Jews for Jesus 66543 222817391 2008-07-01T07:12:52Z FlaviaR 1458943 Added detail to why Jews reject J4J's claim to be a Jewish group.~~~~ [[Image:Jews for Jesus New York by David Shankbone.JPG|thumb|The office off [[Park Avenue, Manhattan|Park Avenue]] in New York City.]]'''Jews for Jesus''' is a [[Christian]]<!-- References for Christianity of JfJ: --><ref>A Christian group: *"During my time with the mission, I found Jews for Jesus to be a Christian ministry (or Messianic, if you prefer) with a passion for the good news about Jesus..."'' Pastor Lev Leigh. Hope Baptist Church. Richmond, CA ([http://www.forjewsforjesus.org/alumni/lj_leigh.html Letters From JFJ Alumni]) *"... Jews for Jesus and other Christian groups who hold to the uniqueness of Christ." ([http://jfjonline.org/pub/other/press_releases/020819_catholic.htm Jews for Jesus Leader Contradicts American Catholic Bishops.] Jews for Jesus, Press Release. [[August 19]], [[2002]]) *"Clothed in colorful shirts with large writing identifying their Christian group, Jews for Jesus has been keeping up with the 24-hour-running city, handing out tens of thousands of literature and promoting their evangelistic campaign – Behold Your God – through media outlets." (''Christian Post''.[http://ny.christianpost.com/article/ministries/194/section/jews.for.jesus.keeps.up.with.the.city.that.never.sleeps/1.htm]) </ref> <!-- -->[[Evangelism|evangelistic]] organization that focuses specifically on the conversion of [[Jew]]s to [[Christianity]], viewing its followers — either Jewish as defined by Jewish law, or Jews according to Jews for Jesus — as "living out their [[Who is a Jew?|Jewishness]],"<ref name=judaica> [http://www.jewsforjesus.org/judaica Jews for Jesus - Judaica]</ref> ''Jews for Jesus'' defines "Jewish" in terms of parentage and as a birthright, regardless of religious belief.<!-- References for JfJ views regarding "Jewishness": --><ref>"We believe that Jewishness is a birthright. It is inherited from our parents. Our people are not of one culture; we have diverse cultural expressions (Ashkenazi/Sephardi, Georgian/Russian, Ethiopian, Persian, etc.). Our people are not of one religion. While Judaism might be the traditional religion for many Jewish people, Jews are still considered Jewish even though they might be atheists or even if they embrace other beliefs. Those who say that Jews who believe in Jesus are errant Jews or misguided Jews are entitled to their opinions. But they are not entitled to negate our Jewishness. We are Jews by birth and that cannot change."[http://www.forjewsforjesus.org/qanda/index.html#jew_christian Jews for Jesus Q&A: Can you explain how one can be a Jew and a Christian at the same time? That seems like a contradiction in terms]</ref> <!-- -->Identification of ''Jews for Jesus'' as a [[Who is a Jew?|Jewish]] organization is overwhelmingly rejected by [[Jewish denominations|Jewish religious denominations]],<!-- References for Jewish religious rejection of JfJ: --><ref> "There is virtual unanimity across all denominations [of [[Judaism]]] that Jews for Jesus are not Jewish." (Kaplan, Dana Evan. ''The Cambridge Companion to American Judaism'', Cambridge University Press, August 15, 2005, pp. 139-140).</ref> <ref name=CCAJ9>"For most American Jews, it is acceptable to blend some degree of foreign spiritual elements with Judaism. The one exception is Christianity, which is perceived to be incompatible with any form of Jewishness. Jews for Jesus and other Messianic Jewish groups are thus seen as antithetical to Judaism and are completely rejected by the majority of Jews". (Kaplan, Dana Evan. ''The Cambridge Companion to American Judaism'', Cambridge University Press, August 15, 2005, p. 9). </ref> <!-- --> and secular groups<!-- --><ref>Jewish groups: *"To make the record clear, Jews for Jesus is a Christian missionary organization – period." [http://www.jewsforjudaism.org/web/j4jlibrary/jewsforjesus.html Jews for Jesus: Jewish or Christian? You Decide], [[Jews for Judaism]] website, retrieved [[September 11]], [[2006]]. *"Messianic Jewish organizations, such as Jews for Jesus, often refer to their faith as fulfilled Judaism, in that they believe Jesus fulfilled the Messianic prophecies. Although Messianic Judaism claims to be Jewish, and many adherents observe Jewish holidays, most Jews regard Messianic Judaism as deceptive at best, fraudulent at worst. They charge that Messianic Judaism is actually Christianity presenting itself as Judaism." (Balmer, Randall. ''Encyclopedia of Evangelicalism'', Baylor University Press, November 2004, p. 448). *"I do not seek, of course, covertly (as sometimes Jews for Jesus do) or overtly, to convert myself, or any other Jew to Christianity..." (Boyarin, Daniel. ''Border Lines: The Partition of Judaeo-Christianity'', University of Pennsylvania Press, July 2004, p. xii). *"Certain Christian missionary groups have now set up a front organization called "Jews for Jesus," through which they entice naive Jews to Christianity..." (Stolper, Pinchas. "Was Jesus The Messiah? Let's Examine The Facts", in [[Aryeh Kaplan|Kaplan, Aryeh]]. ''Aryeh Kaplan Anthology: Volume 1'', Mesorah Publications, August 1991, p. 293). *"Even as I write, I fear that Christian missionaries or, even more insidiously, Jews for Jesus&mdash;people who (unlike the redeeming avante-garde of Christianity) believe that Judaism is superseded, and Jewish have no right to exist as Jews any more&mdash;will misuse my words. These people, who believe that Christianity has taken over Judaism like some succubus that must now govern the behavior of its host body, seek to abolish the Jewish religion." ([[Irving Greenberg|Greenberg, Irving]]. ''For the Sake of Heaven and Earth: The New Encounter Between Judaism and Christianity'', The Jewish Publication Society, October 2004, p. 97). *"It should now be clear to you why Jews have such a problem with 'Jews for Jesus' or other presentations of Messianic Judaism. I have no difficulty with Christianity. I even accept those Christians who would want me to convert to Christianity so long as they don't use coercion or duplicity and are willing to listen in good faith to my reasons for being Jewish. I do have a major problem with those Christians who would try to mislead me and other Jews into believing that one can be both Jewish and Christian." (Lotker, Michael. ''A Christian's Guide to Judaism'', Paulist Press, March 2004, p. 35). *"Evangelical Christians are engaged in aggressive and extensive missionary activity among Jews. Among other results, this has given rise to groups of 'messianic Jews', of which 'Jews for Jesus' is the most outstanding example. These are actually Jews who have adopted the evangelical Protestant faith and its precepts." ([[Robert S. Wistrich|Wistrich, Robert]], ''Terms of Survival'', Routledge (UK), March 1995, p. 343). *"Messianic Judaism is a Christian movement that began in the 1970s combining a mixture of Jewish ritual and Christianity. There are a vast and growing numbers of these groups, and they differ in how much Jewish ritual is mixed with conventional Christian belief. One end of the spectrum is represented by Jews For Jesus, who simply target Jews for conversion to Christianity using imitations of Jewish ritual solely as a ruse for attracting the potential Jewish converts. On the other end are those who don't stress the divinity of Jesus, but present him as the 'Messiah.'" {{cite web |url=http://www.messiahtruth.com/response.html |title=Messiah Truth. Messianic Judaism: A Christian Missionary Movement }}</ref><!-- --><ref name=Schiffman>{{PDFlink|[http://www.jcrcny.org/pdf/sdpp/MEETINGTHECHALLENG2.pdf Meeting the Challenge: Hebrew Christians and the Jewish Community]|66.8&nbsp;[[Kibibyte|KiB]]<!-- application/pdf, 68469 bytes -->}} by [[Lawrence Schiffman|Lawrence H. Schiffman]] </ref> <!-- --> due to the Christian - specifically evangelical - beliefs of its members, as well as their not actually ever having been Jewish by any normally accepted standard of Jewishness. The group's [[evangelism]] related activities are opposed also by some Christian organizations and scholars.<!