Proselytization and counter-proselytization of Jews

{{Short description|None}}
{{Jewish outreach}}
A number of religious groups, particularly [[Christians]] and [[Muslim]]s, are involved in '''[[Proselytism|proselytization]] of Jews''': Attempts to recruit or "missionize" [[Jews]]. In response, some Jewish groups have formed counter-missionary organizations to discourage missionary and [[Messianic Judaism|messianic]] groups such as [[Jews for Jesus]] from using practices that they say are deceptive.<ref>David Cho, "Conversion Outreach Plan Stirs Outrage: Jews for Jesus Trains 600 for Street Work", ''The Washington Post'', August 17, 2004; Page B01 [https://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A6464-2004Aug16 full text]{{dead link|date=June 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Cho|first1=David|title=Conversion Outreach Plan Stirs Outrage|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A6464-2004Aug16.html|accessdate=September 15, 2017|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=August 17, 2004}}</ref>

==Christian missions==
{{see also|Conversion of the Jews}}
According to Rabbi [[Tovia Singer]], counter-missionary expert and director of [[Outreach Judaism]], there are well over 1,000 [[Messianic Judaism|messianic]] congregations and other missions to the Jews worldwide.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://outreachjudaism.org/shop/lets-get-biblical-expanded-2-volume-study-guide/ |title=Let's Get Biblical Study Guide (Volume 1) page 13 ISBN 978-0996091305}}</ref> 

===Catholic Church===

The [[Catholic Church]] has historically been [[History of Jewish conversion to Christianity|instrumental in its attempt to convert Jews]]. Such examples include [[converso|conversos]] during the [[Inquisition]], especially within Spain. However, since the [[Second Vatican Council]] and the production of the document [[Nostra aetate]], the Catholic Church's attitude towards Jewish conversion has been that of condemnation. [[Pope Francis]] has made explicit bans on conversion attempts, stating "In concrete terms this means that the Catholic Church neither conducts nor supports any specific institutional mission work directed towards Jews," equating such attempts to [[Antisemitism|antisemitism]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Pullella |first1=Philip |title=Vatican says Catholics should not try to convert Jews, should fight anti-semitism |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-pope-jews/vatican-says-catholics-should-not-try-to-convert-jews-should-fight-anti-semitism-idUKKBN0TT19O20151210 |website=Reuters |access-date=27 October 2023}}</ref>

===Protestantism===

A number of [[Christian denominations]] have programs to reach Jews.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jewsonfirst.org/evangelizing.aspx |title=Evangelizing the Jews |publisher=Jewsonfirst.org |date=2008-06-16 |accessdate=2011-01-21}}</ref> The [[Jewish Telegraphic Agency|JTA]], a Jewish news service, conducted an extensive analysis of Christian efforts to convert Jews to Christianity<ref name="autogenerated2007">{{cite web|last=Yeoman |first=Barry |url=http://jta.org/news/article/2007/11/15/104639/evangelicalpartI |title=JTA, Inc |publisher=Jta.org |date=2007-11-15 |accessdate=2011-01-21 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120527180214/http://www.jta.org/news/article/2007/11/15/104639/evangelicalpartI |archivedate=2012-05-27 }}</ref> and found that some of the largest [[Evangelicalism|evangelical]] denominations – the [[Southern Baptist Convention|Southern Baptists]], the [[Assemblies of God]], and the [[Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod]] – have all increased their efforts to evangelize Jews in the recent past.

The article states that the Christian missionary organization [[Jews for Jesus]] completed a five-year tour called "Behold Your God" that brought its message to 53 cities worldwide, and the Christian [[Chosen People Ministries]] saw its income grow by 31% to $7.9 million between 2003 and 2006.

[[Jews for Judaism]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://jewsforjudaism.org |title=Jews for Judaism |publisher=Jewsforjudaism.org |date=2011-01-17 |accessdate=2011-01-21}}</ref> a Jewish counter-missionary group, writes that there are over 900 Christian groups in North America actively involved in missionizing the Jewish people. Jews for Judaism further states that these groups are currently spending over $250 million each year on efforts to convert Jews to Christianity. Jews for Jesus, the best known single ministry to the Jews, spent over $15 million in 2008.<ref>[http://jewsforjudaism.org/faq-quick-links-157] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090910201443/http://jewsforjudaism.org/faq-quick-links-157|date=September 10, 2009}}</ref> The [[Assemblies of God]] has an extensive organization targeting Jews for conversion to Christianity.<ref>[http://www.jewsforjudaism.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=397:who-are-the-assemblies-of-god-and-what-do-they-have-to-do-with-the-jews&catid=27:missionary-groups--tactics-and-responses&Itemid=4433 Who are The Assemblies of God, and what do they have to do with the Jews?]</ref>

