TRIP AROUND THE SUN
42 of 52 –
Messianic Jews
The
Visit: Kehilat Ariel Messianic Synagogue –
On
entering, about 15 minutes early, music was in rehearsal. Best dang Jewish music
I’ve ever heard. My thought: “This is going to be fun.” I felt like “Fiddler on
the Roof” would start presently. (It’s my favorite story of all time.)
At the
front, hanging on one of two lecterns, was a small arras declaring, “Jeshua the Messiah” on a beautiful rendition of a scroll.
Then some Hebrew characters were below that – still on the scroll – I assume
they repeated the same declaration. Then below the scroll, still on the arras,
were the words: Kehilat Ariel Messianic Congregation.
A much
larger arras hung at the back of the stage said, “SHEMA YISRAEL”
A
coverlet covered the second lectern – with a beautiful large Star of David.
All
these “portable” meaningful decorations have a logical purpose. This is a
Out
front are two signs – about the same size.
Opening
prayer: A few Hebrew words – then “Heavenly Father --- (words similar to our
own prayers) --- In the name of our Messiah, Amein.
Opening
song: Starts quiet and slow - - - then four beats - - - and off we go. Happy
and loud and faster and faster – Halleluyah! May we
exalt thy name, among the nations proclaim the mighty
works you have done – in sending your son. All during this song, people were
coming up to join a circle of dancers on the floor in front. Da da da
– clap. Da
da da – Clap. (The da’s are words I didn’t get –
probably Hebrew words.)
Then
another song was sung in Hebrew. The ring of dancers became larger – people
join the ring when they want – including children. One old guy never smiled –
others smiled from ear to ear. The joyful feel of it all had me with my eyes
moist. At the end there were more than twenty in the ring – and then there was
applause from the congregation. The ones in the ring were also applauding – and
the old guy who didn’t smile was clapping enthusiastically, and I’ll be danged
if he didn’t break into a big old smile that filled up his whole face. (I think
he had been concentrating on the steps before.)
L-rd
Messiah of Israel is He - Restorer of our Nation!
G-d the
hope of David now we see - Bringing us salvation!
(The
words are projected – that’s why I could see the formats G-d and L-rd. They say
the words completely and often, but they are not to be written out completely.)
Root of
Jesse - Lion of
Judge
of
L’chaim b’Yeshua - Hoo ah hav o-tee,
Hoo oh-haiv o-tee - Halleluyah!
(Probably
transliteration for Hebrew)
Psalm
118: Please L-rd save us.
Please
L-rd bring success.
Blessed
is he who comes in the name of the L-rd.
Ana Adonai
Ana Adonai
Ana Adonai, Hoshiana
Baruch haba, B’shem Adonai
Many of
the songs are in 3/4 time. (Like fast waltzes.)
There
were three electronic keyboards – a Korg – a Kurtzwell – and a Roland. Electric guitars – two conga
drums and a full drum set.
Then came the Torah celebration. It was very similar to the ones
in both the Reformed Jewish and the Conservative Jewish congregations. First
the cabinet is opened – and the ark is removed. (Like an
extra fancy golf bag.) This is carried about throughout the congregation
with the Torah contained within. Each person touches it with a program – or a
book (copy of Torah is most popular) or a handkerchief. This congregation was
much larger – perhaps 350 – so it took longer. After about half way through,
music started – and clapping in time –
Note: I
have learned since this visit – that the “golf bag” is
not the ark. The ark is the cabinet.
Then at
the front, the Torah (Here, they pronounced it Torah’ rhyming and as stressed
in HooRah’) – was removed from the ark – and opened.
The scroll was held up high – opened so we could see the Hebrew characters
within. “This is the Torah, which Moses placed before the children of
(This
made me wonder if it is their view that all this first was offered by Moses –
and then the Ten Commandments were all that came after their rejection of this.
Our view is that Moses received the whole gospel the first time.)
Then
the Torah was returned first to the ark and then to the cabinet where it is
stored right in the middle of the stage – same in all three Jewish meetings.
It
appears that no matter how many other things are changed with differing formats
of Jews, the Torah celebration remains pretty much unchanged.
A man
makes announcements. I wasn’t sure whether he was a Rabbi or not. He was
strangely familiar – voice – mannerisms – face – everything. Where did I know
this guy from? I’m trying hard to place him.
“Dance
class will be at
“Feeding
the homeless will be Thursday at the Presbyterian Church - - - “
Then a
blessing was given – first hearing of Jesus rather than Jeshua
–
“May Jeshua, Jesus, our Savior’s blessing be
upon you.”
Then it
all just ended – everyone was visiting – walking about – some going out.
