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Subject: soc.culture.jewish FAQ: Holocaust, Antisemitism, Missionaries (9/12)
Supersedes: <faq.9_823720029@polaris>
Date: 8 Mar 1996 11:07:52 -0800
Summary: The Holocaust and Antisemitism, Jewish Missionaries

Soc-culture-jewish-archive-name: faq.09-Antisemitism
Posting-Frequency: Monthly

               Frequently Asked Questions on Soc.Culture.Jewish
            Part 9: The Holocaust, Antisemitism, and Missionaries
         [Last Change: $Date: 1995/10/19 15:24:23 $ $Revision: 1.2 $]
                    [Last Post: Fri Jun  9 11:07:09 1995]

   This posting is an attempt to answer questions that are continually
   asked on soc.culture.jewish. It was written by cooperating laypeople
   from the various Judaic movements. You _should not_ make any
   assumption as to accuracy and/or authoritativeness of the answers
   provided herein. In all cases, it is always best to consult a
   competent authority--your local rabbi is a good place to start.
   
   The deceased sages described within are of blessed memory, (assume a
   _Z"L_ or _ZT"L_ after their names) and the sages alive today should
   live to see long and good days (assume _SHLITA_). May Hashem grant
   complete recovery to the ill. Individual honorifics are omitted.
   
   The FAQ was produced by a committee and is a cooperative work. The
   contributors never standardized on transliteration scheme from Hebrew,
   Aramaic, Yiddish, or Ladino to English. As a result, the same original
   word might appear with a variety of spellings. This is complicated by
   the fact that there are regional variations in the pronunciation of
   Hebrew. In some places, the common spelling variations are mentioned;
   in others--not. We hope that this is not too confusing.
   
   In general, throughout this FAQ, North American (US/Canada) terms are
   used to refer to the movements of Judaism. Outside of North American,
   Reform is Progressive or Liberal Judaism; Conservative is Reform or
   Masorti, and Orthodoxy is often just "Judaism". Even with this, there
   are differences in practice, position, and ritual between US/Canada
   Reform and other progressive/liberal movements (such as UK
   Progressive/ Liberal), and between US/Canada Conservative and the
   conservative/Masorti movement elsewhere. Where appropriate, these
   differences will be highlighted.
   
   The goal of the FAQ is to present a balanced view of Judaism; where a
   response is applicable to a particular movement only, this will be
   noted. Unless otherwise noted or implied by the text, all responses
   reflect the traditional viewpoint.
   
   This list should be used in conjunction with the Soc.Culture.Jewish
   reading lists. Similar questions can be found in the books referenced
   in those lists.

   Reproduction of this posting for commercial use is subject to
   restriction. See Part 1 for more details.

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: ORGANIZATION

   This portion of the FAQ contains answers to the following questions:

   Section 15. Churban Europa (The Holocaust)
    1. Why do Jews seem to treat the Holocaust as their tragedy alone? 
    2. Where can I get information on the Holocaust? 
    3. How do I get tickets to see the United States Holocaust Memorial
       Museum? 
    4. Is there any online information available on Yad Vashem? 
       
   Section 16. Antisemitism and Rumors about Jews
    1. Why is antisemitism used to mean anti-Jewish? 
    2. Is there any truth to the myth of the Jewish American Princess? 
    3. What is the connection between Judaism and Freemasonry? 
       
   Section 17. Countering Missionaries
    1. Are groups calling themselves "Jews for Jesus" or "Messianic
       Jews[sic]" Jewish movements? 
    2. Is belief in Jesus-as-God compatible with any Jewish movements? 
    3. What do missionary groups believe? 
    4. What sort of deceptive terminology do missionaries use? 
    5. How can these missionaries be countered? 
    6. Who is financing "Jews for Jesus" and similar groups? 
       


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Subject: Why do Jews seem to treat the Holocaust as their tragedy alone?

   Jews don't, and in fact, a hefty percentage of articles on the
   Holocaust go out of their way to mention the number of gentiles
   murdered, as well as soldiers and civilians killed in the war itself.
   
   Jews focus upon it for several reasons: (1) It destroyed a third (1/3)
   of world Jewry, almost all of European Jewry, and obliterated the
   entire European Jewish culture. (2) It was directed primarily at
   Jews--Hitler himself wrote that his real war was against Judaism and
   the idea of absolute morality, the antithesis of amoral nationalism.
   (see his discussions with his friend, Hermann Rauschning) (3) It
   happened just 50 years ago, which is recent.
   
   It is important to mention other attempts at mass extermination or
   national destruction, such as Armenian, Cambodian, East Timorese,
   Kurdish, Native Americans, etc.
   
   One should also mention other large scale injustices such as Black
   African enslavement in America, but to make clear that even if it is
   not the same as the Holocaust, it's still a moral problem.

------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Where can I get information on the Holocaust?

   Additional information may be found in the
   usenet/news.answers/judaism/reading-lists/antisemitism from
   rtfm.mit.edu.
   
   Information is also available on the newsgroup
   soc.culture.jewish.holocaust, which is a storagehouse for all kinds
   of information from various sources on the Holocaust in Europe that
   occurred between 1942-1945 (along with the events leading up to it
   that happened in the early 30's). In that group you will find
   Holocaust materials from both personal testimonies of survivors and
   their families and "hard" facts from historians and observers.
   
