Once again, news headlines are confronting us with the ugly face of religious extremism. While our nation mourns the Fort Hood massacre of thirteen people carried out by the Islamist murderer, Major Nidal Malik Hasan, Israel is grappling with the implications of its own religious Jewish terrorist, Yaacov Teitel, who murdered Arabs and attempted to murder other Jews, including a Messianic Jewish family...Full Article ]

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by Paige Olson

I like green. It's the color of:

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream!
Money in the bank!
The clothes we wear on St. Paddy's Day!

But GREEN means even more…

Mordecai and I had agreed to meet in order to "exchange our points of view." But both of us knew what we really meant by that phrase: each of us was intent on changing the other one's mind. I wanted to tell him about my faith in Y'shua, and Mordecai wanted to tell me about the joys of living an Orthodox Jewish life.

"Avi, Avi, Avi," Mordecai moaned. "I look at you, and I see such a tragedy. You're like a man who went searching for treasure. But instead of looking in your own back yard, you decided to dig in the gentiles' yards. Whatever you think you've found, it can't compare with the beauty of what you've left behind." He drew in a mournful breath, then let out a sigh. ""Come back, Avi. You're one of God's chosen. Come back..."

7

Michael Medved, the Orthodox Jewish radio talk show host and movie critic, recently stated that, for the majority of American Jews, "the core of their Jewish identity isn't solidarity with Israel; it's rejection of Christianity."

Medved's remarks were part of his reflections in Commentary magazine on the new book by Norman Podhoretz, Why are Jews Liberals? Medved's answer to that question...

This item came to my attention from the Prague Post:

"Contemporary alchemy: Petr Nikl offers a ritual to reanimate the Golem"

The Golem is a figure best-known from late medieval Jewish folklore, though it has earlier roots. Essentially it is a human-like figure made of clay, brought to life with the aid of letters of the Jewish alphabet, and is meant to act as a protector of the Jews. In some stories, though, the Golem turns on its creator. Some have noticed similarities between the Golem and popular superhero characters such as the Hulk. In this news item, Eastern European artist Petr Nikl's installation is described in this way: "Upon entering the gallery, visitors are given instructions on a video screen to look for a sign or word that will revive the Golem."

You may or may not want to revive the Golem, but in the spirit of the Yiddish folk stories of yesteryear, I wanted to offer my own take on the Golem story, one that intimates that the God of Israel is not only for the Jews but for the entire world. Of course, we know that this has taken place through the coming of the Jewish Messiah Y'shua. But the inhabitants of Vaysechvoos--they probably do not know, though it is possible that some of them do and aren't telling. It is may even be that some of them are descended from Rabbi Loew of Prague, and who knows what knowledge they keep to themselves about God and Messiah?

Enjoy the tale, and if you want to know more about the Golem, you can jump from the 16th century to the 21st by plugging in the word "Golem" into the search engine at amazon.com.

Read about Golems in Rich Robinson's entry of "In the Little Shtetl of Vaysechvoos"

Two bits of news from the "dog days of summer" shed interesting light on the challenges of sharing the gospel with Jewish people, and the limitations of dialogue as a means to accomplish this priority.

The first is a serious dust up between the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and several Jewish groups, including the American Jewish Committee, the Anti-Defamation League and the National Council of Synagogues...

4

Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year, falls in 2009 on September 28 (but begins the previous evening).  In English it is known as the Day of Atonement. On this day, many Jews whether religious or secular, will be in the synagogue praying to God to forgive their sins. They will listen to the chanting of the cantor and participate in responsive readings. Many will fast; some will walk to synagogue rather than drive; some will not wear leather shoes. A very few will do something many Jews are unfamiliar with: shlogn kapores...

The request reads: "Children wanted for Future Temple service. Ultra-orthodox Jewish sect is searching for parents willing to hand over newborn sons to be raised in isolation and purity in preparation for the rebuilding of the biblical temple in Jerusalem. Only members of the Jewish priestly caste, the Kohanim need apply..."

Words from an ancient scroll discovered in a recent archeological dig? Or perhaps an excerpt from a Hollywood screenplay for some biblical epic? Actually, those words appeared in the contemporary Israeli newspaper, Haaretz...

6

Actually, don't be misled by this title. This isn't an article against intermarriage. It is just that there are so many issues related to Jewish-Gentile couples in the news these days.

I just got back from Israel and have been catching up on my reading. I keep a Google search on issues related to Jewish-Gentile couples. July was an interesting month...

Did you hear the hubbub over newly released tapes that recorded more of the conversation between former President Richard Nixon and evangelist Billy Graham?  For many, the focus was on anti-Semitic attitudes that appeared in the conversation. But the mention of Jews for Jesus in these tapes sheds an interesting light on how and why many Christian leaders today shy away from Jewish evangelism. (If you didn’t know that Jews for Jesus was mentioned in these tapes and would like to read about it, click here)

The tapes contain a reminder that it is nothing new for Jewish community leaders to regard any overtures to reach Jewish people for Jesus as a threat. As it is human nature to “lobby” influential people to one’s cause, evangelists such as Billy Graham have been pressured to show friendship to the Jewish people by distancing themselves from those whose mission it is to reach Jewish people for Jesus.

The pressure often comes in the form of friendship proffered or withheld based on where one stands when it comes to evangelizing Jewish people. Nearly four decades later, we are seeing the “fruits” of this type of pressure as many Christian leaders are urging other Christians to demonstrate love and respect for Jewish people by keeping silent about the gospel. Rich Robinson, scholar-in-residence with Jews for Jesus, has some keen insight into this trend. I want to commend the following book review, in which Rich shows how Christians can inadvertently diminish their love for the unsaved as well as their own obedience to the Savior:

Honest to God: Christian Zionists Confront 10 Questions Jews Need Answered by Victor L. Styrsky.

The title of this book may imply that Jewish people have ten burning questions for Christian Zionists.  A closer look shows that the “10 Questions Jews need answered” are actually ten assurances that the author believes Christians need to offer the Jewish people. The author poses these questions as springboards from which to show Christians how to relate to Jewish people.

9

June 26, 2009

The Rev. Billy Graham informed Richard Nixon of the Jewish community's concern about Jews for Jesus in a private telephone conversation in February 1973. Graham represented the group as being "set up all over the country," at a time when the organization was in its fledgling stage, with just a handful of workers.

The 20-minute conversation, released on Tuesday as part of 154 hours of tape recordings from the Nixon White House, took place on February 21, 1973, the day Israeli jets fired on a Libyan passenger plane that violated its airspace, causing the plane to crash and killing 108 people on board...

The phone rang. It was Dan Sered calling from Israel, and he sounded very discouraged. Dan leads our Jews for Jesus branch in Tel Aviv. We were in the midst of our third Behold Your God Israel campaign and the opposition was heated. But that wasn't why Dan was discouraged. Full Article ]

2

I enjoyed screening the new Star Trek movie the other week.  It was great seeing Spock, Kirk, Bones et al. in their more formative years, and wonderful to see Leonard Nimoy reprise his role as the "older" Spock. Conspicuous by his absence, of course, was William Shatner.  Which made me wonder … in the years since the original Gene Roddenberry Star Trek, William Shatner has shown up just about everywhere. He was T. J. Hooker. He was (and is) the pitch guy for Priceline.com. He was (and is, if you count…[ Full Article ]

13

"Do Jews Have a Jesus Problem?" asks Jay Michaelson in The Forward, commenting on Peter Schafer's recent book, Jesus in the Talmud.  Schafer thinks the rabbis of the Talmud saw Jesus, and Jewish believers in him, as a threat. So they wrote what essentially was a "counter-story" to the gospels...  [Read More]

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The National Council of Churches describes Christian Zionism as "a danger to true peace in the Middle East." Anglican Vicar Stephen Sizer, in his scorching and widely read book, Christian Zionism: Roadmap to Armageddon, attacks Christian Zionism as "racist" and "unbiblical."