Israel has more than one hundred [[Messianic Judaism|Messianic]] congregations according to Yaakov Shalom Ariel, an associate professor of religious studies at the [[University of North Carolina]] and author of ''Evangelizing The Chosen People''.<ref name="autogenerated2007"/>

{{quote|
"Proselytizing is legal in the country and missionaries of all religious groups are allowed to proselytize all citizens; however, a 1977 law prohibits any person from offering material benefits as an inducement to conversion. It was also illegal to convert persons under 18 years of age unless one parent were an adherent of the religious group seeking to convert the minor. Despite the legality of proselytism, the government has taken a number of steps that encouraged the perception that proselytizing is against government policy. For example, the MOI{{who?|date=December 2023}} has detained individuals suspected of being “missionaries,” and required of such persons bail and a pledge to abstain from missionary activity, in addition to refusing them entry into the country. It maintained denunciations of such activity from antimissionary groups like Yad L'Achim in its border control databases. The MOI has also cited proselytism as a reason to deny student, work, and religious visa extensions, as well as to deny permanent residency petitions. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) promised the Knesset in 1986 to refrain from all proselytism voluntarily in conjunction with receiving a building permit for its Jerusalem Center following protests from the Orthodox community."|A 2010 US State Department report on religious freedom in Israel<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20101121191847/http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2010/148825.htm Israel and the occupied territories], International Religious Freedom Report; BUREAU OF DEMOCRACY, HUMAN RIGHTS, AND LABOR. US Department of State. 7 Nov 2010. Retrieved 2011-08-23</ref>
}}

A prominent effort to convert Jews to Christianity is known as [[Jews for Jesus]]. It was founded by [[Moishe Rosen|Martin "Moishe" Rosen]], who is of Jewish descent and grew up in a non-observant home, converted to Christianity, and was ordained as a Baptist minister in 1957. In 1973, Rosen left the employment of the American Board of Missions to the Jews, now called [[Chosen People Ministries]], to incorporate a separate mission which became known as Jews for Jesus. In 1986, he received an honorary Doctor of Divinity Degree from [[Western Conservative Baptist Seminary]] in Portland, Oregon. Jews for Jesus is now led by [[David Brickner]], who has been working for the organization since 1977.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://brickner.jewsforjesus.org/about.htm |title=David Brickner's Homepage |accessdate=2011-04-29 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726203423/http://brickner.jewsforjesus.org/about.htm |archivedate=2011-07-26 }}</ref>

The 19th century saw at least 250,000 Jews convert to Christianity according to existing records of various societies.<ref>{{Citation | first1 = Stanley N | last1 = Gundry | first2 = Louis | last2 = Goldberg | title = How Jewish is Christianity?: 2 views on the Messianic movement | year = 2003 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=sYfcuBdLqyEC&pg=PA24 | format = Books | page = 24| publisher = Zondervan | isbn = 9780310244905 }}.</ref> Data from the [[Pew Research Center]] has it that, as of 2013, about 1.6 million adult [[American Jews]] identify themselves as [[Christians]]; most as [[Protestant]]s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2013/10/02/how-many-jews-are-there-in-the-united-states/|title=How many Jews are there in the United States?|work=Pew Research Center}}</ref><ref name="pew: portrait">{{cite web|url=http://www.pewforum.org/2013/10/01/chapter-1-population-estimates/|title=A PORTRAIT OF JEWISH AMERICANS: Chapter 1: Population Estimates|work=Pew Research Center}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.haaretz.com/jewish/news/.premium-1.549713|title=American-Jewish Population Rises to 6.8 Million|work=haaretz}}</ref> According to the same data, most of the Jews who identify themselves as some sort of Christian (1.6 million) were raised as Jews or are Jews by ancestry.<ref name="pew: portrait" /> According to a 2012 study, 17% of [[History of the Jews in Russia|Jews in Russia]] identify themselves as [[Christians]].<ref name="ArenaAtlas">[http://sreda.org/en/arena Arena - Atlas of Religions and Nationalities in Russia]. Sreda.org</ref><ref name="2012maps">[http://c2.kommersant.ru/ISSUES.PHOTO/OGONIOK/2012/034/ogcyhjk2.jpg 2012 Survey Maps]. "Ogonek", № 34 (5243), 27/08/2012. ''Retrieved 24-09-2012''.</ref>

