I don’t bring up religion often. It’s not something I mix heavily into my politics, I come from a different spiritual place than most - and frankly, while I am both religious and conservative, I have never felt comfortable alongside the Dobsons and Falwells of the so-called ”religious right”. That said, every now and then something gets under my skin and it has to come out.
That happened this morning when I read that Shlomo Molla, a member of the Israeli Knesset (Parliament) for the Kadima Party, decided to steal $10,000 worth of donations made by Ameican Messianic Jews (people who practice Judaism but see Jesus as the messiah) which were meant to aid Ethopian Jews in Israel.
I write on politics, so I realize that $10,000 is petty larceny when it comes to corruption. but it’s how he tried to justify to his staff that sticks in my craw:
“He [Molla] kept saying that it was not important, that the money only came from Jews for Jesus and not from ‘real’ Jews, said the source. “He tried to make them sound ugly so that no one would care about what happened to the money, but I do not think their beliefs are important, they had good intentions and they wanted to help Israel.”
Thank G-d for whoever this source is, because they show me that there is light even in the darkest places, and for the record many Messianics (including myself) refuse to associate with the non-Messianic organization Jews for Jesus. However, the larger point is that this Molla character legitimately thought he could convince people that Messianic Jews deserve to be stolen from and that no-one would care that he took our money. Granted, he’s not exactly an authority on ethics (and probably will find himself in jail cell very soon), but this isn’t the first time stuff like this has happened to us.
Last time, Israeli Messianic teenager Ami Ortiz was almost killed when Jewish anti-Messianic extremists sent him a pipe bomb as a Purim present. Even before the Ortiz bombing, Messianics in Israel had grown accustomed to ultra-Orthodox protesters picketing their homes and distributing their photos around towns as if they were “wanted” posters.
This madness has got to stop. Most Israelis, and most practicing Jews, condemn horrible these acts against our people – but the time has come to stop simply condemning and start standing up against the hateful people who perpetrate this garbage. It is not enough to simply say, “oh,that’s horrible” every time an a hateful anti-Messianic bigot does something so horrible that it makes the Jerusalem Post (which seems to happen at least once a year). Instead, we need to get to a point where my people can work and live in Israel (or other Jewish communities) without fear of being attacked or shunned.
Practitioners of Messianic Judaism are peaceful and we threaten no one. Furthermore, we donate boatloads of money to Israeli and Jewish causes without expecting anything in return – not even respect or acceptance – and no pipe bomber or embezzling politician will ever stop us from helping our Jewish brothers. Yes, many of our people are anxious to share their faith, but most of us just want to be left alone to practice our faith in peace – and to feel safe when we are in the land that is as holy to us as it is to any other sect of Judaism.
We stand ready to join hands with mainline Jews – with no precondition. You don’t have to agree with us, you don’t have to like what we believe, but please let’s move forward as friends rather than estranged relatives.
And if it makes you feel better – trust me, we don’t want to turn Jews into Christians. What use is that from our perspective? After all, we believe that Yeshua (Jesus) is the living embodiment of the written Torah (See – Yochanan [John] 1:1). Yes, we disagree with mainline Jews who do not accept our “living Torah”, but we also disagree with most Christians, who no longer follow the written Torah. Hence, from our point of view, there is no good in shifting a person mainline Judaism to Christianity – that merely moves them from one fallacy to another, and removes Jewish identity (which we treasure) in the process. Would we like it if all Jews believed as we do - yes, and some of us are zealous enough to preach to our neighbors on occasion - but that doesn’t make us Christian missionaries (far from it). And yes, there is “Jews for Jesus”, but that is a evangelical organization, not a Messianic one – there’s a big difference.
So – there you have it. I have written a religious post and grabbed a political ”third rail” that I usually stay away from. Feel free to call me a wierdo – but I personally am glad that we had this conversation and I thank G-d that Shlomo Molla gave me the opportunity to talk about it.
Shalom Aleichem.
October 13th, 2009 at 10:41 pm
Why would anyone call you a weirdo? You didn’t discuss theology, you merely called for peace between religions. Nothing stange about that.
I appreciate being able to learn something I did not know before.