We can shrug off such attacks on Christian Zionism, knowing that many of its critics seem to have little love for the Jewish people, and do not believe that God has or will fulfill His promises to them literally.

Yet there is a serious problem with Christian Zionism that cannot be chalked up to the biases or lack of balance that some critics demonstrate. That problem ought not go without scrutiny and censure, but unfortunately the average Christian is unaware of it. The problem is, many Christian Zionists are involved (some proactively, others unknowingly) in preventing Jews from hearing the gospel.

So maybe the time has come for us to ask, "How Christian is today's Christian Zionism?" Please note the word "today's," because the landscape of Christian Zionism has dramatically shifted in recent years.

26

Move over Karl Marx, Sigmund Freud, and Friedrich Nietzsche...

Make room for the new kids on the block—Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, and Christopher Hitchens! These "New Atheists" proclaim God's non-existence with great fervor. But they're not saying anything new...

I was just "friended" by Benjamin Netanyahu. If you don't have a Facebook account, you might not know that being "friended" is like being "befriended" only... [Full Article]

3

This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of Herman Wouk's classic précis of Orthodox Judaism and personal statement of his faith, This Is My God. I have just pulled my dog-eared copy, probably handed down by my grandfather or father, from the shelves, and over the past several days I have read, or possibly re-read, it. I have little recollection of having gone through it as a child, though I may well have done so.

As of this writing, Wouk is still living, having been honored by a lifetime achievement award in 2008 at age 93. There is also a follow-up volume, The Will to Live On, which saw the light of day in the year 2000, but I have not yet obtained a copy. It would be interesting to see how his views have or have not changed over the past forty years, the span of a biblical generation.

I never thought I'd get married, for the simple reason that I never thought I would ever meet someone who would love me just for who I am, faults and all. And then I met Renee Shulman...

Renee and I met one afternoon at Queens College through the Hillel group on campus. I was studying geology and had just returned from a field trip. My jeans were filthy and the rest of me wasn't too clean either. I walked into the room where Hillel was meeting, sort of wondering why I was there. Truth be told, I would have rather been by myself or playing table tennis, but someone had told me I should drop by Hillel and so here I was.

From what I was told later, I understand that Renee, who had been chatting with a group of her girlfriends, stopped mid-conversation when she saw me. Then she pointed me out to her friends and said, "I'm going to marry that guy." Grubby jeans and all.

As I write, the headlines are dominated by war and unspeakable violence in Israel and the Gaza Strip. Thus far, the United States is standing by Israel's efforts to defend herself from thousands of Qassam and Grad rockets that Hamas has been firing into the civilian population areas.

Some say that Israel's response is disproportionate, but war cannot be reduced to a simple mathematical equation. The fact that Hamas is militarily inferior does not make them morally superior in this conflict. Unlike Hamas, Israel does not intentionally target civilians - but in one of the most densely populated areas of the world, military conflict inevitably results in civilian casualties, as we have seen. The horror of it is too great for words.

19

When we pulled out of Gaza in 2006, there was a feeling of anticipation in the Land, a hope that peace might be within reach. The Palestinians living in Gaza would now rule themselves. I even heard some Arabs commenting on the radio that with the occupation over, they were free. On the Israeli side, apart from a small group of religious extremists, the population was relieved. No more risk that the soldiers serving in Gaza would be harmed. The possibility of a peaceful, prosperous Palestinian populace was something that most Israelis believed would be good for…[ Full Article ]

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It's virtually obligatory each December 31 (the date I am writing this) to recap the old year and/or say something about the new one. So let's see … as to a recap, this morning I heard a radio commentator tell about the ten most overblown news stories of 2008, such as whether some gymnasts at the Beijing Olympics were really 14 rather than 16 years old, though he could easily have mentioned others, such as the thankfully short media spurt on what kind of dogs the Obamas will be getting.

1

I saw the Maccabee Menorah advertised somewhere (the individual candles are the Maccabee brothers, though somehow they squeezed nine candles out of a family of five), and a Judah Maccabee Action Figure somewhere else. They seem more appropriate for Hanukkah than the ad where the guy was wearing an electric menorah-hat, which made him look like a very weird moose and also seemed to require him to stand near an electrical outlet. After all, Hanukkah is supposed to be about heroes, and the Maccabees are remembered as powerful guerilla warriors who smashed the might of a pagan army. They fought, they won, and we get to eat latkes...

With the presidential elections behind us at last, responses to our new president-elect range from jubilation to despair to everything in between; some are bursting with enthusiasm while others are ridden with anxiety. Everyone has hopes or fears (or both) about changes the new administration will make—changes that will affect our lives and the life of our nation.

Full Article...

2

If you think that Thanksgiving is about turkeys and pumpkin pie...

...you are about as smart as a turkey and as bright as a six week old jack-o-lantern without a candle.

Sorry to insult you, but I thought maybe, perhaps, I could just shake you up a little bit so that you would know...

...just know that there is a God and He's always doing good things for you.

And though He's omniscient, so that He knows everything....

and though He's omnipotent, so that nothing is very hard for Him to do...

...He would still like to hear a word of thanks from you.

12

Last week I saw a new movie—"Religulous." Believe me, I would not have spent time or money on this film, but inasmuch as Bill Maher interviewed someone identified as an "ex-Jew for Jesus," I felt responsible to see what, if anything, was said about our ministry.

On the positive side, Jews for Jesus was not an issue in the film; our name only came up as a title for one of the interviewees, who happens to be a former staff member. On the down side I could write quite a bit, but suffice it to say I found the movie dull and intellectually dishonest. Maher's unvarnished attempt to paint anyone with any religious convictions as a ridiculous extremist inspired the mean-spirited title, "Religulous."

I know something about this kind of stereotyping; over the last month and a half...

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I want to thank those of you who have commented either here or in e-mails in response to the media furor over my remarks at Wasilla Bible Church on August 17th.   The comments attributed to me were taken out of context. The notion that the terrorist, bulldozer attack in Jerusalem this summer was God’s judgment on Israel for not believing in Jesus, is absolutely not what I believe. In retrospect, I can see how my rhetoric might be misunderstood and I truly regret that.  
 
Of course I never expected the kind of magnifying glass scrutiny on a message where I was speaking extemporaneously.   Let me be clear.  I don’t believe that any one event whether a terrorist attack or a natural disaster is a specific fulfillment of or manifestation of a Biblical prediction of judgment.  I don’t believe that the newspaper should be used to interpret the Bible. The Bible interprets the Bible.
 
I love my Jewish people and the land of Israel.  I stand with and support her against all efforts to harm her or her people in any way.  Please feel free to read my further explanations, in my Realtime article and in the interviews I did with Christianity Today and NBC.

Sincerely,
David Brickner

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I don't usually attend conventions. But with the donkey-and-elephant shows having just been wrapped up, I wondered what I would say to convention-goers if I DID go to conventions. Maybe something like this:

Mazel tov! You made it to the CONVENTION!

