Grass-roots efforts successfully shut down a group baptism to be conducted by Jehovah's Witnesses in the Israeli city of Ra'anana. The service was cancelled recently for the second time, even after a District court ruled that the event could take place. The originally scheduled event was to occur over two months ago in a town just outside of Tel Aviv, at a building constructed as a memorial to Israeli soldiers. The most recent location was to be the MetroWest Sports Center in Ra'anana.
Protests Scheduled
Yad L'Achim, an Orthodox Jewish outreach group, petitioned local government the first time around to stop the baptism. After officials complied, the Jehovah's Witness group moved quickly to find another venue and reschedule the event. Once again, members of Yad L'Achim stepped forward in protest, supported by several city council members. After the missionaries applied to the local court for protection and gained the go-ahead for the service, city council members threatened to quit. Protesters cited broad public outrage over the event, and scheduled a protest prayer for outside the venue. Five thousand protesters were expected to attend.
Leading Counter-Missionary Group
Since the 1950s, Yad L'Achim has been an active voice in Israel. Its name translates to "hand for brothers," and was originally created to aid immigrants in Israel settle into the new religious State. The organization has focused much of its efforts on non-assimilation and on keeping the Shabbat, or Sabbath. The group operates with a combination of paid staff and volunteers, and is financially supported by the State of Israel and through donations. The group is very active in opposing missionary activity that it views as a threat to the safety and integrity of the Jewish religious community. While Yad L'Achim is not the only organization active in counter-missionary efforts, it is one of the oldest and most widely supported.
Missionary Presence in Israel
There is no law that bans proselytizing in Israel, although there are restrictions about talking to a person under the age of 18 about religious conversion without the consent of the minor's parents. Missionary efforts have been present in Israel almost from the State's very beginnings in the middle of the 20th century. Indeed, despite the fact that the development of Israel itself may be seen as the result of an intention to form a Jewish state, the geography has long been host to what are often conflicting religious views and practices. The Jordan River is both symbol and evidence of the confluence of religious thought, practice and history in the region. It is sacred to Christians, Muslims and Jewish people alike. Christian baptisms remain a common occurrence at the river. Protesters seem to object more to what they perceive as a conversion agenda than to the baptisms themselves. The scheduling of a mass baptism within Israeli city limits, however, has stirred up counter-missionary feeling in the country. The Jehovah's Witnesses are not the only missionary group with a presence in the region. Other organizations Missions include:
- Chosen People Ministries
- Jews for Jesus
- Al Dawaa
- The Assemblies of God
- Southern Baptists
- Lutheran Church Missouri Synod
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints agreed voluntarily to refrain from proselytizing in an agreement made in 1986 that allowed the church a building permit for its Jerusalem Center.
Complex History
The latest protests, along with the successful cancellation of the baptismal event, may be indicative of the ongoing struggle for Israel to practice democratic principles while maintaining its religious integrity. As in most democratic-minded governments, Israel officially embraces religious freedom. A historical and ongoing desire to protect its religious and cultural foundations, however, has supported independent organizations such as Yad L'Achim in their goals of limiting the influence of missionary groups on the Israeli citizenry.
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