Locals have mountaintop experience in Colombia (SLIDESHOW) -

ONTARIO — It is often said that faith will move mountains, and some have just found that out.

Several local residents attended a Congress composed of Jewish, Christian, and Messianic Jewish delegates from across thirty different nations and eleven states. The convocation was hosted in June by Kehilat Yovel, a congregation in Bogota, Colombia, and co-sponsored by Yeshivat Shuvu based in Texas.

**The Ohio delegation of Karen Ashby, Renee Pfaff, and Benjamin & Amie Mutti atop Mount Monserrate (Photo courtesy of Benjamin Mutti)**

Amie Mutti, a student of Yeshivat Shuvu commented about her mountaintop experience. “For what may be the first time since the days of Yeshua (Hebrew for Jesus), we have gentiles seeking to learn from rabbis and we have rabbis that are willing to teach gentiles. That is what we saw in Bogota. True love and unity between those from different yet similar backgrounds in Christianity and Judaism. We live in amazing times.”

Presentations by various speakers and musicians during the Congress connected the two faith traditions together.

**Galilean historian and lecturer Eldad Keynan** **presenting evidence.** (Photo courtesy of Benjamin Mutti)

Galilean historian and lecturer Eldad Keynan presented evidence that the Jews and Messianic Jews lived and died peacefully together based on a number of petroglyphs discovered in ancient tombs. Keynan shared pictures of Messianic and Jewish symbols side by side in tombs dating as far back as the First Century in Jerusalem and Fifth Century in Ireland.

Pastor Mark Biltz of El Shaddai Ministries of Tacoma, Washington discussed the hostility of anti-Semitism inside the Church rooted in replacement theology. Biltz discussed the importance of relationship saying “Christian and Messianic Jewish leaders should love Jews for who they are and not for the blessings they can get.”

Israeli Ambassador to Colombia Marco Sermonetta stated his office was fighting anti-Semitism in the United Nations and that his office tries to solve differences with other nations thru dialogue. “Unfortunately, the Palestinian State and its sympathizers will not recognize the existence of our Jewish State. Nonetheless, we are proud of your unconditional friendship here at this gathering,” Ambassador Sermonetta told the six hundred in attendance.

**Rabbi Itzhak Shapira pictured speaking at closing ceremony.** (Photo courtesy of Benjamin Mutti)

During the Congress, a formal declaration was drafted repudiating anti-Semitism. “We are building up an army of leaders opposing anti-Semitism,” said Rabbi Itzhak Shapira, of Yeshivat Shuvu and one of the conference organizers. “Our Yeshiva will donate money to a Jewish charity for every leader that signs this declaration.”

In all, the drafted declaration was signed by over one hundred clergy and Messianic leaders with local delegate, Benjamin Mutti of the Richland Community Prayer Network, as one of its signers. Earlier Rabbi Shapira announced his Yeshiva was giving $10,000 to support an Indian Pastor attending the Congress facing heavy persecution from a Hindu government.

The Chief Rabbi of Colombia Alfredo Goldshmidt and the Chief Rabbi of Guatemala Yosef Garmon also spoke at the Congress. Rabbi Garnon was unable to attend last year’s Congress due to the devastation his country suffered from a volcano the same month. He was instrumental in getting his nation to relocate its embassy and recognize Jerusalem as capital of Israel.

**Benjamin Mutti signing declaration repudiating anti-Semitism.** (Photo courtesy of Amie Mutti)

During the pre-conference, musician Ted Pearce and several students and instrumentalists from his breakout session wrote a new song on unity.

Local delegate Karen Ashby was impacted by the Congress and nostalgic of her experience. “The gracious hospitality of the hosting Colombian congregation really touched my heart. I can honestly say that praying for the City of Bogota atop Mount Monserrate was breath-taking. During the Shabbat service that was live-streamed to over one hundred nations, we had Bible believers singing together from thirty nations in one room,” says Ashby. “At that one point in time, we were all one people beholding one GOD. It was an indescribable feeling.”

Amie Mutti adds, “So now the question becomes, with this unity, what are we going to do with it? Are we willing to take full advantage of the opportunities before us? I sincerely hope we will.”

View the slideshow below of the Ohio Delegation’s experience.