Israel Matzav

Say it ain't so: GW Bush raising money for Messianic 'Jews'

This may yet convince a whole new generation of Jews to keep voting Democrat. There is nothing that scares Jews - particularly Jews whose connection to religious Judaism is weak in the first place - more than seeing that Republicans really do want to convert them.

Former President George W. Bush is speaking at a fundraiser for Messianic 'Jews.'

Former US President George W. Bush will deliver the keynote address at a fund raising event for the Messianic Jewish Bible Institute (MJBI), which trains people in the U.S., Israel, and elsewhere “to work towards convincing Jews to accept Jesus as the Messiah,” according to Canada's ShalomLife.

Rabbi David Saperstein of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism said in reaction, "It's disappointing that he would give his stamp of approval to a group whose program is an express effort to convert Jews and not to accept the validity of the Jewish covenant."

In 2012, the president of the Anti-Defamation League, Abraham Foxman, told Politico that then presidential candidate Rick Santorum’s appearance at an event organized by another messianic Jewish organization, the Messianic Jewish Alliance of America, was “insensitive and offensive.”

Rabbi David Wolpe tweeted about Bush’s appearance, saying “This is infuriating.”

ShalomLife reports that the messianic group’s website has a weekly Torah portion,” and hosts links to purchase Judaica and books like Christ in the Old Testament.

Sorry guys but trying to convince us to accept Yoshke as the Messiah is simply beyond the pail for Orthodox Jews (although I won't blame all Republicans for Bush's poor judgment). The fact that I put 'Jews' in scare quotes three times in this post ought to be all you need to tell you how I feel about this.

Comments shut off for now, although I'm sure I'll hear them by email and on Twitter. 

Labels: George W. Bush, Messianics

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 12:21 PM