On February 3rd, I received an email prayer blast from a well known and well respected Christian prayer leader in Jerusalem, a man I have met personally and received from his ministry many years. He was passing along an perspective on events in Egypt written by a Christian Egyptian that he received from a former Egyptian Prayer Movement leader.
Since then I have contacted him for authentication all the way back to original author of the perspective, and we can report this is an authentic brother writing about his own observations in the Egyptian uprising. I am detailing this to remove doubts that this is one of those viral Christian hoax emails. This is not that, there are only two widely known prayer leaders with solid reputations for integrity between the man who wrote this email and me.
I am passing it along here just as I received it, completely unedited. We need to hear from the spiritual, the believers within their own countries to get a solid understanding of what is truly going on. I believe this in relation to the Body in Israel, as well as the Body in Egypt. None are hearing from God as these are for their own nations.
Names withheld to to protect all those involved whose personal safety could be threatened by those in the Middle East that wish Christians harmed. - Donna Diorio
I am writing this to you as a witness to what is going on from the streets of Cairo over the last few days. We have been following the developments since January 25th, which started with a large group of Egyptian youth taking to Tahrir square in an anti-government protest with specific demands. I know some of these people who were in that group and I talked with them. What is happening now has nothing to do with this original protest! What is happening right now is a conspiracy to topple Mubarak from outside the country!! I am not a conspiracy theorist, but let me tell you what I have personnally witnessed on the streets of Cairo.
I want to share first what the LORD told me on Friday morning.
I went to the LORD in prayer on Thursday evening, praying like many others for protection and for the restoration of peace and security in my land. I told the LORD: "Father, answer my prayers with rain", which He has several times before. I went to sleep. I woke up on Friday morning and went directly to prayer. Immediately, I sensed a strong urgency from the LORD saying: "As the people of Egypt presented their requests to Mubarak, I am calling on My people to rise up before me and present their requests to me for their nation". I went on to hear the LORD: "Let the Holy Council assemble". I didn't understand who this Coucil was, but I knew in my heart that the LORD meant that there are people in my land that are called by the LORD to stand before him as His Holy Council with authority to make declaration over the land, to establish the Kingdom in the land. My demands to the LORD were not political ny nature. I prayed for "good news to the poor, freedom for the oppressed, healing for the brokenhearted, and the acceptable year of the LORD" as the Holy Spirit gave guidance. The LORD spoke to me the words "JUSTICE" and "TRUTH". As I went to talk with Rania afterwards, she told me that she had been awake all through the night, and that IT RAINED around 12:45 am. It was very strong, but not for a very long time (a few minutes). I knew then that it was the LORD. The LORD spoke Psalm 97:1-2:
The LORD reigns, let the earth be glad;
let the distant shores rejoice.
Clouds and thick darkness surround him;
righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
Indeed, there had been unusual clouds and very thick fog in December over Cairo, unprecedented in frequency and intensity. Again, the words TRUTH (or righteousness in the English translation) and JUSTICE resounded.
As we followed the unfolding of events including the announced change in government and president Mubarak's speech, we wondered why the international news media is focusing only on the thousands in Tahrir square who are escalating their demands and refusing dialogue. The news media is reporting this as "the people of Egypt" wanting Mubarak to leave immediately. Did they ask the "people of Egypt?". For one, they did not ask me! Where are those, like myself, that want change and reform, but accept the changes that Mubarak is proposing, and want a peaceful transition through elections in September?
We decided to take to the streets to voice our opinion. On Tuesday February 1st we went to Mustafa Mahmoud square in Mohandessin. There were about one thousand people there around 3:30 pm. (yes, we broke the curfew). the crowd grew to about 2500 by 5:00 pm. People were calling their friends over the phone telling them to come. We left at about 6:30 pm and returned yesterday, Wednesday, starting at 11:00 am. The small group had swelled to TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE standing together with banners saying things like:
- yes to stability, yes to Mubarak
- give change a chance
- we are sorry Mr. president
- we accept dialogue, we trust you
- no to ElBaradei, no to the muslim brotherhood (many like this one)
- we are the Egyptians, where is Al-Jazeera, let them come and see
- no to corruption, no to vandalism
- we got what we asked the president for, so why are people still in Tahrir? Who are they? What do they want?
etc., etc., etc.
By 2:00 pm, the crowd had grown to SEVERAL HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE, maybe up to a million, stretching from Sphinx square to Sudan street. We had a great sense of unity and victory. We met with people who were in the original protest in Tahrir square who decided to join us saying: we got what we asked for, and now we accept Mubarak's changes and proposals".
We left around 4:15 pm. The numbers had grown even more, POSSIBLY OVER A MILLION. As we drove home we saw the same slogans on banners all over the city, on cars, on walls, on shop windows. We learned that similar demonstrations are taking place ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, IN MAY DIFFERENT CITIES. THIS IS THE CRY OF THE PEOPLE OF EGYPT THAT IS BEING TOTALLY IGNORED BY THE INTERNATIONAL NEWS MEDIA. Is this on purpose??!!! I am perplexed!!! I am wondering: How come CNN, the BBC, and others are reporting ONLY the anti-government protests as the voice of the people? This is not JUSTICE, this is not TRUTH. There have been reports that these people are being paid by the government. NOT TRUE! I was there with many many others. I SAW THE STREETS.
Now to the situation in Tahrir square. Only a few people (hundreds?) are still there from the original protesters. They have been slowly replaced by other HIGHLY ORGANIZED GROUPS. They all have the same model of cell phones. They all have the same blankets (eye witnesses). THESE ARE NOT THE PEOPLE OF EGYPT. Some witnesses claim that they don't look Egyptians, and don't sound Egyptians (different accent, different dialect). THIS IS A BIG ORGANIZED COUP TO TRY TO CONVINCE THE WORLD THROUGH THE MEDIA THAT EGYPT WANTS MUBARAK TO GO, AND THE MEDIA IS PART OF THE DECEPTION. People in Tahrir square are escalating the situation on prupose to topple President Mubarak FOR THEIR OWN HIDDEN AGENDAS. This is TYPICAL OF THE MUSLIM BROTHERS, AND EVERYBODY IN THE STREETS OF CAIRO KNOWS THIS. We heard people on the streets saying that the plot to take over the country is now clear. THE INTERNATIONAL MEDIA DON'T WANT YOU TO KNOW THIS. The escalation of violence in Tahrir square is because of this. Egyptians who love Egypt, the millions that took to the streets yesterday, want this to end. They fully understand that president Mubarak is between a rock and a hard place, that he cannot quench the unrest in Tahrir through the army, so the people want to go to Tahrir to disperse the crowds there by themselves. People in Tahrir are vastly outnumbered. If Egyptians go the Tahrir square to take control of the situation, more chaos will erupt, giving a chance to the international media to blame the President even more.
If Egypt falls, then neighbouring countries are going to fall one after the other. WE NEED PRAYER, WE ASK FOR TRUTH, WE ASK FOR JUSTICE, and above all LORD, in wrath, REMEMBER MERCY. Stand with us. The Lord calls Egypt "My people". He is calling on His HOLY COUNCIL in the land of Egypt to stand before Him, to make declarations in the heavenlies to establish a new 'constitution' in the land based on the principles of the Word of God, to establish a 'new foundation' for His kingdom to come. Pray for the schemes of the enemy to be annulled and voided. Pray for deception to be exposed. We humble ourselves and pray. We seek the Face of the LORD. We turn from our wicked ways. LISTEN TO US LORD, FORGIVE US, HEAL OUR LAND. In the Name of Jesus.
In Him, standing for God's purposes in Egypt.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Monday, February 7, 2011
What is going on in Egypt?
What is the reality behind the two weeks of turmoil that has rocked that nation?
by Eddie Santoro,
Zion's Glory in Jerusalem http://www.tikkunministries.org/zg-donations.php
The most simplistic although incorrect answer is that Egypt is passing through a radical transformation from an autocratic dictatorship into a democracy. Inherent in this explanation is the belief that we are witnessing a spontaneous people's movement whose primary goal is the establishment of a society where personal freedom will be guaranteed. Unfortunately, this ignores a long history that has already been played out in numerous other Middle Eastern nations. The cost of substituting illusion for reality can be very high. Before World War II, Europe chose to placate the evil that was in front of them and as a result nearly eighty million people were killed!
Although the situation in Egypt is confusing at best, it is obvious that there are many different groups that are vying for power and each is committed to achieving its own end. The short list of some of these forces are the Mubarak government, the National Democratic Party, the Muslim Brotherhood, the Egyptian military, the Iranian Government and the governments of Europe and the United States. The United States and Europe desire to see a new Egypt with a viable democracy. The military desires to see an Egypt where they are still controlling the government and the economy. The National Democratic Party has been a force in opposition to military control. The Mubarak government seeks to continue to rule and control the nation as it has done for the past 30 yrs. Iran would like to bring Egypt under its sphere of influence, as it has with Syria and Lebanon.
The Muslim Brotherhood opposes democracy and religious freedom and is committed to the destruction of Israel. Their passionate desire is to see Egypt join the brotherhood of radical Islamic states that are both nondemocratic and the primary exporters of terror in today's world. The willingness of the United States to commend the inclusion of the Muslim Brotherhood in the current round of negotiations with the emerging Egyptian government is a blatant example of ignoring reality for the sake of "democracy". Yesterday's reports by the Western press of an ecumenical service between Christians and Muslims belies the fact that the Muslim Brotherhood has been the primary force behind the recent series of terror attacks on Christian churches in Egypt.
The stark reality is that the goals of these factions do not mix! There is no way that a government that embraces the Islamic, fundamentalist world view can also endorse freedom of religion or democracy. An Egypt that has the Muslim Brotherhood in its government can not maintain a policy of peace with Israel.
A new Egypt will emerge from this turmoil. The only question is what will it look like. What seems clear is that the United States and Europe are not dealing with the reality of the situation. And in the end, it could be these errors (if they are not corrected) that will give some of the other players in this complex drama the advantage they need to achieve their very negative goals.
Democracy
Europe and the United States represent the highest level of democratic expression that the world has every known. Free expression along with the belief in God given human rights and the existence of secular as opposed to theocratic governments have allowed the citizens of these countries to flourish on every level. And yet as good as democracy has been for these nations, it is a serious error to believe that all human beings ultimately desire this form of government.
