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ing use of their
facilities. "When
pressure is exerted
to curtail the abili-
ty of someone to
communicate in a
public forum,
then there is some-
thing dangerous and wrong," he
said.
Steve Horn, BBAC president, said
"After we advertised the program,
given the situation, "there will not
we began to get a lot of phone calls.
be any further comment." He did
It was becoming a real distraction
not back off the fact that the pro-
and starting to become about Loren
gram will not take place at their site.
Jacobs and Jews for Jesus. We told
c, Jacobs said that he also has been
our coordinator that it would be
uninvited" from appearing on a late
best if he did not appear.
September panel hosted by the
"It was a lose-lose situation," she
League of Women Voters to address
said. "It's not something we did
Michigan's "same-sex marriage" con-
lightly. It was a very hard decision."
stitutional amendment that will be
Asked how he represents himself
on the November ballot. He says it
when he speaks at such forums,
was because he "suddenly became
Jacobs replied, "I speak as a Jew and
too controversial." He claimed the
a Christian. Jesus' perspective is a
League had been intimidated.
Jewish perspective. I am 100 percent
"We are not happy that we had to
Jewish and 100 percent Christian.
disinvite a guest, but we didn't want
We don't see a conflict."
to have a situation where one speak-
David Gad-Harf, executive direc-
er distracted from program," said
Sue Abrams, League president.
HURRICANE OF WORDS on page 32
May the New Year bring to all our
friends and family health, joy, prosperity
and eveiything good in life.
tt
t-'
Judaism has nothing to offer gentiles,
but Jesus does," explained Blewett,
pointing out that many Christians
mistakenly apply Paul's message for
the gentiles to the Jews. "It is a misun-
derstanding of Paul that has all these
evangelicals going after the Jews."
For Blewett, Jesus' message is clearly
Jewish. He likens it to the message of
Rabbi Hillel just one or two centuries
before the birth of Jesus. In contrast
to his contemporary Rabbi Shammai,
who took a strict legalistic approach,
Rabbi Hillel "told the Jews not to get
hung up on the letter of the laws and
the specifics," Blewett explained, "but
rather on the joy and the message of
the Law."
In fact, the Talmud records more
than 300 differences of opinion
between Beit Hillel (the House of
Hillel) and Beit Shammai (the House
of Shammai). In almost every one of
these disputes, Hillel's view prevailed.
Blewett explains that early
Christians had no model of monothe-
ism to follow except the Jewish model,
so they practiced their religion as Jews
practiced Judaism.
"It wasn't until the end of the first
century that a truly gentile relation-
ship with God was developed," he
says. Groups like Jews for Jesus ignore
the changes in the relationship and are
wrong in "trying to fit today's
Christianity into the world of first
century Judaism."
Blewett fears that Jews for Jesus'
misrepresentations of Judaism and
Christianity undermines dialogue
between the two faiths. If Jews believe
such groups represent Christianity
than "Jews can say things about
Christians or Christianity that they
really don't mean to," Blewett said.
"Jews should engage Christians in the-
ological discussions, but not the Jews
for Jesus.
"Let's not blur the lines because
Jesus didn't and Paul didn't," Blewett
said. "Christians should be Christian
and Jews should be Jewish, and in that
relationship, let's talk." 0
Mark & Nancy Morganroth
RanOall Missy, Kendell & Brooke
1O1Alting the eommanik
a Zappti Zettithg
(Mew (Year
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VAI&V
AIWA
May the coming year be filled
with health and happiness for
all our family & friends.
L'SHANAH TOVAH!
Larry & Eileen Kushner Family
Laura, Rick, Hannah & Alison Gammons
Deb, Rick, Danny & Noah Krosnick
Elyse, David & Carly Hochberg
N WIIW
NW•
. •
a\s\e
May the coming year be filled
with health and happiness for
all our family & friends.
Li / SHANAH
TOVAH!
The Budaj Family
Jeff, Nicole, Michelle
317
9/10
2004
at