Calev Myers, a Messianic Jewish lawyer in Jerusalem has petitioned the Attorney General of the State of Israel according to section 50 of the Associations Law, 5740-1980, to dismantle the Yad L’Achim organization, led by Rabbi Dov Shalom Lifshitz, because of their promotion and instigation of persecution and denial of civil rights and democratic privileges to Israeli citizens whose faith they disagree with. i.e. Messianic Jews and Christians in the State of Israel. Yad L’Achim’s anti-mission leader Alex Artovsky is due in court March 9th to face charges that he was involved in instigating a religious hate crime by inciting a riot involving hundreds of Orthodox Jews raiding a Messianic Jewish Congregation’s worship service back in 2005. The petition also cites Yad L’Achim’s appalling track record against Israeli Arabs, Reform Judaism, Jehovah Witnesses, New Age groups, the Kabbalah Centre and non-Orthodox forms of Judaism, including kidnap, breaking-up families, breaching the privacy act, hate-spreach etc…
The Petition states:
“And we stress that the longer the destructive incitement by Yad L’Achim continues without interference, the greater the chances for a repeat of the violence against innocent citizens, whose lifestyle is not to the liking of the Organization’s activists.”
JewishIsrael have characterised Calev Myers’ fight for the civil rights of Messianic Jews in Israel as a crusade against Orthodox Judaism. How empty would such a statement seem if the KKK had said the Martin Luther King and the civil rights movement in 60′s America were just a crusade against the White Man!
The position of the Jerusalem Institute of Justice has also found support from the Haaretz editorial team, who wrote here:
“Yad L’Achim is a blatant violation of Israel’s Basic Law on Human Dignity and Liberty.
The organization’s shady links with the establishment are not new – for years, its activists have provided information to rabbinical courts seeking to stick their hands into sensitive cases at the Social Affairs Ministry. More than once the group has enjoyed the assistance of ultra-Orthodox politicians such as Menachem Porush, who as deputy social affairs minister in 1991 wrote to a court pleading for mercy toward the group’s activists who had kidnapped an orphan from relatives who were “not religious enough.” But the Interior Ministry employees’ collaboration with the group outdoes even that abhorrent precedent.
The government must call its employees to order immediately, to explain to Interior Minister Eli Yishai that he is not responsible for maintaining the purity of the Jewish race according to the formula of ultra-Orthodox zealots, and that any collaboration with Yad L’Achim is, in effect, a grave instance of persecution.”
The US State Department’s report on International Religious Freedom published , October 2009 named Yad L’Achim as an organisation that concerned them, Yad L’Achim was first named in the annual report in 2001.
Here is Yad L’Achim’s response to a past State Department report. They describe missionaries doing exactly what the anti-missionaries are doing!
Joseph adds:
As we’ve shown on this blog, Yad L’Achim is an organisation which is inspired by faith in the Lubavitcher Rebbe as the Moshiach.
Even though Schneerson is dead, they think he still controls the world. Many leading Yad L’Achim members consider Schneerson as a godlike being, or even as God himself.
They think all Jews should become born-again believers in the Rebbe, as opposed to born-again believers in Yeshua.
Why do they call Messianic Jews idolators then, if they mimic our theology? If they are convinced that Schneerson is Moshiach instead of Yeshua, they should explain why.
Instead, for whatever reason, they seem to be terrified of Yeshua himself, and so respond with terror against Yeshua’s followers.
The terror must end!
Wow a bold move!
Bravo to Calev Myers for his boldness in doing this! It many ways mirrors the civil rights movement of the 1960s in the United States. It’s a lawsuit against oppression and against those that would deny freedom. If Myers succeeds, it would be a new day of freedom for Yeshua’s disciples in Israel.
I wouldn’t put it underneath YL and friends to try harm Myers, kidnap him, or otherwise make him disappear for his shaking the tree and exposing the evils of the anti-missionary organizations, the Shamers of Judaism.
I will be praying for him.
Ditto on those prayers for protection. As Jerry Falwell said, “Unitl G-d is finished with his ministry and calls him home, the man of G-d is invulnerable.” I suspect Myers’ life is going to be safeguarded by Messiah.
—
Yad and similar groups may not advocate violence officially, but even trespassing and interrupting religious worship are unlawful. Whether these wrongs are sufficient to invite gov’t disbanding remains at issue.
I wish our opponents would content themselves to verbal activities and the media. We welcome the attention and remain free. We need religious freedom.
Judah…. since you are so eager and excited about the legal possibilities, you should propose the next lawsuit for Calev to pursue: recognition of you and other “Two-House” followers as rightful 10 Lost Tribes Israelites with claims to 10/12 the Land. May be you guys can take up a collection for this worthy cause to speed up your prophecy of reunification of “all Israel”.