The fact is that many people do not share in the Western world's love of democracy. The Islamic world looks upon America's great experiment in freedom as a total failure that has allowed the development of "the Great Satan"; the United States and "the Small Satan"; Israel. They perceive these great democracies as expressions that have opened humanity to unbelievable levels of sin, immorality and evil. Ultimately, they view these societies as "dangerous" and to be exploited in their quest to destroy them and achieve world domination.
Historical Evidence
The ability of these Islamic groups to exploit past governmental upheavals and to use them to achieve their own goals is clearly portrayed throughout recent history. In 1979, secular forces were instrumental in the overthrow of the ruling autocratic government of the Shah in Iran. Although "democracy" was the battle cry of this uprising, the fundamentalist Islamic forces quickly overtook the government. In a few short years, what had been a marginal force in Iran, successfully established a ruthless Islamic theocracy. Today Iran is the primary exporter of fundamentalist Islamic jihad and terror on the earth.
In 2006, the United States and Europe, in the name of "democracy", forced the Palestinian Authority to hold "free and fair" elections. Israel understood the dangers of this ill conceived policy, but the lofty goals of democracy prevailed. The Islamic terrorist group Hamas gained a majority in the Gaza Strip in that election and used its majority in the following year to violently seize control of the government. America and Europe's idealism, along with its inability to evaluate the reality in Gaza helped to create a theocracy that today ruthlessly oppresses religious freedom, social expression, any form of woman's rights and exports Jihad terror into Israel and other nations of the earth.
In 1976 in Lebanon, Hezbollah was established as a Islamic resistance force against Israel. At that time, there was religious freedom in Lebanon with a large Christian population living at peace with their Islamic neighbors. Beirut was considered to be the "Paris" of the Middle East. America pushed for the establishment of a true democracy and believed that Lebanon would serve as an example for a "New Middle East". America achieved its goal; elections were held and Hezbollah gained a foothold in the Lebanese government.
Over the years, Hezbollah used a campaign of murder, terror, assassination and alliances with other Islamic nations to gain power in that country. Christians fled the growing Islamic domination and Lebanon suffered a long and deadly civil war. The final chapter of this great experiment in a "new and democratic Middle East" was written last month. Hezbollah, gained control of the government through the democratic parliamentary process. Now that this Islamic fundamentalist, Jihad force is in control, there is little doubt that the days of democracy are numbered in Lebanon. This nation will soon take its place along with Iran and Hamas in exporting fundamentalist Islam and Jihad in its quest for world domination.
Turkey is a nation that was very similar to Egypt. It was committed to a secular government and was even a friend to Israel. Over the years, the Islamic party gained a foothold in that nation's democracy and today, the government is being ruled by an Islamic party. Although outwardly Turkey still tries to express itself as a friend of the West and a nation that is dedicated to democracy, the reality is that it is quickly moving its center to the fundamentalist Islamic world. Its secular court system and army are being filled with Islamists and Its probable future is as another fundamentalist Islamic nation, which ultimately will devote itself to the overthrow of Western, democratic values.
The Future
The above historical examples should serve as a very powerful wake up call and reality check for Europe and the United States. The unrest that was originally started as a secular freedom movement in Egypt is already being co-opted by the Muslim Brotherhood. Over the past two weeks, they have become an increasing presence in the current unrest. They do not share in the dream of a democratic Egypt but their goal is to create another oppressive, theocratic government that will take its place as a part of the growing radical, Islamic world coalition.
History teaches that it is imperative to not allow non-democratic forces to participate in a democracy. They do not share its values but use those values to gain their ends. Through illegal means of terror, murder and fear, they will gain a majority in that democracy. Their final democratic action will be to abolish that democracy for the theocratic, oppressive government that they really believe in. To ignore this basic truth will doom to failure every democratization effort. Whether it be the Nazi rise to power, the tragic history of Iran or the recent ascent of Hezbollah to its place of dominance in Lebanon, the same lesson is evident and cannot be ignored.
Throughout the earth, the forces of good and evil are locked in an end time battle for world domination. We know that our struggle is not against natural forces, but against wickedness and evil in high places. This is a critical hour! The future of Egypt is still undecided. Let us not grow weary in the battle. Let us be people who recognize evil and stand as a force against it. Let us pray and intercede that the governments of the West will recognize the reality of what is happening. Pray that we will see victory in our day. Our prayers do make a difference.
by Eddie Santoro,
Zion's Glory in Jerusalem http://www.tikkunministries.org/zg-donations.php
The most simplistic although incorrect answer is that Egypt is passing through a radical transformation from an autocratic dictatorship into a democracy. Inherent in this explanation is the belief that we are witnessing a spontaneous people's movement whose primary goal is the establishment of a society where personal freedom will be guaranteed. Unfortunately, this ignores a long history that has already been played out in numerous other Middle Eastern nations. The cost of substituting illusion for reality can be very high. Before World War II, Europe chose to placate the evil that was in front of them and as a result nearly eighty million people were killed!
Although the situation in Egypt is confusing at best, it is obvious that there are many different groups that are vying for power and each is committed to achieving its own end. The short list of some of these forces are the Mubarak government, the National Democratic Party, the Muslim Brotherhood, the Egyptian military, the Iranian Government and the governments of Europe and the United States. The United States and Europe desire to see a new Egypt with a viable democracy. The military desires to see an Egypt where they are still controlling the government and the economy. The National Democratic Party has been a force in opposition to military control. The Mubarak government seeks to continue to rule and control the nation as it has done for the past 30 yrs. Iran would like to bring Egypt under its sphere of influence, as it has with Syria and Lebanon.
The Muslim Brotherhood opposes democracy and religious freedom and is committed to the destruction of Israel. Their passionate desire is to see Egypt join the brotherhood of radical Islamic states that are both nondemocratic and the primary exporters of terror in today's world. The willingness of the United States to commend the inclusion of the Muslim Brotherhood in the current round of negotiations with the emerging Egyptian government is a blatant example of ignoring reality for the sake of "democracy". Yesterday's reports by the Western press of an ecumenical service between Christians and Muslims belies the fact that the Muslim Brotherhood has been the primary force behind the recent series of terror attacks on Christian churches in Egypt.
The stark reality is that the goals of these factions do not mix! There is no way that a government that embraces the Islamic, fundamentalist world view can also endorse freedom of religion or democracy. An Egypt that has the Muslim Brotherhood in its government can not maintain a policy of peace with Israel.
A new Egypt will emerge from this turmoil. The only question is what will it look like. What seems clear is that the United States and Europe are not dealing with the reality of the situation. And in the end, it could be these errors (if they are not corrected) that will give some of the other players in this complex drama the advantage they need to achieve their very negative goals.
Democracy
Europe and the United States represent the highest level of democratic expression that the world has every known. Free expression along with the belief in God given human rights and the existence of secular as opposed to theocratic governments have allowed the citizens of these countries to flourish on every level. And yet as good as democracy has been for these nations, it is a serious error to believe that all human beings ultimately desire this form of government.
The fact is that many people do not share in the Western world's love of democracy. The Islamic world looks upon America's great experiment in freedom as a total failure that has allowed the development of "the Great Satan"; the United States and "the Small Satan"; Israel. They perceive these great democracies as expressions that have opened humanity to unbelievable levels of sin, immorality and evil. Ultimately, they view these societies as "dangerous" and to be exploited in their quest to destroy them and achieve world domination.
Historical Evidence
The ability of these Islamic groups to exploit past governmental upheavals and to use them to achieve their own goals is clearly portrayed throughout recent history. In 1979, secular forces were instrumental in the overthrow of the ruling autocratic government of the Shah in Iran. Although "democracy" was the battle cry of this uprising, the fundamentalist Islamic forces quickly overtook the government. In a few short years, what had been a marginal force in Iran, successfully established a ruthless Islamic theocracy. Today Iran is the primary exporter of fundamentalist Islamic jihad and terror on the earth.
In 2006, the United States and Europe, in the name of "democracy", forced the Palestinian Authority to hold "free and fair" elections. Israel understood the dangers of this ill conceived policy, but the lofty goals of democracy prevailed. The Islamic terrorist group Hamas gained a majority in the Gaza Strip in that election and used its majority in the following year to violently seize control of the government. America and Europe's idealism, along with its inability to evaluate the reality in Gaza helped to create a theocracy that today ruthlessly oppresses religious freedom, social expression, any form of woman's rights and exports Jihad terror into Israel and other nations of the earth.
In 1976 in Lebanon, Hezbollah was established as a Islamic resistance force against Israel. At that time, there was religious freedom in Lebanon with a large Christian population living at peace with their Islamic neighbors. Beirut was considered to be the "Paris" of the Middle East. America pushed for the establishment of a true democracy and believed that Lebanon would serve as an example for a "New Middle East". America achieved its goal; elections were held and Hezbollah gained a foothold in the Lebanese government.
Over the years, Hezbollah used a campaign of murder, terror, assassination and alliances with other Islamic nations to gain power in that country. Christians fled the growing Islamic domination and Lebanon suffered a long and deadly civil war. The final chapter of this great experiment in a "new and democratic Middle East" was written last month. Hezbollah, gained control of the government through the democratic parliamentary process. Now that this Islamic fundamentalist, Jihad force is in control, there is little doubt that the days of democracy are numbered in Lebanon. This nation will soon take its place along with Iran and Hamas in exporting fundamentalist Islam and Jihad in its quest for world domination.
Turkey is a nation that was very similar to Egypt. It was committed to a secular government and was even a friend to Israel. Over the years, the Islamic party gained a foothold in that nation's democracy and today, the government is being ruled by an Islamic party. Although outwardly Turkey still tries to express itself as a friend of the West and a nation that is dedicated to democracy, the reality is that it is quickly moving its center to the fundamentalist Islamic world. Its secular court system and army are being filled with Islamists and Its probable future is as another fundamentalist Islamic nation, which ultimately will devote itself to the overthrow of Western, democratic values.
The Future
The above historical examples should serve as a very powerful wake up call and reality check for Europe and the United States. The unrest that was originally started as a secular freedom movement in Egypt is already being co-opted by the Muslim Brotherhood. Over the past two weeks, they have become an increasing presence in the current unrest. They do not share in the dream of a democratic Egypt but their goal is to create another oppressive, theocratic government that will take its place as a part of the growing radical, Islamic world coalition.
History teaches that it is imperative to not allow non-democratic forces to participate in a democracy. They do not share its values but use those values to gain their ends. Through illegal means of terror, murder and fear, they will gain a majority in that democracy. Their final democratic action will be to abolish that democracy for the theocratic, oppressive government that they really believe in. To ignore this basic truth will doom to failure every democratization effort. Whether it be the Nazi rise to power, the tragic history of Iran or the recent ascent of Hezbollah to its place of dominance in Lebanon, the same lesson is evident and cannot be ignored.
