November 23, 2011
Almost two weeks ago, Charedi Jewish young people spat at church clergy on the street. The delegation condemned the incidents.
Among the members of the Jewish delegation were Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Yosef, Alalu of the Meretz faction and Meretz city council members Laura Wharton and Meir Margalit. “Since we love this city, we felt that anything that happens here affects us,” Margalit said. “We came to apologize despite the fact that we had no part in the spitting, because we believe in mutual responsibility.”
Theophilos III said that he and his church colleagues have been confronting the spitting incidents with patience and understanding of the ignorance other people show towards the significance of religion and faith.
Next week, a similar delegation is due to visit with representatives of the Armenian Orthodox Church, whose clergy have also experienced the spitting phenomenon.