You're probably here for a short time. You should be thankful. The 1787 Constitutional Convention lasted four months... [Read More]

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The gospel is a message of love and reconciliation, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentiles, according to Romans 1:16. But there would be no need for the gospel if all was well with the human race—so when we talk about the gospel, we cannot avoid the mention of sin and God's judgment.

David Brickner was recently a guest speaker at Wasilla Bible Church, the church Sarah Palin attends. Please be aware that his statements regarding God's judgment have been published out of context in a way that we feel is misleading. David holds the traditional evangelical belief that God judges all people for sin, and that Jesus is the solution for the sins of everyone who will repent and receive God's gracious forgiveness.

If you have any questions about David Brickner's views on God's love for Israel, or God's judgment for sin, please click the "Read Full Article" icon just below.

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An MP3 recording of this message is avaialable by clicking here. Pastor Larry: The Lord put David Brickner on our calendar almost three years ago, put it in ink, said “David Brickner, August 17th, 2008, Wasilla Bible Church.” He’s an international speaker—his schedule ends up being two to three years out. He’s a leader of Jews for Jesus, a ministry that is out on the leading edge in a pressing, demanding area of witnessing and evangelism. Our connection with them probably goes back to the…[ Full Article ]

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Got your attention, didn’t it? Some media announcements about archaeological discoveries paint them as shaking the very foundations of faith in Jesus. The latest such has been described on many blogs over the past month. In a nutshell, the media storm concerns a stone tablet that is said to date from the 1st century B.C. and which appears to describe a pre-Jesus messianic figure who dies and rises on the third day.

Well, maybe. Or maybe not. CNN has a helpful video summarizing the possible implications of “Gabriel’s tablet”...

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I've been listening to the radio far more often since receiving my recent birthday present to myself: a compact table-top radio/cd/alarm clock. And so it was that I heard a personal essay deemed important enough, or deep enough or who-knows-what-enough to be read aloud on National Public radio.

"I do not want to be a God-fearing man," the slightly southern sounding drawl intoned. The man went on tell how the religious institution in which he'd been raised was ruled by fear. He used words like "sledgehammer" and "intimidation" to describe his experience. He recalled how he'd been "disfellowshipped" as a teen, after having premarital sex with his girlfriend. He'd been offered the following choice: announce to the congregation that the behavior was a sin, repent and be forgiven, or leave the church. He made his choice, and has since gone on to discover "God as I understand him."

[Continue Reading...]

Tisha be-Av (the Ninth of Av) commemorates the destruction of the First and Second Temples. In Jewish tradition, the date has become synonymous with mourning and tragedy. Three weeks prior is the less well-known Fast of Tammuz which commemorates the fall of Jerusalem's walls. Between both dates, various mourning customs are practiced by observant Jews.

[Read More...]

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I’m not much of a video game player. I remember the first video game, though. It was called Pong, and you had to paddle a bouncing ball to keep it going. It wasn’t much more than a white spot of light on a TV screen. I also remember games like Pac-Man in the video arcades and Donkey Kong, which had something to do with a gorilla and a girl. I wonder where I’ve heard that before.

[Continue Reading...]

This month marks the 60th anniversary of the founding of the modern state of Israel. It's no coincidence that we've chosen this time for our first Behold Your God Israel Campaign. In preparation for the campaign, we polled people as to their current opinions concerning Jesus. This first-of-its kind survey was conducted by a well known Israeli polling firm, 21st Century Marketing. The 981 completed surveys provided a good sampling of modern Israeli attitudes and revealed startling information that we want you to see...

[Read More]

Yom ha-Azma'ut, or Israel Independence Day, is commemorated each year on the fifth day of the Hebrew month Iyar. This day marks the end of the British Mandate and the official forming of the State of Israel in 1948. Jewish sovereignty over the ancient homeland enabled Jewish people to return to Israel from the four corners of the world, as the Bible predicted they would. The modern state of Israel is comprised of Jews from hundreds of nations and as many different backgrounds and languages. Yet, a distinct Israeli Jewish culture and style has emerged as demonstrated by the use of Hebrew as a common language. This means the gospel of Y'shua can be proclaimed to millions of our people using one language!

Of the almost six million Jews that have settled in Israel, less than one percent believe in Jesus. As we Jews for Jesus celebrate Israel Independence Day, we also recognize our dependence on God as we seek to reach Jews in Israel and all over the world with the message of Y'shua.

Read about a true story of reconciliation between a Israeli Jewish believer and an Arab Muslim family in The Sulha: Reconciliation in the Middle East.	Read a heart-warming story of the first American Messianic Jewish couple to immigrate (make aliyah) to Israel.

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Did you see the full-page ad in The New York Times on Friday, March 28, entitled “The Gospel and Jewish People:  An Evangelical Statement”? 

Sponsored by the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA), the statement is signed by well-known evangelical pastors, theologians, and journalists who believe in Jewish evangelism.  It is a concise, updated reaffirmation of WEA’s 1989 Willowbank Declaration on the Christian Gospel and the Jewish People.

Abraham H. Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League has called it  “particularly odious to defend the duplicitous proselytizing of Jews by groups such as Jews for Jesus…” He goes on to stay that “While [the leaders who signed the statement] claim to deplore the use of deception and coercion, they ‘reject the notion that it is deceptive for followers of Jesus Christ who were born Jewish to continue to identify as Jews,’ thus turning the meaning of deception on its head.”

We applaud the WEA and those who signed the document for recognizing the need for the gospel to be lovingly brought to all people, including our Jewish people.  And we are particularly encouraged to see our evangelical family acknowledge that those of us who are followers of Y’shua (Jesus) who were born Jewish have every right to continue to identify as Jews. 

What do you think?

14

As evangelical Christians, we want to express our genuine friendship and love for the Jewish people. We sadly acknowledge that church history has been marred with anti-Semitic words and deeds; and that at times when the Jewish people were in great peril, the church did far less than it should have.

• We pledge our commitment to be loving friends and to stand against such injustice in our generation. At the same time, we want to be transparent in affirming that we believe the most loving and Scriptural expression of our friendship toward Jewish people, and to anyone we call friend, is to forthrightly share the love of God in the person of Jesus Christ.
• We believe that it is only through Jesus that all people can receive eternal life. (Acts 4:12) If Jesus is not the Messiah of the Jewish people, He cannot be the Savior of the World.
• We recognize that it is good and right for those with specialized knowledge, history and skills to use these gifts to introduce individuals to the Messiah, and that includes those ministries specifically directed to the Jewish people (1 Corinthians 9:20-22).
• We deplore the use of deception or coercion in evangelism; however, we reject the notion that it is deceptive for followers of Jesus Christ who were born Jewish to continue to identify as Jews (Romans 11:1).

We want to make it clear that, as evangelical Christians, we do not wish to offend our Jewish friends by the above statements; but we are compelled by our faith and commitment to the Scriptures to stand by these principles. It is out of our profound respect for Jewish people that we seek to share the good news of Jesus Christ with them, and encourage others to do the same, for we believe that salvation is only found in Jesus, the Messiah of Israel and Savior of the World.

