I love my work!

Three times one summer in the late 90's. I bumped into JFJ staff workers, we exchanged friendly banter, and all gave an unsolicited, "Out of the blue", exclamation "I love my job!"

The first time I heard it, I was impressed with the person, knowing how difficult life in JFJ was. The second time I heard it, it was not as believable. The third time, I realized, this is calculated damage control, because leavers were starting to be vocal about what a living hell their work experience was.

To this day I have only heard one other staff worker say: "I love my job!", in 30 years, (and that was about 25 years ago).

Those same three comments in a couple month period, a coincidence? I hardly think so.


http://exjewsforjesus.org/

http://exjewsforjesus.blogspot.com/

Jews for Jesus and Spirituality

I remember my very first day with Jews for Jesus. I was sitting inside their biggest money-making machine's vehicle (the Liberated Wailing Wall bus). I had arrived the day before and was told that this first full day would be my beginning to learn my part for the skit "tradition."

I was up before eveyone else, because I'd had lots of great sleep for months (while this group of people had been sleep deprived for months). I was reading my Bible, enjoying time with God.

I had been given a copy of the Liberated Wailing Wall training manual the day before which made it clear that Bible study time for ministry preparation counted on our Time Logs -- I thought I was in a very God-centered organization ! (for those who may not have experienced "time logs" they are how Jews for Jesus makes sure their missionaries do what they tell them to do. Everything in your "ministry" life has to be recorded -- how many Jewish people you meet with can never be more than 50 minutes, how many donor postcards you were required to write had to be recorded along with how many you actually wrote, etc. You even had to write down your "good and bad" thing that happened in the week, which usually came back to bit you and was used against you at some point).

Back to the story:
I was told I would also be doing my personal testimony at the evening service, so I was in prayer, reading my Bible, thinking about what to say, and keeping a record of the time I was spending, because the Manual said that is what I had to do.

The leader of the group that year woke up and came to see who was awake an hour early. He saw me, saw what I was doing and said, "Put your Bible away! Put your Time Log away! You can't count your Bible reading time unless it is schedule or unless I say so!"

I realized at that moment that something was wrong, but I thought it was my "leader." Then I met more "leaders" in Jews for Jesus, all the way to the top of the organization, all of whom were more controling as you went up the ladder.

In other words, that first day's experience was "typical"! It was NOT an exception to the rule.


http://exjewsforjesus.org/

http://exjewsforjesus.blogspot.com

Is Jews for Jesus really FOR Jesus?

Someone once asked me if Jews for Jesus is really FOR Jesus.

"Well," I thought, "OF COURSE they're for Jesus. You never hear them saying anything against Jesus or the Gospel." JFJ is "for" Jesus in that they are not against him.

But, then I gave it some more thought. Those that join staff are very much for Jesus, wanting to be proactive, dedicated to serving him and bringing others to know Jesus as Messiah.

But then the work ethics of Jews for Jesus takes over. JFJ stresses the "work" so much to the exclusion of the Spirit. Those that stay in JFJ are duped into thinking that serving JFJ is the same thing as serving Jesus. The work takes over more and more of the life of the JFJ missionary until there is no time or spirit or love for God left. In other words, BURN OUT.

JFJ insists that there is no such thing as Burn Out, but rather the missionary is lazy, no good, and not dedicated enough. After hearing this, either the missionary stays and gets worse, or leaves. If he or she leaves, MAYBE they will heal, or maybe they'll be convinced that they really are a failure or God is not real.

Either way, the damage is done. A dedicated, hard working servant of God no longer is sure of his or her salvation, or at the very least, no longer interested in telling others about Jesus.

Maybe JFJ is "against" Jesus after all. "By their fruits ye shall know them."


http://exjewsforjesus.org/

http://exjewsforjesus.blogspot.com/

Jews for Jesus does anti-missionary activity

Jews for Jesus missionaries endure plenty of persecution on the streets, both in their regular duties and during various campaigns. Sometimes persecution is by isolated individuals and at other times it is the result of organized "anti-missionaries activity." JFJ missionaries glad bear up under verbal and physical abuse from unbelievers for the sake of the gospel. However, what missionaries don't bargain for when they sign up is the abuse they suffer from those who should be upholding them: their supervisors and other leaders. This is doubly difficult to endure not only because they suffer humiliating verbal abuse and physical hardship but it comes from fellow belivers who happen to be their managers. It is this kind of abuse that causes missionaries to "burn out" and leave the Jews for Jesus organization. This abuse is the true "anti-missionary activity."


http://exjewsforjesus.org

http://exjewsforjesus.blogspot.com

Why should we care?

