Missionary material has been discovered hidden inside siddurim in the area of 770, in what appears to be a new attempt to expose unsuspecting Yidden to Christian missionary messages.

The pages, written in Hebrew and carrying an unassuming message, were inserted into siddurim where someone opening the sefer could encounter them without immediately realizing their missionary nature.

The discovery follows a series of missionary incidents around 770 in recent weeks and months. Less than two weeks ago, a group of missionaries wearing Christian missionary symbols entered 770 and asked to put on tefillin while filming and documenting the scene.

At the time, 770 administrator Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Kratz told Anash.org that the Crown Heights rabbonim had instructed that individuals openly displaying missionary symbols or insignia may not be allowed to put on tefillin, and that missionary activity inside the shul must be stopped.

Kratz explained that the group was seeking to create footage presenting themselves as connected to Yiddishkeit, which could then be used to lend legitimacy to their beliefs and influence unsuspecting Yidden.

The incident inside 770 came against a backdrop of a recurring missionary presence immediately outside the building. Missionaries have repeatedly set up outside 770, where they read from their texts, play music and livestream their activities. In another recent episode, missionaries spent hours outside 770 prominently displaying their symbols, in what appeared to be an effort to provoke a reaction and generate material for their audience.

Following the latest discovery inside siddurim, Kratz issued a notice alerting Anash and bochurim to the new tactic.

“Following the recent missionary activity in the area of the 770 synagogue, as has already been publicized, and even beyond what has been made public, their brazenness has recently increased, and they have begun placing pages containing missionary messages inside Siddurim,” Kratz wrote.

He urged anyone who encounters such material not to read it and to dispose of it immediately.

“Anyone who finds such a page or any similar material inside a Siddur, sefer, or anywhere else should remove it immediately, tear it up, and throw it into the nearest garbage can.”

Kratz also called for particular care when opening siddurim and seforim, with users checking for pages or other material that may have been inserted inside.

“Please be especially careful when opening Siddurim and seforim, and remain alert for any foreign material that may have been inserted into them,” the notice concludes.