Throughout the earth, the forces of good and evil are locked in an end time battle for world domination. We know that our struggle is not against natural forces, but against wickedness and evil in high places. This is a critical hour! The future of Egypt is still undecided. Let us not grow weary in the battle. Let us be people who recognize evil and stand as a force against it. Let us pray and intercede that the governments of the West will recognize the reality of what is happening. Pray that we will see victory in our day. Our prayers do make a difference.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Newly de-Classified Report by U.S. Embassy Israel to State Dept on Yad L'Achim Activities against believers
This document was to remain classified until 2013, but was released after a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for documents related to Yad L'Achim activities against believers in Israel. We can confirm the veracity of the statements made in this report, as this has been our beat for the past 10 years and it is according to weekly reports we receive from the indigenous believers in Israel.
- Donna Diorio, www.israelprayer.com
P 301043Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6911
INFO ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
AMEMBASSY VATICAN
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
USMISSION GENEVA RELEASED IN PART
B6, B1, 1.4(D)
C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 001147
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/27/2013
TAGS: KIRF, PGOV, IS
SUBJECT: BIBLE BURNING HIGHLIGHTS GROWING ANTI-MISSIONARY
SENTIMENT IN ISRAEL
Classified By: DCM Luis G. Moreno for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The May 15 mass public burning of New Testaments in the Tel Aviv suburb of Or Yehuda highlights a growing trend toward anit-missionary incitement in Jewish neighborhoods throughout Israel. Other notable incidents include the October firebombing of a Jerusalem church shared by Baptists and Messianic Jews (i.e. Jews who believe Jesus was the Messiah) and the March 20 bombing of a Messianic Jewish home in the West Bank settlement of Ariel, in which a 15-year old boy was gravely wounded. Contacts in Messianic and Evangelical Christian congregations throughout Israel describe a worsening situation and allege complicity or complacency on the part of police, local government and the Interior Ministry. For their part, anti-missionary groups such as the ultra-Orthodox Yad l’Achim appear more determined than ever to escalate their campaign against Christian and Messianic congregations that they see as “cults” determined to “steal Jewish sould.” END SUMMARY
----------------
Background
United States Department of State
Review Authority: Sharon E. Ahmad
Date/Case ID: 28 JUL 2010 200906086 UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
----------------
2. (SBU) While anti-missionary groups such as the ultra-Orthodox Yad l’Achim (“Hand to Brothers have long sought to uproot Messianic Jewish and Evangelical Christian congregations in Israel, their activities have gone largely unnoticed by mainstream Israeli society. Targeted congregations have suffered harassment and occasionally even vandalism or violence at the hands of Yad l/Achim activists, but such incidents rarely made the national press. Despite the harassment, the number of Messianic Jews and Evangelical Christians has grown in recent years through both immigration and conversion. In recent months, however, increased press reporting and complaints from religious freedom activists have indicated an increase in Yad l’Achim activism and a growing, wider backlash against the presence of Evangelical or Messianic Congregations and missionaries living in Jewish communities. Contacts describe a mounting sense of fear among Messianic and Evangelical communities, and allege a situation of near impunity where police fail to adequately investigate hate crimes against them. They also claim that the Interior Ministry arbitrarily denies benefits to people it identifies as Messianic Jews or Evangelical Christians. For their part, Yad l’Achim and allied activists appear increasingly determined to head off what they see as the “stealing of Jewish souls” by proselytizing “cults” that use deception and manipulation to prey on the weaker sectors of Israeli Jewish society. (Note: Proselytizing is legal in Israel, as long as people are not materially induced into conversion. Proselytizing of less-Orthodox Jews by ultra-Orthodox Jewish sects, such as Chabad, is done openly and without the constraints imposed on non-Jewish groups. End Note.)
--------------------------------------------------------------
Recent Incidents Underscore Rising Tensions
--------------------------------------------------------------
3. (SBU) While an undercurrent of anti-missionary sentiment has long existed in Israel, several recent incidents describe a dramatic worsening of the situation. As reported in the press, residents of the Tel Aviv suburb of Or Yehuda publicly burned hundreds of Christian Bibles distributed in the community by missionaries in recent months. The May 15 incident was reportedly organized by the Deputy Mayor of Or Yehuda, Attorney Uzi Aharon of Shas, after he received complaints about the Messianic Jewish presence in the area residents. After the incident, Aharon told the Israeli daily Ma’ariv that he sent a group of students from a
UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
local ultra-Orthodox school throughout the town to collect the New Testaments, which were subsequently burned in front of a synagogue, while “hundreds” of students danced around the burning books. Aharon told Ma’ariv that the municipality operated a team of activists, available 24-hours a day, devoted entirely to uprooting missionary activity, and that the burning was a fulfillment of the commandment to “burn the evil from your midst.” While Aharon subsequently sought to downplay his comments by expressing regret for any damage done to Jewish-Christian relations, he continued to defend the burning, telling Israel Army Radio that it was necessary in order to “purge the evil among us.” (Note: Israel’s Chief Rabbinate, joined by Christian and Muslim leaders from Israel and the West Bank in the Council of Religious Institutions of the Hold Land, issued a statement May 27 condemning the Or Yehuda New Testament burning, while also condemning all attempts to convert a person from one faith to another.)
4. (SBU) PolOff obtained a flyer distributed by Aharon’s anti-missionary team in the months before the burning, exhorting residents to “Save your families! . . . Say no to missionaries who look for your soul . . . . Be careful! Reject them! Chase them away from the place you live!’ The flyer listed the cell phone numbers of Aharon and other members of the team, and was accompanied by leaflets with the names, photos and addresses alongside flyers with hysterical allegations about “soul stealing” and “brainwashing” is a favorite tactic of Yad l’Achim branches throughout the country.)
5. (SBU) Other recent incidents also highlight the growing threat to Messianic and evangelical congregations. On March 20, 15 year-old Ami Ortiz – a dual American-Israeli citizen and the son of a Messianic Jewish pastor – was seriously wounded when a bomb disguised as a gift basket exploded in his home in the West Bank settlement of Ariel. Earlier this month controversy erupted over the disclosure than an Israeli finalist in the International Jewish Bible Quiz was a Messianic Jew, prompting two Chief Rabbis to call for the cancellation of the quiz on the grounds that selecting the 15 year-old “cult member” represented a “transgression of Jewish law.” In October, arsonists fire-bombed a church in Jewish West Jerusalem shared by Baptists and Messianic Jews, while more recently, residents of the secular, upscale Jerusalem neighborhood of Rehavia threatened violence – an “all-out-war,” in the word of one
UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
resident -- over plans by a Messianic Jewish organization to open an information center there.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Bureaucratic Complicity and Police Complacency
----------------------------------------------------------------
6. (C) -----------------------------------------4 ½ lines of redacted material -------------------------------------------
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--------------------------------------------------- Contacts in Messianic and Christian congregations in ----redacted ------- have long complained that police in those cities fail to take seriously hate crims against their members. Following the Ortiz incident, several member of other congregations throughout the country complained to the press of similar problems in their communities. In a recent meeting with PolOff -----------------------2 lines of redacted material ------------------------------------------------------------------
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noted a dramatic increase in violent assaults and other crimes against their members in the past year (up from 1-2 a month in early 2007 to 8-10 now), and complained of an almost complete refusal by police to investigate of apprehend the perpetrators.
7. © Messianic Jews and evangelical Christians also regularly complain of discrimination in the workplace and by officials in the Interior Ministry and local governments. -------------------------------------
------------19 lines of redacted material ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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UNCLASSIFIED
- Donna Diorio, www.israelprayer.com
P 301043Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6911
INFO ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
AMEMBASSY VATICAN
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
USMISSION GENEVA RELEASED IN PART
B6, B1, 1.4(D)
C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 001147
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/27/2013
TAGS: KIRF, PGOV, IS
SUBJECT: BIBLE BURNING HIGHLIGHTS GROWING ANTI-MISSIONARY
SENTIMENT IN ISRAEL
Classified By: DCM Luis G. Moreno for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The May 15 mass public burning of New Testaments in the Tel Aviv suburb of Or Yehuda highlights a growing trend toward anit-missionary incitement in Jewish neighborhoods throughout Israel. Other notable incidents include the October firebombing of a Jerusalem church shared by Baptists and Messianic Jews (i.e. Jews who believe Jesus was the Messiah) and the March 20 bombing of a Messianic Jewish home in the West Bank settlement of Ariel, in which a 15-year old boy was gravely wounded. Contacts in Messianic and Evangelical Christian congregations throughout Israel describe a worsening situation and allege complicity or complacency on the part of police, local government and the Interior Ministry. For their part, anti-missionary groups such as the ultra-Orthodox Yad l’Achim appear more determined than ever to escalate their campaign against Christian and Messianic congregations that they see as “cults” determined to “steal Jewish sould.” END SUMMARY
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Background
United States Department of State
Review Authority: Sharon E. Ahmad
Date/Case ID: 28 JUL 2010 200906086 UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
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2. (SBU) While anti-missionary groups such as the ultra-Orthodox Yad l’Achim (“Hand to Brothers have long sought to uproot Messianic Jewish and Evangelical Christian congregations in Israel, their activities have gone largely unnoticed by mainstream Israeli society. Targeted congregations have suffered harassment and occasionally even vandalism or violence at the hands of Yad l/Achim activists, but such incidents rarely made the national press. Despite the harassment, the number of Messianic Jews and Evangelical Christians has grown in recent years through both immigration and conversion. In recent months, however, increased press reporting and complaints from religious freedom activists have indicated an increase in Yad l’Achim activism and a growing, wider backlash against the presence of Evangelical or Messianic Congregations and missionaries living in Jewish communities. Contacts describe a mounting sense of fear among Messianic and Evangelical communities, and allege a situation of near impunity where police fail to adequately investigate hate crimes against them. They also claim that the Interior Ministry arbitrarily denies benefits to people it identifies as Messianic Jews or Evangelical Christians. For their part, Yad l’Achim and allied activists appear increasingly determined to head off what they see as the “stealing of Jewish souls” by proselytizing “cults” that use deception and manipulation to prey on the weaker sectors of Israeli Jewish society. (Note: Proselytizing is legal in Israel, as long as people are not materially induced into conversion. Proselytizing of less-Orthodox Jews by ultra-Orthodox Jewish sects, such as Chabad, is done openly and without the constraints imposed on non-Jewish groups. End Note.)