Someone has recently written the the participants of this Ex Jews for Jesus Blog are filled with hate and only seek revenge.

No, we do not hate. No, we do not seek revenge.

What has happened is that God has directed us to share what really happened in Jews for Jesus. We are doing what God has asked us to do.

We begin each day wanting to put our efforts elsewhere, but we continue to be led by God to speak out and tell our stories and our experiences.

We'd much rather do nothing; that would be so much easier.


http://exjewsforjesus.com

http://exjewsforjesus.blogspot.com

Broadsiding

Most of us remember our first sortie. I remember skaking with fear as I began my mission for God.

The feelings most had before going out on the streets to pass out Jews for Jesus tracts usually were feelings of fear.

Once we got going, the fear left us, and boldness entered our being.

During my first sortie, a young Jewish man stopped and argued with me. He was very surprised to find out that I was doing "this" as a volunteer. I will never forget telling him that no one had forced me to go on the streets and share my love of Jesus; I wanted to tell the world the wonderful message of God's love.

He assumed I was a member of some cult and had been forced to stand on a street corner and pass out brochures. My statement that I wanted to be there changed his attitude.

I don't remember if I did the "JFJ thing" and got his name and address for further follow-up; I was too new to JFJ to know that I was supposed to do that, but the excitement of talking to him made me want to go on more and more sorties!

So, whenever a JFJ missionary called me to volunteer for a sortie, I rarely said no.

When I went on Jews for Jesus staff I knew I would have to go on sorties. The idea of going on many sorties a week excited me, but soon, I found that most JFJ staff dreaded sorties. Not only did they dread sorties, but most dreaded the way JFJ had them share the gospel. I was sad to learn that most JFJ leaders rarely went on sorties.

The entire methodology of JFJ was built around JFJ's boldness and JFJ's leaders didn't even participate in the methods that JFJ shared with the church!

The whole thing was a scam and I was a part of it.

There was no longer joy in broadsiding. If a Jewish person now approached me on the streets I could not answer that I wanted to be there sharing my love for Jesus.

The truth was that JFJ forced me to stand on the streets to promote JFJ's LIE. Jews for Jesus did not really want to share the gospel with the world; Jews for Jesus just wanted to promote Jews for Jesus.


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Jews for Jesus Council Meetings

There have been many stories written about King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. There were stories that showed these men coming together for a purpose and chanting "United We Stand, Now and Forever!" as they entered the great room where the Round Table stood.

Sometimes when I picture this scene, I remember the Jews for Jesus Council Meetings. Men and women leaders from Jews for Jesus from all over the world came together and sat around something similar to a round table.

From the point of view of a visitor, these meetings appeared to have some of the glory and honor that could have been present under the legendary Round Table of King Arthur.

The JFJ Executive Director sat at the head of the table surrounded by men and women who were considered the greatest in Jews for Jesus. Decisions and discussions on things that could change individual's lives were made at these meetings.

At a JFJ Council Meeting in 2000, David Brickner asked the senior JFJ members present to renew their love for God and their love for sharing the gospel. What happened? Nothing changed in JFJ, but David sure gave a good speech.

It would really be so wonderful if those who lead JFJ could actually renew their love for God and reach out to not only those who JFJ ministers to, but also to those who JFJ has hurt.



http://exjewsforjesus.org

http://exjewsforjesus.blogspot.com

Has Jews for Jesus really changed?

Has Jews for Jesus really changed?

I think it is quite possible (and actually quite likely) that the JFJ of today is much different than the JFJ of yesterday. When you take Moishe out of the picture (at least out of the day to day operations), then you take away much of the abusiveness that was present in the organization. In the past, branch leaders and others who aspired to JFJ's upper echelons were motivated to do Moishe's dirty work (motivation like the need to please Moishe, the fear of his wrath, the desire to be promoted, etc.), but after Moishe retired, this motivation was essentially gone. It is not surprising that things changed when Moishe stepped down from being executive director.

