by Frank Frakes

A few days before the recent tragic events in Israel, a Jewish American tourist went on a rampage of his own in the holy land. He entered the Israel Museum in Jerusalem and proceeded to smash two ancient Roman sculptures before being stopped by security. He claimed the sculptures were blasphemous and went against the Torah.

His lawyer claimed that his client suffered from Jerusalem Syndrome, a mental disorder where one is consumed by religiously obsessive ideas while in the Holy Land. One of the more common symptoms of this psychosis is believing that one is actually a figure from the Bible.

When I first heard of the Jerusalem Syndrome Defense I was reminded of the Twinkie Insanity defense used by Dan White’s attorney Douglas Schmitt in defending him for the murder of Mayor Moscone and Harvey Milk in 1979. Both of these defense strategies are seemingly bizarre but in the case of Dan White it worked. He was convicted of manslaughter and served only five years of a seven year sentence, a small price to pay for killing the Mayor of San Francisco and a member of the Board of Supervisors. 

Only time will tell if the Jerusalem Syndrome defense will benefit the guy who damaged the Roman sculptures in Israel but we did a little research and discovered that it is in fact a very real phenomenon.

One particularly memorable incident involved a middle-aged tourist from Ohio, who, upon gazing at the Wailing Wall, became convinced he was none other than Moses himself. Clad in a hastily fashioned bedsheet toga and brandishing a makeshift staff, he proceeded to lead a bewildered group of fellow tourists on a reenactment of the Exodus, parting the Red Sea (which, in this instance, was a particularly crowded souvenir shop) and bestowing upon his followers the Ten Commandments, inscribed on a crumpled napkin.

Another case involved a British tourist who, inspired by the biblical tale of Samson, attempted to topple the Tower of David with his bare hands. Ignoring the astonished cries of onlookers, he launched himself against the ancient fortress walls, only to end up with a bruised ego and a minor concussion.

Then there was the American tourist who, overcome by a sudden conviction that he was the reincarnated King Solomon, proceeded to wander the streets of Jerusalem demanding tribute from bewildered shopkeepers and street vendors. His pleas for gold and frankincense were met with a mix of amusement and bewilderment, and he eventually found himself in the custody of local authorities, who mistook him for a particularly eccentric panhandler.

Then there was the case of the Wandering Aramean. A mild-mannered accountant from Omaha, Nebraska, upon setting foot in the Old City, became convinced he was a reincarnated Aramaic scribe. Donning a flowing robe and brandishing a quill pen, he proceeded to wander the streets, inscribing biblical verses on any surface he could find, from ancient walls to unsuspecting tourists’ backpacks. He was arrested for graffiti and causing a nuisance.

A former ballet dancer from Paris, while visiting the Tower of David, was overcome by a sudden urge to reenact King David’s legendary dance before the Ark of the Covenant. Despite the perplexed stares of fellow tourists and security guards, he leaped onto a nearby fountain and began twirling and leaping with unbridled enthusiasm. He was arrested for trespassing and nicknamed the Dancing David by local police.

A retired fisherman from Maine, upon gazing at the Sea of Galilee, was seized by the conviction that he was the apostle Peter himself. Armed with a fishing rod fashioned from a nearby palm frond, he cast his line into the waters, proclaiming that he would fill the nets of all who believed in him. He was sent to a psychiatry unit for observation.

A history buff from Boston, upon entering the Temple Mount, became consumed by the fervor of the ancient Zealots. Donning a makeshift toga and brandishing a makeshift sword, he began to denounce the Roman occupation and rally fellow tourists to join his “holy rebellion.” Luckily, no one took him seriously.

These incidents, though seemingly far-fetched, serve as a testament to how real Jerusalem Syndrome is. We will continue to follow the case and let our readers know if the defense worked in the case of the man who damaged the precious Roman antiquities.

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