 Jews for Judaism has been working for three decades to counter the efforts of missionaries that target Jews for conversion to Christianity. Here are a few of the frequently asked questions we receive. Are there many Christian missionary groups targeting Jews? And how much is being spent on their efforts? There are over 1,000 Christian evangelical groups actively involved in missionizing the Jewish people globally. These Hebrew Christian groups are currently spending over $350 million per year on these efforts and in recent years over 400,000 Jews worldwide have embraced some form of Christianity. What are the chances that I will be approached by a missionary? It is estimated that four out of five Jews in North America will be approached at some time by a Christian missionary. This person may be a professional missionary or more likely a friend, neighbor, fellow student or colleague who is a devout evangelical Christian. How might I be approached? Someone might come to your door, confront you on the street or leave literature at your door. A letter in the mail from an organization you've never heard of invites you to what seems to be a Jewish cultural event. A new friend, associate or someone from your neighborhood invites you to a social gathering. But the most common way that Jews today are introduced to proselytizing missionaries is through the internet and social media. What are some of the telltale signs of these groups? If someone starts talking about being a messianic Jew or completed Jew or fulfilled Jew or claims that a Jew can accept Jesus or Yeshua as they often refer to him without giving up Judaism and that you can be a Jew for Jesus then you are speaking with a missionary. What is Jews for Jesus? Jews for Jesus is just one of over a thousand Hebrew Christian missionary groups which attempt to convert Jews to Christianity. However, the term Jews for Jesus has become a generic way to refer to the movement of Jews who have embraced Christianity. Leaders of these groups are often ordained Christian ministers who are specifically trained in techniques for converting unsuspecting Jews. Members of these groups deceptively use Jewish symbols such as the Star of David so as to appear Jewish. Their goal is to take Jews away from Judaism and bring them into the Christian church. How Jewish are groups like Jews for Jesus? While a large number of them are in fact Jews, others are Gentiles who deceptively adopt Jewish traditions and names in order to appear Jewish. On a religious level, their Jewishness is no more than a front since these groups accept traditional Christian teaching and reject Jewish teaching in every issue with a two diverge. How is the missionary movement organized? On the local level, much of the messianic Jewish movement is organized in the form of churches which call themselves messianic synagogues. These churches use Jewish trappings such as skull caps and prayer shawls to hide their Christian nature from potential converts. Some of these local congregations also operate child daycare facilities, full-time day schools and Bible counseling centers. For many Jewish converts to Christianity, these messianic synagogues serve as halfway houses until such individuals are ready to enter the Gentile churches. How do other Christians feel about Jews for Jesus groups? A number of sensitive Christians have condemned the deceptions of groups like Jews for Jesus. Other Christian individuals and groups have been less sensitive to Jewish community concerns and Christian churches continue to spend millions annually worldwide to convert Jews to Christianity. Most of these missionary and conversionary groups are affiliated with various evangelical Protestant denominations. Are missionaries a problem in Israel? Yes, an increasing number of Christian missionary groups, most of them based in the United States, have targeted the Israeli Jewish population for conversion. Messianic synagogues and Hebrew Christian churches now exist in almost every Israeli population center. Are missionary leaders sincere? It could be that some of them are in it for the money, but most are probably very sincere in their belief that only people who believe as they do will go to heaven. All others will burn in hell forever. Since they believe this so sincerely, some of the missionaries will resort to various techniques and devices to persuade you to believe like they do. Is there a way to prevent someone from becoming involved? An effective program for the prevention has five components. First, affiliate. Become part of the Jewish community. Take classes in Judaism. Join a synagogue or attend events at the Jewish community center. Take advantage of the Jewish resources in your community and strengthen your bond with your past and your people. Two, Jewish education and lifestyle experiences. One who knows his or her faith in a dynamic and living way will rarely be attracted to the cheap substitute offered by the missionaries. Be more Jewish. Three, open communication. Encourage open communication with your loved ones in all areas and develop a firm family support base for times of transition and crisis. Four, critical thinking. People should be trained in the skills of critical evaluation and should be made aware of the practices of deceptive conversionary groups. Five, outreach. Each one of us must be a Jewish outreach worker, aware of the existence of hurts and vulnerabilities in our midst, and seek to reach out to the lonely and vulnerable before the missionaries do. You can make a difference. Be a Jew for Judaism.