'Targeted' Attempts at Evangelizing Alienates Jews, Rabbi Says
by Chad Groening
January 15, 2004
(AgapePress) - An Orthodox Jewish rabbi is dismissing the claims of a Messianic Jewish ministry that he is deliberately undermining efforts to evangelize Jewish people.Yesterday, AgapePress reported on the concerns of the executive director of the group Jews for Jesus. David Brickner says that Orthodox rabbi Yechiel Eckstein has convinced some Christian leaders they should not evangelize Jewish people. But Eckstein, who heads up the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, says he does not oppose witnessing -- just "targeted proselyzation."
"What we oppose is witnessing that crosses over the line into proselytizing," the rabbi says. "That involves overly zealous techniques and, we believe, targeted attempts to convert the Jewish people."
According to Eckstein, such an approach -- which he claims is used by Brickner's group -- does more to alienate Jews than does the dialogue approach his Fellowship takes.
"Don't you think that having an opportunity to address the Jewish community -- when the Jewish community trusts you -- does more to endear everything that your witness is all about than, frankly, the failed techniques of Jews for Jesus?" he asks.
Eckstein believes Jews for Jesus is envious of his organization's financial success. "They are, in my opinion, simply envious," he says. "God is not going to bless an attempt to bring others down."
