We’ve recently reported about a court case against Beersheva’s Chief Rabbi Yehuda Deri. This is not the first time Messianic Jews have considered suing Deri. In 2007, according to Israel based anti-missionary group Yad L’Achim, a court case against Beersheva’s Chief Rabbi Yehuda Deri, brought by Malachi a Messianic Jew, was overturned.

The rabbi had been given an order banning him from approaching Malachi, a scribe. When it was revealed in 2005 by an undercover anti-missionary unit from Yad L’Achim that, Malachi was a Messianic Jew, Deri published a religious ruling banning anyone purchasing any of the scribes work because he was a kefirah [heretic]. It is alleged that the several Yeshiva students that beat up the Messianic scribe were sent by Deri. The court ruling was overturned. Deri said, “The missionaries spread a libel about me, after I used all legal means to stop them. In cooperation with the people of Yad L’Achim, a special network of volunteers has been set up that uses every legitimate means to stop missionary activity. This court order was revenge on the part of the missionaries.” Rabbi Sholom Dov Lipschitz, head of Yad L’Achim, said last week, “This infuriating event must serve as a red light. We see that missionaries aren’t afraid to use any tool at their disposal. First, they send to the front a person who looks like a religious Jew to act in our midst as a sofer [scribe]. When he is revealed, they don’t hesitate to spread a libel against the Rav [rabbi] of the city. The time has come for the public to wake up and expel the missionaries from its midst.”

Howard Bass, pastor of the Messianic congregation in Beersheva wrote, “When I returned from the US I found out from a couple who are not in fellowship with others, were taking Rabbi Yehuda Deri to court, accusing him of being responsible for Malachi being attacked and beaten. To my surprise, they included my name and the address of our congregation in their claims, thinking that this would also serve to our benefit. It may well be, if not as they had hoped. They lost the case, not having enough evidence against Deri’s personal involvement.

A group of about 10-15 Habadnikim (those who believe that the dead Lubavitch rabbi from Brooklyn is the messiah) came to protest during our service they sang, danced, shouted, and cursed. This is all done outside the property. The first time they passed out flyers with the picture of their rabbi/messiah; this last time they had flyers with photos of one of the couples in our congregation and another couple from another congregation. When they came another time, also about the end of the service, we were still praising the Lord and getting ready for our monthly picnic, they decided to climb up the wall surrounding the property to cause more of a disturbance. A local newspaper stated that the religious, led by Deri and Yad L’Achim employ verbal violence and incitement against us. A local distinguished rabbi was interviewed on the radio and totally dismissed us as “criminals and deceivers”, whom he believes is his responsibility and that of the local authorities to “vomit” out.”

Posted by Gever.

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