Jerusalem, June 3, 2015
“It is the tomb of King David here! And there is no room for crosses in this place! That is against Torah!” said Joseph Berger, who introduced himself as Rabbi of the Tsar David’s tomb. According to the Linga portal’s source, on that day over 100 Jews gathered before dawn at King David’s tomb, “to protest against desecration of this site”, as they characterized it.
Pentecost, or Trinity Sunday, is one of only few Church feasts when Jews permit Christians to hold a service in the Upper Room (or “the Zion Chamber”) situated above the tomb of King David and a synagogue.
This time ultra-Orthodox Jews have attempted to prevent an Orthodox Christian service in the Upper Room. Orthodox believers barely managed to celebrate it on the feast of the Holy Spirit.
The radical Jews, gathering at the King David’s tomb, blocked the entry to the Upper Room. In order to expel the Jews from there the Israeli Security Agency as well as long negotiations were needed.
Through police officers, the Jews demanded that incense not be burned nor candles lit, and that there be no crosses. Such demands are being made for the first time. It is also reported that only ten Orthodox worshippers were allowed to come into the Upper Room, and the service was delayed for half an hour.
