Referenced Messianic Jewish Review Blog

The official blog of the Referenced Messianic Jewish Review. The Referenced Messianic Jewish Review studies the history, composition and theology of the Messianic Jewish movement.

Sunday, February 07, 2010

Can I Help You?

Chosen People Ministries (CPM) is one of the oldest Messianic organizations designed to convert Jews to Christianity. CPM was created by Leopold Cohn, a man who invented his own personal history. Leopold Cohn claimed to be an Orthodox rabbi who found Jesus. In reality, his real name was Yitschak Joszovics and he was an ordained Baptist minister with no rabbinical degree. Much like it's dishonest founder, CPM continues to target Jews for conversion.

One of CPM newest endeavors is using charity in Tel Aviv as a method to reach people for conversion. CPM's Tel Aviv Messianic Center was built to serve the many poor and indigent Jews in Israel, including elderly Jews. In and of itself, this sounds like a worthwhile cause. However, rather than just helping these unfortunate Jews, they are also using it as a platform for conversion. On the CPM webpage (accessed on 2/7/10) it says:

"Whatever you donate before December 31 will be used to feed the hungry in Israel, provide a warm place for those who are cold to have a cup of tea or coffee with a believer who will lend them a sympathetic ear and of course share the Gospel with them."

As a Christian group who has worked to convert Jews for over 100 years, CPM does not know how to help without the option of conversion.

4 Comments:

Blogger Adam J. Bernay, Your Radical Rabbi said...

You are aware this allegation of Cohn falsifying his identity has been proven to be incorrect in court?

10:11 PM  
Blogger Jason Levinson said...

Do you have a reference for this?

10:38 PM  
Blogger Adam J. Bernay, Your Radical Rabbi said...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leopold_Cohn_%28Messianic_clergyman%29

Harold Sevener, A Rabbi's Vision' (Charlotte, NC: Chosen People Ministries, 1994), p. 59.

I cannot find any unbiased primary sources on either side of this, but I would imagine it could be checked either way if one was able to go do the research.

12:44 AM  
Blogger Jason Levinson said...

The reference is to a 1913 court case that was dropped prior to completion. As such, nothing was ultimately decided in the case.

8:00 PM  

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