Chabad Center in Brooklyn Warns of Missionary Leaflets Hidden in Prayer Books
The Chabad headquarters at 770 Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, has recently uncovered a new tactic by Christian missionaries attempting to infiltrate their community. After months of provocative incidents involving missionaries wearing Christian symbols outside and inside the building, it was revealed that these activists have begun slipping leaflets with missionary content disguised inside prayer books and siddurim used by worshippers.
These leaflets, written in Hebrew and appearing innocuous at first glance, aim to expose unsuspecting worshippers to missionary messages without their immediate awareness. This method exploits the sanctity of the synagogue and its holy books to introduce foreign religious ideas into the heart of the Jewish community.
The discovery follows a series of provocative events, including a recent incident where a group of missionaries openly wearing Christian symbols entered the main prayer hall at 770 and requested to lay tefillin while filming the event. According to local authorities, the goal is to create videos and images that falsely associate these missionaries with Judaism, thereby legitimizing their beliefs and influencing unaware Jews.
In response, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Kretz, the director of 770, issued a strict directive forbidding anyone displaying overt missionary symbols from laying tefillin or conducting such activities within the synagogue. He also sent an urgent warning letter to worshippers and yeshiva students, urging them to immediately tear up and discard any suspicious leaflets found inside prayer books and to remain vigilant when opening sacred texts.
Missionary activity outside the building has also intensified, with activists setting up stations near 770, reading from their texts, playing music, and broadcasting live on social media to provoke and gain attention. The Chabad leadership continues to monitor and combat these incursions to protect their community's religious integrity.
