Jews for Jesus-not what I thought
I really do try to be accepting of other religions and understand that pediphiliac priests, terrorist/female beating Muslims, Mormans abusing their wives, and pediphiliac hare krishnas are an exception to generally good groups of people. I sort of mind loud preaching on the streets and trains, but not more than I appreciate freedom of assembly and speech, and even the doorbell ringing Christian Missionaries are better than those darn Chinese menus that stack up under my door. The Catholic Church does the most incredible charity work though I'm not sure how I feel about the idea of "We'll feed you, medicate you, cloth you, shelter you, and rebuild your cities water and maybe electric included - just help us put up this church and accept Jesus first" missionary style in third world countries, and Jews have funded schools and chabad houses set up to make other Jews more observant, but it's far better than converting people by the sword like Christians, Muslims, and Pagans did for centuries.
I may make fun of Madonna's LA style Kabbalah and Christian Science/Scientology though I do not really mind them as long as I'm not forced to hear a sales pitch. Also it's nice that these money-requesting groups target the richer rather than poorer.
And now for my BIG BUT--But "Jews" for Jesus is pisses me off. They are really quite offensive and I am not angry or writing this because I am a Jew. I wouldn't write this just because their faith is different than mine, I am really angry and ranting because they are taking people's money and using it for psycholgoical propoganda in a way that is very different than just sharing why Jesus is good and why everyone should love him. Their literature reads much more like a cult's than any Christian Missionary.
Believing that Jews are for Jesus is, of course, not so popular, not Jewish and not Christian. Still, I use to think JFJ were just a little silly/new-age SF creation, but really just like any other newer evangelical Christianity like Mormonism. Then, a few weeks ago, this womens center called, Ohr Naava, that I go to made a special presentation by Rabbi Singer, a speaker and anti-Jewish threat group activist, who had some very nasty things to say about Jews for Jesus. He said that they go to nursing homes and prey on those without family to will the organization their money, that they prey on Holocaust survivors-especially those who are not big on G-d for obvious reasons, as well as other emotionally distressed people like drug users, broken-home teens, etc. That didn't sound nice and I don't like any religion that takes money to use only to bring in more people. That is a cult, or any gambling game, pyramid scheme, or usually illegal practice that takes advantage of people in desperate situations. Religion can really be a positive comfort, but what is the point when all the religion is, is to prey on people's money? It is one thing to fund raise to really help people who are starving and need medicine or clean drinking water even if they talk the poor, poor person's ears off about conversion, but influencing people to give money just to use it to try and make more Jews accept Jesus as their messiah is just stupid. If you belong to a church/temple and want a pretty stained glass window or parking lot or whatever and those things attract members that is fine and a lot of Christian type missionary money does go to getting converts but at least some of it really helps people. Jesus for Jesus just seemed to try and make Jews who are otherwise happy being the sort of Jew they are and make them feel badly about not accepting Jesus. What's the point? Still, I thought the speaker was going overboard and just preaching against them because this job is to protect Judiasm. I am use to this. The synagogue I grew up with was always feeding us anti-cult and anti-Christian Missionary education, because they said reform Jews are overly suseptable to these things in college, and duh, we lived in San Francisco.
I went home to the Internet fully prepared to see that the speaker exagerated, and basically used the same persuasive tactics to make us report JFJ activity to his outreach group, that he accused JFJ of doing to Jews. I was mistaken. They actually have a single mission on their homepage, "We exist to make the Messiahship of Jesus an unaviodable issue to our Jewish people worldwide." And the scary thing is that their site has become much more professional looking and far more distrubing than it was when I went there a month ago. First of all I'm not sure why a religion needs a mission statement and such an existance! Profit companies, lobbying groups, special interest groups, goverment, charities, awareness organizations, and those type of things have mission statements. Judeo-Christian religions are about being closer to G-d and generally being better people, Buddism is about insight, other religions appease their gods, and so on but even though religions may try to convert others and some do so very actively it isn't exactly Christianity's mission statement to try and convert all the sinners, it may be part of it, but they work on themselves too in community enhancing ways. That is literally all Jews for Jesus is about. Their whole website is a mixture of the Christian Bible and the Torah translated in their own sketchy way and quoted to make it look like Jews should love Jesus!
The speaker at Orh Naava told us that they were doing the special presentation, because for the first time ever Jews for Jesus was targeting orthodox Jews, of course, specificaly in New York. (Believe it or not Israel will not let them past immigration if they catch them. They say it's for their own safety, because they aren't exactly loved in Israel, but the truth is Israel doesn't exactly need a reason to discriminate. They don't have sexual harrassment laws, money laundering, certain copyright laws, search and seisure, the same freedom of speech or religion laws, only Jews and Drus can/have to serve in the army, etc. It's just different.) Anyway, I didn't really believe the speaker until Reuben and my co-worker got pamphlets in the mail with offers for free DVDs, and NY1 reported that the JFJ ran a paid advertisement in the New York Times made to look like an article. This other NY Times article confirms their NYC campaign and quotes their budget at 1.4 million with 200 members being flown in. One member says ''I could either be open to learning about this and discovering whether it was true and unite my family, or I would lose my family,'' I have no doubt this is a cult!
