Why Jews Are Misunderstood

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Jews have been misunderstood since Mt. Sinai because Judaism itself is greatly misunderstood. Admittedly, Judaism appears strange when compared to other faiths. Whereas Christianity, Islam, and other religions seek adherents, and openly preach and proclaim the trueness of their faiths, Judaism appears to do the exact opposite. Judaism seems withdrawn to within itself and quietly unconcerned with the spiritual wellbeing of non-Jews. Judaism also seems, to the outsider, to be preoccupied with the minutiae of obscure law. This has given rise to the myth that Judaism is a religion of “justice,” devoted to the worship of a “vengeful God.”

These misconceptions are, for the most part, the result of an 1800 year campaign of marketing and persecution by the Church who sought to replace the original Torah with their own ideology.

The Christian world invested tremendous effort in quashing Torah teachings and thought. Christianity was so determined to stop Torah teaching that they not only burned books, they actually attempted to kill every rabbi and Jewish teacher they could find. They subjected Jews to persecution, exile, torture, and even death. Jews were forced into ghettos and frequently prohibited from teaching or printing Torah thought and teachings. As the oppressors outlawed Jewish and non-Jewish interactions, they simultaneously accused the Jews of being separatist and aloof. As the persecutors locked the Ghetto gates, they accused the Jews of being secretive and insular.  

Persecution formed the basis for a propaganda that only fueled further harassment and discrimination. This condition was the norm for most of the Jewish world until only 70 years ago.

Since after the Holocaust, Jews have enjoyed religious freedom unlike anything experienced for the past 2000 years. With the decline of official oppression and discrimination, it is only now that Judaism is being discussed, studied, and taught freely.

Even with this religious freedom, we continue to see shameful displays of, and sometimes, violent anti-Semitism.

So, if you ever wondered why it has been so difficult for so long to find any mainstream orthodox rabbis to teach us hungry Noahides please remember that literally 24 hours a day they are in survival mode, just trying to get through another day.  It is so sad to think that every Jew is born with a target on their back.

May God remove that target speedily in our day.