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REPORT FROM
ISRAEL...
(What follows
is experts from a special report about missionary activity in
Israel written by Yad L’Achim, one of Israel’s premier Jewish
organizations, it is used with permission)
A GROWING CONCERN
The missionary movement
in Israel was not long ago regarded as a marginal element active
only in the fringes of Israeli society. However, it has quickly
become more established and professional, backed by large budgets
that are enabling it, through its enhanced financial and organizational
strength, to systematically ensnare thousands upon thousands
of naive citizens. The proliferation of missionaries in their
various organizations and branches is enabling them to propagandize
in a more intelligible, sophisticated and daring way, and thus
to win innocent Jews over to a belief in Jesus and the New Testament.
All this makes our struggle against them all the more difficult:
from keeping tabs on the alarming expansion of the phenomenon,
to locating the sophisticated missionaries themselves, who deceitfully
disguise their work..
Preventing their
activities, uncovering their true intentions and making the
public aware of them, are all part of a complicated program
that is demanding a hitherto unforeseen amount of extraordinary
financial backing.
There are over
5000 converts in over 38 congregations
These are spread
out between Tiberias and Eilat and number among them about 5000
members all supported by the most Fundamentalist Christian
organizations in the Western world.
Blessed with opulence,
the missionary organizations are able to use the latest and
most sophisticated PR methods to market their propaganda. First,
missionary personnel flood the country with outlets for literature,
illustrative and media material. This lays the ground and sets
up the atmosphere for personal missionary activity.
The missionaries
do not go about dressed in black and displaying a cross, but
rather as any other Jew, concealing the fact that they have
been baptized. The material they distribute will be full of
Jewish symbols, and esthetically produced by very creative publishers.
Among the most notable publishers of such material in Israel
are: Yanetz; Ramehah; Messianic Brotherhood Foundation; Emmaus;
Bible Society; etc. Publications include everything from dozens
of versions of the New Testament, to a messianic-Christian ketubah,
and a messianic Haggadah along with instructions and tools for
making a Seder!
IN JEWISH DISGUISE
An example of the
deceitful means used by messianic Jews to convert the Jewish
people is the publishing of books with titles like, "Repentance,"
or "A Prophet as Great as Moses," or "The Messiah in the Tanach
According to Chazal." The terms Tanach and Chazal are meant
to allay any suspicions the reader may have that the literature
might be of a missionary nature.
BUYING ADVERTISING
SPACE
Newspaper advertising
is another way missionaries "strike out" at their target audience.
(Their booklets and pamphlets are handed out by activists who
go door to door or stand on street corners, their shirts emblazoned
with the words, "Messianic Jews.")
Thus they took out
a full-page advertisement in the International Edition
of "The Jerusalem Post," sponsored by the Association of Messianic
Jews of America. A full-page advertisement also appeared in
the newspaper "Ha'aretz" (March 20, '92) and in "Hadashot."
The missionary propaganda
ministers expressed confidence that this kind of advertising
would improve their position in the eyes of the elite and the
attitude of Israel's leadership toward them.
Such publicity is
meant to change their image from being a group on the fringe
of Israeli society. With such an aggressive advertising campaign
("They're reading about us at breakfast!"), they believe that
"messianic Judaism" will quickly "put them on the map" of Israeli
consciousness. The wizards of messianic propaganda reason that
"The Jewish people must hear about Jesus in order to believe
in him, therefore we need to advertise." One of their internal
reports states: "We'll bombard the Jewish public with
Jesus, messianic Judaism and Biblical truth."
YOUTH OUTREACH
In addition to targeting
families, missionaries put much emphasis individual youngsters
who are at the crossroads of life. Those who have just left
the protection of home are ideal prey for the proselytizer.
The removal of suspicion
is often followed by curiosity. Now if the missionary is given
a chance to awaken in the listener an interest in his problems,
his world, he's got a good foot in the door. Far from being
turned away, his feigned interest, attention and love will cause
the one who received his material to empathize with him and
to desire to examine his new friend's Christian faith more closely.