Looking at the website I'm starting to see the targeted campaign clearly. The site has drastically changed since I looked a month ago and become very weird as well as scary. The "What's New?" section has become the "See what's nu?" section as in "Nu" the Yiddish or Hebrew (I don't know which or maybe its both) word without an exact translation, but basically used when someone isn't answering your question or informally used as a greeting as in "nu?" = "so tell me about your life and answer all the questions I'm impatient to ask". The mission statement became a "statement of faith" including how they integrate the new and old testiments which is much better written than their old "getting Jews to recognize Jesus as the messiah and putting born Jews and those married to Jews on the front lines." I swear that is exactly what it use to say. You can still find the statement in their "core values", it isn't less obvious now just written as less of a turn-off for Jews, I guess. It is also implied that members should aim to marry and convert Jews in either order. They post financial reports showing over six and a half million dollars being spent soley on propaganda in one year. There is now far more Hebrew, Jewish holiday, Jewish lifecycle, etc information on the new www.jewsforjesus.org site created "in honor of their 30th anniversary," than on the original www.jewsforjesus.com. Okay, so they still just seem pointless and silly, but if you click around a bit they get pretty scary, as in teaching people how to speak to Jews in psycologically munipulative ways including the use of testimonies by holocaust surviors.
The pamphlet "Pointers on Witnessing to Jews" includes the following statements:
...you're probably interested in sharing your faith in Y'shua (Jesus) with Jewish people! Maybe you have a Jewish neighbor…or friend, or classmate, or even a Jewish relative. Or maybe you just want to be prepared for the next time you meet a Jewish person.
Most Jews also think that the opposite of Jewish is Christian and so for them to consider Jesus is problematic because it means considering losing their Jewish identity. Therefore in witnessing to Jewish people about Jesus it is important to stress that they do not need to give up their identity as Jews in order to embrace Jesus as Messiah.
Myth: I can just invite my Jewish friend to my church.
Fact: Many Jewish people might be hesitant to attend church. There is no substitute for you personally sharing your faith.
When witnessing to a Jewish person, remember: Be prayerfully persistent. Don't be put off if you receive a negative reaction at first. In Fact, you should expect it. Keep looking for opportunities.
The "Judaism Profile" states:
Notice that there is no equivalent to evangelical Christianity, emphasizing a personal relationship with God. Orthodox Judaism is sometimes mistaken for this, but it is more concerned with living according to the traditional understandings than with a personal relationship with God. [very wrong]
It is possible to be an atheist and yet an Orthodox Jew! [not really!]
What one believes about God, sin, or the afterlife is not nearly as important as living a proper life here and now, as defined by the branch to which one belongs. [and it is better to spend 6.5 million dollars a year trying to make people NOT concentrate on living a proper life, here and now?! WTF!]
Some Jewish people prefer the term the "Hebrew Bible" so as not to imply that they accord any validity to the idea of a "new" covenant in contrast to an "old" one.
[because it’s funny]
Pronounced most often in the U.S. as "Yum Kipper" to rhyme with "some slipper."
Sukkot or Sukkos. Most often pronounced to rhyme with "took us."
Hanukkah. Most often pronounced to rhyme with the name, "Veronica."…
[this makes no sense] Characterized by lighting a menorah (lampstand) over a period of eight days, spinning the dreidel (a top-rhymes with "wait'll you see this"), and eating potato pancakes called latkes (rhymes with "pot kiss").
Shavuot or Shavuos. Most often pronounced to rhyme with "ya knew us."
[they are teaching these terms to communicate with would be converts and not learning them as part of a religion!]
If invited to a seder, accept the invitation! The service is easy to follow in the Haggadah, and the food is great.
[again, if Judaism and Jewish traditions are part of their religion wouldn't they know about seders?!]
If you have a Jewish co-worker, it would be thoughtful to say before inviting him or her to lunch, "We're going to lunch, but I thought you might be fasting for Yom Kippur-or else you're welcome to join us." This shows that you know and recognize that he or she is Jewish.
[And it goes on with propaganda advice.]
"Christ" is Greek for "Messiah." You can further underscore the Jewishness of what you believe by explaining that by believing in Jesus, you came to believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the three patriarchs of the book of Genesis.
[Why would "Jews" underscore Jewishness ever?]
To a Jewish person, Gentiles can seem puritanical in dress and behavior, subdued in interpersonal communication, overly conservative in politics and lifestyle. Church services differ considerably from synagogue services, and church hymns are much different than the haunting chant of a cantor or the jazzy sound of an East European klezmer band.
[haunting?! are we all ghosts like Jesus?]
A Jewish friend needs to be encouraged that in following Jesus, he or she does not abandon Jewish identity.
The “Judaism Profile” includes a section called “Some Things to Avoid in Witnessing Situations”
I know you are probably beyond bored and skimming but, really, the language is pretty scary and its important to know a group, considered a religion by US law is writing this stuff.
First, avoid Christian jargon in general. Some Christians speak in a language that carries little meaning for the unchurched: "the precious blood of our Lord Jesus Christ," "saved" and "born again"
"The Jews" or "you Jews" sounds anti-Semitic…[no shit!] It is better to say "the Jewish people." "A Jewish man" is better than "a Jew."
If you refer to "Jewish money" or "Jewish control of the media," you may well be harboring anti-Semitic attitudes.
[They have to teach this to "Jews"?!]
It is best to avoid the terms "missionaries" or "mission." They tend to connote…those who are paid to "snatch Jewish souls."
[They aren't paid but manipulated to snatch money for this "mission"]
"The cross" symbolizes persecution for many Jews. It is better to speak about "the death of Jesus." "Convert" also implies leaving behind one's Jewishness.
Some suggest replacing the name "Jesus" with the Hebrew equivalent of "Y'shua."… it is preferable to speak of "the Messiah Jesus" rather than "Jesus Christ."
Finally, Jewish people enjoy telling Jewish jokes to one another, but a non-Jew should not do so.
It is really funny, but also kind of scary that this material is used to train Jews for Jesus members who supposedly should know these things, I mean, they are trying to say they are observant Jews who recognize Jesus as the messiah. Instead they are just puppets trained to get Jews to be like them. I can’t believe they put actual instructions on how to pretend to be something else.