But this is not to say that the organization has become healthy overnight. You can't just smooth over past abuses by saying "mistakes were made" or "people are not perfect" or "there were many bumps in the road." Perhaps a good analogy would be that JFJ has cancer, but the disease is in remission, since the symptoms are no longer present to the same degree that they once were. But to follow the oncological metaphor, the organization is still sick. It is only when all of the illness is rooted out completely that one can say that the organization is "cancer-free." Here are some principles of repentance that may help us determine if JFJ has truly changed:

(1) JFJ abuse was systemic and pervasive and must be "owned" and acknowledged. To my knowledge, this acknowledgement has never happened.

(2) Drastic change is necessary. This means radical change, not incremental or superficial changes. One example of radical change might be to remove Moishe Rosen from the Board of Directors. Another might be to integrate more explicitly compassionate and humane values into the mission statement of the organization.

(3) JFJ needs to make amends with everyone who was hurt. By "JFJ" I mean both current leadership and emeritus leadership. Until Moishe acknowledges the great pain that he caused so many people, over so many years, I cannot consider JFJ to be a changed organization. The sins of the fathers are visited upon the children, and the sins of Moishe Rosen will be visited upon the next generation of JFJ leadership until repentance truly occurs.


http://exjewsforjesus.org/

http://exjewsforjesus.blogspot.com/

Numbers

Jews for Jesus loves numbers.

How many broadsides were passed out in two hours? What? Only 400. You better do better next time.

How many Jewish people did you meet? What? Only 1. You better do better next time.

How many gentiles did you get to sign up for the JFJ Newsletter? What? Only 2. You better do better next time.

How many people were at your JFJ event? What? Only 100. You better have better attendence next time.

How many people did you meet with last week? How many people did you call? How many people did you email? How many? How many? How many?

How many of this and that can JFJ report on the next Newsletter? How many books and CDs have been sold?

How many meetings did DOME set up today? How many postcards were written?

How many? How many? How many?

How many have worked for Jews for Jesus? 900! How many have experienced abuse through JFJ? Over 300 have mentioned privately or publicly about the abuse experienced through the organization.

How many people write on this Ex Jews for Jesus Blog? It has been assumed that only a few write here. The fact is that what is being written are the voices of hundreds.


http://exjewsforjesus.org/

http://exjewsforjesus.blogspot.com/

Purim

Jews for Jesus does not really celebrate Purim although most JFJ offices do hold Purim parties. Moishe Rosen told me once that he didn't pay much attention to Jewish holidays like Purim anymore. In fact, he told me that he didn't pay that much attention to the Jewish religion and the related holidays anymore since he's a Christian and didn't like practicing Jewish traditions all that much.

Well, back to Purim....

Haman was so so powerful. He wanted to see the Jewish people wiped from this earth.

When children are told this story, the good guys, the Jews, win over the bad Haman.

The king finds out that his beautiful Queen Esther is Jewish and Haman is hanged and there is a happy ending.

For those of us who were hurt by Jews for Jesus, a happy ending does not come quite so easily. We'd love to see the not so good guys get exposed, but Moishe Rosen, David Brickner, Susan Perlman, and senior JFJ staff continue to live in luxury and do bad things to people just like Haman did.

Young and innocent people that will eventually be hurt by Jews for Jesus.

The cost these people will pay is giving up family life, giving up freedom, and for some, leaving the Christian faith.

This Ex Jews for Jesus Blog and the Ex Jews for Jesus website will continue to tell the truth.


http://exjewsforjesus.org/

http://exjewsforjesus.blogspot.com/

Strange fire?

I have heard that David Brickner had several bbq grills lit up at a JFJ staff retraining gathering where all JFJ staff present were required to sacrifice burnt offerings on these burning fires.

Can anyone explain what exactly occurred?


http://exjewsforjesus.org/

http://exjewsforjesus.blogspot.com/

Yeshua versus Y'shua

Back in the early 1980s, Jews for Jesus decided to begin spelling the Hebrew name of Jesus as "Y'shua" instead of the commonly used "Yeshua." They did this not for scholarly reasons but for marketing purposes. The executive director believed that he could measure Jews for Jesus' influence in the Christian world by changing the spelling of this name. The more people that started to use "Y'shua" instead of "Yeshua," the more power he thought he had. And there was probably a "branding" element to this name change as well. Whenever people saw Y'shua spelled with an apostrophe, they would think of Jews for Jesus.

