Jews for Jesus is an international Christian missionary organization headquartered in San Francisco, California that is affiliated with the Messianic Jewish religious movement. The group is known for its proselytism of Jews and promotes the belief that Jesus is the Christ and the Son of God. It was founded in 1970 by Moishe Rosen, as Hineni Ministries, before being incorporated under its current name in 1973.
There are no Jewish religious authorities that consider Jews for Jesus to be a Jewish organization. Rabbinic Jewish authorities point out that there is only one mention of the Old Testament in its "Statement of Faith". Additionally, the Supreme Court of Israel determined that Messianic Jews are not actually Jews, as belief in Jesus as the Messiah is not a Jewish value. Instead, most Jews view Jesus as a false prophet and a failed messiah claimant.
History
Jews for Jesus was founded by Moishe Rosen, a Baptist minister of the Hebrew Christian movement and a former member of the American Board of Missions to the Jews (ABMJ). The organization was formed in 1970 under the name "Hineni Ministries" as a subsidiary group of the ABMJ. In 1973, Rosen left ABMJ and incorporated his ministry as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization under the name "Jews for Jesus". Originally, "Jews for Jesus" was one of the organization's several slogans, but after the media began to call the group "Jews for Jesus", the organization adopted the name.
Rosen and members began conducting community outreach on streets and college campuses of San Francisco, California. In the following years, branches were established in New York, Chicago, and Boston. In 1978, the Jews for Jesus headquarters relocated to its current location in San Francisco. In 1981, the organization expanded internationally. According to the organization, as of 2021, they maintain offices in 13 countries and 15 cities around the world.
Rosen remained Executive Director until 1996, when he stepped down to work full-time as a staff missionary. He was replaced by David Brickner, who has held the position since. Rosen remained on the Board of Directors until his death in 2010.
Beliefs
Jews for Jesus claims to synthesize Jewish heritage and Christian faith in spiritual harmony. They believe faith in Jesus is a viable expression of Jewish life.
The organization summarizes its beliefs in a statement of faith: The Old Testament and the New Testament are divinely inspired, without error, and are the final authority in all matters of faith and life. Traditional Jewish literature is in no way binding upon life or faith but of value only where it is supported by or conformable to the Word of God. There is one sovereign God, existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They believe that this concept is rooted in Judaism. Mankind was created in the image of God, but due to sin has been separated from God. Jesus is the Messiah and died for the sin of mankind as a substitutionary sacrifice. All who believe in Him have salvation. The Church is an elect people in accordance with the New Covenant, comprising both Jews and Gentiles who acknowledge Jesus as Messiah and Redeemer. Jesus will return personally in order to consummate the prophesied purposes concerning His kingdom. The bodily resurrection of the just and the unjust, the everlasting blessedness of the saved and the everlasting conscious punishment of the lost.
Operations
Jews for Jesus is a registered 501(c)(3) organization that employs approximately 250 staff worldwide. Its headquarters are located in San Francisco, California, and operates offices in New York City, Los Angeles, Toronto, Sydney, Johannesburg, London, Berlin, Paris, Budapest, Tel Aviv, Kiev, Odessa, Moscow, and Jerusalem.
Once well-known for their distribution of hand-drawn religious tracts, today Jews for Jesus conducts community engagement through other means. Examples of their outreach methods include Jewish holiday events, Bible studies, service projects, internet evangelism, and multi-purpose spaces such as the Moishe Rosen Center in Tel Aviv and the Upside Down Cafe in Los Angeles.
Funding and organization
Jews for Jesus’ income comes primarily from Christian donors. The nonprofit’s annual income breakdown consists of 87% individual support, 5% miscellaneous revenue, 5% congregational support, and 3% congregational offerings. Their annual expenditures consist of 77% outreach, 12% administration, and 11% fundraising. According to the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, the group's total income in FY 2018 was US$24,767,732 and its total assets were $39,596,245.