EDITOR'S NOTEBOOK

Beyond The Message

ebrew Christians, Jews for Jesus, "messianic Jews" — whatever their
label, Jews need to be vigilant of their message.
The audacity of proselytizers trying to convert Jews to accepting Jesus
as their messiah is grabbing headlines from Detroit to Palm Beach.
Well versed in what to say and highly skilled in their
approach, these evangelicals especially target teenagers, college
students and senior citizens — all vulnerable to seemingly for-
tuitous pitches of support and opportunity.
Last week in West Palm Beach, a New York City-based group of
"messianic Jews" who say they adhere to many Judaic tenets, like
keeping kosher, co-sponsored a forum that spotlighted the Middle .
East. "We felt it was time for Jewish and gentile believers to
stand united in prayer for the peace of Jerusalem," Mitch
ROBERT A. Glaser, president of Chosen People Ministries, told the Palm
SKLAR
Beach Jewish News.
The thrust of the three-day forum was Jewish evangelism.
Editor
One seminar explored practical ways "to share the Gospel with
Jewish people in a sensitive and winsome manner." The curious title could just
as easily have been, "Proven Techniques to Convert Jews to Christianity."
Near Disney World in Orlando, meanwhile, there's,a new theme park called
Holy Land Experience. Florida's Jews fear the park's "interfaith" theme is merely
a front for the operator — born Jewish but now a Baptist minister.
Should Jews fear Chosen People Ministries or Holy Land Experience? Lead-
ers of these organizations have a right to share what they believe in religiously.
Moreover, ecumenism is one of America's great religious equalizers.
But yes, we should fear new forms of spirituality until we know they are
devoid of intrigue and deception.
Why? So we don't fall prey to seductive "outreach."

B

Telling Numbers

Rabbi Joseph Krakoff.and Education and Youth Director Michael Wolf at Con-
gregation Shaarey Zedek in Southfield wrote in a letter to congregants:
"This year, 5,000 young Jews walked across the line that
their grandparents would never consider — they bought the
Christian message, making nearly 150,000 Jews praying in
Christian churches around the country."
Which is why the congregation recently hosted Rabbi
Tovia Singer, who pilots Outreach Judaism, a national pro-
Judaism initiative to counter Hebrew-Christian inroads.
Chosen People's Mitch Glaser told the Palm Beach Jewish
News: "I am Jewish and I believe in Jesus. Jesus has changed
my life and eternity. How could I not share the Jewish mes-
siah with others?"
Myrna Shinbaum
That's the rub.
Belief in Jesus is not part of the rhythm of who we, as
Jews, are.
I respect the teachings of Christianity, admire many of its spiritual leaders
and have many Christian friends.
But I deplore the cunning of proselytizers who, while disguised as open-
minded friends, try to coax Jews into spiritually believing in the Trinity — the
unity of "Father, Son and the Holy Spirit" in the soul of Jesus Christ.
Simply put, Jews don't worship Jesus, Christians do.
The Anti-Defamation League considers the threat posed by proselytizing
evangelicals serious enough to monitor, Myrna Shinbaum of the ADI2s New '
York City office said on a stop at the Detroit Jewish News last week.
As she put it: "Their message is simple. It's that Judaism is not an accepted
religion. They preach that Judaism is good until the point where we do not
accept Jesus as the Jewish messiah. Then we're no longer legitimate as a religion.
And that's a scary message. Even the Catholic Church has gone so far as to
acknowledge our legitimacy.
"Yet, the real threat lays not so much in the message, but in the great inroads
in conversion these evangelicals have made.
"That's a danger we can't ignore." ❑

Related story: page 18

LETTERS

Letters are posted
and archived on JN Online:
wvvw.detroitjewishnews.com

Peace Sacrifices
Endanger Security

Those who advocate surrendering the
Temple Mount, Judaism's holiest site,
"for peace" seriously miss the point of
why it is so critical for Israel to retain
it ("Down To The Wire," Jan. 26,
page 28).
In the past 50 years, anti-Jewish
sentiment worldwide has ebbed to
historic lows and Jews in most
places enjoy more rights, freedom
and security than we have for many
generations. This is because,
through the Jews of Israel, the Jew-
ish people have shown that we are
willing to fight and die for the land
that we and the rest of the world
know is rightfully ours.
It is no coincidence that, for the
first time in 2,000 years, the world
respects Jews again. And in this
dangerous world, as Jews should
know better than anyone, nothing is
more important for security than
respect.
By offering to surrender the holiest
Jewish place to appease Palestinian
aggression, Iraeli Prime Minister
Ehud Barak seriously undermined the
message of the past 50 years and, in
so doing, has endangered Jewish secu-
rity everywhere. Although Prime Min-
ister-elect Ariel Sharon's positions in
the "peace process" may be blamed for
some Arab terrorist attacks — both in
Israel and abroad (we are all potential
targets!) — in the long run, the
respect that his stance will regain for
Israel and Jews worldwide will lead to
greater security for us all.•
Kenneth C. Gold

West Bloomfield

Interfaith Peace
To Be Desired

What a marvelous
column by Editor
Robert A. Sklar
("Coming Togeth-
er," Feb. 2, page 5)
on the Jan. 27
interfaith holy day
for peace between
religions at Christ
Church .Cran-
Rabbi Conrad
brook in Bloom-
field Hills.
He captured the essence of the
evening, a respectful exchange
between Rabbi Emeritus Ernst Con-
rad of Temple Kol Ami and my
Lebanese Muslim Arab-American

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re-opening Tuesday,
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11114

2/16
2001

