Monday, December 12, 2005

Shunning

The practice of "shunning" of former employees of Jews for Jesus is described at http://www.exjewsforjesus.org/j4jquestions/shun.html

Another description of shunning is at http://www.exjewsforjesus.org/j4jquestions/#abusive which says that JFJ shunning included "various levels of cutting off communication with these former members, which have ranged from a complete prohibition against communicating with the person to less extreme forms of cut-off. Often rumors were spread about former members to damage their reputation."

Remember that these are former employees of an organization, not members of a church, that are being shunned, and that current employees are doing the "shunning." This shunning is talked about in some of the ex-Jews for Jesus stories. See, for example, http://www.exjewsforjesus.org/stories/mimi.html and also http://www.exjewsforjesus.org/stories/journey4.html

Apparently this unfortunate practice continues. If JFJ is disturbed by accusations that it is a cult, it should discontinue shunning, which is (sociologically speaking) one of the hallmark traits of a cult.

I liked being in Jews For Jesus

Once, Jews For Jesus gave me audiences to speak to. People that were interested in what I had to say. Pretty Christian girls were interested in me, because I worked for Jews For Jesus. Suffering for Christ made me feel noble. I liked that people looked up to me as an expert in Evangelism. I liked having my name on publications that tens of thousands of people read, published and distributed by Jews For Jesus.

But, now I am appalled that during my tenure, in Jews For Jesus, that arrogance was passed down from the leaders. I was taught that Jews For Jesus and its trained workers, knew, better than the rest of the Church, on most matters. It is a shame, that even the Christian world, having a "cool" position, like Missionary, makes you popular, like a football player, in a high school. It is sad to recall that the majority of suffering I endured had more to do with cruel leadership, and little to do with Christ, and the deprivation I endured had more to do with making money for the Organization, than being "a good soldier for Christ." I was not treated with dignity or regard, by Jews For Jesus, though I did receive praise from those who did not fully understand this group, or how I was treated in it.


http://exjewsforjesus.org/

http://exjewsforjesus.blogspot.com

Sunday, October 02, 2005

terror

Terror and dread.

My life in jews for jesus was one of regular terror. Never knowing which innocuous action was going to bring down the dreaded yelling, or public humiliation. Or worse, yet, an off hand remark, or the unforgivable action, that will keep you from that promotion, that desired assignment, or pay raise, and inevitably thrown back in your face for years.

In the corporate world, one would have objective job evaluations, based on objective, attainable criteria. In JFJ: Good enough was never enough. And those who excelled, seem to be knocked down a few pegs, so they would not get a "swelled head." But the offenses bringing on wrath seemed quite random, difficult for new staff to anticipate. The offense would not be dereliction of duty, often, but not being able to read the mind of Moishe Rosen. And if you did not follow an unwritten, or yet to be made up rule:You might be publicly ridiculed, for the effect of spreading the word, that there was a new unwritten rule.

It seemed there were whipping boys in JFJ who were more naive, and seemed to walk into these quicksand traps sprung by the leadership. Those who began to sense a trap, a "tests" coming up, had a less grueling time in JFJ. But getting the brunt of the random "object lesson", or viewing it, (and being so relieved it was not you,) caused an atmosphere of absolute terror. You never knew when these, spot checks, tests of reactions, or random tirades, were going to happen to you. You lived in constant vigilance, and dread. TERROR!

Somebody who has not been in an abusive family, alchoholic family, or cult could not think that the word terror or dread are appropriate. But in Jews For Jesus, all staff is overworked, overstressed, isolated, indoctrinated,and sleep deprived. Losing your perspective of right and wrong, appropriate and inapropriate was just a matter of time. Your whole world revolved around Jews For Jesus, and you did not want that world in a upheavel. So when a man with the charisma of a Jesse Jackson lashes out at YOU. There is nothing left in your world to give you the assurance to say"Why be bothered? This guy is crazy, and God loves me." You are crushed, and humiliated, and you will do ANYTHING, EVERYTHING you can to make sure it NEVER happens again. Just the way the executive intended.

