November15, 1999

MESSIANIC ACTION COMMITTEE UPDATE (excerpts from recent bulletins received from Israel)

FREEDOM REPORT NO. 67 ======================


SUMMARY OF PRE-PROPOSED BILL

Unfortunately, we need to inform you of a proposed new legislative initiative. Below is a synopsis of the pre-proposed bill being circulated for support by various members of Knesset

Anyone convicted of soliciting or persuading another person, even indirectly, to change his religion would receive a 5-year prison sentence. This includes anyone who gives or promises another person to benefit (in any form) to persuade him to convert, and also includes a person who agrees to receive such benefit, even if it is through another person. This 5-year sentence would be doubled to a 10-year sentence if: a) the one who was persuaded is a minor or needy person, or b) the one who was persuaded did change his religion, or c) the one doing the soliciting used deceptive or misleading means.

It is immaterial for the purpose of the proposed criminal prison sentence if, to the religion or religious testimony of the person persuaded, there is no validity to such conversion, or if the violation occurred outside of the country, provided that the person whose religion is to be changed resides in Israel.

A 3-year sentence would be conferred upon anyone who solicits through advertisement. A person would receive a 1-year prison sentence simply for holding such an advertisement, without lawful justification.

A 1-year prison sentence would be imposed upon anyone who receives or brings a minor or a needy person to a location in which prayer or other religious activities occur (which are different from the religion of such person) or upon one who holds such activities.

A minor or needy person will not be allowed into an educational institution, youth hostel or club in Israel that is under the auspices of "another religion". "Another religion" is defined as a religion that is not the religion of the religious community to which the individual belongs according to Israeli Law.

KNESSET INTERNAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

On November 10 a meeting was held at the Knesset Internal Affairs Committee to discuss new anti-missionary legislation. Precipitating this gathering were reports of widespread baptisms being performed upon Jewish people. In particular, the activities of Grace and Truth Congregation, a long-established congregation founded and led by Baruch Maoz, former chairman of the MAC, were focused upon. Both Mr. Maoz and MAC members (Charles Kopp and Daniel Yahav) were among 30 in attendance, that included representatives of two major anti-missionary societies (Yad L’Achim and Lev L’Achim), the media and Knesset members.

Although the gathering lasted for approximately two hours, our representatives were allowed only 2 to 3 minutes each to speak and were constantly interrupted. Charles Kopp was not even allowed to speak, despite his expressed desire to do so. According to Maoz, “Most of the speakers were accorded 7 to 10 uninterrupted minutes and more to describe the purported, but unsupported, allegations of the activities of ‘the missionaries’ and the repeated police failure to deal with them. It apparently never occurred to those participating in the discussion that repeated failure to find evidence could actually mean that bribes were never offered. Nor did it occur to them that the police were merely upholding the laws of this Land, which still secure freedom of speech, worship and dissemination of ideas. When the police representatives said as much to the Orthodox MK’s, they were taken aback and expressed their disappointment.”

Leading the drive for introduction of legislation was MK Rabbi Porush (National Religious Party). The Chairman of the Internal Affairs Committee is David Azoular (Shas Political Party), who stated that the Committee had gathered to study, discuss and find ways to deal with the “missionary menace threatening our people”. Although some political parties signed governmental coalition agreements precluding private member legislative bills, MK Porush indicated there would be no problem passing a Preliminary Reading (first of four votes) introducing a proposed law and obtaining the necessary votes, even without support from the Barak Government. Individual member votes would be solicited beyond the religious parties.

A film was shown by one of the anti-missionary societies dramatizing the perceived danger of baptism. According to Baruch Maoz, the purpose of the meeting "was to discuss two subjects: 1) the efforts on the part of missionaries to baptize 400 Jews and 2) police obstruction of efforts to restrict missionary activity in Israel. (The actual number of baptisms at issue was 12.)"

Cameras were conveniently present for use by the media. Television reporters inquired of MAC representatives of their availability for public media debate.

Police Inspector Yosef Cohen, who had been asked to infiltrate Messianic groups, was asked why there was not more vigilance against the baptism menace. He related that twenty years ago the United Christian Council in Israel secured an agreement that no investigation of Messianic activity could take place without the prior approval of the Attorney General. He also stated that, in recent years, there have been sixty complaints against the Orthodox for aggressive religious persuasion, and only thirty against Messianic groups. No evidence was found of attempted bribery by Messianic believers, except a single occasion of the parents of a child who gave hearsay of 30,000 NIS allegedly being offered to their child to convert.

One Knesset member (of a non-religious party), upon observing the obvious "gang-up" against the Messianic Jews, left the meeting. Strident press quotations were cited by the anti-missionary societies, but a reference to the name of the newspaper was only given when it was from the secular, non-Orthodox press.

Daniel Yahav (a native-born Israeli and military officer) informed the gathering that his parents were Holocaust survivors and that the fire bombings of the houses of members of his congregation represented the results of the kind of hatred produced by misinformation, unsubstantiated reports and prejudice. Even the introduction of legislation assumes a public danger.

Among those present at the meeting was MK Rabbi Moshe Gafni, who co-sponsored prior anti-Messianic legislation described in our previous reports. He acknowledged before the Internal Affairs Committee that the Israeli government had been flooded with a worldwide response of letters, faxes and inquiries from parliamentarians, embassies and foreign ministries. In this regard, it is gratifying to learn that the efforts of you, our readers, have indeed been effective.

It is our sincere hope that providential events intervene and that the devices and intentions against our communities not materialize. If it does occur, it is good to know that an army exists willing to act to preserve religious freedom in Israel and the democratic nature of our society.

TELEVISED DEBATE

A broadcast is scheduled for November 15 at 9:30 p.m. on Israel TV Channel 1 of a live debate on the issues of conversion. Four representatives of the Body of Messiah in Israel have been invited, as well as the same number from anti-missionary organizations. If past experience holds true, our opponents will try to whip up a hysterical, emotional reaction through exaggerated and baseless accusations. A detailed description will be given in the next Freedom Report.




MESSIANIC ACTION COMMITTEE
Paul Liberman, Chairman
Noam Hendren
Charles Kopp
Marvin Kramer, Esq.
Nizar Touma
Daniel Yahav


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See also:

AMFI's Religious Liberty in Israel Update Page

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