By way of concluding this series, at least for the time being, it seems appropriate to reproduce a press statement issued earlier this year by the British Messianic Jewish Alliance. I played a very minor role in drafting the statement. The statement was published in just two Christian newspapers, the Baptist Times and the Church of England Newspaper. Unbelievably, one correspondent then wrote to the C of E Newspaper claiming there was no evidence of increased antisemitism in the UK!
An Appeal to the Leadership of the Churches from the British Messianic Jewish Alliance
It is with great concern that we witness the rapid growth of worldwide anti-Semitism, all too often these days in the guise of anti-Zionism.
We wish to express our concern that anti-Jewish sentiment is so frequently manifested in British society. We call upon the church to oppose it.
As Jews who are part of the church we are distressed to hear anti-Jewish attitudes expressed in the church and in the name of Christianity. We call upon our fellow believers from many nations to acknowledge that Jesus was a Jew, and to disavow all racism aimed at Jewish people both inside and outside the State of Israel.
We call upon the church to publicly affirm God's ongoing relationship with the Jewish people, and his determination to continue to work with them since he has not cast them away. Even more unthinkable [and insulting] would be the idea that a Covenant God should ditch his first choice in favour of another.
When we hear people in the churches suggesting that God's promises to us are null and void we are concerned, not just for what that says about us, but also for what it says about God, as if he were fickle. Our very existence on into the 21 st century speaks for itself. We are part of a large, diverse and vibrant Messianic Jewish movement that professes Yeshua [the name 'Jesus' in its Hebrew form] is Messiah, Saviour and LORD.
Strengthen us by defending us as your brothers and sisters in the faith.
Affirm us in the role we wish to play as Jews in the Body of Christ.
Recognise that it was through the Jews that the gospel came to all nations.
Stand by us, if you will, just as we stand by our fellow Jews today in the teeth of serious prejudice and threats.
Recognise and reject the politicisation of Christian theology regarding the Jewish people in order to promote a radically based anti-Zionist agenda.
These are the responses for which we look to you.
January 2007
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Friday, July 27, 2007
The Longest Hatred 13: Taking a stand - Part I
If you've been following my postings on the persistence of antisemitism, even within the church, I hope you've been thoroughly sickened. I want to finish the series, at least for the time being, with a couple of posts some comments and suggestions as to what Christians can do to stand against it. Today, some thoughts from Richard Gibson on The Church that Hitler would be ashamed of. Richard concludes:
Such a church and such individuals within it would:
• Affirm God’s ongoing plan and purpose with the Jewish people.
• Would celebrate Jewish identity as part of God’s creation.
• Would reject all expressions of racial superiority in the name of theology.
• Would affirm that Jesus was a Jew. He was born a Jew, lived a Jew, died a Jew, rose from the dead a Jew and will return to rule the world as a Jew.
• Rejoice that the New Testament is a Jewish book.
• Remember that the disciples were Jews, Paul was a Jew, and all the first followers of Jesus were Jews and make sure its children’s material portrayed them as Jews rather than good Aryans.
• Teach that the Jews are not the Christ-killers, but that the Father sent the Son and the Son freely gave himself as a sacrifice for sin.
• Affirms that the Holocaust was not God’s judgement on the Jews, rather it was an anti-God act of pure evil.
• Would seek and yearn for the spiritual wellbeing of Jewish people and not withhold the greatest news that the Gentiles ever received from the Jewish people just because they are Jews.
• Would affirm and support the right of the Jewish people to live in peace and self determination in the State of Israel.
• Affirm the Zionist dream for an independent Jewish state in their historical and Biblical homeland and reject as evil and iniquitous the inversion of Nazi symbols and language to describe the Israeli-Arab conflict.
• Preach from the Old as well as the New Testament without hijacking Israel’s history for a cheap application for today’s Gentile Christian.
• Affirm that the New Testament is not the cause of anti-Semitism, it is its only real cure.
“What the Church has made of the New Testament in its relationships with the Jews has, it seems to us, poisoned the very wells of God which were meant for the refreshment of His people. In this sense it is the Church, it is the Christians who have made it almost impossible for the Jews to see Jesus, hidden from them as he is by the cruel mask of Christian anti-Semitism.” (Torrance & Lamont, Anti-Semitism and Christian Responsibility, The Handsel Press, 1986)
Such a church and such individuals within it would:
• Affirm God’s ongoing plan and purpose with the Jewish people.
• Would celebrate Jewish identity as part of God’s creation.
• Would reject all expressions of racial superiority in the name of theology.
• Would affirm that Jesus was a Jew. He was born a Jew, lived a Jew, died a Jew, rose from the dead a Jew and will return to rule the world as a Jew.
• Rejoice that the New Testament is a Jewish book.
• Remember that the disciples were Jews, Paul was a Jew, and all the first followers of Jesus were Jews and make sure its children’s material portrayed them as Jews rather than good Aryans.
• Teach that the Jews are not the Christ-killers, but that the Father sent the Son and the Son freely gave himself as a sacrifice for sin.
• Affirms that the Holocaust was not God’s judgement on the Jews, rather it was an anti-God act of pure evil.
• Would seek and yearn for the spiritual wellbeing of Jewish people and not withhold the greatest news that the Gentiles ever received from the Jewish people just because they are Jews.
• Would affirm and support the right of the Jewish people to live in peace and self determination in the State of Israel.
• Affirm the Zionist dream for an independent Jewish state in their historical and Biblical homeland and reject as evil and iniquitous the inversion of Nazi symbols and language to describe the Israeli-Arab conflict.
• Preach from the Old as well as the New Testament without hijacking Israel’s history for a cheap application for today’s Gentile Christian.
• Affirm that the New Testament is not the cause of anti-Semitism, it is its only real cure.
“What the Church has made of the New Testament in its relationships with the Jews has, it seems to us, poisoned the very wells of God which were meant for the refreshment of His people. In this sense it is the Church, it is the Christians who have made it almost impossible for the Jews to see Jesus, hidden from them as he is by the cruel mask of Christian anti-Semitism.” (Torrance & Lamont, Anti-Semitism and Christian Responsibility, The Handsel Press, 1986)
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Under Threat...
There is a campaign to delete this impressive and moving list of Messianic Jews and Hebrew Christians from the Wikipedia site. My friend Richard Gibson spent a lot of time compiling most of this list so I am going to preserve it (minus footnotes and links) here.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Messianic_Jews_and_Hebrew_Christians#Messianic_Jew-Christian
If you have the technical know-how to make a "Retain" entry on the relevent Wikipedia page, please do so.
Messianic Jews
Rabbi Daniel Zion - Born in 1883 in Bulgaria, became the Chief Rabbi of Bulgaria. Rabbi Zion had a vision of Yeshua and subsequently believed in him as the Messiah of the Jewish people. He remained the Chief Rabbi in Bulgaria as a Messianic Jew until 1949, a period in which Bulgaria's Jews miraculously escaped the Holocaust. In 1949, Daniel Zion made aaliyah, and became the leader of a synagogue in Jaffa. He died in 1979, aged 96. The Bulgarian Jewish community of Israel gave him full military and state honors. His bier stood in the center of Jaffa with a military guard and at noon was carried by men all the way to the Holon cemetery on foot.
Haim (Haimoff) Bar-David - Born in Doupnitza, Bulgaria, 10 May 1905. Lived in Mandatory Palestine working as an agricultural labourer and became a volunteer in the Jewish self defence group Mishmar Ha’am. Pioneer of the Israeli Messianic Movement Haimoff was elected President of the Hebrew Christian Alliance of Israel from 1957 to 1958.
Hillel Pokrzywa - Born in 1904 to a Jewish family in Lodz, Poland. For several years he was vice president of The French Alliance of Messianic Jews.
Johanna Ruth Dobschiner - Holocaust survivor and author of Selected to Live.
Erez Soref - President of Israel College of the Bible.
Shmuel Suran - Pastor of Kehilat Brit Yerushalayim, a Messianic Congregation in Jerusalem.
Pamela Suran - Jerusalem based Messianic Jewish artist.
Zvi Randelman - Pastor of Succat David Assembly, a Hebrew speaking Messianic Jewish congregation in Jerusalem.
David Lazarus - Pastor of Beit Immanuel in Tel Aviv, one of the oldest Messianic Congregations in the State of Israel.
Jonathan Bernis - Executive Director of Jewish Voice Ministries International and Messianic Rabbi of Shema Yisrael Messianic Congregation in Rochester, New York from 1984-1993.
Ron Cantor - Works for Tikkun International in Israel.
Joel Chernoff - General Secretary of the MJAA and former President of the International Messianic Jewish Alliance, and lead singer of the music group "Lamb".
Aviad Cohen - music entertainer who sometimes uses the stage name "50 Shekel"
Ray Comfort-Native of New Zealand. Born to a Jewish mother. Became a Christian in 1972 and is the founder of Living Waters Publications and The Way of the Master tv show and ministry with Kirk Cameron.
Jamie Cowen - President of the Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations and Rabbi of Tikvat Israel in Richmond, VA.
Stuart Dauerman Messianic Jewish theologian and rabbi of Congragation Ahavat Zion in Los Angeles.
Mitch Glaser - President of Chosen People Ministries. Author of The Fall Feasts of Israel
Marty Goetz - singer/songwriter and pianist, leader of worship.
Rick Gozhanskij - Founder of Powered By HaDavar in Watson, Louisiana.
Asher Intrater - Formerly known as Keith Intrater, Leads Revive Israel Ministries which is affiliated with Tikkun International. Contributor to Seeking and Pursuing Peace: The Process, the Pain, and the Product
Art Katz - Jewish minister and founder of Ben Israel, a community of end time training and refuge for Jews in flight.
Daniel C. Juster - Messianic theologian, first President of the Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations, and founder of Tikkun International.
Rabbi Isaac Lichtenstein (1824-1909) - A Rabbi in Tapio Szele, Hungary. He became a follower of Jesus in his middle-years.
Netzer (band) - Messianic Jewish rock band
Michael Nowell - Soldier in the United States Army, martial artist, and pro wrestler.
Alicia Glass - Medical Assistant.
Josiah Rosen - singer/songwriter, founder and former member of Augustana (band)
Sid Roth - evangelist, and host of Messianic Vision, a daily radio show. Author of Something for Nothing, The Spiritual Rebirth of a Jew.
David H. Stern Messianic Jewish theologian, and author, currently living in Israel.
Martin "Marty" Waldman - past president of UMJC, founder of Toward Jerusalem Council II (TJC II), Congregational Leader of Baruch HaShem Messianic Synagogue] in Dallas, Texas.
