ISSUE II
February 2009
Shevat 5769
Dear Friends,
Israel
just completed its latest round in its own war on terror with Operation Cast Lead,
targeting Hamas operatives who physically threaten the lives of Israeli
civilians. The war served as at least a temporary deterrent to Hamas. However,
while Israeli civilians may be physically safer, they continue to be in
spiritual danger. The Hebrew Christian missionary (i.e. Messianic Jewish) threat in Israel is
ever-growing.
THE LATEST: Bad Rap
Famous Israeli rapper Aviad Cohen has returned to Israel and
is preaching Jesus in Jerusalem.
Mr. Cohen was born in Tel Aviv and left Israel with his family for Brooklyn
when he was two. He claims he went to day schools and was educated in yeshiva. However,
somewhere between when he received acclaim for his popular remake of the
song "In Da Shul" and today, he hooked up with the Evangelicals. Now he can be
seen "spreading the word" on Christian Television, including Pat Robertson's Christian Broadcasting Network.
What's more? He's moved back to Israel and is aggressively evangelizing, especially our youth.
ACTION ITEM: What can you do?
Unfortunately, Mr. Cohen is not the only Jew turned Evangelical
Christian missionary. JEWS FOR JESUS CLAIMED 14 NEW ISRAELI CONVERTS LAST MONTH. And Jews for Jesus is only one of the dozens of groups targeting Jews in Israel who have claimed OVER 15,000 JEWISH CONVERTS and have established MORE THAN 130 "MESSIANIC CONGREGATIONS" (i.e. churches) since 2000.
Get more details here.
Watch this news clip from Israel's HOT news.
THE LATEST: Under Wraps
The latest tactic of these proselytizers is to wrap their
messages 100 percent in Jewish garb.
Check out this Chanukah video.
The Hebrew Christians have taken the traditional Jewish language and practices and adopted them as their own, promoting their Jesus-as-Messiah dogma through this lens.
This Chanukah video was promoted by a group called
"messianicjewishvideo.com." If you look closely, you can see the Hebrew name for Jesus ("Yeshua") is being painted on the backdrop throughout the video.
The organization's website is equally as deceptive. Note these examples:
EXAMPLES OF HEBREW CHRISTIAN MISSIONARY DECEPTION:
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"We believe that scriptures, both the Tanach and Hashlichim
writings are God-Inspired, and the only infallible and authoritative word of
God (2 Timothy 3:16)."
What are Hashlichim? The Gospels.
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"We are not 'missionaries' in disguise out to deceive
anyone, nor are we 'Judaizers' who think that everyone must be Jewish
in order to find Salvation. We believe, quite simply, that the Bible -- the
ENTIRE Bible -- is God's inspired Word to us, that our atonement is made in
Yeshua the Jewish Messiah, and the exploration of our Jewish roots helps
fulfill us in our walk and bring us closer to the God of Israel: the One True
God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob."
What constitutes the "ENTIRE Bible?
The Tanach and the New
Testament
How do you translate "Yeshua?"
Jesus
Who is the "One True God..."?
Jesus
See more of the missionaries' misleading tactics here.
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ACTION ITEM:
TRY this at home
Next time your family sits down to dinner together, ask each child or teen to brainstorm what a Jewish home looks like - in the past, present and future. Then ask each child to relay their ideas.
After each person expresses his or herself, discuss the following questions:
1. What was Jewish about these homes?
2. Did you notice any common themes?
3. Did anything surprise you?
4. From generation to generation, what changed and what stayed the same?
5. What makes a home Jewish?
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ACTION ITEM:
JEWS FOR JUDAISM's interactive youth project that mobilizes and empowers Jewish teens through peer-to-peer engagement.
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About JEWS FOR JUDAISM
JEWS FOR JUDAISM INTERNATIONAL preserves and strengthens Jewish identity and pride through our interactive educational programs and community services. At the same time, we work to counter the aggressive and deceptive proselytizing efforts of individuals and groups that target Jews for conversion.
 The Baltimore/ Washington Center of Jews for Judaism has been awarded the Best in America Approval from the Independent Charities of America and the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) of the US Government. This designation is given to charities that meet strict guidelines for fundraising, and must demonstrate that no more than 20 cents of every dollar is used for administrative overhead.
Contact us: (410) 602-0276/baltimore@jewsforjudaism.org
Help Jews for Judaism and help counter the aggressive efforts of those targeting Jews for conversion both here and in Israel.
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