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| Yehuda Deri |
After the second attack, the congregation decided to take the organizers of the riot to court and to hold them responsible for their violent actions. The target of the lawsuit was the organization Yad L'Achim and Beersheva Chief Rabbi Yehuda Deri.
There is no dispute that a violent invasion took place. The incident was caught on video. The only question was, who was responsible for organizing it? Rabbi Deri and Yad L'Achim denied any involvement. The judge subsequently accepted their story and ruled against the Congregation, clearing Rabbi Deri and Yad L'Achim of any wrongdoing (VIDEO ON THE VERDICT HERE).
Now, months after the verdict, the Rabbi spoke with an Israeli newspaper and admitted for the first time, to his well organized efforts to target any activity by Messianic Jews. He admitted in his own words to putting together patrols and phone networks to quickly organize protesters, should any Messianic Jewish activity be spotted. And those interviewed in the article stated unashamedly that this very network of protesters was indeed responsible for the attacks on the congregation in Beersheva.
Does this constitute perjury by the Rabbi? That is an issue for the authorities, and perhaps you the reader to decide.
Maoz has translated the article from Hebrew into English:
Missionaries in the city? The Chief Rabbi organizes patrols against them
The warfare of the Chief Rabbi of Beersheva against missionary activity in the city and its surroundings has escalated: patrols of volunteers that he established go out upon receipt of information of presence of members of the Messianic community – and acts to send them away from the place in what they call “pleasant ways”.
The warfare of Beersheva’s Chief Rabbi Yehuda Deri for elimination of missionary activity in the city and its’ surroundings is widening. In these days the rabbi sets in motion patrols of volunteers, who’s task is to go to the places where missionary activities take place, and to convince the participants to stop them.
The members of these patrols say that they try, in pleasant ways and explanations, to prevent the activities, by convincing the participants not to cooperate with the missionary activity, of those who call themselves, most of the time “Messianic Jews”.
Counter activity: prayers
The volunteers, who’s activities are exposed herein for the first time, arrive at the location where the missionary activity is taking place, after receiving prior information. They protest by doing a counter assembly, by mass prayers, etc.
Rabbi Deri states that the task of the volunteers is to “expose to the public the dangers in taking part of these kind of activities”.
Those close to Rabbi Deri and his associates say that these activities are done in order to prevent young people, especially the youth, who still don’t understand the implications of converting their religion, to be exposed to the word of the mission, “to the variety of schemes that the missionaries are using”, as per one of the patrol members.
“To my sorrow”, says the rabbi, “the missionary activities in all the varieties is a very difficult phenomenon that happens in all parts of the Land, in the big cities and in the periphery. Also in our city we are witnesses to many kinds of missionary activity, like handing out materials in central locations of the city, especially in the central bus station on Sundays, days in which a large population of soldiers passes there, and also by various workshops that the missionaries provide.”
Rabbi Deri wants to emphasize that the activity that is done against the mission is legitimate and done in pleasant ways. “This is a struggle that started immediately when I entered my task, 12 years ago,” added the Rabbi. “We thwarted, Baruch HaShem, baptizing of teenagers in the prayer assembly which we held in the past near the monastery in the old city, in which thousands of people took part."
In spite of the vigorous activity of Rabbi Deri and others, among them the “Yad L'Achim” organization, the missionary activity is still happening. This activity, from the city’s Orthodox community’s point of view is a kind of revolt, and even a threat to the Jewish character of the City of the Fathers.
The Orthodox, under Rabbi Deri’s leadership, cooperate with the “Yad L'Achim” organization in their struggle against the missionaries. The organization deals in general with what they call “rescuing Jews from inter-mingling with all kinds of Christian sects”. The motto of the organization is: “We’ll not give up even on one Jew”.
Telephone call – and everyone comes
By a discussion with “Yediot HaNegev” the rabbi publizices for the first time his initiative to establish a volunteer patrol. “Because of the missionary activity we established a volunteer headquarters in cooperation with organization “Yad L'Achim”, tells the rabbi. “Every call and report that we receive about missionary activity, we immediately recruit our volunteers to go there and we focus especially in explanation to the public. It is necessary that those who take part in these activities would know that behind the materials that are handed out to them, or the workshops that they are invited to, hides a clear target – to penetrate faith in Yeshu(a) their Messiah.”
The members of these patrols, alerted to act against the missions activities are Yeshiva students, most of them who study in Yeshivas under the presidency of Rabbi Deri. “One telephone call – and all of us come”, says one of the Yeshiva students with whom we discussed this week. “We are engaged in legal activity for HaShem, and never trespass the law. This is done for HaShem. Rabbi Deri takes care of the City of the Fathers and it’s future.”
Yacov Ohayon, a council member of the city of Beersheva, has taken part many times in the patrol’s activities. “We strengthen Rabbi Deri, who works hard for the future of the City of the Fathers”, says Ohayon. “Whatever he says – we immediately execute. We attack like lions for HaShem’s sake.”
