Counter-Missionary
Encyclopedia
A number of, particularly Christian
and Muslim
, religious groups are involved in proselytization of Jews, attempts to recruit, or "missionize" Jews to abandon Judaism. Additionally, there are a number of Jewish counter-missionary and anti-missionary organizations that oppose proselytism by missionaries who work to convert Jews to other faiths and religions.
There are established Jewish counter-missionary organizations that discourage practicing as well as non-practicing Jews from converting to other religions, most often Christianity
. These groups can be found within all Jewish denominations
.
The JTA
, a Jewish news service, conducted an extensive analysis of Christian efforts to convert Jews to Christianity, and found that some of the largest evangelical denominations – the Southern Baptists
, the Assemblies of God
, and the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod – have all increased their efforts to evangelize Jews in the recent past.
The article states that the Christian missionary organization Jews for Jesus
completed a five-year tour called "Behold Your God" that brought its message to 53 cities worldwide, and the Christian Chosen People Ministries
saw its income grow by 31 percent to $7.9 million between 2003 and 2006. Since 1993, Phoenix-based Jewish Voice Ministries International has drawn 500,000 people to festivals and concerts aimed at evangelizing Jews in Eastern Europe, South America and India.
Jews for Judaism
a Jewish counter-missionary group, writes that there are over 900 Christian groups in North America actively involved in missionizing the Jewish people.
Jews for Judaism further states that these groups are currently spending over $250 million per year on efforts to convert Jews to Christianity. Jews for Jesus, the best known single ministry to the Jews, spent over $15 million in 2008. The Assemblies of God
has an extensive organization targeting Jews for conversion to Christianity.
congregations, per Yaakov Shalom Ariel, associate professor of religious studies at the University of North Carolina, and author of Evangelizing The Chosen People.
. It was founded by Martin "Moishe" Rosen
, a Jew who grew up in a non-observant home, converted to Christianity, and was ordained as a Baptist minister in 1957. In 1973, Rosen left the employment of the American Board of Missions to the Jews, now called Chosen People Ministries
, to incorporate a separate mission which became known as Jews for Jesus ministries. In 1986 he received an honorary Doctor of Divinity Degree from Western Conservative Baptist Seminary in Portland, Oregon. Jews for Jesus is now led by David Brickner
, who has been working for the organization since 1977.
In North America, up to 72% of Jews marry non-Jews Inter-marriage rates have risen from roughly 6% in 1950 to approximately 40%–50% in the year 2000. Harris Interactive has conducted a survey indicating that 52% of American Jews do not believe in God. Though inter-marriage and secular upbringing, fewer Jews practice Judaism, as Jews convert to other religions, or abandon religion.
The foremost sociologist of American Jewry, Marshall Sklare, wrote: "Many intermarried parents declare ... that upon maturity their child will have the right to choose his own identity. This generally means that his identity will be with the majority group. Only if the child has formed a particularly strong identification with the parent who is Jewish will he be motivated to integrate into the minority community. The majority of the children of intermarried Jews, then, will be
Gentiles. ...".
Today, of the approximately 6 million ethnic Jews in the United States, about 2 out of 3 either do not identify themselves Jewishly or maintain an affiliation with a synagogue. Of 5.6 million Jews, 2 million American Jews live in households identified as non-Jewish. 60% of Jews below 40 years of age live in households identified as non-Jewish. Since 1985, 52% of Jews who married have done so outside the faith. 1 million, or 54%, of all American Jewish children under the age of 18 are being raised as non-Jews or with no religion. In 1962, 540,000 Jewish children were attending afternoon or weekend schools, and 60,000 were enrolled in day schools. By 1990, fewer than 240,000 Jewish children attended afternoon or weekend schools, and 140,000 attended day schools, a net loss of 220,000 Jewish children. Of the population that consists of people who were born Jewish and are Jewish by choice, only 11% attend synagogue weekly.
