The "International Hebrew Christian Alliance"

For most of its long history the association now known as the "International Messianic Jewish Alliance" (1) called itself the "International Hebrew Christian Alliance". When it recently changed its name the IMJA took the opportunity to also change its constitution. It is however instructive to examine the constitution that characterised the IMJA throughout most of its history when it was known as the "International Hebrew Christian Alliance".

Whether known as the IHCA or the IMJA, the constitution of this Christian association has remained profoundly racist (i.e. it discriminates on racial grounds). One very noticeable change however concerns its use of language. Presumably in an attempt to give this Christian mission a more "Jewish" ambience, terms such as "Jesus Christ" have been dropped in favour of "Yeshua the Messiah". Thus the following doctrinal condition for membership (both "Hebrew Christians" and "non-Jewish Christians") appears in the former IHCA version of the constitution.

This same doctrinal statement appears in the following form in the IMJA version of the constitution:

The one thing that is noticeably missing from from the IMJA version of the constitution is any attempt to define terms such as "Messianic Jew" and "Hebrew Christian". However, Paragraph XVII of the IHCA version of the constitution does contain definitions of a number of such terms thus:

Interestingly, this compares closely with the definition of "Jew" found in Nazi "race" legislation (2).

For example:

Draft Law for the Regulation of the Status of the Jews *(Nazi Germany, July, 1933) ()**	*Paragraph XVII (see above) ()**
A "Jew" is a person: a) who adheres to the Jewish faith, b) whose parents or all grandparents adhered to the Mosaic faith, even if they or some of them later abandoned the Mosaic faith, c) who is a descendant of those named under a) and b).	"Hebrew" means a person professing the Jewish religion: "of Hebrew birth" indicates one whose parent professed the Jewish religion: and "Hebrew Christian" is a Jew who, or whose parent, originally professed the Jewish religion and is, or has become a Christian.
* Adam U.D., "An Overall Plan for Anti-Jewish Legislation in the Third Reich?" Yad Vashem Studies, XI: 33 - 55, 1976	* On request I will e-mail a scanned copy of the IHCA's constitution in a ZIP file.

By the foregoing I am not suggesting that the IMJA, in its current or in its former IHCA mode, is Nazi or that its members or supporters are Nazis. What I am suggesting is that both the IHCA and Nazi "race" legislation share similar cultural origins. By this I am referring to so-called "scientific racism". The IHCA was founded in 1925 when notions about "racial superiority" and so on, based on "scientific racism", still commanded considerable social respect and respectability. The IHCA was actually founded before the word "racism" was even coined (3) so it is hardly likely that its racially discriminatory nature would have been thought of as anything other than "natural" in Britain in 1925. It should also be said that not even in 1925 would such an association be condoned in Jewish law and tradition. The IMJA/IHCA was at its founding and remains, an expression of British racial attitudes, not Jewish law and tradition. However, this is 1999 when Britain is publicly reflecting on racism in British society and its negative social and personal consequences. I suggest that in 1999 a racist Christian association of "Messianic Jews/Hebrew Christians" that discriminates against its own fellow so-called "non-Jewish Christian" Associate members on racial grounds is an anachronism. It is especially inappropriate that such an association might be lawful under the "Race Relations Act 1976" and even receives what amounts to state aid due to its charitable status.

To obtain a copy of the IMJA's constitution, write to:

The Charity Commission,
Woodfield House,
Tangier, TAUTON,
Somerset, TA1 4BL,
Great Britain.

Quote the IMJA's Charity Registration number (231016) and request a copy of its "governing instrument". Expect to pay, at least, the photocopying charges.

On request I will e-mail a scanned copy of the IHCA's constitution in a ZIP file.

References

To read about the IMJA's current constitution click here

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