From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, April 21, 2026
Over 150 Jewish leaders sign letter decrying desecration of Jesus statue in Lebanon
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleZev Stub is the Times of Israel's Diaspora Affairs correspondent.
More than 150 Jewish leaders have signed a letter condemning an Israeli soldier’s destruction of a Jesus statue in southern Lebanon, calling the act a “desecration of God’s name.”
The letter was penned as a response to a viral photograph revealed earlier this week of an IDF soldier using a sledgehammer to smash the religious icon in the Christian village of Debel.
Signatories from Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform denominations described the act as a “vile betrayal of Jewish values” and issued a direct apology to the global Christian community. The response was initiated by Israel365 Action, an Israeli organization that works to bridge evangelical Christian and Jewish communities around shared support for Israel.
Prominent signatories include Rabbi Dr. Kenneth Brander of Ohr Torah Stone, Rabbi Mark Dratch of International Jewish Committee on Interreligious Consultations (IJCIC), Rabbi David Rosen of Religions for Peace, Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz of Uri L’Tzedek, and veteran educator Rabbi Dr. Yitz Greenberg.
“As Jewish leaders, we apologize to the Christian community for this repulsive act and renew our commitment to stand for the sanctity of all holy places and sacred symbols,” the letter says.
The Times of Israel Community.