Proselytizing Broadcasting in Israel?

|This is an expanded version of this JNS column|

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There are Christians who still seek to convert Jews despite knowing well that most Jews view this activity as disrespectful and some term it as soul-snatching. 

A recent effort to reach out to Jews in Israel is that of 
Here is the story in Haaretz; and in the Jewish Press; and in the Jerusalem Post.
Vic has responded.

This group has attempted this before as attested to a 2006 Hebrew item I found and here is one from the Los Angeles Times in 2012:

The dueling studios are part of an aggressive push by U.S. evangelical broadcasters seeking to gain a stronger foothold in the holy city. Their presence not only offers boasting rights with American viewers and contributors, but also — and more controversially — a platform for spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ to Jews in Israel.

And today we read

God TV Responds to Critics: ‘We’re Not Trying to Convert Jews; We Just Want Them to Accept Jesus as the Messiah’

That is a bit of sleight-of-rhetoric. It is the Jews for Jews line, that you can be Jewish and still accept Jesus which we cannot.

God TV CEO Ward Simpson admitted he knew he was in the wrong, saying

he regretted that “some of the language I used was offensive to some folks and maybe not in keeping with what we can and cannot say on the network.”...At the same time, he refused to rule out missionizing. “The subject of preaching about Jesus is a touchy one, and we do understand that, and we have to be sensitive to it,” he said. “But that’s what we do, and that’s who we are. We’re Christians, and we’re called to go into the world and preach the gospel. That’s what we’re trained to do, and that’s what we’re doing.”

I will soon deal with that supposed obligation but first, we need know that not all pro-Israel or Christian Zionists accept that duty.

A formulation that is more considerate of the reality of the circumstances in 2020 is this of Zac Waller of HaYovel in his introduction to Christians Meet Israel:-

The words of God spoken by prophets three thousand years ago were being fulfilled in perfect detail! This reality has pushed theologians back to the drawing board, pastors to the Bible, and all Christians to fear the God of Heaven who is faithful to His promises.Why did God choose a land and people?God created the entire world. Does He show favoritism to Israel?How does Yeshua (Jesus) fit into this narrative?Was Yeshua a Zionist?God has resurrected the literal nation of Israel. How should we, as Christians, relate to it? 

And there is this from Christians for Israel International which posits that the planned broadcasts reveal:-

a certain insensitivity we Christians often have for the history of Christian persecution of the Jews, and lack of empathy for feelings of the Jewish people today.  
At Christians for Israel, we believe it is not our task as Christians at this time to tell the Jews what to do or think. Our job is to get our own house in order. We have been arrogant, we have become lukewarm, we have failed to look earnestly for Jesus’ return, and the coming of His Kingdom. And in all of that, we have for two millennia looked down upon the Jewish people and despised them.  
Of course we must witness our hope – even to Jewish people. But the best way we can do this is by repenting for 2000 years of Christian anti-Semitism, and showing mercy and love towards the Jewish people – not with words, but with our actions.  
God has never abandoned the Jewish people. The restoration of Israel shows His eternal love for the Jewish people. Let’s trust Him to bring them home – in His way and His time – as He promised. And He is doing just that. 

I will not argue the matter of Daystar but I do wish to add a bit of a theological argumentation on whether there is a need for Christians to missionize among the Jews today at all.

There is the Great Commission (itself a 17th century Lutheran term). Many Christians consider the act of spreading the Gospel and attempting to cause Jews to become Christians as, well, a...Mitzva.

Let me approach this textually in an effort to have Christians first see the othr side, that is, how we Jews see and feel.  Reading Matthew 12:41, a case could be constructed that perhaps Jews should, as Jonah did, begin preaching to non-Jews. That just like the men of Nineveh who repented at the preaching of Jonah,  "now something greater than Jonah is here". The principle is set: just like a Jew, Jonah, preached in Niveh, why not have Jews preach in Rome, or Paris or New York?

Would Christians appreciate that? Accept it? Feel comfortable?  Could it be that the instruction to missionize did not have to be applied to Jews, even though that usually is taken to simply mean non-believers, but used by Jews to proselytize among Christians?