-- --><ref>Others who oppose the evangelism related activities of ''Jews for Jesus'': *Benjamin Hubbard; John Hatfield, James Santucci (1997). ''America's Religions. An Educator's Guide to Beliefs and Practices.'' Teacher Ideas Press, a Division of Libraries Unlimited, p.100. ISBN 1-56308-469-4. *Balmer, Randall. ''Encyclopedia of Evangelicalism,'' Baylor University Press, November 2004, p. 448 *"Today, many evangelical Christian-Protestant groups are spending between 100,000,000 and 150,000,000 dollars a year to transform Jews into Christians. The best known of these organization is Jews for Jesus...". (Berkley, E. George. ''Jews'', Branden Books, February 1997, p. 129). *"Thirdly, there is Jews for Jesus or, more generally, Messianic Judaism. This is a movement of people often of Jewish background who have come to believe Jesus is the expected Jewish messiah... They often have congregations independent of other churches and specifically target Jews for conversion to their form of Christianity." ([[Richard Harries, Baron Harries of Pentregarth|Harries, Richard]]. ''After the Evil: Christianity and Judaism in the Shadow of the Holocaust'', Oxford University Press, August 2003, p. 119.) *"...Jews for Jesus (Jews converted to 'born again' Christianity who are seeking to make more such converts...". ([[Martin E. Marty|Marty, Martin E.]] ''When Faiths Collide'', Blackwell Publishing, January 2005, p. 35). *"Jews for Jesus, the leading organization dedicated to converting Jews to Christianity, has long been a concern because of its aggressive proselytizing with a deceptive message: that Jews who accept Jesus as the son of God and their savior remain Jewish." [http://www.adl.org/special_reports/jews4jesus/jews4jesus.asp Jews for Jesus: Targeting Jews for Conversion with Subterfuge and Deception], [[Anti-Defamation League]], [[August 27]], [[2004]], retrieved [[September 11]], [[2006]]. *"Jews for Jesus is a sect of a very different nature. This group... has a sole motivational goal of converting Jews to Christianity." Fogel, Keith and Marian E. ''Conversos of the Americas'', Xlibris Corporation, April 2004, p. 169). *"Jews for Jesus is an evangelical Christian organization ..." [http://exjewsforjesus.org/j4jquestions/#who Who are the Jews for Jesus?] (exjewsforjesus.org) *"... its doctrine is strictly Christian in the fundamentalist/evangelical understanding of Christian faith" [http://exjewsforjesus.org/j4jquestions/#christian%20or%20jewish Is Jews for Jesus a Christian organization, or is it a Jewish organization?] (exjewsforjesus.org)</ref><!-- --><ref name=RELTOL>Robinson, B. [http://www.religioustolerance.org/mess_jud3.htm Messianic Judaism. Jews for Jesus], [[Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance]], October 29, 2001.</ref> == Aims and organization == ''Jews for Jesus'' is based in [[San Francisco]], [[California]]. ''Jews for Jesus'' official mission statement is "to make the [[Messiah]]ship of [[Jesus]] an unavoidable issue to our Jewish people worldwide." They say that belief in Jesus as Messiah is a fulfillment of the prophecies of Hebrew scripture. Through media advertisements, production and distribution of literature, producing music and organizing person-to-person [[evangelism]], the organization asserts that "a specifically Jewish [[Mission (Christian)|mission]]" is necessary, saying "Jewish people tend to dismiss evangelistic methods and materials that are couched in Christian lingo, because they reinforce the assumption that Jesus is for 'them' not 'us.'"<ref>[http://www.jfjonline.org/about/whatwedo.htm What We Do] (Jews for Jesus)</ref> ''Jews for Jesus'' promotes awareness of the Jewish heritage of the Christian faith. Their website contains brief descriptions of Jewish festivals,<ref name=judaica>.</ref> and also runs programs explaining the significance of [[Passover]], [[Sukkot]] and [[Hanukkah]], explaining supposed messianic elements and how they believe these festivals are related to Jesus. ==Beliefs== ''Jews for Jesus'' take mainstream Christian positions that [[Jesus]] of [[Nazareth]] was the [[Messiah]], that his coming was prophesied in the Jewish scriptures, and that Jesus is the Son of God and the second person of the [[Trinity]]. A summary of ''Jews for Jesus''' beliefs:<ref>[http://www.jewsforjesus.org/about/statementoffaith Statement of Faith] (Jews for Jesus) written January 1, 2005</ref> <blockquote> * in the [[Biblical inspiration|divine inspiration]] and [[Biblical inerrancy|inerrancy]] of the [[Old Testament|Old]] and [[New Testament]]s, as originally written. * God the creator exists as a [[Trinity]], is perfect, all wise, all powerful and all loving. * [[Christian views of Jesus|Jesus is the Messiah]], the second person of the Trinity, was [[Virgin Birth|born of a virgin]], lived a sinless life, died for the sins of all humanity, [[Death and Resurrection of Jesus|rose again]], and is co-equal with God. [[Second Coming|Jesus will return]] to earth in the near future. * People are saved through a belief in [[Salvation|Jesus as savior]] and an acknowledgment of their sins; not by their achievements. * Heaven is a reward for those who are saved; Hell is a place of "everlasting conscious punishment" for the lost. </blockquote> According to an article on Jews for Jesus by B. Robinson of [[Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance]], <blockquote> Their doctrinal statement is basically indistinguishable from Evangelical and other conservative Christian groups. ... They differ from some Evangelical Christian groups in their belief that [[Children of Israel|Israel]] continues to exist as a "covenant people." They also integrate some Jewish customs and use [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]] and [[Yiddish language|Yiddish]] in some literature.<ref name=RELTOL/> </blockquote> ==Background== One of the most important [[Jewish principles of faith]] is the belief in [[Jewish principles of faith#God is One|one God and one God only]] with no partnership of any kind (see [[BibleWiki:Deuteronomy Chapter 6, Verse 4|Deuteronomy 6:4]]), and belief in Jesus as deity, son of God, or Christ, is held as incompatible with Judaism.<ref name=CCAJ9/><ref name=incompat>A belief in the divinity of Jesus is incompatible with Judaism: *"The point is this: that the whole Christology of the Church - the whole complex of doctrines about the Son of God who died on the Cross to save humanity from sin and death - is incompatible with Judaism, and indeed in discontinuity with the Hebraism that preceded it." Rayner, John D. ''A Jewish Understanding of the World'', Berghahn Books, 1998, p. 187. ISBN 1-57181-974-6 *"It has always been recognized, for instance, after the rise of Christianity and Islam, that these two religions are incompatible with Judaism and that no Jew can consistently embrace them while remaining an adherent of Judaism." Neusner, Jacob & Avery-Peck, Alan Jeffery. ''The Blackwell Reader in Judaism'', Blackwell Publishing, 2001, p. 8. ISBN 0-631-20738-4 *"Aside from its belief in Jesus as the Messiah, Christianity has altered many of the most fundamental concepts of Judaism." [[Aryeh Kaplan|Kaplan, Aryeh]]. ''The Aryeh Kaplan Anthology: Volume 1, Illuminating Expositions on Jewish Thought and Practice'', Mesorah Publication, 1991, p. 264. ISBN 0-89906-866-9 *"...the doctrine of Christ was and will remain alien to Jewish religious thought." Wylen, Stephen M. ''Settings of Silver: An Introduction to Judaism'', Paulist Press, 2000, p. 75. ISBN 0-8091-3960-X *"For a Jew, however, any form of shituf is tantamount to idolatry in the fullest sense of the word. There is then no way that a Jew can ever accept Jesus as a deity, mediator or savior (messiah), or even as a prophet, without betraying Judaism. To call oneself, therefore, a 'Hebrew-Christian,' a 'Jew for Jesus,' or in the latest version a 'messianic Jew,' is an oxymoron. Just as one cannot be a 'Christian Buddhist,' or a 'Christian for Krishna,' one cannot be a 'Jew for Jesus.'" Schochet, Rabbi J. Immanuel. [http://www.cjnews.com/pastissues/99/july29-99/feature/feature2.htm "Judaism has no place for those who betray their roots"], ''[[Canadian Jewish News]]'', [[July 29]], [[1999]]. *[http://www.nybr.org/missionaries.htm This July, Hebrew-Christian groups such as Jews for Jesus will work to convert Jews to another religion.] The Jewish Response to Missionaries (NY Board of Rabbis) *[http://foundationstone.com.au/HtmlSupport/WebPage/Missionaries/missionariesAndCults.html Judaism and Jesus Don't