The combination of Jewish apathy, as witnessed by secular (non-Jewish) lifestyles and inter-marriage with non-Jews—and the massive efforts to convert Jews to Christianity—is causing Jews to assimilate and leave Judaism behind. The Jewish response is primarily in the form of Jewish outreach and education.
Some Jewish resources are specifically aimed at countering efforts the missionary efforts aimed at Jews.
There are other counter-missionary resources. Rabbi Moshe Shulman has responded to specific missionaries who target Jews, including Michael Brown, Rachmiel Frydland, Risto Santala, and David Stern (author of the Christian "Complete Jewish Bible"). Rabbi Shulman's website offers scholarly articles on the mis-use of the Targums, Midrash and Talmud by non-Jews who quote from Jewish sources in an attempt to convert Jews.
organization operating in Israel
focusing on outreach and counter-missionary activity. Yad L'Achim is made up of both paid staff and volunteers, and is largely supported by donations both from Israel and the diaspora. In addition to Yad L'Achim, Shomrei Emet Institute works in Israel serving the English-speaking population. Shomrei Emet is run by Penina Taylor
, a counter-missionary, who, although born Jewish, was a missionary herself for seventeen years before returning to Judaism.
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
and Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
, religious groups are involved in proselytization of Jews, attempts to recruit, or "missionize" Jews to abandon Judaism. Additionally, there are a number of Jewish counter-missionary and anti-missionary organizations that oppose proselytism by missionaries who work to convert Jews to other faiths and religions.
There are established Jewish counter-missionary organizations that discourage practicing as well as non-practicing Jews from converting to other religions, most often Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
. These groups can be found within all Jewish denominations
Jewish denominations
Jewish religious movements , sometimes called "denominations" or "branches", include different groups which have developed among Jews from ancient times and especially in the modern era among Ashkenazi Jews living in anglophone countries...
.
Christian missions to Jews
A number of Christian denominations have programs to reach Jews.The JTA
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
The Jewish Telegraphic Agency is an international news agency serving Jewish community newspapers and media around the world. The JTA was founded on February 6, 1917, by Jacob Landau as the Jewish Correspondence Bureau in The Hague with the mandate of collecting and disseminating news among and...
, a Jewish news service, conducted an extensive analysis of Christian efforts to convert Jews to Christianity, and found that some of the largest evangelical denominations – the Southern Baptists
Southern Baptist Convention
The Southern Baptist Convention is a United States-based Christian denomination. It is the world's largest Baptist denomination and the largest Protestant body in the United States, with over 16 million members...
, the Assemblies of God
Assemblies of God
The Assemblies of God , officially the World Assemblies of God Fellowship, is a group of over 140 autonomous but loosely-associated national groupings of churches which together form the world's largest Pentecostal denomination...
, and the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod – have all increased their efforts to evangelize Jews in the recent past.
The article states that the Christian missionary organization Jews for Jesus
Jews for Jesus
Jews for Jesus is a conservative, Christian evangelical organization that focuses on the conversion of Jews to Christianity. Its members consider themselves to be Jews – either as defined by Jewish law, or as according to the view of Jews for Jesus. Jews for Jesus defines “Jewish” in terms of...
completed a five-year tour called "Behold Your God" that brought its message to 53 cities worldwide, and the Christian Chosen People Ministries
Chosen People Ministries
Chosen People Ministries is a religious organization that melds Judaism with evangelical Christian faith and engages in evangelism to Jews. It supports development of congregations of adherents to Messianic Judaism, which it describes as "faith communities that stress the Jewish context of the...
saw its income grow by 31 percent to $7.9 million between 2003 and 2006. Since 1993, Phoenix-based Jewish Voice Ministries International has drawn 500,000 people to festivals and concerts aimed at evangelizing Jews in Eastern Europe, South America and India.