However, let us return to the central source which, of course, is from Matthew 28:19 

"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations" 

However, the term the "nations" in the Bible does not include the Jews - for the "nations" Biblically were understood to be the alien, non-Jewish nations (and in Mark 16: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature”) . 

Jews are of the Abrahamic Covenant already and we are not the nations. The Covenant never had been abrogated as is obvious from Israel's flowering today, our increased religiosity and the work in Judea and Samaria.

My approach can be understood, perhaps, also from Luke 24:47 who predicates repentence as being required to: “...be preached in his name to all nations”.  Do Jews need to repent? And athough added there is “beginning at Jerusalem”, Jerusalem could mean various peoples in the city and not necessarily Jews . 

We Jews could have been excluded as 'targets'.

In Matthew 21:43 we read: 

"the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits"

That could be an explicit reference to Jews and is, in facr, the basis for replacement theology and the concept of the New Israel.

But looking around at the past 80 years of recent history and more, Jews have been quite successfully at keeping their religion flourishing and relevant to todays world and we have been successful; at returning to the Land of Israel.  Obviously,  to be generous to Christian belief, the reality is the opposite at what that preaching was intended to do,

It is wrong to missionize. I would suggest  missionizing to Jews should not apply to today (or ever) and should be halted.  Especially in a reality of a major rebuilt Jerusalem, admittedly, not yet with a Temple, and a reestablished state of the Jews and control over Judea and Samaria, this broadcast channel is not needed and the decision to grant it a license should be reversed.

There are two other sources that need be referenced as they explicitly refer to Jews.

In Romans 1:16, we read

“I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew" 

And after first turning to the Jew, what happened? Was there success?

At Acts 13:46 we see that the Apostles admitted 

“We had to speak the word of God to you [the Jews] first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles"?

and even then, 2000 years ago, realized it was not going to a successful project and they moved on. 

Why should Christians continue what the Church originally accepted as a doomed mission?

This was not an imperative from Jesus* but a secondary interpretation. Even then, in the 1st century, the priority or even something to be pursued was not to missionize amongst the Jews. Why centuries later missionaries attempted again, and basically failed - except to stir up bad inter-faith relations - is beyond me.

And to my Christian friends, if this reads as a bit uncomfortable to you, theologically, remember that I am not asking you to convert to Judaism. I do rigorously reject that Messianic Jews represent the genuine Judaism and these broadcasts are to encourgae that. Now, imagine how Jews feel when Chritians actually do try to subvert Jews from their Judaism.

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There is a petition now.
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*  I received a heads-up that Jesus did imply, according to Luke 15, that he sought that Jews - or perhaps only the Pharasees, - should repent as per the parable of the Lost Sheep.  But the Matthew 18 version has no identity attached to possible interpretation of the sheep.

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JewishIsrael Claims: "Medad 'Found Jesus'; Is Venal

There is a site devoted to exposing missionary activity by Christians, Messianic Jews and what-not in Israel. It is JewishIsrael.

As with persons who are enthusiastic about their work, or too deeply ideological consumed by their mission (sorry about that play on words), or even needing to screed their message to obtain contributions, they hyper their call to action as well as fudge their 'facts'. They engage in classic guilt-by-association and in my specific case now, impugn one's motives and character.

I think even they have now committed a Jewish Halachic crime of 'halbant paninm' *.

In this post, the are attacking, mainly, Tommy Waller's efforts. But before Tommy and his HaYovel group of volunteers are touched upon, allow me to mention...me.

Here's what they write:

Jesus in Shiloh

Nitzana is not the only place where Jewish lines are being crossed by Christians. It seems that Yisrael Medad found Jesus in Shiloh. Medad, who works with the Menachem Begin Heritage Center and serves as a foreign media spokesperson for the communities in Yehuda and Shomron, blogged about new archaeological church excavations, which could put Shiloh on the map in a big way – for Christian pilgrims. What is most disturbing is the comparisons Medad draws, when perhaps he should have drawn differentiations instead...

...Medad's enthusiasm is most likely not theological in nature. It may derive from his hopes for a possible windfall for Shiloh, his hometown. With the prospect of increased Christian tourism and support, it is unlikely that interested parties in Yehuda and Shomron are going to call for a moratorium on cooperation with evangelical messianics anytime soon. However, rabbis, Jewish community leaders and activists should understand that they are playing with some pretty strange fire. Extreme caution is called for, lest Torah observant Jews break new theological ground, rather than hold Israel’s ground in Yehuda and Shomron.