This post is long enough so I’ll cut the step-by-step instructions for converting Jews which includes their "scriputual" obligation to convert Jews, initiating contact, questioning Jewish belief, responding to objection, and how they'll be rewarded if they do so. They really are a cult and nothing like that nice commune-cult on Veronica (rhymns with Hanukah) Mars. Ha!
Some Things to Do in Witnessing Situations
Witness to Friends Who Are Jewish
It is a good idea to witness primarily to Jewish people with whom you've established a friendship. You can ascertain if a friend is Jewish by the holidays he or she observes, or perhaps by whether he or she wears a Star of David around his or her neck as jewelry, and often by the surname. Then, it is important that you let the person know that you know he or she is Jewish. This is best done not by directly telling them, but in relationship-building ways such as sending Jewish holiday greeting cards at the appropriate time (see the chart on the Jewish holidays). Doing this not only clears the ground by letting the person know you recognize that they are Jewish, but it is also a good way to continue to cultivate a friendship with someone Jewish.
Move to Spiritual Topics
Generally, we can be bolder in witnessing to a friend than to a stranger.
Often a holiday season is an excellent time to initiate a witnessing conversation. You might ask your Jewish friend to tell you something about what his or her Passover was like, or about Hanukkah.
Then you might try to initiate a conversation. This should be done in a way that is natural for you. One way that works for some is by saying something surprising yet direct and then following it up with a question: "As a Christian, I'm discovering that our faith is basically Jewish. I guess you could say that I believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Why do you suppose it's mostly Gentiles who believe in Him even though Christianity is basically Jewish?" Let him or her respond and lead into a conversation.
Jewish people frequently employ humor in discussing spiritual matters, so you could say something like, "We just had Easter which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus. Since we believe He rose from the dead and is still living, do you suppose we can say that He is the oldest Jewish person alive?"
If the chemistry of your relationship with a Jewish person is right, you can offer a challenge: "Let me ask you something. I believe in Jesus and you don't. And as Christians, we think we should be telling everyone about God and about Jesus. If you were me, how would you talk to (a basically non-religious person like yourself, an Orthodox Jewish man like yourself, an atheist like yourself) about the Bible and Jesus?"
These are not persuasive statements, but remarks and questions designed to be an invitation. The person might respond by saying, "It would be impossible for me to believe in Jesus," or "I don't want to talk about that." Accept the answer, and if they are not willing to hear more, don't proceed. (If asked, however, it is appropriate to explain why it is that Christians consider it important to tell others about God.) On the other hand, you may encounter curiosity and a desire to hear more.
Use a Jewish Frame of Reference
If you receive a positive response, you can continue to talk about the Gospel in a Jewish frame of reference. For example, you can tell a Jewish friend how, when Jesus observed-a more Jewish expression than "celebrated"-the Last Supper, it was really a Passover seder. Although the ceremony has been expanded since the time of Jesus, the disciples and Jesus observed what was at that time the full order of service for Passover night (Luke 22:7-20).
One of the parts that was added after the destruction of the Temple in A.D. 70 has to do with the three unleavened wafers (matzo) (see Rosen, Christ in the Passover). The three wafers are placed in a silk container called a matzo tash, which has three compartments, one for each wafer. Or, they are stacked on a plate with napkins separating them and covered with a cloth. The three wafers symbolize unity.
During the course of the ceremony, the host removes the middle wafer from the silk bag, breaks it in half, and puts one of the halves back in the matzo tash. He then wraps the other half in a napkin, puts it in another white silk bag, and hides it. This hidden wafer is called aphikomen ("after dish" or "that which comes last").1 After the meal, the children make a game of looking for the aphikomen while the parents guide them. When found, the host breaks the wafer and distributes the pieces to ;left:68the others, who eat the wafer with an attitude of reverence.
Ask your Jewish friend why the middle wafer is removed and not one of the others. Why is it broken? Also, why hide it and then bring it back into the ceremony later?
Could it be that this ceremony is more than what the contemporary seder depicts it to be, more than a game? Perhaps it conveys something that most Jewish people do not see. Remarkably, it graphically illustrates the Messiah, that He would have to die (breaking the wafer; Ps. 22; Isa. 53; Dan. 9), be buried (hiding the wafer), and rise from the dead (bringing the wafer back; Job 19:25; Ps. 16:10; Rosen, 1978, 92).
While the Last Supper was indeed an observation of the Passover seder, Jesus was also implementing something new. Luke reports that Jesus "took bread, gave thanks and broke it, ;left:68and gave it to them, saying, 'This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me'" (Luke 22:19, emphasis added). God had initially instituted the Passover seder to serve as an annual reminder of how He had redeemed the people of Israel from their bitter slavery in Egypt. Jesus was now saying, though, that they should break the bread "in remembrance of me!" Jesus was indicating that, while the Passover was intended to celebrate how God had won Israel's redemption from slavery to Egypt, so it was now to also signify the redemption from our slavery to sin that was about to be accomplished through His substitutionary death.
Or, as another way to put things in a Jewish frame of reference, when you speak about sin, you may find a more positive reception during the time of the High Holy Days (see chart of holidays, page five), when most Jewish people, even non-religious ones, attend the synagogue and recite the prayers asking God for forgiveness. Although a Jewish person may try to brush off the idea of sin at other times of the year, most Jews are willing to give it a bit more thought at Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, when Jewish people ask God for forgiveness of any sins committed during the previous year.
Be Clear on Foundational Doctrines
The Gospel is based on the understanding that we are sinners in need of salvation from a savior. These three concepts-sin, salvation, and savior-are foreign to most Jewish people, however, and need to be properly conveyed (see also the "Three Branches" chart).