Jews for Judaism
Jews for Judaism
Jews for Judaism, established by Rabbi Bentzion Kravitz in 1985, is an international organization designed to counter Christian missionaries whose evangelistic efforts are directed toward Jews. They aim to help Jews strengthen and rediscover their Judaism. It is the largest counter-missionary...
a Jewish counter-missionary group, writes that there are over 900 Christian groups in North America actively involved in missionizing the Jewish people.
Jews for Judaism further states that these groups are currently spending over $250 million per year on efforts to convert Jews to Christianity. Jews for Jesus, the best known single ministry to the Jews, spent over $15 million in 2008. The Assemblies of God
Assemblies of God
The Assemblies of God , officially the World Assemblies of God Fellowship, is a group of over 140 autonomous but loosely-associated national groupings of churches which together form the world's largest Pentecostal denomination...
has an extensive organization targeting Jews for conversion to Christianity.
In Israel
Israel has more than one hundred MessianicMessianic Judaism
Messianic Judaism is a syncretic religious movement that arose in the 1960s and 70s. It blends evangelical Christian theology with elements of Jewish terminology and ritual....
congregations, per Yaakov Shalom Ariel, associate professor of religious studies at the University of North Carolina, and author of Evangelizing The Chosen People.
Jews for Jesus and Martin "Moishe" Rosen
A leading effort to convert Jews to Christianity is known as Jews for JesusJews for Jesus
Jews for Jesus is a conservative, Christian evangelical organization that focuses on the conversion of Jews to Christianity. Its members consider themselves to be Jews – either as defined by Jewish law, or as according to the view of Jews for Jesus. Jews for Jesus defines “Jewish” in terms of...
. It was founded by Martin "Moishe" Rosen
Moishe Rosen
Martin "Moishe" Rosen was the founder and former Executive Director of Jews for Jesus, an evangelical Christian missionary organization that focuses specifically on evangelism to the Jewish people. His parents were Ben Rosen and Rose Baker. Rosen was raised in Denver, Colorado...
, a Jew who grew up in a non-observant home, converted to Christianity, and was ordained as a Baptist minister in 1957. In 1973, Rosen left the employment of the American Board of Missions to the Jews, now called Chosen People Ministries
Chosen People Ministries
Chosen People Ministries is a religious organization that melds Judaism with evangelical Christian faith and engages in evangelism to Jews. It supports development of congregations of adherents to Messianic Judaism, which it describes as "faith communities that stress the Jewish context of the...
, to incorporate a separate mission which became known as Jews for Jesus ministries. In 1986 he received an honorary Doctor of Divinity Degree from Western Conservative Baptist Seminary in Portland, Oregon. Jews for Jesus is now led by David Brickner
David Brickner
David Brickner is an ordained Christian Baptist minister who has been head of the Christian missionary group Jews for Jesus since 1996...
, who has been working for the organization since 1977.
Muslim missions to Jews
Muslims have also targeted Jews for conversion. Rabbi Moshe Cohen, of Yad L’Achim, an Israel-based Counter-Missionary organization, has identified Al Dawaa, an Israeli-based Muslim group headed by Sheikh Abu Yassin of Kfar Manda.Jewish Population
The worldwide Jewish population is 13.3 million. In 2001, 8.3 million lived outside Israel and 4.9 million in Israel. About half of the world’s Jews reside in the Americas, with about 46 percent in North America.In North America, up to 72% of Jews marry non-Jews Inter-marriage rates have risen from roughly 6% in 1950 to approximately 40%–50% in the year 2000. Harris Interactive has conducted a survey indicating that 52% of American Jews do not believe in God. Though inter-marriage and secular upbringing, fewer Jews practice Judaism, as Jews convert to other religions, or abandon religion.
The foremost sociologist of American Jewry, Marshall Sklare, wrote: "Many intermarried parents declare ... that upon maturity their child will have the right to choose his own identity. This generally means that his identity will be with the majority group. Only if the child has formed a particularly strong identification with the parent who is Jewish will he be motivated to integrate into the minority community. The majority of the children of intermarried Jews, then, will be
Gentiles. ...".