From the halls of the CUFI Summit in Washington, to the Hills of Yehuda and Shomron, to liaison and winery offices, to the pages of a website, Mike Isley and Tommy Waller are united in messianic Christian fellowship.

I do not know who wrote that fiendish (I almost wrote devilish but I might have been accused of assuming Christian semanitcation - I made up that word, I think, but not to be confused with incantation or worse, incarnation) portrayal. I think one of the activists of JewishIsrael was for many years a Christian Messianist although she was born Jewish, later returning to the fold but, of course, Ellen Horowitz, a good Jewish girl, formerly of the Reform persuasion, and whose husband is trying to help people with other issues which need attention, is responsible for the content. I was informed, although not sure this was publicised, that Mina Fenton, one of the more fanatic anti-missionary activists, is no longer affiliated with JewishIsrael because she is too...ah, I cannot embarass anyone in public, so let's just say the two didn't see eye-to-eye anymore.  I admit, I cooperated with the two women - and others - in the matter of  Vatican attempts to wrest control of Mt. Zion from Israel over five years ago or more and would still do so.  I harbor no guilt-by-association prejudices but try to deal from issue to issue and position by position.  And in an aside, in the post, you can see a good few pictures of David Wilder who has 'repented' his previous cooperation and gone over to Ellen's side.  Imagine what people are now thinking when they see David's picture there.

Now, as I seem to shun posts that go on and on, let's try to be to the point:

a) in writing this:

Nitzana is not the only place where Jewish lines are being crossed by Christians. It seems that Yisrael Medad found Jesus in Shiloh.

the logical intimation is 1) Jewish lines are being crossed; 2) they are being crossed like in Nitzana; 3) Yisrael Medad did what was done in Nitzana; 4) Yisrael Medad found Jesus.

And what was done in Nitzana?

a synagogue in Eretz Yisrael was deliberately used as a forum for a Jew-gone-Christian to publicly testify her faith in jesus

Did I do that?  Did I do all that, including the above 1-4?

Is JewishIsrael crazy?  Is the writer mentally disturbed?  Or, perhaps, was caught up in an esctatic (I almost wrote orgiastic but I think that would be inapporiate) grip of religious fervor?  Or theological thundering?

Well, just to assure you,what I found was the name of Jesus in several inscriptions from the Byzantine period (333 - 614 CE) at Tel Shiloh and environs.  In addition, I have not "gone over".  Moreover, I do not cooperate with either missionaries or Jews-for-Jesus people in matters of faith or other concerns.  I do, however, seek to bolster Israel's security and the existence of the state, its diplomatic standing and other political matters and will work with anyone who is not engaged in using that cooperation to further 'soul-snatching'.

One of my mentors on this issue is the great nationalist poet Uri Tzvi Greenberg who was even bold enough to pen a poem, INRI פארן צלם  that was typographically formed as a cross (here in Polish translation; see, too, this paper and especially p. 12 and here ands here).  Oh, he didn't convert if you are wondering.

To return to Shiloh, Tel Shiloh has been know as a site of Christian residency for almost a century since a Danish excavation began to uncover what we now know are three Byzantine-era basillicas.  In that sense, Tel Shiloh is no different from hundreds of other locations that attract Christian tourism.  If JewishIsrael is suggesting all non-Jewish tourism to Israel be halted as part of their campaign, well, I know a good few tour guides, hotel owners, cafe managers, taxi and bus drivers and souvenir shop owners that may be upset.

Two more points.  The first, in writing:

a moratorium on cooperation with evangelical messianics...playing with some pretty strange fire. Extreme caution is called for, lest Torah observant Jews break new theological ground, rather than hold Israel’s ground in Yehuda and Shomron.

I am aware that there are those among Christians who seek to advance Christianity over the true essence of God's Covenant with People of Israel as expressed in His promises regarding the Land of Israel.  If there is "strange fire", it is that which is being stoked by JewishIsrael.  If any "extreme caution" is required, I know who needs to review their methodology of argumentation and analysis.  If anyone is breaking new ground, - theological - no; political - yes, then it is JewishIsrael.  If anyone may be contributing to a weakening of the Jewish people's hold on the ground in Judea and Samaria, I think it is JewishIsrael.