Unfortunately, there is absolutely no scholarly basis for transliterating the Hebrew name of Jesus as Y'shua. Any Hebrew scholar will tell you that Yeshua is much closer to how the name sounds when spoken, and in fact the use of this apostrophe when spelling out Y'shua has no basis in any commonly accepted transliteration method. Only ignorant people or cynical marketeers will continue to transliterate it as Y'shua. And that says a lot.


http://exjewsforjesus.org

http://exjewsforjesus.blogspot.com

Automated JFJ answering machine parody

"Hello! You have reached the automated answering service of JFJ.

In order to assist you in connecting the right JFJ staff member, please listen to all your options before making a selection:

To hear lies about former JFJ staff members - Press 1

To hear the reasons for why a particular JFJ staff member did not work out - Press 2

To hear complaints about about a former JFJ staff member's performance - Press 3

To hear phones thrown through plate glass windows - Press 4

To ask why you didn't get this information in a JFJ newsletter - Press 5

If you want us to continue to abuse JFJ staff - Press 6

If you want us to reach out and touch, slap or hit someone - Press 7

To request another JFJ postcard for the third time this year- Press 8

To complain about the cramped quarters in the LWW bus - Press 9

To complain about expensive JFJ executive lunches - Press 0

If you realize this is the real world and that former JFJ staff must be the ones to blame for our behavior, hang up and have a nice day!"

Working for Susan Perlman

The day really began when I heard the automatic garage opener announce Ms Perlman's arrival at the office. I didn't know if it was the sound of the opener or my stomach churning that I heard loudest. Within seconds of her arrival through the executory back door the tone of the day would be set, whether it would be hell or purgatory. Although I had been her assistant a long time, every day was unpredictable. Initially I had hope that with enough practice the days would smooth out and her verbal reprimands and dressing downs would become rarer, but that hope waned with time. What held me together was the believe that my work for her was a ministry. I knew the maze of her filing cabinets, how many little toy mice inhabited her office spaces, the titles of the books on her shelves and the details of providing food to the hungry senior staff at the council meetings. I knew what to do if a "reporter" called (frequently they were phonies) and when the deadlines were to submit evangelistic ads to magazines or to make changes in the art for Issues. But if anything went wrong, it was as if I had walked in off the street for my first day of work. It could be a long distance call from a branch leader, and if I didn't think to ask a question Ms Perlman wanted answered, a long critical review of my career ensued, ending with me calling the branch back at my own expense to ask the vital question. What hurt most was her telling me off in front of other staff. Respite came when I left for personal reasons. But my trials didn't matter because I know there's a crown awaiting me in the world to come with a stone in it inscribed "I received this in the house of my friends."


http://exjewsforjesus.org/

http://exjewsforjesus.blogspot.com

ABUSED SHMABOOZED

Some may say spiritual abuse is just a few weak individuals not being able to handle the pressures of a high-powered Ministry. Those same critics might say that children sexually abused by pedophiles just couldn't handle adult love.

But Microsoft has a strong autocratic leader and he's all right. Or is he? Look at his unfair, anti competitive business practices. Hmmm, look at IBM. They are creative, innovative, and acceptable to the Bible Belt. But just because something seems good, or okay to the casual observer, does not mean that it is Kosher on the inside.

But Moishe is such a talented, powerful, and charismatic leader. And Michael Jackson is such a likable performer, and he wouldn't do anything wrong. Why would he? He could have everything he could want by proper means.

Look at the complainers, the whiners, the disgruntled. Look they can't get over it. Why don't they just forgive and forget? If Jesus was sexually abused, He would forgive. If His mother was raped, He would forget. An organization can't sin. All we lost was 20 years of our life that we believed were in service of the Holy One, and it was just building an empire for the Rolly Polly One. Missing family milestones, neglected spouses, never allowed a satisfaction in our work. If we spoke the truth inside or outside The Ministry we couldn't work in other Ministries, or in the "secular world."