Mix] (foundationstone.com) *[http://whatjewsbelieve.org/explanation09.html Jews believe that "Jews for Jesus," "Messianic Jews," and "Hebrew Christians" are no longer Jews, even if they were once Jews] (whatjewsbelieve.org) *"If you believe Jesus is the messiah, died for anyone else's sins, is God's chosen son, or any other dogma of Christian belief, you are not Jewish. You are Christian. Period." (''[http://www.beliefnet.com/blogs/virtualtalmud/2006/08/jews-for-jesus-whos-who-whats-what.html Jews for Jesus: Who's Who & What's What]'' by Rabbi Susan Grossman (beliefnet - virtualtalmud) [[August 28]], [[2006]]) *"For two thousand years, Jews rejected the claim that Jesus fulfilled the messianic prophecies of the Hebrew Bible, as well as the dogmatic claims about him made by the church fathers - that he was born of a virgin, the son of God, part of a divine Trinity, and was resurrected after his death. ... For two thousand years, a central wish of Christianity was to be the object of desire by Jews, whose conversion would demonstrate their acceptance that Jesus has fulfilled their own biblical prophecies." (''Jewish Views of Jesus'' by Susannah Heschel, in ''Jesus In The World's Faiths: Leading Thinkers From Five Faiths Reflect On His Meaning'' by Gregory A. Barker, editor. (Orbis Books, 2005) ISBN 1-57075-573-6. p.149) *"... there are limits to pluralism, beyond which a group is schismatic to the point where it is no longer considered Jewish. For example, everyone considers Messianic Judaism and belief in Buddha as outside of the Jewish sphere." (''[http://judaism.about.com/library/3_askrabbi_o/bl_simmons_messianicjews.htm Why did the majority of the Jewish world reject Jesus as the Messiah, and why did the first Christians accept Jesus as the Messiah?]'' by Rabbi [[Shraga Simmons]]) *"No Jew accepts Jesus as the Messiah. When someone makes that faith commitment, they become Christian. It is not possible for someone to be both Christian and Jewish." (''[http://judaism.about.com/library/3_askrabbi_c/bl_jesus.htm Why don't Jews accept Jesus as the Messiah?]'' by Rabbi Barry Dov Lerner) </ref> In his book ''A History of the Jews'', [[Paul Johnson (writer)|Paul Johnson]] describes the [[Schisms among the Jews#Break-offs: Samaritans and Christians|schism between Jews and Christians]] caused by a divergence from this principle: <blockquote> To the question, Was Jesus God or man?, the Christians therefore answered: both. After 70 AD, their answer was unanimous and increasingly emphatic. This made a complete breach with Judaism inevitable.<ref>{{cite book |author=[[Paul Johnson (writer)|Johnson, Paul]] |title=A History of the Jews |year=1987 |pages=p.144 |publisher=HarperCollins |id=ISBN 0-06-091533-1 }}</ref></blockquote> ''Jews for Jesus'' believes it is entirely compatible with the view of God presented in Jewish scriptures<ref name=3gods>[http://www.jewsforjesus.org/answers/theology/believeinthreegods Don't Christians Believe in Three Gods?] (Jews for Jesus) January 1, 2005</ref> and that the doctrine of the [[Trinity]], fundamental to the Christian faith, is not entirely alien to Judaism: "While it is true that the [[Old Testament]] portion of Scripture does not present as clear a picture of the [[Hypostasis (religion)|three-in-one/one-as-three]] Godhead, there are indications of the plurality of the Godhead in the Hebrew Scriptures."<ref>[http://www.jewsforjesus.org/publications/newsletter/1987_06/trinity The Trinity in the Old Testament] by Catherine Damato. (Jews for Jesus) June 1, 1987</ref> According to a common belief in Judaism, these "indications" are based on mistranslations<ref>[http://judaism.about.com/library/3_askrabbi_o/bl_simmons_messiah3.htm Why did the majority of the Jewish world reject Jesus as the Messiah, and why did the first Christians accept Jesus as the Messiah?] by Rabbi [[Shraga Simmons]] (about.com)</ref><ref>{{cite book |author=Michoel Drazin |title=Their Hollow Inheritance. A Comprehensive Refutation of Christian Missionaries |year=1990 |publisher=Gefen Publishing House, Ltd. |id=ISBN 965-229-070-X |url=http://www.drazin.com }}</ref><ref>Troki, Isaac. [http://faithstrengthened.org/FS_TOC.html "Faith Strengthened"].</ref> and Jesus did not fulfill the [[Jewish Messiah#Textual requirements|qualifications for Jewish Messiah]]. The vision of God as a [[trinity]] is seen by [[Judaism]] as a deviation from [[monotheism]] and therefore is rejected.<ref>The concept of Trinity is incompatible with Judaism: *[http://www.jewsforjudaism.org/web/faq/faq-tr.html Response - Reference Center - FAQ - Proof Texts - Trinity] (Jews for Judaism) *[http://www.outreachjudaism.org/trinity.html The Trinity in the Shema?] by Rabbi Singer (outreachjudaism.org) *[http://www.religionfacts.com/christianity/beliefs/trinity.htm The Doctrine of the Trinity] (religionfacts.com)</ref> ''America's Religions. An Educator's Guide to Beliefs and Practices'' contains "[a] note about Jews for Jesus, [[Messianic Judaism|Messianic Jews]], [[Hebrew Christians]], and similar groups: Jews in these groups who have converted to Christianity but continue to observe various Jewish practices are no longer considered part of the Jewish community in the usual sense."<ref>{{cite book |author=Benjamin Hubbard |coauthors=John Hatfield, James Santucci |title=America's Religions. An Educator's Guide to Beliefs and Practices |year=1997 |pages=p.100 |publisher=Teacher Ideas Press, a Division of Libraries Unlimited |id=ISBN 1-56308-469-4 }}</ref> ==Core values== {{POV|date=December 2007}} ''Jews for Jesus'' describes its core values in the following way: {{col-begin}} {{col-2}} They commit to: * Direct Jewish evangelism as their priority * An [[apostolic]] lifestyle of availability, vulnerability and mobility * Striving for excellence in all that they do * Deploying only front-line [[Missionary|missionaries]] who are Jewish or married to Jews * Principle-based operations and practice * Accountability to their mission family and the body of Messiah * Integrity and faithfulness * Creativity in their staff * Stepping out in courageous faith and taking risks for God.<ref>[http://www.jewsforjesus.org/about/corevalues Core values] (Jews for Jesus) January 1, 2005</ref> {{col-2}} Understanding that they: * are under the authority of God and His word * desire to honor Messiah [[Jesus|Y'shua]] and * are dependent upon the enabling power of the [[Holy Spirit]] {{col-end}} ==Leadership, funding and outreach== The organization was founded under the name '''Hineni Ministries''' in [[1973]] by [[Moishe Rosen]], an ordained [[Baptist]] minister<ref>[http://www.torahatlanta.com/articles/The%20Real%20Jews%20For%20Jesus.htm The Real Jews for Jesus. The Leaders] by Jason Levinson (Torah Atlanta)</ref> who was born Jewish and converted to Christianity at the age of 17.<ref name=ADL_M>[http://www.adl.org/special_reports/jews4jesus/methods.asp Jews for Jesus: Targeting Jews for Conversion with Subterfuge and Deception. Methods] ([[Anti-Defamation League]])</ref> Rosen remained its executive director until May of 1996 when he was replaced by [[David Brickner]],<ref name=RELTOL/> who, though having some Jewish ancestry, is not [[Who is a Jew?#Religious definitions|Jewish according to Jewish Law]].<ref name=DK>[http://www.jewishjournal.com/home/preview.php?id=15628 A Tenuous Claim as a Jew for Jesus] by David Klinghoffer. (''The Jewish Journal'') 2006-03-3</ref> Jews for Jesus is funded by donations from Christians.<ref>[http://www.torahatlanta.com/articles/The%20Real%20Jews%20For%20Jesus.htm The Real Jews for Jesus. Christian Dollars at Work] by Jason Levinson (Torah Atlanta)</ref> It has a full-time staff of 150 employees running branch offices in nine cities across the United States.<ref name=RELTOL/> There are also branch offices in Australia, Brazil, Canada (Montreal, Toronto), France, Germany (Essen), Israel, Russia, South Africa, United Kingdom, Ukraine (Dnepropetrovsk, Kharkov, Kiev, Odessa). In addition to English language, the group runs websites in Hungarian, Persian, Italian, Spanish, and Korean languages.<ref>[http://www.jewsforjesus.org/about About Us] (Jews for Jesus)</ref> According to the [[Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability]], the group's total income in [[Financial year|FY]] 2005 was $17,523,386.