Due to space constraints, the following is a partial list of the evangelical Christian leaders who affirm the above statement:

• Rev. Dr. Lon Allison—Director, Billy Graham Center, Wheaton College
• Dr. Mark Bailey—President, Dallas Theological Seminary
• Joel Belz—Founder, World Magazine
• Richard Bewes—OBE, former Rector, All Souls Church, Langham Place, London
• Lyndon Bowring—Executive Chairman, CARE
• Doug Birdsall—Executive Chair, Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization
• Dr. D. A. Carson—Research Professor of New Testament, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
• Dr. Paul Cedar—Chairman, Mission America Coalition
• Dr. Yonggi Cho—Senior Pastor, Yoido Full Gospel Church, Seoul, Korea
• Chuck Colson—Founder, Prison Fellowship
• Dr. Jim Congdon— Senior Pastor, Topeka Bible Church
• David Evans—Bishop, Church of England
• Neil E. Gastonguay— Pastor, United Methodist Church, Bath, Maine
• Mark Greene—Executive Director, London Institute of Contemporary Christianity
• Stan Guthrie—Managing Editor, Special Projects, Christianity Today
• Dr. David Harley—former General Director, OMF International
• Dr. Harold Hoehner—Distinguished Professor of New Testament Studies, Dallas Theological Seminary
• Dr. Jim Holm—President, Mennonite Brethren Bible Seminary
• Dr. Kenneth Hutcherson—Senior Pastor, Antioch Bible Church
• Dr.Walter C. Kaiser, Jr.—President Emeritus, Colman M.
  Mockler Distinguished Professor of Old Testament,
  Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
• Joe Kapolyo—Minister, Edmonton Baptist Church
• Dr. R. T. Kendall—President, R. T. Kendall Ministries
• Dr. Jerry B. Jenkins—Owner, ChristianWriters Guild
• Prof. A. N. S. Lane—London Bible College
• Rev. Dr. John-Paul Lotz—Lecturer in Church History, London School of Theology
• Steve Moore—President & CEO, The Mission Exchange (formerly EFMA)
• Rev. Dr. Steve Motyer—Lecturer, London School of Theology
• Dr. Marv Newell—Executive Director, Cross Global Link (formerly IFMA)
• Hugh Palmer—Rector, All Souls Church, London
• The Honorable Tony Perkins—President, Family Research Council
• Dr. Raymond Pfister—Principal, Birmingham Christian College, Birmingham, England
• Charles W. Price—The People’s Church, Toronto, Canada
• John Piper—Pastor for Preaching and Vision, Bethlehem Baptist Church
• Dr. Carson Pue, President, Arrow Leadership, Vancouver BC
• Dr. Phil Roberts—President, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
• Dr. Haddon Robinson—President, Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary
• John H. Rodgers, Th.D.—Bishop in the Anglican Mission in America
• Russell Rook—Director, ALOVE, Salvation Army
• John Seawright—Minister, Abbey Presbyterian Church, Monkstown, Ireland
• Gordon Showell-Rogers—General Secretary, European Evangelical Alliance
• Dr. Lon Solomon—Pastor, McLean Bible Church, McLean, VA
• Dr. Joseph M. Stowell—President Cornerstone University
• Stephen Strang—Publisher, Charisma Magazine
• Matt Summerfield—Executive Director, Urban Saints
• Dr. Vinson Synan—Dean Emeritus of Regent University
• Dr. Geoff Tunnecliffe—International Director,World Evangelical Alliance
• Clive Urquhart—Director, Kingdom Faith Ministries, Horsham, England
• Phil S. Walker—Pastor, Ridgecrest Baptist Church, Madison, MS
• Mike Wall—Executive Director All Nations Christian College, Ware, England
• Mark Weeden—Pastor,Worthing Tabernacle
• Chris Williams—Pastor, London Community Church

World Evangelical Alliance is the sponsor of this statement. Those evangelical Christians who would like to add their names to this list can do so by contacting World Evangelical Alliance at www.worldevangelicals.org

5

To re-phrase Chaucer,

“When April with her sweet showers,
the drought of March has parched to the root,…
Then do folk get expelled…”

Yes, this April marks two expulsions, in a manner of speaking. Passover (beginning the night of April 19) is not really an expulsion like the bad ones when Jews were kicked out of Spain, Portugal, and other countries. It’s really about liberation, which came about when Pharaoh, having had it up to here with the plagues, essentially said, “Get out of here already!” His expelling us was God’s way of freeing us—a good expulsion.

The day before Passover, April 18, marks the release of Ben Stein’s film Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed, one of the latest in a series of advocacy films. Ben is talking about the expulsion that comes when proponents of Intelligent Design are “persecuted” in academic settings and denied the right of free inquiry, expelled from the academic establishment. In this case, expulsion is the opposite of freedom—a bad expulsion...

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This Friday is a day of two gallows. It marks an unusual convergence of Good Friday and Purim. We know that Good Friday is a time to remember the crucifixion of our Messiah Jesus. Purim commemorates the rescue of the Jewish people from Haman's murderous plot as recorded in the book of Esther. Rarely do these days converge on the exact same date but because of the differences between the Jewish calendar (lunar) and the Roman or Christian calendar (solar), this year presents us with a strange and thought provoking confluence...

[Continue Reading]

There I stood, "Super Mordechai," in my red-dyed long underwear, sporting a cape and a big "M" emblazoned on my thermal undershirt. I'm not sure if the costume shaped my understanding of Purim or vice versa, but for most of my life I have seen Mordechai as the hero of the story.

As we read through the Megillah each year and "booed" at every mention of Haman's name, it was only natural to cheer each time we heard the name of heroic Mordechai. He had stood up to the evil Haman and resisted compromise out of loyalty to God and loyalty to the Jewish people. He had risked his life for the sake of that loyalty. And he was a strategist, the one calling the shots with his young girl cousin Esther. Mordechai was smart, courageous and strong—what more could a child want in a hero? As a boy it was natural for me to identify with the male protagonist in the story. I didn't want to be a passive guy—I wanted to be like Mordechai!

But as the years passed, I realized that Mordechai is not the only hero in the story of Purim. Maybe he is not even the main hero. After all, the holiday is not based on "the Book of Mordechai." So let's take a look at his cousin, Esther...

[Continue Reading]

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The March Edition of Christianity Today has an editorial by Stan Guthrie entitled "Why Evangelize the Jews?" We invite your comments on it.

God's chosen people need Jesus as much as we do.

Larry King is not known as a tough interviewer. Yet with smooth-talking pastor and author Joel Osteen, he went for the jugular, asking whether Jews and Muslims must believe in Christ to get to heaven. And Osteen blinked: "I'm very careful about saying who would and wouldn't go to heaven. I don't know."

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Vaysechvoos is a fictitious village in 19th century czarist Russia. Stories from Vaysechvoos often appear in our 21st century publication Issues.

This story is typical of the kinds of tales Jewish authors wrote once upon a time. This is not an endorsement of kabbalah, just of Jewish shtetl tales. So in the spirit of the great writer Sholem Aleichem, we offer this piece.

[Continue Reading]

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Many people do not believe in a literal heaven so for them, the question “Who goes there?” is moot. The late Dr. Louis Goldberg once told of the time that he went into the store of a Jewish proprietor:

He looked so depressed and dejected that I asked him what was wrong. He replied, “I have just attended the funeral of my favorite aunt.” Softly I inquired, “And where is she now? Will you see her again?” “You know what we believe,” he replied, “When a person dies, the body is placed in the ground, and this is all there is to it. . . . All that remains is the memory of the departed in the hearts of the living.”

That man was not alone in his belief that death was the final curtain. Yet there are noted Jewish scholars and rabbis in all the main branches who do not dismiss belief in an afterlife. Orthodox Rabbi, Shraga Simmons, writes:

The afterlife is a fundamental of Jewish belief! The creation of man testifies to the eternal life of the soul. . . .

