The Jewish Jesus

I remember, as a nine-year old child, asking my Southern Baptist pastor, "Why aren't we with the Jews, since Jesus was Jewish?"  I also asked, "Why don't we observe the Sabbath on Saturday, like the Bible says?"

I never got an answer that satisfied me. . . until I began to seek the answers for myself. . . in the Bible.  It's sad that even those with seminary degrees can't see the forest for the trees. . . and yet they love to say, "What would Jesus do?"   I wrote a post about my journey HERE.

I found this article on Algemeiner News website --   https://www.algemeiner.com/2017/10/10/some-people-still-dont-know-that-jesus-was-jewish/

Some People Still Don’t Know That Jesus Was Jewish

by Bernard Starr

When I tell people that I’ve written extensively about the “Jewish Jesus,” they frequently say, “but everyone knows that Jesus was Jewish.” It would seem so.

But dig deeper, and you will find what I discovered in interviewing Christians and Jews: That most people actually mean that Jesus used to be Jewish. Yes, he was born Jewish, but somehow he was really a Christian. They say that he preached Christian teachings, or that he officially became a Christian when he rejected Judaism and was baptized by John the Baptist.

These views are all false.

October 20, 2017 1:51 pm

The truth is — based on depictions of Jesus in the four Gospels of the New Testament (Matthew Mark, Luke and John) — Jesus lived and died as a dedicated Jew. His argument with the Jewish leadership — King Herod and the Sanhedrin (the ruling body of Judaism) — was about their abandonment of the spiritual core of Judaism, which Jesus sought to restore.

The fact that Jesus was a dedicated practicing Jew throughout his life is the consensus of both Christian and Jewish biblical scholars.

For example, Episcopal priest Bruce Chilton states in his book Rabbi Jesus, that: “Everything Jesus did was about Jews, for Jews, and by Jews.” And former Catholic priest James Carroll, author of Constantine’s Sword, expresses a similar view when he asks: “If Jesus were alive today, would he be one of those fervent black-hatted figures dovening [praying] at the Western Wall [the remnant of the Jerusalem Temple]?”

Adding his voice, Shaye J.D. Cohen, a professor of Hebrew literature and philosophy at Harvard University, explicitly attests: “He [Jesus] was born of a Jewish mother, in Galilee, a Jewish part of the world. All of his friends, associates, colleagues, disciples, all of them were Jews. He regularly worshipped in Jewish communal worship, what we call synagogues. He preached from Jewish text. … He celebrated the Jewish festivals. He lived, died, taught as a Jew.”

A striking passage in the Gospel of Luke (4:16) backs up Father Chilton, James Carroll and Shaye  Cohen: “And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read.” That Jesus, “as was his custom,” attended synagogue services on the Jewish Sabbath and read passages from the Torah — as Jews did then and continue to do today — says a lot. And there is much more.

So why do so many people maintain the contradictory position: “Yes Jesus was a Jew, but he was a Christian.”

The tenaciousness of this incongruity was driven home to me when Bill O’Reilly, author of the bestselling book Killing Jesus, expressed the same contradiction on his TV show “The O’Reilly Factor,“ when he slammed one of my articles. In response to my statement quoting O’Reilly himself that “Jesus affirmed his Jewish identity right up to the crucifixion,” he said: “Of course I affirmed that because it’s true.” But O’Reilly then added: “He [Starr] goes off the rails when he says that Christianity didn’t exist in Jesus’ lifetime and he never proposed a new religion; that is false.”

I wish Bill O’Reilly would tell us when Jesus started the new religion — if he died a dedicated Jew?

O’Reilly also objected to my assertion that one of the most powerful and overlooked supports for the denial of Jesus’ Jewish identity was Mediaeval and Renaissance artwork. But search through the vast archives of these artworks spanning centuries, and you will be hard pressed to find any representation or hint that Jesus, his family or followers had any connection to Judaism.

Jesus is typically portrayed as northern European in appearance, embedded in anachronistic later-day palatial Christian settings surrounded by Christian artifacts — all totally alien to his ethnicity, religion and identity as a practicing Jew who resided in a rural Galilean village. Yet, wherever the Renaissance Christian populace turned — in churches, public spaces and homes — they would only see images of a totally Christian Jesus.