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Recent Incidents Underscore Rising Tensions
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3. (SBU) While an undercurrent of anti-missionary sentiment has long existed in Israel, several recent incidents describe a dramatic worsening of the situation. As reported in the press, residents of the Tel Aviv suburb of Or Yehuda publicly burned hundreds of Christian Bibles distributed in the community by missionaries in recent months. The May 15 incident was reportedly organized by the Deputy Mayor of Or Yehuda, Attorney Uzi Aharon of Shas, after he received complaints about the Messianic Jewish presence in the area residents. After the incident, Aharon told the Israeli daily Ma’ariv that he sent a group of students from a
UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
local ultra-Orthodox school throughout the town to collect the New Testaments, which were subsequently burned in front of a synagogue, while “hundreds” of students danced around the burning books. Aharon told Ma’ariv that the municipality operated a team of activists, available 24-hours a day, devoted entirely to uprooting missionary activity, and that the burning was a fulfillment of the commandment to “burn the evil from your midst.” While Aharon subsequently sought to downplay his comments by expressing regret for any damage done to Jewish-Christian relations, he continued to defend the burning, telling Israel Army Radio that it was necessary in order to “purge the evil among us.” (Note: Israel’s Chief Rabbinate, joined by Christian and Muslim leaders from Israel and the West Bank in the Council of Religious Institutions of the Hold Land, issued a statement May 27 condemning the Or Yehuda New Testament burning, while also condemning all attempts to convert a person from one faith to another.)
4. (SBU) PolOff obtained a flyer distributed by Aharon’s anti-missionary team in the months before the burning, exhorting residents to “Save your families! . . . Say no to missionaries who look for your soul . . . . Be careful! Reject them! Chase them away from the place you live!’ The flyer listed the cell phone numbers of Aharon and other members of the team, and was accompanied by leaflets with the names, photos and addresses alongside flyers with hysterical allegations about “soul stealing” and “brainwashing” is a favorite tactic of Yad l’Achim branches throughout the country.)
5. (SBU) Other recent incidents also highlight the growing threat to Messianic and evangelical congregations. On March 20, 15 year-old Ami Ortiz – a dual American-Israeli citizen and the son of a Messianic Jewish pastor – was seriously wounded when a bomb disguised as a gift basket exploded in his home in the West Bank settlement of Ariel. Earlier this month controversy erupted over the disclosure than an Israeli finalist in the International Jewish Bible Quiz was a Messianic Jew, prompting two Chief Rabbis to call for the cancellation of the quiz on the grounds that selecting the 15 year-old “cult member” represented a “transgression of Jewish law.” In October, arsonists fire-bombed a church in Jewish West Jerusalem shared by Baptists and Messianic Jews, while more recently, residents of the secular, upscale Jerusalem neighborhood of Rehavia threatened violence – an “all-out-war,” in the word of one
UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
resident -- over plans by a Messianic Jewish organization to open an information center there.
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Bureaucratic Complicity and Police Complacency
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--------------------------------------------------- Contacts in Messianic and Christian congregations in ----redacted ------- have long complained that police in those cities fail to take seriously hate crims against their members. Following the Ortiz incident, several member of other congregations throughout the country complained to the press of similar problems in their communities. In a recent meeting with PolOff -----------------------2 lines of redacted material ------------------------------------------------------------------
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noted a dramatic increase in violent assaults and other crimes against their members in the past year (up from 1-2 a month in early 2007 to 8-10 now), and complained of an almost complete refusal by police to investigate of apprehend the perpetrators.
7. © Messianic Jews and evangelical Christians also regularly complain of discrimination in the workplace and by officials in the Interior Ministry and local governments. -------------------------------------
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UNCLASSIFIED
Friday, September 10, 2010
2nd Feast of Trumpets Alarm on the Teitel Trial
Part two of the previously posted Rosh HaShana 5771 feast of trumpets alarm comes to us from David and Leah Ortiz in Ariel, Israel.
David writes:
As you know, our case is a precedent setting case in Israel. It is the first time in Israel's history that a Jew put a bomb in another Jewish person's home because of ideological differences. It is called a hate crime.
We as a family have forgiven Jack Teitel, but just as the Lord fully forgave King David of his sin with Bathsheba, restitution and the law of reaping and sowing still followed. As was prophesied to him - the sword shall never leave your house. (2Samuel 12; Gal. 6:7)
It's been two and a half years since the incident, and the Lord has given us total victory and continues to do so in the lifting up of the name of Yeshua in the Israeli and international Jewish media where it really counts. However, there are three points why we continue to pursue a trial and jail sentence;
A law enforcement officer explained to me from the beginning after the bombing, "Sir, you have three problems; criminal, religious and political".
On September 4, we were hoping to receive a decision on whether Jack Teitel is mentally competent to stand trial, however the decision was postponed until December 2nd. I, as an ordinary non-legally trained person, came to the same conclusion as others who were present. The prosecutor was intimidated and lacked experience and skill before the judges and the Defense team.
REQUEST FOR ACTION
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Today we are urging you once again to use the power of the pen, and to send emails and faxes to Government Ministries in Israel, since this is a political problem also. We need a mass mailing to these Government offices and to newspapers in Israel to ensure that Teitel stands trial and goes to prison. If you would consider forwarding this email to your mailing lists, or contacts, we would greatly appreciate it.
Also, please view the latest CBN interview taken on Sept. 4
We appreciate any effort and help on this important matter, and of course, please continue to pray.
Yours in Yeshua,
David Ortiz
Contact:
Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman
2nd address is to the ministry of foreign affairs
aliberman@knesset.gov.il and/or sar@mfa.gov.il
Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu bnetanyahu@knesset.gov.il
Editor of the Jerusalem Post feedback@jpost.com
Write to the Editor of the HaAretz newspaper from this website: http://www.haaretz.com/contact-us
Editor of Ynet, online newspaper of Y'diot Ahronot, most widely read Hebrew newspaper in Israel, but is in English on the internet as well news@ynetnews.com or editor-in-chief@y-i.co.il
Ministry of Justice Attorney General Menachem Mazuz
29 Salah a-Din Street, P.O.B 49029, Jerusalem 91490
Telephone: 011-972-2-6466332 011-972-2-646-6648
Fax: 011-972-2-646-7023
David writes:
As you know, our case is a precedent setting case in Israel. It is the first time in Israel's history that a Jew put a bomb in another Jewish person's home because of ideological differences. It is called a hate crime.
We as a family have forgiven Jack Teitel, but just as the Lord fully forgave King David of his sin with Bathsheba, restitution and the law of reaping and sowing still followed. As was prophesied to him - the sword shall never leave your house. (2Samuel 12; Gal. 6:7)
It's been two and a half years since the incident, and the Lord has given us total victory and continues to do so in the lifting up of the name of Yeshua in the Israeli and international Jewish media where it really counts. However, there are three points why we continue to pursue a trial and jail sentence;
1. For the sake of Justice;
2. That others who might have been behind the bombing besides Teitel will be captured and stopped in order to avoid more bloodshed. At this time, just as Paul the Apostle claimed his rights under Roman Law in several instances (Acts 16:35-39, 22:25-29 , 23:25-26, Romans 13:1-7) we also want to take advantage of our legal rights to protect others against such people.
3. So that those who hate Israel will not be able to use this case for their advantage.
A law enforcement officer explained to me from the beginning after the bombing, "Sir, you have three problems; criminal, religious and political".
On September 4, we were hoping to receive a decision on whether Jack Teitel is mentally competent to stand trial, however the decision was postponed until December 2nd. I, as an ordinary non-legally trained person, came to the same conclusion as others who were present. The prosecutor was intimidated and lacked experience and skill before the judges and the Defense team.
If Teitel is deemed mentally unfit to stand trial and is deemed not responsible for his past actions, and is sentenced only to do time in a psychiatric institution, as of yet uncovered facts as to how he plotted his crimes and who helped him will not be revealed and as such, will endanger all Messianic believers in Israel and will embolden others to follow in his footsteps with no fear of due process of law.
REQUEST FOR ACTION
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Today we are urging you once again to use the power of the pen, and to send emails and faxes to Government Ministries in Israel, since this is a political problem also. We need a mass mailing to these Government offices and to newspapers in Israel to ensure that Teitel stands trial and goes to prison. If you would consider forwarding this email to your mailing lists, or contacts, we would greatly appreciate it.
Also, please view the latest CBN interview taken on Sept. 4
We appreciate any effort and help on this important matter, and of course, please continue to pray.
Yours in Yeshua,
David Ortiz
Contact:
Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman
2nd address is to the ministry of foreign affairs
aliberman@knesset.gov.il and/or sar@mfa.gov.il
Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu bnetanyahu@knesset.gov.il
Editor of the Jerusalem Post feedback@jpost.com
Write to the Editor of the HaAretz newspaper from this website: http://www.haaretz.com/contact-us
Editor of Ynet, online newspaper of Y'diot Ahronot, most widely read Hebrew newspaper in Israel, but is in English on the internet as well news@ynetnews.com or editor-in-chief@y-i.co.il
Ministry of Justice Attorney General Menachem Mazuz
29 Salah a-Din Street, P.O.B 49029, Jerusalem 91490
Telephone: 011-972-2-6466332 011-972-2-646-6648
Fax: 011-972-2-646-7023
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Rosh HaShana 5771 Sounding an Alarm for an Anti-Missionary Conference in Jerusalem Sept 14th
Rosh HaShana 5771 – is actually one of the prophetic feasts, the Feast of Trumpets. Throughout the Old and New Covenants, trumpets are a symbol of prophetic warning.
In the Arrows from Zion & Weekly Summary of Prayer Requests from Israeli Ministries list this week our Priority Prayer Focus is an actual sounding of the alarm. We are issuing a shofar blast, a trumpet to rally in intercessory prayer for the believers of Israel as next Tuesday, Sept 14th an anti-missionary conference is being held calling all activists against Messianic believers to meet together with the leaders.
This is a grave threat and ominous gathering which leaders in the Weekly Summary are asking us to join in prayer about.
The anti-Messianic leaders have called for activists throughout Israel to come to conference in Jerusalem next Tuesday 9/14. Pray for a spirit of division in their ranks and that what the enemy means for evil, the LORD will use for good!
In the late 1990’s when Netanyahu was Prime Minister, there was a mean drive to legislate against the gospel and the Messianic believers in Israel to outlaw all sharing of faith. This will be one element of the strategy in the upcoming conference, plus a release to persecute more strenuously. Pray for the threat to be made known to the Israeli public – for a blind eye to cease among government, legal and law enforcement authorities.