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This year I was invited to attend the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington D.C. Praying with the president of the United States sounded like a unique opportunity, so I went.

It wasn't exactly an intimate time of intercession. 4000 people were squeezed into a banquet room in tables of eight to ten. Some sipped coffee and nibbled croissants and cold fruit. Small bowls enabled each person to take a little bit of cereal. Navy blue and white programs listed the names of each speaker. Everything had been pre-set because the room was too tightly configured—the tables far too close to each other—for wait staff to move in and out to serve an actual breakfast. One speaker jokingly observed that the National Prayer Breakfast was not known so much for the breakfast as it was for the prayer. For reasons of security and the dignity of his office, President and Mrs. Bush and the select few with them were a bit removed at a dais that permitted people to serve them. I doubt that their fare was any different from the rest of us.

Groundhog Day has its groundhog, Thanksgiving has its turkeys, and Valentine’s Day has its Valentinus (or Valentine). It was on this day in the year 270 that

…according to tradition, Valentine, a priest in Rome during the reign of Claudius II, is beheaded along the Flaminian Way. One explanation for Valentine’s subsequent relationship to the romantic holiday is this: Claudius, seeking to more easily recruit soldiers, removed family ties by forbidding marriage. Valentine ignored the order and performed secret marriages—an act that led to his arrest and execution.

The romantic associations may have even come later:

The first recorded association of Valentine's Day with romantic love is in Parlement of Foules (1382) by Geoffrey Chaucer:

For this was on seynt Volantynys day
Whan euery bryd comyth there to chese his make.

Translation: For this was on St. Valentine’s Day, when every bird comes there to choose his mate.

It’s not clear who is responsible, but some of the ideas surrounding Valentine’s Day are a tad bit odd.

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In this season, primaries and playoffs dominate the media, captivating people's attention and passion. There are winners and losers for each and every one of these contests.

Isn't it amazing how wrapped up some of us get, how much emotion we expend, as we root for "our guys" to win? My beloved San Francisco 49ers haven't been in the hunt for a playoff birth for a very long time, but I am still rooting, for them, still a fan, still energetic in cheering for and/or defending my team.

We so identify with our team that when the game ends, it is as though we ourselves experience "the thrill of victory or the agony of defeat." I admit that I can be downright mopey when "my team" loses, even if it's the first time I've ever rooted for them.

When it comes to politics the stakes are higher, but there are parallels to "the game."

Sometimes I think I want to invent a new reality show. Not that we don’t have enough already. But I think it would be cool to have something along the lines of, Who Wants to Dance with a Survivor? or Xtreme Life Swap Makeover. You know, something that’s a little edgier that what’s out there right now.

It’s kind of ironic that most of our reality shows don’t deal with reality. Nothing about Iraq, nothing about nuclear arms. Instead they’re mostly about dancing, singing, and looking better. I guess some people’s reality is different than mine.

Rabbi Isaac Lichtenstein was curious when he observed one of the teachers in his school reading a book printed in German. Asking the teacher what he was reading, the book was passed to him. He leafed casually through the pages until his eye fell upon the name, "Jesus Christ." Realizing that the little book was a New Testament, he sternly rebuked the teacher for having it in his possession. He furiously cast the book across the room. It fell behind some other books on a shelf and lay forgotten for nearly 30 years.

An outbreak of intense anti-Jewish persecution arose some years later in Rabbi Lichtenstein's native Hungary, and he was not surprised that the attacks were carried on in the name of Christianity. In the midst of the pogroms, he was startled to read the writings of men who, in the name of Christ, sternly denounced the anti-Semites and defended the Jews. Among these were prominent figures such as the honored Biblical scholar Franz Delitzsch, professor at the University of Leipzig. He was intrigued by statements which spoke of the message of Christ as one of love and life to all people.

When Abby had some doubts about her Jewish beliefs, she consulted a rabbi. He recommended that she read books by Jewish authors. "Be an informed Jew," he exhorted.

Abby was delighted to find a number of such books in the religion section of her local library. Since most of the titles were unfamiliar, she selected the first ten books from a row on an eye-level shelf. Settling into a comfortable chair in a quiet corner, she laid the books out on a table in front of her. She quickly determined that one of the books must have been misshelved, for it bore the title "New Testament."

The placing of a copy of the New Testament on a shelf full of books on Jewish faith was most likely the ironic oversight of a careless library worker. Yet, in its authorship, content and focus, there is hardly a book more Jewish.

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When we were kids playing hide 'n seek, there was usually a place declared "safe." It was great; you could go there without worrying that another kid would catch you. In baseball, we could be "safe" on base or "safe at home." Wasn't it always such a relief to get "safe"? Sure it was. But then we grow up. And it turns out that there really is no place that's truly safe, is there? Terrorist attacks, tsunamis and other tragedies have proved that they can happen anywhere, at any…[ Full Article ]

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Peace! Peace! Peace!

Everybody's for it. Nobody is against it.

But what is that very elusive quality we call peace? For it means different things to different people.

To some, like Napoleon and Hitler, peace results from killing people—at least it means killing to attain their kind of peace.

Peace is what those who follow Eastern religions say comes only through the obliteration of the individual personality; becoming a part of the universe with no awareness of self. But they really mean serenity.

Peace is what the housewife wants when the teenager across the street is practicing on his drums. She really wants quiet.

Peace is what the shopkeeper wants when he's worried about paying his bills. He really means that he'd like his store to be busy and bustling with customers. Peace to him means prosperity.

The patient waiting anxiously in the doctor's office to be told the results of a battery of lab tests wants peace. He really means good health.

WHEN WE DON'T HAVE WHAT WE THINK WE SHOULD HAVE, WE SAY WE NEED PEACE!

Front Row

On a clear night
Obscure they trudged through miles of layered grains.
Shepherds seeking a Bethlehem shed;
A hovel housing the promise of glory in straw and precious proximity;
A king who would not be piqued by simple society offering rustic reverence.
Crossing the sea of shifting sand peripheral people came
To gaze at the center of the universe.
Their visit perhaps a portent to a world turned upside down.
Unable to pay the price of admission to the presence of Holiness, they were
Ushered, angelstruck, to the front row.
Shepherds standing before a manger, they were just
Low enough to see the High King.

Read more Christmas poems here.

Much more than the "Jewish alternative" to Christmas, Hanukkah, which means "dedication", recalls a dark time in the history of our Jewish people, and our miraculous deliverance from that darkness. See how Jews for Jesus celebrate Hanukkah in this light and how Hanukkah is a great time to share Y'shua's light with others. Shop at our online store for menorahs and dreidels to celebrate Hanukkah. Send some Full Article ]

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Midrash time again.  Two prominent American holidays this month are Veterans Day and Thanksgiving.  Put them together and we can give thanks for the sacrifices our soldiers have made over the years.  Separate them out and we can think of other kinds of veterans and other things we can give thanks for.

According to my online thesaurus, synonyms for veteran include old hand, past master, seasoned, old, hardened, adept, expert, well trained, practiced, experienced. Long experience is the key.

Spiritually speaking, veterans are those who’ve gone before us in faith, who’ve weathered spiritual ups and downs, who have experiences of sin and redemption and community that we can learn from, and give thanks for.