Did Yeshua teach that we are to “sue our enemies”? Somehow I missed that part…
Gene,
I don’t believe any of that.
My theology is this: Ezekiel 37 is a future event, and Jews and gentiles are one in Messiah. The rest is details.
Gene, I’m going to message you offline. You need help with the way you deal with people — slanderous personal attack in response to a blog comment you disagree with is not the right way to go about things. You come across as a disgrace to Messiah when you do that.
Thanks Judah, we should all be praying for him.
We are all Calev Myers now!
Gene, your comment is a disgrace, shame on you for that.
It’s been brought to my attention that I have compared anti-missionaries to racists of the 1960s in the above comment.
That wasn’t my intent. I should have said: Calev Myers is standing up against oppression in the same vein as Martin Luther King, Jr. And I applaud that, and I pray that he succeeds.
Judah objects that he has not …compared anti-missionaries to racists of the 1960s.
Allow me to surprise you all and make such a comparison, but in a loving and sympathetic manner.
The racists of the 1960s suffered emotionally.
They saw their way of life crumbling.
They knew they were despised by most people in the federal government and in most state and local governments and in the court systems.
They suffered in the media, politics, courts, and educational system.
Outside agitators came in from elsewhere and propagated their foreign views.
They were trying to preserve their combination of both religious heritage and racial or ethnic purity, both of which they saw as threatened or dying.
They were infiltrated and investigated by authorities and media and did not know whom to trust, so they became secretive.
Some of their members responded to such desparation by commiting acts of violence including fire bombings and homocides.
Most of their genre avoided violence and restricted their activities to non-violent political and educational activity, but the media highlighted the violent factions.
There were lose sexual morals among them, as happens with all secretive societies.
They are still with us.
Judah didn’t compare anti-missionaries with racists at all, and it’s unfair for others to accuse him of this.
Personally speaking though, I do consider Yad L’Achim to be a racist, supremacist and terrorist organisation.
Racist because they “rescue” Jewish women married to abusive Arab men without making any attempt to “rescue” Jewish women married to abusive Jewish men.
Supremacist because they think only the haredim have the right to missionise and proselytise Israeli Jews and new olim, and anyone who objects is fair game for terror.
Terrorist because they coax information out of schoolgirls about their parents, whose property ends up damaged, etc. etc.
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American State department has put out the word…allow religious freedom.
this man who needs deep prayer and help, looks like….and is a bold face…. He states we dont fight the missionaries they violently fight us…..then he states we have been asked to come to America to fight the missionaries but we dont have enough funds. He accuses the missionaries of fighting his group thinking ‘the ends justifies the means’
His group is agressive missionizers and collecting money under the disguies of protecting the ‘Jewish’ people they are getting to change their religion to be the same as them of all other Jewish groups. The heart of the matter is to them other Jews are lost till they come to their groups teaching and need to be changed/converted to believe the teachings that include, parents that dont keep their groups glatt kosher cant have their converts over for Passover Seder as well as their teaching that Rabbi Schneerson is the Messiah. See my page as it is awaiting approval..
a little joke; He needed to teach Jonah not to go to the gentiles of Ninevah?
WHAT HAS BEEN SHARED about this group…WITH ME AND from my page on is Rabbi Schneerson the Messiah
“…if all the logical elements within Judaism would allow for belief in a divine, resurrected Messiah, then will Judaism one day accept the messianic followers of Yeshua of Nazareth as authentic Jews in every way?”
The answer is yes, but not until they themselves are converted – Zechariah 12:10.
“And they will look upon Me, whom they have pierced.”
Also, the ancient rabbins had no problem identifying the Messiah as divine and as a “suffering servant” albeit most divided Him in two instead of His ministry.
Shalom my Jewish brothers and sisters, please share any comments with me…i did not ask on the last comment to notify me of follow-up
thank you, David in our messiah and best personal friend Yeshua
p.s. Rabbi Schneerson was a great man who helped many, but not the Messiah and his claim to be the Messiah and the stroke that came the day before he was to be crowned…proved there is another Messiah. It also showed his ignorance matters outside of the 5 books of Moses in Judaism.. the Jewish prophets….and also even missing Leviticus 17 verse 11 that teaches forgiveness of sins comes by a blood sacrifice for atonement.
Good on Calev Myers.
Shame on you Gene, our brothers are facing persecution.
Levitt, I consider ALL Jews as my brothers, and not just those who believe in Yeshua (Acts 22).
Translation:
All Jews are equal, but some are more equal than others.
“Translation: All Jews are equal, but some are more equal than others.”
Your Google Translator must be acting up again…
So when Yeshua turned to his Jewish family, and then turned to his disciples, which ones did he refer to as his brothers. It doesn’t mean he didn’t love his biological family.