Antisemitism was so deeply embedded in Medieval and Renaissance society that it was unthinkable for an artist to paint a Jewish Jesus — that is, if the artist valued keeping his head attached to his neck or not getting burned at the stake.

But why should we care about this pervasive falsification of biblical history? Because in denying Jesus’ Jewish identify through omission, these powerful images falsely established Jesus as a Christian and Jews as “the others,” who Christian society claimed killed Jesus — a lingering and bizarre accusation, when one considers that all of Jesus’ followers were Jews — and that without those followers, there would be no Christianity.

Had Jesus been pictured authentically as a Jew, might some forms of antisemitism not have occurred, or might they have been mitigated and challenged?

The power of images has convinced me that film, rather than words alone, would be the most effective medium to establish Jesus’s true identity — and to lead to a deeper understanding of historical antisemitism. I knew that several compelling films, including “The Last Temptation of Christ,” “The Passion of Christ,” and “The Da Vinci Code,” despite public condemnations for blasphemy and antisemitism, generated vigorous public debate about Jesus.

That’s why I’ve written a screenplay about “Jesus the Jew From Nazareth.” I hope my screenplay, and others like it, will get produced, so that the world finally understands that Jesus was thoroughly Jewish.

Note added on 10-25-17 -   Bernard Starr contacted me and shared that this article was part of a more complete article on the Huffington Post.  The link also includes an interesting film on this subject.   https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/identity-purge-the-search-for-the-jew-in-jesus-in_us_58d097dce4b0537abd957453

Bernard Starr holds a PhD in psychology from Yeshiva University in NYC and is a professor emeritus at the City University of New York, Brooklyn College. He is also a past president of the Brooklyn Psychological Association and the Association for Spirituality and Psychotherapy. His latest book is “Jesus, Jews, And Anti-Semitism In Art: How Renaissance Art Erased Jesus’ Jewish Identity & How Todayhe au

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Wisdom Wednesday - Immigration - What Would Jesus Do?

Immigration is a hot topic this week, as the appeals court is hearing the case about President Trump's executive order on extreme vetting of immigrants. Personally, I support his stand on protecting America.  The law on which he based his order is crystal clear.**  

But have you heard the outcry of  "Jesus was a refugee" and "Jesus wouldn't build a wall"?  The Bible tells a different story, and I'm going to share it with you today.

I found this article on the American Family Association's website. It is by Bryan Fischer, Host of "Focal Point".

"We have heard endless bloviation from media types who have spent their entire journalistic careers in open hostility to Christianity suddenly pontificating about how un-Christian it is to build walls and restrict immigration to the United States. Why, we’re told, that’s not something Jesus would do! He himself was a refugee! How can you call yourself a Christian and not believe in letting anybody and everybody in? That’s what Jesus would do! 

Now we know that people who think and talk like this are wrong. When Jesus came to Earth, he did not come as a refugee. He came as the rightful king, intent on reclaiming what had been stolen from him by the Prince of Darkness. When his parents took him to Egypt as a child, they didn’t go as refugees but as exiles who returned to their homeland as soon as they could. When his parents took him to Bethlehem, they didn’t go as refugees, they went as hard-working taxpayers doing their civic duty. 

Biblically we know that there is a legitimate place for walls, for physical barriers designed for protection. God sent Nehemiah to Jerusalem to build one around the city to keep the bad guys out. We know that immigration bans under the right circumstances are appropriate, for God permanently banned immigration from the neighboring nations of Ammon and Moab because of their historic and implacable hostility to Israel. 

But we know that building walls and using immigration restrictions are legitimate policies because Jesus will use them in his own kingdom. 

(I am indebted to my good friend Jeff Reed for this idea, but don’t blame him for anything in what follows that you don’t like. That’s on me.) 

The Scriptures tell us that the eternal city of his coming kingdom will be surrounded by “a great high wall with twelve gates” (Revelation 21:12), each guarded by an angel so undocumented intruders cannot enter. 

Identification papers will be scrutinized carefully before anyone is allowed to enter through one of the great big beautiful doors that are built in this wall that surrounds the city. In John’s vision, “books were opened,” and “if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life” he was not only not admitted but “thrown into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:12; 15). Talk about extreme vetting and deportation. 

