God bless the community of Kfar HaRo'eh, the "local mail distributor" who alerted the community rabbis of this illegal attempt by Christian missionaries to distribute their pamphlets to Jewish communities, and Rabbi Eliezer Weiss and Eitan Kupferberg who found a solution to this problem.
I have no problem with Christians in general. I respect my Christian brothers and sisters who stand with us in support of Israel and the Jewish people, but they must not attempt to convert us--especially with the lies and deceit employed by those who call themselves "messianic Jews."
We must always draw a firm line between respecting fellow religious people and allowing those people to plot to steal the souls of the weak in Jewish communities.
In Israel it is against the law to offer any enticement to someone to convert to another religion or to attempt to convert any person under the age of 18.
It seems to me that there is no guarantee that those pamphlets would not end up in the hands of those under 18 years of age unless they were specifically addressed to those over 18 and enclosed in properly addressed envelopes.
Apparently, according to the description by the postal distributor, those pamphlets were to be delivered somewhat like junk mail--distributed to all homes on the route without specifying the recipient and without enclosure in an envelope.
Those who sent that junk mail should be thankful to the community for sparing them the large fine per household and possible criminal penalties if those pamphlets had gotten into the hands of those under 18!
Meanwhile, those who signed the document to refuse the distribution have performed a great Mitzvah!
May we always stand together, as a community, to protect Jewish souls, especially the souls of those Jews damaged by poverty, drugs, sickness, ignorance, and the persecution of communism. May every Jews remain strong in Mitzvot and Torah!
M
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Community Stands Up to Missionary Mailings
Kfar HaRo'eh refuses to accept the little blue pamphlets despite threats of criminal prosecution.
By Gil Ronen
First Publish: 1/3/2012, 8:51 AM
Missionary James Joseph, aka 'the Jesus guy'
Israel news photo: Flash 90
As part of a Christian missionary campaign, hundreds of thousands of Jewish homes have recently received blue pamphlets that contain missionary material. Kfar HaRo'eh – a religious community in north-central Israel that is named for Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak HaCohen Kook – was also targeted, but its leadership decided that the pamphlets must not be allowed to reach residents' homes.
Eitan Kupferberg, secretary of Kfar HaRo'eh, told Arutz Sheva that the local mail distributor contacted him last week and said that she had received a shipment of pamphlets and that she was obligated to distribute them, as distribution fees had been paid. "She came to me, fearful and trembling, and it turned out that along with the pamphlets she received a document that said that according to section 90a of the law we are obligated, as the ones responsible for distribution, to distribute the said product."
The "said product" turned out to be small blue pamphlets with missionary content.
The community's rabbi, Rav Eliezer Weiss, was consulted. Kupferberg also spoke with the legal advisor of the Israel Postal Company branch in Hadera, who confirmed that the law compels him to distribute the pamphlets or face a fine, or even imprisonment.
In response, Kupferberg had the residents sign a document in which they collectively announce that they refuse to receive the mailing. He then sent the shipment back with this document, and a letter that states that the missionary material itself is illegal and ignores the character of the community at Kfar HaRo'eh, which is a symbol of the religious Zionist movement.
The pamphlet's distributors sent another letter, a few days later, with a warning regarding possible legal action. Kupferberg says he prefers to "give them time to think again."
"In our community, we have decided to stand like a fortified wall," he explained. "The pamphlets were not distributed. We told them that they are welcome to take them from here. Period, end of story."
Eitan Kupferberg, secretary of Kfar HaRo'eh, told Arutz Sheva that the local mail distributor contacted him last week and said that she had received a shipment of pamphlets and that she was obligated to distribute them, as distribution fees had been paid. "She came to me, fearful and trembling, and it turned out that along with the pamphlets she received a document that said that according to section 90a of the law we are obligated, as the ones responsible for distribution, to distribute the said product."
The "said product" turned out to be small blue pamphlets with missionary content.
The community's rabbi, Rav Eliezer Weiss, was consulted. Kupferberg also spoke with the legal advisor of the Israel Postal Company branch in Hadera, who confirmed that the law compels him to distribute the pamphlets or face a fine, or even imprisonment.
In response, Kupferberg had the residents sign a document in which they collectively announce that they refuse to receive the mailing. He then sent the shipment back with this document, and a letter that states that the missionary material itself is illegal and ignores the character of the community at Kfar HaRo'eh, which is a symbol of the religious Zionist movement.
The pamphlet's distributors sent another letter, a few days later, with a warning regarding possible legal action. Kupferberg says he prefers to "give them time to think again."
"In our community, we have decided to stand like a fortified wall," he explained. "The pamphlets were not distributed. We told them that they are welcome to take them from here. Period, end of story."
Just throw the bum out of the country or let him go to Gaza and give it a try.
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