October 13th, 2009 at 11:54 pm
We Are All Christians – For As Long As Jesus Is Jewish…
‘Third Rails’ are appropriate for discussion, so thanks for the opportunity to touch the 3rd rail of religion for a moment.
Whether we are grafted in Gentiles, “practitioners”(?) of “Messianic Judaism” or friends of “Jews for Jesus” who are simply ‘cristianous’ Jews oriented to evangelism, all Christians in this 21st Century are ‘cristianous,’ although only Jews in Antioch were the first disciples to be called ‘cristianous’ Jews… and now, today, all of us are ‘in Christ’ today just as were those 1st century Jews for Jesus disciples when ‘the disciples were first called Christians (‘cristianous’) in Antioch.” (Acts 11:26… see the Greek)
Shlomo Molla is a Jew, but not a Christian, and his spiritual vision is clouded if he thinks that stealing from Christian Jews is appropriate… so what else is new, huh? Evangelism begins at home, although the Israeli Knesset is not the appropriate setting. Maybe jail would be appropriate?
“… trust me, we don’t want to turn Jews into Christians.”
One small quibble re: word definition and intent.
Since Christian is the Greek word that corresponds to the Hebrew Messiah (anointed one), biblically speaking, to ‘turn’ a Jew or a Gentile into a Christian is definitely appropriate verbiage with the understanding that ‘turning’ does NOT mean forsaking being Jewish (Jesus is STILL Jewish)… or changing color… or changing ethnicity… or changing nationality… or changing gender… because as long as Jesus IS Jewish, a ‘cristianous’ Jew will FOREVER be a Jew too… a Christian Jew forever, just as the Jewish disciples in Antioch were called Christians, as mentioned in Acts 11:19, and were still considered Jews.
The debate about being Jewish and Christian seems trivial and divisive just as being ‘of Apollos’ or ‘of Paul’ or ‘of whomever’ was divisive for the nascent church. And focusing on being of denomination “A” vs. denomination “B” is as divisive today as it was then. To ‘denominate’ is to define a difference.
In that sense, it seems to me that to define a person as a member of the Roman Catholic denomination… yes, denomination… vs. a “practitioner of Messianic Judaism” vs. being associated with “Jews for Jesus” vs. being associated with the Dobsons and Falwells of the so-called ”religious right” is as divisive to the body of Christ, the universal church, today as being of Apollos or of Paul was divisive to the nascent church 2000 years ago.
Back to politics…
The political definitions are a different breed of animal, and are entirely appropriate… so, VIVA la revolucion of Madam POTUS Sarah Palin in 2012, and Newt Gingrich for Sec. of State, and Gen. David Patraeus Sec. of Defense… and more principled conservative Republicans with the go-for-it gumption of Sarah Palin and the vision of Ronald Reagan.
October 14th, 2009 at 2:14 am
i believe you are making to much of this unsourced comment. if you read the full article, it is clear that molla is an equal opportunity offender- stealing from anyone that he can. your money & any other Jew’s money is equal in his eyes- he wants it.
October 14th, 2009 at 2:51 am
Well stated, Adam. Thanks for calling for acceptance and just letting us observe our religion in peace (be it here or in the Holy Land) and for being wise and mature enough to keep the theology and proselytizing out of it.
#2 Art,
You could learn a lot from Adam. He pointed out that, while we disagree on certain theological points, it doesn’t justify crimes or attacks against each other, or turning a blind eye to them. He called for peace, acceptance, and safety. He didn’t grab that “third rail” to proselytize.
As for “word definition and intent”…Just because you see something one way, doesn’t mean it’s true. Many Messianics (myself included) do not want to be lumped into the Christian “unified church” as there are so many extremely large theological differences that they truly are different religions. I agree with Adam… I do not want to convert Jew, into a “Christian” be it by “word definition” (which btw was originally an insult/slur used by the Romans, not a self-imposed moniker by first disciples), or by intent(encouraging someone to adopt the beliefs, practices, and overall theology).
Stick to rooting for Palin and cheering on the return to true conservatism.
October 14th, 2009 at 6:51 am
3- I agree with your point that Molla is and equal opportuniy sleazeball – I teed off here becasue he seems to have legitimately thought he cold convince people that we in particular deserved it – and because I’m tired off reading in the papers that at least one person in every news story about anti-Messianc hate thinks we “deserve it.”