<ref name=ECFA>[http://www.ecfa.org/?PageName=MemberProfile2&MemberID=6322 Jews for Jesus. Financial information for FY2003-2005] ([[Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability]])</ref> ==Methods of evangelizing== The majority of evangelism used by ''Jews for Jesus'' consists of large mailings and pamphleteering. The organization uses colorful pamphlets and T-shirts to get their message across and is known for targeting populations of Jews which they see as receptive to their message,<ref>Targeting vulnerable population groups: *"The organization is also known for targeting vulnerable populations of Jews. New Jewish immigrants and college freshman as well as senior citizens and interfaith couples are easy targets for the organization." ([http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/anti-semitism/Jews_for_Jesus.html Jews for Jesus] by Stephanie Persin. [[Jewish Virtual Library]]) *"Since people are most vulnerable at times of personal change and transition, the missionaries center their efforts on a number of vulnerable Jewish populations, including high school and college students, senior citizens, and recent immigrants." ([http://www.nybr.org/NYBR_NL_Summer_2006.pdf Frequently Asked Questions About Hebrew-Christian Missionaries & "Jews for Jesus"] New York Board of Rabbis) *"Such congregations are designed to appear Jewish, but they are actually fundamentalist Christian churches which use traditional Jewish symbols to lure the most vulnerable of our Jewish people into their ranks." ([http://www.somethingjewish.co.uk/articles/475_messianic_congregati.htm Messianic congregations target Jews] by Rabbi Tovia Singer) *"Young men and women are particularly vulnerable to evangelicals because so often these adolescents are unsure of themselves, the world around them, and the adulthood that awaits them. ... The elderly are also perilously vulnerable..." ([http://www.outreachjudaism.org/evangelizingthejews2.html Evangelizing the Jews, Part 2: Who is Most Vulnerable?] by Rabbi Tovia Singer (outreachjudaism.org). Also at [http://www.aish.com/jewishissues/jewishsociety/Evangelizing_the_Jews3_Part_2_Who_is_Most_Vulnerable$.asp Aish]) *"Deceptive proselytizing is practiced on the most vulnerable of populations - residents of hospitals and old aged homes, confused youth, college students away from home. These proselytizing techniques are tantamount to coerced conversions and should be condemned." ([http://www.scjfaq.org/faq/17-05.html Soc.Culture.Jewish Newsgroups. Frequently Asked Questions and Answers]) *"Individuals are most vulnerable to these groups and their tactics when they are lonely and hurting, overwhelmed or confused, away from their support system or have lost a loved one or a close friend." ([http://www.jewsforjudaism.org/web/mainpages/students-oncampus.html College Programs. Got Friends?] by Scott Hillman, ''Jews For Judaism'') *"Their efforts here have drawn criticism from mainstream Jews and some Christians, who accuse Jews for Jesus of leading the vulnerable - the young, the old, recent immigrants..." ([http://www.rickross.com/reference/jews_for_jesus/jews_for_jesus39.html Jews for Jesus missionaries find warmth, hostility] By Matthew Hay Brown (Baltimore Sun) [[August 27]], [[2005]] *"Nonetheless, JFJ continues to make this contradictory claim, purposefully focusing on young, naïve, or socially vulnerable populations with their campaigns. College students, recent immigrants (most notably Russian Jews), and the elderly are targets for conversion." ([http://www.christianaggression.org/item_display.php?type=ARTICLES&id=1128484731 Jews for Jesus offends Jews and Christians] By Ethan Frenchman and Seth Mayer, ''Chicago Maroon''. October 4, 2005)</ref> such as recent immigrants, college students, senior citizens and interfaith couples. Stephanie Persin writes, "Evangelists in the organization have been trained to recite phrases from the Old Testament and to use Yiddish words so as to convince potential converts that Jews for Jesus maintain Jewish traditions." <ref name=ADL_M/><ref>[http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/anti-semitism/Jews_for_Jesus.html Jews for Jesus] by Stephanie Persin ([[Jewish Virtual Library]])</ref> On their official website Jews for Jesus says that they give out 8 million pamphlets a year.<ref>[http://www.jewsforjesus.org/about/whatwedo What We Do</ref> They use college-age volunteers for much of their evangelism. Each July they send a team of 20 to 30 to [[New York City]], which they say has the world's largest and most diverse Jewish population.<ref>[http://www.jewsforjesus.org/join/swc SWC New York</ref> ==Opposition and criticism== One of the criticisms of ''Jews for Jesus'' surrounds the tactics they employ in their missionary and outreach programs. Critics say that the organization uses vague and misleading language along with deceptive tactics in its attempt to convert Jews to Christianity.<ref>[http://www.adl.org/special_reports/jews4jesus/jfj_complete.pdf Jews for Jesus - Targeting Jews for Conversion with Subterfuge and Deception]</ref> These tactics include statements that Jesus is the [[supersessionism|fulfillment]] of the Jewish prophecy of Messiah and attempts by ''Jews for Jesus'' to interpret core principles of Judaism in an effort to bring these Jewish principles into accord with Christian doctrines.<ref name=Rosen1997>[http://www.jewsforjesus.org/publications/issues/11_2/judaism Judaism Teaches... or Does It?] by Moishe Rosen (Jews for Jesus) March 1, 1997</ref> To this end, critics say that ''Jews for Jesus'' uses the ambiguity in the definition of "Jew" and "Jewish" to confuse their prospective converts into believing there is a possibility of one being a follower of both Christianity and Judaism simultaneously.<ref> [http://www.jewsforjudaism.org/web/mainpages/missionary_cult_challenge.html Jews for Judaism, The Challenge of Missionaries and Cults]</ref> However, belief in Jesus as deity, son of God, or Christ, is held as incompatible with Judaism. <ref name=incompat>A belief in the divinity of Jesus is incompatible with Judaism: *"The point is this: that the whole Christology of the Church - the whole complex of doctrines about the Son of God who died on the Cross to save humanity from sin and death - is incompatible with Judaism, and indeed in discontinuity with the Hebraism that preceded it." Rayner, John D. ''A Jewish Understanding of the World'', Berghahn Books, 1998, p. 187. ISBN 1-57181-974-6 *"It has always been recognized, for instance, after the rise of Christianity and Islam, that these two religions are incompatible with Judaism and that no Jew can consistently embrace them while remaining an adherent of Judaism." Neusner, Jacob & Avery-Peck, Alan Jeffery. ''The Blackwell Reader in Judaism'', Blackwell Publishing, 2001, p. 8. ISBN 0-631-20738-4 *"Aside from its belief in Jesus as the Messiah, Christianity has altered many of the most fundamental concepts of Judaism." [[Aryeh Kaplan|Kaplan, Aryeh]]. ''The Aryeh Kaplan Anthology: Volume 1, Illuminating Expositions on Jewish Thought and Practice'', Mesorah Publication, 1991, p. 264. ISBN 0-89906-866-9 *"...the doctrine of Christ was and will remain alien to Jewish religious thought." Wylen, Stephen M. ''Settings of Silver: An Introduction to Judaism'', Paulist Press, 2000, p. 75. ISBN 0-8091-3960-X *"For a Jew, however, any form of shituf is tantamount to idolatry in the fullest sense of the word. There is then no way that a Jew can ever accept Jesus as a deity, mediator or savior (messiah), or even as a prophet, without betraying Judaism. To call oneself, therefore, a 'Hebrew-Christian,' a 'Jew for Jesus,' or in the latest version a 'messianic Jew,' is an oxymoron. Just as one cannot be a 'Christian Buddhist,' or a 'Christian for Krishna,' one cannot be a 'Jew for Jesus.'" Schochet, Rabbi J. Immanuel. [http://www.cjnews.com/pastissues/99/july29-99/feature/feature2.htm "Judaism has no place for those who betray their roots"], ''[[Canadian Jewish News]]'', [[July 29]], [[1999]]. *[http://www.nybr.org/missionaries.htm This July, Hebrew-Christian groups such as Jews for Jesus will work to convert Jews to another religion.] The Jewish Response to Missionaries (NY Board of Rabbis) *[http://foundationstone.com.au/HtmlSupport/WebPage/Missionaries/missionariesAndCults.html Judaism and Jesus Don't Mix] (foundationstone.com) *[http://whatjewsbelieve.org/explanation09.html