Jews for Jesus video of Christ at Auschwitz branded ‘beyond offensive’

Community leaders have reacted angrily to a Jews for Jesus video showing Christ being sent to the gas chambers in Auschwitz by a Nazi who describes him as “just another Jew”.

The three-minute black and white film shows Jews being sent either right for work detail or left to be gassed to death.

Jesus, who appears on screen in muted colour, is seen carrying a cross on his shoulders and is sent to the left by a Nazi who sends him on his way by snarling in German: “Just another Jew.”

The Board of Deputies’ Vice President Jonathan Arkush said:  “To use the Holocaust as a promotional tool for any cause is beyond offensive. This is a crass attempt to court controversy at the expense of the victims of the Holocaust, and it should be treated with the disdain that such behaviour deserves.

“This cult seeks to prey on the most vulnerable to mislead about Judaism and divide families.  Its utter disregard for the welfare of those to whom they seek to appeal is transparently clear.”

The Anti-Defamation League’s Abraham H. Foxman said: “The Jews for Jesus video is a cynical abuse of the Holocaust for purposes of proselytising. It is deeply offensive not only to Jews who lost family members in the Holocaust, but also to Christians who would not want to see images of Jesus used for propaganda or shock value.”