   The Nizkor Project (An Electronic Holocaust Educational Resource)
   [Home Page: <http://www.almanac.bc.ca>] has also made the following
   information on the Holocaust available; it can be used to answer the
   "revisionists":
   
     * A two-part FAQ on Auschwitz. The URL for part 1 is:
       <ftp://ftp.almanac.bc.ca/pub/camps/auschwitz/auschwitz.faq1>. The
       URL for part 2 is:
       <ftp://ftp.almanac.bc.ca/pub/camps/auschwitz/auschwitz.faq2>.
       
     * A two-part FAQ on Operation Reinhard -- A Layman's Guide to
       Belzec, Sobibor, and Treblinka. The URL for part 1 is
       <ftp://ftp.almanac.bc.ca/pub/camps/aktion.reinhard/reinhard.faq1>.
       The URL for part 2 is
       <ftp://ftp.almanac.bc.ca/pub/camps/aktion.reinhard/reinhard.faq2>.
       
     * A two-part FAQ on the Institute for Historical Review. The URL for
       part 1 is
       <ftp://ftp.almanac.bc.ca/pub/orgs/american/ihr/ihr.faq1>. The URL
       for part 2 is
       <ftp://ftp.almanac.bc.ca/pub/orgs/american/ihr/ihr.faq2>.
       
     * A two-part FAQ that provides common answers to the various
       revisionists claims that the Holocaust never occured. The URL for
       part 1 is
       <ftp://ftp.almanac.bc.ca/pub/people/l/leuchter.fred/leuchter.faq1>
       . The URL for part 2 is
       <ftp://ftp.almanac.bc.ca/pub/people/l/leuchter.fred/leuchter.faq2>
       .
       
   If you are using WWW or Mosaic, the relevant pointer is:
   
   http://www.almanac.bc.ca/faqs
   
   Alas, Nazi-ism didn't end with the Holocaust, and there has been a
   resurgance of neo-Nazi groups in Germany. Between October 1992 and
   April 1993, the Simon Wiesenthal Center conducted a covert operation
   to determine the strength, financial base, and ultimate leadership of
   Germany's neo-Nazi movement. Center officials also wanted to find out
   the links between Germany's radical right and similar organizations in
   the United States, and to determine the degree of commitment on the
   part of German police towards the enforcement of laws passed by the
   German parliament over the years to thwart the resurgence of Nazism in
   the Bundesrepublik. The results of this operation are documented and
   available on the net at the URL
   <ftp://ftp.almanac.bc.ca/pub/orgs/american/wiesenthal.center/swc.oprep
   >.
   
   A Holocaust bibliography is also available at the URL
   <ftp.almanac.bc.ca/pub/holocaust/bibliography>. It contains thousands
   of listings for those interested in research.
   
   Lastly, there is plenty of information available on the Jerusalem1
   gopher. You can try it by typing:
   
   gopher gopher.jer1.co.il
   
   Information is also available on the shamash.org gopher. This
   information includes a short statistical summary of the Holocaust by
   German historians, refutation of claims made by Holocaust deniers, a
   survey of the case in which a Holocaust survivors sued the Institute
   for Historical Research (IHR), images, and other documentation.
   
   You might also contact the Simon Wisenthal Center:
   
    9760 West Pico Blvd.
    Los Angeles, CA 90035
    voice: (310)-553-9036
    fax: (310)-277-5558
    e-mail: simonwie@class.org
    WWW: <http://www.wiesenthal.com>
    Reference librarian/archivist: Paul Hamburg
    

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Subject: How do I get tickets to see the United States Holocaust Memorial
         Museum?

   Opened in April 1993, on the fiftieth anniversary of the Warsaw ghetto
   uprising, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington,
   D.C., summons all who enter its portals to rise to an important and
   extraordinary challenge: to remember and immortalize the 6 milion Jews
   and millions of other Nazi victims of World War II--Gypsies, Poles,
   homosexuals, the handicapped, Jehovah's Witnesses, political and
   religious dissidents, Soviet prisoners of war--who were murdered in
   the most horrifying event of our time: the Holocaust.
   
   The main task of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is to
   present the facts of the Holocaust, to tell the American public as
   clearly and comprehensively as possible what happened in that darkest
   chapter of human history. To this end, the Museum has reconstructed
   the history of the Holocaust through multiple media: the meaningful
   arrangement of objects as well as the presentation of documentary
   photographic and cinematographic materials. This museum holds the
   world's largest and most diversified collection of Holocaust-related
   objects; but in its display it is a "conceptual museum" rather than a
   traditional, object-oriented one: it's primary purpose is to
   communicate concepts, complex information, and knowledge, rather than
   merely to display objects of the Holocaust, unrelated to the
   historical context of each individual exhibit.
   
   A visit to the museum, or a tour through the virtual exhibition, can
   be an interesting and challenging learning experience but, at the same
   time, it also will be a thought-provoking, disturbing, and personally
   upsetting one. And so it should be.
   
   The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is a free, Federal Museum
   dedicated to presenting the history of the persecution and murder of
   six million Jews and millions of other victims of Nazi tyrrany from
   1933-1945. To accomodate large numbers of visitors expected by the
   museum, and to ensure a meaningful experience for every one, the
   museum is open on a time-ticket basis, which means that a ticket is
   required for admission, and that tickets are marked with a specific
   time and day in order to regulate the number of people passing through
   the exhibits at any given time.
   
