Christianity traces its historical roots to Judaism in the 1st century A.D. Jesus Christ was a born a Jew and the bulk of his early followers were drawn from the Jewish people and Jewish faith. Jews for Jesus is a modern-day evangelical organization that aims to continue converting Jews to Christianity.
Moishe Rosen helped found Jews for Jesus in 1973. Rosen converted to Christianity from Judaism at age 17 and later became an ordained Baptist minister. He served as the executive director of Jews for Jesus for 23 years.
Jews for Jesus is a Messianic Jewish organization, meaning it emphasizes a belief in Jesus Christ while embracing Jewish traditions.
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According to the official Jews for Jesus website, the organization exists "to make the messiahship of Jesus an unavoidable issue to our Jewish people worldwide."
Here is a look at the beliefs and practices set Jews for Jesus apart from other Christians.
1. Direct Jewish Evangelism
All missionary efforts by Jews for Jesus are directed specifically at members of Jewish faith. They make it their mission to witness and preach to Jews alone.
Other Christian denominations typically focus missionary efforts on anyone who is not of their denomination — regardless of religious, cultural or ethnic background.
2. Sending Out Only Jewish Missionaries
Jews for Jesus has a policy of only sending out missionaries who are Jewish or married to Jews.
The group believes that sending out Jewish people as missionaries to witness to other Jews is the most effective approach in sharing the gospel with them.
3. Israel as a Covenant People
Unlike some Christian denominations, Jews for Jesus holds a firm belief that Israel remains God's covenant people.
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They believe this is the group God has chosen to work through to accomplish his divine plan.
4. Recognition of Rabbinic Literature
Like all Christians, Jews for Jesus embrace the Bible as God's word. They believe both the Old Testament and New Testament are divinely inspired and inerrant.
Beyond that, the group also values the Talmud and other traditional Jewish rabbinic literature — but only where it is supported by what is written in the Bible itself. Such literature is not binding on faith.
5. Practice of Certain Jewish Customs
Jews for Jesus embrace their Jewish ancestry by continuing to practice certain Jewish customs.
This includes celebrating Passover and other Jewish holidays— although interpreting these holidays through the lens of the New Testament and Old Testament.
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