You couldn't even talk to an objective person, because it would break an unwritten, and later written rule against speaking ill of JFJ, or relating anything not public about JFJ. So your parent, college friend, pastor, could not tell you how ludicrous an occurence was. There was no objectivity, only isolation among others, who are also afraid to be seen as disloyal (critical of any the executive director does.)

Jews for Jesus mastered the "art of terror to motivate." They used the stick, and the stick that looked like a carrot. Stalin used terror to control his people in the Soviet Union. Saddam Hussein studied and copied Stalin's tactics in Iraq, with the same effect, his people were to afraid to talk to their neighbor's about opposing Saddam Hussein. Now, I do not say that Moishe Rosen, and David Brickner are the same as Stalin. Stalin killed millions of his own citizens, many innocent ones, randomly, to create an atmospere of terror. They just create an atmosphere of terror, and would humiliate, yell with firocity, fine, demoralize, to control absolutely. They have only ruined hundreds of lives. Not an equal comparison, but the same techniques.

I was terrified of Moishe for years after I left Jews for Jesus. His imposing presence I guess intimadated me, even when he seemingly had no place in my life. Not unlike a father, who lives in the back of a grown child's mind, in my mind he had grown into an adopted warped, father figure. This I believe was not hapenstance, but Moishe was trying to be the father-figure, for us all. Again, to control.

I confess, that terror of Moishe continued until he was quite ill. Only then, when he was getting feeble, did I have the courage to think of speaking the truth. I began to speak candidly to my post Jews For Jesus friends, and finally told them about my stories, and opinions, and experiences, in Jews For Jesus. For, now I can act like a free man, and I can speak my mind, but not free from dread. I post this anonomously because I still dread the inevitable retribution that placing my name with this post will have. Those who do speak out receive this retribution as a "lesson" to those still in JFJ and exJFJ to stay quiet. If not you, then a relative.

Once we were slaves but now we are free. Only this "Pharoah" still has "chariots", so we have to be careful.

Pity us if you like. But Stalin was not a happy man. Saddam Hussein was not a happy man. They were pitiful men, obsessed with power, paranoid. They could never truly be happy and relaxed, with the people around them, because they trusted no one.


http://exjewsforjesus.org/

http://exjewsforjesus.blogspot.com

How many were labeled "Unstable or Mentally ill" ?

How many who have left JFJ staff were labeled "Unstable or Mentally ill?"

It is absolutely frightening!

What is funny, is that when we were on JFJ staff WE BELIEVED THE RUMORS!

Sometimes we even convinced ourselves that "Something Must Be Wrong With Me."

Nothing is wrong with me or you!

Something is wrong with Jews for Jesus.


http://www.exjewsforjesus.org/

Saturday, August 27, 2005

Prostitute of Jews for Jesus

MANY MANY former Liberated Wailing Wall members who have communicated about their negative experiences in JFJ (called by David Brickner and Moishe Rosen a "microcosm of the larger organization of Jews for Jesus"), refer to the Liberated Wailing Wall as "The Jews for Jesus Prostitute" and themselves as having been "prostitutes" for Jews for Jesus, because of the sleepless and completely spiritually void schedule with one week off in 18 months and one day off a week.

When asked why the Liberated Wailing Wall (LWW) gets so little time off, David Brickner's pat response was always, "It costs too much money to keep the team on the road to give them more than one day off per week."

It is also well known in Jews for Jesus that the LWW makes very little front end money by singing in churches. Most of the income comes in the form of "residual giving," which means people continue to give for years after an initial concert.

The residual income amount is in the millions of dollars per year.

That is why the LWW is called "the Prostitute of Jews for Jesus."

Jews for Jesus leadership doesn't care how spiritually bankrupt the LWW team members become during their 18 months of "Prostitution." They only care about the names, addresses and phone numbers they collect to continue fund raising for JFJ.

Do the research yourself. Interview a few different music professionals or semi-professional bands, booking agents, or managers. Ask them what, in their professional experience, is the longest a music group should be on a tour.

