Speaker Garett Smith, a member of the contraversial organization Jews for Jesus, elicited various reactions from the Brandeis community when he spoke in upstairs Sherman last Thursday. The event, sponsored by the Brandeis Christian Fellowship, evoked campus-wide debate and a protest by members of Hillel, whose members said they were offended by Smith's presence. Approximately 160 people attended his discussion about whether a Jew can believe in Jesus -- A great majority were protesters.Smith began with a disclaimer. "I'll give you a point of view, you could take it or leave it," he said. Additionally, he said that he planned to speak about his own personal experience rather than Jews for Jesus. "This meeting is not about Jews for Jesus - it's can a Jew believe in Jesus," he said.

As Smith opened the floor for questions, approximately 90 members of Hillel left the room silently in protest. The Hillel protest was not targeted at Smith, but rather at the organization Jews for Jesus.

According to members of the Hillel Executive Board Daniel Braunfeld '03, Rachel Silverman '04 and Marc Herman '05, a unified Hillel response was necessary in order to avoid thoughtless or irrational responses from individuals.

The protest contained several tiers. It was designed to address what happened on campus both during and after the program, and also contained an off-campus response. At the time of the program, members of Hillel attempted to take up as many of the seats as possible, walking out when the floor was opened for questions. Protestors left yellow cards as they left (which Hillel cleaned up after the program) that served as an explanation of their actions. Outside of the program, people held posters and handed out literature about the goals and tactics of Jews for Jesus.

"Everybody both inside and outside of the presentation was instructed to be completely silent and not to engage in any debate or dialogue," said Hillel President Daniel Braunfeld. "There were several concerns with people getting into debates ... we didn't want anybody to say anything that could be re-worked to be offensive," he said. We felt that silence was the best way to have our message heard ... we wanted to get our message across without preventing the free speech of the presenter."

Hillel leaders said the club was protesting Jews for Jesus and the tactics the organization uses in order to convert Jews. Members of the Hillel executive board said no Jewish group accepts Jews for Jesus as a valid Jewish organization. "The entire Jewish community stands together on the fact that Jews for Jesus is not Jewish -- and they don't stand together on much else," said Rachel Silverman, Hillel social events coordinator.

"This protest showed the unity of the Jewish community and its ability to come together ... as divided as the community is both on and off campus," said Marc Herman, Hillel Israel and culture coordinator.

After the protest, Hillel held what it termed a "therapeutic" session which allowed protesters to express their feelings. Hillel also did a great deal of off-campus publicizing for their Monday night program, "A Jewish Response to Christian Missionaries." Hillel said the next step of its reaction will be a long-term stage which involves dialogue between both students and leadership of the religious groups on campus. "We'll deal with the pain that Jewish students feel about having Jews for Jesus brought to campus, and the pain felt by the students on campus who think that the protest was aimed at them and not at Jews for Jesus," Braunfeld said.

Abraham Storer '03, former co-president and current head of publicity for the Brandeis Christian Fellowship said the fellowship chose to sponsor this event because it is relevant and seems to interest people. "We wanted to present things from a different point of view," he said. "The Brandeis seal says, 'Truth Even Unto Its Innermost Parts,' and this is part of a search for truth -- seeing different perspectives," he said.

While Storer said some of the signs seemed to demonize the organization, overall, he said the protest was not upsetting and he is glad the protesters came and were respectful. "They have the right to voice their opinion," he said. "I have a lot of friends that are protesting it, I think that we can disagree intellectually."

Smith in his presentation discussed the idea that everyone who wrote the New Testament, except possibly Luke, was a Jew. He also said that all of the original believers in Jesus as the messiah were Jewish. Those who sought to become Christians first had to convert to Judaism.

"Believing in Jesus was a pretty Jewish thing to do," Smith said.

Smith, born and raised a Reform Jew in San Francisco, discussed his own Jewish identity. Smith partook in Jewish rituals and traditions. He said while being Jewish was very important to him, it had nothing to do with God.

Seeking a more spiritual meaning to life, Smith traveled through East Asia for a few years and said he has no desire to return to Western society. When his father planned a family trip to Israel, Smith joined them and remained in Israel after their departure. Smith stayed at a Christian youth hostel there and was given a copy of the Bible.

"The Bible hit my hand and I had this thought: I've really got to read this thing ... I want to look at the book that has caused so much horror in the world," he said. "How can I be educated and not read it?"

Having never been exposed to the New Testament, Smith said he was initially fearful of reading it. "That's the other guy's book, I can't read it," he said. Despite this initial fear, Smith said he became fascinated with the Gospels.

Upon his return to the United States, after a year of Bible study in Israel, Smith encountered difficulty when facing his family and friends and at some points, wished that his life could return to the way it was before.

Smith also discussed his belief that the messiah is a messiah for all people, both Jews and gentiles, from the seed of Abraham, the Jewish patriarch. "If he's not the messiah for the Jewish people, he's not the messiah for anyone," Smith said.

He also said that the Torah points to the coming of a new covenant and tells about the desire of God to dwell among the people. "Another one is coming -- the Torah is pointing to something ... God wants to bring us in, to embrace us again," Smith said.

The floor was opened for a question and answer session, during which Smith addressed the ideas of original sin, the nature of the Messianic congregation, and proselytizing.

"I do believe its right to share a belief ... How could I be silent about it," Smith said. "I don't want people to reject it if they're not aware of it."

Smith also added he is not interested in speaking to those who do not care to speak to him.