r/JewsOfConscience • u/Educational_Board888 Non-Jewish Ally • 15d ago

News Vatican removes nativity display featuring baby Jesus lying on keffiyeh

https://www.thejc.com/news/world/vatican-removes-nativity-display-featuring-baby-jesus-lying-on-keffiyeh-fvrdcbbf

The wooden statue was criticised by Jewish groups for reinforcing the trope that Jesus was a Palestinian.

The backlash came almost immediately from religious entities and individuals worldwide.

On Monday, B’nai B’rith International described feeling “disturbed by the Vatican display of a Palestinian-made nativity scene featuring Jesus on a keffiyeh and the pope’s appearance with it.” The group said the display “isn’t just politicisation, but revisionism. It presents (only) Palestinians as innocent victims—and Jesus as a Palestinian, not a Jew.”

In response to the display’s removal, David Parsons, senior vice president and spokesman for the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem, noted that “we are relieved at reports that the Vatican has decided to remove the provocative nativity display with an infant Jesus resting on a black-and-white keffiyeh, which is an unmistakable symbol of Palestinian nationalism.”

He said “This crèche not only denigrated Jewish heritage, it also undermined core tenets of the Christian faith. Indeed, millions of Christians worldwide were instantly incensed by this exhibit ahead of the Christmas season. The Vatican did the right thing in taking it down.”

Parsons described the display as “theological malpractice for the Holy See to allow this display to remain. For if Jesus was a Palestinian Arab, then he would not have qualified to be Christ, the promised messiah and savior of the world.”

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u/blishbog 15d ago

Wasn’t Jesus a Palestinian Jew objectively?

They exist. Like that rare one who took years to officially convert by all the proper channels and then Israel killed him

3

u/MassivePsychology862 Non-Jewish Ally 15d ago

Who is this person you are speaking about?

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u/Dry_Bumblebee1111 15d ago

Jesus? 

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u/MassivePsychology862 Non-Jewish Ally 15d ago

He tried to convert?

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u/Dry_Bumblebee1111 15d ago

Sorry, I misread that the comment you replied to was talking about someone else as well as Jesus. My bad! 

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u/MassivePsychology862 Non-Jewish Ally 15d ago

Yea but who!!! lol. I’m racking(sp?) my brain. I feel like this would be someone well known?

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u/ZipZapZia South Asian Muslim 15d ago

I don't think the person OP is talking about is well known/famous. I think it was a reference to an event that happened in the news last year. There's was a Palestinian man in the West Bank (if I'm remembering correctly) who converted to Judaism and was killed by the IDF for some BS reason. I remember it sparking debates of how even if you convert, Israelis aren't going to see that/treat you well because of it. If I can find an article about the incident, I'll try and edit it to my comment

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u/MassivePsychology862 Non-Jewish Ally 15d ago

Oh. Eek. Now I feel a bit gross. That’s awful. I never realized the conversion process took a long time until recently. It seems like a lot of branches have their own distinct traditions and timelines.

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u/Dry_Bumblebee1111 15d ago

I think it's funnier if the answer stays as Jesus. 

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u/MassivePsychology862 Non-Jewish Ally 15d ago

Agreed. Thank you for making the call 🫡

Edit: I hope the commenter never answers.