Who exactly is a Messianic Jew?

A Messianic Jew is a person born either of a Jewish mother or father[1], or a person who has converted to Judaism and who embraces Yeshua (Jesus) as Israel's Messiah. More specifically, a Messianic Jew seeks to live as a Jew and thus, finds his or her primary congregational affiliation in a Messianic Jewish synagogue.

A non-Jew who associates with a Messianic Jewish synagogue is not a Messianic Jew, but is commonly called a Messianic believer or Messianic Gentile. The term "Gentile" has absolutely no negative connotation in this usage, but simply refers to someone not born of Jewish parents, but who has come among the Messianic Jewish community.

For almost 2,000 years people have believed that Jews can't believe in Jesus. Is it really possible for Messianic Jews to turn back the clock and place him at center stage again?
Yes, it is entirely possible. Here's why:

1. It is a fact of life. Thousands of committed Jews do believe in Yeshua today. The answer to the question, "Is it possible?..." is answered in part by the fact that Messianic Judaism is alive and well, both in Israel and the Diaspora.

2. The sheer breadth of beliefs evident in the Jewish world today argues for the legitimacy of Messianic Judaism.[2] In this age of pluralism, Humanistic Jews and Hasidic Jews are part of the same people of Israel. It is hard to imagine groups of more differing perspectives! Yet, both are part of the Jewish world. Messianic Jews view themselves as yet another perspective among the many viable Jewish options. We are Jews with a difference -- living among other Jews who often have great differences of belief on even the most basic issues and equally great differences in daily practice. There is room under the sun for Orthodox, Humanistic, Messianic, Reform, Conservative and other kinds of Jewishness.

3. Even by the standards of Orthodox Judaism, Messianic Jews are still Jews.[3] Belief in Yeshua does not make one a non-Jew! However, without participation in synagogue life, it is difficult to live as a Jew in any meaningful way. Hence, Messianic Jewish synagogues -- congregations like Ruach Israel where being Jewish and believing in the Risen One go hand in hand.

4. Jewish is as Jewish does! Messianic Jews are often far more observant of Jewish customs and more committed to historic Jewish beliefs than many others in the Jewish community. Many Messianic Jews, in fact, became more deeply committed to our Jewishness as a direct consequence of having become followers of Yeshua! We consider this transformation the work of God in our hearts and minds.

Is diversity an opinion welcomed at Ruach Israel, or would you consider yourselves 'Fundamentalists'?
The general character or ethos of Congregation Ruach Israel is warm, engaging and open. That is, we place more value on how people treat one another than on the specifics of one's beliefs. This is not to say that we have no communal norms or convictions. We surely do. However, the atmosphere is such that questioning, wondering, experimenting, seeking and growing are evident and encouraged.
In part this is a due to the newness of Messianic Judaism. As a community we are both two-thousand-years old and thirty-years-new. Thus, at this pioneer stage of our development, many specifics are not yet cast in stone. This makes our synagogue an exciting place to be.

1. Who exactly is a Messianic Jew?
2. For almost 2,000 years people have believed that Jews can't believe in Jesus. Is it really possible for Messianic Jews to turn back the clock and place him at center stage again?
3. Is diversity an opinion welcomed at Ruach Israel, or would you consider yourselves 'Fundamentalists'?
4. Are Gentiles equally welcome at Ruach Israel?
5. Is Messianic Judaism just a local affair or are there Messianic Synagogues in other places?
6. What opportunities are offered for children and teens at Congregation Ruach Israel?
7. How much Hebrew do I need to know if I am to become part of Ruach Israel?
8. Is Ruach Israel associated with Jews for Jesus?
9. Do I have to share the beliefs of the congregation to be part?
10. What does Ruach Israel offer intermarried families?
11. Are Jewish holidays important at Ruach Israel?
12. Do you celebrate Christmas and Easter or other Christian holidays?
13. Most synagogues would not have music and dancing as you do during Shabbat services. Why do you?
14. How does someone become a member of Ruach Israel?
15. How are funds raised in the congregation?
16. Footnotes

Are Gentiles equally welcome at Ruach Israel?

Like any synagogue, Congregation Ruach Israel exists primarily for Jewish people, particularly those who wonder about or who believe in Yeshua the Messiah. However, there are some non Jews who can benefit greatly from participation in the rhythms of our congregational life. First, we think of the non Jewish spouses of Jewish people.

