(George W. Bush/Wikimedia Commons)

The Messianic Jewish Bible Institute, or MJBI, is a controversial group in the religious community known for recognizing Jesus as their messiah and believing that one can be Jewish and practice Christian beliefs.  

To traditional Jewish groups, Bush’s association with this evangelical group boosts their credibility and ultimately devalues the Jewish religion.  

“You cannot be a Jew and a Christian at the same time anymore than a Muslim and a Christian or a Hindu and a Jew; let’s respect religions for what they are,” said Rabbi David Saperstein, the Director of the Religions Action Center of Reform Judaism, on MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow Show on Wednesday. “By throwing his stamp of approval to this group, he is acting in a way that is both disrespectful to Christians and Jews.”

Abraham H. Foxman, the National Director of the Anti-Defamation League, released a statement expressing their disapproval of Bush’s plan to speak at the MJBI fundraiser.  

The ADL was founded to protect Jews from defamation, but have expanded their mission to combat anti-Semitism in general.

The fundraiser, hosted in Irving, Texas, has also roused local opposition.  

The Dallas Jewish Community released a joint statement signed by members of the Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas and the Rabbinical Association of Greater Dallas.  

The statement acknowledged Bush’s friendship with the Jewish community, but asked him to reconsider his decision.  

David Wolpe, named the most influential Rabbi in America by Newsweek Magazine in 2012, published an editorial piece on the Jewish Daily Forward on Monday, discussing why “Jews should not accept Jesus.”

 “The sudden rise of ‘Messianic Jews’ owes more to a clever way of misleading untutored Jews than to making theological sense,” Wolpe argued.  “It should not receive the imprimatur of a former President of the United States.”

Last year, the controversial keynote speaker at the MJBI fundraiser was Glenn Beck. 

Reach Staff Reporter Michael Nystrom here.