We trusted totally; could only have Ministry friends, live in approved places, assigned to specific cities, worked so much we could not even keep up a hobby. We lived, ate, drank, slept, hated, shunned, the way we were told. After a couple years, objectivity disappears. Constantly tested for loyalty, deference to higher ups, willingness to do the ridiculous, and humility (by humiliation).

The workers covenant say the executive director is always right. The board of directors was composed of the executive director, his compulsively loyal companion, and trusted Religious leaders, who get lavish perks, and make thousands off the sales of their theological books, by means of the executive director. Hardly checks and balances.


http://exjewsforjesus.org/

http://exjewsforjesus.blogspot.com/

A Conflict of Interest for JFJ Psychologists?

For many years, Jews for Jesus has been sending some of their employees to see psychologists who have some kind of a relationship with the JFJ organization. For example, one psychologist who is retained in this way sits on the Board of Directors of Jews for Jesus. Another is a regular donor to JFJ.

I believe that this is a conflict of interest. To whom does the psychologist or therapist have loyalty? To his patient or to Jews for Jesus? Whomever the psychologist chooses to give his loyalty to (and I suspect that it always goes to Jews for Jesus, especially if they are the ones paying him), there would seem to be a conflict of interest. Although breaking patient confidentiality is a violation of California law for a psychologist or psychotherapist, I can't help but wonder if psychologists retained by Jews for Jesus have passed on private information to the leadership of JFJ.

But, you might ask, what if the patient signed a waiver or release of confidentiality form? Doesn't that give the psychologist the right to tell Jews for Jesus anything that they learn about the patient? Perhaps. Perhaps not.

Among psychotherapists there is an ethical problem called "dual relationships." This is where the therapist and the patient have more than one relationship with each other, such as being friends or business associates or some other kind of relationship. The legal issue of confidentiality may be overcome by the patient signing a release form. But the ethical issue of dual relationships remains. A therapist is supposed to avoid dual relationships, because these kinds of relationships get in the way of therapeutic progress and hinder positive growth for the patient. Of course, sometimes there is no way to avoid a dual relationship, but when this happens, the therapist is supposed to refer the patient to another therapist.

It appears that Jews for Jesus loves to create these dual relationships, and not just in the arena of psychotherapy. Any kind of blurring of the boundaries for JFJ is a good thing, because then their ethical and moral lapses become more ambiguous and less clear to everyone involved.

http://exjewsforjesus.org

http://exjewsforjesus.blogspot.com

Narcissistic Personality Disorder

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth Edition (DSM-IV) is the definitive manual for diagnosing Mental and Emotional Disorders. Section 301.81 of the manual describes a condition known as Narcissistic Personality Disorder.

Can anyone else think of someone at JFJ who fits this description?

Diagnostic criteria for 301.81 Narcissistic Personality Disorder

A pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behavior), need for admiration, and lack of empathy, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by five (or more) of the following:

(1) has a grandiose sense of self-importance (e.g., exaggerates achievements and talents, expects to be recognized as superior without commensurate achievements)

(2) is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love

(3) believes that he or she is "special" and unique and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people (or institutions)

(4) requires excessive admiration

(5) has a sense of entitlement, i.e., unreasonable expectations of especially favorable treatment or automatic compliance with his or her expectations

(6) is interpersonally exploitative, i.e., takes advantage of others to achieve his or her own ends

(7) lacks empathy: is unwilling to recognize or identify with the feelings and needs of others

(8) is often envious of others or believes that others are envious of him or her

(9) shows arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes


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http://exjewsforjesus.blogspot.com/

Is it possible to forget Jews for Jesus?

Many people spend years trying to forget Jews for Jesus.

Most former Jews for Jesus staff are embarrassed that they ever worked for the organization. Just mentioning JFJ can start unhappy memories flowing.

A person can suddenly be transported back in time (even thirty years back!) and relive a horrible moment. One can remember being forced to drive in hazzardous blizzard conditions to speak at a church in a far away place or being ordered to do evangelism just after leaving the hospital after being diagnosed with pneumonia. One can remember being humiliated publicly. Scenes of things being thrown at them by a JFJ executive enter ones mind. Once the memories come back, more and more memories can return. Sometimes the only escape is to try to forget Jews for Jesus completely.

