Lev L'Achim (, "heart for brothers"), or P'eylim Lev L'Achim, is a
Jewish
Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
educational organization operating in
Israel
Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...
. It has an American non-profit 501(c)3 affiliate of the same name.
Work
Lev L'Achim's programs include: enrolling Jewish children in religious schools, operating
Torah
The Torah ( , "Instruction", "Teaching" or "Law") is the compilation of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, namely the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. The Torah is also known as the Pentateuch () ...
learning centers for teens and adults, assisting immigrants, shelters for abused women, big-brother programs, and drop-out prevention. The organization has also assisted in rescuing Jewish Israeli women held in captivity in the Palestinian territories and participated in opposing Christian missionary work in Israel.
Controversy
In 2009, the
U.S. State Department
The United States Department of State (DOS), or simply the State Department, is an executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the country's foreign policy and relations. Equivalent to the ministry of foreign affairs ...
, in its annual ''International Religious Freedom Report'',
International Religious Freedom Report 2009: Israel and the occupied territories
Released by the U.S. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor noted that Israeli "society's attitudes toward missionary activities and conversion generally were negative. Most Jews were opposed to missionary activity directed at Jews, and some were hostile to Jewish converts to Christianity." In that context, the report named Lev L'Achim as one of the groups of "concern" for their work against Christian missionaries operating in Israel.
See also
* Shuvu Chazon Avrohom
* Judaism in Israel
*Missionary
A missionary is a member of a Religious denomination, religious group who is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Thoma ...
*Proselytization and counter-proselytization of Jews
A number of religious groups, particularly Christians and Muslims, are involved in the proselytization of Jews—attempts to recruit or "missionize" Jews.
In response, some Jewish groups have formed counter-missionary/counter-proselytization orga ...
*Lehava
Lehava ( "Flame," ''LiMniat Hitbolelut B'eretz HaKodesh''; Prevention of Assimilation in the Holy Land) is a far-right and Jewish supremacist organization based in Israel that strictly opposes Jewish assimilation, objecting to most personal r ...
References
External links
"Missionary work in Israel a silent Holocaust"
Yad L'Achim
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Jewish organizations based in Israel
Jewish outreach
Jewish counter-missionaries
Rabai Shech
Opposition to Christianity in Israel