Called to Controversy

by Ruth Rosen

  APPENDIX A

  WHY WITNESS TO THE JEWISH PEOPLE?

  BY MOISHE ROSEN

  Until recently, evangelical Christians didn’t have to think twice about Jewish evangelism. Evangelical churches realized the urgent need to present the gospel to all people so that others might gain God’s forgiveness and eternity in heaven. It was understood that “all people” included Jewish people.

  Now there is considerable deviation from the understanding that Jesus is the only way to salvation. Nowhere is this seen more clearly than in the attitudes of many churches toward Jewish evangelism. Some question whether or not the Jewish people need the gospel at all. Others say that Jews need Jesus, but they challenge just about any method of evangelism that doesn’t begin with a Jewish person approaching a Christian to know more about Christ. Usually there has not been firsthand observation of the methods that are challenged or rejected.*

  Why has Jewish evangelism become so controversial? Two reasons present themselves. One is the all too human tendency to choose the easy path. It’s easy to go with the flow—to evangelize those who are down and out, who have no cultural barriers to prevent them from hearing our message. Jewish people are among the people groups missiologists have described as “gospel resistant.” Jews who feel a need to resist Jesus tend to see him as a threat to the survival of the Jewish community. They do not realize that our survival does not depend on submitting to the religion of Judaism, but to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Anyone who wishes to take the path of least resistance will avoid witnessing to Jews.

  The other reason is that many Christians—whether or not they realize or admit it—want to be “politically correct.” Maybe the second is just part of the first.

  Most describe their inactivity in noble or compassionate terms. One says, “I don’t target Jews. I preach the gospel to everyone who comes to my meetings.” Another says, “Yes, Jews need the gospel, but they are so hurt by the Holocaust and other persecutions that we have no right to speak at this time.”

  Christians need to recognize that it takes courage to witness to someone who just might be offended, angry, or argumentative. It takes courage to broach the subject to someone who may not only reject your message, but reject you for telling it. A person who is not willing to do that sometimes finds it easier to come to terms with their own choices by putting down those who are willing to be rejected when they ought to be praying for and encouraging them for doing the difficult thing.

  Some who want to be politically correct say, “The Jews have their own religion, an ancient and noble religion that predates Christianity.” Yes, the Jewish people do have their own religion, and originally it was based entirely on Scripture.

  Yet if the Jewish religion were sufficient in itself, why would the all-wise, all-knowing Son of God tell a religious Jew like Nicodemus, “You must be born again”? Why did God decide that Y’shua (Jesus) should be born to a Jewish mother in a Jewish place in accordance with the Jewish prophets? If the Jews didn’t need Jesus, wouldn’t it have been better just to have him born in Norway, Karachi, or Papua, New Guinea, to those who did need him?

  But God demonstrated—not only through Scripture, but also by the Incarnation at Bethlehem—that if anyone needs Jesus, the Jewish people do. Jewish evangelism is important to God because he cares for the Jewish people and wants them to be reconciled to him. It’s not that one person’s religion is superior to another’s. Religion is not enough without the reality of the Redeemer.

  It is incumbent on the church to continue to evangelize Jewish people because like everyone else, without Christ, they are lost. Furthermore, Jewish evangelism is almost as important to the church as it is to those unbelieving Jews who need salvation!

  The church proves its confidence in the validity of Jesus by earnestly endeavoring to tell all people about the gospel, regardless of what non-Christian religion they possess. If Christians decline to contend for the faith by remaining mute because of someone’s religious background, we have basically assented to the world’s supposition that biblical Christianity is merely another man-made religion.

  Seeing the gospel of Christ as “our religion” is a trap! Those who don’t know Christ quite naturally say that we are arrogant to suppose that “our religion” is The Truth. No Christian wants to be arrogant, and many shrivel at the accusation. But let’s not confuse confidence and arrogance. We would be arrogant if we had invented the Bible, if we forged a “myth” that Christ was born in accord with the Jewish prophets to be the Jewish Messiah who would do miracles, die for our sins, and rise again. But Christianity is not a Gentile invention nor is it a Jewish myth. It is the truth of God, the Creator of the universe.

  I have said it before before, and I will continue to say it: Bringing the gospel to the Jewish people is perhaps the most significant issue on which the church will prove its character, conviction, and commitment to evangelism in general.

  * In a book titled Rules for Radicals, Saul Alinsky says that in dealing with opponents, if you can’t attack their ethics, disparage their methodology. This is what we expect of antimissionaries because they see us missionary-evangelists as their opponents. However, it is most discouraging when Christians hear and repeat portions of the antimissionary propaganda or otherwise draw negative conclusions without checking with their own brothers and sisters in Christ to see if it is true.