   Tickets may be obtained in one of three ways: you can visit or call
   Ticketmaster at _1-800-432-SEAT_ and purchase tickets for a specified
   date and time using a credit card. Currently, there is a $3.50 phone
   charge and a $1.00 per ticket handling fee. Tickets to the museum are
   free, except for the handling charges which go directly to
   Ticketmaster. A second method of obtaining tickets is to go directly
   to the walk-up window and request them. Demand is heavy, and only a
   portion of each day's tickets are set aside for walk-up business. The
   last, and most difficult, method of obtaining tickets is to call your
   elected representative and request assistance in finding tickets. The
   Museum is not part of the Smithsonian system, and therefore some
   Congressmen do not bother to request complimentary tickets from the
   museum. Some do.
   
   The Museum is open from 10:00-5:30 daily, except for Christmas (go
   figure!) and certain Jewish holidays (to be determined). The telephone
   number is (202) 488-0400. Their internet domain is ushmm.org, and they
   have a home page available at http://www.ushmm.org/home.html.
   
   For those of you who do not have access to a WWW client (browser) like
   Mosaic or Lynx, the Holocaust Memorial Museum is also included in the
   main menu of the Global Jewish Information Network Server. It is
   accessible by telnet:
   
   telnet www.huji.ac.il
   login: JEWISHNET
   No password required

   The URL for the home page of the Global Jewish Information Network is
   the following:
   
   URL: http://www.huji.ac.il/www_jewishn/www/t01.html


------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Is there any online information available on Yad Vashem?

   Yad Vashem is the Holocaust memorial of the Jewish people. Located in
   Jerusalem Israel, it was established in 1953 by an act of Parliament.
   
   At the core of the Holocaust was the decision to kill the Jews--six
   million of whom were murdered. These events are of monumental
   significance for the contemporary world and, by directing visitors to
   confront this history, we hope to stimulate them to grapple with
   issues that strike at our basic nature as human beings and to gain
   insights about our societies and about ourselves.
   
   The name _YAD VASHEM_ comes from a passage in the Book of Isaiah:
   
     "And to them will I give in my house and within my walls a memorial
     ... an everlasting name [a "yad vashem"], that shall not be cut
     off." (chapter 56, verse 5).
     
   Yad Vashem is available via WWW using the following URL:
   http://yvs.shani.net

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Subject: Why is antisemitism used to mean anti-Jewish? Aren't Arabs Semites
         too?

   The word "_anti-Semitism_" was coined in Germany in 1879 by Wilhelm
   Marr as a more euphonious way of saying "_Judenhass_" (Jew-hatred),
   and has always meant exactly that. Its antonym, "Semitism" connoted a
   positive attitude toward the Jewish people. The word has become too
   sanitized and too easily misunderstood, which is exactly what Marr
   tried to accomplish with the word's creation.
   
   According to a (now discredited) nineteenth century theory that held
   that racial groups and linguistic groups coincide, Semites are natives
   of a group of Middle Eastern nations which are closely related in
   ethnicity, culture and language. Under this theory, the modern day
   Semites would be the Jews and Arabs. In ancient times, the Assyrians,
   Canaanites, Carthaginians, Aramaeans and Akkadians (one of the
   ancestors of the ancient Babylonians) were also counted among the
   Semitic nations. It should be noted that many of these groups
   contributed much to the development of modern culture, in particular
   the Phoenicians (Semitic seafarers including Canaanites, Aramaeans and
   northern Israelites), the Babylonians, as well as the Arabs and Jews.
   
   One theory that has been voiced among the practitioners of ancient
   history is that these groups emerged from a common home in Arabia
   during the early Sumerian period. More likely, they were descended
   from various waves of people who entered the Middle East, only the
   last of which brought the Semitic languages. Like the Babylonian king
   Hammurabi, Abraham appears to have been an "Amurru" or West Semite, a
   group that spread out from the Levant to as far east as Ur and
   Babylon. Hebrew and Aramaic are both West Semitic languages.
   
   The modern day "Semites" all claim to trace their ancestry to Noah's
   son, Shem, from whom they take their name.
   
   Given that the theory of "semites" and non-"semites" is now
   discredited, the preferred term to use is "_Antisemitism_", which has
   a general connotation of "anti-Jewish". When written in this fashion,
   it helps to eliminate the confusion with the discredited theory. (The
   use of the non-hyphenated form is a suggestion of the distinguished
   historian James Parkes). Emil Fackenheim, the Jewish philosopher, has
   also adopted this spelling, explaining "... the spelling ought to be
   antisemitism without the hyphen, dispelling the notion that there is
   an entity 'Semitism' which 'anti-Semitism' opposes" (Emil Fackenheim,
   "Post-Holocaust Anti-Jewishness, Jewish Identity and the Centrality of
   Israel," in World Jewry and the State of Israel, ed. Moshe Davis, p.
   11, n. 2).

------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Is there any truth to the myth of the Jewish American Princess?

   While there may be a few token women who fit the stereotype, it's a
   cruel slur frequently directed at Jewish women in general, and not
   always by Jews. (see William Styron's Sophie's Choice, especially
   chapter 7 for some very offensive Jewish portrayals, including the
   JAP.)
   
   The most common use of the slur "JAP" is by Jewish men who rationalize
   their habit of dating gentile women by slandering the Jewish women
   whom they _could_ be dating. Many who use the term are unaware of its
   offensive nature, so if someone uses it innocently, politely ask them
   not to use the term.

------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: What is the connection between Judaism and Freemasonry?

   The following is extracted from a paper by Paul M. Bessel of Arlington
   VA that accompanied presentations in February 1989. The FAQ would
   would like to thank David Kaufman (dkaufman@gwis2.circ.gwu.edu) for
   providing this information; the full text of the presentation may be
   obtained from him.
   