Today, of the approximately 6 million ethnic Jews in the United States, about 2 out of 3 either do not identify themselves Jewishly or maintain an affiliation with a synagogue. Of 5.6 million Jews, 2 million American Jews live in households identified as non-Jewish. 60% of Jews below 40 years of age live in households identified as non-Jewish. Since 1985, 52% of Jews who married have done so outside the faith. 1 million, or 54%, of all American Jewish children under the age of 18 are being raised as non-Jews or with no religion. In 1962, 540,000 Jewish children were attending afternoon or weekend schools, and 60,000 were enrolled in day schools. By 1990, fewer than 240,000 Jewish children attended afternoon or weekend schools, and 140,000 attended day schools, a net loss of 220,000 Jewish children. Of the population that consists of people who were born Jewish and are Jewish by choice, only 11% attend synagogue weekly.
Jewish response
Jewish counter-missionary organizations respond to these efforts by offering personal counseling, web sites with articles addressing common missionary tactics, and discussion forums where Jews who have questions about the differences between Judaism and other religions can be answered by observant Jews.The combination of Jewish apathy, as witnessed by secular (non-Jewish) lifestyles and inter-marriage with non-Jews—and the massive efforts to convert Jews to Christianity—is causing Jews to assimilate and leave Judaism behind. The Jewish response is primarily in the form of Jewish outreach and education.
Some Jewish resources are specifically aimed at countering efforts the missionary efforts aimed at Jews.
- Jews for JudaismJews for JudaismJews for Judaism, established by Rabbi Bentzion Kravitz in 1985, is an international organization designed to counter Christian missionaries whose evangelistic efforts are directed toward Jews. They aim to help Jews strengthen and rediscover their Judaism. It is the largest counter-missionary...
is an international organization that provides a wide variety of counseling services, along with education, and outreach programs that enable Jews of all ages to rediscover and strengthen their Jewish heritage. Jews for Judaism has offices in Baltimore, Toronto, Los Angeles, Australia and South Africa. On their website, Jews for Judaism offers many articles discussing missionary tactics towards Jews, approaches by Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses and various "proof texts" and other arguments often used by missionaries as they evangelize Jews.
- Messiah Truth is another counter missionary organization which includes articles countering both Christianity and Islam under the heading of "Knowing Your Own Orchard." Messiah Truth also sponsors an educational site, the Virtual Yeshiva including Why Jews Must Reject the Belief in Jesus, Isaiah 7:14 (virgin birth), and Isaiah 53, the Suffering Servant. The Messiah Truth organization also offers an interactive forum where Jews may ask questions about Judaism or missionary arguments and be answered by Jewish experts including Rabbis, Yeshiva instructors, and Hebrew professors.
- Outreach Judaism, a site run by Rabbi Tovia SingerTovia SingerTovia Singer is a rabbi, and founder and director of Outreach Judaism.-Outreach Judaism:Singer is the founder and director of Outreach Judaism, a Jewish counter-missionary organization...
. 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. Outreach Judaism provides full-time, multi-level informational resources.
There are other counter-missionary resources. Rabbi Moshe Shulman has responded to specific missionaries who target Jews, including Michael Brown, Rachmiel Frydland, Risto Santala, and David Stern (author of the Christian "Complete Jewish Bible"). Rabbi Shulman's website offers scholarly articles on the mis-use of the Targums, Midrash and Talmud by non-Jews who quote from Jewish sources in an attempt to convert Jews.
Yad L'Achim in Israel
In Israel the leading Counter-Missionary organization is Yad L'Achim which is an JewishOrthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...
organization operating in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
focusing on outreach and counter-missionary activity. Yad L'Achim is made up of both paid staff and volunteers, and is largely supported by donations both from Israel and the diaspora. In addition to Yad L'Achim, Shomrei Emet Institute works in Israel serving the English-speaking population. Shomrei Emet is run by Penina Taylor
Penina Taylor
Penina Taylor is a countermissionary speaker, counselor and author. She is the Executive Director of the Shomrei Emet Institute for Counter-Missionary Studies and the founder of Torah Life Strategies...