  APPENDIX B

  MOISHE’S LETTER

  Moishe asked to have this letter posted on the Jews for Jesus Web site after he died. Many of his obituaries quoted from it and thus fulfilled his desire to preach the gospel, even in death.

  Dear friends,

  If you are reading this, it means that I have gone on to my reward. As I write this, I can only think of what the Scriptures say and that is, “Eye has not seen, ear has not heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things that God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9). Well, I have a big curiosity and by now, I know.

  I don’t suppose that I will be writing you any new material, but there are a few articles in the works that might still come through.

  As I go, I feel that I have left a number of things undone. I think everyone must feel that way. There were words of appreciation that I looked for an occasion to express, but they didn’t come. There were words of regret that I would have expressed to others. And there were words of encouragement that I had for all who were believers.

  I’d like to encourage you to stay with Jews for Jesus. I was the Executive Director until 1996. Many things have changed. Some of them definitely for the better and others that I can’t say were for the worse, but things that I would not have thought to do. Nevertheless the core of what Jews for Jesus stands for is still central.

  As I go, one of the things that concerns me deeply is how much misunderstanding there is among believers. I never thought I would live to see the day when those who know the Lord and are born again were supporting the efforts of rabbis who, frankly, not only don’t know Christ, but don’t want to know Him.

  To be an honest ministry, it can only come from the Holy Spirit; and the Holy Spirit can only indwell those who have the new birth and are born again. Therefore, I would urge you to think very seriously before you support any “ministry” that involves Jewish people and doesn’t actually bring the gospel to the Jews.

  Likewise, I am concerned over something else that I never thought that I would see or hear and that is, Jews who have become believers in Jesus and have important positions in ministry yet feel that their primary purpose is to promote Jewishness and Judaism to the Jews.

  I hope I can count on you to show love and respect for the Jewish people, but Jewishness never saved anybody. Judaism never saved anybody no matter how sincere. Romans 10:9–10 makes it clear that we must believe in our hearts and confess with our mouths the Lord Jesus in order to be saved. There are no shortcuts. There is no easy way. Within Judaism today, there is no salvation because Christ has no place within Ju
daism.

  Aside from these concerns, I want to say that I feel as I have always felt that we stand on the edge of a breakthrough in Jewish evangelism. Just a little more. Just another push. Just another soul—and we will have reached critical mass where we begin generating that energy that the whole world might know the Lord.

  I would also encourage you to be faithful to those Bible-teaching, Bible-preaching churches that give spiritual food. More than ever, the church needs faithful members who can be an example to the young people coming in. Maybe there are some features about your church that keep you from being enthusiastic—look around and see if there might be a better church for you. If there is, join it and enjoy it. If your church is doing a lot right, then stay where you’re planted.

  I don’t expect that Jews for Jesus will be undergoing any turmoil because of my demise. For many years, the leadership has been in competent hands, but this is a time when there needs to be some encouragement. The executive director and the staff need to hear that you intend to continue standing with us.

  Anything done for Christ will last. Anything you do to help and encourage Jews for Jesus at this time will have lasting effects on all of us. So instead of saying “good bye,” I’ll just say, “until then—I’ll see you in the sky.”

  MOISHE

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  I’m thankful to every single family member and friend who took time to contribute to this biography: without your insights and memories, this project would have been impossible. There are too many to name, but I especially need to thank:

  Moishe Rosen: Dad, I doubt you’re reading book acknowledgments in heaven, but I still want to say that telling the story of your life has been one of the greatest experiences of mine.

  Ceil Rosen: Mom, your “first eyes” input was invaluable. And your perseverance and enthusiasm as we teamed up in a project that meant as much to you as it did to me—what an unforgettable experience! It’s a privilege to be your daughter.

  David Brickner: You are not only “the boss” but a dear friend. I had no idea what I was asking for when I wanted to write this book, but your response encouraged me to dig in. You not only gave permission* but your eyes lit up over the prospect. The value that you saw in recording Moishe’s life story, as well as your confidence that I was right for the job, means more than I can say.

  Susan Perlman: Again, you’re not only my boss, but a dear friend. Thank you for helping me pick up momentum with this book in 2008, and for patiently allowing me to take far more time to write a much longer book than I originally anticipated—even though you knew that no publisher would actually print the full manuscript! You let me do what I felt I needed to do, and I am grateful.

