Have God's People Failed?

Rabbi Yechezkel Gubner opened the rally, which was graced by the presence of the city's Rabbanim and Admorim, with a moving cry: "Gevalt! We are standing opposite a building in which they convert Jews from their faith every day! From a small congregation of 10 people some two years ago, it has grown through limitless funding to some150 Jews -- 150 pure souls, sons of Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov, some of whom were kippah-wearers, converted out of their religion!"

The Chief Rabbi of Ashdod, Harav Yosef Sheinin, who defied an order from the High Court and refused to grant a kashrus certificate to a missionary eatery in the city, compared the missionaries to Haman.

from the story Thousands Rally in Ashdod Against Missionaries
MahNishmah.com

Update: The "hate-fest" isn't over yet. Here's more from the Maoz Israel Blog for February 28th. The original article continues below.

A story similar in content and tone was published at the Vos Iz Neias (The Voice of the Orthodox Jewish Community) site and probably many other Jewish Israeli sites as well. Last night, I read a different version of this story at both the Yinon and Kineti L'Tziyon blogs, quoting their original source at Maoz Israel:

Growing up as a Jew, I never in my life would have thought that I would one day be compared to Hitler. But that's just what happened tonight.

I was informed that there would be a 'rally' against Messianic Jews (Jews who believe that Yeshua is the promised Jewish Messiah) in the town of Ashdod, Israel.

At first we thought our dear Pnina was to have her bakery targeted again. The poor woman just wants to make cookies and cakes, but because of her faith in Yeshua, she's been endlessly harassed for years.

But no, this time the rally was in another part of town outside a Messianic Jewish congregation.

I honestly didn't know what to expect. Maybe a few demonstrators? I was shocked by what was in place when I arrived.

The blog writer goes on to describe a "well-organized hate-fest" with hundreds of ultra-orthodox boys and men rallying against the "missionaries" who have converted Jews away from their faith and to "Christianity". Here's more:

Before I realized what was happening I had between 50-100 people surrounding me, calling me a missionary and asking me what I was doing in Israel. Boys as young as 6-7 years old were hissing at me, making hateful faces. The group closed in more and more trying to intimidate and I'll be honest it worked.

These were people who had been bred from the the womb, to hate Yeshua and anyone who identifies themselves with Him. They didn't even see me as a human being. They just saw me as a vessel of everything they loathe.

And yet, these were Jews who, as a people, have experienced a long, long history of being harassed, taunted, marginalized, assaulted, tortured, and even murdered by Christians seeking to forcibly convert Jews to Jesus in ancient and not so ancient times. If these Ultra-Orthodox protesters believed that the Messianic congregation in Ashdod had the same goals and could use the same or similar methods (today in Israel, torture wouldn't be expected but trickery might), then the passion the protesters displayed was seen as absolutely justified from their point of view.

And that's the problem. Any act of hatred or violence can be justified in the eyes of the people perpetrating such acts.

Lest you think I'm picking on just this one group of Ultra-Orthodox Jews, such emotions and behaviors aren't limited to just them. There are plenty of news articles, such as published by Haaretz.com and Guardian.co.uk, chronicling acts of violence from Haredi groups in Israel, even against Jewish women:

Mikhail, who is reluctant to give her full name, had scandalised members of her ultra-orthodox Jewish community by leaving her husband and embracing a secular lifestyle. The men, all members of the theologically conservative Haredi branch of Judaism, tackled her to the ground, slammed her head against the floor and tied a rag around her mouth. One assailant sat on her head as the others kicked her while demanding to know the names of the men she was seeing.

They also threatened to kill her if she did not leave the neighbourhood, which contains many secular as well as religious residents. 'A woman is only OK if she has a family, kids and a husband,' said Mikhail with a sigh.

The Ultra-Orthodox also protest with violence and vandalism in defense of the Shabbat in Jerusalem:

After ultra-Orthodox demonstrators protested opposite the Intel offices in Jerusalem on Saturday, Trade Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer on Sunday said that such violence and vandalism would not be tolerated by the government.

"Whoever thinks that violence will solve the problem, and whoever thinks that the government will accept violence and vandalism is wrong," said Ben-Eliezer at a ceremony marking the opening of a new Intel site in Jerusalem.

"I understand that there are populations who have certain customs and demands and I respect that, but everything can be straightened out in a pleasant way and with mutual respect," the minister continued.

I'm probably going to be accused of being antisemitic by posting these links and quotes, but Jewish people aren't immune to committing unjust acts simply because they're Jewish. Neither are Christians, according to this story from The Huffington Post:

Westboro Baptist Church, the Topeka church known for its inflammatory anti-gay protests, plans to picket the funerals of the six people gunned down in Arizona on Saturday.