In the late 1990’s as activists were trying to legislate against the gospel and Messianic believers, a young ultra-Orthodox stood up and said, “I am only waiting for the Rabbis’ Approval to Kill Them” (source: Haaretz coverage of a meeting held by Rabbi Deri against the Beer Sheva Messianic congregation). That approval has been recently given by West Bank rabbis Yitzhak Shapira and Yitzhak Ginsberg.
Anti-Messianic believer activism is heating up in Israel, even as rabbis with superb relationships with Christians encourage Christians to reject any Jewish believers who share their faith in Jesus with fellow Jews. This is the valley of decision for many Christians: will we compromise our faith by rejecting the Jewish members of the Body of Messiah/Christ. Pray many will find the courage to stand united as one body.
Anti-Missionary Conference
The following is being reprinted here by permission of the author, Messianic pastor in Jerusalem, Eddie Santoro of Zion's Glory Ministry and Ahavat Yeshua (Love of Yeshua) Congregation.
Unity and division are powerful spiritual realities which can impact situations for the good or for the bad. In Luke 11:17, Yeshua declared that "Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall". In Genesis 11:9, when speaking of the Tower of Babel, God declares the power of unity when he says; "if as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them." And Paul exhorts in Ephesians 4:13 that "unity of the faith" is one of the prerequisites to "becoming mature, and attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Messiah."
In every situation, unity brings about great power and division will cause a house to fall. As I have pondered recent events in Israel, I have been impressed with the need for us to pray either for unity or division, depending on the different events.
Anti Missionary Conference
Next week in Israel's largest national conference center in Jerusalem, the enemies of the Gospel will be gathering in unity to address the growing problem of "Missionaries" in Israel. Their translation of the word "missionaries" is "Messianic Jews".
The problem the religious community is addressing has arisen because the Messianic Jews are succeeding in bringing Israelis to faith and are ever more visible to the Israeli public. Recently, there have been major outreach events in the towns and cities of Israel, articles written about us in major Israeli newspapers and several television interviews.
This past week in synagogues throughout Israel, leaflets were handed out advertising the coming "anti missionary" conference and encouraging people to come. No doubt those interested will be bused in from throughout the country. Many of Israel's leading anti-messianic organizations along with important area rabbis will be taking the opportunity to "educate" the people on the "impossibility" of being Jewish and believing in Yeshua, as well as informing them of the great danger Messianic Jews are to traditional Judaism.
This is the first time that there has been (such) a concerted effort by numerous anti messianic organizations against us and this new unity could increase the intensity of the daily persecution that we face.
Please pray that a spirit of division would be on this gathering of religious Jews. Pray that their house would be divided and that no effective strategies would be achieved in their intensifying battle against those of us who believe. Also, please pray that we would know the right strategy in response to this event. Pray that in God's mercy, even as they speak against Yeshua, that some hearts would be touched by his great mercy and love.
Israelprayer also got this information update in from Yeshua's Inheritance pastor Howard Bass in Beer Sheva.
Howard writes, "Two of the main speakers at the big 'The Missionary Enemy' in Jerusalem next Tuesday, the 14th, are the eminent Beer Sheva Chief Rabbi Yehuda Deri, and the director of Yad L'Achim, Rabbi Lifshitz.
This is not actually the first time such a conference has been held, but it may be the first time at such a large venue in Jerusalem. After the 1998 demonstration against us, they had one at the hotel in Beer Sheva, which is where the comment was made about 'waiting for them to tell us to kill them'.
"Another time they had one in a synagogue in Beer Sheva, where I went to try to listen from outside. Another time they did it in Arad, and using Beer Sheva as an example of their effectiveness.
"In every case, only their own religious community came, despite inviting 'the public'. At one, they claimed to have proof of their accusations against us, but produced absolutely nothing, not even the parents of the children which we supposedly had kidnapped to baptize. It was all a 'show' to get support. The 'public' for them does not include gentiles, nor any recognized Jewish believer in Yeshua."
This input also from Asher Intrater, of the Love of Yeshua Jerusalem congregation and Revive-Israel Ministry
Asher writes: The conference most likely has three primary aims.
The first is to raise money for the anti-"missionary" missionaries.
The second is to convince Jewish organizations not to receive money from Christian Zionists (a goal that we are not necessarily opposed to).
The third is to stop all efforts of evangelism to our people. This third goal is what brings them into conflict with us.
Please pray with us that
1. the forces of Satan would be divided (Luke 11:17),
2. what was intended for evil will be turned to good (Genesis 50:20),
3. the grace of salvation would be poured out on religious Jews (Romans 10:1; Zechariah 12:10),
4. the local body of Messiah would be more united than ever in the face of the growing attacks against us (Acts 1:14; 2:1; 4:32),
5. we would have wisdom on how to react to "anti-Messianic" groups (Matthew 10:16-25; Acts 4:29).
In relation to this growing opposition of religious forces against the Messianic believers in Israel, Rabbi Shlomo Riskin who has been under great pressure lately from the anti-messianic activists for his relationships with Christians wrote an Op-Ed for the Jerusalem Post encourging Christians to distrust the Messianics who share their faith. Messianic Asher Intrater Answers Rabbi Riskin's Jerusalem Post article "Dialogue: The Messianic movement"
On August 31st the Jerusalem Post ran an Op-Ed by Rabbi Shlomo Riskin title "Dialogue: The Messianic movement". The sub-head to the title read, "There is a minority who use deceptive proselytizing practices to win Jewish converts."
Riskin also denied that any persecution against believers is taking place in Israel. This was an article meant for the consumption of Israel-supporting Christians, so the Messianic believers in Israel would be discounted.
Here is an answer to Rabbi Riskin's JPost Op-Ed by Messianic Jewish minister, Asher Intrater, as it was submitted to the newspaper last week. So far, the editors have chosen not to publish Intrater's response article.
Rabbi Shlomo Riskin's recently published article ("Dialogue: The Messianic Movement," Jerusalem Post, 8-27-2010) describing his assessment of Messianic Judaism demands a thoughtful response by someone who is part of this community.
Rabbi Riskin is well-respected in both Christian and Jewish circles. He is dynamic, intelligent, spiritual, and has great leadership abilities. We respect him as well for those qualities.
Furthermore, there are many issues in which we are in total agreement. - He promotes dialogue between Christians and Jews. - We should emphasize common ground in interfaith dialogue. - Cooperation between Israel and the Church is a national duty. - Pioneers of reconciliation face a barrage of criticism. - We are under attack from Islamic Jihad and secular materialism. We Messianic Jews are not asking anyone in either Orthodox Judaism or Christian Zionism to agree with us. We believe our position is correct, just as they do. We ask others to examine our beliefs with the same respect that we give to theirs.
Having said that, there are certain points in which we would disagree with Rabbi Riskin's statements. While he says that he does not believe our community has been persecuted, we know otherwise. Our community is not persecuted by the State of Israel. However, it cannot be ignored that a fringe minority of Ultra-Orthodox Jews do execute pre-meditated attacks against us.
Please consider:
1. The Ortiz family whose son Amiel miraculously survived an attempt of murder upon his life.
2. Mrs. Conforti, whose bakery business in which she has worked from pre-dawn to post-dusk for years was deliberately destroyed.
3. The Beer Sheva Messianic congregation was ransacked by a mob (an attack recorded on film).
4. The smaller Messianic congregation in Arad has been physically attacked repeatedly.
5. Dozens of new immigrants have been denied citizenship simply because of their faith (all of whom are Jewish enough to have been slaughtered in the Holocaust, and have relatives who were).
6. Numerous Messianic Jews have been beaten, attacked, kidnapped, spit upon, cut off from families, and so on.
The list could go on, but this should be enough to make the point that one should not be "astonished" (in Rabbi Riskin's words) when asked about persecution against Messianic Jews. These attacks were perpetrated by extremist elements of the Ultra-Orthodox (who do not represent mainstream Judaism in our eyes). The ONLY reason these attacks took place was because the victims were Messianic Jews.
Rabbi Riskin compared us with the Mormon Church in America, which is not received by most of the Evangelical Christian community. The example, however, is not relevant for two reasons: First, Judaism is not solely a religion; it is also a people group. Secondly, Orthodox Judaism has religious monopoly in Israel, which Evangelicals do not have in the United States.
While many Evangelical Christians would not agree with the tenets of the Mormon faith, they would not deny their right to be Americans, nor their right to be part of the religious spectrum that exists in the United States. Mormons have full legal rights to conduct all religious and social duties, from birth to burial. Riskin has denied our God-given right to be Jews. We are denied legal rights to perform religious duties necessary within our community. Therefore, the comparison to the Mormons is not at all parallel.
We are also accused of "proselytizing" (a claim we deny by our very insistence to remain Jewish and live a Jewish lifestyle). Disseminating our beliefs is a basic right of freedom of expression, thought, religion, and the press. In fact, we do not disseminate our faith as many Ultra-Orthodox missionaries do, who approach cars in the middle of traffic, ask people to lay tefillin in shopping centers, and drive mission-mobiles around the city with loudspeakers in their "proselytizing" efforts.
Rabbi Riskin accused us of being "deceptive." Yet our beliefs are openly stated to anyone who asks. There is no hiding or pretending. It is virtually impossible to join our gatherings for more than a few moments and not understand who we are. Expressions of Jewish practice, from circumcision to Shabbat to Feasts of the Torah to Bar Mizvah to Chuppa, are an essential part of our faith. There are differing levels of expression of those customs within our communities. However, each person's religious expression is inherent to his or her faith. We have stood with integrity for those values despite criticism from both Christian and Rabbinic circles.
Finally, if our view of the Messiah is said to put us out of the realm of Judaism, then what about the Chabad movement which has invested millions of dollars in advertising campaigns to proclaim that their Rebbe is the Messiah? (Their "Meshichist" stream even believes that he was raised from the dead and answers prayers of his followers from heaven.) Are Lubavitchers not Jews? What about the Tel Aviv "Messiah?" What about those who proclaim that reciting the name of Nachman brings world redemption? What about professors of Tanakh in Israeli universities who do not believe in God? What about Conservative Judaism, Reform Judaism, New Kabbalah and New Age? All of those above differ from Orthodox Judaism "mainstream." Are they also “out of the realm of Judaism?”