Jews believe that "Jews for Jesus," "Messianic Jews," and "Hebrew Christians" are no longer Jews, even if they were once Jews] (whatjewsbelieve.org) *"If you believe Jesus is the messiah, died for anyone else's sins, is God's chosen son, or any other dogma of Christian belief, you are not Jewish. You are Christian. Period." (''[http://www.beliefnet.com/blogs/virtualtalmud/2006/08/jews-for-jesus-whos-who-whats-what.html Jews for Jesus: Who's Who & What's What]'' by Rabbi Susan Grossman (beliefnet - virtualtalmud) [[August 28]], [[2006]]) *"For two thousand years, Jews rejected the claim that Jesus fulfilled the messianic prophecies of the Hebrew Bible, as well as the dogmatic claims about him made by the church fathers - that he was born of a virgin, the son of God, part of a divine Trinity, and was resurrected after his death. ... For two thousand years, a central wish of Christianity was to be the object of desire by Jews, whose conversion would demonstrate their acceptance that Jesus has fulfilled their own biblical prophecies." (''Jewish Views of Jesus'' by Susannah Heschel, in ''Jesus In The World's Faiths: Leading Thinkers From Five Faiths Reflect On His Meaning'' by Gregory A. Barker, editor. (Orbis Books, 2005) ISBN 1-57075-573-6. p.149) *"... there are limits to pluralism, beyond which a group is schismatic to the point where it is no longer considered Jewish. For example, everyone considers Messianic Judaism and belief in Buddha as outside of the Jewish sphere." (''[http://judaism.about.com/library/3_askrabbi_o/bl_simmons_messianicjews.htm Why did the majority of the Jewish world reject Jesus as the Messiah, and why did the first Christians accept Jesus as the Messiah?]'' by Rabbi [[Shraga Simmons]]) *"No Jew accepts Jesus as the Messiah. When someone makes that faith commitment, they become Christian. It is not possible for someone to be both Christian and Jewish." (''[http://judaism.about.com/library/3_askrabbi_c/bl_jesus.htm Why don't Jews accept Jesus as the Messiah?]'' by Rabbi Barry Dov Lerner) *In his book ''A History of the Jews'', [[Paul Johnson (writer)|Paul Johnson]] describes the [[Schisms among the Jews#Break-offs: Samaritans and Christians|schism between Jews and Christians]] caused by a divergence from this principle: <blockquote>"To the question, Was Jesus God or man?, the Christians therefore answered: both. After 70 AD, their answer was unanimous and increasingly emphatic. This made a complete breach with Judaism inevitable." (Johnson, Paul (1987). A History of the Jews. HarperCollins, p.144. ISBN 0-06-091533-1.)</blockquote> </ref> Although ''Jews for Jesus'' believes their views of the Messiah are entirely compatible with the view of God presented in Jewish scriptures,<ref name=3gods/> and that the doctrine of the [[Trinity]], fundamental to the Christian faith, is not entirely alien to Judaism,<ref> "While it is true that the Old Testament portion of Scripture does not present as clear a picture of the [[Hypostasis (religion)|three-in-one/one-as-three]] Godhead, there are indications of the plurality of the Godhead in the Hebrew Scriptures." [http://www.jewsforjesus.org/publications/newsletter/1987_06/trinity The Trinity in the Old Testament] by Catherine Damato. (Jews for Jesus) June 1, 1987</ref> these interpretations by ''Jews for Jesus'' are rejected by Judaism.<ref>[http://judaism.about.com/library/3_askrabbi_o/bl_simmons_messiah3.htm Why did the majority of the Jewish world reject Jesus as the Messiah, and why did the first Christians accept Jesus as the Messiah?] by Rabbi [[Shraga Simmons]] (about.com)</ref><ref>{{cite book |author=Michoel Drazin |title=Their Hollow Inheritance. A Comprehensive Refutation of Christian Missionaries |year=1990 |publisher=Gefen Publishing House, Ltd. |id=ISBN 965-229-070-X |url=http://www.drazin.com }}</ref><ref>Troki, Isaac. [http://faithstrengthened.org/FS_TOC.html "Faith Strengthened"].''America's Religions. An Educator's Guide to Beliefs and Practices'' contains "[a] note about Jews for Jesus, [[Messianic Judaism|Messianic Jews]], [[Hebrew Christians]], and similar groups: Jews in these groups who have converted to Christianity but continue to observe various Jewish practices are no longer considered part of the Jewish community in the usual sense."</ref><ref>{{cite book |author=Benjamin Hubbard |coauthors=John Hatfield, James Santucci |title=America's Religions. An Educator's Guide to Beliefs and Practices |year=1997 |pages=p.100 |publisher=Teacher Ideas Press, a Division of Libraries Unlimited |id=ISBN 1-56308-469-4 }}</ref> ''Jews for Jesus'' responds to these allegations by stating that their allusions to "Jewishness" refer to ethnic descriptions and not religious ones.<ref> [http://www.forjewsforjesus.org/qanda/index.html#jew_christian Jews for Jesus, How can one be a Jew and Christian at the same time.]</ref> ===Jewish opposition=== In 1993, the ''Task Force on Missionaries and Cults'' of the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York (JCRCNY) issued a statement which has been endorsed by the four major Jewish denominations: [[Orthodox Judaism]], [[Conservative Judaism]], [[Reform Judaism]], and [[Reconstructionist Judaism]], as well as national Jewish organizations.<ref name=Schiffman/> Based on this statement, the ''Spiritual Deception Prevention Project'' at the JCRCNY stated: <blockquote> On several occasions leaders of the four major [[Jewish denominations|Jewish movements]] have signed on to joint statements opposing Hebrew-Christian theology and tactics. In part they said: "Though Hebrew Christianity claims to be a form of Judaism, it is not ... It deceptively uses the sacred symbols of Jewish observance ... as a cover to convert Jews to Christianity, a belief system antithetical to Judaism ... Hebrew Christians are in radical conflict with the communal interests and the destiny of the Jewish people. They have crossed an unbridgeable chasm by accepting another religion. Despite this separation, they continue to attempt to convert their former co-religionists."<ref name=JCRCNY>{{PDFlink|[http://www.jcrcny.org/PDF/7_6/Q_AHC.PDF Frequently Asked Questions About Hebrew-Christian Missionaries & "Jews for Jesus"]}} Jewish Community Relations Council of New York. Spiritual Deception Prevention Project</ref></blockquote> The director of a [[counter-missionary]] group ''Torah Atlanta'' Rabbi Efraim Davidson stated that "the ''Jews for Jesus'' use aggressive proselytizing to target disenfranchised or unaffiliated Jews, Russian immigrants and college students" and that "their techniques are manipulative, deceptive and anti-Semitic."<ref>[http://torahatlanta.com/IntheNewsArticles/Portland.html Portland Jews Brace for Assault by 'Jews for Jesus'] By Paul Haist (Jewish Review) May 15, 2002</ref> In his 1997 book ''The Vanishing American Jew: In Search of Jewish Identity for the Next Century'' [[Alan Dershowitz]] wrote: "In America, and in other nations that separate church from state, one's Jewishness is a matter of self-definition ..." but notes: "I do not mean to include former Jews who practice Christianity under the deliberately misleading name Jews for Jesus. A Jew for Jesus already has a name: a Christian."<ref>{{cite book | last = Dershowitz | first = Alan | title = The Vanishing American Jew: In Search of Jewish Identity for the Next Century | pages = p.324 | publisher = Little, Brown; 1st ed. | date= 1997 | id = ISBN 0-316-18133-1 }}</ref> However, it should be noted that Dershowitz was not speaking as a rabbinical authority, most of whom hold that a Jew who is an [[Apostasy|apostate]] is still a Jew. In an interview for [[Beliefnet]], Orthodox Rabbi [[Irving Greenberg]], the author of ''For the Sake of Heaven and Earth'', said: :"But I have to recognize that there are people of ill will; there are Christian missionaries who still believe that Christianity is the only valid religion. There are Jews for Jesus who use the trappings of Judaism to bring people into a religion that teaches that Judaism is finished. Jews for Jesus are worse theologically than the mainstream of Catholicism or Protestantism, which now affirm that Judaism is a valid religion. Jews for Jesus say that it is not. They use the Jewish trappings, but de facto, they are teaching the classic Christian [[supersessionism]]--that Judaism was at best a foreshadowing of Christianity".