It's like there are two worlds out there: the real, here and now world and the JFJ world that once took over one's being. You see, in JFJ, the world of Jews for Jesus was/is the center of the universe and it seemed like everything revolved around that JFJ reality.

To leave the JFJ parallel world/reality takes time. When it comes down to it, the JFJ world might never completely be forgotten, but if it is possible to forget, those of us who can't forget may envy those who are able to completely forget their experience with Jews for Jesus......and that is because so many of us wish "it" never happened!


http://exjewsforjesus.org/

http://exjewsforjesus.blogspot.com/

Verbal attacking former Jews for Jesus staff

Isn't it amusing that an Ex Jews for Jesus blog article posting documentation of Jews for Jesus cult leadership training ends up being responded to by attacks on former staff, rather than a discussion about the article and the document?

The first attack attacked the length of the post. The 2nd attacked the commenter that stood up for the writer of the long post!

Here's an example of what is in the comments section at the bottom of that article:

"For a group of people who are quick to accuse of abuse, you show a high level of paranoia and hostility yourselves. maybe jews for jesus did you all a favor by hiring you and are now paying for taking such a risk. no doubt there were things done that were not perfect, but the door you walked in to get hired opened up the other way if you wanted to leave. maybe you should go back to the psychologist and work through your issues before hiding behind a public blog site."

This comment is SO TYPICAL of JFJ! Always the abusers continue to attack the abused and say that something is wrong with the over 300 people that experience and continue to experience abuse through JFJ. Always the abusers attack the people that speak out.

Jews for Jesus and its leaders and lovers continue to evaluate personality after personality and look for weaknesses in each person who left JFJ.

So, readers of this blog, when you read comments attacking those who have left Jews for Jesus and those who have been brave enough to speak out about what Jews for Jesus did and continues to do, know that the attacks are just another example of the abuse that we experienced while working for Jews for Jesus!


http://exjewsforjesus.org/

http://exjewsforjesus.blogspot.com/

Long hours in Jews for Jesus

There have been some commenters on this blog who argue that long hours are part of many jobs like General Motors and Ex Jews for Jesus people should stop whinning about the 80 to 100 hour work weeks that we worked in Jews for Jesus.

Before going on JFJ staff, I had a job where I was on salary and worked long hours too. It was common for me to arrive at work at 6:00 AM and leave at 9:30 at night!

One difference between that experience and the experience I had with JFJ with long hours was that my days off were mine. No one from my company called me and asked personal questions on my days off or even while I was working, no one regulated who I spent my days and evenings with, or required me to do more work for the company in my off hours.

No one called me on my day off and asked me to read the bible with them or do some errands for them. No one controlled how I dressed or how I lived. No one told me who I could marry or when I could start a family. No one forced me to seek counseling when I couldn't handle the long hours. No one punished me.

When I left that company, I gave two weeks notice. None of the past employees of that company have banded together on the internet and written websites and books about the long hours they worked; they just found companies that paid them better wages and gave them more freedom and went on with their lives.

There are no similarities between the long hours that JFJ required (which was ABUSE) and the long hours required in many organizations. Comparing JFJ to any other business (except another abusive cult) is like comparing apples and oranges.


http://exjewsforjesus.org/

http://exjewsforjesus.blogspot.com/

Jews for Jesus stretched/changed its people

One thing Jews for Jesus did was stretch us; that is, we were forced to do things we didn't think were possible. These things seemed as if they were good things at the time and those of us who did serve with Jews for Jesus do look back at how JFJ molded us with some amazement at times.

Not always did we want to change; however, JFJ felt that making us "new creatures in Christ" had to be done in order for us to be "more like Moishe Rosen and other JFJ leaders." (Not more like Jesus.)

Some of us had never done public speaking, and amazed family and friends when they saw us doing Christ in the Passover presentations in churches filled with hundreds of people.

Some of us had only worn casual clothes or owned garage sale furniture. Jews for Jesus got us to do makeovers on ourselves and our surroundings. We were given black or grey ministry suits and told to change hairstyles.

Most of us would have never believed that we'd stand on street corners and on college campuses passing out religious literature, but there we were, not only doing that, but doing multiple "sorties" a day. When we went on Jews for Jesus Summer Witnessing Campaign our limits were stretched to the maximum just like an Olympic athlete. The t-shirts we were forced to wear also helped us make the statement that we meant business and were now really the "new creatures" that JFJ created.

