One morning last week as I made my way to class, somebody pointed me toward a group of posters that were plastered all over the Rabb steps. They read in large, clear letters, "Can a Jew Believe in Jesus?"These words pierced me not only as a Jew, but, less specifically, as a person. I then learned that the Brandeis Christian Fellowship (BCF) had invited to campus Garett Smith, a man "who wanted just to share (his) experience." My blood boiled as my simple Google search matched Smith with the organization Jews for Jesus, and showed that he is currently the Chief of Station at their Boston branch.

Let me explain.

It is hard to decide which is worse -- the goal of this organization or the deceptive means by which they operate. Masking themselves as a Jewish organization, Jews for Jesus attracts Jews by making them feel they are going to a lecture not only by a Jew and for Jews, but to hear a position within Jewish theology. As a case in point, the name Jews for Jesus was deceptively found nowhere on the signs around Brandeis, despite Smith's having been trained by the organization for an entire year in New York before he moved on to San Francisco and now Boston.

Being a missionary is acceptable. Deception is not.

It is easy to understand why Jews for Jesus is beyond offensive and is seen as fatal by Jewish advocates across the nation. To recognize the magnitude of the danger we must erase all ambiguity surrounding the effect, if not intent, of Jews for Jesus as an organization: The erasure of the Jewish religion. Converting Jews to believe in Jesus pulls those Jews out of their religion and places them firmly in the hands of Christianity. We must be clear in seeing that the conversion of Jews only leads to one thing: Judaism fading from the world religious theater.

The Anti Defamation League (ADL), an internationally recognized watchdog organization dedicated to erasing hate and bigotry in America, has built up quite a case against Jews for Jesus and the incredibly offensive and deceptive means by which the group operates.

Most recently, Jews for Jesus launched an ad campaign using pictures of Holocaust survivors with quotes on them about Jesus. In a press release, ADL Chair Abraham Foxman wrote, "Once again, Jews for Jesus is trying to distort Jewish identity as part of their deceptive and offensive campaign to impose Christian beliefs on Jews. By emphasizing the Holocaust, Jews for Jesus is using the darkest chapter in the history of Judaism -- the persecution and annihilation of European Jews -- to attempt to mislead survivors and their children about their history and faith."

Now that the dire theological and existential threat that Jews for Jesus poses to Judaism has been demonstrated, let's return to the Brandeis campus.

Receiving news that Jews for Jesus was being brought to campus, I, along with students across campus, was not sure how to react. Did the BCF know how hurtful the organization they were sponsoring was? Should I rally against Jews for Jesus, or should I direct my fight towards the BCF?

As voiced by countless students at the meetings held by Hillel before the event, the threat of Jews for Jesus coming to campus was seen as extremely serious. As a Jew, my comfort zone was being trampled upon. I could only imagine what the reaction on campus would be if Hillel put up flyers asking, "Should Christians think (insert belief here)?"

There had been some conjecture around campus that proselytizing is part of some denominations within Christianity and that Hillel cannot ask them to stop. This is an erroneous oversimplification of campus rights and liberties. Jews for Jesus has a destructive effect on the Jewish people. No matter how freely academia prescribes student groups to function, the line is drawn when other groups are in danger of getting hurt. Jewish students on campus were in this danger and therefore the BCF should have sensitively withdrawn this speaker from their program.

Once challenged, the BCF introduced the speaker by saying that despite opposition, they decided to keep the program because it would at the very least be provocative.

In American academic circles today, the word "provocative" has taken on a dangerously positive meaning. On campus, and in the world at large, powerful keywords such as "provocative" are only so when they are not abused. In calling this event "provocative," the BCF erred in overrating this word and using it as a vessel on which to bring Jews for Jesus to campus. Listing other provocative figures in this world and demonstrating how they would probably not even be allowed on this campus is unnecessary.

Living on a diverse college campus calls for students and clubs to have an acute sense of tolerance and respect. While provoking ourselves to grow, there are lines which we are legally prohibited from crossing, and lines that we have the responsibility to draw ourselves. The administration deliberated on the issue, but decided they would not stop this event from occurring and would not take an official stance.

Bringing Jews for Jesus crossed a barrier of respect deserved and demanded by Jewish students on campus. Based on the serious damage that was caused in this case, this organization should never be brought back again. Only once mutual respect for all religious groups on campus is regained will Brandeis be able to function at its full potential.

-- Yoni Goodman '05 submits a column to the Justice.