Picking up on the in-depth report by Anash.org, Hamodia Newspaper exposed an earlier attempt by this couple to infiltrate the frum community.
The following is an excerpt from a Hamodia article by Ben Zion Wolff:
In November, 2017, a Jewish woman residing in Flatbush contacted this writer through intermediaries concerning a couple who had rented out their basement. “I live in Brooklyn,” she wrote, “and I rent out my basement apartment either to couples just getting married or to post-seminary students. Over the past many years we have had many wonderful tenants. Some FFBs and some BTs.”
“So [it came as] no surprise when a ba’al teshuvah couple presented themselves, seemingly very observant… [although] a little strange….. The wife [was] more knowledgeable [than the husband]. [She] said [that she] went to seminary in Israel, though I [had] never heard of it. Upon looking it up, “Israel College of the Bible”, [I] found out [that it was involved in] missionary training.
“In short, they are missionaries, working for Global Gates. (He told me that he works for a tzedakah called “Shaarei Olam” and “Rabbi” Clayman [was the] head of it). Her background in America is “Word of Messiah Ministries”and”Arborbrook Christian Acadamy”; [and] getting a BA at Columbia International University ([which is] affiliated with the ministry).
“They never lied to me, but they never told the truth. They left my basement and are now living in Williamsburg. They have learned more and become more proficient in their masquerade. I have had people [from Williamsburg] call me, and even though I gave the names of various rabbonim in [our] community who asked this couple to leave, some [in Williamsburg] are not convinced.
“I also know they have many, many friends in other frum neighborhoods here in Brooklyn. They told me as such in different ways. They are a network, and as stated on the Global Gates website, their goal is now to integrate into the frum community and over the decade ([through] intermarriage) make Jewish-Christians.
“I AM NOT a [journalist] but I feel the [media] has to do continuous report[ing] about this danger to our community and to our children’s future. It is a delicate situation, [since we do] not [want] to tarnish the image of a [true] ba’al teshuvah either or [arouse] suspicion on them.
“The more questions [that] are asked, the more the ‘scam’ is revealed. [For] example, they have no photos of their chasunah, [and] whoever married them was never heard of in that town. In this [particular] case, it turned out she told me a “Rabbi Weber” married them, and I knew her maiden name was Weber. Her father ended up being a Christian minister and of course there was no Rabbi Weber in this North Carolina town or in the vicinity.”
Upon receiving this email, I contacted the writer, and she told me she heard that these missionaries has plans to register their children in local yeshivos and Bais Yaakov’s, thereby further infiltrating the heart of the community and exposing our dear children to unheard of dangers in Emunah.
At the time, I spoke with a community leader, and he informed me that the rabbonim in Williamsburg are well aware of the issue and are taking it very seriously. Indeed, the frum community in Williamsburg managed to ostracize them, and they moved on to yet another unsuspecting Jewish community, attempting to masquerade as bale teshuvah and influence vulnerable children by running a baby-sitting service.