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Last update - 13:34 28/03/2008
Jehovah's Witnesses grow by 'devious' methods, charge anti-missionaries
By Daphna Berman
Tags: Jehovah's Witness

Recent success by controversial religious group Jehovah's Witnesses to bring in local Israelis has anti-missionary activists accusing the group of using devious recruitment methods. The Witnesses, as they are known, have had a presence here since the state's founding but say their active missionary work - an obligation for members - has gained traction in recent years, bringing in several hundred additional members. They now number an estimated 2,500 in Israel.

Missionary work is not illegal here, though the law forbids proselytizing to minors or proselytizing with promises of financial or material gain. Still, missionary attempts rile up many Israeli Jews. Last week, a teenager from Ariel whose family is part of the city's small Messianic Jewish community was seriously injured after a bomb, disguised as a Purim package, went off in his apartment. The incident marks what some onlookers are calling an escalation in tension between religious groups that proselytize and the ultra-Orthodox Jews who actively oppose them. Meir Cohen, coordinator of the anti-missionary department at Yad L'Achim, says his ultra-Orthodox organization receives about a dozen calls a day from people complaining about Jehovah's Witnesses who come to their door.

Accusing the Witnesses of targeting society's weaker elements, including new immigrants, the poor and the handicapped, critics blast what they call the group's devious recruitment methods. "They've mapped out all of Israeli society and then target segments that don't get attention elsewhere," said Cohen. "They introduce themselves, they smile, they are nice and they are successful. They cynically abuse people in distress and like other cults in Israel are growing." Cohen asserted they've actively proselytized in group homes for the deaf-mute, adding, "Jehovah's Witnesses, messianic Jews, scientologists all thrive here because there is no public awareness to counter them."
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"They target the less educated people and not the university professors," said Ruth Cohen, a former member who returned to Judaism in 2002 (see box). "In Tel Aviv, they go building to building, but in Jerusalem, they are more careful because they are terrified of the ultra-Orthodox. They target Russians, foreign workers and Arabs - but not Muslims, because that is considered too dangerous."

David Namer, head of the group's non-profit organization, countered in a recent interview that most of its members are Israeli and that their movement cuts across ethnic and socioeconomic lines - rejecting claims of honing in on the weak. "We go to Ramat Aviv," added spokesperson Eran Katri, referring to the affluent north Tel Aviv neighborhood. Both representatives denied charges their movement is a cult.

The movement - called "the Chabad of the Christian world" by Cohen - has a national office off the Nachalat Binyamin pedestrian mall in Tel Aviv, but claims to have a presence in most major cities, including Haifa, Beer Sheva, Jerusalem and Ashdod.

The work of Jehovah's Witnesses is hardly new to Israelis who have spent significant time abroad. In the U.S., home to the movement's international headquarters, they have about one million active members who go door to door to spread their message. Here, small numbers make their evangelizing less noticeable. Methods, however, are similar: believers canvass neighborhoods, stand on street corners and approach strangers on places like the Tel Aviv beach promenade. "We believe that sharing our faith is an obligation," Katri said. "We spread a message and if someone becomes a Jehovah's Witness, it is his choice." According to Jehovah's Witnesses officials, some 1,300 active members in Israel engage in spreading the message. "We are seeing an increase in the numbers of people who come to us," said Namer. "But relatively speaking, we are still quite small."

The group, which is active in some 230 countries, is known for their refusal to take blood infusions as well as for their persecution during World War II by the Nazis. Claiming to have nearly 7,000,000 practicing members, they are especially controversial for the way they treat those who leave the flock. A Jehovah's Witness who behaves in a way that the community deems immoral is completely excommunicated, or "disfellowshipped," in the parlance of the congregation - an experience Ruth Cohen had to live through.

Jehovah's Witnesses do not consider themselves part of Christianity - which they see as idolatrous - despite their belief in Jesus as the messiah. They also do not accept the Trinity or use the cross as a religious symbol. Members of the group dress modestly and meet some three times a week at their local "Kingdom Halls" to worship, study, pray and sing. They say they are firm adherents of the Bible. Namer referenced verses from Genesis and Leviticus during the interview to prove a point.

"To be a Witness doesn't just mean to be a believer," explained Penina Taylor, director of the Jerusalem offices of Jews for Judaism, an international anti-missionary group. "Their raison d'etre is to share their faith." Ruth Cohen, who was a member for 30 years, believes that "Jews don't realize how serious the threat is and how much money and effort is being put into missionizing here."

