalem is also the place of worship of the three religions and Israel has undertaken to allow it freedom of worship, but in reality, it does not happen. “I came as a shaliach and fulfilled my mission, but my pain and sorrow are very great today, and the Jewish people, on the day of the giving of the Torah, must respect the believers of all religions.
The model that was destroyed was set into position erev Shavuos at Kikar Tzahal and it was intended to benefit the tzibur at large over Shavuos. The model weighed 800kg and was three meters in height, over five meters long and 1.6 meters in depth. It took twelve artists four months to construct the model, costing tens of thousands of dollars.
Gupana, 55, has broken ten Guinness records including the largest Israeli flag ever made. She has an apartment in Jerusalem, which she visits regularly.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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15 Responses
Some guy wanted extra aveiros in honor of yom tov.
What gedolim said that this was permissable? There are very specific halachos on who can create the “Aron” and it doesn’t have anything to do with the tourist ministry or zionism. There are those who favor immediately rebuilding the Beis Mikdash and resuming karbonos, and it is quite proper (not “shameful” as the article says) that kenoi’im object. if you really want to see the “Aron”, do tseuvah and Meshiach will take care of the rest.
“Grace Galindez Gupana, founder of a xtian charismatic group that claims global reach…”
www dot gmanetwork dot com slash news slash story slash 85473
What a chilul Hashem.
As can be clearly seen from the picture at the top of the article, it was a Christian missionary project, and as such shouls have never been tolerated in our holy capital. Blessed are those who remove idols worship from our land.
There is X-tian teachings written on the plaques on the sides of this. Says something like “Yahshua’s commandments”. That may be why it was destroyed.
Why is it called a “Shameful incident” ?
Look at the picture – it has a big panel talking about yashke on it!! This is a missionary item
If it truly is missionary prop I retract my words. The article was written in a way that made it sound like this businesswoman offered the mock aron as a symbolic gift to the Jewish people of Jerusalem.
“Blessed are those who remove idols worship from our land.”
To Elazar: Actually, it will be those who vandalize and destroy private property that will suffer the pain of their actions. This hateful incident will promote additional intolerance and hate crimes and we should hope that those chareidi hoologians who engage in such actions will be identified, prosecuted and sent to rot in jail for a while to deter further actions of this type.
What a chutzpah to call a lesson in her religion a “gift” and then claim we’re disrespectful when we don’t want it. Xtians practice freely in Israel. The only disrespect is her trying to pass off her proselytizing as generosity.
I’m not getting into who the donor is nor into her ideology. I’m not getting into the permissibility and propriety of creating and displaying an Aaron, either. I just want to point out to those who have obviously misread the fuzzy letters on the plaque in the picture: it says “Y-HW-H”, or the anglicized version of the Shem Hameforash, not “Yoshke”.
lebron06, reread the first photo. It says “Yahshua” clearly.
It’s not fuzzy at all. It says “Yahshua’s Commands”.
Of course, no Moslem would dare destroy something that to their mind looks like an idol. Those #$&^@ Chareidim did it. Who else? And all Chareidim are guilty! Why? Because the Gadol Hador has insights that even the police and the Shabak don’t have.
“gasoline hador”. There is a mitzvah to destroy idol worship in Israel. It is a machloket whether it applies outside eretz yisroel. It does not matter if those who destroyed this missionary item will be punished. It is important that missionaries realise that Jewish Jerusalem is not their playground, and yiden will not tolerate it.