Messianic Jewish Identity

[JewishHeart]

Some messianic friends of mine whom have seen the excesses in the messianic movement in America were talking about this the other day. We believe the main issue is Jewish identity in the Diaspora. Especially as believers in Yeshua. Although we believe Torah is for today and we should keep Shabatt etc. We believe because of the Jewish identity crisis, many messianic Jewish people go overboard. We have an answer to this problem that can be solved easily:

MAKE ALIYAH!

This will solve the Jewish identity crisis in a jiffy.

Until we make aliyah we will always be fighting for our identity and miss the main point that Yeshua is the Messiah.

[Guest yod]

Amen.

Not all is lost over here. Most messianic congregations are healthy places where Yeshua is the center. There are enough "bad" ones to be concerned but they are by no means the norm.

They are exceptions and there is a remnant of true believers even within them.

It seems to me that the problem is in areas where there aren't any choices. What if you go to a place and don't realize that there IS another choice?

I'm thinking of a city where the leader is teaching some things which he has deduced from the scriptures. These things are non-essentials...and they are also

only his opinions of what is found in the verses...but if you've never been in a messianic congregation it might seem like objective truth when it's mixed in with teaching of the festivals and other things you don't get in the average church.

I'm speaking of Ephramite congregations here. They think that they are the lost tribes of Israel. It is impossible to prove that yet they have formed an entire denomination over this belief!

It causes them to see all scriptures in this light and before you know it, they are way off track...and Yeshua is no longer the center.

This problem is not confined to messianic congregations either. The RCC came up with a doctrine that "the church" is now Israel many centuries ago and this error still permeates the church today.

[Dad Ernie]

Some messianic friends of mine whom have seen the excesses in the messianic movement in America were talking about this the other day. We believe the main issue is Jewish identity in the Diaspora. Especially as believers in Yeshua. Although we believe Torah is for today and we should keep Shabatt etc. We believe because of the Jewish identity crisis, many messianic Jewish people go overboard. We have an answer to this problem that can be solved easily:

MAKE ALIYAH!

This will solve the Jewish identity crisis in a jiffy.

Until we make aliyah we will always be fighting for our identity and miss the main point that Yeshua is the Messiah.

I can't agree with Yod's Amen to this one. The ONLY name by which we MUST be saved is Yeshua, NOT ALIYAH! Once Yeshua is acknowledged as Messiah, THEN will the Jew be content in whatever circumstance/location he may be in. The land of Israel is NOT where they should be calling home.

Blessings,

Dad Ernie

[Guest yod]

I think you misunderstood what he was saying, DE

In Israel, the messianic jews don't seem to feel the need to express that they are jews. They simply ARE.

For instance, I know of a few messianic congretations in Israel where they don't wear a yarmulke/kipa (round cloth thingy on their bald spot) because that identifies them with the rabbinical and orthodox.

Outside of America, the yarmulke is seen as a way of identifying with Israel. Personally, I never wear one except at a funeral where it is done out of respect for the deceased.

Anyway...that's just one example of how a jew in Israel doesn't feel any pressure to express his jewishness like one in America might.

[JewishHeart]

I only wear a kippa and tallit when going to Bar Mitzva's, Circumcisions, Weddings, synagogue, etc... in which all do... seculars and orthodox alike. It is also out of respect. Although my wife and I tend to wear head coverings when we light the Shabbatt candles... but it is for us as tradition and since we do it alone as a family... we don't have anything to proove to anybody else. My wife finds that 90 percent of messianic congregations in America will probably scare away Israeli tourists hahaha. SHe always makes a point when she fakes a northern New York accent singing "Hava Nagila" mispronouncing the words happily. She says with the mispronounced Hebrew among 70 percent Gentiles who think they know what they are talking about... Israelis think they landed in a weird Hebrew-speaking Mars. We were actually talking about this because of Israeli nonbelieving friends expressing their shock that they saw when invited to an American messianic congregation. Most Israelis that visit America and are open spiritually find charismatic churches more interesting than Messianic Congregations.... or less weirder to some degree. Anyways... all this to say that American messianic congregations do reach out to Jewish Americans though (although most Jewish messianic congregations with a majority of Jewish people tend to be more Yeshua-centered and most Torah-concentrated messianic congregations are majority Gentile). I love Messianic Judaism!!! I love the feasts! I love SHabatt!!! I mostly love our Jewish Messiah- Yeshua!!!!!!! All that to say this... when moving to Israel as a Jewish believer G-d begins to change your character. Being Jewish becomes something deep within you and not some outward show. Your traditions come from deep conviction and not to identify yourself as Jewish. You become radically balanced. You begin to see the neccessity of keeping the main thing- the main thing... the gospel of Yeshua. You see the deception of ORthodox legalism before your eyes daily. You see also the deception of secular humanism daily. You build a neccessity to be led by the Spirit. You keep your Jewish traditions, but it becomes a daily ritual, but not a daily concentration. You do it for cultural reasons ( like a southerner is polite) and keep deep conviction about it, but are compelled to always keep your eyes on Yeshua. You are Jewish, you keep the feasts... but dont make a big deal about it... who will you make a big deal about it to??... other Israelis who also keep the feasts??... You do make a big deal about Yeshua.

[Guest shiloh357]

The land of Israel is NOT where they should be calling home.

It is where I call home. God is calling us back. Soon He will give me the means to return home, where I belong. Right now, the logistics are not in place, and my current situation (car payments, student loans, etc.) does not permit me to leave the U.S.

I WILL make it home, though.

[JewishHeart]

yod,

we are waiting for you bud...

i will buy your album soon...

one more dollar to get you to israel

[Guest yod]

I'll be there for Shavuot...and it won't cost you a penny.

[JewishHeart]

shiloh,

were waiting for you too! the three of us...worshiping G-d in Jerusalem!!!

[Dad Ernie]

In Israel, the messianic jews don't seem to feel the need to express that they are jews. They simply ARE.

For instance, I know of a few messianic congretations in Israel where they don't wear a yarmulke/kipa (round cloth thingy on their bald spot) because that identifies them with the rabbinical and orthodox.

Outside of America, the yarmulke is seen as a way of identifying with Israel. Personally, I never wear one except at a funeral where it is done out of respect for the deceased.

Anyway...that's just one example of how a jew in Israel doesn't feel any pressure to express his jewishness like one in America might.

Greetings Yod,

So how many "Messianic" Jews in Israel are "confessing Jesus Christ as Lord before men"? Let me venture a guess: They may find their Jewishness to be acceptable, but when they open their mouths to say Yeshua, they are automatically declared a heathen???

What is your experience?

Blessings,

Dad Ernie