<ref>[http://www.beliefnet.com/story/187/story_18792.html Disagreeing in the Service of God]</ref> The author of the book ''Why the Jews Rejected Jesus: The Turning Point in Western History'' [[David Klinghoffer]] expressed his concern in ''The Jewish Journal'': "When Jews accept Jesus, they marry other Christians or their children do, thus disappearing into the Christian population."<ref name=DK/> Concerning [[Christian-Jewish reconciliation]] and Christian missions to the Jews, [[Emil Fackenheim]] wrote: <blockquote> "... Except in relations with Christians, the Christ of Christianity is not a Jewish issue. There simply can be no dialogue worthy of the name unless Christians accept &mdash; nay, treasure &mdash; the fact that Jews through the two millennia of Christianity have had an agenda of their own. There can be no Jewish-Christian dialogue worthy of the name unless one Christian activity is abandoned, missions to the Jews. It must be abandoned, moreover, not as a temporary strategy but in principle, as a bimillennial theological mistake. The cost of that mistake in Christian love and Jewish blood one hesitates to contemplate. ... A post-[[Holocaust]] Jew can still view Christian attempts to convert Jews as sincere and well intended. But even as such they are no longer acceptable: They have become attempts to do in one way what [[Hitler]] did in another."<ref>{{cite book |title = What is Judaism? An Interpretation for the Present Age |last = Fackenheim |first = Emil |year = 1987 |publisher = Summit Books |id = ISBN 0-671-46243-1 |pages = p.249 }}</ref></blockquote> ====Outreach Judaism==== {{main|Outreach Judaism}} ''[[Outreach Judaism]]'', is an international organization that responds directly to the issues raised by missionaries and cults, by exploring Judaism in contradistinction to fundamentalist Christianity. The organization was founded by Rabbi [[Tovia Singer]]. Rabbi Singer's program aims to provide educational resources to individuals targeted by organizations such as Jews for Jesus. As a world renowned public speaker and as one of the top counter-missionaries in the world, Rabbi Singer addresses more than 200 audiences a year. He is the author of the book and accompanying audiotape series entitled Let's Get Biblical. ====Jews for Judaism==== {{main|Jews for Judaism}} ''[[Jews for Judaism]]'', established by Rabbi [[Bentzion Kravitz]] in [[1985]], is the largest [[Counter-Missionary]] organization in existence.<ref>[http://www.jewsforjudaism.org/web/people/guggenheim.html Ruth Guggenheim] (Jews for Judaism)</ref> The name ''Jews for Judaism'' is a deliberate [[parody]] of ''Jews for Jesus'', as ''Jews for Jesus'' is one of the primary missionary organizations that ''Jews for Judaism'' was founded to counter. ===Messianic Judaism opposition=== {{main|Messianic Judaism}} Some [[Messianic Judaism|Messianic Jews]]<ref>"I consider Jews For Jesus a Christian organization. Moishe Rosen, founder of Jews For Jesus, is a Christian missionary, schooled in a standard bible college and not trained as a rabbi. The Jews For Jesus organization has worked diligently teaching Jesus to the non-believing Jewish people, but it is Christianity being taught and not Messianic Judaism (in spite of JFJ efforts to make the two terms synonymous). I would like to see evangelism to the Jewish people which includes teaching Torah observance." Ellen Kavanaugh. (lightofmashiach.org). {{cite web | url = http://www.lightofmashiach.org/notjewsforjesus.html | title = Actually, We Are NOT Jews for Jesus | publisher = lightofmashiach.org | accessdate = 2006-11-04 | curly = True }}</ref><ref>''"We are NOT "Jews for Jesus"! "Jews for Jesus" is a primarily Baptist missionary group whose sole focus is converting Jews to Christianity. They are not a part of the Messianic movement and have never been in favor of Messianic congregations! We do not approve of their theology, their ideology, or their methods."'' Rabbi Adam J. Bernay. Beit Tefillah Messianic Fellowship. Fresno, CA. {{cite web | url = http://www.beit-tefillah.com/about/ | title = About Us | publisher = beit-tefillah.com | accessdate = 2006-11-04 | curly = True }}</ref> who self-identify as Torah observant object to perceived associations with ''Jews for Jesus'',<ref>''" We are not "Jews for Jesus". We strongly agree with their work of bringing non-Messianic Jews to acceptance of Yeshua(Jesus), as the Jewish Messiah. However, we just as strongly disagree with the belief/policy of "Jews for Jesus"; upon acceptance of Messiah Yeshua (Christ Jesus), Jews (and Gentiles), are not to obey and follow the Torah(Law)! This contradicts and violates the Tanakh and Messianic Scriptures that speak of Yeshua(Jesus). We believe the Torah speaks of Yeshua (Jesus) and those that love Him keep His commandments."'' 5twenty8.com. {{cite web | url = http://www.5twenty8.com/statement.php | title = Statement of Belief | publisher = 5twenty8.com | accessdate = 2006-11-04 | curly = True }}</ref> as encouraging the celebration of traditional Christianity, including potentially not keeping [[Kashrut|kosher]],<ref>''"If you were hoping this article would provide the answer, you will be disappointed. When the question is "How do we work out our Jewish identity?" the answer can only be: "It's personal! Go work it out with the Lord." Maybe that sounds vague and non-committal, but in this we are committed to vagueness, for these are things we believe the Scripture leaves to each believer's discretion."'' Mitch Glaser. Jews for Jesus. {{cite web | url = http://www.jewsforjesus.org/publications/havurah/mm88_01/choppedliver | title = Lifestyles of the Messianic | publisher = jewsforjesus.org | accessdate = 2006-11-04 | curly = True }}</ref> observing [[Sabbath]] on Sunday (or not at all), or celebrating non-Jewish holidays such as [[Easter]]<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.jewsforjesus.org/publications/newsletter/2003_12/paganism | title = About Christmas, Easter, and Paganism | publisher = jewsforjesus.org | accessdate = 2006-11-04 | curly = True }}</ref> and [[Christmas]].<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.jewsforjesus.org/publications/havurah/5_4/christmas | title = Christmas is still a Jewish holiday | publisher = jewsforjesus.org | accessdate = 2006-11-04 | curly = True }}</ref> ===Christian opposition to ''Jews for Jesus'' and to efforts to evangelize Jews=== Some Christian churches see Jewish religious practice as valid in and of itself and thus object to evangelizing Jews.<ref>Christian opposition: * [http://www.abrock.com/Attempt.html#valid Should Christians Attempt to Evangelize Jews? Israel's Covenant with God Remains Valid] by Allan R. Brockway * [http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_jcon3.htm Policies of mainline and liberal Christians towards proselytizing Jews] (religioustolerance.org) * [http://www.jcrelations.net/en/?item=961 What about Christian Jews or Jewish Christians?] by Fritz Voll ([[International Council of Christians and Jews]]) * [http://www.jcrelations.net/en/?id=1499 Ecumenical Considerations on Jewish-Christian Dialogue] (World Council of Churches) * [http://torahatlanta.com/articles/Christian%20Scholars%20Group.html The Christian Scholars Group on Christian-Jewish Relations: "Christians should not target Jews for conversion"]. The Center for Christian-Jewish Learning at Boston College. [[September 1]], [[2002]] * "I normally defend my denomination. I'm loyal to it. But I have never targeted Muslims. I have never targeted Jews." [http://www.rickross.com/reference/messianic/messianic6.html Billy Graham Blasts Brethren] by Eric J. Greenberg, ''The Jewish Week''. [[January 7]], [[2000]] </ref> The [[Interfaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington]], an umbrella organization that includes [[Muslims]], [[Jews]], and [[church]] groups from the [[Roman Catholic]], [[Methodist]], [[Baptist]], [[Lutheran]] and [[Presbyterian]] churches, has condemned ''Jews for Jesus'' as promoting activities "harmful to the spirit of interreligious respect and tolerance." The conference is also opposed to religious [[Proselytism|proselytizing]] in general, though [[evangelism]] is an important tenet of Christian theology due to the [[Great Commission]]. The conference also denounces the group's "deceptive proselytizing efforts", stating that when practiced on "vulnerable populations" such as the young or the elderly, these efforts are "tantamount to coerced conversions."