Paul Wilbur - singer/songwriter
John Fieldsend - Escaped to England from Nazi Europe on the Kindertransport. Author of Messianic Jews, Challenging Church and Synagogue (1993 Monarch Publications).
Rachmiel Frydland - Born to an Orthodox Jewish family near Chelm in the Lublin district of Poland. Died in 1985. Author of What the Rabbis Know About the Messiah (Messianic Publishing co, Ohio and his biography When Being Jewish Was a Crime
Sam Nadler - Born to Jewish parents in Queens, New York, President of Word of Messiah Ministries and author of several books including Messianic Wisdom and The Messianic Answers Book. Leader of Hope of Israel Congregation.
Burt Yellin - Born and raise to an Orthodox family in New York, he is Messianic Rabbi of Congregation Roeh Israel in Denver USA and author of Messiah, A Rabbinic and Scriptural Viewpoint (1984 published by Congregation Roeh Israel
Victor Buksbazen - Author of The Gospel in The Feasts of Israel (1954, CLC)
Solomon Ostrovsky - Born in Tagancha, Ukraine and pioneer of the Israeli Messianic Jewish community and author of books in Hebrew and English including Moses on The Witness Stand.
Paul Liberman - Born to Jewish parents in America. He is current Executive Director of the International Messianic Jewish Alliance and one of the leaders of Ohav Shalom Messianic congregation in California. He is author of The Fig Tree Blossoms, Messianic Judaism Emerges. (Fountain Press, 2005 reprint)
Lydia Buksbazen - Born to Jewish parents and author of They Looked for a City.
David J. Rudolph - Author of Growing Your Olive Tree Marriage, a guide for couples from two traditions and The Voice of the Lord Messianic Jewish Daily Devotional.
Dr Louis Goldberg - Author of several books including Our Jewish Friends, Are There Two Ways of Atonement?, The Practical Wisdom of Proverbs,. Was Professor of Theology and Hebrew Studies at Moody Bible Institute Chicago.
John Fischer - Messianic Rabbi of Ohr Chadash, Clearwater, Florida also Vice President of the International Messianic Jewish Alliance. His books include The Olive Tree Connection, Siddur for Messianic Jews and Messianic Services for Festivals and Holy Days.
Dr Gershon Nerel - Israeli born Messianic Jew who prefers the title 'Yechi' - Yehudim Hasdei Yeshua: Jewish Followers of Yeshua. Served on the committee of the Messianic Jewish Alliance of Israel. Contributor to How Jewish is Christianity, 2 Views on The Messianic Movement. (Zondervan, 2003, edited by Louis Goldberg)
Joseph Shulam - Born to Jewish parents in Bulgaria in 1946. His parents immigrated to Israel in 1948. He is leader of Kehillat Roeh Israel in Jerusalem. He has co-written The Jewish Roots of Romans and The Jewish Roots of Acts.
Sha'ul Zuela - Born in Israel in 1951 in a tent in Hadera to Orthodox Jewish parents from Iraq. Leader of Israeli Messianic Jewish congregation. (source: Twelve Jews Discover Messiah, Ben Hoekendijk, Kingsway Publications 1992, p.51)
Menachem Benhayim - Born in America to Orthodox Jewish parents immigrated to Israel in 1963. Was Israel Secretary of the International Messianic Jewish Alliance till his death. He authored Jews, Gentiles and the New Testament and Bound for the Promised Land
Israel Harel - Born in Israel to Jewish parents in Kibbutz Chulda. Messianic Jewish teacher in Israel
Ilan Zamir - Born in Israel to Jewish parents. First chairman of the Messianic Jewish Alliance of Israel (1994-1999). (Zot HaBrit Messianic Jewish Alliance of Israel journal August 2001)
Boaz Fastman - Born in Israel to Jewish parents. Current General Secretary of the Messianic Jewish Alliance of Israel.
Moshe Emmanuel Ben Meir - Born in Israel in 1905 to Orthodox Jewish parents. A pioneer of the Israeli Messianic Jewish movement. His autobiographical journal From Jerusalem to Jerusalem was published in Hebrew. He was founder and editor of Tal (Dew) the third Messianic Jewish journal in Hebrew in Israel.
Ze’ev Shlomo Kofsman - Born to Jewish parents and pioneer of the Israeli Messianic Movement. In 1960 he co-founded the second Messianic journal in Hebrew called Ha Lapid. (Zot HaBrit journal Spring 2000 - “HaLapid “(The Torch): The Second Journal of Messianic Jews in the State of Israel)
Dr. Michael Schiffman - Born to Jewish parents in America. Author of Return of the Remnant-The Rebirth of Messianic Judiasm.
Elie Nessim - Born to Jewish parents and leader of Kehillat Tsion in Vancover, Canada.
Russell Resnik - Messianic Rabbi and author of Gateways to Torah - Joining the Ancient Conversation on the Weekly Portion, The Root and the Branches: Jewish Identity in Messiah and is Executive Director of the USA based Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations.
Bruce Cohen - Messianic Rabbi of Congregation Beth El of Manhattan
Ted Simon - Messianic Jewish Rabbi of El Shaddai Congregation and broadcaster of the daily Messianic Minutes radio show.
H. Michael Weiner - Messianic Jewish Rabbi of Shomair Yisrael Knoxville.
Shlomy Abramov - Israeli hard man, once bodyguard to Ariel Sharon. Author of Shalom at Last: An Israeli's Journey to Jesus.
Oded Shoshani - Israeli Messianic Jew.
Seth Ben-Haim - Israeli Messianic Jew.
Calev Myers - Israeli Messianic Jew. Israeli Lawyer and director of the Jerusalem Institute of Justice which fights for the human rights of Messianic Jews in Israel.
Ken Alpren - Messianic Jewish Rabbi/Pastor of Kol Dodi Messianic Congregation, Nashville, USA.
Joseph Azriel - Son of a Rabbi in Casablanca Morocco.
Gideon Levytam - Born to Jewish parents in Jerusalem on May 14, 1955.
Avi Mizrachi - Israeli born Messianic Jew.
Natalio Krauthamer - President of the Argentina Messianic Jewish Alliance and vice-president of the International Messianic Jewish Alliance.
Malvern Jacobs - Born to Jewish parents in Toronto, studied theater under Lorne Greene and John Drainie in the Lorne Greene Drama Workshop, and appeared on and directed stage, film television and radio productions. Was a "founding father" of the Canadian Messianic movement.
Cal Goldberg - President of the Messianic Jewish Alliance of Canada.
Nate Seitelbach- Messianic Jewish Rabbi/Pastor of Adat Hatikvat Tzion of Omaha, Nebraska and host of a weekly show on KCRO.
Hebrew Christians/Jewish Christians
(Some may well have called themselves Messianic Jews if the term was current in their day.)
Michael Adam Born in Zurich, Switzerland in the 16th century. Translated into Judaeo-German: "Josephus' War", the Pentateuch the five Megillot, Song of Solomon, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes and Esther. (Jewish Witnesses for Christ by A. Bernstein. p.75)
Rev. J Adler born in Basel, Switzerland. Translated the New Testament into Yiddish ) (Jewish Witnesses for Christ by A. Bernstein. p.75)
Daniel Alexandersson - born in Holland, baptised in 1621. Published a confession of faith in the rabbinic language of Syriac. (Jewish Witnesses for Christ by A. Bernstein. p.91)
Dr Joiachim Heinrich Biesenthal born in Posen, 1804. Scholar of the Talmud, Biesenthal also mastered grammatical Hebrew, and studied Latin, Greek and German history. He worked as a missionary for 37 years in Berlin and Leipzig (1844-81). In addition to his native Polish, Biesenthal spoke Hebrew, Latin, Greek, Syriac, Chaldee, Arabic, Ethiopic, Samaritan, French, German, Spanish, Italian and English. d.1886. (Jewish Witnesses for Christ by A. Bernstein. pp.119-130)
Jacob Gartenhaus - Born in Austria in 1896 into a strict Orthodox Jewish home. Author of Traitor?: A Jew, a book, a miracle : an autobiography.
Samuel Schor - Born to Hebrew Christian parents in Jerusalem in 1859. From 1923 till 1925 he was in charge of the Barbican Mission to the Jews in Britain and president of the Hebrew Christian Alliance and Prayer Union of Great Britain (BMJA today), which was founded in the end of 1901. Author of several books including The Everlasting Nation and their Coming King, London and Edinburgh [1933] and Palestine and the Bible. Illustrating the manners and customs of the people in the Bible lands, 19th edition, Book Society, London 1931.
Rabbi Samuel Griess - Rabbi of Rivington-Street Synagogue USA 1886.
Hermann Warszawiak - Born 1865 in Warsaw, Poland, grandson of the Lipnoer rabbi.
Niels Bohr - Danish physicist; (raised Lutheran; mother Jewish)
Paul de Burgos - Spanish Jewish convert to Christianity. Most wealthy Jew of Burgos, and was a rabbi and an excellent scholar of the Talmud. He came to believe in Jesus after reading the works of Thomas Aquinas. Appointed as keeper of the royal seal by King Henry III of Castile in 1406.
Juan de Torquemada - Spanish converso, famed defender of the converso community in Spain. Worked for Pope Eugenius in Germany and France.
Fernan Diaz - Secretary to King Juan II. Nicknamed the Relator; famous defender of the conversos in 15th century Spain. Argued that Spaniards converted to a Jewish religion (Christianity), not Jews converting to a Spanish religion.
Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield - First and only British Prime Minister of Jewish descent (1868; 1874-1880) (raised as an Anglican)
Malcolm Fraser - Prime Minister of Australia (1975-1983) (raised Presbyterian; mother Jewish).
Christian David Ginsburg (1831-1914), Jewish scholar, was born in Warsaw, Poland. When he converted to Christianity he took on "Christian" as his name in place of his given-name "David". He wrote several important works on the Tanakh (Old Testament), and essays on many subjects including: the Essenes, the Kabbalah, and the Karaites.
Jamie Glazov , Russian-Canadian cyber-journalist (Jewish father & maternal grandfather, raised Christian; identifies as a Christian Jew)
Douglas Gresham, film producer and son of Joy Gresham (q.v.)
Joy Gresham, American writer and wife of C.S. Lewis. Author of Smoke on the Mountain
Josh Groban Famous American singer/songwriter. Has a Jewish father, yet raised as Anglican-Episcopalian following his father's conversion to Christianity.
Helen Harris - founder member of Spiritual matters for women and their families; second generation Messianic Jew.
Jakób Jocz - Lithuanian Jew who became a Christian and became Professor of Theology in Toronto.
Timothy Laurence - Princess Anne's husband (descended from the Levy family of Iraq).
