Counter Missionaries Unite and Launch Jewish Isaiah 53.com

Posted by Jewish Israel

In a stunning show of unity, counter-missionary professionals from across the globe, and representing a number of organizations, have joined forces to offer a creative and pro-active response to recent missionary campaigns which have been targeting the Jewish people for conversion.

Jewish Isaiah 53.com went live in the early hours of the morning and offers a direct and comprehensive response to aggressive and virulent campaigns like that launched by the missionary organization Chosen People Ministries, which targeted Jews throughout the New York area this summer.

Isaiah 53 is frequently used by Christian missionaries to try and prove to Jews that the chapter’s “suffering servant” is in reference to jesus. Those Jews identifying with their people and sensitized to Jewish history are, and always have been, impervious to this Christian theological spin. However, at present, a number of our people are spiritually floundering, and have forgotten who they are.

The launching of Jewish Isaiah 53.com is an unprecedented effort to clarify matters for those who are confused, and to educate and strengthen those who are actively trying to bring our people home to the G-d of truth.

Articles, commentaries and recordings by leading Jewish scholars, rabbis, and counselors in the counter-missionary field are featured at Jewish Isaiah 53. The currently featured professionals are (in alphabetical order):

Rabbi Eli Cohen, Rabbi Stuart Federow, Asher Norman, Rabbi Moshe Shulman, Rabbi Tovia Singer, Rabbi Michael Skobac, Penina Taylor, and Uri Yosef

Jewish Isaiah 53.com does not represent or stand for any particular organization. The site is a work in progress and many other counter-missionary professionals from a number of organizations worked behind the scenes to actualize this endeavor. Visitors to the site should look forward to future commentary and content from additional scholars.

Jewish Israel is honored to have been a part of this project from its inception and to have contributed the site’s banner.

The webmaster of the site is Moshe Verschleisser and inquiries may be sent to info@jewishisaiah53.com

We hope and pray that Jewish Isaiah 53.com will prove to be a guiding light for the lost among our people, and will serve as a beacon of truth to inquiring souls among the nations...more

If It's "difficult, but possible," It's Not Peace

True peace, and please remember that if it isn't the genuine article it doesn't count bupkes, isn't climbing Mount Everest.  I wouldn't even compare it to a marriage, since some marriages end up as hateful, dangerous hells.


Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's statement sounds more like a desperate last minute cancer treatment:

...The achievement of a peace agreement between us and the Palestinian Authority is a difficult thing, but it is possible.


We are coming to talks from a real desire to achieve a peace agreement between the two peoples, while safeguarding Israel's national interests, foremostly security. I know that there is a considerable skepticism after 17 years having passed since the beginning of the Oslo process. It is possible to understand why this doubtfulness exists. We are seeking to surprise the critics and the skeptics, but in order to do this we need a real partner on the Palestinian side. It is possible to succeed with a hand extended in peace, but only if someone on the other likewise extends one. If we discover that we have a real partner on the Palestinian side, sincere and serious in negotiations, negotiations which will require both sides to take necessary measures, not only the Israeli side but also the Palestinian side, if we discover we have such a partner, we will be able to shortly reach a historic peace agreement between the two peoples.


This agreement will be based on three initial components: First of all, on real and sustainable security arrangements on the ground; secondly, upon recognition of Israel as the national state of the Jewish People, and this means that the solution of a problem like the demand for return will be realized in the territory of the Palestinian state; and the third component, the end to the conflict. We are discussing a peace agreement between Israel and a demilitarized Palestinian state. This state, if it should be established after this process, is due to end the conflict and not to be a façade for its continuation by other means.


Security, recognition of the national state of the Jewish People and the end of the conflict – these are the three components that will ensure us a real and lasting peace agreement.
Jerusalem, 22 August 2009, PM Netanyahu's Remarks at the Start of the Weekly Cabinet Meeting

There are a lot of "ifs" here in Netanyahu's statement.  His proposal is built on a very "iffy" premise, that our Arab enemies will agree to a "demilitarized Palestinian state."


At present the pragmatists among us recognize that the Arab terrorists aren't "demilitarized."  They have weapons.  And the Arabs in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Egypt and Jordan all have weapons, missiles, rockets which can easily reach every single city in Israel. 


Mahmoud Abbas, who is supposedly our "peace partner," has his minimum start-up demands:

"...ending the Israeli occupation of all territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem and the occupied Syrian Arab Golan and the remaining Lebanese territories, and the establishment of independent State of Palestine with its capital East Jerusalem..."

