Church building set ablaze


Fire damage from blaze
Photo from Compass Direct
On October 29, an unidentified arsonist in Israel set fire to a Jerusalem church building that has long been a focal point for anti-Christian sentiment in an ultra-Orthodox Jewish neighbourhood, church officials said. Shortly before 1 a.m., someone broke the basement windows of the Jerusalem Alliance Church Ministry Centre and set fire to its bottom floors.

Smoke and the noise of the blaze awakened 10 volunteer workers who were sleeping at the church's overnight facilities. The volunteers, who were visiting Israel from the United States and Denmark, went to a nearby hospital and were treated for smoke inhalation. They were released several hours later. The church building sustained approximately $85,000 of damage. Jack Sara, senior pastor of the church, said he had difficulty understanding how the arsonist could have carried so much hate, as whoever set the fire had to know people were inside the church.

Thank the Lord no one was seriously hurt as a result of the fire. Please pray that Jerusalem Alliance church members will not be fearful and continue to meet together. May their gracious witness be the light of Christ in the community.

To learn more about anti-Christian sentiments in Israel, visit the Israel Country Report.

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