By the time he discovers the truth, he might already be hooked.
USE OF DATA BANKS
It is common for
missionaries to obtain mailing lists or to penetrate data banks
in order to mail their material or to personally approach potential
converts. The legality of such an invasion of privacy is questionable.
Indeed, the authorities should investigate the matter thoroughly.
The missionaries also seem to have access to lists of people
who have recently undergone traumatic experiences (mental as
well as financial), and take advantage of that information.
Planting missionary seeds is much easier in such situations.
2.8 MILLION
For example, the
"Maurice Cerullo" sect (founded in 1960) can claim:
"We have access
to names and addresses of more than 2.8 million Jews
in Israel."
Such massive information,
in the hands of her enemies, can be most detrimental to lsrael's
security. Mr. Cerullo also takes pride in how he can "target
Jews on all levels of society: accountants, university students,
lawyers, factory workers, etc."
He is bold enough
to proclaim:
"Now, more than
ever, while Israel still bears witness [to Jesus], the
time is ripe to strike again... I am embarking on a massive
campaign to prove to every Jew in Israel that J.C. is the
messiah ......
WEARING TZITZIS
AND YARMULKES
Another method is
through "Sunday schools" for very young children. "Kehillat
Chessed Ve'emet" is an organization that specializes in this
type of education. It was founded by Baruch Maoz (aka Richard
Rikky) who converted in the U.S. He gains the trust of his followers
by wearing and having them wear a kippah and tzitzit..
WHAT WOULD YOU
LIKE TO DRINK?
A new approach is
used by the opening of a trendy cafe in Tel Aviv. Its customers
innocently believe that they are merely there to socialize,
while in truth they are unconsciously being spiritually poisoned.
"Youth Clubs" which
purport to cater to community social needs have opened in Haifa,
Yafo and Eilat.
Special missionaries
have been trained for such work, such as Baruch Maoz (his staff
is in Rishon Letzion) and Ari Soroko Ram, whose wife, Shirah,
is his codirector of the Ramat Hasharon messianic community.
The two of them established the Dugit Cafe where theater, drama,
music and group dynamics draw dozens of young culture freaks
to dangerous "enrichment experiences."
A similar "in" cafe
exists at 19 Yefet Street in Jaffa. It is run by a notorious
missionary named Yaakov Damkani.
NOW ON YOUR OWN
SCREEN...
Not satisfied with
merely offering people coffee-houses in which to socialize,
the missionaries now provide another "service": They are flooding
Israel with English and Russian video-cassettes! These have
also become important -- albeit innocent-looking -- tools in
the campaigns to "spread the good news" (about Jesus).
FREE MEDICAL CARE
This is another method
used by missionaries to win over Jewish souls. One may join
their organization by merely sifting in a dentist's chair! A
similar system is used in their medical clinics as well: Beit
Chisda and Even Haezer Hospital in Haifa.
"SPIRITUAL HEALING"
The "Netivya" organization,
led by Yosef Sholem (immigrated in 1971), purchased a building
at 16 Narkiss Street in Jerusalem. Among other things, a course
called "Bible Study" is offered there, along with classes in
Russian for those new immigrants who serve as an easy target
audience.
NEED A BIRTHDAY
GIFT?
Similar tactics are
used by Barry Segal (converted in 1971 and active in Israel
since 1988), founder of Congregation "Brit Yerushalayim" and
the "Greetings from Jerusalem" gift shop, both in Jerusalem.
He hosts activities, classes and messianic songfests. Other
such groups are: Chessed Ve'emet in Rishon Letzion, Emmanuel
in Yafo, Assaf in Netania and Hama'ayan in Kfar Sava.
MONEY TALKS
Having an almost
limitless amount of funds enables the missionary bodies to strike
roots in places where the Israeli welfare system has been found
wanting. The easiest targets of the missionaries are people
who are embittered or disenchanted with the establishment. It
is no surprise that information about households that have suffered
from bankruptcies or company failures flows to missionary offices.
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