Namer, for his part, rejects criticism of the group. "It's a shame that [these people] don't respect other people's beliefs," he said.
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  1.   Jehovah`s Witnesses Cult 13:54  |  Danny Haszard 28/03/08
  2.   Devious? 14:12  |  jpudentain 28/03/08
  3.   Society`s weaker elements. 15:54  |  Carl 28/03/08
  4.   What a lot of rubbish and paranoia 16:59  |  Jo 28/03/08
  5.   They are weak 17:02  |  Michelle 28/03/08
  6.   quite an intolerant rant 17:24  |  Ben 28/03/08
  7.   Intrusive recruitment 17:24  |  Danny Haszard 28/03/08
  8.   I am proud of the fact that I am an ex missionary in Israel 17:35  |  Yaakov Sullivan 28/03/08
  9.   Who is Haszard? 17:49  |  Watcher 28/03/08
  10.   "They target the less educated people and not the university prof 17:55  |  johnnie mack 28/03/08
  11.   danny - AMEN! 17:57  |  American 28/03/08
  12.   Hinduism a true Catholic faith 17:59  |  Universal 28/03/08
  13.   I suggest the Method Used By Mrs. Farkas 18:07  |  Yaakov Sullivan 28/03/08
  14.   Yes, they are everywhere! 18:12  |  Baris Tarim 28/03/08
  15.   Shame on the proselytizers 18:15  |  Robert 28/03/08
  16.   Missionaries should get out! 18:15  |  Klein 28/03/08
  17.   False Association Shows Bias 18:47  |  Adam J. Bernay 28/03/08
  18.   Obvious 19:01  |  MichaelF 28/03/08
  19.   Haszard 19:07  |  Mike 28/03/08
  20.   Crazy religion! 19:22  |  Randall Watters 28/03/08
  21.   The Disproof to Christianity and Islam, for the Brave, that is 19:41  |  Yechiel Chachach 28/03/08
  22.   # 15 robert 19:59  |  Axel 28/03/08
  23.   Cult Predators 20:04  |  Andrew Goldstein 28/03/08
  24.   # 16 klein 20:04  |  Axel 28/03/08
  25.   Haredi stranglehold 20:06  |  Nathaniel 28/03/08
  26.   All religions are "Cults" 20:17  |  Rav Harley 28/03/08
  27.   All religions focus on the weak when 20:25  |  Aphemia 28/03/08
  28.   "Disfellowship" is a sure sign of a dysfunctional cult 20:34  |  Haldrik 28/03/08
  29.   The Fairy Tale World of Baris Tarim 20:42  |  Dennis 28/03/08
  30.   # 28 haldrik 20:43  |  Axel 28/03/08
  31.   unresponsible reporting 21:01  |  larry tate 28/03/08
  32.   #30 Axel 21:03  |  Haldrik 28/03/08
  33.   Jehovah Witness Church Did Me Good 21:04  |  Danny Hasturd 28/03/08
  34.   Klein - Then get out of Christian Europe! 21:48  |  European Blood 28/03/08
  35.   Klein - By the way 21:49  |  European Blood 28/03/08
  36.   Those evil Jehovah`s Witnesses 22:25  |  Clickfool 28/03/08
  37.   The worst crime the Witnesses commit 22:35  |  Clickfool 28/03/08
  38.   Two ways to look at them 23:52  |  Mark Lincoln 28/03/08
  39.   Danny 23:52  |  eva 28/03/08
  40.   they target the vulnerable 00:05  |  Johnston 29/03/08
  41.   These people are 99.9% Russian gentiles 00:13  |  Mac 29/03/08
  42.   they sound like zionists. 00:52  |  billy jack 29/03/08
  43.   #2 Danny Haszard. Blood transfusions. 01:54  |  Maureen Ann 29/03/08
  44.   #42 Billy Jack. No, Jehovah Witness are not like Zionists. 02:01  |  Maureen Ann 29/03/08
  45.   Yaakov Paddy Sullivan 03:02  |  Connie 29/03/08
  46.   #8 Turncoat Sullivan 03:14  |  * BEN JABO 29/03/08
  47.   Praise jehovah God of Israel 03:38  |  Christian 29/03/08
  48.   #21 JWs do not believe in hell 04:25  |  Matt 29/03/08
  49.   Hazzard - Get over yourself 04:42  |  Dave 29/03/08
  50.   Danny Hazzerd 06:05  |  Dred Harrim Riechter 29/03/08
  51.   Jehovah`s Witnesses 06:53  |  Ian Moon 29/03/08
  52.   Opening the mind with truth. 07:10  |  richard 29/03/08
  53.   Jehovah Scientologist Same 07:12  |  Ben Goldman 29/03/08
  54.   Messianists 07:18  |  Ian Moon 29/03/08
  55.   Jehovah`s Witnesses article 07:28  |  Ian Moon 29/03/08
  56.   Danny Haszard Hero 09:23  |  Marion 29/03/08
  57.   Danny 09:52  |  ..... 29/03/08
  58.   Scientologists 10:56  |  Clickfool 29/03/08
  59.   Proselyte or metastasize? 11:42  |  David Soloman 29/03/08
  60.   Elderly JW Speak out 12:55  |  Grandma 29/03/08
  61.   I am the Real Danny HasTurd 21:47  |  Danny HasTurd 29/03/08
  62.   Disfellowshipping,Blood,Blah Blah Blah, Blah Blah Blah! 22:23  |  Parisi 29/03/08
  63.   Disfellowship sure sign of dysfunction 22:59  |  to Berman 29/03/08
  64.   jehovah`s witnesses 23:46  |  david 29/03/08
  65.   JW`s 01:23  |  Rico 30/03/08
  66.   Watchtower plagiarize 01:34  |  Martha 30/03/08
  67.   True Christians 02:13  |  Stuart 30/03/08
  68.   True Christians 05:04  |  Stuart 30/03/08
  69.   Where my name resides there you must come 05:41  |  christian 30/03/08
  70.   Response to Baris Tarim 05:54  |  Chris Richards 30/03/08
  71.   Danny Haszard 07:18  |  Jehovah God