Isidore Loewenthal - orthodox Jew born in Germany, grew up in Poland, graduated from Princeton Theological Seminary - New Jersey. He became an Evangelist missionary in Afghanistan under the auspices of the Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions. Here he translated the New Testament in Pashto and embarked upon compiling a Pashto dictionary before he died at age 37.
Jean-Marie Lustiger - Catholic Cardinal and Archbishop of Paris
Alexander Men - Russian Orthodox priest and martyr.
Felix Mendelssohn - composer (1809-1847)
Bernard Nathanson - former abortionist turned pro-life activist. Converted to Catholicism.
Robert Novak - journalist; convert to Catholicism; calls himself a "cultural Jew."
Harry Oppenheimer - South African billionaire (converted to Anglicanism)
Howard Phillips - American conservative activist; founder of U.S. Taxpayers Party / Constitution Party
Jay Sekulow - Runs conservative legal group ACLJ.
Vladimir Spivakov - Russian conductor and violinist.
Karl Stern - neuropsychiatrist and author, convert to Catholicism. Author of Pillar of Fire (1951).
Stan Telchin - Author of best selling Betrayed also Abandoned: What Is Gods Will for the Jewish People and the Church? and Messianic Judaism Is Not Christianity: A Loving Call to Unity.
Richard Wurmbrand - Romanian underground church leader; founder of Voice of the Martyrs.
Yochanan Ben Yehuda - A Nashville, TN based Italian Jewish producer, founder of Galilee of the Nations.
David Levy Yulee - U.S. Senator from Florida; the first person of Jewish descent to serve in the Senate. (source)
Dr. Max Wertheimer - born in Germany, went to Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati, Ohio. Served as rabbi for ten years in Dayton Ohio, USA
Michele Guinness - Brought up in an Orthodox Jewish family in England. Author of a number of books including Child of the Covenant (1985, Hodder and Stoughton) and Woman: The Full Story - A Dynamic Celebration of Freedoms.
Michael Solomon Alexander - born in 1799 to an Orthodox Jewish family in Scholanke in the Grand Duchy of Posen. He was Orthodox Rabbi of Norwich and then Plymouth in England. He became convinced that Jesus was Messiah and was consecrated as first Reformed Bishop of Jerusalem in Lambeth Chapel November 17th 1841 and arrived in Jerusalem January 21st 1842. As a Jewish Christian he caused considerable controversy. He died in Ras-el-Wady on November 26th 1845.
Tom Sangster-Wilson - born to a Jewish mother in Liverpool, England. Former Jewish gangster and co-author of Sons of Israel, Sons of God (1987, Marshall Pickering).
Leopold Cohen - Established the American Board of Missions to the Jews in 1894.
Dr Richard Ganz - Born in New York to an Orthodox family, now pastor of Ottawa Reformed Prebyterian Church and author of a number of books including Psychobabble: The Failure of Modern Psychology & The Biblical Alternative.
Joseph Wolff - Born 1795 at Welersland in Bavaria, son of the village Rabbi.
Auguste Neander - Born David Mendel to Jewish parents at Gottingen 10th January 1789, descendents of Moses Mendelsohn the great Jewish reformer. Became a great Church historian with his magnum opus the General History of the Christian Religion and the Church.
Isaac Da Costa - Dutch poet born January 14th 1798 in Amsterdam.
Alfred Edersheim - Born to Jewish parents in Vienna March 7th 1825, author of numerous books, the best know being The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah.
Dr Ferdinand C. Ewald - Born to Jewish parents September 14th 1801 at the village of Maroldsweisach near Bamberg in Bavaria. Missionary to North Africa
Paulus Ewald - Brother of Ferdinand C. Ewald and pastor of the Lutheran Church in Merkendorf in Bavaria.
Aaron Stern Born to Jewish parents on 11th April 1820 at Unterreichenbacn in the former Duchy of Hesse Cassel. Jewish Christian missionary to Baghdad, Constantinople and Ethiopia. Imprisoned for four and a half years by King Theodor of Ethiopia.
John Moses Eppstein - Born to Elijah and Rose Levi at Memel in Prussia on February 24th 1827. Moved to Jerusalem aged nine to study in a Yeshiva. He was a Jewish Christian missionary in Baghdad and Smyrna and respected for his Talmudic knowledge and was a great linguist.
Dr Paul Cassel - Born Selig Cassel to Jewish parents at Glogau in 1821. One of the most eminent theologians of the German Reformed Church in the nineteenth century and a notable writer. He was an outspoken opposition to Stoker and Wagner, the fore-runners of Hitler. The Jewish Chronicle wrote "Though he has left us, he is by no means our enemy. He still fights against those who hate the Jews." (p.58 Jewish Christian Leaders by George H. Stevens, 1966, Oliphants Ltd)
Samuel Isaac Joseph Schereschewsky - Born to Jewish parents in the Russian Lithuanian town of Tanroggan in 1831. Jewish Christian missionary to China. In 1879 he became Bishop of Shanghai. He translated the Old Testament into Mandarin for the first time. See: The Jewish Bishop and the Chinese Bible: S.I.J. Schereschewsky (1831-1906). Studies in Christian Mission, vol. 22, Irene Eber. Leiden: Brill, 1999.
Isaac Hellmuth - Born in Warsaw 14th December 1820 to strict Orthodox Jewish parents. He became Bishop of Quebec in 1846 and was professor of Hebrew and Rabbinical Literature at Bishop's College, Lennoxville. Later he was Bishop of Huron and Assistant Bishop of Hull. He authored many scholarly works including The Biblical Thesaurus in 1884 and The Divine Dispensation, a critical commentary on the Hebrew Scriptures.
Mizra Norollah - Born to Jewish parents in Teheran, Persia, his father was court physician to the Shah. He was a Jewish Christian missionary who played a large part in the establishment of the indigenous church in Persia (Iran) still in existence today.
David Baron - Born to Orthodox Jewish parents in 1855 in Russia and brought up in the Russian Polish town of Suvalki. Entered Rabbinical College aged 10. Author of many books including Rays of Messiah's Glory, The Servant of Jehovah, The History of the Ten "Lost" Tribes and Ancient Scriptures and the Modern Jew. Several of his works are available on Wikisource. Others, are available in the form of modern reprints.
Sir Leon Levison - Born in Safed in Galilee in 1881 and son of respected Rabbi Nahum Levison. He was the first president of the International Hebrew Christian Alliance in 1925. During the 1914-1918 war he raised over £200,00 for the Jewish Relief Funds and for valuable work for the Secret Service he was Knighted by the King of England.
Elijah Bendor-Samuel - Born of Orthodox Jewish parents in Lithuania. His great grandson Paul Bendor-Samuel is the International Director of Interserve.
Theodore Bendor-Samuel - Was director of the Messianic Testimony in the UK.
Harcourt Samuel O.B.E - Was General Secretary of the International Hebrew Christian Alliance and Pastor of Ramsgate Baptist Church ,1934-49 and of Birchington Baptist Church, 1951-78.
Arnold Frank - Born to Jewish parents in the Slovak village of Suja in the Carpathian mountains. He edited Zion's Freund with a readership of 40,000 but was closed by the Nazis in 1936. He was elected the second president of the International Hebrew Christian Alliance in 1937. Biography Arnold Frank of Hamburg by Robert Allen.
Isidor Loewenthal - Born of Jewish parents in Posen, in Prussian Poland, in 1826. Jewish Christian missionary to Afghanistan who translated the New Testament into Pushtu.
Ridley Haim Herschell - Born 7th April 1807 to Orthodox Jewish parents in Strzelno, Poland. Once deacon of the short lived Hebrew Church in London. One of the founders of Britain's Evangelical Alliance. All Love, A biography of Ridley Herschell by Geoffrey Henderson HTS Media, 2007.
Erasmus Simon - Born in Poland, Haim was the son of Rabbi Abraham Simon, known simply as Judah. Founder of the Hebrew Church in London. (Source: All Love, page 35-6)
Aaron Levita - Bishop of the short lived Hebrew Church in London 1831. (Source: All Love, page 46)
Elias Lebenheim - Secretary of the Hebrew Church in London. (Source: All Love, page 46)
Rabbi Haham Ephraim - Tiberius Rabbi and Dayan who died in Jerusalem aged 70 on 30th August 1930. He opened the Beth Doresh Emeth, the House of Seekers After Truth in Jerusalem conducting all the services in Hebrew.
Solomon L. Ginsberg - Born to Jewish parents in Suwalki, Poland and died April 1st 1927. He was a pioneer Jewish Christian missionary to Brazil who was considered so dangerous that the authorities paid Antonio Silvino a notorious bandit, to kill him but Ginsberg led him to faith in Jesus instead! It was said that his ministry read like a modern edition of the Acts of the Apostles, in Brazil.
Martin Goldsmith - Born to assimilated Jewish parents in England. Author of several books including Don't Just Stand There, Matthew and Mission, Islam and Christian Witness and Jesus and His Relationships.[46] He authored his biography Life's Tapestry
Dr Bernard Jean Bettelheim - Born to Orthodox Jewish parents in Pressburg, Hungary in 1811. He was proficient in 28 languages and made the first translation of parts of the Bible into Chinese and Japanese, also compiling a Japanese grammar and dictionary. On May 18th 1926 57 years after his death a monument was errected to his memory in Ryuku, Japan.
Arthur W. Kac - President of the Hebrew Christian Alliance of America (1956-1961) and vice-president of the International Hebrew Christian Alliance (1960-1961). Author of several books including The Death and Ressurection of Israel, The Messianic Hope The Spiritual Dilemma of the Jewish People and The Messiahship of Jesus.
Heinz W. Cassirer - Philosopher born to Jewish parents in Germany on 9th August 1903. He fled Hitler's German to England where he lectured in Philosophy at Glasgow University. and also at Corpus Christi, Oxford University. He wrote several books including Grace and Law: St. Paul, Kant and the Hebrew Prophets. His labour of love not published till after his death was God's New Covenant, A New Testament Translation.
Sam Rotman - Born to Orthodox Jewish parents in 1950 in the USA. Concert pianist who studied at the Juilliard School of Music in New York City.
Samuel Wiseman - Born to Ultra-Orthodox Jewish parents in Tiberius 25th September 1835.
Joseph Samuel Frey - Born in 1771 to Orthodox Jewish parents in Germany. He was the only Hebrew Christian missionary to the Jews in the world in 1805. 1808 he co-founded The London Society for Promoting Christianity Among the Jews. He moved the the USA founded The American Society for Meliorating the Conditions of the Jews. He authored The Divinity of the Messiah.
Adolph Saphir - Born to Jewish parents in Hungary in 1831. Author of several books including Christ and Israel, Divine Unity of the Scriptures, The Lord's Prayer and The Good Shepherd Finding His Sheep.