Sin: Jewish people think of sin in terms of individual deeds, not as a deep-seated characteristic of humankind. The label "sinner" is thought to apply only to notoriously decadent and evil people. You need to point out that all people sin (1 Kings 8:46), using the various biblical analogies. Even the great King David confessed his sin (see Psalm 51). Sin is falling short of the goal, like someone knowing they should be showing love to their chil- dren but are never quite able to do it, or someone who aims to succeed in business but doesn't quite get there. Sin is the spiritual equivalent of not meeting the goals God has set for us in relating to Him or others (see Romans 3:23). Sin is also like a disease that we need healing from. It is spiritual cancer or AIDS. It is also spiritual pollution that destroys us like smog destroys the ozone layer. Ultimately, sin is going our own way in defi- ance of God. Sin separates us from knowing and serving God.
Salvation: Salvation is another foreign term to most Jewish people. A common objection is, "Jews don't believe in salvation." What is meant is that, "You Christians think we need to be saved from hell in the afterlife, but we Jews are concerned about how to live right here and now." A helpful entrée is to talk about "redemption" instead of "salvation." This is a term familiar to many from the Passover seder. You can explain that as God freed the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, so he wants to free us from the slavery to sin in our own lives (Matt. 20:28; Tit. 2:14).
Savior: This is the third term not understood by Jewish people. It can be helpful to speak of a "redeemer" instead of Savior and certainly to use the term "Messiah."
Putting it together: So rather than stating that "Jesus came to shed His blood to save us from our sins and be our Savior," you can convey that "Jesus came to be our Messiah and Redeemer. 6;left:68His death was an atonement for our sins."
[Then comes a chart with helpful passages to reference showing how Jesus "fufilled" Torah prophecies.]
Responding to Objections
Undoubtedly the time will come when a Jewish friend will put up objections to the Gospel. In many cases, objections are not thought-out. Raising objections can therefore be a reflex action. They may also represent an "official line" rather than a personally held viewpoint.
"Christians believe in three gods but Jews believe in one God."
Even an atheist can raise this objection! What is meant may be no more than, "Our religion teaches one God. So even though I do not believe in God, if I did, that is the kind of God I would believe in." Jewish people understand the Trinity to somehow imply multiple gods. You can simply affirm that you believe that God is One, and point out that Jesus Himself quoted the Sh'ma (the statement of God's oneness in Deut. 6:4, quoted in Mark 12:29). If your friend pursues the topic by saying, "I just don't see how God could be three in one-it doesn't make any sense," a light response will often answer the question better than an extended theological discourse. For example, you could try saying, "God is bigger than you and me and we'll never fully understand Him." This will deflect the conversation from becoming a fruitless discussion of an objection that is being raised more as a smokescreen than out of any real conviction.
"There's no proof that Jesus was the Messiah."
This is typically a stereotyped response; the person may never have investigated any of the reasons for faith. Rather than initiate a long argument complete with all kinds of evidence, you might start by asking, "What kind of proof would convince you?" That will raise more specific questions and objections in their mind.
"If Jesus is the Messiah, why isn't there peace on earth?"
One answer is that we need to have peace in our hearts before there can be peace on earth. Suppose God suddenly declared all wars to cease but that people remained the same. In a short time, we would have the world back again to the way it is now. Put the burden on your friend by replying: "If you seek peace in your own heart first through Jesus, then you can do your part to help make the world a better place."
"How can you believe in God after all the persecution we've been through, not to mention the Holocaust? And it was Christians who did it!"
People can misuse anything, even the Gospel. Tyrants misuse freedom and justice. That doesn't make freedom and justice any less important to seek after. As for persecution, that goes all the way back to Pharaoh in Egypt, who obviously was not a Christian. There was persecution even then, and still the Jewish people believed in God.
"The New Testament is anti-Semitic."
Ask which parts and which passages. Often a person will not be able to point to anything specific. Sometimes a Jewish person will have in mind certain harsh-sounding passages in the Gospel of John and other places, such as John 8:44 or 1 Thessalonians 2:14-16. You can point out that this was the manner of speaking of the prophets of Israel. Isaiah 1 furnishes a good example. Then you should point out that Jesus was not being anti-Semitic but was saddened at the sins of people (referring to all, not just to Jewish people). You can cite the passage at which Jesus weeps over Jerusalem, Matthew 23:37-39. Point out that you feel similarly about Gentiles who do not turn to God. All have sinned, and God's response to sin is the same for all people.
"Jews don't proselytize."
This objection usually means, "I don't think people should push their beliefs on others. We Jews don't, and you Christians shouldn't either." You can point out that Isaiah said Israel was to be a light to the nations (Isaiah 42:6; 49:6).2 Moreover, you can say that you don't believe in forcing religion on anyone either, but you have always found that discussion and persuasion are part of any friendship.
"I'm happy with my own religion."
You can appropriately respond, "It's OK if you don't want to talk about spiritual things, but just remember that the goal of life is not to be happy but to know God. Sometimes what I believe makes me sad because it asks things of me that others might not do. We shouldn't believe in anything because it makes us happy, but because it's true. Ultimately, though, knowing the truth about God will bring us complete and lasting happiness and joy."
"If Jesus was the Messiah, why don't the rabbis believe in Him?"
The answer is, because he wouldn't be allowed to be a rabbi much longer! With the kind of community responsibility and weight that a rabbi has, not many rabbis will allow themselves the freedom to ask if Jesus might be the Messiah.
Conclusion
Above all, be encouraged that many Jewish believers in Jesus have come to faith through the loving witness of a Gentile Christian. God can and will use you as you seek to become more familiar with Jewish things and to open up the Gospel to your Jewish friends. The following resources can be a great help.