   Jews were actively involved in the beginnings of Freemasonry in
   America. There is evidence they were among those who established
   Masonry in seven of the original thirteen states: Rhode Island, New
   York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Georgia, South Carolina, and Virginia.
   
   A Jewish Mason, Moses Michael Hays, helped introduce the Masonic
   Scottish Rite in America. Paul Revere served under him as Deputy Grand
   Master. There were several other Jews who held the masonic titles in
   the late 1700's: Solomon Bush in Pennsylvania, Joseph Myers in
   Maryland and later in South Carolina, and Abraham Forst of
   Philadelphia in Virginia in 1781. Another Jewish Grand Master was
   Moses Seixas in Rhode Island from 1791 until 1800. There were many
   other American Jewish Masons in early American history, including one
   in George Washington's original Fredericksburg Lodge.
   
   Jewish Masons played an important part in the American Revolution,
   with 24 of them serving as officers in George Washington's army. In
   addition, several helped finance the American cause, including Haym
   Salomon, a Philadelphia Jewish Mason who with others contributed and
   raised money for the American war effort and loaned money to
   Jefferson, Madison, Lee, and others for their personal expenses.
   Salomon was imprisoned by the British and died in his 40's bankrupt
   and with penniless heirs.
   
   There is evidence that Jews, including rabbis, continued to be
   involved in the Masonic movement in the United States. There have been
   at least 51 Jewish American Grand Masters. Today there are many Jews
   active in Masonry in America and other countries. Israel has about 60
   Masonic lodges with 3,000 members.
   
   Jews had also been involved to a small extent in the formation of
   modern Freemasonry in the early 1700's in England. Until then Jews
   were not permitted to participate in many of the ordinary activities
   of life. Then the Enlightenment concept of the universality of all
   people brought about a society where people's religious beliefs did
   not affect their rights as citizens. Jews were gradually permitted to
   exercise the rights of citizenship and to pursue their lives as they
   wished.
   
   Many Jews viewed joining Freemasonry as part of their "emancipation"
   from the old legal and social exclusions. Modern Masonry was as much a
   product of the Enlightenment as the emancipation of Jews. Many society
   leaders were Freemasons and if Jews could join this fraternity that
   would prove they were being accepted. They could also use the
   opportunities presented by their participation in a social
   organization with Christians to prove the two could prosper by their
   association. Freemasonry's philosophy of the brotherhood of all people
   indicated Masonry would accept Jews as members.
   
   There are many common themes and ideals in Masonic and Jewish rituals,
   symbols, and words:
   
     * Belief in God, prayer, immortality of the soul, charity, and
       acting respectfully to all people are essential elements of
       Freemasonry as well as Judaism, and of course other religions too.
     * Masonry and Judaism, as well as other religions and statements of
       ethical standards, teach that we must discipline ourselves and
       keep our passions in check. Jewish masons follow rituals in
       synagogues and in Masonic lodges to help them develop this
       ability.
     * Judaism and Masonry give the greatest respect and support for
       freedom of individuals. Judaism teaches that everyone is capable
       of good or evil and attempts to help us use our free will to
       choose the righteous path. Masonry teaches that those who are
       morally fit can find "light" in Masonry if they desire it of their
       own free will. The concept of exercising free will to accept the
       law and atone for past transgressions is what Rosh Hashanah and
       Yom Kippur are about.
     * Light is an important symbol in both Freemasonry and Judaism.
       Contrast the holidy of Chanukah with the use of light in Masonry,
       where it represents the Divine spirit, religious freedom, and
       rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem and of the spiritual
       Temple within us all.
     * One of the fundamental symbols of Masonry is the Temple of Solomon
       and the Second Temple, which also figured as the central part of
       the Jewish religion. King Solomon, one of the greatest figures in
       Jewish history, is also one of the most important figures in
       Masonic rituals.
       
   While there are many common aspects of Judaism and Freemasonry, it
   also should be recognized that because of the history of attempts to
   force Jews to convert they can be uncomfortable about being asked to
   say Christian prayers or otherwise indicate non-Jewish beliefs. Some
   parts of Masonry use New Testament prayers, references to Saints, the
   cross as a religious symbol (although it is stated that the cross is
   being used as a symbol of religion in general rather than the
   Christian religion), and one Masonic organization requires aspiring
   members to swear to support the Christian faith. Jews must deal with
   these references to other religions by remaining quiet or not
   participating in those parts of Masonry.
   
   Did Masonry always welcome Jews? No. Although a Jew, Edward Rose,
   became a Mason in a London lodge in 1732, this event apparently
   excited attention and led to other lodges debating whether they should
   permit Jewish members. Eventually, significant numbers of Jews joined
   English Masonry where they were apparently welcomed. French Masonic
   lodges, and those in different countries affiliated with the French
   Grand Orient during the Napoleonic occupations, admitted Jews without
   restrictions. In 1869 a Jew was Grand Master of the Scottish Rite in
   Paris. However, later in the 1800's French society became more
   anti-Semitic, culminating in the Dreyfus affair where a French army
   officer was unjustly accused of treason mainly because he was a Jew,
   and French Masonry unfortunately also became more anti-Jewish. Today,
   some parts of French Masonry are officially neutral about religion and
   do not even require a belief in God. In Scandinavia, according to some
   sources, Masonry is officially Christian and does not accept Jewish
   members.
   
