A father and son practicing as Orthodox rabbis in America have been accused by anti-missionary investigators of being secret evangelical Christians, the British Jewish Chronicle reported.

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According to the report, the claims regarding Michael and Calev Isaacson – who have changed their family name from Dawson — would cause disastrous halachic problems for the Jewish community if true.

The two men reportedly performed sacred rituals such as writing Torah scrolls, washing the dead, and conducting weddings, divorces and even conversions.

Investigators allege neither man is Jewish, making any rituals in which they took part invalid, the Jewish Chronicle reported.

They two are suspected of being a "sleeper cell" of evangelical Christians who may ultimately attempt to make aliyah and embed themselves within Israeli society, the report continued.

This week's front page pic.twitter.com/cTJ6XGnIIq

— The Jewish Chronicle (@JewishChron) October 21, 2021

"Extensive research" has found that the Isaacsons, who have been accepted and welcomed in a number of Orthodox Jewish communities across the US, has reportedly "shown no evidence of traceable Jewish heritage or any official conversion by members of the Isaacson family," according to the Jewish Chronicle.

An investigation by the Jewish Chronicle revealed that Michael Dawson grew up in a Lutheran home and he and his wife were married in a Lutheran wedding.

An aunt of Michael Isaacson was shocked to hear about his professed Jewish identity, telling the Jewish Chronicle she found his claims over his background "bizarre".

There is no evidence that the Isaacsons are attempting to convert Jews to Christianity, but, it should be noted, they have also refused to renounce their belief in Jesus.

The Isaacsons currently reside in Phoenix, Arizona. The family was based in Texas between 2014 and 2016, when Michael Isaacson worked as a supervisor in the Houston Kashrut Association.

They have also lived as Orthodox Jews in Portland, Oregon and Milwaukee.

Investigators at anti-missionary organization Beynenyu claim the family always moves to a different location once confronted by suspicious rabbis and fellow members of their community.

According to a letter sent by investigators at Beyneynu to the Chief Rabbinate's office in Israel, the Jewish Chronicle reported, the Isaacson family was questioned in the past by suspicious rabbis who had heard rumors of their Christianity. The letter said: "They do not deny their beliefs in Jesus and give detailed explanations regarding their belief that Jesus is the Jewish messiah."

Beyneynu says that immediately after these confrontations, they have more than once fled the community, only to resurface elsewhere.

During their travels, the family has reportedly acquired documentation from rabbinical authorities attesting to their Jewish identity without proper checks being made to ensure their claims were accurate. This has enabled them to build an identity as Jews, which Beyneynu fears they plan to use eventually to immigrate to Israel.

Talking to the Jewish Chronicle, an Orthodox teacher in America who wished to remain anonymous, said he met Michael Isaacson and his wife, Summer, multiple times.

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"I would have no reason to suspect that they were anything more than just sort of California-style Ba'ale Teshuva," he said.

He believes their ultimate aim is to create "a backstory" that will allow their children to marry Jews. Ultimately, he told the Jewish Chronicle, he thinks they are part of a wider Messianic plan to create a sleeper-cell of fake religious Jews in Israel.

"There is some movement afoot… for some reason, they need there to be an Orthodox looking, observant, Christian body in Israel. I don't know exactly how this fits into their Messianic scheme, or the whys, but this seems to be what they're doing.

"It's very important that they all become rabbis, that they all have beards and payot (sidelocks) like they have to be full-on Haredi. It's very important that they all have this look, they do this dance, and yet they don't."

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Speaking to Israel Hayom, Evans says that if the Trump administration fails to recognize Israel's sovereignty bid, the evangelical community would not be able to support him in November.

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Evans is currently in Washington and on Tuesday met with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to award him a medal for his support of Israel. Evans praises the administration and its leaders for their support for Israel, calling them a "dream team."

According to Evans, Pompeo has changed State Department's position on Israel for the better, and Vice President Mike Pence is Israel's "biggest supporter" in Washington, not to mention US President Donald Trump himself, whom Evans says is the greatest supporter the evangelical community has ever had.

Evans says that the evangelical community "gave" Trump the presidency for two reasons: his anti-abortion stance, and his support for Israel. Evans says that evangelical Christians in the US believe that Israel belongs to the Jewish people, as stated in the Bible.

However, he warns, if Trump does not recognize a decision by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to declare sovereignty, he will lose the evangelical vote. All the "amazing" things he has done for Israel show what path he wants to take, Evans says, which is why the evangelical leader is "certain" that he will not break his promise to support Israel.

"He can't win without the evangelical vote," he stresses.

Evans says that various advisors to the president are not helping him by suggesting that he renege on his promise to recognize Israel's sovereignty plan.

According to Evans, he has 73 million pro-Israel followers on Facebook who "want to support the president and want him to support Israel," so if any of Trump's advisors try to prevent that from happening, he and his followers will do everything they can to see him "fired."

Ultimately, Evans thinks that the sovereignty plan will go ahead and be approved by the US.

Everything will be fine, he says, like it was after the US recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

Meanwhile, Netanyahu is shifting gears in discussions about the declaration of sovereignty. A message issued by his office on Wednesday said that he was keeping up talks with the Americans and met on Wednesday with the head of the National Security Council and leaders of Israel's defense establishment.

"More meetings are expected over the next few days," his office said.

Also on Wednesday, head of the Intelligence Division in the National Security Council Ran Peled told the Knesset Control Committee that the Diplomatic Security Cabinet would discuss the issue of sovereignty at its upcoming meeting.

In a related development, Nabil Shaath, an advisor to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas told a Russian news outlet that the PA would be willing to resume negotiations with Israel if Israel gave up on declaring sovereignty. He set another precondition for talks, saying that negotiations would have to be based on UN resolutions and be mediated by the international Quartet, rather than by the US alone.

Senior PA officials met with left-wing Israeli activists in Jericho on Wednesday to protest the planned declaration of sovereignty. Jibril Rajoub of the Fatah movement said, "The entire world, as well as those in Israel who desire peace, are standing up to Bibi, US Ambassador [David] Friedman, and his bullies to stop the annexation plan." 

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