Some might think that Jews who believe in Jesus are newcomers to the spiritual scene, a glitch in the Jewish matrix. Yet not only were the first followers of Y’shua Jewish, but there have been numerous Jews down through history who have followed him, too. Spiritual veterans of a sort.

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The old Simon & Garfunkel song Mrs. Robinson includes some lines which are particularly apropos just now:

Sitting on a sofa on a Sunday afternoon.
Going to the candidates' debate.
Laugh about it, shout about it
When you've got to choose
Every way you look at it you lose.

If you're like me, you may be a little jaundiced about the political choices that we'll soon be making. Cynicism about our American democracy sits side by side with participation in an uneasy way--a bit like sitting next to a stranger in the movie theater in those narrow, uncomfortable seats. I'm no advocate for a theocracy or a dictatorship, but I am rather glad that the position of God is not an elected office.

But what if it were? [ Full Article ]

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October is the month for two very different holidays -- Columbus Day (October 8) and Halloween (October 31).

Columbus Day is about a lot of things, including the idea of “discovery.” For at least some people, Halloween is about tricks, treats, ghosts and scaring people.

Neither one is a Jewish holiday. But by the Jewish mode of thinking called midrash, I’ll try to make a connection. I need some biblical verses first, though. Here are two:

Genesis 43:18

Now the men were frightened when they were taken to his house. They thought, “We were brought here because of the silver that was put back into our sacks the first time. He wants to attack us and overpower us and seize us as slaves and take our donkeys.”

Genesis 26:19

Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and discovered a well of fresh water there.

What’s the scariest thing in the world? That depends on who you ask. Some people would say it’s entering into a new relationship with someone. For others, it’s the threat of global warming or a melting polar ice cap. And there must be someone out there who thinks the idea of a caveman sitcom based on an insurance ad is really, really, scary. No end of candidates, really: Snakes on a Plane has sent people into Scareland.

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Now that Yom Kippur is over, a lot of our Jewish families and friends are breathing sighs of relief. Fasting is done with and for many, the seemingly interminable services for Yom Kippur are at last over (the canting was good, but really, how can someone sit in the synagogue for so long?), and we've repented of our sins.

For those who believe that God keeps a Book of Life, hopefully we've now been entered into it, "inscribed for a good year."

And that about wraps it up as far as sin is concerned, till the next Yom Kippur comes around. But I'm not sure we should forget about sin so easily.

Judaism of the traditional variety tells us that we are born with two inclinations -- an evil inclination and a good inclination. What we need to do is to choose the good inclination over the evil.

Good luck with that.

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The family that has brought "fun" back into dysfunctional is on the big screen and Jews for Jesus commentator Ruth Rosen has something to say about it. Download the PDF and add your comments here.

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Summer is a time to start relaxing and reflecting. A time to relate more to your friends, co-workers and neighbors. A time to spend outdoors, on the beach, in the park, by a lake, on a boat, wherever. Are you ready? While you're at it, summer is also a good time to catch up on your reading. Time Magazine came out with its list of the top ten books of all times. War and Peace by Tolstoy, Hamlet by Shakespeare and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Twain all made the list. Seems like the Bible should have been in the top ten but it wasn't. If you were to come up with your own top ten list of books, what would it look like?

Tisha be-Av (the Ninth of Av) commemorates the destruction of the First and Second Temples. In Jewish tradition, the date has become synonymous with mourning and tragedy. Three weeks prior is the less well-known Fast of Tammuz which commemorates the fall of Jerusalem's walls. Between both dates, various mourning customs are practiced by observant Jews.

As Jewish believers in Jesus, we know we have a "future and a hope" to look forward to, according to Jeremiah 31. We believe that one day, God will turn our mourning into joy as we look forward to the return of the One who would be the Temple made without hands. (Matthew 12:6, Mark 14:58, John 2:19.)

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…then, you know the drill, “get out of the kitchen.” I recently devoured the book Heat by Bill Buford, writer for the New Yorker magazine.  He recounted his experiences as a “slave,” then line cook, then pasta maker in the kitchen of celebrity chef Mario Batali.  Frankly, Mario Batali always looked a bit unkempt and unappetizing to me, and after reading Buford’s book, I think I like him even less. No matter, the book is a great read.  Just wait till you get to the part where Buford heads off to Tuscany to learn…[ Full Article ]

The April issue of TIME magazine featured a book excerpt (last accessed 4/13/07) from the forthcoming Einstein by Walter Isaacson. Titled “Einstein and Faith,” the excerpt clarifies the nature of Einstein’s belief in God as well as his relation to his Jewishness. His parents Pauline and Hermann were quite unreligious, spiritual kin to not a few Jews in the 21st century. Despite this upbringing, young Einstein took a passionate turn to Judaism for several years, then quite suddenly…[ Full Article ]

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Whether or not you live in the San Francisco Bay Area, you've probably heard about the collapse of a busy freeway interchange that will have traffic snarled up for months. It was fortunate that the collapse happened in the middle of the night with almost no one around. No one, that is, except for the driver who overturned his fuel truck, precipitating a massive fireball of a blaze that was hot enough to melt away the steel supports of the freeway. The driver sustained treatable injuries; thankfully, there were no fatalities. You can see pictures of the collapsed…[ Full Article ]

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The U.S. Constitution guarantees freedom of speech and the free exercise of religion, but these rights need to be vigilantly guarded. Jews for Jesus missionaries Cyril Gordon and Susan Mendelson know this first hand. From L.A. (Los Angeles) to L. I. (Long Island, NY) the courts ruled in our favor. What do you think?…[ Full Article ]

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Released on February 23, the movie Amazing Grace is the story of William Wilberforce, 18th/19th century British parliamentarian who was instrumental in helping to abolish the British slave trade. As of this writing, reviews at Rotten Tomatoes are generally positive. Wilberforce also took an interest in the Jewish people and was involved with an organization (today known as CMJ) dedicated to communicating the message that Jesus was the Messiah.

Last week a whole lot of people in South Portland, Maine were upset over a sermon title. South Portland Baptist Church had advertised their Sunday services in the Saturday edition of Portland Press Herald. The title of the upcoming message? "The Only Way to Destroy the Jewish Race." Naturally the Jewish community in South Portland was more than a little concerned to read those words in their local newspaper. Pastor Phil of South Portland Baptist Church apologized for the title, but not for the sermon itself--which was actually a call to remember God's promises to…[ Full Article ]

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Update: I've continuing reading through The Misunderstood Jew. Chapter Two is "From Jewish Sect to Gentile Church" and is the least satisfactory of all the chapters. It pretty much rehashes older, non-conservative views of the history of the early church. The early Christians expected Jesus to return any day; when he didn't, they reinterpreted their beliefs to accommodate reality. Sometimes Levine gets breezy and ends up sounding like a Discovery Channel program on religion: "For Paul and Barnabas, the political fallout along with occasional persecution by the…[ Full Article ]

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The comedian Jackie Mason and Jews for Jesus executive director, David Brickner entered into an agreement arbitrated by Judge Richard Berman on December 4th at the United States District Court, Southern District of New York. Said Brickner, "When we wrote and distributed the tract, "Jackie Mason: A Jew for Jesus?" we thought that he might enjoy our sense of humor. We were saddened that he felt personally hurt. It was an easy apology to write because Mason is a folk hero among the boomer generation. He is the typical Jewish grandfather with the kind of humor that…[ Full Article ]

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Hate scouring for parking space? Languishing on lines? Getting crushed in the crowds? That's what it takes to give and receive holiday presents. Maybe this year, you'd like to receive some Christmas or Hanukkah "presence" instead. Download our PDF to find out more. For printing and distribution, download this…[ Full Article ]

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Caroline Cllick was recently quoted in the Jewish Press as saying that, "One of the great strengths of the American Jewish community is its pluralism. On a religious level, all communities — from the ultra-Orthodox to the ultra-Reform — are recognized as Jewish communities. But there is a line that everyone knows may not be crossed. Jews for Jesus have removed themselves from the Jewish people and everyone knows this. There is not one Jewish organization that accepts them as Jews." What do you think? …[ Full Article ]

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Click here for a transcript of the court ruling (PDF format)

A decision by U.S. District Judge Richard M. Berman was reached today in the United States District Court, Southern District of New York denying a preliminary injunction to Mr. Jackie Mason who sought to stop the distribution of one of the Jews for Jesus gospel pamphlets, entitled, "Jackie Mason, A Jew for Jesus?!"