My point here is not to try to convince anyone to believe what we believe. We simply wish to stop the "de-legitimizing" of our community. We are Jewish by birth and Jewish by choice. We pay taxes, serve in the army, believe in the God of Israel, the Torah of Israel, and the Messiah of Israel.
Sincerely,
Asher Intrater Congregational Leader – Ahavat Yeshua, Jerusalem
Love of Yeshua Messianic Congregation
We ask you to pray over these things, even as the entire focus of many are upon how anti-Israeli forces in the nations are heating up. We agree the latter needs prayer intercession – but first, our prayers must be for the household of faith who are expanding the Lord’s kingdom in Israel & the Middle East.
In the Arrows from Zion & Weekly Summary of Prayer Requests from Israeli Ministries list this week our Priority Prayer Focus is an actual sounding of the alarm. We are issuing a shofar blast, a trumpet to rally in intercessory prayer for the believers of Israel as next Tuesday, Sept 14th an anti-missionary conference is being held calling all activists against Messianic believers to meet together with the leaders.
This is a grave threat and ominous gathering which leaders in the Weekly Summary are asking us to join in prayer about.
The anti-Messianic leaders have called for activists throughout Israel to come to conference in Jerusalem next Tuesday 9/14. Pray for a spirit of division in their ranks and that what the enemy means for evil, the LORD will use for good!
In the late 1990’s when Netanyahu was Prime Minister, there was a mean drive to legislate against the gospel and the Messianic believers in Israel to outlaw all sharing of faith. This will be one element of the strategy in the upcoming conference, plus a release to persecute more strenuously. Pray for the threat to be made known to the Israeli public – for a blind eye to cease among government, legal and law enforcement authorities.
In the late 1990’s as activists were trying to legislate against the gospel and Messianic believers, a young ultra-Orthodox stood up and said, “I am only waiting for the Rabbis’ Approval to Kill Them” (source: Haaretz coverage of a meeting held by Rabbi Deri against the Beer Sheva Messianic congregation). That approval has been recently given by West Bank rabbis Yitzhak Shapira and Yitzhak Ginsberg.
Anti-Messianic believer activism is heating up in Israel, even as rabbis with superb relationships with Christians encourage Christians to reject any Jewish believers who share their faith in Jesus with fellow Jews. This is the valley of decision for many Christians: will we compromise our faith by rejecting the Jewish members of the Body of Messiah/Christ. Pray many will find the courage to stand united as one body.
Anti-Missionary Conference
The following is being reprinted here by permission of the author, Messianic pastor in Jerusalem, Eddie Santoro of Zion's Glory Ministry and Ahavat Yeshua (Love of Yeshua) Congregation.
Unity and division are powerful spiritual realities which can impact situations for the good or for the bad. In Luke 11:17, Yeshua declared that "Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall". In Genesis 11:9, when speaking of the Tower of Babel, God declares the power of unity when he says; "if as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them." And Paul exhorts in Ephesians 4:13 that "unity of the faith" is one of the prerequisites to "becoming mature, and attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Messiah."
In every situation, unity brings about great power and division will cause a house to fall. As I have pondered recent events in Israel, I have been impressed with the need for us to pray either for unity or division, depending on the different events.
Anti Missionary Conference
Next week in Israel's largest national conference center in Jerusalem, the enemies of the Gospel will be gathering in unity to address the growing problem of "Missionaries" in Israel. Their translation of the word "missionaries" is "Messianic Jews".
The problem the religious community is addressing has arisen because the Messianic Jews are succeeding in bringing Israelis to faith and are ever more visible to the Israeli public. Recently, there have been major outreach events in the towns and cities of Israel, articles written about us in major Israeli newspapers and several television interviews.
This past week in synagogues throughout Israel, leaflets were handed out advertising the coming "anti missionary" conference and encouraging people to come. No doubt those interested will be bused in from throughout the country. Many of Israel's leading anti-messianic organizations along with important area rabbis will be taking the opportunity to "educate" the people on the "impossibility" of being Jewish and believing in Yeshua, as well as informing them of the great danger Messianic Jews are to traditional Judaism.
This is the first time that there has been (such) a concerted effort by numerous anti messianic organizations against us and this new unity could increase the intensity of the daily persecution that we face.
Please pray that a spirit of division would be on this gathering of religious Jews. Pray that their house would be divided and that no effective strategies would be achieved in their intensifying battle against those of us who believe. Also, please pray that we would know the right strategy in response to this event. Pray that in God's mercy, even as they speak against Yeshua, that some hearts would be touched by his great mercy and love.
Israelprayer also got this information update in from Yeshua's Inheritance pastor Howard Bass in Beer Sheva.
Howard writes, "Two of the main speakers at the big 'The Missionary Enemy' in Jerusalem next Tuesday, the 14th, are the eminent Beer Sheva Chief Rabbi Yehuda Deri, and the director of Yad L'Achim, Rabbi Lifshitz.
This is not actually the first time such a conference has been held, but it may be the first time at such a large venue in Jerusalem. After the 1998 demonstration against us, they had one at the hotel in Beer Sheva, which is where the comment was made about 'waiting for them to tell us to kill them'.
"Another time they had one in a synagogue in Beer Sheva, where I went to try to listen from outside. Another time they did it in Arad, and using Beer Sheva as an example of their effectiveness.
"In every case, only their own religious community came, despite inviting 'the public'. At one, they claimed to have proof of their accusations against us, but produced absolutely nothing, not even the parents of the children which we supposedly had kidnapped to baptize. It was all a 'show' to get support. The 'public' for them does not include gentiles, nor any recognized Jewish believer in Yeshua."
This input also from Asher Intrater, of the Love of Yeshua Jerusalem congregation and Revive-Israel Ministry
Asher writes: The conference most likely has three primary aims.
The first is to raise money for the anti-"missionary" missionaries.
The second is to convince Jewish organizations not to receive money from Christian Zionists (a goal that we are not necessarily opposed to).
The third is to stop all efforts of evangelism to our people. This third goal is what brings them into conflict with us.
Please pray with us that
1. the forces of Satan would be divided (Luke 11:17),
2. what was intended for evil will be turned to good (Genesis 50:20),
3. the grace of salvation would be poured out on religious Jews (Romans 10:1; Zechariah 12:10),
4. the local body of Messiah would be more united than ever in the face of the growing attacks against us (Acts 1:14; 2:1; 4:32),
5. we would have wisdom on how to react to "anti-Messianic" groups (Matthew 10:16-25; Acts 4:29).
In relation to this growing opposition of religious forces against the Messianic believers in Israel, Rabbi Shlomo Riskin who has been under great pressure lately from the anti-messianic activists for his relationships with Christians wrote an Op-Ed for the Jerusalem Post encourging Christians to distrust the Messianics who share their faith. Messianic Asher Intrater Answers Rabbi Riskin's Jerusalem Post article "Dialogue: The Messianic movement"
On August 31st the Jerusalem Post ran an Op-Ed by Rabbi Shlomo Riskin title "Dialogue: The Messianic movement". The sub-head to the title read, "There is a minority who use deceptive proselytizing practices to win Jewish converts."
It is easy to say the Messianic community is a monolith and all wish to bring the Gospel to every Jew. The truth is that many just want to practice their faith in private and have no active agenda in missionizing other Jews.
However, there is a minority who use deceptive proselytizing practices to win Jewish converts.
This is spiritually offensive and says those who practice Judaism in its current state are not living a salvific expression of the covenant.
Riskin also denied that any persecution against believers is taking place in Israel. This was an article meant for the consumption of Israel-supporting Christians, so the Messianic believers in Israel would be discounted.
Here is an answer to Rabbi Riskin's JPost Op-Ed by Messianic Jewish minister, Asher Intrater, as it was submitted to the newspaper last week. So far, the editors have chosen not to publish Intrater's response article.
Rabbi Shlomo Riskin's recently published article ("Dialogue: The Messianic Movement," Jerusalem Post, 8-27-2010) describing his assessment of Messianic Judaism demands a thoughtful response by someone who is part of this community.
Rabbi Riskin is well-respected in both Christian and Jewish circles. He is dynamic, intelligent, spiritual, and has great leadership abilities. We respect him as well for those qualities.
Furthermore, there are many issues in which we are in total agreement. - He promotes dialogue between Christians and Jews. - We should emphasize common ground in interfaith dialogue. - Cooperation between Israel and the Church is a national duty. - Pioneers of reconciliation face a barrage of criticism. - We are under attack from Islamic Jihad and secular materialism. We Messianic Jews are not asking anyone in either Orthodox Judaism or Christian Zionism to agree with us. We believe our position is correct, just as they do. We ask others to examine our beliefs with the same respect that we give to theirs.
Having said that, there are certain points in which we would disagree with Rabbi Riskin's statements. While he says that he does not believe our community has been persecuted, we know otherwise. Our community is not persecuted by the State of Israel. However, it cannot be ignored that a fringe minority of Ultra-Orthodox Jews do execute pre-meditated attacks against us.
Please consider:
1. The Ortiz family whose son Amiel miraculously survived an attempt of murder upon his life.
2. Mrs. Conforti, whose bakery business in which she has worked from pre-dawn to post-dusk for years was deliberately destroyed.
3. The Beer Sheva Messianic congregation was ransacked by a mob (an attack recorded on film).
4. The smaller Messianic congregation in Arad has been physically attacked repeatedly.
5. Dozens of new immigrants have been denied citizenship simply because of their faith (all of whom are Jewish enough to have been slaughtered in the Holocaust, and have relatives who were).
6. Numerous Messianic Jews have been beaten, attacked, kidnapped, spit upon, cut off from families, and so on.
The list could go on, but this should be enough to make the point that one should not be "astonished" (in Rabbi Riskin's words) when asked about persecution against Messianic Jews. These attacks were perpetrated by extremist elements of the Ultra-Orthodox (who do not represent mainstream Judaism in our eyes). The ONLY reason these attacks took place was because the victims were Messianic Jews.
Rabbi Riskin compared us with the Mormon Church in America, which is not received by most of the Evangelical Christian community. The example, however, is not relevant for two reasons: First, Judaism is not solely a religion; it is also a people group. Secondly, Orthodox Judaism has religious monopoly in Israel, which Evangelicals do not have in the United States.
While many Evangelical Christians would not agree with the tenets of the Mormon faith, they would not deny their right to be Americans, nor their right to be part of the religious spectrum that exists in the United States. Mormons have full legal rights to conduct all religious and social duties, from birth to burial. Riskin has denied our God-given right to be Jews. We are denied legal rights to perform religious duties necessary within our community. Therefore, the comparison to the Mormons is not at all parallel.