My second point, in summary, is that in writing

From the halls of the CUFI Summit in Washington, to the Hills of Yehuda and Shomron, to liaison and winery offices, to the pages of a website, Mike Isley and Tommy Waller are united in messianic Christian fellowship

you can see, again, an invidious maneuver to smear anyone - and most certainly me  -involved in the effort to seek links between Jews and Christians, to be tainted as potential "messianic Christians" fellow travellers, at the least.

This is an intolerable line of argumentation, to be rejected and denounced.

Oh, and one last point, the title of the post is "The Sons of the Foreigners will Plant Strange Worship in Your Land" which you may assume echoes this from Isaiah 62:8 - "The LORD hath sworn by His right hand, and by the arm of His strength: Surely I will no more give thy corn to be food for thine enemies; and strangers shall not drink thy wine, for which thou hast laboured."

But the phrase "sons of foreigners", in Hebrew בני נכר, is in other portions of Isaiah's prophecy and most definitely not in the way JewishIsrael would want you to think about relations with non-Jews.

In Isaiah 60, you can read:

And aliens shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee; for in My wrath I smote thee, but in My favour have I had compassion on thee. 11 Thy gates also shall be open continually, day and night, they shall not be shut; that men may bring unto thee the wealth of the nations, and their kings in procession. 12 For that nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted. 13 The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the cypress, the plane-tree and the larch together; to beautify the place of My sanctuary, and I will make the place of My feet glorious. 14 And the sons of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee, and all they that despised thee shall bow down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee the city of the LORD, the Zion of the Holy One of Israel. 15 Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man passed through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations. 16 Thou shalt also suck the milk of the nations, and shalt suck the breast of kings; and thou shalt know that I the LORD am thy Saviour, and I, the Mighty One of Jacob, thy Redeemer. 17 For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron; I will also make thy officers peace, and righteousness thy magistrates. 18 Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, desolation nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise. 19 The sun shall be no more thy light by day, neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee; but the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. 20 Thy sun shall no more go down, Neither shall thy moon withdraw itself; for the LORD shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended. 21 Thy people also shall be all righteous, they shall inherit the land for ever; the branch of My planting, the work of My hands, wherein I glory. 22 The smallest shall become a thousand, and the least a mighty nation; I the LORD will hasten it in its time.

And in Isaiah 61, we further read:

5 And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and aliens shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers. 6 But ye shall be named the priests of the LORD, men shall call you the ministers of our God; ye shall eat the wealth of the nations, and in their splendour shall ye revel.

I have pointed out this prophecy to Ellen, her assistants and even Rabbis who advise her.  It is the exact opposite of the message they are propagating. It suggests that what I am doing is most definitely what should be done.  Carefully, intelligently and wisely.

So far, no one has even attempted to address its import.  Empty responses.  Hollowness.  No wise reactions.  No intelligent discussion.  No careful debate. The Rabbis they are spoonfeeding with information who cannot read or understand English is another issue, like Rav Dov Lior and Rabbi Elchanan Bin-Nun. The ganging up on Rav Eliezer Melamed is also atrocious.

That says a lot about what JewishIsrael is all about.

If you think like me, please, let Ellen know.  You can contact her at info@jewishisrael.com.  The Current Board Members include:

Administrative Director: Avraham Leibler
Public Relations Director: Shulamit Leibler
Content and Research Director: Ellen W. Horowitz

Rabbinic Director: Rabbi Dr. Sholom Gold
Academic and Religious Advisor: Rabbi Dr. Jeffrey R. Woolf
Academic Advisor: Professor Richard A. Landes
Community Affairs Advisor: Anita Tucker

If you want to let them know what you think, and you don't have to agree with me, for it's a free blogosphere, let them know as well.

P.S.  In truth, I could have written 3000 more words, but it's erev Shabbat.  I managed to do the chicken soup and shop.  And there is so much more positive things to do.

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halbanat panim, literally "whitening the face," but understood as doing something which shames or embarrasses someone in public. For example...Rabbi Elazar HaModai warns us that someone who shames another in public has no share in the world to come! (Avot 3:15) .