   It is probably not surprising that the country with the longest
   history of anti-Semitic prejudice in Freemasonry as well as in society
   is Germany. Most lodges there did not permit Jews to be members, and
   they even questioned visiting Masonic brethren about their religion at
   the doors of their lodges and barred Jews even if they were Masons in
   good standing in other lodges. This caused lodges in England, the
   Netherlands, and the United States to protest but they did not
   retaliate against visiting German Masons.
   
   German officials feared secret societies as potential sources of
   subversion, so the Prussian government became involved in Masonry as a
   means to watch and control it. The future Kaiser Wilhelm I was the
   patron of the three Berlin Grand Lodges for many years, and he decided
   that Jews would only be permitted if there was unanimous agreement.
   Since one of the Grand Lodges was known to be adamant against
   accepting Jews, this forced the others who wanted to be more tolerant
   to maintain anti-Jewish policies.
   
   In Russia, Freemasonry was also suppressed because of the belief it
   might be used to support political activity against the Csarist
   regime, at the same time that Jews were prevented from obtaining
   rights of citizenship in that country.
   
   Various claims were made by those who wanted to keep Jews out of
   Masonry. Some said Masonry was a Christian institution and Jews could
   not become members unless they converted. Some said only Christians
   could possess the good character necessary to achieve Masonic ideals.
   
   Others said Masonry has Christian symbols and prayers but Jews could
   become Masons if they simply complied with requirements such as
   swearing on the Christian Gospels and eating pork at Masonic meals
   (both violations of halacha), without having to convert. However,
   there was also an argument that if a Jew voluntarily complied with
   Christian practices he showed he was contemptuous of his own religion
   and had a bad character, and was thus unworthy to be a Mason.
   
   Another argument was that Jews preferred to be in their own social
   groups. It was said they should not try to push their way into Masonic
   lodges where they were not wanted, would be uncomfortable, and would
   make others uncomfortable by their presence. Some Jews did join lodges
   that were primarily Jewish and the B'nai B'rith organization in its
   early days had a ritual parallel to Freemasonry.
   
   Finally, there were the rawest antisemitic arguments. Some of those
   who wanted to keep Jews out of Masonry said the Jewish religion was
   inherently evil, or that Jews were racially and genetically evil and
   could never be permitted in Masonry even if they converted.
   
   In general, Freemasonry's attitudes toward Jews mirrors those of the
   rest of society. Jews became more acceptable from the late 1700's
   until the 1870's. From that time on, anti-Semitism increased in many
   countries. This also occurred in Freemasonry, but by then Judaism and
   Masonry were being jointly attacked.
   
   Freemasons and Jews always had critics. Eventually the bigots realized
   they could promote their ideas by tying Masons and Jews together as
   objects of hatred.
   
   Critics said Freemasonry and Judaism were dedicated to undermining the
   institutions of existing society, including Christianity and the
   State, and pointed to the secrecy associated with both as proof of
   their evil intentions. Masons and Jews were said to be involved in, or
   benefited from, radical efforts such as the American, French, and
   Russian revolutions. Masonry and Judaism promoted free will of men,
   contrary to efforts of those who sought to insure that people had the
   "correct" thoughts. (This may explain why the Roman Catholic Papacy
   has expressed its antagonism toward Freemasonry so frequently and
   strongly since 1738, and why extreme conservatives in other religions
   also oppose Freemasonry.) Gradually the charge was made that
   Freemasons and Jews were both evil and they were purposely supporting
   each others' radical schemes.
   
   Ironically, Masons and Jews were also sometimes accused of being too
   reactionary. Aristocrats often belonged to Masonic lodges, and some
   German Masons promoted the return of the Kaiser after World War I
   brought about a republic. Also, some Jews still dressed and acted in
   the same conservative ways as their ancestors in the middle ages and
   thus kept themselves apart from modern society.
   
   Increasingly Jews and Freemasons were accused of being disloyal to
   their countries, keeping strange secrets, and designing to take over
   the world.
   
   The ultimate form of this hatred was the sinister "Protocols of the
   Elders of Zion", which originated in Russia and received wide
   circulation after it was translated into German in the 1920's. Some
   bigots claimed this document was a transcript of a meeting of Jewish
   leaders plotting world domination, in partnership with Freemasons.
   Although this document was not even a clever hoax, its influence was
   unbelievably widespread and long-lasting in whipping up hatred against
   Jews and Masons by many, including Henry Ford in the United States
   during his long anti-Jewish campaign in the 1920's and 1930's.
   
   It was a short step from this to the ideology of the Nazis. Hitler
   attacked Masons as well as Jews, and after taking control of Germany
   and other European countries Nazis used the slogan "All Masons
   Jews--all Jews Masons", and persecuted Masons, Jews, and others. The
   Soviet Union and other totalitarian regimes have consistently attacked
   Freemasonry, because they cannot tolerate an organization whose basic
   beliefs are freedom of individuals and tolerance and generosity toward
   all people.
   
   Dictatorships have regularly attacked and persecuted Masons and Jews,
   and these attacks on Masons and Jews together are not all in the past.
   Last year a group called the "Islamic Resistance Movement--Palestine"
   said that Freemasonry and other "Zionist-affiliated" organizations are
   about to be liquidated.

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Subject: Are groups calling themselves "Jews for Jesus" or "Messianic
         Jews[sic]" Jewish movements?

   No, they are Christian organizations. Sadly, their membership includes
   persons who are technically Jewish, but who believe and practice
   Christianity.

------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Is belief in Jesus-as-God compatible with any Jewish movements?

   No, the belief in Jesus-as-God is idolatry for Jews.

------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: What do missionary groups believe?

