Christians to Battle Hate With ‘Prayer, Paint and Presence’

Concerned about hate crimes and bigotry, about 400 people packed Temple Beth Tikvah in Fullerton on Saturday for the inaugural meeting of the Orange County Christian Task Force Against Anti-Semitism.

“One year ago, a group of bigots and hatemongers tried to destroy this beautiful temple,” said Frank Eiklor, co-founder of the group. “One year later that event has served to wake us (Christians) up, we pledge to be a volunteer fire department of sorts. Whenever hate and violence is brought against our friends, we will be there. You will no longer have to stand alone.”

Despite some concern that the rally might draw counterdemonstrators from hate groups, the 1 1/2-hour event was peaceful. About 100 motorcyclists provided security, many of them associated with Set Free Ministries of Anaheim.

Rally organizers said they selected the temple because of its symbolic significance. An arson attempt in February, 1988, which destroyed the temple’s main doors and entrance way, is believed to be the work of an anti-Semitic hate group. A year later, no arrests or further information about the crime has been uncovered, a Fullerton police spokesman said.

Eiklor, who is also president of Shalom International of Costa Mesa, told the standing-room-only audience that the main focus of the group was to organize Christians to provide a network of help to Jewish congregants in the free exercise of their religion.

During the event, audience members were asked to sign a “covenant of care” pledge that declared the signer’s wish to go “on the record” stating that “any attacks against our Jewish neighbors will be considered an attack against the Christian church at large and myself as an individual Christian.”

Co-organizer Matthew Dillon said that those interested in joining also agree to a three-pronged commitment of “prayer, paint and presence.”

“While we realize that we may not be able to be at each incident in person, we can certainly offer prayer. In other cases we will be there with paint and brushes in hand to help repair the physical damage caused by these groups,” Dillon said. “However, in all cases, our ‘presence’ will go a long way in letting these people (hate groups) know that we know what they are doing and that we are monitoring them.”

The event garnered the support of a host of Orange County’s religious and political leaders.

The Rev. David Hocking, pastor of the Calvary Church in Santa Ana, told the audience that ordinarily Jews and Christians do not regularly congregate together in a place of worship.

“Today, however, we have come together as Christians and Jews to stand united against violence and hatred,” Hocking said. “Some have accused me of being a lover of Jews. . . . Let me tell you that I take that as a sincere compliment.”

During the meeting, Hocking and Eiklor said that they have both received death threats from a group called Posse Comitatus for their stands supporting Judaism in Orange County.

“To the people who have spread such filth, I can only say this: Get a dictionary and look up the words democracy, freedom and truth. Then, seek out psychiatric help as soon as possible,” Hocking said.

Also appearing was Msgr. John Sammon of the Catholic Diocese of Orange.

Concert violinist and Holocaust survivor Shony Alex Braun played several original compositions inspired by his experiences as a prisoner in German death camps during World War II. Congressmen Robert K. Dornan (R-Garden Grove) and William E. Dannemeyer (R-Fullerton) sent representatives to the meeting pledging their support.

The police presence at the event was kept on a “low-profile basis,” according to Sgt. Neal Baldwin of the Fullerton Police Department.

“We were well prepared. I’m happy to say that there were no arrests during the rally. We increased the number of units in the area, but we kept a low profile. There wasn’t even a peep,” Baldwin said.