Cape church leaders inspired to counter misinformation, antisemitism

About 100 pastors from various churches attended a pastors’ late lunch meeting at Friends of God Church, Goodwood, Cape Town last week to hear a message by Dr Laurie Cardoza-Moore founder of Proclaiming Truth and Justice to the Nations (PJTN).

Cardoza-Moore, who was brought to SA by the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ) in SA and South African Friends of Israel (SAFI), spoke about the need for the churches to recognise the times and to not be silent in the face of rising antisemitism and the connection to the BDS campaign.

The guest speaker, who hosts the show Focus on Israel which is broadcast globally on Daystar television, also read out a resolution regarding antisemitism that she has prepared to be proposed at the United Nations and asked pastors to sign in support of it.

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Vivienne Myburgh national director of the ICEJ also addressed the gathering. She spoke about the church’s part in allowing antisemitism to take place though out the ages, which contributed to the attempt to annihilate the Jewish people in the Holocaust — a conclusion that is echoed in a landmark Church of England report on Christian-Jewish relations that was published todayl

The signs are here again today as they were before the Holocaust, said Myburgh. The initial economic boycotts in Germany, launched in 1933 were shockingly similar to the ones proposed by the BDS campaign against Israeli businesses today, she said. Attacks in the media against Jews in that era were being repeated against the Jewish nation and Jewish people today, she said.

Julie Berman executive director of the SA Zionist Federation Cape Council addressed the meeting, giving an overview of historical Judea/Christian connections and the role that SAFI plays in connecting the Church in SA to Israel.

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“We have had very good feedback from those who attended and believe it was a highly informative event, especially around the dangers relating to rising antisemitism and the proactive action that is required in these days. We trust that the pastors have been empowered to inform their congregants accordingly,” said Myburgh.

About 300 people attended an evening event on November 13 after the pastors’ event. A documentary film Boycott This!, produced by PJTN, about the BDS campaign and antisemitism, was screened and a panel discussion provided practical input on how to move forward.

Steve Swart, and ACDP MP, Ben Levitas, former chair of the SAZF Cape Council, Chris Eden, national director of Bridges for Peace, Mmamalema Molepo of SAFI and SAUJS, and Vivienne Myburght were on the panel.

Myburgh said feedback from the evening session was also very positive, with many saying they had been stirred to do more to counter misinformation and to stand up stronger in the face of rising antisemitism.

See attached photos of the panel and also of the main event and the pastors lunch.

The photo with the 3 ladies is of :

Julie Berman – Executive director SAZF Cape Council, Dr Laurie Cardosa-Moore and myself.

Meanwhile Breaking Israel News reported this week that PJTN has been removed from the Amazon Smile programme which enables Amazon customers to donate a percentage of their purchase to their favorite charity, because of their recent listing as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

“I initially thought it comical that Proclaiming Justice to The Nations had been placed on the Southern Poverty Law Center’s list of hate groups alongside the KKK. However, I have now learned that this political witch hunt against those that don’t share SPLC’s extremist liberal views has been adopted as a religious doctrine by Amazon. This could dramatically affect our ability to raise funds and function as a non-profit organisation.” said Cardoza-Moore.