As part of a massive nation-wide Evangelistic campaign, a film entitled alternately “Massada…Movement to Freedom” and “Neyer Again” will be broadcast on New York area television stations at various times during the High Holidays, according to the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York.
The sponsors have placed ads in major American newspapers advertising the film, but without mention of the fact that it is sponsored by World Evangelism Inc., a California-based missionary group. Morris Cerullo, producer and narrator of the film, has produced other evangelistic films for the group and describes himself as “God’s servant to reach the Jews now,” the JCRC reported.
The film, which features Yigal Yadin and his son, Yossi, along with Israeli actor Ort Levy, tells the story of the martyrdom at Massada. However, there are interspersed messages which Cerullo clearly states in literature he has sent to Christian clergymen and others aimed at converting Jews, the JCRC said.
ROSH HASHANAH VIEWING DUE
The film will be shown on more than 250 stations. It has already been shown in California, Florida and Massachusetts, among other places, but is scheduled for prime time broadcast and reruns around Rosh Hashanah. The film is scheduled to be shown in New York Friday at 10 p.m. on WOR-TV Channel 9, Rosh Hashanah eve. During the program, the JCRC noted, an appeal is made for funds and a specially commissioned “Massada Medallion” is offered to viewers free of charge. Along with the medallion, literature is sent from the Evangelist group.
In an appeal to his “power partner” supporters, Cerullo describes the film as the “most exciting development in our Jewish outreach since the times of Jesus.” He predicts that 80-90 percent of the English speaking Jews in the world will be reached, the JCRC reported.
Cerullo indicates he is seeking $90,000 this month to cover the costs of the broadcasts. Each $10 contribution, he asserts, will enable him to reach 65 Jews and nine times as many non-Jews.
Among the other enterprises listed by World Evangelism are mailings of booklets that three times have “blanketed” Israel, weekly gospel messages broadcast to Israel from Cyprus and the Israel Bible Correspondence Course in which “25,000 are now enrolled,” according to the JCRC. Innocuous announcements have been sent to Jewish newspapers to publicize the program.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