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Do you think Jewish students in Israel should be able to study the life of Jesus in school? According to an October 7th article in Ynetnews, “Starting from this school year, high school students will be able to take matriculation exam in 'Christian religion.' Program currently open for Arab students only, but Education Ministry says will consider allowing Jewish pupils to take it as well.” Israel has a compulsory religion studies program, whereby Jewish students are expected to study Judaism, Muslim students Islam and Arab Christians, Christianity. What are your…[ Full Article ]

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David Brickner and Susan Perlman of Jews for Jesus are cited in this recent article from the Christian Post, which deals with support for…[ Full Article ]

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We have received many requests to see the evangelistic broadside pamphlet "Jackie Mason A Jew for Jesus!?" It can be found by going to the jesusforjews.org/broadsides/more website. We hope once you read it you will agree that we treat Mr. Mason respectfully and that we in no way say that he is a follower of Jesus.

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We interviewed the Human Vegetable to hear what he had to say. What follows is an actual transcript of his remarks: "Yep, that was me. The human vegetable. I was a potato. I had eyes, but I couldn't see. I was corn. I had ears, but I couldn't hear. I was lettuce. I had a head, but I couldn't think. I was an artichoke. I had a heart but couldn't feel. OK, maybe I'm exaggerating. I could literally see and hear ... but I couldn't figure out life. I wanted to see what it was all about, and I couldn't. I wanted to hear good news, but the TV mostly majored on the bad. I…[ Full Article ]

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Check out recent coverage of Jews for Jesus on these web sites and blogs. Some encourage readers to add their own comments, so feel free to speak your mind on these sites. Be sure to click the "continue reading" link below to see the full list of media articles. July 6 Freudian Slips "Jews for Jesus" July 5 LiveJournal "Jews for Jesus?" July 4 New York Times Full Article ]

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New July 20: See CBS's story with video online. THIS IS HUGE! The New York Times ran an article on us that was absolutely amazing. We got permission to repost their article, so go here and read…[ Full Article ]

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Superman's creators, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, were Jewish. So is Superman Returns director Bryan Singer. How is it then, that some find Superman to be a "Messiah figure," an embodiment of Jesus? That's the view of Steve Skelton, author of The Gospel According to the World's Greatest Superhero. According to Skelton, while the original Superman may not have been a Jesus figure in the minds of Siegel and Shuster, the "Superman canon"—the sum total…[ Full Article ]

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First a New York Times bestseller…now a major motion picture starring Tom Hanks. We commented on the book when it first came out (see all our articles on the topic). On this blog "In the News," we re-publish our original article and invite you to contribute your comments. Also listen to podcasts on the Da Vinci code and other subjects by Lon Solomon, a Jewish believer in Jesus and pastor of McLean Bible Church, McLean VA. When Fiction is…[ Full Article ]

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Naomi Wolf, author of the best-seller, The Beauty Myth, and one of the leading feminist writers in the U.S., was interviewed in Scotland's Sunday Herald last month and recounted her experience of having a vision of Jesus in holographic form. She said, "I actually had this vision of Jesus, and I'm sure it was Jesus," said Wolf. "But it wasn't this crazy theological thing; it was just this figure who was the most perfected human being that there could be—full of light and full of love." Wolf said it was probably the most profound experience of her life. She…[ Full Article ]

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Yes, Jews for Jesus has finally gone south…south to the Sun Belt, that is! In February and March, we'll be in Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Phoenix. And if you're down there, we have something we'd like to say to you—whether you're worried about hurricane safety, thinking about the coming summer's oppressive heat, or visiting the Coconut Grove Art…[ Full Article ]

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By now many of us have seen Steven Spielberg's recently released film Munich, "inspired" (the film's own word) by the true events of the 1972 massacre of the Israeli Olympic team in Munich, Germany. Why did Spielberg make this film now? Undoubtedly because the issues it raises are still with us in light of much more recent events. Full of moral complexity as well as action, the film has generated much discussion and even controversy. Surely one question the movie raises is how and when there will ever be peace in the world, and particularly between Israelis and…[ Full Article ]

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Shopping with credit cards can be very rewarding! With just a wave of your credit card, you can go on vacation and rent that car you could never afford to buy. (Of course, driving it is another story!) You can buy the most exquisite clothes and dine at the finest restaurants. Just remember, if you don't pay now… …you're going to pay later. But you can always pick yourself up and get right back onto the shopping circuit. That's what I did. And shopping was rewarding … only the rewards weren't always what I expected. "I love…[ Full Article ]

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Meshugge or Messiah? You know what meshugge means, right? It's Yiddish for crazy, loony, nuts, weird. But do you know the meaning of Messiah? (pick one) A. A way of stalling indefinitely B. The beginning of an apology... C. Music that sounds a little like a classical rendition of "Yes, We Have No Bananas." D. The anointed one of God whom the Hebrew prophets predicted would bring salvation to the Jewish people and also to the goyim (nations). (If you answered "anointed one," you're right!) Unfortunately down through history, many people…[ Full Article ]

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God doesn't come to our door for a handout in a goblin costume, putting us on the spot for a trick or treat. God is no jack-o-lantern-in-the-sky... His imposing presence doesn't say to us that if we don't treat him right, he's going to pull some cosmic prank, such as famine, cardiac arrest, or clogged plumbing. God gets no glee from the mishaps that befall man. He does come to the door of every man's heart in the person of Jesus. "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him…[ Full Article ]

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In a letter to the editor of JewishTimes.com, Baltimore resident Sarah J. Rosenbloom expressed chagrin that Jews for Jesus has the "gall" to suggest "we" (meaning the Jewish community) are sinners. Her letter seemed particularly interesting to us at this time of year as Jewish people the world over prepare for Yom Kippur. Read Ms. Rosenbloom's…[ Full Article ]

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"This Yom Kippur, for the relief of sin, Y'SHUA (JESUS) is indicated!" Y'shua—Jesus—is God's remedy for the affliction of sin. The mitzvah (commandment) of afflicting one's own soul can be helpful, but there is something even better. Isaiah the prophet says about the Messiah: "He was afflicted for our sins, he was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon him, and by his stripes we are healed." Consult a doctor to see if Y'shua is right for you.* Better yet, consult ten doctors. They give their expert advice in Jewish Doctors Meet…[ Full Article ]

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Our prayers go out to all who are suffering in the midst of the horrendous storm that hit the Gulf Coast. Read David Brickner's observations on Katrina in light of the upcoming High Holiday season. For other reflections on the tragedies of life, check out Oh My God (Flash animation), and Why Is There No Peace?…[ Full Article ]