We are also accused of "proselytizing" (a claim we deny by our very insistence to remain Jewish and live a Jewish lifestyle). Disseminating our beliefs is a basic right of freedom of expression, thought, religion, and the press. In fact, we do not disseminate our faith as many Ultra-Orthodox missionaries do, who approach cars in the middle of traffic, ask people to lay tefillin in shopping centers, and drive mission-mobiles around the city with loudspeakers in their "proselytizing" efforts.
Rabbi Riskin accused us of being "deceptive." Yet our beliefs are openly stated to anyone who asks. There is no hiding or pretending. It is virtually impossible to join our gatherings for more than a few moments and not understand who we are. Expressions of Jewish practice, from circumcision to Shabbat to Feasts of the Torah to Bar Mizvah to Chuppa, are an essential part of our faith. There are differing levels of expression of those customs within our communities. However, each person's religious expression is inherent to his or her faith. We have stood with integrity for those values despite criticism from both Christian and Rabbinic circles.
Finally, if our view of the Messiah is said to put us out of the realm of Judaism, then what about the Chabad movement which has invested millions of dollars in advertising campaigns to proclaim that their Rebbe is the Messiah? (Their "Meshichist" stream even believes that he was raised from the dead and answers prayers of his followers from heaven.) Are Lubavitchers not Jews? What about the Tel Aviv "Messiah?" What about those who proclaim that reciting the name of Nachman brings world redemption? What about professors of Tanakh in Israeli universities who do not believe in God? What about Conservative Judaism, Reform Judaism, New Kabbalah and New Age? All of those above differ from Orthodox Judaism "mainstream." Are they also “out of the realm of Judaism?”
My point here is not to try to convince anyone to believe what we believe. We simply wish to stop the "de-legitimizing" of our community. We are Jewish by birth and Jewish by choice. We pay taxes, serve in the army, believe in the God of Israel, the Torah of Israel, and the Messiah of Israel.
Sincerely,
Asher Intrater Congregational Leader – Ahavat Yeshua, Jerusalem
Love of Yeshua Messianic Congregation
We ask you to pray over these things, even as the entire focus of many are upon how anti-Israeli forces in the nations are heating up. We agree the latter needs prayer intercession – but first, our prayers must be for the household of faith who are expanding the Lord’s kingdom in Israel & the Middle East.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Jack Teitel: Psyched Out? or just Psyched Up by Radical Ideology?
SPECIAL NOTICE July 15 2010
FOR PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
May be copied for use in Prayer Gatherings
There have been several developments over the past 24 hours that will impact the case against Jack Teitel. Teitel, who confessed to Israeli law enforcement worked with the anti-missionary group Yad L'Achim, is the Jewish terrorist who attempted to murder Messianic pastor David Ortiz in Ariel. Instead of the gift basket bomb killing Pastor David, it was open by their teenage son, Ami, who miraculously lived through the blast but was severely injured. Ami has just completed his 14th surgery to repair his damaged body as a result of the blast that nearly killed him on Purim in 2008.
First Development to Report: The hearing in the trial against Jack Teitel that had been scheduled to take place on Wednesday July 14th was postponed until September. The hearing was set for the court psychiatrist to report on whether Teitel was mentally fit to stand trial. Leah Ortiz wrote in an update on 7/13:
We were informed today by our lawyer that the hearing scheduled for tomorrow to determine Yakov Teitel's ability to stand trial has been postponed again by the psychiatrists until the beginning of September! There could be many reasons for this, but at any rate it is clear that the court psychiatrist is continuing to re-evaluate. Our lawyer said that the term - "psychotic state" which is what the psychiatrist has determined that Teitel is in, is like the flu in psychiatric terms - something that comes and goes, easily. All we can do is wait - since God is always working, we will give Him the glory and assume that it is all in His hands, and that no matter what the plan or scheme of the enemy of our souls, all things will work together for good. We continue to pray for Teitel and his family's salvation, for our lawyer, the judges, the families of the other victims, and all concerned with this case. We pray that what needs to be brought out into the light will be revealed, because we believe that the Lord wants to do something bigger than what we can see at this time.
Second Development to Report: There is breaking news in Israel on 7/15 that the Israeli security service Shin Bet has arrested another Jewish terrorist from the extreme right-wing settlers for a series of shooting attack murders of Palestinians on West Bank Roads. As a media report in an Israeli newspaper put it,
"A Jewish suspect is brought to the Shin Bet for questioning while he enjoys significant backing from the right: there is an organized group of activists, defense attorneys, and media handlers, all making an effort to extricate him from the hands of the law unscathed." Source: Ha'aretz
There are several similarities involved in this most recent arrest and the arrest of Jack (Yakov) Teitel and this latest arrest should make it even more difficult to get the Israeli public to buy into the notion that Teitel's murderous actions were caused by mentally instability rather than an extremist right wing ideology.
Third Development to Report: There is a lengthy new profile article on Jack Teitel published Wednesday in a Jewish online magazine, Tablet - A New Read on Jewish Life. "V" is for Victory is a fair article, with interviews by the Ortiz family included written by a non-Jewish Polish reporter in his 30's. Tablet Magazine was going to publish the story in installments, but instead published the full profile in one article.Please read this article - it is important because it is going out before a wide Jewish readership and the article is not steeped in denial of the truth of Teitel's radicalism.
Now that another radical settler has been arrested in almost the exact same circumstances as Teitel - except that he is not charged with the attempted murder of a Messianic or a Leftist - it shows that Teitel is radical, not mentally defective in the psychiatric sense, but radicalized to extremist violence.
Donna Diorio
Arrows from Zion - A Ministry of Israelprayer.com
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Saturday, June 26, 2010
Slippery Slope
As someone well versed in how Islamic terrorists are making such gains globally by presenting themselves as victims fighting oppressors, I can't tell you how it grieves me to watch the same dynamics occurring in religious persecution against Jewish believers in Jesus. Like the Peacenik Left sides with Hamas & Friends, many Christians can't face up to the truth in their alliances.
Religious persecution of believing Jews doesn't just happen in Israel. I know of a young man - a virtuoso pianist - who was targeted after participating in the Dallas COUNTER-protest of the "Free Gaza" Flotilla supporters.
It wasn't the Hamas supporters that targeted him, but the guy who is supposed to be the voice of the anti-defamation of Jews. Word has it this Jewish leader took it upon himself to go after the young man's Jewish connections at college - 'reporting' him for not being a 'real' Jew because he was Messianic. So much for anti-defamation.
This kind of stuff happens all the time. The same man, whenever there is an anti-Semitic hate crime against the Messianic synagogues, invests his efforts in making a point to the press that the persecutors made a big mistake, because Messianic Jews are not "real" Jews.
.jpg)
When a crowd was whipped up in Beer Sheva to invade, disrupt, damage property, cause harm to several individuals and generally intimidate the Messianic congregation, the courts refused to hold the rabble rousers accountable.
In Israel, of course, the persecution intensity is much worse because law enforcement and the courts do not enforce the protections afforded to every other group. When there is not legal accountability, persecution increasingly spirals out of control.
As someone well versed in how Islamic terrorists are making such gains globally by presenting themselves as victims fighting oppressors, I can't tell you how it grieves me to watch the same dynamics occurring in religious persecution against Jewish believers in Jesus. Like the Peacenik Left sides with Hamas & Friends, many Christians can't face up to the truth in their alliances.
Many of my Messianic friends don't like the story told, but I consider it enabling the persecutors not to speak out. After a decade of speaking out it is personally frustrating, even disillusioning, to try to tell the truth about these things to Christians who just are unwilling to accept it...or even hear it.
Those Jewish believers who don't want the story told are afraid it will cause Christians to turn on Israel. They also worry it will create a rise in anti-Semitism. So they steel themselves to take it on the chin while the majority of Israel-supporting Christians remain in a fantasy world about the persecution Jewish believers are enduring.
I have two major focuses: the Israeli Body of Messiah and Islamist terrorism. It is really a sad revelation to me how often the persecution of the believers in Israel parallels with the same dynamics surrounding Islamist persecution.
For example, how the strangest bedfellows are formed between the persecutors and their supporters.
In Islamist terrorism, their supporters are peaceniks and other Leftist radicals who are anti-war, big on freedom of speech trumping national security, anti-immigration controls or securing our borders. These folks never saw an Islamist terrorist they didn't think was innocent.
In religious persecution of Jews who believe in Jesus, this is more the reluctance of Christians to understand that the same spirit that opposed Jesus and His disciples in the first century, are still in full operation today. Instead of listening to ANYONE that tries to tell them the truth, they cling to a fantasy view - 'Persecution may be happening, but NOT from the Jews I'm dealing with." Yeah right.
In terrorist circles, the public image is everything. That is why at the "Free Gaza" rally in Dallas the Hamas supporters were shouting slogans like, "Stop the Hate" or "One, two, three, four! We don't want your bloody war!" or "Free Palestine!"
It is all about making the aggressors look like the victims. That message plays well with people who are willing to stay on the surface emotional response level.
I could say the same about Christians who refuse to listen, year after year and approach after approach from different leaders in the Messianic community attempting to educate Israel-supporting Christian leaders about what is really happening to Messianic Jews. These Christians believe that what they are doing in Israel is so 'valuable' to the Lord they will not listen to the Jews the Lord has already saved!
What that speaks to unsaved Jews is that we Christians don't really value Jews, even when they are our spiritual brothers and sisters. This is NEVER going to make unsaved Israel jealous, fellow Christians. Not ever. How we treat the Jews who believe speaks more loudly than how we treat unsaved Israel. You better believe it!
I know of countless Messianic leaders who have been shunned, ignored, accused of just being jealous or even publicly and ferociously attacked by Christian leaders who did not want to hear the truth about who they were supporting in the traditional Jewish community.
It would be easy to name names. But the Lord rebuke them. There is such a thing as WILLFUL ignorance.
If those in the Israel-supporting community don't think it is a test how long The Church staves off coming to grips with the truth and throwing our support behind our spiritual brothers and sisters in Israel, I believe you are mistaken. It is a test we have been failing miserably.
One of the favorite quotes of Israel-supporting Christians is how God is going to judge the nations by how they treated Israel. So what do you think that means for Christians who supported the Israelis who persecuted the Body of the LORD? Think God doesn't care about that?
Okay one already-public example (only one of several I'm aware of) David Brickner of Jews for Jesus put out a letter to JFJ supporters around 2004/5, about how many top Christian leaders were supporting Rabbi Eckstein's Fellowship of Christians and Jews. Rabbi Eckstein who opposes Jewish evangelism.