{{Fact|date=November 2007}} The Rev. Clark Lobenstine, a Presbyterian ([[PCUSA]]) minister and executive director of the Conference, has stated that his group condemns ''Jews for Jesus'' and other messianic Jewish groups by name because they "go beyond the bounds of appropriate and ethically based religious outreach."<ref>[http://www.rickross.com/reference/jews_for_jesus/jews_for_jesus30.html Conversion Outreach Plan Stirs Outrage. Jews for Jesus Trains 600 for Street Work] By David Cho (Washington Post) August 17, 2004</ref> The Board of Governors of The [[Long Island Council of Churches]], a group that is opposed to proselytizing of Jews in general, voiced similar sentiments in a statement that "noted with alarm" the "subterfuge and dishonesty" inherent in the "mixing [of] religious symbols in ways which distort their essential meaning", and named ''Jews for Jesus'' as one of the three groups about whom such behavior was alleged.{{Fact|date=November 2007}} Roman Catholic leaders have also spoken out against singling out Jews for conversion. In August 2002, the U. S. Bishops Committee for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs declared that the "evangelizing task no longer includes the wish to absorb the Jewish faith into Christianity and so end the distinctive witness of Jews to God in human history. Thus, while the Catholic Church regards the saving act of Christ as central to the process of human salvation for all, it also believes that Jews already dwell in a saving covenant with God. "... The distinctive Jewish witness must be sustained if Catholics and Jews are truly to be, as [[Pope John Paul II]] envisioned, “a blessing to one another.”"<ref>[http://www.jcrelations.net/en/?item=966 Reflections on Covenant and Mission] Consultation of the National Council of Synagogues and the Bishops Committee for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs. August 12, 2002 ([[International Council of Christians and Jews]])</ref> Cardinal [[Walter Kasper]], President of the [[Holy See]]'s Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews, stated in November 2002: "This does not mean that Jews in order to be saved have to become Christians; if they follow their own conscience and believe in God’s promises as they understand them in their religious tradition, they are in line with God’s plan, which for us came to its historical completion in Jesus Christ."<ref>[http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/chrstuni/relations-jews-docs/rc_pc_chrstuni_doc_20051027_rabbi-rosen_en.html "[[Nostra Aetate]]", Forty Years After Vatican II. Present & Future Perspectives] Conference of the Holy See Commission for Religious Relations with Jewry, Rome, October 27, 2005 </ref> Christian denominations that have issued statements criticizing evangelism of Jews include the [[Evangelical Lutheran Church in America]], the [[United Church of Christ]] and the [[Presbyterian Church USA]], which said in 1988 that Jews have their own covenant with God. In 1996, Pope John Paul II said Jews shouldn't be targeted for conversion.<ref>[http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20040810-123436-5028r.htm "Jews for Jesus to hit streets of D.C."] by Julia Duin, ''The Washington Times'', August 10, 2004</ref> ===Others=== There are also several other organizations that oppose identification of ''Jews for Jesus'' as Jewish group.<ref>[[Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance]] ([http://www.religioustolerance.org/mess_jud3.htm])</ref><ref>Benjamin Hubbard; John Hatfield, James Santucci (1997). ''America's Religions. An Educator's Guide to Beliefs and Practices.'' Teacher Ideas Press, a Division of Libraries Unlimited, p.100. ISBN 1-56308-469-4.</ref><ref>Balmer, Randall. ''Encyclopedia of Evangelicalism,'' Baylor University Press, November 2004, p. 448</ref> [[Rick Ross (consultant)|Rick Ross]], a self-declared "cult expert", has been critical of the organization as well and has included them on his website.<ref>[http://www.rickross.com/reference/jews_for_jesus/jews_for_jesus8.html Taking Aim: Efforts to convert Jews draw fire from interdenominational group], ''The Arizona Republic'', 1982, By Richard Lessner</ref><ref>[http://www.rickross.com/links.html#Jews%20For%20Jesus Jews For Jesus] (rickross.com)</ref> ==Affiliations and support== ''Jews for Jesus'' defends its actions against these charges, stating: <blockquote> "If a person believes the Bible and believes that Jesus is the only way of salvation (John 14:6, Acts 4:12, Romans 10:9,10) and then that person declines to tell a Jewish friend about Christ, it indicates one of two things. Either that person has decided that the Jews are not worthy of the [[gospel]], in which case he would be a racist, an [[Antisemitism|anti-Semite]] and a hater of people instead of the lover of people that God wants him to be. Or perhaps he has judged the gospel as being unworthy of the Jews in which case he has trivialized the [[Passion (Christianity)|passion]] of [[Calvary]] and the awesome significance of Christ's [[resurrection]]."<ref>[http://www.jfjonline.org/about/targeting.htm Why emphasize witnessing to Jews?] (Jews for Jesus)</ref></blockquote> ''Jews for Jesus'' is a member of numerous evangelical Christian groups, including The [[World Evangelical Alliance]],<ref name=Assoc>[http://www.jewsforjesus.org/about/associations Associations] (Jews for Jesus)</ref><ref>[http://www.ifmamissions.org/member.htm Members] (Interdenominational Foreign Mission Association)</ref> the [[National Association of Evangelicals]],<ref name=Assoc/><ref>[http://www.nae.net/index.cfm?fuseaction=nae.members&listId=organizations#J Current NAE Members] ([[National Association of Evangelicals]])</ref> the [[Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability]],<ref name=Assoc/><ref name=ECFA/> the [[World Evangelical Fellowship]], the [[Evangelical Fellowship of Canada]],<ref>[http://www.evangelicalfellowship.ca/about/structure.asp Affiliates] (Evangelical Fellowship of Canada)</ref> the [[Canadian Council for Christian Charities]], the [[Evangelical Alliance of Great Britain]], the [[Evangelical Alliance of South Africa]], the ''Fédération Evangélique de France'', ([[Evangelical Federation of France]]), the [[Lausanne Consultation on Jewish Evangelism]].<ref>http://www.jewsforjesus.org/about/associations Associations and Memberships </ref> ''Jews for Jesus'' also notes the lack of consensus on many issues in Judaism, and says that due to the seemingly unusual assuredness of many Jewish groups that ''Jews for Jesus''' beliefs are incompatible with Judaism, that this represents a double standard.<ref name=Rosen1997/> Jewish groups, however, regard their united opposition to the beliefs promulgated by Jews for Jesus as proof that the two religions are irreconcilable, belief-wise, since it is one area where all Jews of all varying beliefs agree. == Litigations == ===1987 - Jews for Jesus sues for freedom of speech=== The [[Supreme Court of the United States]] ruled in favor of ''Jews for Jesus'' in a 1987 suit it filed against the municipal agency in charge of [[Los Angeles International Airport]] that had barred the group from distributing leaflets at the airport as part of a larger ban on what they described as [[First Amendment to the United States Constitution|First Amendment]] activities. ''Jews for Jesus'' challenged the airport's right to institute such a sweeping ban.<ref name=ADL_LC>[http://www.adl.org/special_reports/jews4jesus/legal_cases.asp Legal Cases Involving Jews for Jesus] (ADL)</ref> ===1992 - Jews for Jesus sues for civil rights violations=== In 1992 the [[New York Court of Appeals]] ruled against ''Jews for Jesus'' in a suit the organization brought against the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York (JCRCNY), an umbrella group representing 60 Jewish agencies in the metropolitan New York area. The case addressed the JCRCNY's 1985 warning to Long Island rabbis that ''Jews for Jesus'' was seeking a venue to conduct a [[Passover seder]]. Jews for Jesus sued the JCRCNY for violating its civil rights; the decision upheld a lower court ruling that the JCRCNY communication did not "go beyond the proposal stage" and that there was no evidence that any of the Long Island rabbis had actually contacted establishments for the purpose of discriminating against Jews for Jesus.