The Yeshiva students emphasized once again that they act under the command of Rabbi Deri, “without violence or any kind of provocation from our side. Everything is done in legal ways, and not one of us violates the law.”
A member of the patrol highlighted that until today not even one of the activists, struggling against the missionary activity, has ever been arrested or brought to trial.
Court hearings
The struggle between the Orthodox and the missionaries in Beersheva has been going on for many years. More than once the struggle has deteriorated into violence, and the police had to intervene. Disputes between the two parties have even been discussed in the court.
Last June, Beersheva’s Magistrate Court rejected the claim which the missionaries had placed against Rabbi Yehuda Deri and the “Yad L'Achim” organization. The claim was placed after the struggle that broke out between the Orthodox and the Messianics in the old city of Beersheva.
The statement of claim said that at the end of 2005 it became known to Rabbi Deri that the “Messianic Jews” are about to perform a baptism ceremony on the congregational premises in Beersheva. The rabbi called hundreds of prayers to come there, and the statement of claim says that they “behaved wildly, cursed, shouted and attacked the Messianic Jews.”
It was claimed that Rabbi Deri was all that time outside of the congregational premises. Only after about three hours he entered to calm down the situation, when the police were also alerted to bring order to the place.
Those close to Rabbi Deri argued against that, that opposite the premises a massive prayer was held on purpose to send a message, proclaim a shout and protest against conversion of religion.
After the event one of the leaders of the Messianic community sued for a compensation of 60,000 NIS from Rabbi Deri, claiming damage to the congregational property and defamation.
In June the court rejected this claim, indicating, among other things, that “there’s no proof that the rabbi of the town and/or someone from the ‘Yad L'Achim” organization was involved or responsible in this event.
Exactly one year after the event, in December 2006, Rabbi Deri was surprised to receive a court order at his home. The order prohibited him to come near a missionary writer, who claimed that Rabbi Deri had sent people to conspire after him.
Rabbi Deri turned to the court and proved that the man had fabricated the claim. The court accepted the rabbi’s claims, cancelled the order, and even ordered the complainer to cover the expenses of the court.
Those close to the rabbi said that the person in question was a 'copyist' of the Scriptures in an Orthodox costume, and he turned out to belong to the ranks of the sect that is active in converting Jews to Christianity.
Handing out sausages and drinks
In Rabbi Deri’s headquarters reports of missionary activities are received from time to time. Upon receipt of the information Rabbi Deri activates the patrol, which members try to thwart the activity.
Recently Rabbi Deri has received report of a wide missionary activity in “Oren” center. Missionary activists set up a table in the shopping center and handed out informative material, and together with that give out free pastries, sausages and drinks.
The volunteer patrols, headed by Rabbi Deri, arrived immediately after receiving a report regarding activity in the shopping center, and started protesting until the table was dismantled and the activists left the place.
“Upon receiving the report”, Rabbi Deri recalls, “we decided that I would go there personally. I called the police and warned that this activity was against the law. The law determines activity for converting one’s religion in exchange for benefits, is forbidden and is a criminal offense. I told the police that the cakes and the sausages that were handed out free of charge are benefits. I don’t know whether they accepted my opinion or not, but in the end, the table was dismantled and these activists were sent away from the city by a police order.”
Rabbi Deri is convinced that the most difficult problem is the awareness of the public to this issue. “The missionaries of these times do not come anymore with crosses on their chests or in pastoral costumes, but cover themselves with robes of “Messianic Jews”, naturally in regular civilian costume”, says the rabbi.
According to him “they occasionally wear a star of David on their chest, sometimes a kippa and tassels, and all of this in order to camouflage their real intentions: to convert innocent Jews from their religion and faith. Our task as emissaries of the public is to remove this camouflage from them and expose their true identity. It is known that a number of months ago our activity stood a test in court, by a claim that was placed against me and against “Yad L'Achim”. The court cleared us from all blame, and actually recognized our activity as legal, that this is the obligation of every rabbi in Israel.”
It must be terrible to hate with such hatred that you lose sight of all that is Holy in the Word of God. Love your neighbour is a clear message from HASHEM, Leviticus 19:18, and yet so much hate. Exodus 20:16 tells us not to be a false witness and yet these poeple know they are going against this commandment but worse, HASHEM knows they are bearing false witness. We pray for these people that their eyes will be washed clean and their hearts become as flesh by the love of HASHEM before the awesome day of the Lord comes upon us all. Daniel 7:10 tells us that one day the Books will be opened, but will we find our names written there? It is time to turn to the Word of God and not the Talmud, it is time to search our hearts to know what HASHEM is saying and not man. HASHEM either loves all or He loves none. It is time to put hatred aside and give love a chance, hatred only destroys those who hate, but love builds up everyone.