   Often, their own statements express their beliefs. Although beliefs
   vary between the various groups that missionize, a good example can be
   seen in the the doctrinal statement of the Jews for Jesus, found by
   browsing their fascinating and infuriating web page at
   <http://www.jews-for-jesus.org>. The statement is both candid and
   Christian.
   
   This statement of the Jews for Jesus doctrine (found at
   <http://www.jews-for-jesus.org/DOCSINPRINT/4Js.html#DS>) says that
   members of Jews for Jesus believe that the Scriptures of the Old _and
   New Testaments_ [emphasis added by FAQ maintainer] are divinely
   inspired, contain no errors and are the final authority in matters of
   faith and life. Although members of Jews for Jesus recognize "the
   value of traditional Jewish literature," they do so only insofar as
   "it is supported by or conformable to the Word of God." (Note that, by
   their definition of the New Testament as divinely inspired, this "Word
   of God" includes the words of Jesus). However, Jews for Jesus regard
   this literature (including books such as the Talmud) as "in no way
   binding upon life or faith."
   
   According to this statement, although members of Jews for Jesus
   believe only in one God, they believe it exists in three persons: a
   father, a son, and a Holy Spirit (which goes counter to Jewish
   theology). They believe that God had a physical son, and gave that son
   for the redemption of the world (again, counter to Jewish theology,
   but a key aspect of Christian theology). The doctrinal statement goes
   on to express the belief that Jesus is the messiah (according to
   Jewish theology, the messiah has not yet arrived), and is "co-equal
   with God". They believe that Jesus was born through "the virgin
   birth", led a "sinless life", and they hold with the concepts of
   Jesus' atoning death, burial, and bodily resurrection. All of these
   are key Christian theological elements, but not part of Judaism.
   
   The Jews for Jesus doctrine believes that all human beings, with the
   exception of Jesus, are sinners by nature and practice, and that Jesus
   died for the sins of humanity. Again, key Christian concepts.
   
   Another example may be found in the Messianic Jewish Alliance for
   America, Their home page (<http://www.mjaa.org>) says that they are a
   "movement of Jewish people who believe that Yeshua is the Jewish
   Messiah and Saviour of the world" and that one of their goals is to
   "introduce our Jewish people to the Messiah Yeshua.". The page
   indicates that MJs have "accepted Yeshua (Jesus) of Nazareth as the
   promised Messiah of Israel and Saviour of the world, and maintain
   Jewish identity and worship style". In terms of belief, although they
   hold with God as defined by the Shema, they believe that God exists as
   a trinity. More significantly, the hold with basic Christian doctrine:
   "Messiah Yeshua's deity (Is. 9:6, John 1:1,4), His virgin birth (Is.
   7:14), His sinless life, His atoning death (Is. 53, Ps. 22), His
   bodily resurrection, His ascension, and His future return in power and
   glory."
   
   Remember these excerpts when a Hebrew-Christian tries to claim that
   his or her practice is Judaism. The reality is that the belief is not
   Jewish (the Jewish belief is one undivided God, and that the Messiah
   has not yet arrived) and that the goal is to serve as a witness for
   Christianity to the Jews ("....introduce to the Jewish people...")
   
   If an MJ's technically Jewish, try teaching the MJ about Judaism,
   which teaches that one should love one's neighbor as oneself, that one
   should not bear a grudge, that the righteous of all nations have a
   share in the world to come, that G-d is close to all who sincerely
   call, and that the Messiah will usher in a time of peace.
   
   It should be pointed out that not all Christian groups conduct
   missionary activities, and that not all missionary groups target Jews.
   The questions in this section are focused primarily on those groups
   that target Jews for missionary activities, and use a Jewish basis for
   this targeting.

------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: What sort of deceptive terminology do missionaries use?

   Consider the front (pun intended) of a "Communications Card" published
   by the "Messianic Jewish Movement International" describing how they
   hide Christianity behind a Jewish mask...
   

------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: How can these missionaries be countered?

   Numerous books have been written on the subject, see the Antisemitism
   portion of the reading list. Above all else, be prepared. Support
   _Jews for Judaism_(r). They're a Jewish organization in the U.S. and
   Canada that opposes cults and missionary efforts directed at Jews.
   They can assist you.
   
   Jews for Judaism is North America's only full-time educational,
   outreach and counseling organization dedicated to countering the
   multi-million dollar efforts of groups such as Jews for Jesus. Their
   offices serves as Crisis Intervention Centers to help those in need
   and promote Jewish continutity. They are not specific to a single
   movement in Judaism; they unite Jews of diverse backgrounds, and have
   earned the endorsement of a wide sectrum of Jewish community agencies,
   leaders, and rabbis. Contact information for US Mail, Voice, and FAX
   is below. Two of the leaders of Jews for Judaism also have Email
   contacts: Rabbi Bentzion Kravitz <bzkjfj@aol.com> (Los Angeles Office)
   and Mark Powers <bzkjfj@aol.com> (Baltimore Office). The Jews for
   Judaism home page may be found at
   <http://www.clark.net/pub/mpowers/j4j/web/>
   
     * Los Angeles CA Office:
       
                1054 S. Robertson Boulevard
                Suite 203
                Los Angeles CA 90035
                (310) 854-3381 (Voice)
                (310) 854-3662 (FAX)
                
     * Baltimore MD Office:
       
                P.O. Box 15059
                Baltimore, MD 21208
                (410) 602-0276 (Voice)
                (410) 602-0578 (FAX)
                
     * New York: (718) 692-2668
     * New Jersey: (914) 356-1915
     * Harrisburg: (717) 233-JEWS (5397)
     * Detroit: (313) 968-JEWS (5397)
     * Toronto: (416) 789-2851
       
   In general, missionaries are closed-minded, obstinate, and illogical,
   relying upon pat memorization rather than reason. Debate with
   missionaries takes place on the alt.messianic newsgroup. For a good
   example of the types of debates which take place there, read the
   annotated dialogue in the back of the book You take Jesus, I'll take
   G-d (Levine).
   