Thanks to Jews for Jesus, many of us mastered computer and writing skills. Those who didn't like talkng on the phone, soon became masters at it. Those who weren't good at details, became detail oriented. Shy people no longer were able to be shy.

Yes, JFJ did change us. Yes, JFJ stretched us. Yes, JFJ took some of our individuality away too.

Most former Jews for Jesus employees remember that JFJ ruined a good piece of clay that only God should have molded and directed.


http://www.exjewsforjesus.org

http://exjewsforjesus.blogspot.com/

True or False?

A Campaigner fell asleep while Moishe Rosen was speaking and was punished by being forced to do the work of a Campaign Steward (cleaning and cooking in the background) and also do full-time broadsiding (4 sorties a day).

He or she was not allowed to take the afternoon nap and also was not allowed to eat meals with the Campaigners for the remaining duration of the Campaign.


http://www.exjewsforjesus.org

http://exjewsforjesus.blogspot.com/

The world of HARRY POTTER and the world of Jews For Jesus

In the HARRY POTTER book series, the author has created a whole secret world that only wizards understand, and there are are some similarities for those of us who have been in JFJ: there is a whole world unknown to ordinary people that we endured and know about.

JFJ has the internal workings--which we needed to keep secret from the "muggles" (those outside our world), and the image that we presented to the outside world. Just like in Harry Potter, the "muggles" wouldn't understand "the way we do things."

The persons who supervised us were like dementors.

Here's a definition of a dementor:

"Dementors are among the foulest creatures that walk this earth. They infest the darkest, filthiest places, they glory in decay and despair, they drain peace, hope, and happiness out of the air around them. Even Muggles feel their presence, though they can't see them. Get too near a dementor and every good feeling, every happy memory will be sucked out of you. If it can, the dementor will feed on you long enough to reduce you to something like itself....soulless and evil. You'll be left with nothing but the worst experiences of your life."

Once we leave JFJ, it takes awhile to feel like we are truly free of the control of the "dementors" that once controlled us.

JFJ taught us to "face our fears." However, those who leave JFJ seem to need to remain safely in the "Muggle world," but are always aware that the "Wizard world" is out there.


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A Jews for Jesus Fairytale

Once upon a time in a land far, far away, there lived a beautiful Jewish princess. One day this beautiful princess was told that Jesus was the Jewish Messiah and became a believer in Yeshua.

The beautiful princess loved Jesus and loved God. One day, she met a handsome Jewish prince, who also believed in Jesus.

Soon the two were married and it seemed that they would live happily ever after. They spent most of their time sharing their love for Jesus with everyone they met. Joy filled their lives and was passed to everyone around them.

One day, they were told that there were others who were Jewish who believed in Jesus. They met a group of traveling minstrels who sang Messianic Jewish music. There was something about the group that attracted them and soon the Jewish princess and her prince went to the knight who led the music team and asked how they too could share Yeshua.

The brave knight told them that their music did come from God, but was really centered around the wishes of a powerful king who was head of a kingdom called Jews for Jesus.

The ruler of that kingdom was all powerful and all subjects living in his dominion were in awe and in fear of him. Some noble young men had tried to divide the kingdom at times, but had not been successful.

Soon the prince and princess traveled to the Jews for Jesus kingdom and became part of the Jews for Jesus empire.

Life changed for them after that. First, they were told that their deep love for one another was wrong. They were separated as much as possible. As time passed, sharing about Jesus became tedious.

One day, the beautiful princess was banned from the Jews for Jesus kingdom and locked in a tower. She pleaded with her handsome prince to rescue her, but he'd been taken over by an evil spell that one of the powerful ruler's men had put on him.

Several years passed. One day, the beautiful Jewish princess escaped from the tower and broke the spell that had taken over her prince. The two fled from the Jews for Jesus kingdom together and began a new life.

Did our princess and prince live happily ever after?

The answer to that question is YES and NO.

Yes, our heroine and hero escaped from the control of the bad Jews for Jesus ruler. Life free from that control could have been a ticket to happily ever after; however, the two never forgot the years of their lives that were given and lost to the powerful king of Jews for Jesus.


http://exjewsforjesus.org/

http://exjewsforjesus.blogspot.com/