Only those who “wash their robes” in the shed blood of Christ will be allowed to “enter the city by its gates” (Revelation 22:14). Those who refuse to adopt the values of the eternal city will remain outside its walls. “Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood” (Revelation 22:15). In other words, cultural assimilation will not be optional for someone who desires a place in this coming kingdom. 

Immigration controls will be stout, and deportation for those without proper documentation will be enforced. The king will apprehend those who try to sneak in and pass themselves off as citizens when they are not, and say to them, “Depart from me, you workers of lawlessness” (Matthew 7:23). 

How do would-be immigrants get their names written in this register, this book of life, so that they will be admitted through the gates on that day? How do they get the visa, if you will, that entitles them to enter the kingdom of God? 

“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household” (Acts 16:31). All prior allegiances must be renounced, and Jesus must be acknowledged as their new sovereign. They must accept him not just as Savior but as Lord. Once they do, their citizenship is granted, their passport is stamped, and they are welcomed to their new kingdom. This citizenship process is open to anyone in the world, anywhere, at any time. 

We have my great-grandfather’s immigration documents hanging on the wall of our living room. In order for him to become a citizen of the United States, it was necessary for him to “renounce forever all allegiance and fidelity to all and any foreign Prince, Potentate, State and Sovereignty whatever, and particularly to the Czar of Russia, of whom I was a subject.” Then he was required to declare his new allegiance to a new source of ultimate political authority, the Constitution of the United States. 

The earthly process of becoming a citizen of the United States is a parable, a reflection, a shadow, of the process of becoming a citizen of the eternal kingdom. Perhaps God even intended it to be just that, and we cloud the picture when we make foolish changes to sound immigration policy. To be sure, it’s a shadow only, since the eternal kingdom is perfect and America is not. 

In the kingdom of the age to come, documentation is required, a profession of allegiance is required, the borders are patrolled, and intruders are expelled. If that’s how Christ governs his heavenly kingdom, earthly kingdoms can be governed in the same way. 

Does Christ believe in immigration control and border security? Of course. And if he does, it’s okay for the United States to believe in them too. 

And the ultimate lesson for readers of this column is this: be sure you have your visa in hand because no one knows when the day of ultimate migration will come."

**The Immigration and Nationality Act, which gives the president authority to suspend the entry of any and all aliens deemed “detrimental” to U.S. interests. Here is a quote from the Act:  "Whenever the President finds that the entry of any aliens or of any class of aliens into the United States would be detrimental to the interests of the United States, he may by proclamation, and for such period as he shall deem necessary, suspend the entry of all aliens or any class of aliens as immigrants or nonimmigrants, or impose on the entry of aliens any restrictions he may deem to be appropriate.”

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Wisdom Wednesdays - Yeshua's Words

Our treasured sefer **Torah scroll, which is over 350 years old.

This post is part of a series on WORDS, which is my word for 2016.  In this series, I hope to write about this subject on a weekly basis.  I don't have an outline of how it will go, but hope to be led by the Ruach Hakodesh (Holy Spirit) in the writings.  I hope to write what He has impressed on me in the past week.

Over the past several months, I have re-read through the New Testament books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.  I paid close attention to the words of Yeshua.  I grew up with a red-letter King James Version of the Bible, and I can remember being puzzled by many of His words.  Some of them not only puzzled me, but made me tremble.

I remember, as a nine year old girl, reading words of the Ten Commandments which were posted on the wall of my elementary school classroom.  I was taught them in church and Sunday School.  I read in the New Testament the words of Yeshua, "If you love me, keep my commandments."  Naturally, as a child, I wasn't breaking any of the Ten Commandments, except the one about the Sabbath.  That one made me tremble, so I asked my pastor about it.  He said, "The Sabbath was changed because Jesus rose on Sunday."  That didn't make sense to me because He was crucified on Friday (the Sabbath) and if he rose on Sunday, that was not three days.  I might have been young, but I could add.

Over the years, I'd ask questions of my teachers when I was confused about the words of Yeshua, but their answers did not satisfy me.  I kept seeking, and the over-all content of my questions centered around the Jewishness of Jesus.  My common sense told me that we / I should be following Judaism, but my pastors kept telling me that being under the law was a fate worse than death.   They warned that there was no way to keep G-d's laws.  They made it sound really scary.  Since then, I've found out differently, but that is another blog post.

