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.
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You are not being realistic. Moishe is about 72 years old, and far from healthy. Even when he was in better health, he was notable for his inability to see things any other way than his own. He cannot admit to abuse of the numerous people you mention *because he does not and probably cannot see that what he does was wrong or uncalled for.* Except in cases where it can be demonstrated that he told untruths, it is always your version of reality against his. We all know whose sense of reality prevailed in that kind of scenario. Again, he is probably incapapble of what you demand.
However, the organization could [theoretically at least] change without this happening, if they repudiated the abuses of the past, and removed Moishe and his surrogates from the Board. And in my opinion, the Board would also have to admit to great culpability in failing to properly police ministry policies and practices, looking the other way, not wanting to know, or, at least in one case, being in some sense bought off.
It is the nature of the organizational beast to exist for its own preservation. This has resulted in a failure of the Board of JFJ to take appropriate action. On the other hand, Moishe cannily picked the kind of Board he wanted, and set up lines of power and boundaries that enabled him to do as he saw fit while appearing to be truly accountable.
It would be very hard for David to do a real house cleaning. In the culture of JFJ that would be traitorous, and professionally, would seem to be suicidal. This will not happen unless JFJ is facing organizational disgrace or collapse, or experiences miraculous intervention.
In response, I would say that David Brickner has now been Executive Director of Jews for Jesus for 9 years now. The direct influence of Rosen over the organization , though indirect at this point, is not as important as the abuses under the current leadership that continue to follow the same systematic patterns of abuse as in the previous 26 years of the organization before Brickner took over leadership.
In other words, David Brickner is not directly responsible for the abuses. manipulation, deception, destuction of marriages (yes there have been some under his tenure), former staff walking away from Jesus (yes there have been some under his tenure), and more such abuses.
One of the reasons I left Jews for Jesus was because of the twisting of Scripture that was used to justify abuse. For example, I was once in a meeting with a number of people where Brickner "did a Moishe" where he screamed at people. Afterward, I asked him why he had done that. He response was to say that it was "righteous anger" and he needed to make a point.
I asked if he could have dealt with the person in private and his response was, "this is private, in a private building."
That is sick behavior. The kind that is found in Cults and abusive families. The sad part is, just like in an abusive family where the children emulate the behaviour they grew up with, Jews for Jesus staff grow to emulate the behaviour they see in senior leadership.
Repeatedly, Brickner does as Rosen did before him. He shelters himself from the "dirty work" of hurting people by having his other "leaders" do it. It is all done in such a way that his hands look clean. Then he comes along and says, "I can't apologize for something someone else did. You need to go to them."
Anonymous said...
In response, I would say that David Brickner has now been Executive Director of Jews for Jesus for 9 years now. The direct influence of Rosen over the organization , though indirect at this point, is not as important as the abuses under the current leadership that continue to follow the same systematic patterns of abuse as in the previous 26 years of the organization before Brickner took over leadership.
In other words, David Brickner is completely and directly responsible for the abuses that have happened under his watch over the last 9 years. All the manipulation, deception, destuction of marriages (yes there have been some under his tenure), former staff walking away from Jesus (yes there have been some under his tenure), and more such abuses.
One of the reasons I left Jews for Jesus was because of the twisting of Scripture that was used to justify abuse. For example, I was once in a meeting with a number of people where Brickner "did a Moishe" where he screamed at people. Afterward, I asked him why he had done that. He response was to say that it was "righteous anger" and he needed to make a point.
I asked if he could have dealt with the person in private and his response was, "this is private, in a private building."
That is sick behavior. The kind that is found in Cults and abusive families. The sad part is, just like in an abusive family where the children emulate the behaviour they grew up with, Jews for Jesus staff grow to emulate the behaviour they see in senior leadership.
Repeatedly, Brickner does as Rosen did before him. He shelters himself from the "dirty work" of hurting people by having his other "leaders" do it. It is all done in such a way that his hands look clean. Then he comes along and says, "I can't apologize for something someone else did. You need to go to them."
Thank you for a most illuming and credible perspective on the regime under David Brickner. I think all of us agree that the abuse and dysfunctionality is systemic. How sad for all concerned. JFJ Board: where are you?
Is it costomary for board members of an organization (Jews for Jesus) to receive financial assistance for their own organizations?
You've brought up a good point: JFJ Board Members are "bought."
They look the other way when they hear about abuse since they've been "paid" to look the other way.
When something is corrupted, can it get better without confession to those that were wronged, restoration of that which was wrongfully taken, admission of being imperfect, shunning that which was corrupt, and casting it away promising to God never to do that again?
But if JFJ was corrupt, it just tells people, "It's getting better".
Of Course Jews for Jesus has changed.
Now Brickner hurts people with a smile on his face. There's a reason one of Brickner's pet clones gave Brickner the nickname, "Teddy Bear with Teeth" and described him as a "Teddy Bear with a shark inside."
Of Course Jews for Jesus has changed.
Now Brickner hurts people with a smile on his face. There's a reason one of Brickner's pet clones gave Brickner the nickname, "Teddy Bear with Teeth" and described him as a "Teddy Bear with a shark inside."
Who is on the JFJ Board? Maybe it's time to make their names public. They are culpable. Aside from Moishe Rosen, is Sue Perlman on the board?
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