Jackie Mason - in Court to Sue 'Jews for Jesus' 

By ANTHONY RAMIREZ - NY Times
Published: August 26, 2006

Just when Jackie Mason thought he was done sparring with the Christians, they pull him back in.

Mr. Mason, the comic, filed a lawsuit this week against a Christian evangelical group, Jews for Jesus, concerning a free pamphlet using his name and a caricature of his face.

Mr. Mason’s lawyer and friend, Raoul Felder, said yesterday that the group used his likeness to advertise a product, namely Jews for Jesus, in violation of New York State civil rights law.

An ordained rabbi, Mr. Mason has spent nearly 20 years of Broadway appearances using his vocal gifts for parody to lampoon what he called the differences between Jews and Gentiles.

But his most recent Broadway outing, “Jackie Mason: Freshly Squeezed,” which closed last September, largely avoided such humor. 

Jews for Jesus is a missionary group based in San Francisco that pursues a Christian theology but is made up of believers of Jewish heritage.

This summer, it began an eye-catching advertising campaign in city subways and other public venues, like New York Philharmonic concerts in Central Park.

The pamphlet that incensed Mr. Mason had a drawing of Mr. Mason on the cover, with the headline, “Jackie Mason ... A Jew for Jesus!?”

Before the pamphlet mentions the evangelical group, it says, “Jackie’s shtick is that there’s a difference between Jews and Gentiles.” It goes on to argue that there is no difference and that Jews can believe in Jesus.

In the complaint and in supporting documents filed in State Supreme Court, Mr. Mason said that the pamphlet had harmed him in his business to “an incalculable degree” and that he sought $2 million in damages. The suit was reported yesterday in The New York Post.

“While I have the utmost respect for people who practice the Christian faith,” Mr. Mason said in an affidavit dated Monday, “the fact is, as everyone knows, I am as Jewish as a matzo ball or kosher salami.”

Joshua Sofaer

Joshua Sofaer, director of the New York office of Jews for Jesus, said: ”Jackie Mason needs to realize we’re not making money off of him. That’s not our intention.” He said the group had not been taken to court over similar pamphlets involving MTV; the cartoon show “The Simpsons”; and Howard Stern, the radio personality. 

Paul M. Fakler, the group’s lawyer, said it had asked to have the case heard in federal court, rather than state court.

“This case lies in the heartland of the First Amendment,” Mr. Fakler said. “This is purely religious speech that is at the core of the United States Constitution.”

Mr. Felder, however, contended that since Jews for Jesus operates a commercial operation — a gift shop on its Web site sells items like caps saying “Jesus Made Me Kosher” ($13) — it has committed the same legal violation as a business illegally taking someone’s photograph to promote sales.

Mr. Felder, who is Jewish, said, “You have to be pretty desperate to use a Jew to advertise a product.”