Woman Sues "Jews for Jesus" for Wrongly Claiming She Converted

AP ^ | Dec 12, 2003

[george wythe]

A Delray Beach [Florida] woman sued the religious movement Jews for Jesus, claiming its members fraudulently reported that she converted to the organization's beliefs.

Edith Rapp says her stepson Bruce Rapp wrote in a 2002 Jews for Jesus newsletter that he watched while she tearfully and spontaneously converted to the movement at her husband's bedside. She said the account is "completely fictitious" and invented to bolster Bruce Rapp's credentials among Jews for Jesus.

"She is humiliated, shocked, appalled," said her attorney, Barry Silver. The suit was filed Thursday.

Bruce Rapp said Thursday from the organization's office in New York that he was shocked that his stepmother was upset by the article. He said he's called and left several messages to set things right.

Edith Rapp said she had not heard from her stepson.

The suit comes as the organization begins a two-week campaign in Palm Beach County seeking to inform Jews of its belief about the divinity of Jesus Christ.

A spokeswoman for Jews for Jesus international office in San Francisco said the lawsuit follows a "threatening letter" from Silver. The letter, received last week, demanded $1 million and an apology, spokeswoman Susan Perlman said.

Since Monday, volunteers and staff of Jews for Jesus have been distributing gospel tracts, knocking door-to-door and calling residents.

To counter, the American Jewish Committee's Palm Beach County Chapter is teaming with two synagogues and other Jewish organizations to present two programs on their opposition to Jews for Jesus.

[george wythe]

Jews for Jesus website

[per loin]

Her kid is telling lies, so she sues the organization? I know, I know. Her next line will be: "It's not about the money."

[george wythe]

She "only" wants one million dollars and an apology :-)

Where is this organization going to get that kind of money?

[newgeezer]

Pardon me if my gut reaction is to say that it would seem that she should be satisfied with telling her stepson and Jews For Jesus to retract and correct the story.

But, in suing for a million bucks, this ... um ... "lady" and her ... um ... "attorney" aren't doing anything to squelch any widely-held stereotypes.

[joesnuffy]

So..she wha?....wants her salvation back?

[steve50]

But, in suing for a million bucks, this ... um ... "lady" and her ... um ... "attorney" aren't doing anything to squelch any widely-held stereotypes.

Makes a darn clear arguement that the reports of her finding Christ were premature tho.

[JustPlainJoe]

Poor, poor Edith! Being the well-known celebrity that she is, I can certainly understand her grief...

I for one was quite shocked(!!!) to find out about her alleged 'conversion'. I'm sure the rest of the world was also. She should be compensated for the anguish. If I were in charge of figuring that cost, I'd send her the 8 cents myself....

[xzins]

Sounds like her issue is with her stepson.

If I tell my employer Hoover, that my mom has switched to Hoover from a Dirt Devil vacuum cleaner, and in fact, that is a lie, why should they be liable for repeating what I've said?

[george wythe]

Sounds like her issue is with her stepson

Yeah, but her son does not have the deep pockets.

Apparently, a retraction and apology are not good enough for her. She needs to be 'made whole' by receiving a lot of dough.

[Eva]

Actually, it sounds to me as though the woman's problem was with the husband. It sounds as though a death bed promise was extracted from the woman which was reported by the son and later retracted by the woman.

[LiteKeeper]

INTREP - from a pro-JFJ fan

[governsleastgovernsbest]

mom has switched to Hoover from a Dirt Devil

What if the son claimed Mom switched from Judaism to devil worship?

[PBRSTREETGANG]

This is serious business. In Florida something like this can get you kicked out of your Mah Jongg group.

[Onelifetogive]

She "only" wants one million dollars and an apology :-)

This pretty much proves that she's telling the truth...she's STILL Jewish....

[Reo]

Thanks for the link. Reminds me to get out and play my old Liberated Wailing Wall record "I Am Not Ashamed"..It's terrific.

[drjimmy]

If I tell my employer Hoover, that my mom has switched to Hoover from a Dirt Devil vacuum cleaner, and in fact, that is a lie, why should they be liable for repeating what I've said?
If Hoover used that false claim in an advertising campaign for its vacuum cleaners, they sure as heck would be liable.

[george wythe]

This article originally appeared in the July 2002 Jews for Jesus Newsletter

This is not exactly a "Bit from the Branch" but since we have asked you on occasion to pray for the salvation of our family members, we wanted to share this simcha (joy) with you:

Bruce Rapp reports, "I had a chance to visit with my father in Southern Florida before my Passover tour. He has been ill for some time and I was afraid that I may not have another chance to be with him. I had been witnessing to him on the telephone for the past few months. He would listen and allow me to pray for him, but that was about all.

"On this visit, whenever I talked to my father, my stepmother, Edie (also Jewish), was always close by, listening quietly. Finally, one morning Edie began to ask me questions about Jesus. I explained how God gave us Y'shua (Jesus) as the final sacrifice for our atonement, and showed her the parallels with the Passover lamb. She began to cry, and when I asked her if she would like to ask God for forgiveness for her sins and receive Y'shua she said yes! My stepmother repeated the sinner's prayer with me—praise God!

"Pray for Edie's faith to grow and be strengthened. And please pray for my father Marty's salvation."


Bruce Rapp

[Alouette]

"The Society for the Ameliorating the Condition of the Jews" (through conversion), which now calls itself "Jews [sic] for Jesus" has made false claims of alleged conversions for at least the last 160 years. This is the first time anyone has tried to sue.

If J4J wanted to claim that Alouette has become a Christian, I think that I would be obligated to issue a denial. I don't think it would be grounds for a lawsuit.

[Hacksaw]

This pretty much proves that she's telling the truth...she's STILL Jewish....

LOL! But you're going to get into trouble - you're only allowed to make fun of Catholics on this forum.