NEW YORK JEWISH COMMUNITY LAUNCHES

'SAY 'YES' TO JUDAISM" CAMPAIGN

The New York Jewish Community led by the Spiritual Deception Prevention Project (SDPP), of the Jewish Community Relations Council of NY (JCRC-NY), has launched 'SAY 'YES' TO JUDAISM" in response to the deceptive proselytizing campaigns that have hit the greater New York area during the month of July. The JCRC-NY, the central coordinating and resource body for over 60 major Jewish organizations in the New York metropolitan area and an affiliate of UJA-Federation-NY, has partnered with Jews for Judaism, the international counter-missionary organization, and the New York Board of Rabbis to coordinate a positive multi-media educational awareness and community-building campaign.

While thinking globally and working locally, Jews for Judaism and the JCRC-NY have been briefing, coordinating and training volunteers and communal professionals. According to Marcia Eisenberg, JCRC-NY's General Counsel and SDPP's Director, 'We have been working with all of the different local religious, neighborhood and ethnic organizations throughout the affected area to prepare their communities for the Hebrew-Christian missionaries."

The response campaign has utilized conference calls, briefings, radio interviews, professional development, educational packets and programming, the internet (websites, blogs and e-mail distribution), press releases and updates, new brochures and informational flyers in four languages as well as consultations to communities to ensure that they have effective and legal campaigns to counter the deceptive missionaries. Individual synagogues, Jewish Community Councils and Jewish institutions across the communal spectrum are coordinating private and public programs to provide their constituencies with resources and Jewish engagement opportunities.

'Volunteers from the Jewish community have been out on the streets of Manhattan and Brighton Beach and are working with communities across the Greater New York/Northern Jersey area," stated Scott Hillman, executive director of Jews for Judaism. 'We look to members of the community to be our eyes, ears and helping hands, as each Jew is a Jew for Judaism and responsible for one another."

In June, the JCRC-NY convened representatives of the New York Jewish community, who in a exceptional show of unity signed on to an ad campaign emphasizing positive community building -- saying 'YES" TO JUDAISM. The NY Board of Rabbis, the metropolitan chapters of the Conservative, Orthodox, Reconstructionist and Reform movements, and UJA-Federation-NY are working with media and local Jewish communal organizations to take advantage of Hebrew-Christian proselytizing to focus and strengthen the Jewish community and personal commitment to Judaism.

The text of the ad which will appear in more than 60 local newspapers in Russian, English and Hebrew is as follows:

'This July, Hebrew-Christian groups such as Jews for Jesus
will work to convert Jews to another religion.
In response, New York's Diverse Jewish community says in one voice...
  'Yes' to Judaism"

This month, and every month, make your Jewish life and practice stronger and more meaningful.

• Learn Torah -- and more about Judaism
• Light Shabbat candles - and bless your children
• Have a Shabbat meal - with family and friends
• Give Tzedaka (Charity) - help those in need
• Do Tikun Olam - find a way to make the world a better place
• Pray to the One God of All Humanity -- and connect with a synagogue
  
  For every step you take -- invite somebody to join you

For more information, contact:

SDPP at JCRC-NY, www.jcrcny.org 212.983.4800 x127
Jews for Judaism, www.jewsforjudaism.org, 1-410-602-0276"

Please call and let us know what is taking place in your neighborhood, what materials are being distributed and the methods being used for advertising. Our phone number is 410-602-0276, fax to 410-602-0276, or e-mail to nybyg@jewsforjudaism.org.

If you would like to receive information and response materials or arrange a speaker, program or seminar for your community or institution, please call us or e-mail Judy at judy@jewsforjudaism.org. For additional information about the threat to our community and responses to it, as well as downloadable    brochures, books and flyers, please go to our website- www.jewsforjudaism.org.