A while back, there was a popular acronym going around:  WWJD, which stood for What Would Jesus Do?  Every time I'd see it, I'd think, "He'd go to the synagogue." This was way before I found Messianic Judaism.  The Ruach Hakodesh was speaking to my heart, but my teachers assured me I was wrong.

Since I've found Messianic Judaism, the words of Yeshua that puzzled me are now clear.  He never intended to start a new religion called Christianity.  He intended for His followers to continue to follow the Torah, which is what He and His disciples did.  He, along with his forerunner, John the Baptist, preached teshuvah, a Hebrew word that means repent of your sins and return to Torah.

Yeshua preached this gospel before He was crucified, died and rose again.  Yes, part of salvation is to believe that His blood was poured out for our sins, but repentance and obedience to His commandments (teshuvah) is a part of that gospel also.  Listen to the WORDS of Yeshua in Matthew 28:

¹⁸ And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
¹⁹ Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
²⁰ Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

My churches / teachers taught this as the Great Commission, and I was trained to witness and lead people to accept Yeshua as their Savior and be baptized.  I was not taught however, to "observe all things whatsoever He commanded" because my teachers said the Old Testament was done away with.  His commandments were not to be observed any longer.  That was the dreaded "under the law" thing.  It puzzled me, especially since they preached often on Malachi 3:10 about the tithes. 

As I began to put two and two together I saw that if, as I was taught, Yeshua and G-d were actually the same, as the doctrine of the Trinity said, then surely Yeshua wrote those Ten Commandments and all of the other commandments in the Old Testament.  He didn't just give commandments in the New Testament.  He is the author of all of the commandments, and the new ones do not disagree with the old ones.  They do, however, support and reinforce those commandments.  The Scriptures teach that He is the same yesterday, today and forever. 

I encourage you to ponder these things, and I encourage you to re-read the first four books of the New Testament, and see how often Yeshua says, "Keep my commandments".   You may be surprised.

** a sefer Torah scroll is faithfully copied from the scroll recorded by Moshe (Moses), spoken to Him by ADONAI.  (Which could lead to another blog post one day, Gail-Friends, since we have so many different translations available today.)

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Israel Trip - The Tomb of Yeshua?

Our next stop was the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.  The Catholic Church believes this place to be Golgotha, (the Hill of Calvary), where Yeshua was crucified, buried, and from which He was resurrected. Personally, I am not sure this is the correct site.  I will write about another place in my post tomorrow. 

The artwork on the wall of the church is beautiful and my photograph does not do the colors justice.  The crowd of people visiting this site was huge.  It is a common practice for visitors to kneel down and kiss the rectangular piece of stone on the floor.  

Above you can see some of our tour group kneeling before the tomb.  

I wandered around a bit and took a few shots of the interior of the church.Keep in mind, this church is built in front of a cave in the mountain wall.   Unless you visit Jerusalem, you can't imagine how mountainous the terrain is.  

I noticed this table where candles are sold.  I also noted the Arabic writing on the gold strip.  

Below is one of the many grottoes around the room, all blackened by candle smoke.

The candle table below was also blackened by soot, but beautiful.

Shapes and decorations fascinate me, like this arch blackened by smoke and soot.

As we left the church, I took this photo of the light outside.  It felt good to walk out into the sunlight and leave the darkness behind.  

Tomorrow, I'll show you where I believe Yeshua was buried and resurrected. It is a beautiful place of light and beauty.

The Light of Hanukkah

Glowing candles light my grandson's face and dance in his eyes as we light the Hanukkah menorah.   He won't remember his first mennorah lighting, but I will.  We're making memories that will connect him to his family and to Hashem.  

I love the symbols of Judaism because they are  powerfully sensory and serve to help us understand spiritual concepts.  I've read that children most effectively when they use all of their senses.  Chanukkah (and all of the Feasts and Festivals really) are rich in sensory learning:

Placing and lighting the candles - the sense of touch
The burning lights - the sense of sight and smell
The prayers and songs - the sense of sound
The chocolate gelt - the sense of taste
And last, playing dreidyl - teaches Hebrew!!!

Hanukkah teaches several spiritual lessons other than the history of the rededication of the Holy Temple by the Maccabees. My post Yeshua is the Light of Chanukkah gives that history and my post Christmas - Unplugged  tells how I celebrate the holidays together.

