Has the Jewish Agency Gone Missionary?

It is true and unprecedented that the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) is engaged in a highly problematic aliya and lone soldier venture with evangelizing messianic Christians. It is reprehensible that, while acknowledging and agreeing to seriously investigate “numerous violations” of their partnership with Return Ministries’ “Aliyah Return Center”, the Jewish Agency has conspired to shoot the messengers who warned them of those violations in the first place.  

Beyneynu, a non-profit organization that monitors missionary activity in Israel, along with Outreach Judaism, a well-established international organization which counters the issues raised by Christian missionaries and cults, are both well-equipped and positioned to sensitively assist JAFI out of a tight spot. And yet these organizations have been accused by the Agency’s attorney of a slew of nasty “violations of the law” for addressing their concerns via an email sent, last month, to JAFI’s staff and Board of Governors (BOG).  

I checked with Beyneynu’s Director, Shannon Nuszen, and as of this writing, the Jewish Agency has yet to specify which mailing laws were violated. Nor has the Jewish Agency specified which pieces of evidence they believe to be false and misleading. 

It appears any efforts to get Beyneynu or Outreach Judaism to cease and desist in their mission to defend the integrity of Jewish identity, in the face of messianic/missionary activities, will likely backfire on the Jewish Agency. A growing number of prominent, accountable and influential voices in the Jewish world are demanding clarification from JAFI, while rightfully turning to Beyneynu and Outreach Judaism for guidance – and for the whole story. 

It all began as a delightful infantile fantasy among Jews – Israeli ones in particular, charged with a wee bit too much messianism. The recurrent narrative has, for years, been something akin to, “The evangelicals are our best friends. Don’t ask questions. Don’t bite the hand that feeds you.”

In an attempt to fast-forward to “happily ever after” it seems those orchestrating Israel’s interfaith alliances with passionate christ-centered evangelists opted from the outset to take the painless path rather than navigate the challenging high road. Embracing commonalities eclipsed respect for differences. A prerequisite exploration of potential misunderstandings, mistakes, and confrontations was simply side-stepped. 

By partnering with Dean Bye’s Return Ministries and his messianic Christian-run “Aliyah Return Center,” it appears that JAFI – an organization “working to secure a vibrant Jewish future for generations to come” – effectively put the fox in charge of the henhouse. So before this episode descends into the genre of horror, we best do some myth-busting because the chickens are coming home to roost!

Return Ministries is most certainly a missionary organization. It has a history of assisting the aliya of messianic Christian missionaries through their Ministry’s “Project Return.” The growing documentation of Return Ministries’ missionary intentions, activities, and associations is a poorly kept secret, being online and available for all to see for at least a decade. 

By the Spring of 2016, influential leaders affiliated with JAFI were aware of the growing concerns and suggested that meetings be arranged with those involved in the field of missionary awareness and research. What may have recently caught JAFI’s attorney and certain staff unaware is how very involved Shannon has been in working with the Agency on this issue – for over the past five years.  

It was Shannon Nuszen, now founder and director of Beyneynu, who was present at the April 2016 JAFI meeting, attended by advisors and staff to then JAFI Chairman Natan Sharansky. In March 2019 Nuszen was again invited to give a presentation to the Executive staff of JAFI chairman Yitzḥak Herzog. In December 2019 Nuszen and two other concerned and involved participants met with Herzog. In each of those meetings Return Ministries and the “Aliyah Return Center” topped the agenda. In January 2020, Herzog’s office requested follow-up material including video links and documentation on Return Ministries. Shannon Nuszen provided the material.

I asked Nuszen if at any time JAFI representatives dismissed the concerns or materials presented.

“We were taken seriously, treated respectfully, and asked to continue sending evidence for follow up. It was always clear to us that Jewish Agency representatives understood the problem, and that the only question was what to do about it. In none of these meetings was the authenticity of our evidence ever questioned, therefore the legal response we received from JAFI’s attorney and the public press statement made came as a complete surprise. We have asked the Jewish Agency to explain exactly which pieces of evidence they believe to be false and misleading, but to date have not received a response.”

Nuszen has been involved with JAFI leadership for many years and there was nothing illegal about the way their email list was obtained. 

I asked Nuszen why she and other Jewish leaders affiliated with JAFI felt it necessary to take the step of addressing global Jewish leadership in an email conveying the urgency of the issue.

“Unfortunately, over the past year we have only witnessed more problematic videos from the missionaries themselves, more involvement with the residents than we had seen before, teachings to volunteers about the conversion of Jews to Christianity, claims of a government ‘kosher stamp’ for their ministry, broadcast on messianic TV, and more contracts being signed in which the Christians boast about a ‘deepening of our relationship with the Jewish Agency.’  We felt we had no choice but to continue to bring our concerns and to include members of the Board of Governors – Jewish leaders from around the world.” 