Gene: Judah…. since you are so eager and excited about the legal possibilities [...]
Not today Fred.
http://www.kshs.org/cool3/nottodaysign.htm
‘So when Yeshua turned to his Jewish family, and then turned to his disciples, which ones did he refer to as his brothers.”
Do you mean that his own mother Miriam who came to see him was not saved or was not doing Father’s will and that’s why he called “true believers” his “mother”? (Luke 8:19)
So what are your thoughts in the passage Gene?
Mathew 10:35 For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; v36 and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his [own] household.’ [fn] v37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. v38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.
“So what are your thoughts in the passage Gene?”
That there’s nothing higher than G-d and his Messiah. In fact, we are even to “hate” ourselves. As with other passages, Yeshua is using hyperbole to emphasize this point:
“If anyone comes to me and does not HATE his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters–yes, even his own life–he CANNOT be my disciple.” (Luke 14:26)
Levitt, do you hate your family? You should per above – if you are serious about literal interpretation.
Gene, are trolling?
“since you are so eager and excited about the legal possibilities, you should propose the next lawsuit for Calev to pursue: recognition of you and other “Two-House” followers as rightful 10 Lost Tribes Israelites with claims to 10/12 the Land. May be you guys can take up a collection for this worthy cause to speed up your prophecy of reunification of “all Israel”.
Did Yeshua teach that we are to “sue our enemies”? Somehow I missed that part…”
Standing up for civil rights and upholding the rule of law in a democratic state in the face of evil thugs are a different thing from pursuing civil litigation against another brother-and you know it Gene. Stop twisting the scriptures, and discrediting yourself.
By your sense of things, blacks would still be slaves because Wilberforce shouldn’t have bothered. You still got slaves on your plantation or are you a closet member of YLA Gene, your sympathy for these sickos is severely misplaced. Your comments are shameful.
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I find this really interesting. You are basically attacking YL because they want Israel to be a ‘Jewish’ State. I would be VERY careful in your support of what the State Department says about Israel in any of their reports. That has always been a hotbed of anti-Israel sentiment. If you consider them legitimate now, you will not be able to argue the opposite later when they attack something Israel does that you like. (Like the Gaza invasion.)
Israel should be a Jewish state, but I don’t think Yad L’Achim accurate represent Jewish values.
I agree that at times YL does not reflect modern values. But they are consistent with a ‘Jewish’ State. But maybe not with a ‘American Style Democratic Jewish State’. As I have told you before the Bible is not a ‘democratic’ document, nor does it support the ideas/philosophy of modern western political thought.
I agree that Israel has acted many times ambiguously, or even contradictory to the idea of a Jewish state, but those times were not in favor of the things you would like.
Didn’t the US Secretary of State support the Gaza war?
I believe they criticized it, but I could be wrong. There is enough evidence of State anti-Israel policies.
Israel is a Jewish and a democratic state, herein lies the problem for Yad L’Achim and its treatment of it’s target groups.
Well it appears that at times there is a contradiction. It is not an issue with YL alone. And it is unfair to blame them for taking a side which effects many different aspects of Israeli society.
You should be careful what you ask for. If Israel had been a real secular society, then your friend at Peninah Pie would never have a hecksher. If she was in the US she couldn’t get one. She would be asked to do what she has refused to and would not get one. It is only because the state and religion are mixed that the court acted in Israel.
If that is the case then Israel has bigger fish to fry. Political parties like Manhigut Yehudit and Shas which openly call for Israel to be a “Torah State” based on “Jewish” values. With restrictions on the citizehsip and rights of non-Jews. I don’t know Joe, you think you might have issue with them too?????
For me as a believer in Messiah, as I would hope for any sincere believer in Messiah, Israel turing from being the dreadfully secular , internally divided state it is now to a state based and functioning around the Torah and serving Hashem is one step closer to Jews seeing Messiah.
Yasher Koach Moshe Feiglin!
For me as a believer in Messiah, as I would hope for any sincere believer in Messiah, Israel turing from being the dreadfully secular , internally divided state it is now to a state based and functioning around the Torah and serving Hashem is one step closer to Jews seeing Messiah.
A post-galus Torah state without Moshiach?
Hardly very Jewish.
I agree.
I have mixed feelings about this, Mike. Did not Jesus and the apostles find rejection and persecution from the Torah observant of their day?
On the other hand, I truly respect observant Jews — by religious choice, not by inherited cultural sponging soaking up, but by a devoted, free choice. A G-dly life garners my respect even if it does not qualify one for forgiveness and heaven.
Bottom line for my heart concern is religious freedom. I see that having a better chance in an secular Israel.
Just my two cents worth…
Are you implying that Jesus and His Apostles were not Torah observant?