Woops –
Nope – they’re all coming back. Another Rabbi is to speak.
He had
come from
“The
Rabbi’s are now debating about the building of the temple.” – Then there were
some words about what the debate was about – and I couldn’t get much of it. He
was talking fast – and of something perhaps about whom the temple was to be
built to - ??
“Blessed
is
(!!!)
Where have we heard this (in different words) before? About
free agency – making errors – learning more than we could have from the plan
that would not allow error.)
“In the
end, their obedience will prove best – but even when they sin, there is
blessing even in this.”
“He
tells us to build a temple and that He will dwell in us.”
It does
not say, “I will dwell in it.”
It
says, “I will dwell in you.”
“The closer
we come to G-d, the more danger there is of our becoming idolatrous.”
“We try
to find the divine by giving Him an Image.”
“When
man gives G-d an Image, he is becoming idolatrous.”
“The
worship of G-d is directed by G-d himself.”
“When
we worship rightfully, it is not humans who try to grasp G-d and pull
him down to Earth to be like us.”
“But
G-d himself shrinks himself to become small to dwell among human
beings.”
“Idolatry
sometimes is done even in the name of G-d.”
“When
we try to make Him human, we worship an idol, not G-d.”
A woman
is called forward to talk. It is his wife – and her accent is close to the
same.
She
said to her children, “If war breaks out, here is your mask gas. Here they are
in this cabinet. This is how you put them on. (Her voice was a little shaken.)
Her young son says back to her, “I might go to the army – I might not come
back.” “This,” she said, “was exactly what a mother wants to hear!” There was
stifled laughter. “All the suicide bombers – we must only stay close to the
L-rd.”
“Many
brothers and sisters in
(This
is what I like to believe also – not because that makes it more likely for me –
but because it is a far more loving plan – even for the third who are doing the great job of being the tempters.)
“Only
when they are comfortable, my children, are sharing
their faith.”
“We are
planning to build a Messianic Synagogue in
“My
husband is working on his PhD – on Jesus – Jeshua –
as Savior – the Messiah of Israel. People at the university are inviting him to
speak to other PhD students. It is opening up. He has been working many years
on the Hebrew – Greek dictionary.”
“Everything
we do is by our best conviction – that G-d is wanting
us to do it – and that all of you are part of all of this. Thank you for all
you do and for being part of it.”
Applause. Husband returns.
“To get
to the Rabbi in
(It
appears there are Rabbis – and then The Rabbi – perhaps like we have
Elders – and The presiding Elder.)
“Regarding
these ten guards that one must get past – Sometimes to get close to Jesus – I
must pass by a long list of old beliefs. It takes a constant dedication. We are
there to open up the way.”
“The
Jews no longer blame Jesus for everything. He was forgiven about 50 years ago.”
(!!!)
“Now
the Jews blame Paul!” (Laughter)
(!!!)
“But
Paul was as Jew as anyone can be – And he knew who our Messiah was!”
“We
never know for sure about a prophesy – until after it
is fulfilled.”
(Oh – I
see now – I didn’t get this while he was speaking – he’s talking about Jesus as
the fulfillment of the prophesy of a Messiah.)
“We can
guess what a prophesy means – but we can not be sure until after the
fulfilling.”
“Predictions
made by reading prophesies and saying what will happen
will be full of errors. We must look back at the prophesy
after the fulfilling.”
“We can
look back and see Jesus.”
“They
argue now between a secular and a religious government. Either way this goes,
“
“Still,
the future of
Applause.
And the meeting is over.
Wo
– not over – the band is coming back up.
One
person is holding a cup – like a goblet. Another is carrying two large loaves
of bread.
The
song our kids learned at school is now being sung – no band yet.
Shabat Shabat
Shabat Shabat
Shabat Shabat
Shabat Shabat Shalom!
(Sabbath
Peace)
Then
the band fired up with music similar to Zorba the
Greek – started out slow – and picked up speed – with dancers returning from
the congregation – more and more – faster and faster – about 30 of them now.
Half were bare footed. Then it slowed back down – slower and slower – and
ended.
Someone
told me, “There is lots of food outside – Always plenty of food.
There was little sacrament-sized cups of wine – and also grape
juice for the minors – and the two loaves were there to tear off a piece as you
went by. Then as the man said – lots of food.
It
would be hard to make it more perfect.
42 of 52 –
Messianic Jews
(I met
the man again outside – sure enough – He was an old Toastmaster’s club friend.
Charlie
McGrath – He said, “I know – aren’t you Chuck?” He’s been a Messianic Jew since
1989 – an Elder.)