Last August, the Jerusalem Institute of Justice issued a warning in its newsletter that Messianic Jews and their supporters are being spied on all over the world. The notorious, Israel-based, anti-Missionary organisation Yad L’Achim is the main culprit along with Lev L’Achim and American-based Jews for Judaism. The JIJ warning reports that:

“Reliable sources have revealed to JIJ that anti-missionary organizations consistently submit information to the Israeli Ministry of Interior regarding local and international Messianics, so that the Messianics may be “blacklisted”, prevented from immigrating to Israel and denied other basic civil rights. We have also learned that Jews for Judaism activists often brief Jewish Agency officials in the US on the subject of how to “spot” a Messianic Jew and prevent him or her from immigrating to Israel. Such organizations pride themselves on having “spies” within Messianic Jewish congregations, who see all that goes on.”

Yad L’Achim’s branch in London is headed-up by Rabbi E. Schechter and the Manchester branch by Rabbi D. Lampin. Other sources also allege that Birmingham-based anti-Missionary organisation Operation Judaism headed by Rabbi Shmuel Arkush, also compiles data on British Messianic Jews and their supporters. Operation Judaism is co-managed by the Lubavitch, the Chief Rabbis office and the Board of Deputies. Yad L’China L’Achim refuses to reveal to its own supporters the details of the tactics they employ.

Alex Artovsky [pictured above], its counter-Missionary director is an ex-Soviet policeman and has boasted that he uses all the tricks of his former trade to “fight the Mission.” Artovsky writes in an article on the Yad L’Achim web site that. “Part of the intelligence-gathering process involves informers at the highest echelons. The United States, Holland, Germany and Norway are major sources of funding and training for missionaries in Israel – and a source of information for Yad L’Achim.”

Artovsky also revealed that he uses the highly unethical technique of assuming a false identity to get people to talk to him. If this is what he is willing to reveal one can use their imagination to fill in the gaps of what he is unwilling to disclose.

Other strategies used by Yad L’China L’Achim are highlighted. If someone in Israel reports someone at work sharing their faith in Jesus, Artovsky explains.

“The first step is to turn to the employer, who in many cases isn’t aware that people on his payroll are engaged in missionary activity – on company time. If the employer has a strong Jewish background, we will explain to him that according to halacha [religious law] he is not allowed to pay a missionary, or to receive anything from him or be his partner.”

To sack someone for religious reasons is against employment law in all free democratic nations. The anti-Missionaries seem to be given a free hand to harass Messianic Jews in Israel; ironically the police have been more active in protecting Jehovah’s Witnesses than Messianic Jews. Recently the police arrested and later released two Yad L’Achim activists who were protesting outside the JW offices in Rishon LeTzion.

In the light of the bomb attack on Ami Ortiz in Ariel, the burning of New Testaments in Or Yehuda and ongoing harassment of Messianic Jews in Arad and Beersheva it is important that the illegal and unfair treatment Israeli Messianic Jews receive is brought to an end.

Posted by Gever.