Response to Malcolm Hedding

September 8- 9, 2007:

Sir, - In "Don't reject Christian friendship" (September 4), Malcolm Hedding, executive director of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem, accused me of prejudice and applied the analogy of apartheid to my defense of the Jewish heritage.

His indictment is untenable. That I maintain the Jewish right, as well as the right of all religions, to function as independent faith communities, with distinct traditions and theology, would surely not fall into the category of racism.

I can't recall whether Mr. Hedding and I have ever met, but he feels he knows me well enough to state: "For her, there can be no such thing as Jewish-Christian friendship, solidarity and collaboration... I note that while Ms. Horowitz is very strident in her claims, she has never come in to see us. Isolation is always a good breeding ground for prejudice."

I can assure Mr. Hedding that many of my reservations regarding Judeo-Christian trends, and calls for a Messianic Jewish restoration, are based on personal observation through my direct involvement with the Christian evangelical community.

I was featured in a widely promoted and televised documentary with Donna Holbrook, Canadian director of ICEJ, Mr. Hedding's organization. I've worked at ICEJ's Feast of the Tabernacles, have lectured to and engaged in business dealings with the evangelical community, and have welcomed groups of Christian tourists to my moshav in the Golan Heights. I have also consulted with and collaborated with Christian friends on my articles covering these very issues.

I did not accuse Christians of robbing the Jewish people of their birthright, but I did suggest that my own people have lost a part of themselves - sold their birthright, so to speak - in an attempt to relieve themselves of their universal role and responsibilities to all of mankind.

I certainly won't reject Christian friendship, as long as our relationship is built with an understanding and respect for differences rather than an insistence on seeking out common theological denominators.

ELLEN W. HOROWITZ
Golan Heights