Why Are They Saying All These Bad Things?
by Dan Benzvi

Growing up in Israel during its infancy I remember how our parents, teachers, and elders were trying to instill in us a sense of unity, courage, and resolve in light of the struggle the young nation faced. We developed a sense of "Let's get to business" i.e. getting to the point. Bluntly put: "I ain't falling for your story, show me the bottom line! "Some would call this skepticism; we called it tachless - the sum of things. I thought tachless was a uniquely Israeli trait. But when I came to this country, and as I met other Jewish people, I realized that all Jews seem to have it. Before we Jews evaluate anything that is thrown at us, we first ask the question: "Does it make sense?"

It has to make sense; otherwise it's not even worth discussing. It's a Jewish thing. It's in our DNA. So when I read, see, and hear the scare tactics that the anti-missionaries use on their own people - the Jewish community - to warn them about us (the "scary bad boys missionaries"), I say with amusement, "they have to come up with something better than that." They'll need much more substance to convince unsuspecting Jews that we really are the boogiemen they make us out to be.

The Jewish community wants tachless, which the anti-missionaries are totally devoid of. "Show us the money," the community says; but the anti-missionaries' wallets are empty.

The rise of anti-missionary sentiment, and with time the associated increase in hatred and polemics is not a coincidence. The anti-missionaries see the writing on the wall and must surely read it loud and clear. Their panic increases with each passing year as they witness the increase of Jews being assimilated into the Messianic movement. Messianic Judaism is growing in leaps and bounds, while at the same time thousands of Israeli youth fly to Thailand in search of spirituality. The youth make these pilgrimages instead of walking into the nearest synagogue. Why? Sadly, in the synagogue they seem no longer able to connect with God. Rabbinic Judaism is stagnant. It has become stale to the new generation of Jews. To the young generation it has become exclusive, with an aura of superiority. So they stay away.

Anti-missionaries see all this and panic. And in their panic they allow themselves to use scare tactics, lies, and distortions in order to deceive the Jewish community about us. They say that we came to steal their souls. Or they lump Messianic Jews together with all other denominations of Christianity. They attempt to portray us exactly the same as Catholics, Protestants, Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses. Of course they know the difference. But they lie in order to advance their cause.

Anti-missionary groups like "Outreach Judaism" and "Jews for Judaism" claim that we prey on weak and uneducated Jews in order to confuse them, and then steal them for our ranks. I ask Tovia Singer (of Outreach Judaism) directly: Is it that easy? Do you think they will so easily abandon tachless? No! When Messianic Jews first received the Good News (Hallelujah!), it was because they were completely and logically convinced. How do I know? It happened to me and to thousands like me. In my case I heard about Yeshua from another Jew, one who is very close to me. She was certainly not a "trained" missionary. Thus, these accusations made by the anti-missionaries are totally false, and it will do them much good to simply drop them.

While browsing the Outreach Judaism website I thought, "This guy Singer is really on fire. He cares for and wants to protect the Jewish people." But under more careful scrutiny I observed that if a Jewish person wants Singer's information, they cannot get it for free. Got money? Get tapes. Got no money? Take a hike! It appears that Tovia Singer cares for the so-called "stolen souls" only as far as their wallets. By using scare tactics, hatred, and lies he gets people to call so that he can sell tapes. Then he laughs all the way to the bank.

To all the Jewish Believers out there: There are conclusive answers to any objections about the Gospel that these anti-missionaries might throw at you. Don't let them rattle you. Stand up to them. Study and learn. Like Rabban Gamliel said: they cannot stop Messianic Judaism, it is a movement of God.

To the anti-missionaries: There are not enough Jews on the earth. Please stop destroying and start building. Seek unity for a strong Jewish community and nation.

In closing, the criterion for a man or woman being Jewish has nothing to do with his or her beliefs. And someone who has graduated from yeshiva is not a better Jew than someone who simply believes in Yeshua as the true Jewish Mashiach (Hallelujah!).