<ref>[http://www.law.cornell.edu/nyctap/I92_0038.htm]</ref> In a 1992 lawsuit brought by ''Jews for Jesus'' against the JCRCNY, the [[United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit]] ruled that the efforts of the JCRCNY urging Jewish organizations not to patronize a New York country club because it allowed ''Jews for Jesus'' to hold its annual convention on its premises were not protected as an exercise of the JCRC's [[First Amendment to the United States Constitution|First Amendment]] rights.<ref name=ADL_LC/><ref>[http://video.on.nytimes.com/index.jsp?fr_story=79c6b940b4d3c6d117f01e22bea0dafa63dd802]</ref> ===1993 - Israel refuses citizenship to couple affiliated with Jews for Jesus=== In 1993 the [[Supreme Court of Israel]], in a case involving a couple affiliated with Jews for Jesus, ruled that Jews who adhere to the Christian beliefs are regarded by Israeli law as "members of a different faith," and are not eligible for the [[Law of Return|automatic citizenship that Israel grants Jews]]. This is done not to try to change Jewish Law, but to preserve the Jewish character of the State of Israel - i.e., that allowing in people whose sole mission is to get Jews to become Christians in inimical to one of the core ethics of the country (to be a haven for Jews).{{Fact|date=December 2007}} In its summary of the ruling, the [[Foreign Affairs Minister of Israel|Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs]] stated that the belief that Jesus is the Messiah "cannot be reconciled with Judaism" and "marks the clear separation between Judaism and Christianity."<ref name=ADL_LC/> ===1998 and 2005-2006 - Jews for Jesus name online=== ''Jews for Jesus'' has been involved in litigation regarding Internet use of its name. In 1998 they successfully sued Steven Brodsky for [[cybersquatting]] — registering the domain name ''jewsforjesus.org'' for a site criticizing the organization.<ref name=ADL_LC/> The domain now belongs to ''Jews for Jesus'' and is used for their main site. In 2005 ''Jews for Jesus'' sued<ref>[http://www.circleid.com/posts/google_sued_for_trademark_infringement_on_third_level_subdomain/ Google Sued for Trademark Infringement Based on Third-Level Subdomain] by Eric Goldman (CircleID) December 30, 2005</ref> [[Google]] for allowing a [[Blogspot]] user to put up a site at the third-level subdomain ''jewsforjesus.blogspot.com''. In September 2006, ''[[Christianity Today]]'' reported that "''Jews for Jesus'' settled out of court with a critical blogger identified as 'Whistle Blower' on jewsforjesus.blogspot.com. The evangelistic ministry assumed control of the site."<ref>[http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2006/september/18.23.html Christianity Today News Briefs] September 1, 2006</ref> ===2006 - Jewish comedian sues Jews for Jesus for misusing his name=== In 2006, comedian and actor [[Jackie Mason]] filed a lawsuit against ''Jews for Jesus'', alleging that they unlawfully distributed a pamphlet which used his name and likeness in a way that suggested he was a member of the group. In fact, Mason is a member of the Jewish faith and not associated with ''Jews for Jesus''.<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/08/25/jackiemason.ap/index.html Comic sues Jews for Jesus]</ref> Jews for Jesus has issued a detailed response to the allegation on their website.<ref>[http://www.jewsforjesus.org/blog/20060825mason Press Release: Jews for Jesus and Jackie Mason] (Jews for Jesus) August 25, 2006</ref> A judge of the [[United States District Court for the Southern District of New York]] denied a preliminary injunction against Jews for Jesus over the pamphlet, finding the distribution of the pamphlet to be protected by the First Amendment, and also stated that the pamphlet did not suggest that Mason was a Christian.<ref>[http://www.jewsforjesus.org/blog/20061108jackiemasondenied Jackie Mason Charges Against Jews For Jesus Denied By U.S. District Court], November 8, 2006</ref> In December 2006, [[Jackie Mason]] dropped the lawsuit against ''Jews for Jesus'' after they issued a letter of apology to Mason. The group's executive director, David Brickner, stated in the letter to Mason that he wanted "to convey my sincere apologies for any distress that you felt over our tract." Brickner continued that he believed its publication was protected by the Constitution, but the group was willing in the interest of peace and love for Israel to retire the pamphlet. Mason replied in front of the federal court in Manhattan where he accepted the apology, "There's no such thing as a Jew for Jesus. It's like saying a black man is for the [[Ku Klux Klan|KKK]]. You can't be a table and a chair. You're either a Jew or a gentile."<ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2006-12-05-mason_x.htm ''USA Today'',] [http://nymag.com/daily/intel/tags/religion nymag.com] (and many others) quoting an Associated Press release, December 4, 2006.</ref> == See also == * [[Who is a Jew?]] * [[Outreach Judaism]] * [[Jews for Judaism]] * [[Messianic Judaism]] * [[Jewish Messiah]] * [[Judaism's view of Jesus]] * [[Christian-Jewish reconciliation]] * [[Christianity and Judaism]] * [[Supersessionism]] * [[Dispensationalism]] ==References== {{reflist|2}} ==Further reading== *''Sentenced for Life: A Story of an Entry and an Exit into the World of Fundamentalist Christianity and Jews for Jesus'' by Jo Ann Schneider Farris (Writers Club Press, 2002) ISBN 0-595-24940-X *''Hawking God. A Young Jewish Woman's Ordeal in Jews for Jesus'' by Ellen Kamentsky (Sapphire Press) [http://www.skepticfiles.org/fw/defector.htm An excerpt] *''Evangelizing the Chosen People: Missions to the Jews in America, 1880 - 2000'' by Yaakov Ariel (The University of North Carolina Press, 1999) ISBN 0-8078-2566-2 *''Smashing the Idols: A Jewish Inquiry into the Cult Phenomenon'' by Gary D. Eisenberg (Jason Aronson, 1988) ISBN 0-87668-974-8 ==External links== * [http://www.jewsforjesus.org/ Jews for Jesus] Official website * [http://exjewsforjesus.org/ Ex-Jews for Jesus] website of former members of Jews for Jesus * [http://www.outreachjudaism.org/ Outreach Judaism] The Jewish Response to Jews for Jesus * [http://www.jewsforjudaism.org/ Jews for Judaism] [[Jews for Judaism]] website, an answer to Jews for Jesus * [http://www.adl.org/special_reports/jews4jesus/jews4jesus.asp Jews for Jesus: Targeting Jews for Conversion with Subterfuge and Deception] - the view of the [[Anti-Defamation League]] * [http://torahatlanta.com/articles/The%20Real%20Jews%20For%20Jesus.htm The Real Jews for Jesus] By Jason Levinson (Torah Atlanta) * [http://www.aish.com/jewishissues/jewishsociety/Why_Jews_Dont_Believe_In_Jesus.asp Why Jews Don't Believe In Jesus] * [http://www.faqs.org/faqs/judaism/FAQ/09-Antisemitism/section-18.html Who is financing "Jews for Jesus"?] (faqs.org) * {{PDFlink|[http://blog.searchenginewatch.com/blog/pdf/jj_google_suit.pdf Complaint in lawsuit against Google over Blogspot subdomain]|1.46&nbsp;[[Mebibyte|MiB]]<!-- application/pdf, 1531566 bytes -->}} * [http://judaism.about.com/library/3_askrabbi_c/bl_jesus.htm Why don't Jews accept Jesus as the Messiah?] by Rabbi Barry Dov Lerner (about.com) * [http://www.bocaratonnews.com/index.php?src=news&category=LOCAL%20NEWS&prid=6689 County Jewish organizations protest evangelical attempt] by Steven Reiskind (Boca Raton News) [[November 5]], [[2003]] * [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?apage=1&cid=1150885948447&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull Jews for Jesus campaign targets NY Jews] by Gal Beckerman ([[July 10]], [[2006]]) [[Jerusalem Post]] * [http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/holy_hell_over_subway_jesus_regionalnews_jeremy_olshan___transit_reporter.htm Holy Hell Over Subway 'jesus' Ad Blitz Targets Jews] By Jeremy Olshan (New York Post) [[July 7]], [[2006]] [[Category:Christian evangelicalism]] [[Category:Jews and Judaism-related controversies]] [[Category:Jews for Jesus| ]] [[Category:Jewish Christians]] [[fr:Juifs pour Jésus]] [[it:Ebrei per Gesù]] [[lt:Žydai už Jėzų]] [[pt:Jews for Jesus]] [[ru:Евреи за Иисуса]] [[yi:זשוס פאר זשיסעס]]