   Another source of information on how to counter missionaries is the
   Jerusalem Institute of Biblical Polemics. They provide the following
   online services:
   
    1. _Private Counseling_. If you have any questions regarding
       missionaries (either Christian or Hebrew-Christian) and how to
       refute them, you can get answers by sending an e-mail message to:
       jibp@jer1.co.il.
       
    2. _Discussion Groups_. For those interested in a higher level of
       involvement, you can join their discussion group called m-debate.
       Through on-going discussion of various problems, they seek to find
       the best way of confronting missionaries and helping Jews
       currently trapped by the Christian beliefs. To subscribe to
       m-debate send an e-mail message to listserv@jer1.co.il with a
       blank subject line and the following message:
       
       sub m-debate [your first and last name]
       
    3. _Literature_. A collection of literature is available on the
       jerusalem1 gopher. You can access the jerusalem1 gopher through
       either the "Other Gophers" option or by entering the following
       command: gopher gopher.jer1.co.il. Upon successfully accessing the
       jerusalem1 gopher, you can view the material by choosing the
       Religious Institutions option and then select JIBP. If you cannot
       access the gopher, ask for a current list of topics by sending a
       message to the e-mail address jibp@jer1.co.il. Select the items
       you wish to receive, and they will send them to your e-mail
       account. They can also provide quantity pricing of their printed
       material.
       
   _Biblical Polemics_. JIBP provides a magazine in both electronic and
       hardcopy form. To subscribe (US$15/year), send a check or money
       order to: JIBP, P.O. Box 13099, Jerusalem 91130. Don't forget to
       include both your snail mail and e-mail addresses!! 
       
   Note: Jews for Judaism(r) is a registered trademark of Jews for Judaism
   International, Inc.

------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Who is financing "Jews for Jesus" and similar groups?

   Here are some 1991 budgets of missionary organizations that target
   Jews for conversion to Xianity (amounts in U.S. dollars):
   
     * Jews for Jesus - 10.2 million dollars ($ 10,200,000.00)
     * Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry - 5 million dollars
       ($5,000,000.00)
     * Chosen People Ministries - 5-7 million dollars. [formerly the ABMJ
       - American Board for Missions to the Jews]
       
   (Source: Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, (800)
   323-9473.)

------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Archival and Credits

  Anonymous FTP:
  
   All portions of the FAQ and of the reading lists are archived on
   shamash.org [192.77.173.13] and on rtfm.mit.edu, and are available
   for anonymous FTP. On shamash.org, the parts of the FAQ are stored in
   the israel/lists/scj-faq/FAQ directory. On rtfm.mit.edu, these FAQs
   are stored in the pub/usenet/news.answers/judaism/FAQ directory. Note
   that the archived versions of the FAQ are the posted versions; that
   is, they are each one large ASCII file.
   
   The following is the mapping of sections to files:
   
   01-FAQ-intro
          Section 1: Network and Soc.Culture.Jewish Information
          
   02-Who-We-Are
          Section 2: Who We Are
          
   03-Torah-Halacha
          Section 3: Torah
          Section 4: Halachic Authority
          
   04-Observance
          Section 5: Jewish Holidays
          Section 6: Jewish Dietary Law and Kashrut
          Section 7: Sabbath and Holiday Observance
          Section 8: Woman and Marriage
          
   05-Worship
          Section 9: Jewish Worship
          Section 10: Conversion, Intermarriage, and "Who is a Jew?"
          Section 11: Miscellaneous Practice Questions
          
   06-Jewish-Thought
          Section 12: Jewish Thought
          
   07-Jews-As-Nation
          Section 13: Jews as a Nation
          
   08-Israel
          Section 14: Jews and Israel
          
   09-Antisemitism
          Section 15: Churban Europa (The Holocaust)
          Section 16: Antisemitism and Rumors about Jews
          Section 17: Countering Missionaries
          
   10-Reform
          Section 18: Reform/Progressive Judaism
          
   11-Miscellaneous
          Section 19: Miscellaneous
          Section 20: References and Getting Connected
          
   12-Kids
          Section 21: Jewish Childrearing Related Questions
          
   mail-order
          Mail Order Judaica
          
   On shamash.org, the parts of the reading lists are stored in the
   israel/lists/scj-faq/reading-lists directory. On rtfm.mit.edu, the
   reading lists are stored in the
   pub/usenet/news.answers/judaism/reading-lists directory. Note that the
   archived versions of the reading lists are the posted versions; that
   is, they are each one large ASCII file.
   