Nuszen emphasizes that Beynenu does not make an effort to garner publicity or to be in the spotlight. Beyneynu prefers to work behind the scenes to help Jewish and Israeli organizations in the public and private sectors establish proper boundaries in their relationships with evangelical entities. It’s only necessary to inform the public on specific cases that require urgent awareness and action.

Dean Bye of Return Ministries and his messianic son-in-law, Chaim Malespin, director of the “Aliyah Return Center,” have been taking every opportunity to boast about their partnership with the Jewish Agency. It is perceived by evangelicals as a textbook model of successful friendship evangelism and bridge-building. Indeed, Return Ministries prominently displays JAFI’s emblem on their website. In what must be the evangelical equivalent of “kvelling,” they have been incessantly crowing about their “in” with the Jewish Agency for Israel:

“…the jewish Agency, the largest Aliyah organization in the planet earth, … are actually the ones who send us the immigrants to take care of and send us the lone soldiers and the agricultural school people…”

“They [the government] actually approached us. Would you like to work together?…If you’re willing, we really want to give you the approval. You’re no longer just this Aliyah Return Center unknown ministry. You now have the backing and the approval – almost the kosher stamp – of the government.”

“What’s really amazing is that there’s this partnership with the Jewish Agency with the Aliyah Return Center that’s headed in this country by a Messianic Jew.”

As a former missionary, Beyneynu‘s Shannon Nuszen explains a rather frightening and eye-opening strategy that throws a disturbing light on Israel’s faith-based alliances:

“The most important lesson and biggest tactic that is taught to missionaries/messianics, who want to influence the Jewish community, is the necessity of establishing oneself as a known and respected personality within Jewish circles. Befriending Jewish leaders, attending Torah classes and events is a must. When it comes to raising funds (and the competition is tough among evangelical bodies) these missionaries can then say, ‘not only are we trying to influence the Jews, but are ‘in’ and making a difference. We are recognized by prominent Jewish leaders and the Israeli government, and we are making an impact, so your funding should come to us’.”

But Beynenu‘s Nuszen brought up something even more disturbing about this tactic.  As Nuszen explained: 

“Once these missionaries have gained credibility and friends within the Jewish community, and are surrounded by Jewish leadership, it becomes very difficult for missionary awareness professionals to expose the subterfuge. The Jewish friends end up resolutely defending their evangelizing friends, thus enabling and empowering missionary designs directed at the Jewish people and the nation of Israel” 

Understandably there is no love lost between Return Ministries and Shannon Nuszen. Dean Bye’s Return Ministries’ webpage makes this perfectly clear:

“Return Ministries and the Aliyah Return Center have been grossly misrepresented in a cribbed-together video by a disgruntled former Christian-turned-Jewish convert in Israel. May God have mercy on the author.”

Far from being “disgruntled,” Shannon is inspired and intelligent. It is refreshing and admirable to see someone step forward who takes her responsibilities as a Jew seriously, as opposed to those burnt-out Israeli activists who respond to the missionary threat with a cynical, “No one has tried to convert me.” Beyneynu is not about destroying relationships. Beyneynu is about mending fences.

Perhaps more than others Shannon understands that “all of Israel is responsible for one another.” She knows that the world Jewish community and Israel as a nation will ultimately be judged by the manner in which their leadership treats the weaker and vulnerable sectors of society.  

Beyneynu is also not a one woman show. What Dean Bye, Chaim Malespin, and the Jewish Agency should know is that Shannon maintains excellent working relations with her gentile friends and colleagues who, while still connected to their messianic church networks, assist her in poring over massive amounts of documentation and video footage – most of which is in the public domain and authored by the missionaries themselves. Righteous gentiles along with former missionaries who have joined the Jewish people, missionary awareness consultants, Jewish leaders, veteran reporters, rabbis, and academics are all working together with Beyneynu to expose the convoluted challenge that that “pro-Israel” evangelicals pose to Jewish identity in Israel.

But there is something else very special about Shannon Nuzsen and Beyenenu – something we haven’t seen for a very long time. A year ago Shannon was able to walk through the Jewish Agency’s doors, flanked by a kibbutznik and a Ḥassidic Jew. Sitting down to meet with JAFI chairman Yitzḥak Herzog, the trio represented the entire spectrum of Jewish political and religious worlds – coming together on this issue that unites all of us. Shannon Nuszen has effectively reinstated the Jewish credo and mission of “We Are One.” The Jewish Agency for Israel should appreciate that.