The term Hanukkah is from the Hebrew root word hanakh, which means "to initiate, to dedicate, to narrow, to educate".  When one dedicates, he narrows the use of something and restricts it within specific parameters.  He also gives it limited use.   The Hanukkah menorah is only used once a year during the eight-day period of the holiday celebration.  It has eight branches, as compared to  the usual seven-branched menorah.  It is different and it is special.  The candles are different also, because they are multi-colored as compared to the normal white candles.

The symbolism of the Hanukkah celebration reminds us to yearly rededicate ourselves to be vessals for the holy oil of the Spirit.  We are reminded to be set apart from the world, unique, different so as to be remarkable to others.  The bright and shining light of the candles reminds us to bring light (truth) to the world.

The holy oil required for the Hanukkah menorah reminds us that we are to be holy.  G-d really, really does want us to obey Him.  Love and obedience are hallmarks of the believer.  We are to love G-d and others.   are to obey G-d,  and share His teachings with others.  The scriptures say:

Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.  

Psalm 85:9-11

G-d is not all about love; He is about truth, too.  Yeshua said, "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments".  What commandments was He talking about?  The ones in the Old Testament.  Yes, our Savior Jesus, is the same G-d of the Old Testament.  He also said, "I have not come to do away with the Law, but to fulfill it." 

Hashem required that the oil in the menorah be holy.  There was only enough oil for the light to burn for one day. It would take seven days to purify more oil.   Hashem performed a miracle by making that small amount of oil last for seven more days.  This miracle teaches us that depending on His power, we can meet the requirements of his commandments for purity and holiness.  His power can accomplish what He requires.  The Maccabees committed what they had to Hashem, and He did the rest.

The lessons and the joy of Hanukkah are for our good and for our blessings.  It is a holiday and a celebration that teaches us about, and draws us closer to G-d.  A much better lesson than Santa Claus (a lie told to children), don't you think? Holiness and dedication to Hashem and His ways are the way to happiness and blessings.  That truth is symbolized by the Tree of Life, another spiritual lesson of Judaism.  But that is a lesson for another day.

I hope you will take the time to be still and listen to this song about Yeshua - the Light Of The World and worship Him. 

Learn how we combine Chanukah wtih a celebration of Yeshua's birth: Christmas Unplugged

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Thinking Correctly

Torah - source Wikipedia

Philippians 2:5
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Yeshua (Jesus)

This verse has been on my mind for the last few days.  Our thoughts are so important.  The scripture also says, "As a man thinks in his heart, so is he."  So this begs the question:  would G-d /Yeshua think the way I'm thinking? 

I've also been thinking about how the scripture says, "G-d is the same, yesterday, today, and forever."  Yeshua is G-d in the flesh.  The same G-d in both Old and New Testaments.  

Having grown up in a Christian environment, the focus of teaching was the New Testament.  As a little girl, I remember wondering why we didn't study the Old Testament more.   I wondered why we did not keep the Sabbath.  I wondered why we were not with the Jews, since Yeshua was Jewish. 

As a young woman, I wanted to go to a synagogue.  I didn't get to visit there until I was in my 40's.  I was shocked to see that the inside of the synagogue looked like a church.  There was a stage (bema) with a curtain on the wall behind it.  I thought, at first, that this was a baptismal pool, but found out later in the service, it was the ark where the Torah scroll was kept. 

That visit began my study of Judaism.  I visited Israel and was forever changed by the things I saw there.  My heart was knit to that land and to the people.  I never expected it to happen, but I'm so glad it did.  My continued search for wisdom led me to a study of the Old Testament, particularly of Proverbs, and then an in-depth study of the Torah.  Who knew this search would lead me to my own personal rabbi?  My dear, sweet husband, Rabbi Jem and I were married five years ago.



Being married to someone who "walks the walk" is both wonderful and disconcerting.  All of my life I've associated with people who "talked the talk", but didn't live it out.  My husband rarely discusses the scripture or G-d outside the bema, but he lives it like no one I've ever known in my life.    He lives the Sh'ma (Deut. 6: 4 - 9), as well as the second greatest commandment (Leviticus 19:18)  Jem loves G-d with his whole being and his neighbor as himself.  He is always conscious of obeying G-d and of looking for someone to help.  He calls it "doing the right thing". 