Intermarried couples find a natural fit at Congregation Ruach Israel. Though primarily oriented for Jews, the fact that Yeshua -- Jesus -- is honored allows a non-Jewish spouse to feel religiously "at home."

Some other non-Jews find life in a Messianic Jewish synagogue attractive. Often, these folks experience a strong gravitational pull to Jewish life -- a deeply rooted inclination in their souls which may seem difficult to understand, but which may be very real. Time is the key test of the strength of this inclination. Is it a passing fad? Is it merely a reaction to negative experiences at church? Or, is the pull the real thing?

The mature non-Jew considering affiliation in a Messianic Jewish synagogue should consider carefully the issues involved. Congregations like Ruach Israel, in order to maintain cultural integrity, must retain a significant Jewish majority of members. And considering the inherent identity confusion, which comes with the territory for non-Jews at a Messianic Jewish synagogue, we urge a hard-nosed "cost/benefit" analysis on the part of the prospective non-Jewish participant.

After carefully weighing the issues involved, a non-Jew who wishes to cast his lot with Jews who embrace Messiah is very welcome to seek membership in Congregation Ruach Israel[4].

Is Messianic Judaism just a local affair or are there Messianic Synagogues in other places?
Since the late 1960's Messianic Jewish synagogues have sprung up in all major and many mid-sized cities around the United Sates. Israel has many congregations as do most European cities. We find congregations scattered throughout Mexico, Central and South America and South Africa.

The denomination to which Congregation Ruach Israel belongs is the Union of Messianic Jewish Congregation (UMJC).

Given the amazing level of growth numerically, organizationally and educationally, we suggest that Messianic Judaism is here to stay. Given the growing openness to Messianic Judaism in some segments of the Jewish community and in the broader culture, we expect Messianic Judaism to gain a significant hearing in the years ahead. Given the thirst among many modern people for an experience of God which is personal and communal and which is rooted in history, we are confident that Messianic Judaism will meet the needs of many in the years ahead.

What opportunities are offered for children and teens at Congregation Ruach Israel?

Children -- their needs, their delights -- are a central focus at Congregation Ruach Israel. Deeply woven into the fabric of our congregational life is the awareness that raising well-adjusted, morally sensitive children is truly the work of the entire village.

Our program includes the following:
- Shabbat school offered on Saturday mornings at the synagogue
- Youth Group activities led by caring, committed young adults such as weekend camp-outs, trips to Jewish sites in New York, ski trips, etc.
- Afternoon Hebrew school for Bar and Bat Mitzvah training.
- Personalized Bar and Bat Mitzvah training by Rabbi, Cantor and lay teachers.

How much Hebrew do I need to know if I am to become part of Ruach Israel?
Shabbat and Holiday services are conducted in Hebrew and English. The relative amount of Hebrew is similar to Reform and some Conservative synagogues. A person unfamiliar with Hebrew can still benefit from the worship experience.

Ongoing study is available through classes offered regularly at Ruach Israel and all Ruach attendees are encouraged to grow in their skill in reading and understanding the language of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Yeshua.[5]

Is Ruach Israel associated with Jews for Jesus?
No. There is no organizational link between Congregation Ruach Israel with Jews for Jesus or other such groups.

Ruach Israel is not a heavily proselytizing congregation. We are excited to share our perspectives with other Jews, but for the most part this occurs casually and naturally within the framework of friendships and family relationships.

We have a passion to let New England know about our synagogue. Historically, this has taken the form of print advertising. Our focus is on long term community-building. This however should not be taken as a suggestion of blasČ on our part with respect to our message. We simply believe that trust built over time and openness in our relationships to others who may even disagree with us, is a posture more conducive to persuasion in the long term.

We are not a "mission arm of the Church." We are Jewish people who find our sense of primary identity among our Jewish people. We have a deep appreciation for the historic churches and see these as powerful shaping forces for good in our world. And, we share a profound spiritual unity with all followers of Yeshua, irrespective of national or cultural differences. However, the community of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is our principle community.

Do I have to share the beliefs of the congregation to be part?
As mentioned above, the content of one's faith is not as important as the way in which people act out their faith. A wide variety of views on many religious, social, political and aesthetic issues is evident among the members and friends of Ruach Israel. Formal members are united on some key convictions such as the existence of the God of the Bible, His ongoing commitment to the Jewish people, the centrality of Torah, the messiahship of Yeshua, the historical reality of his death and resurrection, and our conviction that God has been present in the formation and development of both the historic Jewish community and the historic Church.

