Programs

What does Jews for Judaism Do?

• Educational Programs
• Specialized Counseling
• High School and College student outreach and education
• Counter Missionary Survival Seminar
• Educational Materials
• Annual Student Contest
• Educational Website

Educational Programs

Jews for Judaism’s preventative education programs are a most powerful means for inoculating the Jewish community against the threat of deceptive Christian missionary and destructive cult groups. Our programs are in high demand, and are diverse, covering very different material, and are geared towards all age groups. Every year, we do programs for elementary schools, high schools, private schools, public schools, colleges, synagogues, camps, community centers, conferences and community programs. We are a yearly presence at the Israel Festivals.

Jews for Judaism also sponsors a yearly writing or photo contest to keep students informed about the missionary threat, and to promote a sense of Jewish identity.

Jews for Judaism Crisis and Support Counseling

The counseling services provided by Jews for Judaism are one component of our overall mission.

“Jews for Judaism provides specialized counseling to individuals converted to other religions or confused and challenged by cults and missionaries. We also provide support counseling that assists individuals who have family members or friends that have joined a cult or missionary group…We encourage critical thinking and exploration of the theological and emotional issues relevant to each case. Families are taught communication skills and encouraged to explore their own commitment to Judaism. Jews for Judaism provides crisis and support counseling to families and individuals challenged by intermarriage issues. We meet with couples and explore the ramifications of their relationships and ways to maintain a Jewish identity.”

-Rabbi B.Z. Kravitz

Thought Reform Counseling

Jews for Judaism counseling is a unique combination of counseling methods tailored to a very specific threat to the Jewish community; erosion of Jewish identity due to experiences ranging from passive contact to the dominant (primarily Christian) culture to aggressive and manipulative conversion campaigns, many by known Christian and Jewish cult groups such as Jews for Jesus. Our counseling is designed to strengthen and restore Jewish identity through specialized Jewish education in which informed, non-manipulated choices about religion can be freely made. To this end, careful consideration is given not only to the content of the religious counseling but to the process and methods employed. A significant component of this process is the ability to recognize and remedy the interference with critical thinking that is one outcome of exposure to cult-like thought reform.

Forty-one percent of referrals to Jews for Judaism for counseling services are because of Christianity, which encompasses a range of experiences from passive contact to aggressive proselytizing. Another 26% of referrals are because of cult-like groups, both Christian and Jewish, 12% because of Messianic groups and about 8% because of mixed relationship (dating and marital).

Be-True Student Leadership Program

Be-True is a community initiative to empower Jewish youth with vital information and invaluable tools designed to refute and repel the current missionary onslaught.

In the past, missionaries utilized tactics that were primarily overt, such as distributing their literature on street corners and on college campuses. This in-your-face technique garnered them notoriety and converted many Jews.

Currently, a new missionary trend has begun to spread on campuses throughout the country. Evangelical Christian missionaries have expanded their efforts to include a covert and deceptive “peer-to-peer” proselytizing model that specifically targets Jewish high school and college students.

Working with a team of collaborating agencies that includes Hillel, JSU, LA Hebrew High and JCA Shalom Institute, the Be-True initiative has developed several resources to help students and community agencies across the country respond effectively to this critical issue.

The Be True Student Leadership Program is made up of 7 important elements: An Annual Student Leadership Training Conference, a state-of-the-art comprehensive website geared towards students, a student prep-kit, an interactive DVD (in development), specialized training for Jewish professionals, a Campus Representative Program, and annual student photo contest.

Young Professional Division

Jews for Judaism Young Professionals is a dynamic group of Young Professionals in Los Angeles and surrounding counties, aged 21-39. Bringing together Jews of all backgrounds through social, educational, and fundraising events, Jews for Judaism Young Professionals helps keep Jews Jewish by strengthening and preparing the Jewish community for the challenges of tomorrow.

Jews for Judaism Chai Society

The Chai Society is an offshoot division of Jews for Judaism Young Professionals. Its purpose is to provide an opportunity for young professionals to network with each other, to meet prestigious business professionals from various industries in a small and personal setting, and to strengthen their business connections within the Jewish community.

Members are eligible to participate in mentor lunches with leading business professionals scheduled four to six times each year.

The Chai Society is comprised of a group of dedicated and generous supporters, aged 21 to 39, who commit to a minimum annual contribution of $180.

Aleph Club

The Aleph Club is a key foundation of Jews for Judaism’s sustainable funding strategy to support our specialized counseling and educational services.

The Club is comprised of a core group of dedicated and generous supporters who have committed to an annual gift of $1,000 or more to our Annual Campaign.

Aleph Club participants contribute to a stable funding source for Jews for Judaism and help maintain a nearly three decades of unbroken service to the community and fiscal responsibility.

Our initial goal is 365 members, one for each day of the year. Members receive special acknowledgements, tokens of appreciation, briefing and invitations to exclusive social and educational events. You are invited to join this vital group of Jews for Judaism supporters dedicated to keeping Jews Jewish.