Efforts to convert Jews to Christianity are sometimes regarded as [[Antisemitism|antisemitic]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090728062438/http://ejpress.org/article/29965 US group denounces call by evangelical alliance for conversion of European Jews (Archive)]. ''European Jewish Press''. Published September 5, 2008.</ref>  Most [[Progressive Christianity|Progressive Christian]] and [[Mainline (Protestant)|Mainline Christian]] denominations have publicly declared that they no longer proselytize Jews.<ref>[http://www.jcrelations.net/en/?id=1499 Ecumenical Considerations on Jewish-Christian Dialogue] (World Council of Churches)</ref><ref>[http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_jcon3.htm Policies of mainline and liberal Christians towards proselytizing Jews] (religioustolerance.org)</ref> Most [[Evangelicalism|evangelical]] and [[Christian right|conservative Christian]] churches have said they will continue their efforts to evangelize among Jews and claim that proselytism is not antisemitic (even if some Jews disagree) .<ref>[http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2008/march/31.76.html Why Evangelize the Jews?] By Stan Guthrie. ''[[Christianity Today]]''. Published March 25, 2008.</ref>

==Muslim missions==
Muslims have also targeted Jews for conversion.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jews-for-allah.org/ |title=Jews for Allah |publisher=Jews-for-allah.org |date= |accessdate=2011-01-21}}</ref> Rabbi Moshe Cohen, of ''[[Yad L'Achim]]'', an Israel-based counter-missionary organization,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.yadlachimusa.org.il |title=yad leachim |publisher=Yadlachimusa.org.il |date= |accessdate=2011-01-21}}</ref> has identified Al Dawaa, an Israel-based Muslim group headed by Sheikh Abu Yassin of [[Kafr Manda]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.yadlachimusa.org.il/Index.asp?ArticleID=598&CategoryID=193&Page=1 |title=New Danger: Muslim Missionaries |publisher=Yadlachimusa.org.il |date=2007-11-21 |accessdate=2011-01-21}}{{dead link|date=January 2011}}</ref>

==Jewish response==
{{Jewish outreach}}
Jewish counter-missionary organizations respond to these efforts by offering personal counseling, web sites with articles addressing common missionary tactics, and discussion forums where Jews who have questions about the differences between Judaism and other religions can be answered by observant Jews.

Some Jewish resources are specifically aimed at countering the missionary efforts aimed at Jews.

* [[Jews for Judaism]] is an international organization that provides a wide variety of counseling services, along with education, and outreach programs that enable Jews of all ages to rediscover and strengthen their Jewish heritage. Jews for Judaism has offices in Baltimore, Toronto, Los Angeles, Australia and South Africa.<ref>[http://www.jewsforjudaism.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=20&Itemid=464 Jews for Judaism]</ref> On their website, Jews for Judaism offers many articles discussing missionary tactics towards Jews,<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.jewsforjudaism.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=27&Itemid=504 |title = Jews for Judaism}}</ref> approaches by Mormons,<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.jewsforjudaism.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=142&Itemid=505 | title=Jews for Judaism}}</ref> Jehovah's Witnesses<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.jewsforjudaism.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=141&Itemid=506 | title=Jews for Judaism}}</ref> and various "proof texts" and other arguments often used by missionaries as they evangelize Jews.<ref>[http://www.jewsforjudaism.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=315:the-scriptural-messiah-a-second-look&catid=72:scriptural-studies&Itemid=507 Proof Texts]</ref>

* [[Outreach Judaism]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://outreachjudaism.org/ |title=Judaism's response to Christian missionaries |publisher=Outreach Judaism |date= |accessdate=2011-01-21}}</ref> a site run by Rabbi [[Tovia Singer]]. Outreach Judaism is an international organization that responds directly to the issues raised by missionaries and cults, by exploring Judaism in contradistinction to fundamentalist Christianity. Outreach Judaism provides full-time, multi-level informational resources.

* [[Beyneynu - בינינו]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://beyneynu.com/ |title=The Committee for Good Relations |publisher=Beyneynu |date= |accessdate=2011-01-21}}</ref> is founded by former Evangelical missionary Shannon Nuszen. Beyneynu is a non-profit organization that monitors missionary activity in Israel and abroad. Based in Israel, Beyneynu works with government and community leaders to raise awareness of Jewish evangelism, its danger to the Jewish people, and encourage safe and consistent boundaries in the [[Interfaith marriage in Judaism|interfaith]] relationships of Jewish communities worldwide.