What sort of "lala land" does Bibi inhabit?  There will be no peace at this time, in our generation.  There's nothing to negotiate and nobody to speak to.  We (the Arabs and Israel) aren't two misbehaving siblings fighting over Lego pieces.  It's a matter of life and death.  The Arabs are prepared to kill us and destroy our country. 

This past Shabbat's weekly Torah Portion concluded with a timely reminder:

יז זָכוֹר, אֵת אֲשֶׁר-עָשָׂה לְךָ עֲמָלֵק, בַּדֶּרֶךְ, בְּצֵאתְכֶם מִמִּצְרָיִם. 17 Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way as ye came forth out of Egypt;
יח אֲשֶׁר קָרְךָ בַּדֶּרֶךְ, וַיְזַנֵּב בְּךָ כָּל-הַנֶּחֱשָׁלִים אַחֲרֶיךָ--וְאַתָּה, עָיֵף וְיָגֵעַ; וְלֹא יָרֵא, אֱלֹהִים. 18 how he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, all that were enfeebled in thy rear, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God.
יט וְהָיָה בְּהָנִיחַ יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ לְךָ מִכָּל-אֹיְבֶיךָ מִסָּבִיב, בָּאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר יְהוָה-אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לְךָ נַחֲלָה לְרִשְׁתָּהּ--תִּמְחֶה אֶת-זֵכֶר עֲמָלֵק, מִתַּחַת הַשָּׁמָיִם; לֹא, תִּשְׁכָּח. {פ} 19 Therefore it shall be, when the LORD thy God hath given thee rest from all thine enemies round about, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it, that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; thou shalt not forget. {P}

"Let's Make A Deal"

At this moment I'm listening to Israeli Prime Minister Bibi' Netanyahu's assistant Ron Dermer on the IBA News.  His emphasis on the importance of "making a deal" makes him sound like a used car salesman.

We don't need to "make a deal."  We need to develop our country, the State of Israel.  This isn't a computer card game with an "undo" option.

True peace won't come from "difficult decisions" and other euphemisms for Israel giving up on its heritage and security.

Be patient.  The stronger we make our country, the State of Israel, the more peacefully the Arabs will treat us until there's true peace. 

"Prior Conditions?" Israel Should Make Demands!!

Unfortunately, successive Israeli governments try to be too nice and not demand our due.  That's why we end up with egg on our face after each round of negotiations.  Successive peace sic treaties have caused horrendous deterioration in our security situation.  Long gone is the day when Israelis could safely walk and shop in Arab stores, towns etc.

Why are our politicians, media etc so desperate for a "peace agreement?"  An "agreement" isn't true PEACE.  It's just a photo op, no more and no less.  At least Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is demanding security as a first step, though I think he should go further and elaborate on Israel's red (or call it "blue and white") lines.  It's not worth talking if the Arabs won't accept them.

One of our "blue and white" lines should quite obviously be Jerusalem.  It is the holiest site in the world for Jews and has that distinction to no other religion, race or people.  It's relatively minor in Arab history and culture.  Even Arabs recognize it and admit it.  That's one of the reasons why it shouldn't surprise everyone that Ramalla is more important to local Arabs.

Long before the modern State of Israel was established in our historic, ancient Biblical Homeland, other countries kept insisting that Jerusalem must be internationalized or divided between Jews and Arabs though there's no historic precedent or justification for  such a status.  Their interference has prevented the Arabs from accepting Israel and living in peace with us.

So, if Israel makes it clear that Jerusalem is ours, totally Jewish and Israeli and the world then objects, we can stop this whole dangerous and absurd "peace" process and negotiations.  Without the world's interference there's a chance that the Arabs will eventually, not tomorrow nor next year, but within a generation for two, decide to stop attacking and terrorizing us. 

Another necessary demand is that  Jews should be able to live and work any place and every place in the Land of Israel.  Anything less than that is blatant racism, antisemitism, discrimination against Jews!

None of these so-called "peace plans" get to the nitty-gritty of true unadulterated peace.  They all require Israel to amputate entire sections of our Homeland and give it to Arab terrorists whose aim is our destruction.  The Arabs have made their ultimate plans, aims very clear.

We will only have true PEACE when we're willing to fight for it with both words and actions.

Tel Shiloh Digs, Again

When I was at Tel Shiloh for Rosh Chodesh Elul Prayers, I discovered that the young crew of archaeologist helpers were still busy digging.