Do you know how many oral Torah traditions did Yeshua adhered to? Check it out, you might be very surprised….
Dan benzvi
Are you implying that Jesus and His Apostles were not Torah observant?
Sorry if I gave that impression, Dan. The context for this part of the conversation is whether Torah observance is a good or bad thing for MJs/ Christian Jews etc. It was not about Messiah’s obeservance at all.
Dan benzvi
Do you know how many oral Torah traditions did Yeshua adhered to? Check it out, you might be very surprised….
Yes, Dan. As I understand it Yeshua is the only human ever to keep all the law. He may or may not have kept oral traditions. I know for a fact per NT that He violated some oral traditions. That said, He, as G-d, can obey the commandments of His Father without the human traditions added by men.
I still respect those whose lives are pure when they desire to please Him.
” You should be careful what you ask for. If Israel had been a real secular society, then your friend at Peninah Pie would never have a hecksher. If she was in the US she couldn’t get one. She would be asked to do what she has refused to and would not get one. It is only because the state and religion are mixed that the court acted in Israel.”
On the other hand, with a state and religion separated, she would be able to open her business any way she want, would she?
“On the other hand, with a state and religion separated, she would be able to open her business any way she want, would she?”
The separation your advocate would do nothing for Peninah. She still wouldn’t have the rabbinical kosher certification she demands and her target customer base [Orthodox Jew] would still not shop at her bakery because of that and other reasons. She would gain nothing from separation. On the other hand, many restaurants in Israel are not kosher certified and they are doing just fine.
Let YL stay away from her door and see how many customers she will have.
Gene Pnina’s target customer base is not OJs it is normal Israelis who are not haredi and for whom a heksher is still culturally important. Have you been to Pnina Pie to see who eats there?
Dan if I was there I would protest someone falsely claiming that her food was Kosher. Obviously YL being involved has clouded the real issue. It does happen that YL is sometimes right.
Dan, I am not aware that her business has been shut down. She has just been unable to get a heksher that she is not deserving of getting.
From the get-go YL have pre-judged the whole issue with the massive poster and leaflet campaign and intimidation against her, demos outside her place of business, how can she possibly get a fair ‘trial’?
Gev, I will say this again, and continue to say it until it eventually gets through to you. She is NOT an observant Rabbinic Jew, and hence to get a Rabbinic Heksher she REQUIRES constant supervision. She refused to do that when she was told an halachic fact. She went to court. If I was asked I would say that she should NEVER be allowed to have a heksher under any conditions, BECAUSE she showed that she is willing to go to a secular court when she is unhappy with an halachic decision. Had she gone to a bet din she would have lost, but it would have shown that she believed in the halacha system. She has show BY HER ACTIONS that she does not accept that system. She gets ZERO sympathy from me in her complaints.
You may not be aware, but heksherim are pulled from places all the time and usually because the proprietor cannot be trusted. She could never get a heksher in the US.
She was told from the begining she only needed to pay a part-time mashgiach, then it all changed. She went to the state court because religion and state are so inter-connected in Israel as with the Coke Zero thing http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/article.php?p=33199
My understanding is that they didn’t that she wasn’t a observant Rabbinic Jew and then changed when they found out she was not.
How many restaraunts in Israel are owned and/or run by observant Rabbinic Jews? If they require of them what they are asking of her then fair enough!
Have no idea.
Gev, let us assume she is the only one who has this problem. Then the issue is not why she is chosen out, but why they are ignoring the halacha in other cases.
However i am familiar with what goes on in the US, and I doubt they are more lenient in Israel. The OU would have required she have someone full time.
Ken,
I think that you need to qualify what you mean by Torah Observant. It means different things to different people. Just as the world Torah does.
Torah can mean:
The instructions God gave to Abraham. (Abraham had Torah before Moses).
The teachings, sacrificial and civil regulations received at Sinai.
The changes made to the Sinai Torah by David were also Torah.
The writings of the prophets are also Torah. Thus the whole of the Tanakh can be considered Torah.
The teachings of Y’shua and the Apostles.
Some aspects of Torah have changed a number of times (external, ceremonial, sacrificial stuff) but the internal moral core is a constant.
Extra Biblical Non-Authoratitive/Traditional/Rabbinic Stuff.
Some people also receive this as Torah. This was a big no-no as far as Y’shua and the Apostles were concerned, not that they never observed some traditional stuff that did not contradict the Word of God but that they refused to grant it authority equal to the word of God.
Leon, yes I’d like clarification myself. I was replying to a post by others here and am unsure of their definition.
As an aside I use the term Observant in different ways according to context. When discussing the actions of Christians or MJs as they prefer, I mean the Mosaic laws in Scripture. When discussing non-Christian Judaism I usually mean religious like Orthodox and not like Reform or Conservative.