Hegesippus - According to Eusebius he was born of Jewish parents in Judea and lived in Rome around 150 A.D. He is the father of Church history and wrote Hyponymata Pente of which only fragments remain in Eusebius's History iv and Photius Bibliotheca (page 232).
James - half brother of Jesus. Hegesippus says he was martyred while praying in the Temple in Jerusalem.
Paul of Tarsus - Early missionary in the Christian Church
Symeon - Jewish Christian Bishop of Jerusalem around 62 A.D.
Justus I - Jewish Christian Bishop of Jerusalem 64 A.D.
Zacchaeus- Jewish Christian Bishop of Jerusalem 112 A.D.
Tobias - Jewish Christian Bishop of Jerusalem 114 A.D.
Benjamin - Jewish Christian Bishop of Jerusalem 116 A.D.
Justin - Jewish Christian Bishop of Jerusalem 118 A.D.
Matthias - Jewish Christian Bishop of Jerusalem 120 A.D.
Philip - Jewish Christian Bishop of Jerusalem 122 A.D.
Seneca - Jewish Christian Bishop of Jerusalem 125 A.D.
Justus II - Jewish Christian Bishop of Jerusalem 126 A.D.
Levi - Jewish Christian Bishop of Jerusalem 128 A.D.
Ephres - Jewish Christian Bishop of Jerusalem 130 A.D.
Joseph - Jewish Christian Bishop of Jerusalem 132 A.D.
Jude - Jewish Christian Bishop of Jerusalem 133 A.D. (Jewish Witnesses for Christ by A. Bernstein. p.11)
Epiphanius of Salamis - Born to Jewish parents in Roman Judea in 315, became Bishop of Constantia and died in 403 A.D.
Paul Philip (Feivel) Levertoff - Born to a Hasidic Sephardi family in Orshal, Belarus in 1878. He helped translate the Zohar into English for Soncino Press [54] and was a descendent of Rabbi Schneur Zalman.
Isaac Salkinson - Born to Jewish parents 1820 in Vilna, Lithuania. Translated the New Testament from Greek to Hebrew, published in 1886.
Dr. Ginsberg - Born to Jewish parents in Warsaw, Poland 25th December 1821. Translated the New Testament into Hebrew with Salkinson. Ginsburg also published Hebrew text of the T'nach, with his translation of Elias Levita's Massoreth ha-Massoreth and Jacob ben Hayim's Introduction to the Rabbinic Bible.
Ernest Lloyd - Emeritus Vice President of the British Messianic Jewish Alliance was also President of the International Hebrew Christian Alliance in 1984. (Source: The Importance of Being Ernest, by Mike Moore, Christian Focus Publishing 2003, ISBN: 1 85792 806 7.)
Mark Kagan - Born 1885 in Riga Latvia, son of a Rabbi. He was a well respected preacher in Britain and wrote a critique of British Israelism.
Jeffrey Seif - Born to Jewish parents, went to Yeshiva and now host of the Zola Levit show.
Baruch Maoz - Pastor of Grace and Truth Congregation in Israel. Opponant of the Messianic Movement and author of Judaism is not Jewish, considered by some to mark the boundary between Messianic Judaism and Jewish Christianity.
Randy Newman - Author of Questioning Evangelism.
Katlin Eva Kalafoni - Born 16 June 1920 in Budapest, Hungary. Holocaust survivor and author of Forgiving Hitler.
Jerry Marcellino - Pastor of Audubon Drive Bible Church in Laurel, Mississippi.
Rose Price - Holocaust survivor from Skarzysko, Poland. Author of A Rose from the Ashes.
Fred Wertheim - Holocaust survivor. Booklet: I Escaped from Hitler Twice: The Fred Wertheim Story
Charles Barg - Author of Between Two Fathers.
David Rothstein - Brought up a Reform Jew and award winning artist. Author of Drawn to Jesus: The Journey of a Jewish Artist.
Eddie Spirer - Jewish Lutheran minister. Autobiography titled Eddie Spirer: The Little Minister.
Jack J. Sternberg - Author of Healing The Healer: A Jewish Doctor Finds Jesus.
Ernest Cassutto - Dutch Jew who wrote his biography The Last Jew of Rotterdam.
Susan Perlman - Co-founder of Jews for Jesus. Author of Loss To Life: A Jewish Woman's Journey to Messiah.
Karol Joseph - Author of Nothing to Fear.
Bob Mendelsohn - Author of Whoever Heard of a Jewish Missionary?
Moshe Radcliff - Free Church of Scotland minister.
Steve Schlissel - Pastor of Messiah's Covenant Community Church in Brooklyn, New York. Author of Hal Lindsey and the Restoration of the Jews.
Hugh Montefiore - Anglican Bishop of Birmingham. Author of many books including On Being a Jewish Christian: Its blessings and problems.
Marvin Olasky - Born to Jewish parents in Boston, USA. Historian and Journalist.
Rosa Palay - Born 22nd December, 1922 to Jewish parents in Chernigov, Ukraine.
Ruth Nessim - Born to Jewish mother in London. Author of Messianic poetry book Musings From Galilee
Albert Nessim - Born to Iraqi Jews in Kobe, Japan, on April 3, 1933.
Alan Hirsch - A significant figure in the emerging missional church movement in Australia. Books include The Shaping of Things to Come and The Forgotten Ways
Hyman G. Rickover - famous U.S. Admiral; born to Polish Jews in 1900; converted to Chrisianity upon marriage to an Episcopalian
Messianic Jew-Christian
(Persons who use both labels to describe themselves)
David Brickner — Current executive director of Jews for Jesus
Michael Brown Author of four volume work Answering Jewish Objections to Jesus (Baker Book House)
Arnold Fruchtenbaum — theologian, founder of Ariel Ministries author of several books including Israelology: The Missing Link in Systematic Theology Biblical Lovemaking: A Study of the Song of Solomon and Hebrew Christianity: Its Theology, History and Philosophy.
Zola Levitt — author and televangelist
Steve Myers — conservative political commentator, founder of and, and publisher of Page One News and From Here to Reality. Once trained as a rabbi; became Christian in 1982.
Moishe Rosen - — founder of Jews for Jesus
Ceil Rosen - Wife of Moishe Rosen founder of Jews for Jesus and author of Then I Met Messiah.
Stuart Sacks - born and raised in an American Orthodox Jewish family, author of books including Hebrews Through a Hebrew's Eyes (1995,Lederer) and Revealing Jesus as Messiah (1998, Christian Focus Publishing).
Richard S. Harvey - Tutor, Hebrew Bible and Jewish Studies, All Nations Christian Collage in England and joint vice-president of the British Messianic Jewish Alliance - working on PhD on Messianic Jewish Theology
Mark Greene - Currently Executive Director of the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity and previously Vice Principal of the London School of Theology. He is an author of several books including Thank God it's Monday.
Tom Mayr-Lori - Born to Jewish parents in Israel. Current President of the British Messianic Jewish Alliance.
Michael Nessim - Messianic musician based in Israel.
Steve Maltz - Born to Jewish parents in England. Author of Land of Many Names, People of Many Names and The Truth Is Out There.
Stephen F. Gutmann - Baptist minister and British Messianic Jewish Alliance committee member.
Charles Halff - Converted to christianity in 1948 in San Antonio, Texas. Author of What It Cost A Jew to Become a Christian and many booklets. Host of the radio program The Christian Jew Hour. Founder of the Christian Jew Foundation.
Source Books
A. Bernstein, Jewish Witnesses for Christ, Keren Ahvah Meshichit, Jerusalem, first publised 1909. ISBN 965-447-041-1
Dr. Henry Einspruch, Would I? Would You?, Lederer Foundation 1970, ISBN: 1-880226-13-8
Henry & Marie Einspruch, Raisins and Almonds, Lederer Foundation 1967, ISBN: 1-880226-10-* George H. Stevens, Jewish Christian Leaders, Oliphants Ltd, London 1966
Ben Hoekendijk, Twelve Jews Discover Messiah, Kingsway Publications 1992, ISBN: 0 85476 332 5
John Fieldsend, Messianic Jews: Challenging Church and Synagogue, Monarch/Marc Publications 1993, ISBN-10: 1854242288
Dr. Jacob Gartenhaus, Famous Hebrew Christians, International Board of Jewish Missions, Inc.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Messianic_Jews_and_Hebrew_Christians#Messianic_Jew-Christian
If you have the technical know-how to make a "Retain" entry on the relevent Wikipedia page, please do so.
Messianic Jews
Rabbi Daniel Zion - Born in 1883 in Bulgaria, became the Chief Rabbi of Bulgaria. Rabbi Zion had a vision of Yeshua and subsequently believed in him as the Messiah of the Jewish people. He remained the Chief Rabbi in Bulgaria as a Messianic Jew until 1949, a period in which Bulgaria's Jews miraculously escaped the Holocaust. In 1949, Daniel Zion made aaliyah, and became the leader of a synagogue in Jaffa. He died in 1979, aged 96. The Bulgarian Jewish community of Israel gave him full military and state honors. His bier stood in the center of Jaffa with a military guard and at noon was carried by men all the way to the Holon cemetery on foot.
Haim (Haimoff) Bar-David - Born in Doupnitza, Bulgaria, 10 May 1905. Lived in Mandatory Palestine working as an agricultural labourer and became a volunteer in the Jewish self defence group Mishmar Ha’am. Pioneer of the Israeli Messianic Movement Haimoff was elected President of the Hebrew Christian Alliance of Israel from 1957 to 1958.
Hillel Pokrzywa - Born in 1904 to a Jewish family in Lodz, Poland. For several years he was vice president of The French Alliance of Messianic Jews.
Johanna Ruth Dobschiner - Holocaust survivor and author of Selected to Live.
Erez Soref - President of Israel College of the Bible.
Shmuel Suran - Pastor of Kehilat Brit Yerushalayim, a Messianic Congregation in Jerusalem.
Pamela Suran - Jerusalem based Messianic Jewish artist.
Zvi Randelman - Pastor of Succat David Assembly, a Hebrew speaking Messianic Jewish congregation in Jerusalem.
David Lazarus - Pastor of Beit Immanuel in Tel Aviv, one of the oldest Messianic Congregations in the State of Israel.
Jonathan Bernis - Executive Director of Jewish Voice Ministries International and Messianic Rabbi of Shema Yisrael Messianic Congregation in Rochester, New York from 1984-1993.
Ron Cantor - Works for Tikkun International in Israel.
Joel Chernoff - General Secretary of the MJAA and former President of the International Messianic Jewish Alliance, and lead singer of the music group "Lamb".