October 14th, 2009 at 9:14 am
Is this an issue in Israel or America?
Do members of ‘Messianic’ Judaism face hate and discrimination in America?
October 14th, 2009 at 1:11 pm
Adam,
The time will come when Israelis come to accept Jesus as their savior, but during the interim the hatred will continue. Peace, my brother.
October 14th, 2009 at 3:38 pm
In response to #6– yes, Messianic Jews in America face discrimination as well. The Christians do not accept us as they feel we have abandoned Yeshua (Jesus) and the Jews do not accept us as they feel we have abandoned Judaism. A large portion of Messianics do not want to be lumped in with Christians. This comes largely from the fact that the way the Christian church as a whole depicts Jesus makes Him a false G-d. Yeshua never broke a single commandment of Torah and the Christian church teaches that He does. If He broke Torah, He cannot be the Messiah.
While Messianic Jews do face hate and discrimination in America, it is not nearly to the same extent as in Israel. Having lived there myself, I can say this truthfully.
Adam– I agree that most Messianic Jews do just want to live a quiet life and be able to practice our faith. I see this as a problem though. Do not get me wrong… I am 100% against proselytizing as Israel defines it. I do believe that as Messianic Jews who follow the Torah and see Yeshua as fulfilling the prophecies within the Tanach, it is our responsibility to not only show our Jewish brothers that Yeshua is the Messiah, but to also show our Christian brothers the importance of living according to Torah. If we do not try and reach them, we do not truly love them or truly love our Mashiach. Too many Messianic Jews are quiet and this leaves the rest of the world with the impression that “Jews for Jesus” are truly Messianic Jews.
BTW, if you are a Christian who follows the Torah and all it’s commandments, guess what? By multiple standards… you’re Jewish. Welcome to the family!
October 14th, 2009 at 5:01 pm
[...] 14, 2009 in right of reply, wider society | Tags: shlomo molla Read US political commentator Adam Brickley’s take on the Shlomo Molla scandal. The Jerusalem Post have reported on Molla’s response to recent [...]
October 14th, 2009 at 7:16 pm
Serious Questions: Adam, what exactly is your religion? Are you a Jew who believes in Jesus, but you aren’t a member of the group “Jews for Jesus”? Is that the distinction you’re making?
October 14th, 2009 at 9:49 pm
10 –
I practice Messianic Judaism. Meaning I practic Judaism but beleive that Yeshua (Jesus) is the Messiah. “Jews for Jesus” is an organization of ethnically Jewish individuals who practice mainstream evangelical Christianity and strive to convert other ethnic Jews to evangelicalism. There are Messianics who support Jews for Jesus (I am not one of them) – but Jews for Jesus does not consider itself a Messianic organization. Messianic Judaism is a full-fledged religion in its own right, based on the keeping of Torah and the messiahship of Yeshua. We also reject Christian practices such as the keeping of Easter and Christmas (which we consider to be nothing more than pagan holidays in “Jesus wrapping paper) – being an ethnic Jew who happens to beleive in Jesus (a “Jew for Jesus”) does not make one a Messianic.
October 15th, 2009 at 2:02 pm
Adam,
Shalom Aleichem.
First I would like to write a couple of words about myself.
I am a Jewish Israeli. I appreciate Jewish tradition, and it is very important for me to preserve myself and my people from the spiritual extinction. With all that, I value good natured people from the other religions. I do not see the followers of other religions as enemies. The suspicion about Shlomo Molla is completely illegal and there is no connection to the Jewish intention to preserve the nation from spiritual point of view and the struggle with the missioners. According to the suspicion, Shlomo Molla tried to misappropriate the money intended for the poor people of the Ethiopian community in Israel. Shlomo raised the money in the name of Ethiopian community, but according to what I have read in the news, he used these money to his own benefit, and in any case these money were placed at his private account for a 4.5 months without being kept at the trust account. Actually, the money were returned to the donators, but only after the case was exposed by the newspaper investigation.
If the suspicion is correct, Shlomo Molla was acting in his own interests therefore he only represents himself and not the community. His action is against the interests of the community,country and the religion. Lets hope the truth will be revealed. It is a shame that one rotten apple should spoil the entire tree.