I know no one reading this would ever waste their time or money, but I guess I needed to rant. Everything they write is belittling and not at all respectful to Jews and that offends me and it should offend everyone that this joke of a "religion" is not treated like the psycolgoical cult that it is. I was really suprised to learn these things. They have the audacity to use Holocaust surviors as testimony and use the crisis in the middle east (Why There is No Peace) on their video page. Everything about them (and I belive most of their members are victums) is disgusting!
I may make fun of Madonna's LA style Kabbalah and Christian Science/Scientology though I do not really mind them as long as I'm not forced to hear a sales pitch. Also it's nice that these money-requesting groups target the richer rather than poorer.
And now for my BIG BUT--But "Jews" for Jesus is pisses me off. They are really quite offensive and I am not angry or writing this because I am a Jew. I wouldn't write this just because their faith is different than mine, I am really angry and ranting because they are taking people's money and using it for psycholgoical propoganda in a way that is very different than just sharing why Jesus is good and why everyone should love him. Their literature reads much more like a cult's than any Christian Missionary.
Believing that Jews are for Jesus is, of course, not so popular, not Jewish and not Christian. Still, I use to think JFJ were just a little silly/new-age SF creation, but really just like any other newer evangelical Christianity like Mormonism. Then, a few weeks ago, this womens center called, Ohr Naava, that I go to made a special presentation by Rabbi Singer, a speaker and anti-Jewish threat group activist, who had some very nasty things to say about Jews for Jesus. He said that they go to nursing homes and prey on those without family to will the organization their money, that they prey on Holocaust survivors-especially those who are not big on G-d for obvious reasons, as well as other emotionally distressed people like drug users, broken-home teens, etc. That didn't sound nice and I don't like any religion that takes money to use only to bring in more people. That is a cult, or any gambling game, pyramid scheme, or usually illegal practice that takes advantage of people in desperate situations. Religion can really be a positive comfort, but what is the point when all the religion is, is to prey on people's money? It is one thing to fund raise to really help people who are starving and need medicine or clean drinking water even if they talk the poor, poor person's ears off about conversion, but influencing people to give money just to use it to try and make more Jews accept Jesus as their messiah is just stupid. If you belong to a church/temple and want a pretty stained glass window or parking lot or whatever and those things attract members that is fine and a lot of Christian type missionary money does go to getting converts but at least some of it really helps people. Jesus for Jesus just seemed to try and make Jews who are otherwise happy being the sort of Jew they are and make them feel badly about not accepting Jesus. What's the point? Still, I thought the speaker was going overboard and just preaching against them because this job is to protect Judiasm. I am use to this. The synagogue I grew up with was always feeding us anti-cult and anti-Christian Missionary education, because they said reform Jews are overly suseptable to these things in college, and duh, we lived in San Francisco.
I went home to the Internet fully prepared to see that the speaker exagerated, and basically used the same persuasive tactics to make us report JFJ activity to his outreach group, that he accused JFJ of doing to Jews. I was mistaken. They actually have a single mission on their homepage, "We exist to make the Messiahship of Jesus an unaviodable issue to our Jewish people worldwide." And the scary thing is that their site has become much more professional looking and far more distrubing than it was when I went there a month ago. First of all I'm not sure why a religion needs a mission statement and such an existance! Profit companies, lobbying groups, special interest groups, goverment, charities, awareness organizations, and those type of things have mission statements. Judeo-Christian religions are about being closer to G-d and generally being better people, Buddism is about insight, other religions appease their gods, and so on but even though religions may try to convert others and some do so very actively it isn't exactly Christianity's mission statement to try and convert all the sinners, it may be part of it, but they work on themselves too in community enhancing ways. That is literally all Jews for Jesus is about. Their whole website is a mixture of the Christian Bible and the Torah translated in their own sketchy way and quoted to make it look like Jews should love Jesus!
The speaker at Orh Naava told us that they were doing the special presentation, because for the first time ever Jews for Jesus was targeting orthodox Jews, of course, specificaly in New York. (Believe it or not Israel will not let them past immigration if they catch them. They say it's for their own safety, because they aren't exactly loved in Israel, but the truth is Israel doesn't exactly need a reason to discriminate. They don't have sexual harrassment laws, money laundering, certain copyright laws, search and seisure, the same freedom of speech or religion laws, only Jews and Drus can/have to serve in the army, etc. It's just different.) Anyway, I didn't really believe the speaker until Reuben and my co-worker got pamphlets in the mail with offers for free DVDs, and NY1 reported that the JFJ ran a paid advertisement in the New York Times made to look like an article. This other NY Times article confirms their NYC campaign and quotes their budget at 1.4 million with 200 members being flown in. One member says ''I could either be open to learning about this and discovering whether it was true and unite my family, or I would lose my family,'' I have no doubt this is a cult!
Looking at the website I'm starting to see the targeted campaign clearly. The site has drastically changed since I looked a month ago and become very weird as well as scary. The "What's New?" section has become the "See what's nu?" section as in "Nu" the Yiddish or Hebrew (I don't know which or maybe its both) word without an exact translation, but basically used when someone isn't answering your question or informally used as a greeting as in "nu?" = "so tell me about your life and answer all the questions I'm impatient to ask". The mission statement became a "statement of faith" including how they integrate the new and old testiments which is much better written than their old "getting Jews to recognize Jesus as the messiah and putting born Jews and those married to Jews on the front lines." I swear that is exactly what it use to say. You can still find the statement in their "core values", it isn't less obvious now just written as less of a turn-off for Jews, I guess. It is also implied that members should aim to marry and convert Jews in either order. They post financial reports showing over six and a half million dollars being spent soley on propaganda in one year. There is now far more Hebrew, Jewish holiday, Jewish lifecycle, etc information on the new www.jewsforjesus.org site created "in honor of their 30th anniversary," than on the original www.jewsforjesus.com. Okay, so they still just seem pointless and silly, but if you click around a bit they get pretty scary, as in teaching people how to speak to Jews in psycologically munipulative ways including the use of testimonies by holocaust surviors.