Which takes me back to the scripture quoted at the beginning of this post.  What mind did Yeshua have?    Yeshua was G-d in a human body.  He didn't change.  He is the same G-d who created the world and everything in and around it.  He is the G-d of the Tanach (Old Testament):  The Torah, the Prophets and Writings.


The study of Torah has shown me G-d's mind....and therefore Yeshua's mind.    I find no conflict between the Old and New Testament when viewed through the lens of the Torah. My study of Torah has given me a discernment I never had in all my years of studying the Bible. Now I understand things Yeshua said that before puzzled me.


My study of Judaism has enlightened me about teachings in the New Testament.  I've often heard it said in churches "Jesus is revealed in the Old Testament".  I've also found that the Old Testament is revealed in Yeshua (Jesus), and in the New Testament.


Many times, I've heard people say, " I want to be like Jesus".  Well then, beloved,  stop and think -  Yeshua is Jewish,  and during his time on earth He studied the Tanach.  There is much to be learned through Judaism and Torah study.  I know there are those who will say, "that's legalism".  I don't see it that way because G-d preserved His Word over thousands of years for our benefit.   And how can we say we love G-d and completely ignore the very laws that bring us life?    Blessings flow to those who obey Him.  His love is revealed in His Word and I am so thankful to be in His Secret Place. 

Psalm 91:1
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

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Sing and Celebrate: Shavuot

Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. Matthew 24:35

Our long awaited package from Israel had finally arrived! Eyes glistening with tears, Rabbi Jem’s hands shook as he opened the carefully wrapped package. Tenderly, he lifted the precious 350-year old Torah scroll from its’ wrappings. Rabbi Jem and I unrolled the scroll and marveled at the soft dear skin parchment and the beautiful precision of the Hebrew letters. We both were overjoyed because the scroll arrived just in time for our Messianic synagogue’s celebration of Shavuot. How appropriate.

Shavuot celebrates two things. First, we thank God for His blessings on the first of the summer grain crops (barley). The festival reminds us that without Him and His provision of sun and rain, we would not have food. Second, we celebrate the giving of the Torah (the first five books of the Bible) to the Jewish people. When this festival comes, there is great celebration because of our love and gratitude for the Scriptures. The giving of the Torah is God’s blessing, for the Word of God is our spiritual food. On the first day of Shavuot, we read the Ten Commandments from Exodus 20 to remind us of the Laws that give us Life. On the second day of Shavuot, we read the book of Ruth, which is the beautiful picture of Yeshua (Jesus), as our Kinsman Redeemer.

As Messianics (believers in Yeshua as Messiah), we also celebrate Shavuot as the day when the Ruach Hakodesh (Holy Spirit) descended on the believers in Yarushalem (Jerusalem). In Acts 2, you will see how Jews from all over the world were assembled for Shavuot. The Spirit came down, appearing as tongues of fire upon their heads, and they all spoke with other tongues (languages). Thus, the Good News about Yeshua was given to people in their own language. Believers received the indwelling of God, and His Word was written on their hearts. He came inside the believers, and gave them power to be witnesses all over the world and to spread the Gospel (Good News). Thus, these believers were the First Fruits of the Ruach Hakodesh.

As Messianic believers, on Shavuot, we celebrate the giving of God’s Holy Word, physically, and the coming of the Word into our hearts, spiritually. Shavuot is a powerful, visual reminder that God’s Law is important to our lives, and that the power to live that Word has been given through the Ruach Hakodesh. No longer does it need to be hard to follow and obey God, because He, Himself, indwells us to give us the desire and the power to follow and obey.

That night, at our synagogue, we celebrated Shavuot and God’s blessing us with our own Torah scroll. Rabbi Jem explained how many years it takes a person to prepare to write a scroll, and how it can take an entire year or more to actually write. We were in awe to learn that a modern day scroll compared to a 1000 year old scroll would be exactly the same. Not one jot or tittle (the very tiniest Hebrew letters) would be different. We thanked God for His Word, and for the faithfulness of Jews who have preserved it for us.

Later, the scroll was carried on the shoulder of our very first congregation member. We followed behind, dancing and singing with joy, waving flags and banners, and rejoicing that God favored us by giving us His Torah, and that He lives within our hearts.

You can see pictures of our celebration of Shavuot 2009 at our website photo gallery:Ma'gen Da'vid Messianic Synagogue - Shavuot Celebration

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