The Missionaries - Part 2

Buses were not running last Friday because Derech Hevron was closed for the Jerusalem Marathon. I walked to the First Station, built in the 1890s for the first railway between Yaffo and Yerushalayim, which has been upgraded from an abandoned building to a bunch of highbrow restaurants. It was a nice day for a walk. At first, I was puzzled to see so few runners, further on, there were many, but running in opposite directions. Either there were multiple courses or a handful of people ran much, much faster than the majority.

I planned to spend my morning reviewing von Kellenbach’s book, Anti-Judaism in Feminist Religious Thought.

Earlier this month, KJ responded to a post on her Facebook page, writing that this would be the first summer in fifteen years that she won’t attend camp at the Williamsburg Christian Retreat Center. It’s not as if I needed confirmation that she, like the rest of her family, faked her conversion to Judaism in order to obtain aliyah benefits, but I had held out a lot of hope. She hid or deleted the post shortly after I saw it, so I couldn’t comment on it.

I don't understand why it makes me cry. I wish understood myself better.

After worrying about it a lot, I eventually decided to talk with her. I don’t know her family’s motives (but her parents frighten me) and I doubt anyone has ever told her the Jewish perspective on Christian missionary activities. She’s smart enough, and possibly compassionate enough, to understand or at least comprehend why it’s wrong.

After reviewing the book for a couple hours, I had begun to wonder whether the conversation would even be possible. Christians do this kind of thing when they are unable to view Judaism as a separate and valid religion. Katerina von Kellenbach writes that antisemitism continues because of "the Christian inability to accept Judaism as a different and equal religious alternative." What KJ’s family is doing epitomizes that inability.

KJ seems more open than the rest of her family, but every time I've seen her offered a chance to learn about Judaism, she has avoided it and changed the subject.

I literally cried on Chaya’s shoulder, but Roni had the same question I’ve been asking myself. “Why are you crying? It’s not like we didn’t know.” Chaya told me once again to contact Yad L'achim, the anti-missionary group.

A couple of days ago, I went to someone whose advice I trust. Without mentioning names, I explained the situation and asked if he thought I should talk with her. He told me, without hesitation, to call Nefesh b'Nefesh. He said that last year, an "olah" admitted to him that she was a Christian. He told NBN and revoked her aliyah benefits.

I'm still not sure what to do. KJ is a smart person who might wise up to her indoctrination, and she could save lives if she serves in the IDF. However, her terrifying parents are returning to the country soon; talking with the mother is reminiscent of a medieval Jewish history class I once took.

Christianity is the source of Western antisemitism and has caused the deaths of millions of Jews over two thousand years. No Christian should be taking money intended to help Jews return to Israel. (We finally get away from them and they follow us here!)

I still hesitate to act. Nefesh b'Nefesh has not proved itself to be a competent organization; would they be willing to admit their mistake and address this? What would be the repercussions for me if the family isn't expelled from the country but learns that I turned them in?

It may be that they haven't actually broken a specific law. Months ago, I broke down crying in front of Jason, the city of Jerusalem olim representative. I told him about my living situation at the hostel. Since they hadn't tried to convert me, he didn't understand why I was upset.

I know that I’m right to be upset.

But why am I so upset about learning that KJ has deceived us all. Perhaps it’s simply disappointment in learning once again that people who don’t respect Judaism want to cling to their prejudices. Or perhaps it’s because that I prefer not to see negative traits in people I consider my friends.

March 24 – Yesterday, I went to the shiva for Chaya’s mother, who survived work camps and Bergen Belsen. Many words of Torah were spoken and as I walked back from the Old City, I recognized that turning the family in is the right thing to do. Israel is the home of the Jewish people, not of Christian missionaries.

March 27 - I was worried about being a "tattle tale" but I find myself feeling relieved for taking action and reporting them. Neither Nefesh b'Nefesh nor The Jewish Agency is going to take any action, but I did my part to protect the Jewish people from those who mean us harm. (And I got a pat on the back from RM Bellerose.)

The Missionaries - Part 1 is here