The leader of the evangelical Christian group Jews for Jesus has said he is not surprised the advertising watchdog has rejected complaints that its advertisements were racist and offensive.

The posters, which appeared in Golders Green depicting an Orthodox Jew wearing a red Jews for Jesus T-shirt at Judaism's holiest site, The Wailing Wall, were removed by Maiden, the company which owns the hoardings, after complaints it was a 'sick mixing of religions'.

But the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) this week rejected complaints by the Board of Deputies of British Jews - which represents the British Jewish community - that the posters were offensive.

Joseph Steinberg, UK director of Jews for Jesus, which believes Jesus is the messiah for all Jews, said: "We are really grateful that the ASA realised that the advert was birthed in love and appreciation for Jewish people and was not intended to offend. It's important that we have a place for minority opinions to be heard.

"We put the advert up because it's just hilarious. I had Orthodox Jews coming up to me in Golders Green saying: ÔThat ad is pretty funny.' "It was mainly the leadership of the Jewish community that protested - they see themselves as the guardians of Jewish truth. Tradition says you can't be Jewish and believe in Jesus. We are saying you can. Does believing in Jesus mean you stop being Jewish? I was brought up as a Jew, I met my wife in Israel and my son was circumcised on the eighth day. But we believe that Jesus is either the messiah for everybody or he is not the messiah."

The ASA said: "The advertisements were likely to be regarded by other Jews and by non-Jews as a light-hearted caricature with a thought-provoking message."

It added that the advert did not imply that Jews, and in particular Orthodox Jews, could not think for themselves, and that it was neither racist nor offensive to Jewish people.

Barnet Council did not agree. Councillor Katia David, the cabinet member for equalities and social inclusion, had said the posters were 'completely unwelcome in Barnet'.