  Thanks also to:

  Tracy McElhone nee Stiffler, who transcribed hours of tapes from my interviews with Moishe and painstakingly indexed them.

  Josh Cohen, my trusty intern in 2007 who did a great job reading through and organizing countless documents for this project.

  Bill Proctor, who authored the Jews for Jesus book in 1974; from which I adapted for the opening of chapter 22 of this book. He also mentored me when I was his intern in 1977, built my confidence then, and in subsequent years, and gave me the benefit of his expertise when it came to putting together the proposal to “pitch” this book.

  Byron Spradlin who made the first contact with Thomas Nelson and wowed us all by saying they wanted to see the book proposal—and in fact the whole manuscript—before I had the nerve to approach them.

  Joel Miller at Thomas Nelson, whose enthusiasm for the manuscript was so encouraging, and who actually succeeded in the unenviable task of paring the enormously long manuscript I handed him down to a manageable length.

  Heather Skelton, at Thomas Nelson, who pulled together so many details to prepare this book for print.

  The many, many friends who kept the writing and publishing of this book in your prayers. You may not know what a difference you made, but I sure do!

  Always and most of all, to the One who is the Author and Finisher of faith and of everything else; I hope this book brings honor to him.

  * I work as a full-time writer and editor with Jews for Jesus, so the permission was not to write the book, but to do so under the auspices of—and as a large part of my work with—this ministry.

  PHOTOS

  Ben and Rose at house on Federal Blvd in Denver

  Rose Rosen 1927

  Moishe and his brother Don

  Moishe at about five years old

  Ceil at fifteen

  Moishe at fifteen

  Family outing, left to right: Moishe, Rose, Ceil and Ben behind the wheel

  Moishe and Ceil’s wedding, August 27, 1950

  En route to honeymoon

  Moishe and Baby Lyn

  Moishe’s graduation photo from Northeastern Bible Institute

  Ceil street preaching in Manhattan

  Moishe street preaching in Manhattan

  Rosens 1960 left to right: Lyn, Moishe, Ruth and Ceil

  Moishe in his high priest costume during LA ministry with ABMJ

  Moishe and Daniel Fuchs

  Moishe at Jesus Joy Rally at Felt Forum in New York City’s Madison Square Garden, 1972

  Moishe at one of the early Jews for Jesus demonstrations

  Moishe giving a broadside tract to a Berkeley student early 70s

  San Francisco’s Mayor Alioto receiving a broadside from Moishe in the same era

  Moishe addressing students at University of California at Davis

  Rosens, early 70s (back: Lyn and Moishe, front: Ceil and Ruth)

  Moishe on the Lee Leonard show; host is reading one of the early Jews for Jesus broadsides

  Moishe Rosen and Jews for Jesus senior staff members, 1987 front row left to right: David Brickner, Stuart Dauermann, Steve Silverstein, Alan Bond; middle row Avi Snyder, Baruch Goldstein, Susan Perlman, Jhan Moskowitz, Efraim Goldstein, Steve Wertheim, Tuvya Zaretsky, Mitch Glaser; back row Moishe Rosen, Steve Cohen, Bob Mendelsohn

  1980 Consultation On World Evangelism in Thailand Moishe is back row center (David Harley to Moishe’s left and Jhan Moskowitz to his right; also pictured front row third from left, Ole Kvarme, fourth from left, Susan Perlman)

  Moishe with Jews for Jesus board members, spouses and guides in Israel, 1991: top row left to right: Susan Perlman, Steve and Chris Lamos, Vernon Grounds, Jhan and Melissa Moskowitz, Steve and Janie-sue Wertheim, Moishe and Ceil Rosen; bottom row left to right: John and Marilyn McDonald, Warwick and Annette Cooper, Jerry and Del Karabensch, tour guide Miriam Vanosh, Pam and Byron Spradlin, Tuvya Zaretsky

  Moishe given honorary doctorate from Western Seminary Commencement

  Moishe attending his grandson’s bar mitzvah

  Grandson Asher chanting the prayers at his bar mitzvah

  Moishe addressing the senior staff—including the nine-member Jews for Jesus for Council—after the nomination of his successor in 1996

  December 2008 at the Rosen home: Moishe seated, left to right, Lyn, Ruth, Asher, Bethany, Alan and Ceil

  Moishe knew it was unlikely that he would live long enough to attend his granddaughter’s wedding, but wanted very much to have a part in blessing them and celebrating their engagement. Gary and Bethany agreed to an informal “betrothal ceremony” put together at the Rosen home in December of 2009

  Moishe and Ceil Taken on Thanksgiving, his favorite holiday, 2009