Those I've spoken to about LWW's 18-month tours are disgusted by the unprofessional prostitution of poor young people who don't know they are being used and abused by Jews for Jesus.

Tuesday, August 23, 2005

Unbalanced

JFJ is simply unbalanced. They insist that their employees focus completely on the organization without regard to the needs of their families or their own personal needs.

For a healthy alternative to this unbalanced approach, see
http://www.tikkunministries.org/newsletters/es-aug05.asp (especially the section on Burnout). If only JFJ would acknowledge that overworking their employees is unhealthy for everyone. Spouses and children often suffer the most in these situations.

Saturday, August 13, 2005

Explanations

JFJ and those who love JFJ say the following:

"How dare you hold grudges against people who - um - supposedly hurt you?

How could you take non-Biblical actions against folks who treated you - um - in a non-Biblical fashion?

You are doing the same things that you - um - claim JFJ did.

We have no problems. Never did. Damn shame there are so many disgruntled people out there. They need to go to the Lord and ask forgiveness for their unforgiving attitudes towards us."

What was good about JFJ?

What was good about JFJ?
Someone commented somewhere on the Ex-Jews for Jesus Blog that we are not posting anything positive about JFJ.

I have tried hard to remember positive things, and the one thing that I remember that was really good about JFJ was the MONEY we made.

Yes, we were paid well. We also got certain tax breaks; I don't quite remember how they worked: what comes to mind is a housing allowance and a furniture allowance.

Our health and dental insurance was the best.

Usually at Christmas time, we received a bonus. Sometimes the bonus was quite large.

We could reimburse for expensive meals if the meal was ministry related.

Senior staff were given Ministry Vehicles and those that didn't qualify for a Ministry Vehicle, had a chance to get an interest-free loan to buy a car. Come to think of it, I think JFJ also provided those who bought homes with a loan to buy a house!

We could buy computers through JFJ, interest free.

When staff got married, JFJ helped with beautiful JFJ weddings.

Certain staff qualified for JFJ to pay for higher education, such as programs at Fuller Seminary and even educational programs in Israel.

If you stayed with JFJ a long time, you were able to travel to wonderful places at JFJ's expense.

Yes, those things were good......I guess. Or were they?


http://www.exjewsforjesus.org/

Friday, August 05, 2005

Parallels Blog

http://paralleluniversejfj.blogspot.com/

The views expressed are not necessarily the views or opinions of Ex Jews for Jesus, but it's a fun blog nevertheless.

Thursday, August 04, 2005

HOW TO DETERMINE IF A GROUP IS A DESTRUCTIVE CULT

from this link: http://www.factnet.org/rancho5.htm?FACTNet

Common Properties of Potentially Destructive and Dangerous Cults

The cult is authoritarian in its power structure.

This sounds like Jews for Jesus.

The cult's leaders tend to be charismatic, determined, and domineering.

This sounds like Jews for Jesus.

The cult's leaders are self-appointed, messianic persons who claim to have a special mission in life.

This sounds like Jews for Jesus.

The cult's leaders center the veneration of members upon themselves.

This sounds like Jews for Jesus.

The cult tends to be totalitarian in its control of the behavior of its members.

This sounds like Jews for Jesus.

The cult tends to have a double set of ethics.

This sounds like Jews for Jesus.

The cult has basically only two purposes, recruiting new members and fund-raising.

This sounds like Jews for Jesus.

The cult appears to be innovative and exclusive.

This sounds like Jews for Jesus.


http://www.exjewsforjesus.org/

http://exjewsforjesus.blogspot.com/

Saturday, July 23, 2005

How Jews for Jesus Explains Ex Jews for Jesus

This is the way Jews for Jesus "explains away" what is being said on the
Ex Jews for Jesus website and on the Ex Jews for Jesus Blog:

"Give up your futile lies about us. Nobody will believe you, because we look nice, and have the right friends. And who are you? You have no credibility because you don't work for Jews For Jesus. Just go home, be quiet, because we have the right to do what we want, because we are right. Even when we are wrong, we are right. And don't you forget that, lazy loser that you are."