The pamphlet "Pointers on Witnessing to Jews" includes the following statements:
...you're probably interested in sharing your faith in Y'shua (Jesus) with Jewish people! Maybe you have a Jewish neighbor…or friend, or classmate, or even a Jewish relative. Or maybe you just want to be prepared for the next time you meet a Jewish person.
Most Jews also think that the opposite of Jewish is Christian and so for them to consider Jesus is problematic because it means considering losing their Jewish identity. Therefore in witnessing to Jewish people about Jesus it is important to stress that they do not need to give up their identity as Jews in order to embrace Jesus as Messiah.
Myth: I can just invite my Jewish friend to my church.
Fact: Many Jewish people might be hesitant to attend church. There is no substitute for you personally sharing your faith.
When witnessing to a Jewish person, remember: Be prayerfully persistent. Don't be put off if you receive a negative reaction at first. In Fact, you should expect it. Keep looking for opportunities.
The "Judaism Profile" states:
Notice that there is no equivalent to evangelical Christianity, emphasizing a personal relationship with God. Orthodox Judaism is sometimes mistaken for this, but it is more concerned with living according to the traditional understandings than with a personal relationship with God. [very wrong]
It is possible to be an atheist and yet an Orthodox Jew! [not really!]
What one believes about God, sin, or the afterlife is not nearly as important as living a proper life here and now, as defined by the branch to which one belongs. [and it is better to spend 6.5 million dollars a year trying to make people NOT concentrate on living a proper life, here and now?! WTF!]
Some Jewish people prefer the term the "Hebrew Bible" so as not to imply that they accord any validity to the idea of a "new" covenant in contrast to an "old" one.
[because it’s funny]
Pronounced most often in the U.S. as "Yum Kipper" to rhyme with "some slipper."
Sukkot or Sukkos. Most often pronounced to rhyme with "took us."
Hanukkah. Most often pronounced to rhyme with the name, "Veronica."…
[this makes no sense] Characterized by lighting a menorah (lampstand) over a period of eight days, spinning the dreidel (a top-rhymes with "wait'll you see this"), and eating potato pancakes called latkes (rhymes with "pot kiss").
Shavuot or Shavuos. Most often pronounced to rhyme with "ya knew us."
[they are teaching these terms to communicate with would be converts and not learning them as part of a religion!]
If invited to a seder, accept the invitation! The service is easy to follow in the Haggadah, and the food is great.
[again, if Judaism and Jewish traditions are part of their religion wouldn't they know about seders?!]
If you have a Jewish co-worker, it would be thoughtful to say before inviting him or her to lunch, "We're going to lunch, but I thought you might be fasting for Yom Kippur-or else you're welcome to join us." This shows that you know and recognize that he or she is Jewish.
[And it goes on with propaganda advice.]
"Christ" is Greek for "Messiah." You can further underscore the Jewishness of what you believe by explaining that by believing in Jesus, you came to believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the three patriarchs of the book of Genesis.
[Why would "Jews" underscore Jewishness ever?]
To a Jewish person, Gentiles can seem puritanical in dress and behavior, subdued in interpersonal communication, overly conservative in politics and lifestyle. Church services differ considerably from synagogue services, and church hymns are much different than the haunting chant of a cantor or the jazzy sound of an East European klezmer band.
[haunting?! are we all ghosts like Jesus?]
A Jewish friend needs to be encouraged that in following Jesus, he or she does not abandon Jewish identity.
The “Judaism Profile” includes a section called “Some Things to Avoid in Witnessing Situations”
I know you are probably beyond bored and skimming but, really, the language is pretty scary and its important to know a group, considered a religion by US law is writing this stuff.
First, avoid Christian jargon in general. Some Christians speak in a language that carries little meaning for the unchurched: "the precious blood of our Lord Jesus Christ," "saved" and "born again"
"The Jews" or "you Jews" sounds anti-Semitic…[no shit!] It is better to say "the Jewish people." "A Jewish man" is better than "a Jew."
If you refer to "Jewish money" or "Jewish control of the media," you may well be harboring anti-Semitic attitudes.
[They have to teach this to "Jews"?!]
It is best to avoid the terms "missionaries" or "mission." They tend to connote…those who are paid to "snatch Jewish souls."
[They aren't paid but manipulated to snatch money for this "mission"]
"The cross" symbolizes persecution for many Jews. It is better to speak about "the death of Jesus." "Convert" also implies leaving behind one's Jewishness.
Some suggest replacing the name "Jesus" with the Hebrew equivalent of "Y'shua."… it is preferable to speak of "the Messiah Jesus" rather than "Jesus Christ."
Finally, Jewish people enjoy telling Jewish jokes to one another, but a non-Jew should not do so.
It is really funny, but also kind of scary that this material is used to train Jews for Jesus members who supposedly should know these things, I mean, they are trying to say they are observant Jews who recognize Jesus as the messiah. Instead they are just puppets trained to get Jews to be like them. I can’t believe they put actual instructions on how to pretend to be something else.
This post is long enough so I’ll cut the step-by-step instructions for converting Jews which includes their "scriputual" obligation to convert Jews, initiating contact, questioning Jewish belief, responding to objection, and how they'll be rewarded if they do so. They really are a cult and nothing like that nice commune-cult on Veronica (rhymns with Hanukah) Mars. Ha!