Aviad Cohen - music entertainer who sometimes uses the stage name "50 Shekel"
Ray Comfort-Native of New Zealand. Born to a Jewish mother. Became a Christian in 1972 and is the founder of Living Waters Publications and The Way of the Master tv show and ministry with Kirk Cameron.
Jamie Cowen - President of the Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations and Rabbi of Tikvat Israel in Richmond, VA.
Stuart Dauerman Messianic Jewish theologian and rabbi of Congragation Ahavat Zion in Los Angeles.
Mitch Glaser - President of Chosen People Ministries. Author of The Fall Feasts of Israel
Marty Goetz - singer/songwriter and pianist, leader of worship.
Rick Gozhanskij - Founder of Powered By HaDavar in Watson, Louisiana.
Asher Intrater - Formerly known as Keith Intrater, Leads Revive Israel Ministries which is affiliated with Tikkun International. Contributor to Seeking and Pursuing Peace: The Process, the Pain, and the Product
Art Katz - Jewish minister and founder of Ben Israel, a community of end time training and refuge for Jews in flight.
Daniel C. Juster - Messianic theologian, first President of the Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations, and founder of Tikkun International.
Rabbi Isaac Lichtenstein (1824-1909) - A Rabbi in Tapio Szele, Hungary. He became a follower of Jesus in his middle-years.
Netzer (band) - Messianic Jewish rock band
Michael Nowell - Soldier in the United States Army, martial artist, and pro wrestler.
Alicia Glass - Medical Assistant.
Josiah Rosen - singer/songwriter, founder and former member of Augustana (band)
Sid Roth - evangelist, and host of Messianic Vision, a daily radio show. Author of Something for Nothing, The Spiritual Rebirth of a Jew.
David H. Stern Messianic Jewish theologian, and author, currently living in Israel.
Martin "Marty" Waldman - past president of UMJC, founder of Toward Jerusalem Council II (TJC II), Congregational Leader of Baruch HaShem Messianic Synagogue] in Dallas, Texas.
Paul Wilbur - singer/songwriter
John Fieldsend - Escaped to England from Nazi Europe on the Kindertransport. Author of Messianic Jews, Challenging Church and Synagogue (1993 Monarch Publications).
Rachmiel Frydland - Born to an Orthodox Jewish family near Chelm in the Lublin district of Poland. Died in 1985. Author of What the Rabbis Know About the Messiah (Messianic Publishing co, Ohio and his biography When Being Jewish Was a Crime
Sam Nadler - Born to Jewish parents in Queens, New York, President of Word of Messiah Ministries and author of several books including Messianic Wisdom and The Messianic Answers Book. Leader of Hope of Israel Congregation.
Burt Yellin - Born and raise to an Orthodox family in New York, he is Messianic Rabbi of Congregation Roeh Israel in Denver USA and author of Messiah, A Rabbinic and Scriptural Viewpoint (1984 published by Congregation Roeh Israel
Victor Buksbazen - Author of The Gospel in The Feasts of Israel (1954, CLC)
Solomon Ostrovsky - Born in Tagancha, Ukraine and pioneer of the Israeli Messianic Jewish community and author of books in Hebrew and English including Moses on The Witness Stand.
Paul Liberman - Born to Jewish parents in America. He is current Executive Director of the International Messianic Jewish Alliance and one of the leaders of Ohav Shalom Messianic congregation in California. He is author of The Fig Tree Blossoms, Messianic Judaism Emerges. (Fountain Press, 2005 reprint)
Lydia Buksbazen - Born to Jewish parents and author of They Looked for a City.
David J. Rudolph - Author of Growing Your Olive Tree Marriage, a guide for couples from two traditions and The Voice of the Lord Messianic Jewish Daily Devotional.
Dr Louis Goldberg - Author of several books including Our Jewish Friends, Are There Two Ways of Atonement?, The Practical Wisdom of Proverbs,. Was Professor of Theology and Hebrew Studies at Moody Bible Institute Chicago.
John Fischer - Messianic Rabbi of Ohr Chadash, Clearwater, Florida also Vice President of the International Messianic Jewish Alliance. His books include The Olive Tree Connection, Siddur for Messianic Jews and Messianic Services for Festivals and Holy Days.
Dr Gershon Nerel - Israeli born Messianic Jew who prefers the title 'Yechi' - Yehudim Hasdei Yeshua: Jewish Followers of Yeshua. Served on the committee of the Messianic Jewish Alliance of Israel. Contributor to How Jewish is Christianity, 2 Views on The Messianic Movement. (Zondervan, 2003, edited by Louis Goldberg)
Joseph Shulam - Born to Jewish parents in Bulgaria in 1946. His parents immigrated to Israel in 1948. He is leader of Kehillat Roeh Israel in Jerusalem. He has co-written The Jewish Roots of Romans and The Jewish Roots of Acts.
Sha'ul Zuela - Born in Israel in 1951 in a tent in Hadera to Orthodox Jewish parents from Iraq. Leader of Israeli Messianic Jewish congregation. (source: Twelve Jews Discover Messiah, Ben Hoekendijk, Kingsway Publications 1992, p.51)
Menachem Benhayim - Born in America to Orthodox Jewish parents immigrated to Israel in 1963. Was Israel Secretary of the International Messianic Jewish Alliance till his death. He authored Jews, Gentiles and the New Testament and Bound for the Promised Land
Israel Harel - Born in Israel to Jewish parents in Kibbutz Chulda. Messianic Jewish teacher in Israel
Ilan Zamir - Born in Israel to Jewish parents. First chairman of the Messianic Jewish Alliance of Israel (1994-1999). (Zot HaBrit Messianic Jewish Alliance of Israel journal August 2001)
Boaz Fastman - Born in Israel to Jewish parents. Current General Secretary of the Messianic Jewish Alliance of Israel.
Moshe Emmanuel Ben Meir - Born in Israel in 1905 to Orthodox Jewish parents. A pioneer of the Israeli Messianic Jewish movement. His autobiographical journal From Jerusalem to Jerusalem was published in Hebrew. He was founder and editor of Tal (Dew) the third Messianic Jewish journal in Hebrew in Israel.
Ze’ev Shlomo Kofsman - Born to Jewish parents and pioneer of the Israeli Messianic Movement. In 1960 he co-founded the second Messianic journal in Hebrew called Ha Lapid. (Zot HaBrit journal Spring 2000 - “HaLapid “(The Torch): The Second Journal of Messianic Jews in the State of Israel)
Dr. Michael Schiffman - Born to Jewish parents in America. Author of Return of the Remnant-The Rebirth of Messianic Judiasm.
Elie Nessim - Born to Jewish parents and leader of Kehillat Tsion in Vancover, Canada.
Russell Resnik - Messianic Rabbi and author of Gateways to Torah - Joining the Ancient Conversation on the Weekly Portion, The Root and the Branches: Jewish Identity in Messiah and is Executive Director of the USA based Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations.
Bruce Cohen - Messianic Rabbi of Congregation Beth El of Manhattan
Ted Simon - Messianic Jewish Rabbi of El Shaddai Congregation and broadcaster of the daily Messianic Minutes radio show.
H. Michael Weiner - Messianic Jewish Rabbi of Shomair Yisrael Knoxville.
Shlomy Abramov - Israeli hard man, once bodyguard to Ariel Sharon. Author of Shalom at Last: An Israeli's Journey to Jesus.
Oded Shoshani - Israeli Messianic Jew.
Seth Ben-Haim - Israeli Messianic Jew.
Calev Myers - Israeli Messianic Jew. Israeli Lawyer and director of the Jerusalem Institute of Justice which fights for the human rights of Messianic Jews in Israel.
Ken Alpren - Messianic Jewish Rabbi/Pastor of Kol Dodi Messianic Congregation, Nashville, USA.
Joseph Azriel - Son of a Rabbi in Casablanca Morocco.
Gideon Levytam - Born to Jewish parents in Jerusalem on May 14, 1955.
Avi Mizrachi - Israeli born Messianic Jew.
Natalio Krauthamer - President of the Argentina Messianic Jewish Alliance and vice-president of the International Messianic Jewish Alliance.
Malvern Jacobs - Born to Jewish parents in Toronto, studied theater under Lorne Greene and John Drainie in the Lorne Greene Drama Workshop, and appeared on and directed stage, film television and radio productions. Was a "founding father" of the Canadian Messianic movement.
Cal Goldberg - President of the Messianic Jewish Alliance of Canada.
Nate Seitelbach- Messianic Jewish Rabbi/Pastor of Adat Hatikvat Tzion of Omaha, Nebraska and host of a weekly show on KCRO.
Hebrew Christians/Jewish Christians
(Some may well have called themselves Messianic Jews if the term was current in their day.)
Michael Adam Born in Zurich, Switzerland in the 16th century. Translated into Judaeo-German: "Josephus' War", the Pentateuch the five Megillot, Song of Solomon, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes and Esther. (Jewish Witnesses for Christ by A. Bernstein. p.75)
Rev. J Adler born in Basel, Switzerland. Translated the New Testament into Yiddish ) (Jewish Witnesses for Christ by A. Bernstein. p.75)
Daniel Alexandersson - born in Holland, baptised in 1621. Published a confession of faith in the rabbinic language of Syriac. (Jewish Witnesses for Christ by A. Bernstein. p.91)
Dr Joiachim Heinrich Biesenthal born in Posen, 1804. Scholar of the Talmud, Biesenthal also mastered grammatical Hebrew, and studied Latin, Greek and German history. He worked as a missionary for 37 years in Berlin and Leipzig (1844-81). In addition to his native Polish, Biesenthal spoke Hebrew, Latin, Greek, Syriac, Chaldee, Arabic, Ethiopic, Samaritan, French, German, Spanish, Italian and English. d.1886. (Jewish Witnesses for Christ by A. Bernstein. pp.119-130)
Jacob Gartenhaus - Born in Austria in 1896 into a strict Orthodox Jewish home. Author of Traitor?: A Jew, a book, a miracle : an autobiography.
Samuel Schor - Born to Hebrew Christian parents in Jerusalem in 1859. From 1923 till 1925 he was in charge of the Barbican Mission to the Jews in Britain and president of the Hebrew Christian Alliance and Prayer Union of Great Britain (BMJA today), which was founded in the end of 1901. Author of several books including The Everlasting Nation and their Coming King, London and Edinburgh [1933] and Palestine and the Bible. Illustrating the manners and customs of the people in the Bible lands, 19th edition, Book Society, London 1931.
Rabbi Samuel Griess - Rabbi of Rivington-Street Synagogue USA 1886.
Hermann Warszawiak - Born 1865 in Warsaw, Poland, grandson of the Lipnoer rabbi.