* [[Kiruv Organization (Mizrachi)]] - an [[Orthodox Judaism outreach|outreach organization]] founded in 1995 by Rabbi [[Yosef Mizrachi]] in New York for the purpose of teaching [[Torah]] to both secular and religious Jews.

Rabbi Moshe Shulman has responded to specific missionaries who target Jews, including Michael Brown,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.judaismsanswer.com/Brown-Index.htm |title=Michael Brown |publisher=Judaismsanswer.com |date= |accessdate=2011-01-21}}</ref> Rachmiel Frydland, Risto Santala, and [[David H. Stern]] (author of the [[Complete Jewish Bible]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.judaismsanswer.com/lies.htm |title=Lies Damned Lies and What the Missionaries Claim the Rabbis say |publisher=Judaismsanswer.com |date=1996-02-22 |accessdate=2011-01-21}}</ref> Rabbi Shulman's website offers scholarly articles on the mis-use of the Targums, Midrash and Talmud by non-Jews who quote from Jewish sources in an attempt to convert Jews.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.judaismsanswer.com/ |title=Judaism's Answer |publisher=Judaismsanswer.com |date= |accessdate=2011-01-21}}</ref>

The leading counter-missionary organization in Israel is ''[[Yad L'Achim]]'', an organization focusing on [[Orthodox Judaism outreach]] and counter-missionary activity. Yad L'Achim is made up of both paid staff and volunteers, and is largely supported by donations both from Israel and the diaspora.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.yadlachimusa.org.il/Index.asp?CategoryID=190 |title=About our Staff |publisher=Yadlachimusa.org.il |date=2010-12-23 |accessdate=2011-01-21 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100503085652/http://www.yadlachimusa.org.il/Index.asp?CategoryID=190 |archivedate=May 3, 2010 }}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Apostasy in Judaism]]
* [[Baal teshuva]]
* [[Jewish polemics and apologetics in the Middle Ages]]
* [[Jewish views on religious pluralism]]
* [[Judaism's view of Jesus]]
* [[David Klinghoffer]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
{{refbegin}}
* ''Let's Get Biblical!: Why doesn't Judaism Accept the Christian Messiah? (Volume 1)'', by Tovia Singer (RNBN), {{ISBN|0-9960-9130-0}}
* ''Let's Get Biblical!: Why doesn't Judaism Accept the Christian Messiah? (Volume 2)'', by Tovia Singer (RNBN), {{ISBN|0-9960-9131-9}}
* ''Evangelizing the chosen people: missions to the Jews in America, 1880–2000'' by Ariel, Yaakov Shalom (The University of North Carolina Press) {{ISBN|0-8078-2566-2}}
* ''Evangelizing the Chosen People: Missions to the Jews in America'', by Ariel, Yaakov Shalom (the University of North Carolina Press), {{ISBN|0-8078-4880-8}}
* ''Twenty-Six Reasons Why Jews Don't Believe in Jesus'' by Asher Norman (Black White and Read Publishing) {{ISBN|978-0-9771937-2-1}}
* ''Why the Jews Rejected Jesus: The Turning Point in Western History'' by David Klinghoffer (Doubleday) {{ISBN|978-0-385-51021-9}}
* ''The Jewish response to missionaries: Counter-missionary handbook'' by Bentzion Kravitz (Jews for Judaism) ASIN: B0006RRKJG
* ''V'Da Mah SheTashiv: Know What To Answer (To Missionaries) A Thorough Jewish response To Missionaries'' by Ben Solomon (Outskirts Press) {{ISBN|978-1-59800-934-7}} Available on Amazan https://www.amazon.com/VDa-Mah-SheTashiv-Missionaries-Thorough/dp/1598009346 and Barnes and Noble http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Vda-Mah-Shetashiv/Ben-Soloman/e/9781598009347/?itm=1&USRI=mah+shetashiv web sites
* ''You Take Jesus, I'll Take God: How to Refute Christian Missionaries'' by Samuel Levine (Hamoroh Press) {{ISBN|978-0-9604754-1-4}}
* ''Coming Full Circle: A Jewish Woman's Journey through Christianity and Back'' by Penina Taylor (Hatikva Books) {{ISBN|978-965-546-005-6}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
* [http://www.beyneynu.com The Committee for Good Relations]
* [http://www.judaismsanswer.com Judaism's Answer]


{{DEFAULTSORT:Proselytization and counter-proselytization of Jews}}
[[Category:Conversion of Jews to Christianity]]
[[Category:Jewish apologetics]]
[[Category:Jewish counter-missionaries]]
[[Category:Jewish outreach]]
[[Category:Anti-Judaism]]