Some Things to Do in Witnessing Situations
Witness to Friends Who Are Jewish
It is a good idea to witness primarily to Jewish people with whom you've established a friendship. You can ascertain if a friend is Jewish by the holidays he or she observes, or perhaps by whether he or she wears a Star of David around his or her neck as jewelry, and often by the surname. Then, it is important that you let the person know that you know he or she is Jewish. This is best done not by directly telling them, but in relationship-building ways such as sending Jewish holiday greeting cards at the appropriate time (see the chart on the Jewish holidays). Doing this not only clears the ground by letting the person know you recognize that they are Jewish, but it is also a good way to continue to cultivate a friendship with someone Jewish.
Move to Spiritual Topics
Generally, we can be bolder in witnessing to a friend than to a stranger.
Often a holiday season is an excellent time to initiate a witnessing conversation. You might ask your Jewish friend to tell you something about what his or her Passover was like, or about Hanukkah.
Then you might try to initiate a conversation. This should be done in a way that is natural for you. One way that works for some is by saying something surprising yet direct and then following it up with a question: "As a Christian, I'm discovering that our faith is basically Jewish. I guess you could say that I believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Why do you suppose it's mostly Gentiles who believe in Him even though Christianity is basically Jewish?" Let him or her respond and lead into a conversation.
Jewish people frequently employ humor in discussing spiritual matters, so you could say something like, "We just had Easter which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus. Since we believe He rose from the dead and is still living, do you suppose we can say that He is the oldest Jewish person alive?"
If the chemistry of your relationship with a Jewish person is right, you can offer a challenge: "Let me ask you something. I believe in Jesus and you don't. And as Christians, we think we should be telling everyone about God and about Jesus. If you were me, how would you talk to (a basically non-religious person like yourself, an Orthodox Jewish man like yourself, an atheist like yourself) about the Bible and Jesus?"
These are not persuasive statements, but remarks and questions designed to be an invitation. The person might respond by saying, "It would be impossible for me to believe in Jesus," or "I don't want to talk about that." Accept the answer, and if they are not willing to hear more, don't proceed. (If asked, however, it is appropriate to explain why it is that Christians consider it important to tell others about God.) On the other hand, you may encounter curiosity and a desire to hear more.
Use a Jewish Frame of Reference
If you receive a positive response, you can continue to talk about the Gospel in a Jewish frame of reference. For example, you can tell a Jewish friend how, when Jesus observed-a more Jewish expression than "celebrated"-the Last Supper, it was really a Passover seder. Although the ceremony has been expanded since the time of Jesus, the disciples and Jesus observed what was at that time the full order of service for Passover night (Luke 22:7-20).
One of the parts that was added after the destruction of the Temple in A.D. 70 has to do with the three unleavened wafers (matzo) (see Rosen, Christ in the Passover). The three wafers are placed in a silk container called a matzo tash, which has three compartments, one for each wafer. Or, they are stacked on a plate with napkins separating them and covered with a cloth. The three wafers symbolize unity.
During the course of the ceremony, the host removes the middle wafer from the silk bag, breaks it in half, and puts one of the halves back in the matzo tash. He then wraps the other half in a napkin, puts it in another white silk bag, and hides it. This hidden wafer is called aphikomen ("after dish" or "that which comes last").1 After the meal, the children make a game of looking for the aphikomen while the parents guide them. When found, the host breaks the wafer and distributes the pieces to ;left:68the others, who eat the wafer with an attitude of reverence.
Ask your Jewish friend why the middle wafer is removed and not one of the others. Why is it broken? Also, why hide it and then bring it back into the ceremony later?
Could it be that this ceremony is more than what the contemporary seder depicts it to be, more than a game? Perhaps it conveys something that most Jewish people do not see. Remarkably, it graphically illustrates the Messiah, that He would have to die (breaking the wafer; Ps. 22; Isa. 53; Dan. 9), be buried (hiding the wafer), and rise from the dead (bringing the wafer back; Job 19:25; Ps. 16:10; Rosen, 1978, 92).
While the Last Supper was indeed an observation of the Passover seder, Jesus was also implementing something new. Luke reports that Jesus "took bread, gave thanks and broke it, ;left:68and gave it to them, saying, 'This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me'" (Luke 22:19, emphasis added). God had initially instituted the Passover seder to serve as an annual reminder of how He had redeemed the people of Israel from their bitter slavery in Egypt. Jesus was now saying, though, that they should break the bread "in remembrance of me!" Jesus was indicating that, while the Passover was intended to celebrate how God had won Israel's redemption from slavery to Egypt, so it was now to also signify the redemption from our slavery to sin that was about to be accomplished through His substitutionary death.
Or, as another way to put things in a Jewish frame of reference, when you speak about sin, you may find a more positive reception during the time of the High Holy Days (see chart of holidays, page five), when most Jewish people, even non-religious ones, attend the synagogue and recite the prayers asking God for forgiveness. Although a Jewish person may try to brush off the idea of sin at other times of the year, most Jews are willing to give it a bit more thought at Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, when Jewish people ask God for forgiveness of any sins committed during the previous year.
Be Clear on Foundational Doctrines
The Gospel is based on the understanding that we are sinners in need of salvation from a savior. These three concepts-sin, salvation, and savior-are foreign to most Jewish people, however, and need to be properly conveyed (see also the "Three Branches" chart).
Sin: Jewish people think of sin in terms of individual deeds, not as a deep-seated characteristic of humankind. The label "sinner" is thought to apply only to notoriously decadent and evil people. You need to point out that all people sin (1 Kings 8:46), using the various biblical analogies. Even the great King David confessed his sin (see Psalm 51). Sin is falling short of the goal, like someone knowing they should be showing love to their chil- dren but are never quite able to do it, or someone who aims to succeed in business but doesn't quite get there. Sin is the spiritual equivalent of not meeting the goals God has set for us in relating to Him or others (see Romans 3:23). Sin is also like a disease that we need healing from. It is spiritual cancer or AIDS. It is also spiritual pollution that destroys us like smog destroys the ozone layer. Ultimately, sin is going our own way in defi- ance of God. Sin separates us from knowing and serving God.