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I was too modest to admit it publicly But I knew I was God. What I wanted was right And I knew those who were righteous Or unrighteous By whether or not they did what I wanted. The good people praised me Honored me Believed whatever I spoke The evil ones did not. I intended to make my world happy If those in my world were obedient to my desires I rewarded them If they dissented I made them miserable. The only problem I had when I was God Was my competition Not from my fellow gods Who clamored and campaigned to assert their own deity But from the one who…[ Full Article ]

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Our Australia branch was vandalized last week with windows being smashed in the middle of the night. This is the third time in three months. It's not easy being a Jew for Jesus, but then, who promised easy? Some have said, "it goes with the territory", but does it? Does intimidation through threats and violence have a place in religious dispute? What do you think? CCTV footage of three young attackers damaging the Jews for Jesus shopfront window. The shopfront office of a religious group at Bondi Junction has been attacked for the third time in five months,…[ Full Article ]

Recently Jews for Jesus completed our 4th Behold Your God witnessing campaign in Israel. The focus of our effort was in the Jezreel Valley and took place between the observance of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement and the conclusion of Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles. Full Article ]

Sukkot means "booths," or "tabernacles," and this week-long holiday is also known as the Feast of Tabernacles. It is a joyous harvest festival and a reminder of how God sustained the children of Israel during their wilderness wanderings. The people were to dwell in temporary booths, and to rejoice over God's provision as well as his presence. Many Jewish people still build booths in their yards or synagogues for this holiday, and take their meals in these temporary dwelling places.

Jews for Jesus Invites You to Worship with Us for the High Holidays

Join us for Yom Kippur and other Jewish holidays as we worship the God of Israel. Through music, liturgy, and word, we will celebrate together His provision of Y'shua (Jesus), who gives us new life and who is the atonement for our sins.

Admission is free and these services are a wonderful opportunity to invite a Jewish friend - or if you are Jewish yourself, an opportunity to come and learn more about why we believe that Y'shua is our promised Messiah. An offering for the work of Jews for Jesus will be received among those who are believers in Jesus. (If you are not a believer in Jesus, no financial involvement is asked.)

Find a Service in your area

Yom ha-Azma'ut, or Israel Independence Day, is commemorated each year on the fifth day of the Hebrew month Iyar. This day marks the end of the British Mandate and the official forming of the State of Israel in 1948. Jewish sovereignty over the ancient homeland enabled Jewish people to return to Israel from the four corners of the world, as the Bible predicted they would. The modern state of Israel is comprised of Jews from hundreds of nations and as many different backgrounds and languages. Yet, a distinct Israeli Jewish culture and style has emerged as demonstrated by the use of Hebrew as a common language. This means the gospel of Y'shua can be proclaimed to millions of our people using one language!

Of the almost six million Jews that have settled in Israel, less than one percent believe in Jesus. As we Jews for Jesus celebrate Israel Independence Day, we also recognize our dependence on God as we seek to reach Jews in Israel and all over the world with the message of Y'shua.

Read about a true story of reconciliation between a Israeli Jewish believer and an Arab Muslim family in The Sulha: Reconciliation in the Middle East and a heart-warming story of the first American Messianic Jewish couple to immigrate (make aliyah) to Israel at our online store.

"We must always remember and never forget..."

Holocaust Remembrance Day, which takes place in the Spring, is a time when Jewish people around the world remember the six million Jews and the millions of other people who perished during one of the darkest times in history. In this section, you can read more about the Holocaust, anti-Semitism and the resources Jews for Jesus has produced in order to both commemorate the day and bring a message of hope in Y'shua—Jesus—who as the Jewish Messiah is with us, even in times of utter darkness.

If you are not Jewish but have Jewish friends or co-workers, you can show respect for them by letting them know you are aware of the day and praying for Jews worldwide to be able to live in peace. You can also praise God, for thwarting the plans to completely destroy His people.

For books and other resources on the Holocaust, please check out our store. Also, read up stories of Holocaust survivors and the children of Holocaust survivors and learn how they have found peace after the darkness.

One of the most significant Jewish holidays, Passover, or Pesach in Hebrew, recalls and rejoices over the Israelites' redemption from slavery in Egypt. The symbolic elements of the feast cause us not only to look back and remember what the Lord did for our people in the past; they also foreshadow a greater redemption through Jesus, the Passover Lamb. Jewish people around the world have celebrated Passover for thousands of years; however, most do not understand the ultimate significance of the festival. In this section, you'll find several articles and explanations of the meaning of this traditional Jewish feast that Jesus celebrated with his disciples. If you already believe that Jesus is the Lamb of God, you may become inspired to have Jews for Jesus share a "Christ in the Passover" program at your congregation, have your own Passover Seder meal at home and share the true meaning of Passover with Jewish people you know.

If you don't yet believe that Jesus is the Messiah and Lamb of God, why not check out some of our articles and resources.

To purchase our special Passover kit, please visit our online store. For other Messianic resources on this season, visit our Passover resources section.

If we hoped in Messiah in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied. But now Messiah has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.

1 Corinthians 15: 19-20

Until recently, most Orthodox Jews could reject the resurrection of Y'shua, on the basis that they do not accept the idea of a Messiah who dies and is then resurrected. However, in the summer of 1996 a curious situation developed in the Orthodox community...

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Jews for Jesus speakers are presenting "Christ in the Passover" in cities across the U.S. right now. To see if they're in your area, go to the events page, and select your state on the right. What does Passover mean to you? We'd love to get your…[ Full Article ]

Read Purim Articles, Read & Print a Purim Broadside, Send a Purim E-Card, Print Recipes.

Unlike Passover or Yom Kippur, Purim is not one of the holidays we are commanded to observe in the Torah—but we hardly need to be commanded to celebrate this festive reminder of God’s watch care over the people of Israel! For some, Purim is a day for practical jokes and noisy, uninhibited fun. For others, it’s all about the hamantaschen. These delicious, jam-filled three-cornered pastries not only remind us of how our nemesis, Haman, received his just "deserts" but they just taste so good. And isn’t it refreshing to have a holiday with a woman hero? What Jewish girl wouldn’t like to be as brave and as beautiful as Queen Esther?

Yet we feel there is more to the holiday than the fun and pageantry we’ve all come to expect on Purim. The theme of deliverance is obvious, but have you stopped to think about how God used not-so-obvious people and situations over and over, throughout the Book of Esther? God does not always bring about deliverance according to our plans or expectations. The book of Esther is proof of that... and we Jews for Jesus invite you to consider a Messianic perspective, which is: God has a personal plan of deliverance for you that may also come from an unexpected source.

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The most obvious connection between Jews and Mother’s Day would seem to lie in perennial jokes about Jewish mothers (think of the scene in Woody Allen’s film where his mother appears to him in the sky). Or maybe in riffing Saddam Hussein’s “the mother of all ….” (fill in the blank; think of Gary Larson’s Far Side cartoon of a guy delivering the “mother of all pizzas” to Saddam’s war room).

But a look at the history behind Mother’s Day in the United States suggests another direction. Apparently, the U.S. version of Mother’s Day first got off the ground about 1870, when Julia Ward Howe issued her Mother’s Day Proclamation. Howe is best known as the author of The Battle Hymn of the Republic. Whatever her sentiments were when she penned that song, a dozen years later she was an activist, protesting battlefield deaths, calling on other mothers to join her...

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