And yes, my wife has that post up, but I try to keep personal issues out of my blogging life.


PPS I left this as a comment over at JewishIsrael's blog. Will it go up?  It has.

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More Missionary Activity

I was in Tel Aviv yesterday (and how I got there is another story*) and two observations.

One is this pamphelt that I took, if only to make sure that it would go directly to genizah:

It's the latest issue of The Watchtower in Hebrew. Seems the Jehovah's Witnesses are active in the first Hebrew city. POB 29345 Tel Aviv 61293.  You'll notice I altered a bit the name of God, as the Tetragrammaton there.

Note:

Rutherford in his book 'Enemies' writes about Jews “ultra-selfish men called 'Jews' who look only for personal gain.”(19)

In the same book he writes that the Jews “practice religion, of which the Devil is the author.”(20) In another book he again writes about the Jews: “Be it known once and for all that those profiteering, conscienceless, selfish men who call themselves Jews, and who control the greater portion of the finances of the world and the business of the world...”(21)

Speaking at 'Bible Students'(22) convention in Winnipeg, Manitoba in the early 1920’s, Rutherford described a Jew as “the hooked-nosed, stooped-shouldered little individual who stands on the street corner trying to gyp you out of every nickel you’ve got.”(23) We see here clear examples of vulgar and primitive anti-Semitism. In yet another book he wrote that Jews lost favor with God when they murdered Jesus.(24)

Why is it so important for people like these to go out there and convert?

The second was the bike lanes on the sidewalks:

They take up as much room, almost, as the pedestrian walking space and - I noticed - many bikers ride on the sidewalks outside the bike lane area and that included motorized bicycles.

What a city.

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I left Shiloh at 6:40 AM via a tremp for a 9:30 Tel Aviv appointment but when I got out of the car at Ariel, I discovered that, having changed pants twice this week for a wedding and a Bar Mitzvah, I had left my wallet at home so, I turned around and presumed that I'd have to cancel and from Shiloh continue to Jerusalem.  I returned home by 8 and with the encouragement from my wife, went back down the hill and sure enough, 5 minutes latyer was on another tremp which brought me by 9:15 to the Azrielly Buildings which are a 20 minute walk from the Tel Aviv Municipality where I had my meeting.  Wonder of wonders.

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Sorry, But No Proselytizing, Please

I boarded bus #148 from the Central Egged Bus Station in Jerusalem today at 13:00 to return home to Shiloh.

On the seat next to me I found a booklet, in Hebrew, entitled "Ben David" or, "Son of David", decked with Israeli flags on a background of Jerusalem's Old City walls:

Now, since the Yeshiva at Eli is called "Bnei David", someone could presume there is a Jewish connection but I knew otherwise (I have had 50 years of experience, actually). It was a missionary tract, a new translation in Hebrew of the Book of Matthew, and see below* on the anti-Semitism therein, sponsored by a nasty messianic Christian effort whose Statement of Faith parallels most of this group's statement, which is linked to at their site.

Here it is:

This is an act of proselytizing. Whoever you are, you are distributing articles of faith of a different religion with the intent of influencing Jews to convert.

I know you think that that is what being a good Christian is. But it is not. And yes, I do know some Christians really are upset at our reluctance to permit full-scale missionizing attempts and even slide into hate speech. As the US State Department's annual report notes:

A 1977 anti-proselytizing law prohibits any person from offering or receiving material benefits as an inducement to conversion; however, there have been no reports of the law's enforcement. A bill that would have restricted proselytizing further was promulgated in 2000; however, similar bills did not reach a final vote in the past and local observers do not believe that this bill will be enacted. Christian and other evangelical groups asserted that the draft bills were discriminatory and served to intimidate Christian groups. Missionaries are allowed to proselytize, although the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) voluntarily refrains from proselytizing under an agreement with the Government.

The law adopted into our Penal Code reads

Giving benefits to induce change of religion

174A.If a person gives or promises another person money, valuable consideration or another material benefit in order to entice him to change his religion or to cause him to entice another to change his religion, then he is liable to five years imprisonment or a fine of NS150,000.
Receiving benefit for change of religion

174B. If a person accepts or agrees to accept money, valuable consideration or another material benefit for the promise to change his religion or to cause another person to change his religion, then he is liable to three years imprisonment or a fine of NS49,800.

