Tzemach Dovid, a “shul” and “Beis Medrash” in the Bram Center in the heart of downtown Jerusalem is actually a missionary training center with teachers dressed as Orthodox Jews, teaching missionaries how to live a religious Jewish lifestyle, the anti-missionary organization Yad L’Achim stated this week. Tzemach Dovid appears like a standard Jewish shul, with an Aron Kodesh and Sifrei Torah instead of crosses. The Bram Center is the “Jerusalem ministry” of the First Fruits of Zion (FFOZ) organization, established in the US in 1992 to disseminate “Messianic Judaism.” Yad L’Achim has discovered that Tzemach Dovid is just the tip of the iceberg of extensive Christian missionary activity among the Israeli public that has intensified in recent times. A quick Google search reveals that the Bram Center’s goals have been available online since 2016. A website for the center clearly states their goal: “The Bram Center for Messianic Jewish Learning celebrates the rich history and broad diversity of Jewish Yeshua-followers while focusing on the development of a Torah-based and traditional expression of Messianic Judaism. The Bram Center emphasizes three areas of focus: Yeshua faith, Torah-centered Messianic Judaism, and the land of Israel.” About six months ago, the center’s missionary activities intensified and the missionaries began participating in so-called Torah classes as part of a “Torah Club” series to deepen their knowledge of Tanach and Judaism so they can learn how to live a “full Torah life.” The two main missionaries active at the Center dress as Orthodox Jews and live in religious neighborhoods. Ami (Tim) Buckles, who dresses like a Chareidi  Jew lives near the Givat Mordechai neighborhood of Jerusalem. According to Yad L’Achim, Buckles began doing missionary work nine years ago in the Jewish community in Seattle but was kicked out of the community when Rabbanim discovered his true identity. He then established the Messianic “shul” of Tzemach Dovid in Seattle. Buckle’s children, who wear large knitted yarmulkes, attend Mamlachti-Dati (state-religious) schools in Jerusalem. A blog called Menashe’s Blog states that that Buckles (who was also known as Timothy Layne) was impersonating a frum Jew in 2014 in Seattle but his true identity was revealed when a shul member became suspicious of him and began exploring his background. The blog says that Buckles and his wife and children apparently made aliyah to Israel in 2017 and questions how the couple “proved” they were Jewish. He also provides proof of Buckles’ missionary activities. Boaz Michael, chairman and founder of the organization, who wears a large knitted yarmulke, lives in the Arnona neighborhood in south Jerusalem. However, Michael, unlike Buckles, maintains a Facebook page that makes his identity crystal clear. The last post on his page, dated October 26, 2016, offers a free subscription for “First Fruits of Zion materials free for anyone who wants to learn about the Torah, the Messiah, and the kingdom of heaven.” The post underneath that one features a photo of a cross necklace and previous posts openly discuss Christianity. Yad L’Achim stated: “We decided to immediately publicize the identities of the missionaries and the details currently known to us about them in order that the public will know their true identities and beware of them.” “From past experience, we fear that in light of the disclosure of their identities, Buckles, Boaz and their cohorts will […]

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