, a counter-missionary, who, although born Jewish, was a missionary herself for seventeen years before returning to Judaism.
See also
- Apostasy in Judaism
- Baal TeshuvaBaal teshuvaBaal teshuva or ba'al teshuvah , sometimes abbreviated to BT, is a term referring to a Jew who turns to embrace Orthodox Judaism. Baal teshuva literally means, "repentant", i.e., one who has repented or "returned" to God...
- Jewish views on religious pluralism
- Jewish views on sin
- Jews for JudaismJews for JudaismJews for Judaism, established by Rabbi Bentzion Kravitz in 1985, is an international organization designed to counter Christian missionaries whose evangelistic efforts are directed toward Jews. They aim to help Jews strengthen and rediscover their Judaism. It is the largest counter-missionary...
- Judaism's view of JesusJudaism's view of JesusJews have traditionally seen Jesus as one of a number of false messiahs who have appeared throughout history. Jesus is viewed as having been the most influential, and consequently the most damaging, of all false messiahs...
- Outreach Judaism
- Penina TaylorPenina TaylorPenina Taylor is a countermissionary speaker, counselor and author. She is the Executive Director of the Shomrei Emet Institute for Counter-Missionary Studies and the founder of Torah Life Strategies...
- Yad L'AchimYad L'AchimYad L'Achim is an Orthodox Jewish organization operating in Israel focusing on outreach, counter-missionary and anti-religious intermarriage activity...
- David KlinghofferDavid KlinghofferDavid Klinghoffer is an author and essayist, and a proponent of intelligent design. He is a Senior Fellow of the Discovery Institute, the organization that is the driving force behind the intelligent design movement...
- Tovia SingerTovia SingerTovia Singer is a rabbi, and founder and director of Outreach Judaism.-Outreach Judaism:Singer is the founder and director of Outreach Judaism, a Jewish counter-missionary organization...
Further reading
- Evangelizing the chosen people: missions to the Jews in America, 1880–2000 by Ariel, Yaakov Shalom (The University of North Carolina Press) ISBN 0-8078-2566-2
- Evangelizing the Chosen People: Missions to the Jews in America, by Ariel, Yaakov Shalom (he University of North Carolina Press), ISBN 0-8078-4880-8
- Twenty-Six Reasons Why Jews Don't Believe in Jesus by Asher Norman (Black White and Read Publishing) ISBN 978-0-9771937-2-1
- Why the Jews Rejected Jesus: The Turning Point in Western History by David Klinghoffer (Doubleday) ISBN 978-0-385-51021-9
- The Jewish response to missionaries: Counter-missionary handbook by Bentzion Kravitz (Jews for Judaism) ASIN: B0006RRKJG
- V'Da Mah SheTashiv: Know What To Answer (To Missionaries) A Thorough Jewish response To Missionaries by Ben Solomon (Outskirts Press) ISBN 978-1-59800-934-7 Available on Amazan http://www.amazon.com/VDa-Mah-SheTashiv-Missionaries-Thorough/dp/1598009346 and Barnes and Noble http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Vda-Mah-Shetashiv/Ben-Soloman/e/9781598009347/?itm=1&USRI=mah+shetashiv web sites
- You Take Jesus, I'll Take God: How to Refute Christian Missionaries by Samuel Levine (Hamoroh Press) ISBN 978-0-9604754-1-4
- Coming Full Circle: A Jewish Woman's Journey through Christianity and Back by Penina Taylor (Hatikva Books) ISBN 978-965-546-005-6
External links
- Messiah Truth
- Sha'arei Teshuva
- http://www.shomreiemet.org/Shomrei Emet Institute for Counter-Missionary Studies
- Judaisms Answer