And last week at the Israel Museum I found one of the giant urns which had been discovered during an earlier dig.  It's in the third section, the one about Biblical finds.  Strangely, Shiloh doesn't seem to be mentioned in the museum's narrative, explanations.  Shiloh was the capital for 369 years, quite a long time.  Actually, the narrative is the worst thing about the exhibit, the archeology section.  It's very antireligious.

Modernized Israel

For many of us who remember Jerusalem from decades back, the main post office on Jaffa Road, across from the new municipality office complex, close to the Old City, is full of memories.  It's an old building, very large and imposing.  Way back when it was the place to make phone calls to foreign countries, buy assimonim, phone tokens, aerogrammes and stamps.

A couple of weeks ago, I had to buy stamps to send birthday cards to my father for his 90th birthday and realized that the old monster of a building was the closest post office on the route I was walking.  I hadn't been inside for years.  Human nature, I guess, because I expected it to be the same as it was over thirty years ago.  Imagine my surprise!

That's the multilingual machine for getting numbers according to what you need to do in the post office.  And then you sit on the chairs, look at the screens and wait for your number to be announced.

There's all sorts of other information on the screen.  Sorry that it didn't come out clearly enough, but I was afraid that I'd be prevented from taking pictures.  Some government places, malls and stores forbid photographing. 

Israel has modernized in many ways.  My recent visits to the Interior Ministry also went pretty quickly.

PR, Rebranding. Will They Show Them the Beach?

Israel's Foreign Ministry's latest scheme to make the world love us is to "charm" the biggie bloggers and social media giants.  Are we tooth paste to be marketed like that?

Just like all the other schemes in the past, it won't work. 

• Our universities promote antizionists who are constantly publicizing our faults, imagined and real. 
• Our media is enamoured with our enemies. 
• Our politicians are too busy attacking the government, even when abroad, rather than making things better.

According to Jewish Law, the first words out of our mouths every morning when we wake up are supposed to be the מודה אני Modeh Ani, "I Thank" prayer.

• There should be scholarships donated to academics who write good things about our country, Land and People.
• The news should open and end with something that shows our country, Land and People in a good light.
• Politicians should be legally penalized for joining our enemies and criticizing the country, Land and People when abroad.

Let's start with that.  It's  a lot less expensive than the government's plan.

Strange Poll Results

Hat tip: IMRA


IMRA's headlines focused on:

US Polls: Israel Ally 60% Enemy 4%

But I think the most significant finding is:

A year from now will America's relationship with Israel be better than it is today, worse than it is today or about the same?
10% Better
34% Worse
45% About the same
12% Not sure

My question is: Why do one third of those asked think that in a year America's relationship with Israel will be worse? I consider that very worrying. It's more significant than the 60% support today.

Even Dry Bones is Stumped

I understand that not too many of you agreed with my post about Israel bombing the Iranian nuclear reactor.  I agree that it's a tough call.  So does Dry Bones.

Why Israel?

I may be dumb, because I don't understand why so many countries, commentators, politicians, media etc take it for granted that Israel is supposed to bomb Iran to stop Iran's nuclear development.  Am I the only one confused about the issue?

Israel is a small country, extremely restricted in military commercial development and purchases.  That's mostly because of its totally sick, illogical relationship with the United States.  The United States subsidizes its military industries by allocating foreign "military aid," which is no more than shopping coupons to buy American products.  I don't know how this has affected other countries, but Israel's military industries are crippled by the relationship.  We can't even sell our products to other countries without American approval, because they have American components.

So, if the United States is all that strong and mighty, let them bomb Iran.

This reminds me of when a class bully gets his "favorite" victim to something to  the teacher and gets into trouble, while the bully stands "innocently" on the sidelines.

Innocent Mistake?

Big international news has been that former female IDF soldier's facebook pictures with blindfolded Arabs in the background.

No doubt that Eden Aberjil showed foolishness and total lack of understanding.  No excuses, but...

Why the but?  So many of our Israeli politicians and media stars are no less mature and responsible.  They don't think of their words and actions as moves on a chessboard.  Yes, a chessboard.  Everything we say and do has repercussions.  It's common for Israeli politicians and media to apologize too soon, to lay blame incorrectly etc.  

They also give out too much information.  There was a time when if Arabs, whether terrorsts or enemy armies shot rockets at us, there would be no hints about where they landed, so the Arabs wouldn't be able to fine-tune their aim.  Now exact locations are broadcast for all the world to know.

Eden Aberjil is just a typical Israeli, for good or for bad, nothing to be proud of.