Change of a minor's religion

368. (a) If a person performs a religious conversion ceremony of a minor or performs some other act that leads to the change of a minor's religion, in violation of the provisions of section 13A of the Capacity and Guardianship Law 5722-1962, then he is liable to six months imprisonment.
(b) If a person induces a minor, by addressing him directly, to change his religion, then he is liable to six months imprisonment.

You may think that draconian (a futher tightening of restrictions was rejected [in Hebrew]) but there's a good reason for what is the law ro be the law of the land, the Land of Israel. All faiths and those of no faith are free to practice their religious beliefs in Israel. You can come here and do good deeds and do charity. Stealing Jewish souls, for that is what proselytizing is, is not a good deed. We do not practice that and as Hillel, who predated Christianity, said, "do not do unto others what you would not want done unto you."

Good and normative relations are being built between Christians and Jews in Judea and Samaria based on the recognition that if you believe in the Bible, then you must believe that what we are doing in Judea and Samaria is good and contributes to the ultimate benefit of all mankind. What we are doing is correct and right and has been prophesied.

Let us get on with our work, unhindered, or at least with positive assistance, and all will be better. We have much that could be shared but that doesn't mean that you have the freedom to feel that you can 'snatch'. Our other shared history is too painful to be gone over but know, we recall and remember and we have not fully reached the level of forgiveness and, to be truthful, there is no reason we should.

But we can look forward to a future in which we all can gain - but without any feelings of mistrust and suspicion on our part, which would be caused by the activity I described at the beginning of this post.  There is much to be lost.  Be careful, if only for your co-religionists who approach the task of being part of Jewish national reconstitution and their efforts be harmed.

Can we agree on that?

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Although the Gospel of Matthew is considered to be the "most Jewish" of the Gospels, it contains one of the most anti-Jewish passages found in the Second Testament. Probably located in Syrian Antioch, the Matthean community defined itself over and against the synagogue.

Thus, the term "Jews" in the Gospel represents those who deny the resurrection and believe that the disciples stole Jesus's corpse (28:13-15). Through Jesus, membership in the one people of God is extended to include the Gentiles (24:14; 28:16-20; see also Great Commission), but they do not replace the Jews (4:18-13:58). Both Jew and Gentile participate in God's plan for salvation.

As Matthew's narrative marches toward the passion, the anti-Jewish rhetoric increases. In chapter 21, the parable of the vineyard (to which we have already referred) is followed by the great "stone" text, an early christological midrash of Psalm 118:22-23: "The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone" (Matt. 21:42). Then, in chapters 23 and 24, three successive hostile pericopes are recorded. First, a series of "woes" are pronounced against the Pharisees: "you testify against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets...You snakes, you brood of vipers! How can you escape being sentenced to hell?" (23:31, 33).

According to the New Testament Gospels, Jesus, on his fateful entry into Jerusalem before Passover, was received by a great crowd of people. Jesus was arrested and purportedly tried by the Sanhedrin. After the trial, Jesus was handed over to Pontius Pilate, who duly tried him again and, at the urging of the people, had him crucified.

Then, Jesus laments over the capital: "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it...See, your house is left to you, desolate" (23:37-38). And finally, Jesus predicts the demise of the Temple: "Truly I tell you, not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down" (24:2b).

The culmination of this rhetoric, and arguably the one verse that has caused more Jewish suffering than any other second Testament passage, is the uniquely Matthean attribution to the Jewish people: "His [Jesus's] blood be on us and on our children!" (27:25). This so-called "blood guilt" text has been interpreted to mean that "all Jews, of Jesus' time and forever afterward, accept the responsibility and blame for Jesus' death."

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Is This Group Misleading You?

I received a message from the group Jewish Israel which has been in the forefront of defending Jews from the wave of "Hebrew Messianism" activity that goes on and which seeks to convert Jews to Christianity.