In a flier posted on its web site, the controversial church writes, "THANK GOD FOR THE SHOOTER -- 6 DEAD!" The message continues:

God appointed this rod for your sins! God sent the shooter! This hateful nation unleashed violent veterans on the servants of God at WBC--hoping to silence our kind warning to obey God and flee the wrath to come.

The flier claims that the shooting of both a House member and a federal judge -- the latter of whom was killed -- is god's punishment for judicial and Congressional action against the WBC.

Am I citing extreme examples? Yes. So what's my point?

Maybe they're not all that extreme. For every church, synagogue, or group that acts out thoughts and emotions of violence and hate, how many out there preach them in their congregations? How many churches still teach their congregations that the "Jews killed Jesus" and deserve eternal damnation? Won't these same groups use the "incident" in Ashdod to support their beliefs? If a Jewish man or woman in Israel comes to faith in Yeshua (Jesus) as the Messiah because they've associated with a Messianic congregation, won't that justify the belief that Messianic Jewish congregations exist solely as missionary groups designed to prey on and convert innocent Jews? Doesn't that justify any act to stop such an atrocity against Jews, especially in their own Land?

When I first read the news last night, I wrote a brief blog post registering my sadness and regret, but this morning things continued to pile up inside of me.

On a very small scale, I have an "interfaith" dilemma of my own to face. As I've mentioned before, my wife is Jewish and is associated with the local Chabad synagogue. While things are generally at peace in our home, I know there are certain issues we can't freely discuss if we want to keep that peace.

My son and daughter-in-law brought our two year old grandson to spend the night last night. My 22 year old daughter, who lives with us and self-identifies as Jewish, was reading a book to him before my grandson went to bed. At one point, she said something like "The book is religious" and told me that it was quoting something out of 1 Thessalonians (I don't recall the specific chapter and verse). It wasn't so much what my daughter said but the tone in her voice, which wasn't pleasant, when she noticed the quote from the Christian Bible. I looked at my wife in that instant and her facial expression was completely frozen. I asked if she objected to the specific quote in the book (I didn't buy the book and don't recall where it came from) and told her I would have no objection if we had more Jewish children's books. She barely made any sound in response and the entire event passed.

On several previous occasions, I've offered to leave my Messianic (One Law) congregation if my continued attendance offended or embarrassed my wife. Her repeated response was that she had no right to ask such a thing of me and that I had every right to worship where I chose.

But that wasn't really a response. I asked her if she wanted me to quit, not whether or not she had the right to ask me to leave.

As far as I can tell, the only Jews who read my blog are Messianic, so we have a worship of the Jewish Messiah in common. However, I'm sure other (non-Messianic) Jews (assuming they would read this blog) would disagree with my choice of faith and its expression. To the degree that what I do doesn't effect them or any other Jew, I guess they have no reason to chime in regarding how they feel about people like me. However, what I do and where I worship absolutely affects my Jewish family.

I can only guess a somewhat related dynamic is happening in Israel. The Ultra-Orthodox see Messianic Jews (who they no doubt view as "former-Jews" and "Christian missionaries") and feel threatened and angry. It would be bad enough if this were a group of Christian (Gentile) missionaries in Ashdod, but they aren't Gentiles...they're Jewish. From the perspective of many Israeli (and other) Jews, it must seem as if the Messianic congregation is composed of a bunch of "traitors". What doesn't seem obvious to many Christians witnessing these protests, amid the anger and (potential) violence, are the feelings of the protesting Jews of being threatened and hurt by Jews who seem to have turned against their own people. I can only imagine how bitter a thing this must be.

But is the only response anger and violence? Is this what it's come down to? Is this what the Master meant when he said, " However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth" (Luke 18:8)? But he also said this:

‘Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you, desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.” ’ -Matthew 23:37-39 (NRSV)

I realized this morning that I not only feel my heartache for the congregation in Ashdod, but I also feel it on a very personal level. How much of that feeling of mistrust and disdain of Christianity could be happening in my own home? As long as I keep quiet and don't overtly speak out of my faith, the matter stays dormant. But what would happen if I became more obvious?

I've told my family that this summer, I will be leaving the Messianic movement, but will I also be expected to surrender all faith in Jesus? I doubt my wife would come out and ask such a thing of me, but is the desire in her heart? Would she be happy if I threw away my Bible? Do I dare spend (waste?) money by purchasing other New Testament commentaries to continue the exploration of my faith and understanding of the Bible? Will I someday eat at the same table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob or merely dine on ashes? What is the future of faith in Christ in the Holy Land? When the Messiah comes, will he find faith?

And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you. -Friedrich Nietzsche

The road is long and we are surrounded by darkness.