   The following is the mapping of reading lists to files:
   
   general
          Introduction and General. Includes book sources, starting
          points for beginners, starting points for non-Jewish readers,
          General Judaism, General Jewish Thought, General Jewish
          History, Noachide Laws, Torah and Talmud, Mishnah and Talmud,
          Torah and Talmudic Commentary, Midrash, Halachic Codes,
          Becoming An Observant Jew, Women and Judaism, and Science and
          Judaism.
          
   traditional
          Traditional Liturgy, Practice, Lifestyle, Holidays. Includes
          Traditional Liturgy; Traditional Philosophy and Ethics; Prayer;
          Traditional Practice; The Household; Life, Death, and
          In-Between; and The Cycle Of Holidays.
          
   mysticism
          Kabbalah, Mysticism, and Messianism. Includes Academic and
          Religious treatments of Kabbalah, Sprituality, and the Jewish
          notion of the Messiah.
          
   reform
          Reform/Progressive Judaism
          
   conservative
          Conservative Judaism
          
   reconstructionist
          Reconstructionist Judaism
          
   humanistic
          Humanistic Judaism (Society for Humanistic Judaism)
          
   chasidism
          Chassidism. Includes general information on historical
          chassidism, as well as specific information on Lubavitch
          (Chabad), Satmar, Breslaw (Breslov), and other approaches.
          
   zionism
          Zionism. Includes Zionism and The Development Of Israel, The
          Founders, Zionistic Movements, and Judaism in Israel.
          
   antisemitism
          Antisemitism. Includes sections on Antisemitism, What Led to
          The Holocaust, Medieval Oppression, Antisemitism Today
          (Including Dealing with Hate Groups), Judaism and Christianity,
          and Judaism, Freemasonry and other rumors.
          
   intermarriage
          Intermarriage. Includes sections on "So You're Considering
          Intermarriage?", The Traditional Viewpoint, Conversion, and
          Coping With Life As An Intermarried.
          
   periodicals
          Periodicals. Includes Topical General Interest Periodicals,
          General Interest Periodicals focused on Tradition and Home,
          General Interest Periodicals focused on Jewish Scholarship,
          Other General Interest Periodicals, Publications Targeted For
          Specific Movements, Rabbinic Journals, and Local Publications.
          
   childrens
          Books for Jewish Children. Includes.
          
  Mail:
  
   The files may also be obtained via Email by sending a message to
   faigin@shamash.org with any number of the following commands in the
   body of the mail message:
   
   send faq _portionnames_
   send rl _portionnames_
   
   The "send faq" version is used to obtain portions of the FAQ; the
   "send rl" version is used to obtain portions of the reading list.
   "_portionnames_" should be replaced by the names of the files to be
   retrieved, separated by spaces. The special file name "list" will
   retrieve a list of all files that make up the FAQ or reading list; the
   special file name "all" will retrieve all files on the appropriate
   list.
   
   Examples:
   send faq all
   send faq list
   send faq 01-FAQ-intro
   send rl all
   send rl general
   
   Alternatively, you may send a message to mail-server@rtfm.mit.edu with
   the following line in the body of the message:
   
   send usenet/news.answers/judaism/(portionname)
   
   Where (portionname) is replaced by the appropriate subdirectory and
   filenames; for example, to get the first part of the reading list, one
   would say:

        send usenet/news.answers/judaism/reading-lists/general

  WWW:
  
   The FAQ and reading lists are available as a full hypertext tree on
   shamash.org. The URL is:
   
   http://shamash.org/lists/scj-faq/HTML/index.html

------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Credits

   The Frequently Asked Questions were developed by a committee
   consisting of Mike Allen, Jerry Altzman, Rabbi Charles Arian, Jacob
   Baltuch (Past Chair), Joseph Berry, Warren Burstein, Stewart Clamen,
   Daniel Faigin, Avi Feldblum, Itzhak "Jeff" Finger, Gedaliah
   Friedenberg, Yechezkal Gutfreund, Art Kamlet, Alan Lustiger, Hillel
   Markowitz, Len Moskowitz, Colin Naturman, Aliza Panitz, Eliot Shimoff,
   Mark Steinberger, Steven Weintraub, Matthew Wiener, and headed by
   Robert Levene. The organization and structuring of the lists for
   posting purposes was done by D. Faigin, who is currently maintaining
   the lists.Other contributors include A. Engler Anderson, Ken Arromdee,
   Seymour Axelrod, Josh Backon, Micha Berger, Steven M. Bergson, Eli
   Birnbaum, Kevin Brook, Harvey Cohen, Todd J.Dicker, Michael Dinowitz,
   Sean Engelson, Mike Fessler, Menachem Glickman, Amitai Halevi, Walter
   Hellman, Miriam Jerris, Robert D. Kaiser, Yosef Kazen, Rabbi Jay
   Lapidus, Mier Lehrer, Heather Luntz, Arnaldo Mandel, Ilana Manspeizer,
   Seth Ness, Chris Newport, Alan Pfeffer, Adam Reed, Seth Rosenthall,
   JudithSeid@aol.com, David Sheen, Michael Sidlofsky, Michael Slifkin,
   Frank Smith, Andy Tannenbaum, marktan@aol.com, Bill Wadlinger, Arel
   Weisberg, and Art Werschulz. Comments and corrections are welcome. You
   may address comments either to the maintainer (faigin@pacificnet.net)
   or to the SCJ FAQ committee (scj-faq-list@columbia.edu).

------------------------------------------------------------
--
Please mail additions or corrections to me at faigin@pacificnet.net.


End of SCJ FAQ Part 9 (Holocaust, Antisemitism, and Missionaries) Digest
**************************
-------
-- 
faigin@pacificnet.net      Moderator, Mail.Liberal-Judaism
   |  @shamash.org         Maintainer, soc.culture.jewish FAQ/Reading List
   |  @aero.org            Advisor, soc.culture.jewish.parenting          
   v  @acm.org             Daddy, Erin Shoshana Faigin m.k 95yearbook pg48