Salvation: Salvation is another foreign term to most Jewish people. A common objection is, "Jews don't believe in salvation." What is meant is that, "You Christians think we need to be saved from hell in the afterlife, but we Jews are concerned about how to live right here and now." A helpful entrée is to talk about "redemption" instead of "salvation." This is a term familiar to many from the Passover seder. You can explain that as God freed the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, so he wants to free us from the slavery to sin in our own lives (Matt. 20:28; Tit. 2:14).
Savior: This is the third term not understood by Jewish people. It can be helpful to speak of a "redeemer" instead of Savior and certainly to use the term "Messiah."
Putting it together: So rather than stating that "Jesus came to shed His blood to save us from our sins and be our Savior," you can convey that "Jesus came to be our Messiah and Redeemer. 6;left:68His death was an atonement for our sins."
[Then comes a chart with helpful passages to reference showing how Jesus "fufilled" Torah prophecies.]
Responding to Objections
Undoubtedly the time will come when a Jewish friend will put up objections to the Gospel. In many cases, objections are not thought-out. Raising objections can therefore be a reflex action. They may also represent an "official line" rather than a personally held viewpoint.
"Christians believe in three gods but Jews believe in one God."
Even an atheist can raise this objection! What is meant may be no more than, "Our religion teaches one God. So even though I do not believe in God, if I did, that is the kind of God I would believe in." Jewish people understand the Trinity to somehow imply multiple gods. You can simply affirm that you believe that God is One, and point out that Jesus Himself quoted the Sh'ma (the statement of God's oneness in Deut. 6:4, quoted in Mark 12:29). If your friend pursues the topic by saying, "I just don't see how God could be three in one-it doesn't make any sense," a light response will often answer the question better than an extended theological discourse. For example, you could try saying, "God is bigger than you and me and we'll never fully understand Him." This will deflect the conversation from becoming a fruitless discussion of an objection that is being raised more as a smokescreen than out of any real conviction.
"There's no proof that Jesus was the Messiah."
This is typically a stereotyped response; the person may never have investigated any of the reasons for faith. Rather than initiate a long argument complete with all kinds of evidence, you might start by asking, "What kind of proof would convince you?" That will raise more specific questions and objections in their mind.
"If Jesus is the Messiah, why isn't there peace on earth?"
One answer is that we need to have peace in our hearts before there can be peace on earth. Suppose God suddenly declared all wars to cease but that people remained the same. In a short time, we would have the world back again to the way it is now. Put the burden on your friend by replying: "If you seek peace in your own heart first through Jesus, then you can do your part to help make the world a better place."
"How can you believe in God after all the persecution we've been through, not to mention the Holocaust? And it was Christians who did it!"
People can misuse anything, even the Gospel. Tyrants misuse freedom and justice. That doesn't make freedom and justice any less important to seek after. As for persecution, that goes all the way back to Pharaoh in Egypt, who obviously was not a Christian. There was persecution even then, and still the Jewish people believed in God.
"The New Testament is anti-Semitic."
Ask which parts and which passages. Often a person will not be able to point to anything specific. Sometimes a Jewish person will have in mind certain harsh-sounding passages in the Gospel of John and other places, such as John 8:44 or 1 Thessalonians 2:14-16. You can point out that this was the manner of speaking of the prophets of Israel. Isaiah 1 furnishes a good example. Then you should point out that Jesus was not being anti-Semitic but was saddened at the sins of people (referring to all, not just to Jewish people). You can cite the passage at which Jesus weeps over Jerusalem, Matthew 23:37-39. Point out that you feel similarly about Gentiles who do not turn to God. All have sinned, and God's response to sin is the same for all people.
"Jews don't proselytize."
This objection usually means, "I don't think people should push their beliefs on others. We Jews don't, and you Christians shouldn't either." You can point out that Isaiah said Israel was to be a light to the nations (Isaiah 42:6; 49:6).2 Moreover, you can say that you don't believe in forcing religion on anyone either, but you have always found that discussion and persuasion are part of any friendship.
"I'm happy with my own religion."
You can appropriately respond, "It's OK if you don't want to talk about spiritual things, but just remember that the goal of life is not to be happy but to know God. Sometimes what I believe makes me sad because it asks things of me that others might not do. We shouldn't believe in anything because it makes us happy, but because it's true. Ultimately, though, knowing the truth about God will bring us complete and lasting happiness and joy."
"If Jesus was the Messiah, why don't the rabbis believe in Him?"
The answer is, because he wouldn't be allowed to be a rabbi much longer! With the kind of community responsibility and weight that a rabbi has, not many rabbis will allow themselves the freedom to ask if Jesus might be the Messiah.
Conclusion
Above all, be encouraged that many Jewish believers in Jesus have come to faith through the loving witness of a Gentile Christian. God can and will use you as you seek to become more familiar with Jewish things and to open up the Gospel to your Jewish friends. The following resources can be a great help.
I know no one reading this would ever waste their time or money, but I guess I needed to rant. Everything they write is belittling and not at all respectful to Jews and that offends me and it should offend everyone that this joke of a "religion" is not treated like the psycolgoical cult that it is. I was really suprised to learn these things. They have the audacity to use Holocaust surviors as testimony and use the crisis in the middle east (Why There is No Peace) on their video page. Everything about them (and I belive most of their members are victums) is disgusting!