Niels Bohr - Danish physicist; (raised Lutheran; mother Jewish)
Paul de Burgos - Spanish Jewish convert to Christianity. Most wealthy Jew of Burgos, and was a rabbi and an excellent scholar of the Talmud. He came to believe in Jesus after reading the works of Thomas Aquinas. Appointed as keeper of the royal seal by King Henry III of Castile in 1406.
Juan de Torquemada - Spanish converso, famed defender of the converso community in Spain. Worked for Pope Eugenius in Germany and France.
Fernan Diaz - Secretary to King Juan II. Nicknamed the Relator; famous defender of the conversos in 15th century Spain. Argued that Spaniards converted to a Jewish religion (Christianity), not Jews converting to a Spanish religion.
Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield - First and only British Prime Minister of Jewish descent (1868; 1874-1880) (raised as an Anglican)
Malcolm Fraser - Prime Minister of Australia (1975-1983) (raised Presbyterian; mother Jewish).
Christian David Ginsburg (1831-1914), Jewish scholar, was born in Warsaw, Poland. When he converted to Christianity he took on "Christian" as his name in place of his given-name "David". He wrote several important works on the Tanakh (Old Testament), and essays on many subjects including: the Essenes, the Kabbalah, and the Karaites.
Jamie Glazov , Russian-Canadian cyber-journalist (Jewish father & maternal grandfather, raised Christian; identifies as a Christian Jew)
Douglas Gresham, film producer and son of Joy Gresham (q.v.)
Joy Gresham, American writer and wife of C.S. Lewis. Author of Smoke on the Mountain
Josh Groban Famous American singer/songwriter. Has a Jewish father, yet raised as Anglican-Episcopalian following his father's conversion to Christianity.
Helen Harris - founder member of Spiritual matters for women and their families; second generation Messianic Jew.
Jakób Jocz - Lithuanian Jew who became a Christian and became Professor of Theology in Toronto.
Timothy Laurence - Princess Anne's husband (descended from the Levy family of Iraq).
Isidore Loewenthal - orthodox Jew born in Germany, grew up in Poland, graduated from Princeton Theological Seminary - New Jersey. He became an Evangelist missionary in Afghanistan under the auspices of the Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions. Here he translated the New Testament in Pashto and embarked upon compiling a Pashto dictionary before he died at age 37.
Jean-Marie Lustiger - Catholic Cardinal and Archbishop of Paris
Alexander Men - Russian Orthodox priest and martyr.
Felix Mendelssohn - composer (1809-1847)
Bernard Nathanson - former abortionist turned pro-life activist. Converted to Catholicism.
Robert Novak - journalist; convert to Catholicism; calls himself a "cultural Jew."
Harry Oppenheimer - South African billionaire (converted to Anglicanism)
Howard Phillips - American conservative activist; founder of U.S. Taxpayers Party / Constitution Party
Jay Sekulow - Runs conservative legal group ACLJ.
Vladimir Spivakov - Russian conductor and violinist.
Karl Stern - neuropsychiatrist and author, convert to Catholicism. Author of Pillar of Fire (1951).
Stan Telchin - Author of best selling Betrayed also Abandoned: What Is Gods Will for the Jewish People and the Church? and Messianic Judaism Is Not Christianity: A Loving Call to Unity.
Richard Wurmbrand - Romanian underground church leader; founder of Voice of the Martyrs.
Yochanan Ben Yehuda - A Nashville, TN based Italian Jewish producer, founder of Galilee of the Nations.
David Levy Yulee - U.S. Senator from Florida; the first person of Jewish descent to serve in the Senate. (source)
Dr. Max Wertheimer - born in Germany, went to Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati, Ohio. Served as rabbi for ten years in Dayton Ohio, USA
Michele Guinness - Brought up in an Orthodox Jewish family in England. Author of a number of books including Child of the Covenant (1985, Hodder and Stoughton) and Woman: The Full Story - A Dynamic Celebration of Freedoms.
Michael Solomon Alexander - born in 1799 to an Orthodox Jewish family in Scholanke in the Grand Duchy of Posen. He was Orthodox Rabbi of Norwich and then Plymouth in England. He became convinced that Jesus was Messiah and was consecrated as first Reformed Bishop of Jerusalem in Lambeth Chapel November 17th 1841 and arrived in Jerusalem January 21st 1842. As a Jewish Christian he caused considerable controversy. He died in Ras-el-Wady on November 26th 1845.
Tom Sangster-Wilson - born to a Jewish mother in Liverpool, England. Former Jewish gangster and co-author of Sons of Israel, Sons of God (1987, Marshall Pickering).
Leopold Cohen - Established the American Board of Missions to the Jews in 1894.
Dr Richard Ganz - Born in New York to an Orthodox family, now pastor of Ottawa Reformed Prebyterian Church and author of a number of books including Psychobabble: The Failure of Modern Psychology & The Biblical Alternative.
Joseph Wolff - Born 1795 at Welersland in Bavaria, son of the village Rabbi.
Auguste Neander - Born David Mendel to Jewish parents at Gottingen 10th January 1789, descendents of Moses Mendelsohn the great Jewish reformer. Became a great Church historian with his magnum opus the General History of the Christian Religion and the Church.
Isaac Da Costa - Dutch poet born January 14th 1798 in Amsterdam.
Alfred Edersheim - Born to Jewish parents in Vienna March 7th 1825, author of numerous books, the best know being The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah.
Dr Ferdinand C. Ewald - Born to Jewish parents September 14th 1801 at the village of Maroldsweisach near Bamberg in Bavaria. Missionary to North Africa
Paulus Ewald - Brother of Ferdinand C. Ewald and pastor of the Lutheran Church in Merkendorf in Bavaria.
Aaron Stern Born to Jewish parents on 11th April 1820 at Unterreichenbacn in the former Duchy of Hesse Cassel. Jewish Christian missionary to Baghdad, Constantinople and Ethiopia. Imprisoned for four and a half years by King Theodor of Ethiopia.
John Moses Eppstein - Born to Elijah and Rose Levi at Memel in Prussia on February 24th 1827. Moved to Jerusalem aged nine to study in a Yeshiva. He was a Jewish Christian missionary in Baghdad and Smyrna and respected for his Talmudic knowledge and was a great linguist.
Dr Paul Cassel - Born Selig Cassel to Jewish parents at Glogau in 1821. One of the most eminent theologians of the German Reformed Church in the nineteenth century and a notable writer. He was an outspoken opposition to Stoker and Wagner, the fore-runners of Hitler. The Jewish Chronicle wrote "Though he has left us, he is by no means our enemy. He still fights against those who hate the Jews." (p.58 Jewish Christian Leaders by George H. Stevens, 1966, Oliphants Ltd)
Samuel Isaac Joseph Schereschewsky - Born to Jewish parents in the Russian Lithuanian town of Tanroggan in 1831. Jewish Christian missionary to China. In 1879 he became Bishop of Shanghai. He translated the Old Testament into Mandarin for the first time. See: The Jewish Bishop and the Chinese Bible: S.I.J. Schereschewsky (1831-1906). Studies in Christian Mission, vol. 22, Irene Eber. Leiden: Brill, 1999.
Isaac Hellmuth - Born in Warsaw 14th December 1820 to strict Orthodox Jewish parents. He became Bishop of Quebec in 1846 and was professor of Hebrew and Rabbinical Literature at Bishop's College, Lennoxville. Later he was Bishop of Huron and Assistant Bishop of Hull. He authored many scholarly works including The Biblical Thesaurus in 1884 and The Divine Dispensation, a critical commentary on the Hebrew Scriptures.
Mizra Norollah - Born to Jewish parents in Teheran, Persia, his father was court physician to the Shah. He was a Jewish Christian missionary who played a large part in the establishment of the indigenous church in Persia (Iran) still in existence today.
David Baron - Born to Orthodox Jewish parents in 1855 in Russia and brought up in the Russian Polish town of Suvalki. Entered Rabbinical College aged 10. Author of many books including Rays of Messiah's Glory, The Servant of Jehovah, The History of the Ten "Lost" Tribes and Ancient Scriptures and the Modern Jew. Several of his works are available on Wikisource. Others, are available in the form of modern reprints.
Sir Leon Levison - Born in Safed in Galilee in 1881 and son of respected Rabbi Nahum Levison. He was the first president of the International Hebrew Christian Alliance in 1925. During the 1914-1918 war he raised over £200,00 for the Jewish Relief Funds and for valuable work for the Secret Service he was Knighted by the King of England.
Elijah Bendor-Samuel - Born of Orthodox Jewish parents in Lithuania. His great grandson Paul Bendor-Samuel is the International Director of Interserve.
Theodore Bendor-Samuel - Was director of the Messianic Testimony in the UK.
Harcourt Samuel O.B.E - Was General Secretary of the International Hebrew Christian Alliance and Pastor of Ramsgate Baptist Church ,1934-49 and of Birchington Baptist Church, 1951-78.
Arnold Frank - Born to Jewish parents in the Slovak village of Suja in the Carpathian mountains. He edited Zion's Freund with a readership of 40,000 but was closed by the Nazis in 1936. He was elected the second president of the International Hebrew Christian Alliance in 1937. Biography Arnold Frank of Hamburg by Robert Allen.
Isidor Loewenthal - Born of Jewish parents in Posen, in Prussian Poland, in 1826. Jewish Christian missionary to Afghanistan who translated the New Testament into Pushtu.
Ridley Haim Herschell - Born 7th April 1807 to Orthodox Jewish parents in Strzelno, Poland. Once deacon of the short lived Hebrew Church in London. One of the founders of Britain's Evangelical Alliance. All Love, A biography of Ridley Herschell by Geoffrey Henderson HTS Media, 2007.
Erasmus Simon - Born in Poland, Haim was the son of Rabbi Abraham Simon, known simply as Judah. Founder of the Hebrew Church in London. (Source: All Love, page 35-6)
Aaron Levita - Bishop of the short lived Hebrew Church in London 1831. (Source: All Love, page 46)
Elias Lebenheim - Secretary of the Hebrew Church in London. (Source: All Love, page 46)
Rabbi Haham Ephraim - Tiberius Rabbi and Dayan who died in Jerusalem aged 70 on 30th August 1930. He opened the Beth Doresh Emeth, the House of Seekers After Truth in Jerusalem conducting all the services in Hebrew.
Solomon L. Ginsberg - Born to Jewish parents in Suwalki, Poland and died April 1st 1927. He was a pioneer Jewish Christian missionary to Brazil who was considered so dangerous that the authorities paid Antonio Silvino a notorious bandit, to kill him but Ginsberg led him to faith in Jesus instead! It was said that his ministry read like a modern edition of the Acts of the Apostles, in Brazil.
