| WEA and the Berlin Document
Targeting Jews
This past August an international task force of Christians and "Messianic Jews" met for a four day conference in Berlin Germany, to discuss "The Uniqueness of Christ and Jewish Evangelism in Europe Today." Participants drafted and adopted what is currently being called " The Berlin Declaration" which calls for the renewed proselytizing of Jews in Germany and throughout Europe as an act of "genuine and authentic love" for the Jewish people.
The declaration starts off by apologizing for the persecution of Jews in the name of Jesus, especially during the Holocaust. It continues with standard Christian theology regarding Salvation through Jesus and Sin, "the Jewish messiah" and "Son of God." The document concludes with a definitive statement entitled "The Call to Action: Jewish Evangelism" and a renewed commitment to the "task of Jewish evangelism." Though much of its posture is one of "heart-felt love and solidarity" for the Jewish people, it nonetheless reinforces thousands of years of targeting Jews for conversion. According to Abe Foxman, Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and Rabbi Eric J. Greenberg, ADL Director of Interfaith Policy, can only lead to anti-Semitism."Promoting a campaign to convert Jews away from their faith is a serious affront to the Jewish people....This Evangelical document is not an offer of love, but a prescription for hate. As long as the WEA teaches that Judaism is incomplete or misguided, anti-Semitism will continue." For more comments see Y-Net News article. Most noteworthy was the unique role that a group of "Messianic Jewish" leaders played at the conference and in helping to draft this document. "We recognize the important role of Messianic Jews in the work and witness of the Church...They point to the fulfillment of God's promises to save his people. We encourage them to stand firm in their identification with and faithful witness to their people..."
Salvation through Jesus |
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Whats New
One of the primary goals of Jews for Judaism is to educate the Jewish community at large about the dangers of missionaries in order to inoculate them against the missionary approach. Among the tools used to accomplish this is an Encounter Program entitled "The Target is You."
The approach used by this program is to begin with a Christian missionary speaking to the crowd and sharing his/her story of why they accepted Jesus as Messiah. The tactics employed by the average missionary are illustrated hands on.
The missionary's presentation usually evokes an emotional and angry response from the audience. The intent is to provoke the audience to contemplate being placed into such a situation and to think about how they would react if they found themselves there. Although the message of the missionary is disturbing to the audience, they frequently don't know how to respond other than the fact that it doesn't feel right and they know that Jews aren't supposed to believe in Christianity.
After the audience hears from the missionary perspective, "Jews for Judaism" brings in an expert witness to refute the tactics used by missionaries. That expert is the same person who previously tried to "convert" the crowd.
Recently, Jews for Judaism has begun to use Chava Lando, formerly a Hebrew Christian and presently married to an Orthodox rabbi, in this role. After reenacting her previous life as a missionary, she then proceeds to explain the fallacies in Hebrew Christianity. The main thrust of her lesson is the need for education. Those who are knowledgeable about Judaism are less likely to fall prey to the persuasions of the missionaries. Chava illustrates the deceptive practices used by missionaries to snare unsuspecting Jews using the presentation, Q & A sessions and videos.
Due to the high demand, especially outside Israel, Penina's schedule fills up very quickly. To book a Shabbaton or speaking engagement with Penina for February, 2009, please email us at baltimore@jewsforjudaism.org | |
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Shalom Aleichem!
Jews for Judaism would like to thank you for your support and interest in our efforts to keep Jews Jewish. We are sending you this newsletter to keep you abreast of the latest developments in this area
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Assemblies of God
Who really are The Assemblies of God, and what do they have to do with the Jews?
The Assemblies of God is one of the fastest growing Christian groups in America. They are Pentecostal, meaning they are fundamentalist in theological belief and practice, affirming that Israel and the Jews play a critical role in "The End Days and the Final Retribution." The Assemblies of God is one of the oldest denominations to adopt the "Jewishness" approach of converting Jews to Christianity. What began in 1983 with their "Home Missions to the Jews" department has culminatied in more recent events such as the formation of " The National Jewish Fellowship" specifically targeting Jews to "proclaim, educate, and encourage the furthering of the truth of Messiah among the world's Jewish community." Rabbi Felix Helpern, President of the Assemblies of God NJF, calls upon gentiles and Jews a like to "plant" more (churches) synagogues within the framework of the Assemblies churches. "I see the fellowship acting as a catalyst to planting more synagogues within the Assemblies of God and facilitating more [Messianic] fellowships within our churches. AG News. The Assemblies of God is continuing to implement their strategy " of winning Jewish people to the Lord Jesus Christ without divorcing them from their Jewish cultural heritage..." In this context the Jewish believer is encouraged to maintain Jewish community ties and to enjoy his Jewishness to the maximum. A Jewish believer who removes himself from his community undermines his effectiveness in winning other Jewish people to the lord.." (By: Robert W. Pirtle, National Home Missions Director, Assemblies of God Home Missions, "Accelerating Our Jewish Outreach" March 1983). What began as a small outreach to Jews, with only 18 Assemblies of God "Jewish Centers" or churches, in the early 1980s, has grown to a huge web of Jewish ministries and global "outreach" projects implemented through umbrella organizations MJAA (Messianic Jewish Alliance of America) and the ICJMC (International Alliance of Messianic Congregations and Synagogues). One new project is Operation Tikva, a controversial organization that is raising money under the humanitarian banner of "Saving Ethiopian Jews" though most are not even Jewish. |
 Executive Director
JEWS FOR JUDAISM is delighted to announce the appointment of our new Executive Director, Ruth Guggenheim. Ruth was instrumental in the founding of JEWS FOR JUDAISM, assisted JEWS FOR JUDAISM in its national and international expansion, and has an unparalleled commitment to our work. She brings with her over 20 years of experience in the field of public relations and development.
Our Mission
The Mission of Jews for Judaism is to strengthen and preserve Jewish identity through education and counseling that counteracts deceptive proselytizing targeting Jews for conversion. Jews for Judaism is an international organization that provides a wide variety of counseling services, along with education, and outreach programs that enable Jews of all ages to rediscover and strengthen their Jewish heritage.
We are a positive resource, utilized and endorsed by all denominations of Judaism. Our warm and open-minded approach successfully reaches out to individuals who have been lured away from Judaism by other belief systems or through assimilation.
Jews for Judaism was established in 1983. It has become the Jewish community's leading response to the multi-million dollar efforts of cults and evangelical Christians who target Jews for conversion.
Jews for Judaism's preventative education is a catalyst that inspires the revitalization of the spiritual life of Jews and Judaism and at the same time inoculates the Jewish community from external influences.
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