To be exact, here's their Mission Statement which starts off so:-

Jewish Israel takes a critical look at Israel’s alliances with Fundamentalist Christian groups, and provides a platform for ongoing monitoring and pro-active responses to evangelical missionary campaigns targeting Jews for conversion

Of course, Israel doesn't have alliances but rather public and private groups and individuals do and government officials, at least from Menachm Begin's time that I personally remember, have made appearances here and abroad at various functions. All have praised the renewed Christian Zionism movement that has provided vital political and diplomatic support as well as contributions of volunteer work and money to many causes of Israel and Zionism.

As Jewish Israel points out, we must always be vigilant as well as making clear to our Christian allies that proselytizing is unwelcome. We Jews stand on our own religious basis through our historic covenant with God since Abraham's time.  There have been attempts at soul-snatching and it is something to monitor.

Nevertheless, as always, a little bit of zeal can get out of hand.

For example, that message I mentioned above.  Here it is:

A message to all members of Jewish Israel

The Van Leer Jerusalem Insitute will be hosting an interfaith conference on "New Frontiers in Jewish and Christian thought" and covering such topics as conversion, messianism, jesus, paul and Israel's covenant. This appears to be a follow-up to the Yale Divinity School conference which was held last October, as Rabbi Riskin and a number of the speakers who presented presentations at Yale will also be featured at Van Leer. Details of the Jerusalem conference can be found (here).

I would think that some people might presume that the issue of conversion at that conference has something to do with Jews being converted to Christianity and even a discussion of such would really be a non-starter.  And "jesus" and "Messianism".

However, I did take the time to check out the "details" and read that the issue of the conference was Christians converting to Judaism!

Here, follow the arrow:

Now, the alert of Jewish Israel didn't actually lie about the conference topics, but, on the other hand, if someone didn't check and went off and got angry at the Rabbis participating and accusing them of cooperating in the loss of Jewish souls, well, that would be very unfortunate and a result of a bit of a, shall we say, lack of clarity.

The lesson?

Always read and always try to go to the source.

And, too, always be careful with Christians...and Jews.

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Hey, Fellas, Let's Not Go Overboard

(Or, when is a Rabbi too Messianic?)
------------------------------------

Want a Bachelor of Theological Studies Degree with a Messianic Jewish Studies Concentration?

The Bachelor of Theological Studies of the Department of Messianic Jewish Studies at
The King’s College and Seminary at 14800 Sherman Way
Van Nuys, CA 91405 is a four-year degree program providing students with professional vocational training for ministry on a college level.

The degree offers a thorough and solid grounding in Bible, doctrine, and the practices of ministry within a strong Spirit-filled ethos. With a broad educational component, the curriculum enables students to formulate a biblical worldview and a biblical mindset for life. The Messianic Jewish Studies Concentration specifically prepares the student for effective ministry within the Jewish world. The Degree program provides the student with the foundational professional training necessary for vocational ministry or for entrance into a vigorous professional masters program.

Whew.

I guess in order to snare a Jew, one needs academic credentials.

And you need a Rabbi or two, like this one:

Messianic Rabbi Jonathan Bernis, a Jewish Believer in Yeshua (Jesus), is Executive Director of Jewish Voice Ministries International...Tens of thousands have responded to altar calls, and nearly one half of those coming to belief in Yeshua are Jewish. Jonathan is privileged to assist in the founding of more than a dozen new Messianic Jewish Congregations birthed by the Festival outreaches to the Former Soviet Union...He is founding Rabbi of Shema Yisrael Messianic Congregation in Rochester, N.Y., serving as Senior Messianic Rabbi from 1984-93...In his role as President of Christian Alliance for Israel, he oversees the organization of pro-Israel conferences and seminars to rally Christian support for Israel. He..has done extensive post-graduate study, including work on archaeological excavations in Israel. He and his wife, Elisangela, live in Phoenix with their daughter, Li’el, who was born in 2005.

And this Rabbi



is

Jonathan Cahn, President of Hope of the World ministries, Senior Pastor, and Rabbi of the Beth Israel Worship Center in Garfield, New Jersey...Descended of the line of Aaron, he has been asked to sound the Jubilee trumpet and minister among the nations, a prophetic ministry of and to the Jew and the Gentile in the last days. His teachings include the revealing of ancient mysteries, the depth and wonders of God's Word, and the restoration of the Gospel message in its original Biblically Jewish context, richness, and power.

Actually, he looks like one of the thieves (Luke 23) that were put up next to the Gallilean Jew.