A legitimate demand or encouragement of ignorance? Depends on who you ask.
Religious and ultra-Orthodox students complain that they are asked to study Christian theology in depth as part of a mentoring course at the Ministry of Tourism, and claim that this is an "exclusion on religious grounds", because according to halakhah they are not allowed to be exposed to these areas.
On the other hand, the Ministry of Tourism says that a guide who will not be exposed to content about Christianity will not recognize essential parts of the history of the Land of Israel.
"Just as it is inconceivable that a guide certificate could be approved without studying Hellenism, so that he could tell the stories related to the Greek and Roman periods, so too can Christianity and the periods when Christians ruled the country," they say. "A guide certificate indicates the person carrying it because he has a broad education and is involved in a variety of fields. This certificate will lose its meaning if we restrict this knowledge for various reasons."
Ministry of Tourism: "Part of History", a church from the Byzantine period in Moshav Aluma,
Recently, a religious student, who began her training course as a tour guide, approached the Yad Laachim organization with the question of whether she is allowed by law to study the areas that are considered very controversial in the eyes of Judaism. She attached to the appeal dozens of pages that included concepts in Christianity, such as acquaintance with churches and holy sites for Christianity, their connection to Christian books, recognition of basic concepts in Christian theology and more.
In response, the organization replied that this was forbidden, and attached a reply from Rabbi Yehuda Silman, one of the greatest ultra-Orthodox arbitrators in Israel: "Things are terrible, and there is no doubt that it is forbidden in a severe prohibition.
Yad Laachim claims that "this ruling shows that a Jew cannot be a tourist guide in Eretz Israel. It is not clear why in a Jewish state, those who refuse to learn about Christianity cannot be a tourist guide. The procedures are distorted and must change."
Religious student: "I do not despise Christians or see them as enemies, but this is foreign work, and I must not study it - I want to guide Jewish families"
"According to the Jewish religion, studying Christianity is considered foreign work, so I must not study it, and the truth is that I am not personally interested in it either. I do not despise Christians or see them as my enemies, but this theology is of another religion, To Judaism, "says a religious student.
"In a tourist training course we teach about the Mamluk, Ottoman and other history, but only in the study of Christian history do we also teach theology. My dream is to guide teenagers and Jewish families who speak English, and I really do not understand why I am forced to learn when Jesus died and what is written in the covenant "This decision is abusive and racist. It discriminates against Jews only because they would like to live as Jews. This discrimination cries to heaven. It is the exclusion of Jews in the most blatant sense of the word."
Ministry of Tourism: "Long chapters in the history of the land are closely connected in the history of Christianity. The story of the Land of Israel cannot be told without these stories"
The Ministry of Tourism rejects the allegations out of hand, saying that it is not possible to study the history of the Land of Israel without essential parts.
"A qualified guide must know the history of the State of Israel and the history of the Land of Israel. Long and important chapters in the history of the Land are closely linked in the history of Christianity from its inception to the present day. It is impossible to explain, tell and guide The stories of the peoples who were here.
"Just as it is inconceivable that a guide certificate could be approved without teaching Hellenism, so too with Christianity and the periods when Christians ruled the country," the Ministry of Tourism explained.