Weep over Jerusalem

It was more years ago than I care to remember that I studied Theology at Oxford. One of the few things that I learned from my degree course is that the shortest verse in the whole Bible is "Jesus wept." He did his weeping over Jerusalem and there still is quite a lot of weeping going on right now in Israel. I do not know which was (or is going to be) worse, the appalling attack by Hamas or Israel's devastating response.

Irena and I always wanted to see inside the synagogue in Sofia. (These photos were taken about ten years ago, which is why we both look quite a bit younger and even more good-looking than usual.) 

The synagogue in Sofia is a beautiful and peaceful place. I felt rather at home there, as I believe that Christians and Jews worship the same God. (I cannot say that I have the same feelings in a Hindu or a Buddhist temple.) Perhaps it is because my best friend at school was Jewish and so were most of my friends at university. 

To its eternal credit, Bulgaria was one of the very few countries in occupied Europe that refused to hand over their Jewish citizens to the Nazis. Why do so many people, all over the world, hate the Jews so much?

      

How odd

Of God

To choose

The Jews.

Yes, but I always remember the poem that was written in reply:

But odder still

Are those who choose

A Jewish God,

But hate the Jews.

 

 So how do we get peace in Israel? By talking to our friends? Or by talking to our enemies? Hamas do not seem to be nice people. The recent attack on Israel, accompanied by an appalling massacre of Israeli civilians and the kidnapping of hostages, ought to be enough to get the Hamas boyscouts their terrorism badge. Of course the Israelis are outraged and want revenge. But it was not so very long ago that people in the UK felt much the same about the attack on the King David Hotel and the doings of the Stern Gang.