ReplyDeleteWhat is sad about this interview is that Rabbi Deri himself is shackled to a cycle of brainwashing that is destroying his life and the lives of Israeli youth. The prophet Isaiah prophesied in 49:6b that Israel would be "a light to the gentiles" bringing G-d's salvation "to the ends of the earth." What we see here is precisely the opposite. Rabbi Deri has openly (and arrogantly) admitted to having perjured himself before the court in Be'er Sheva. If he has such contempt for the Israeli justice system, what kind of message is he passing on to our youth? His lack of understanding of Torah is glaring. Isaiah 56:3-7 gives clear instruction on how to conduct oneself vis-a-vis Gerim living in the Land, who keep the Nohide and Mosaic laws, and honor the Sabbath. Not only does Torah prohibit Rabbi Deri's action, the very Constitution of Israel guarantees freedom to practice one's religion in the Land, as well as free speech. Rabbi Deri seems have himself convinced that critically thinking people will actually side with his "concerns" of so-called "missionary activities." The obvious fact is that he himself is the worst kind of missionary, that he himself is trapped in a cult, and represents a very real threat to the the future of democratic Israel. He seems oblivious to the fact that a U.S. report has recently criticized his actions, and other such Constitutional violations in Israel. He seems to have disdain not only for the billions of dollars in foreign aid that have been pumped into establishing Israel as a democracy, and for the millions of tax-payer shekels that fund his welfare, although he can evince nothing of any benefit that he or his community of fanatical religious bigots have produced for Israel or her sons. Is this the religious heritage that Rabbi Deri's forefathers shed their blood to preserve? One that has contempt for justice, for friends of Israel, and for its tax-payers who support him?
ReplyDeleteRabbi Deri, we pray for you. May the G-d of our Fathers, who sees and knows the very depths of your blinded heart, have mercy on you - for you truly do not even know what you are doing. You cannot see what a backward model you are to children and youth who look to you to point them to Torah. May G-d help you out of your confusion, political ambitions, and spiritually dead religiously fanatical entanglements.
At the same time, if the Israeli Constitution ever meant anything at all, based on his own testimony here Rabbi Deri should be retried, convicted, fined heavily and stripped of his credentials. G-d is One - there is no darkness in Him, i.e.: since when does Talmudic commentary override Mosaic Law in regard to bearing false witness against one's neighbor?
What is sad about this interview is that Rabbi Deri himself is shackled to a cycle of brainwashing that is destroying his life and the lives of Israeli youth. The prophet Isaiah prophesied in 49:6b that Israel would be "a light to the gentiles" bringing G-d's salvation "to the ends of the earth." What we see here is precisely the opposite. Rabbi Deri has openly (and arrogantly) boasted about having perjured himself before the court in Be'er Sheva. If he has such contempt for the Israeli justice system, what kind of message is he passing on to our youth? And how is this a light to anyone, much less to any gentiles? Rabbi Deri lives in a tiny bubble - and only in that confused little place do these bizarre actions make any sense - a place where he receives the praise of men, who themselves have been taught not to think. This is not the shining of "light" to the world that the Jewish people were destined to be, this is the infantile blathering of a spiritually dead, morally corrupt, politically ambitious egotist, who has no place in a Land that was promised to true sons of Abraham. But he does not see this. Rabbi Deri's lack of understanding of Torah is glaring. Isaiah 56:3-7 gives clear instruction on how to conduct oneself vis-a-vis Gerim living in the Land, who keep the Nohide and Mosaic laws, and honor the Sabbath. Not only does Torah prohibit Rabbi Deri's action, the very Constitution of Israel guarantees freedom to practice one's religion in the Land, as well as free speech. Rabbi Deri seems have himself convinced that critically thinking people will actually side with his "concerns" of so-called "missionary activities." The obvious fact is that he himself is the worst kind of missionary, that he himself is trapped in a cult, and represents a very real threat to the the future of democratic Israel. He seems oblivious to the fact that a U.S. report has recently criticized his actions, and other such Constitutional violations in Israel. He seems to have disdain not only for the billions of dollars in foreign aid that have been pumped into establishing Israel as a democracy, and for the millions of tax-payer shekels that fund his welfare, although he can evince nothing of any benefit that he or his community of fanatical religious bigots have produced for Israel or her sons. Is this the religious heritage that Rabbi Deri's forefathers shed their blood to preserve? One that has contempt for justice, for friends of Israel, and for its tax-payers who support him?
ReplyDeleteRabbi Deri, we pray for you. May the G-d of our Fathers, who sees and knows the very depths of your blinded heart, have mercy on you - for you truly do not even know what you are doing. You cannot see what a backward model you are to children and youth who look to you to point them to Torah. May G-d help you out of your confusion, political ambitions, and spiritually dead religiously fanatical entanglements.
At the same time, if the Israeli Constitution ever meant anything at all, based on his own testimony here Rabbi Deri should be retried, convicted, fined heavily and stripped of his credentials. G-d is One - there is no darkness in Him, i.e.: since when does Talmudic commentary override Mosaic Law in regard to bearing false witness against one's neighbor?