In a Washington Times article:
FOR HIS TROUBLE, Brickner was accused at the end of the article by Rabbi Eckstein of only being envious of the money involved. Brickner was also ferociously attacked at the time by Jerry Falwall and Gary Bauer.
They are by far not the only Christian leaders to respond to Messianic concerns in this way, nor was David Brickner the only believing Jew to be harshly dismissed for relating our concerns. Many have been accused of jealousy and worse when raising the legitimate concerns about Christians circumventing the Jewish vision for Jewish salvation.
Rabbi Eckstein is not the only person to accuse Messianic Jews or Jews for Jesus of "just being jealous". Far from it. The same accusation has been leveled against any believing Jew who tries to educate the major Israel-supporting Christian leaders about groups that are in hostile to Jews bringing the Good News to other Jews. Leaders of mega-ministries, heads of Christian TV. Many of these leaders court some of the most gospel-hostile Israeli religious crowd on their TV sets while calling our spiritual Jewish brothers and sisters "just jealous." It is the scandal of our times.
It is not just about the money, but let's face it, money is the necessary fuel for almost all spiritual vision.
The $84,281,498 that Rabbi Eckstein collected in 2008 did a lot of good things in Israel. What it did not do is fuel a single vision from God for the salvation of Israel.
The most well-funded believing ministry in Israel, by comparison, was $2,547,354. The majority of Israeli ministries receive far less in donations.
$84,281,498
2,547,354
That is an inkling of how much in dollar terms the Church is ignoring the vision of Jesus for the salvation of Israel.
Wake up Church. If you want to make Israel jealous of our faith, just try blessing the Body of Messiah in Israel with your donations to bless the people of Israel. They do every single outreach ministry that you have ever been prompted to give to do to help Israel - from tree planting, to feeding the hungry, and from helping Jews make aliyah to taking care of Holocaust survivors and terror victims.
There is not a single good project you could donate to help Israel that could not be channeled through the believing ministries of Israel.
Except maybe paying the salaries of anti-missionaries paid to persecute believers...and this is what is happening way more often than you can fathom.
For an example of my PARALLEL activism on the Islamist Terrorism front, here is an example last week of rebuttal to the Dallas Morning News Op-Ed of Mohamed Elibiary "a national security policy analyst and one of three civilian members on the Advisory Board of the Texas Department of Public Safety. He recently testified in Congress on disrupting terror plots before the Homeland Security Committee’s Intelligence subcommittee." Op-Ed
and rebutting comment.Donna Diorio 10:03 AM June 25 2010
.
Religious persecution of believing Jews doesn't just happen in Israel. I know of a young man - a virtuoso pianist - who was targeted after participating in the Dallas COUNTER-protest of the "Free Gaza" Flotilla supporters.
It wasn't the Hamas supporters that targeted him, but the guy who is supposed to be the voice of the anti-defamation of Jews. Word has it this Jewish leader took it upon himself to go after the young man's Jewish connections at college - 'reporting' him for not being a 'real' Jew because he was Messianic. So much for anti-defamation.
This kind of stuff happens all the time. The same man, whenever there is an anti-Semitic hate crime against the Messianic synagogues, invests his efforts in making a point to the press that the persecutors made a big mistake, because Messianic Jews are not "real" Jews.
.jpg)
When a crowd was whipped up in Beer Sheva to invade, disrupt, damage property, cause harm to several individuals and generally intimidate the Messianic congregation, the courts refused to hold the rabble rousers accountable. In Israel, of course, the persecution intensity is much worse because law enforcement and the courts do not enforce the protections afforded to every other group. When there is not legal accountability, persecution increasingly spirals out of control.
As someone well versed in how Islamic terrorists are making such gains globally by presenting themselves as victims fighting oppressors, I can't tell you how it grieves me to watch the same dynamics occurring in religious persecution against Jewish believers in Jesus. Like the Peacenik Left sides with Hamas & Friends, many Christians can't face up to the truth in their alliances.
Many of my Messianic friends don't like the story told, but I consider it enabling the persecutors not to speak out. After a decade of speaking out it is personally frustrating, even disillusioning, to try to tell the truth about these things to Christians who just are unwilling to accept it...or even hear it.
Those Jewish believers who don't want the story told are afraid it will cause Christians to turn on Israel. They also worry it will create a rise in anti-Semitism. So they steel themselves to take it on the chin while the majority of Israel-supporting Christians remain in a fantasy world about the persecution Jewish believers are enduring.
I have two major focuses: the Israeli Body of Messiah and Islamist terrorism. It is really a sad revelation to me how often the persecution of the believers in Israel parallels with the same dynamics surrounding Islamist persecution.
For example, how the strangest bedfellows are formed between the persecutors and their supporters.
In Islamist terrorism, their supporters are peaceniks and other Leftist radicals who are anti-war, big on freedom of speech trumping national security, anti-immigration controls or securing our borders. These folks never saw an Islamist terrorist they didn't think was innocent.
In religious persecution of Jews who believe in Jesus, this is more the reluctance of Christians to understand that the same spirit that opposed Jesus and His disciples in the first century, are still in full operation today. Instead of listening to ANYONE that tries to tell them the truth, they cling to a fantasy view - 'Persecution may be happening, but NOT from the Jews I'm dealing with." Yeah right.
In terrorist circles, the public image is everything. That is why at the "Free Gaza" rally in Dallas the Hamas supporters were shouting slogans like, "Stop the Hate" or "One, two, three, four! We don't want your bloody war!" or "Free Palestine!"
It is all about making the aggressors look like the victims. That message plays well with people who are willing to stay on the surface emotional response level.
I could say the same about Christians who refuse to listen, year after year and approach after approach from different leaders in the Messianic community attempting to educate Israel-supporting Christian leaders about what is really happening to Messianic Jews. These Christians believe that what they are doing in Israel is so 'valuable' to the Lord they will not listen to the Jews the Lord has already saved!
What that speaks to unsaved Jews is that we Christians don't really value Jews, even when they are our spiritual brothers and sisters. This is NEVER going to make unsaved Israel jealous, fellow Christians. Not ever. How we treat the Jews who believe speaks more loudly than how we treat unsaved Israel. You better believe it!
I know of countless Messianic leaders who have been shunned, ignored, accused of just being jealous or even publicly and ferociously attacked by Christian leaders who did not want to hear the truth about who they were supporting in the traditional Jewish community.
It would be easy to name names. But the Lord rebuke them. There is such a thing as WILLFUL ignorance.
If those in the Israel-supporting community don't think it is a test how long The Church staves off coming to grips with the truth and throwing our support behind our spiritual brothers and sisters in Israel, I believe you are mistaken. It is a test we have been failing miserably.
One of the favorite quotes of Israel-supporting Christians is how God is going to judge the nations by how they treated Israel. So what do you think that means for Christians who supported the Israelis who persecuted the Body of the LORD? Think God doesn't care about that?
Okay one already-public example (only one of several I'm aware of) David Brickner of Jews for Jesus put out a letter to JFJ supporters around 2004/5, about how many top Christian leaders were supporting Rabbi Eckstein's Fellowship of Christians and Jews. Rabbi Eckstein who opposes Jewish evangelism.
In a Washington Times article:
"There are those who have worked both overtly and subtly to demonize Jewish believers in Jesus and to make the work of Jewish evangelism seem unacceptable," David Brickner, president of Jews for Jesus, wrote in a six-page letter titled "The War on Jewish Evangelism" sent to 110,000 donors.
"If you press [certain evangelicals], they will say, 'We believe everyone needs Jesus to be saved, but we don't want to be offending people,' " Mr. Brickner said in an interview.
FOR HIS TROUBLE, Brickner was accused at the end of the article by Rabbi Eckstein of only being envious of the money involved. Brickner was also ferociously attacked at the time by Jerry Falwall and Gary Bauer.
They are by far not the only Christian leaders to respond to Messianic concerns in this way, nor was David Brickner the only believing Jew to be harshly dismissed for relating our concerns. Many have been accused of jealousy and worse when raising the legitimate concerns about Christians circumventing the Jewish vision for Jewish salvation.
Rabbi Eckstein is not the only person to accuse Messianic Jews or Jews for Jesus of "just being jealous". Far from it. The same accusation has been leveled against any believing Jew who tries to educate the major Israel-supporting Christian leaders about groups that are in hostile to Jews bringing the Good News to other Jews. Leaders of mega-ministries, heads of Christian TV. Many of these leaders court some of the most gospel-hostile Israeli religious crowd on their TV sets while calling our spiritual Jewish brothers and sisters "just jealous." It is the scandal of our times.
"Some well-known pastors and Christian leaders have either endorsed those who oppose Jewish evangelism or have CAREFULLY AVOIDED endorsing anyone who DOES engage in effective gospel outreach to Jewish people," wrote Jews for Jesus president David Brickner. Because of such endorsements, he added, "the cause of Christ among Jewish people is being hurt." source
It is not just about the money, but let's face it, money is the necessary fuel for almost all spiritual vision.
The $84,281,498 that Rabbi Eckstein collected in 2008 did a lot of good things in Israel. What it did not do is fuel a single vision from God for the salvation of Israel.
The most well-funded believing ministry in Israel, by comparison, was $2,547,354. The majority of Israeli ministries receive far less in donations.
$84,281,498
2,547,354
That is an inkling of how much in dollar terms the Church is ignoring the vision of Jesus for the salvation of Israel.
Wake up Church. If you want to make Israel jealous of our faith, just try blessing the Body of Messiah in Israel with your donations to bless the people of Israel. They do every single outreach ministry that you have ever been prompted to give to do to help Israel - from tree planting, to feeding the hungry, and from helping Jews make aliyah to taking care of Holocaust survivors and terror victims.
There is not a single good project you could donate to help Israel that could not be channeled through the believing ministries of Israel.
Except maybe paying the salaries of anti-missionaries paid to persecute believers...and this is what is happening way more often than you can fathom.
For an example of my PARALLEL activism on the Islamist Terrorism front, here is an example last week of rebuttal to the Dallas Morning News Op-Ed of Mohamed Elibiary "a national security policy analyst and one of three civilian members on the Advisory Board of the Texas Department of Public Safety. He recently testified in Congress on disrupting terror plots before the Homeland Security Committee’s Intelligence subcommittee." Op-Ed
and rebutting comment.Donna Diorio 10:03 AM June 25 2010
.
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