Martin Goldsmith - Born to assimilated Jewish parents in England. Author of several books including Don't Just Stand There, Matthew and Mission, Islam and Christian Witness and Jesus and His Relationships.[46] He authored his biography Life's Tapestry
Dr Bernard Jean Bettelheim - Born to Orthodox Jewish parents in Pressburg, Hungary in 1811. He was proficient in 28 languages and made the first translation of parts of the Bible into Chinese and Japanese, also compiling a Japanese grammar and dictionary. On May 18th 1926 57 years after his death a monument was errected to his memory in Ryuku, Japan.
Arthur W. Kac - President of the Hebrew Christian Alliance of America (1956-1961) and vice-president of the International Hebrew Christian Alliance (1960-1961). Author of several books including The Death and Ressurection of Israel, The Messianic Hope The Spiritual Dilemma of the Jewish People and The Messiahship of Jesus.
Heinz W. Cassirer - Philosopher born to Jewish parents in Germany on 9th August 1903. He fled Hitler's German to England where he lectured in Philosophy at Glasgow University. and also at Corpus Christi, Oxford University. He wrote several books including Grace and Law: St. Paul, Kant and the Hebrew Prophets. His labour of love not published till after his death was God's New Covenant, A New Testament Translation.
Sam Rotman - Born to Orthodox Jewish parents in 1950 in the USA. Concert pianist who studied at the Juilliard School of Music in New York City.
Samuel Wiseman - Born to Ultra-Orthodox Jewish parents in Tiberius 25th September 1835.
Joseph Samuel Frey - Born in 1771 to Orthodox Jewish parents in Germany. He was the only Hebrew Christian missionary to the Jews in the world in 1805. 1808 he co-founded The London Society for Promoting Christianity Among the Jews. He moved the the USA founded The American Society for Meliorating the Conditions of the Jews. He authored The Divinity of the Messiah.
Adolph Saphir - Born to Jewish parents in Hungary in 1831. Author of several books including Christ and Israel, Divine Unity of the Scriptures, The Lord's Prayer and The Good Shepherd Finding His Sheep.
Hegesippus - According to Eusebius he was born of Jewish parents in Judea and lived in Rome around 150 A.D. He is the father of Church history and wrote Hyponymata Pente of which only fragments remain in Eusebius's History iv and Photius Bibliotheca (page 232).
James - half brother of Jesus. Hegesippus says he was martyred while praying in the Temple in Jerusalem.
Paul of Tarsus - Early missionary in the Christian Church
Symeon - Jewish Christian Bishop of Jerusalem around 62 A.D.
Justus I - Jewish Christian Bishop of Jerusalem 64 A.D.
Zacchaeus- Jewish Christian Bishop of Jerusalem 112 A.D.
Tobias - Jewish Christian Bishop of Jerusalem 114 A.D.
Benjamin - Jewish Christian Bishop of Jerusalem 116 A.D.
Justin - Jewish Christian Bishop of Jerusalem 118 A.D.
Matthias - Jewish Christian Bishop of Jerusalem 120 A.D.
Philip - Jewish Christian Bishop of Jerusalem 122 A.D.
Seneca - Jewish Christian Bishop of Jerusalem 125 A.D.
Justus II - Jewish Christian Bishop of Jerusalem 126 A.D.
Levi - Jewish Christian Bishop of Jerusalem 128 A.D.
Ephres - Jewish Christian Bishop of Jerusalem 130 A.D.
Joseph - Jewish Christian Bishop of Jerusalem 132 A.D.
Jude - Jewish Christian Bishop of Jerusalem 133 A.D. (Jewish Witnesses for Christ by A. Bernstein. p.11)
Epiphanius of Salamis - Born to Jewish parents in Roman Judea in 315, became Bishop of Constantia and died in 403 A.D.
Paul Philip (Feivel) Levertoff - Born to a Hasidic Sephardi family in Orshal, Belarus in 1878. He helped translate the Zohar into English for Soncino Press [54] and was a descendent of Rabbi Schneur Zalman.
Isaac Salkinson - Born to Jewish parents 1820 in Vilna, Lithuania. Translated the New Testament from Greek to Hebrew, published in 1886.
Dr. Ginsberg - Born to Jewish parents in Warsaw, Poland 25th December 1821. Translated the New Testament into Hebrew with Salkinson. Ginsburg also published Hebrew text of the T'nach, with his translation of Elias Levita's Massoreth ha-Massoreth and Jacob ben Hayim's Introduction to the Rabbinic Bible.
Ernest Lloyd - Emeritus Vice President of the British Messianic Jewish Alliance was also President of the International Hebrew Christian Alliance in 1984. (Source: The Importance of Being Ernest, by Mike Moore, Christian Focus Publishing 2003, ISBN: 1 85792 806 7.)
Mark Kagan - Born 1885 in Riga Latvia, son of a Rabbi. He was a well respected preacher in Britain and wrote a critique of British Israelism.
Jeffrey Seif - Born to Jewish parents, went to Yeshiva and now host of the Zola Levit show.
Baruch Maoz - Pastor of Grace and Truth Congregation in Israel. Opponant of the Messianic Movement and author of Judaism is not Jewish, considered by some to mark the boundary between Messianic Judaism and Jewish Christianity.
Randy Newman - Author of Questioning Evangelism.
Katlin Eva Kalafoni - Born 16 June 1920 in Budapest, Hungary. Holocaust survivor and author of Forgiving Hitler.
Jerry Marcellino - Pastor of Audubon Drive Bible Church in Laurel, Mississippi.
Rose Price - Holocaust survivor from Skarzysko, Poland. Author of A Rose from the Ashes.
Fred Wertheim - Holocaust survivor. Booklet: I Escaped from Hitler Twice: The Fred Wertheim Story
Charles Barg - Author of Between Two Fathers.
David Rothstein - Brought up a Reform Jew and award winning artist. Author of Drawn to Jesus: The Journey of a Jewish Artist.
Eddie Spirer - Jewish Lutheran minister. Autobiography titled Eddie Spirer: The Little Minister.
Jack J. Sternberg - Author of Healing The Healer: A Jewish Doctor Finds Jesus.
Ernest Cassutto - Dutch Jew who wrote his biography The Last Jew of Rotterdam.
Susan Perlman - Co-founder of Jews for Jesus. Author of Loss To Life: A Jewish Woman's Journey to Messiah.
Karol Joseph - Author of Nothing to Fear.
Bob Mendelsohn - Author of Whoever Heard of a Jewish Missionary?
Moshe Radcliff - Free Church of Scotland minister.
Steve Schlissel - Pastor of Messiah's Covenant Community Church in Brooklyn, New York. Author of Hal Lindsey and the Restoration of the Jews.
Hugh Montefiore - Anglican Bishop of Birmingham. Author of many books including On Being a Jewish Christian: Its blessings and problems.
Marvin Olasky - Born to Jewish parents in Boston, USA. Historian and Journalist.
Rosa Palay - Born 22nd December, 1922 to Jewish parents in Chernigov, Ukraine.
Ruth Nessim - Born to Jewish mother in London. Author of Messianic poetry book Musings From Galilee
Albert Nessim - Born to Iraqi Jews in Kobe, Japan, on April 3, 1933.
Alan Hirsch - A significant figure in the emerging missional church movement in Australia. Books include The Shaping of Things to Come and The Forgotten Ways
Hyman G. Rickover - famous U.S. Admiral; born to Polish Jews in 1900; converted to Chrisianity upon marriage to an Episcopalian
Messianic Jew-Christian
(Persons who use both labels to describe themselves)
David Brickner — Current executive director of Jews for Jesus
Michael Brown Author of four volume work Answering Jewish Objections to Jesus (Baker Book House)
Arnold Fruchtenbaum — theologian, founder of Ariel Ministries author of several books including Israelology: The Missing Link in Systematic Theology Biblical Lovemaking: A Study of the Song of Solomon and Hebrew Christianity: Its Theology, History and Philosophy.
Zola Levitt — author and televangelist
Steve Myers — conservative political commentator, founder of and, and publisher of Page One News and From Here to Reality. Once trained as a rabbi; became Christian in 1982.
Moishe Rosen - — founder of Jews for Jesus
Ceil Rosen - Wife of Moishe Rosen founder of Jews for Jesus and author of Then I Met Messiah.
Stuart Sacks - born and raised in an American Orthodox Jewish family, author of books including Hebrews Through a Hebrew's Eyes (1995,Lederer) and Revealing Jesus as Messiah (1998, Christian Focus Publishing).
Richard S. Harvey - Tutor, Hebrew Bible and Jewish Studies, All Nations Christian Collage in England and joint vice-president of the British Messianic Jewish Alliance - working on PhD on Messianic Jewish Theology
Mark Greene - Currently Executive Director of the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity and previously Vice Principal of the London School of Theology. He is an author of several books including Thank God it's Monday.
Tom Mayr-Lori - Born to Jewish parents in Israel. Current President of the British Messianic Jewish Alliance.
Michael Nessim - Messianic musician based in Israel.
Steve Maltz - Born to Jewish parents in England. Author of Land of Many Names, People of Many Names and The Truth Is Out There.
Stephen F. Gutmann - Baptist minister and British Messianic Jewish Alliance committee member.
Charles Halff - Converted to christianity in 1948 in San Antonio, Texas. Author of What It Cost A Jew to Become a Christian and many booklets. Host of the radio program The Christian Jew Hour. Founder of the Christian Jew Foundation.
Source Books
A. Bernstein, Jewish Witnesses for Christ, Keren Ahvah Meshichit, Jerusalem, first publised 1909. ISBN 965-447-041-1
Dr. Henry Einspruch, Would I? Would You?, Lederer Foundation 1970, ISBN: 1-880226-13-8
Henry & Marie Einspruch, Raisins and Almonds, Lederer Foundation 1967, ISBN: 1-880226-10-* George H. Stevens, Jewish Christian Leaders, Oliphants Ltd, London 1966
Ben Hoekendijk, Twelve Jews Discover Messiah, Kingsway Publications 1992, ISBN: 0 85476 332 5
John Fieldsend, Messianic Jews: Challenging Church and Synagogue, Monarch/Marc Publications 1993, ISBN-10: 1854242288
Dr. Jacob Gartenhaus, Famous Hebrew Christians, International Board of Jewish Missions, Inc.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
The Longest Hatred 12
At the moment it is the season for British trade unions to move towards imposing boycotts upon Israeli goods and personnel. Among the unions that have made moves in this direction is my own union, the University and Colleges Union. I do not intend here to rehearse exhaustively the debate as to whether such boycotts are “anti-Semitic” or “legitimate expressions of criticism of the Israeli government”. However, last year’s Report of the All-Party Enquiry into Antisemitism reasoned that such selective boycotts were "anti-Jewish in practice"; I also find the Engage response to the proposed boycott compelling.