Thursday, July 21, 2005

David Brickner, just a puppet?

David Brickner, just a puppet?

Hmm, lets look back on the history of JFJ, and look all those who were thought to have leadership potential: Baruch Goldstein, he had too much, and got shipped out to Canada, too hard to control. Tuvya Zaretsky, since his engagement to a gentile woman was broken up by an executive, hadn't had the same swagger. Sam Nadler, kicked out. Barry Rubin, a long shot, but kicked out early. Avi Snyder, he had all the drive of Moishe, but was too short to be an American Figurehead, and shipped out to Russia, Efraim Goldstein, fizzled out and shipped out of the US, as well as Bob Mendlesohn. Andrew Barron had a lot of talent, but shipped out. Jhan Moskowitz, minus the apostrophe now, too often in Moishe's doghouse. And lastly the golden boy heir apparent Mitch Glaser. Unceremoniously dispatched. Who was left? The missionary Susan prayed with every morning for a year was then dubbed the next heir apparent. But he was raised to understand Church Culture i.e. fundraising. His father fund raised, his grandfather fund raised, his uncle fund raised. Not too Jewish for church sensibilities. Very nice guy to meet, but lacking empathy. Little charisma, little peer respect, few necessities, to mold, change, or guide JFJ into the new Millennium. But a perfect conduit for Moishe to continue leading JFJ, through Susan Perlman. Perhaps the most powerful woman in conservative Evangelical Christianity, that no one has heard of because she oversees David, in the day to day workings of Jews For Jesus, for Moishe. She is intensely loyal to Moishe, his "right hand man", assistant, and constant companion. Even if Moishe passes away she will defend his legacy.

Because of her, David can't say that "Moishe was evil," and he can't say that "we are distancing ourselves away from his paranoid-like suspicious excesses, and becoming more Biblical and balanced, in the treatment of our workers."

All he can say is "Things are getting better".


http://exjewsforjesus.org/

http://exjewsforjesus.blogspot.com/

Friday, July 15, 2005

Recent vendetta by Jews for Jesus to harm a former JFJ staff member who is DEAF

It has come to our attention that Moishe Rosen is currently on a vendetta to harm a former JFJ staff member who is DEAF, by slandering her to a sister Jewish Mission organization from the Southern United States. Rosen's accusation is that the former employee of Jews for Jesus is involved with an "anti-missionary" organization (saying that we are that anti-missionary organization).

Based on Rosen's accusation, this Godly minister of the Gospel has lost her financial support for the ministry she does in reaching Deaf Jewish people for Christ!!!

Rosen is guilty of not only slander against former staff, he is guilty of hindering the Gospel.

When will the supporters and apologists of Jews for Jesus wake up and realize that the organization they believe in, and its founder, are altogether corrupt???


http://exjewsforjesus.org/

http://exjewsforjesus.blogspot.com/

Thursday, July 14, 2005

Wednesday, July 13, 2005

Apologize for Past Wrongs, JFJ!!

About nine decades after a lynching, white preachers apologize to the victim's relatives for the crime that was kept silent for generations. See
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-lynch13jul13,0,339557,full.story

Isn't it about time that JFJ apologizes for its past wrongs? Or will it take nine decades for JFJ to acknowledge the sins of the fathers?

Monday, July 11, 2005

We are ex employees

We have been accused by Jews for Jesus of being anti-missionaries.

That is not true.

We are Ex employees of the Jews for Jesus organization.

Friday, July 01, 2005

Do you think that being an advocate of victims of abuse is a sin that needs to be repented of?

Do you think that being an advocate of victims of abuse is a sin that needs to be repented of? We have reason to believe that some supporters of Jews for Jesus hold this viewpoint. And frankly, it strikes us as rather cold and hardhearted. If this is true, it would mean that Christian social workers, police, attorneys, and many other members of society would no longer be able to do their jobs without sinning. Sheesh, it seems like a new "sin" has been invented just to keep the "sins of the fathers" from being visited upon their children.

Any comments?


http://exjewsforjesus.org/

http://exjewsforjesus.blogspot.com/