Most worrying for me, though, is the fact that Tom Hickey, a leading proponent of the boycott, is happy to speak in front of a reading list which includes the work of Holocaust denier Roger Garaudy; another leading proponent, Tony Greenstein, has documented links to known antisemites (here and here. Proponents of the boycott routinely insist that they are “not anti-Semitic just critical of Israel”; could I be forgiven for expressing scepticism in the case of these two individuals?
Most worrying for me, though, is the fact that Tom Hickey, a leading proponent of the boycott, is happy to speak in front of a reading list which includes the work of Holocaust denier Roger Garaudy; another leading proponent, Tony Greenstein, has documented links to known antisemites (here and here. Proponents of the boycott routinely insist that they are “not anti-Semitic just critical of Israel”; could I be forgiven for expressing scepticism in the case of these two individuals?
Friday, July 20, 2007
The Longest Hatred 11
Q: WHAT DO ALL OF THE FOLLOWING HAVE IN COMMON?
"Everyone hates them [the Jewish people] because they're up themselves"
"Let's not be judgemental like those Jews"
"I always knew he was an ex-Yid"
"Don't trust her, she's Jewish"
"They killed the Lord Jesus" (for a detailed examination of why this statement is both wrong and dangerous, see here)
"The Jews still reject Jesus"
"Now you're a Christian you're no longer Jewish"
"Whoever says the gospel is for the Jew first should be punched in the mouth"
"The Holocaust never happened"
A: THEY ARE ALL STATEMENTS WHICH HAVE BEEN HEARD IN BRITISH CHURCHES, CHRISTIAN UNIONS OR CHRISTIAN GATHERINGS MY ME OR BY PEOPLE KNOWN TO ME IN THE LAST FEW YEARS.
SICKENING, ISN'T IT?
"Everyone hates them [the Jewish people] because they're up themselves"
"Let's not be judgemental like those Jews"
"I always knew he was an ex-Yid"
"Don't trust her, she's Jewish"
"They killed the Lord Jesus" (for a detailed examination of why this statement is both wrong and dangerous, see here)
"The Jews still reject Jesus"
"Now you're a Christian you're no longer Jewish"
"Whoever says the gospel is for the Jew first should be punched in the mouth"
"The Holocaust never happened"
A: THEY ARE ALL STATEMENTS WHICH HAVE BEEN HEARD IN BRITISH CHURCHES, CHRISTIAN UNIONS OR CHRISTIAN GATHERINGS MY ME OR BY PEOPLE KNOWN TO ME IN THE LAST FEW YEARS.
SICKENING, ISN'T IT?
The Longest Hatred 10
I agree with Melanie Phillips that this little incident is not the BBC's finest hour.
I'll let LBF readers judge for themselves as to whether the Beeb's approach on this particular occasion reflects a "desire for full and open debate including legitimate criticism of Zionism" or "antisemitism".
I'll let LBF readers judge for themselves as to whether the Beeb's approach on this particular occasion reflects a "desire for full and open debate including legitimate criticism of Zionism" or "antisemitism".
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
The Longest Hatred 9
Hot off the press, some recent stats on antisemitism in Britain and elsewhere in Europe.
Monday, July 16, 2007
The Longest Hatred 8
One would hope that the United Nations, an organisation founded in the ashes of the Holocaust, would take a lead in combatting this longest of hatreds. Sadly, the reality has been very different: the UN has more often that not signally failed not only Israel but also the Jewish people.
Some particular "lowlights":
- the UN's notorious 1975 "Zionism is racism" resolution, which was inspired in part by Ugandan dictator Idi Amin, three years after he had telegrammed the UN Secretary General applauding the Holocaust. The "Zionism is racism" motion was rescinded in 1991 after intense US pressure; unbelievably, some Christian anti-Zionists write approvingly of the original resolution and believe that the decision to rescind it was flawed!
- in 2000, the UN's World Conference against Racism turned into a racist conference against Jews. Israel and Israeli NGOs had previously been excluded from a regional pre-conference; at the Durban conference itself, copies of The Protocols of the Elders of Zion and literature glorifying Adolph Hitler were made freely available; Syria and Iran issued statements denying the Holocaust; a statement against antisemitism made by Jewish groups was struck out (a fate which befell no other statement issued by any other group): here and here
- the enduring double standard by which Israel alone has been singled out for condemnation while far worse human rights violations perpetrated by other nations are ignored. When challenged about this double standard, the UN attempts to bury the evidence: here (and, more generally, here)
Some particular "lowlights":
- the UN's notorious 1975 "Zionism is racism" resolution, which was inspired in part by Ugandan dictator Idi Amin, three years after he had telegrammed the UN Secretary General applauding the Holocaust. The "Zionism is racism" motion was rescinded in 1991 after intense US pressure; unbelievably, some Christian anti-Zionists write approvingly of the original resolution and believe that the decision to rescind it was flawed!
- in 2000, the UN's World Conference against Racism turned into a racist conference against Jews. Israel and Israeli NGOs had previously been excluded from a regional pre-conference; at the Durban conference itself, copies of The Protocols of the Elders of Zion and literature glorifying Adolph Hitler were made freely available; Syria and Iran issued statements denying the Holocaust; a statement against antisemitism made by Jewish groups was struck out (a fate which befell no other statement issued by any other group): here and here
- the enduring double standard by which Israel alone has been singled out for condemnation while far worse human rights violations perpetrated by other nations are ignored. When challenged about this double standard, the UN attempts to bury the evidence: here (and, more generally, here)
Thursday, July 12, 2007
The Longest Hatred 7
Clearly, it is not just Britain where there is a problem:
here and here. The second of the linked articles is particularly disturbing, coming as it does from someone who professes to follow the Jewish Messiah. One wonders whether Jesus would be welcome in his church!
here and here. The second of the linked articles is particularly disturbing, coming as it does from someone who professes to follow the Jewish Messiah. One wonders whether Jesus would be welcome in his church!
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
The Longest Hatred 5
Saturday, July 07, 2007
EN gets it right for a change
I'm not often impressed by Evangelicals Now's coverage of the Arab-Israeli conflict, but the editor does deserve credit for citing this disturbing statistic in a "News in Brief" item in the latest edition: a shocking 28% of Israel's OWN Arab population believe the Holocaust never happened. Presumably they instead believe that one of the best-documented events in history was in fact collectively fabricated by the cunning Jews to justify the state of Israel. Proof, if any were needed, of the threats facing Israel even from within her own borders: with citizens like these, who needs enemies?
The Longest Hatred 4
UK's Channel 4 are doing a programme on the resurgence of antisemitism in Britain on Monday 9 July at 8 pm. If I can find a link I'll post one.
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
The Longest Hatred 3
For those who would like to do some further reading, here is a list of useful resources:
Books
General works
Hated without A Cause? - A Survey of Antisemitism by Graham Keith (Paternoster, 1997) - the most comprehensive Christian treatment of the subject I know
The Changing Faces of Antisemitism from Ancient Times to the Present Day by Walter Laqueur (Oxford, 2007) (details here)
Theological works:
Your Father the Devil? by Steve Motyer (Paternoster, 1997) (a look at the use of the term "Jews" in John's gospel)
Antisemitism and the New Testament by Steve Motyer (Grove Books, 2002)
The New Testament: A Pro-Jewish Book by Maurice Bowler: online version available here
Websites:
Report of The UK All-Party Parliamentary Inquiry into Antisemitism here
The European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia working definition of Anti-Semitism here (this includes some useful guidelines as to when "criticism of Israel" may become "antisemitic")
Paul Bogdanor's excellent compilation of resources on left-wing antisemitism, including the bizarre phenomena of Jewish, even Israeli Jewish antisemitism and self-hate here
The Engage website challenges contemporary antisemitism (in particular, moves to impose an academic boycott upon Israel) from a left-wing perspective: here
Books
General works
Hated without A Cause? - A Survey of Antisemitism by Graham Keith (Paternoster, 1997) - the most comprehensive Christian treatment of the subject I know
The Changing Faces of Antisemitism from Ancient Times to the Present Day by Walter Laqueur (Oxford, 2007) (details here)
Theological works:
Your Father the Devil? by Steve Motyer (Paternoster, 1997) (a look at the use of the term "Jews" in John's gospel)
Antisemitism and the New Testament by Steve Motyer (Grove Books, 2002)
The New Testament: A Pro-Jewish Book by Maurice Bowler: online version available here
Websites:
Report of The UK All-Party Parliamentary Inquiry into Antisemitism here
The European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia working definition of Anti-Semitism here (this includes some useful guidelines as to when "criticism of Israel" may become "antisemitic")
Paul Bogdanor's excellent compilation of resources on left-wing antisemitism, including the bizarre phenomena of Jewish, even Israeli Jewish antisemitism and self-hate here
The Engage website challenges contemporary antisemitism (in particular, moves to impose an academic boycott upon Israel) from a left-wing perspective: here
Monday, July 02, 2007
The Longest Hatred 2
Antisemitism: why evangelicals need to be concerned
- Because Christians should be concerned with combatting all forms of racism
- Because Romans 11 provides a specific theological mandate against antisemitism
- Because some evangelicals are Jewish
- Because we long to see Jewish people recognise Yeshua as their Messiah: however, the antisemitism which has been a feature of the European church for centuries remains a major stumbling block to Jewish people doing just that
- Because antisemitism remains a terrible stain on church history
- Because, historically, societies where antisemitism has flourished have also persecuted evangelicals: the Spanish Inquisition (which arguably, and perhaps ironically, specifically targeted proto-Messianic Jews, here); Nazi Germany, Stalinist Russia, fundamentalist Islam. It doesn't seem to me to be coincidence that the UK has seen an increase both in antisemitism and in opposition to evangelicals in recent years.
As ever comments are appreciated, if only to allay my neurotic fears that no-one is reading my blog and I might be wasting my time...
- Because Christians should be concerned with combatting all forms of racism
- Because Romans 11 provides a specific theological mandate against antisemitism
- Because some evangelicals are Jewish
- Because we long to see Jewish people recognise Yeshua as their Messiah: however, the antisemitism which has been a feature of the European church for centuries remains a major stumbling block to Jewish people doing just that
- Because antisemitism remains a terrible stain on church history
- Because, historically, societies where antisemitism has flourished have also persecuted evangelicals: the Spanish Inquisition (which arguably, and perhaps ironically, specifically targeted proto-Messianic Jews, here); Nazi Germany, Stalinist Russia, fundamentalist Islam. It doesn't seem to me to be coincidence that the UK has seen an increase both in antisemitism and in opposition to evangelicals in recent years.
As ever comments are appreciated, if only to allay my neurotic fears that no-one is reading my blog and I might be wasting my time...
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