Visitors are encouraged to explore, ask tough questions and take their time in sharpening their own convictions in these and all other matters. No pressure is exerted. Truth has its way of making itself known without coercion or even subtle pressure.

What does Ruach Israel offer intermarried families?
Ruach Israel offers two things...common ground and company.
However, our synagogue does not exist primarily to make intermarriage between Jews and non-Jews easier. Our religious outlook is based on deep convictions and not expediency. This being said, our beliefs about Jewishness and Yeshua do, as a by-product create a very comfortable situation for intermarried families.

Many intermarried couples have made their congregational home among us because otherwise insurmountable difficulties can be removed:

A. The Jewish spouse can worship in Jewish "space." Often, it is very difficult for a Jew to attend his wife's (or her husband's) church. However, Ruach Israel is a synagogue. The sights, sounds, and rhythm of life are clearly Jewish.

B. The non-Jewish spouse often finds it difficult to attend a traditional synagogue, not only because the symbolic world is unfamiliar, but because religion without Jesus seems incomplete. At Ruach Israel, Yeshua the Messiah is honored as the exalted Holy One of Israel who, as a matter of genuine historical record, died and rose again! This point of commonality with the historic Church validates the deepest sensibilities of the non-Jewish spouse.

Thus, the common ground offered to an intermarried family can meet a deep need and even head off a potential marital conflict so long as the couple is willing to view the Jewish community as their primary community of reference
At Ruach Israel, intermarriage seminars are offered to help the many mixed and matched couples among us deal with the related problems of child rearing, holiday observance, getting along with in-laws, etc.

Are Jewish holidays important at Ruach Israel?
Yes! Our calendar includes Rosh Chodesh, Rosh HaShanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Simchat Torah, Chanukah, Purim, Passover, Shavuot, Yom Hatzmaut (Israel Independence Day) and Yom HaShoah (Commemoration of the Holocaust).

Do you celebrate Christmas and Easter or other Christian holidays?
We have no liturgy as yet for the celebration of the Messiah's birth.

Resurrection Day (Chag Hat'kiyah in Hebrew) is our celebration of Messiah's resurrection, the most important and most historically verifiable event in first century Jewish history.

To date, a consensus has not developed among the world's Messianic Jewish synagogues as to the best date for this celebration. Generally, it is celebrated in connection with the Passover season.

Most synagogues would not have music and dancing as you do during Shabbat services. Why do you?
Worship through the dance and singing mixes with traditional liturgy to allow us to experience God as both high, exalted and beyond our understanding and also to feel His presence as One who is close, intimate and connected to us.

Ruach Israel services are not boring! The mixture of traditional liturgy plus the spontaneous joy of our more "Chasidic" style make time seem to fly by.

How does someone become a member of Ruach Israel?
The process begins with a period of regular attendance. Since Messianic Judaism has a very unique focus and orientation, we desire people to look us over pretty carefully before formally joining the congregation. Generally, we ask that newcomers wait at least six months before joining the membership class.

A class called "Ruach Israel-- An Up Close Look" comes next. Following this is a meeting with the Rabbi or other leaders to ascertain how the congregation can be most helpful to the person seeking membership and how he or she can be most helpful to the community.

Finally, the person or couple is warmly welcomed during a Shabbat morning service.

How are funds raised in the congregation?
Are there membership dues?

Unlike the traditional synagogues, Ruach Israel does not have a formal dues structure. Instead, people are encouraged to give generously and voluntarily.

In addition to regular giving to cover the yearly budget, special projects are funded by a Designated Giving Program in which members and friends of the congregation may contribute as they choose.

Specific fees are reserved for the Ruach Israel Hebrew School and Ruach Israel Institute tuition.

The best way to get to know is to come and visit.

Footnotes
[1]Messianic Judaism affirms the principle of patriarchal descent. Along with Reform and Reconstructionist t Jews, Jewish identity is transmitted and conferred to children through either parent so long as the child is raised as a Jew. Orthodox and Conservative Jews believe that Jewishness may be conferred only through the mother.

[2]Rabbi Carol Shapiro in her insightful book on Messianic Judaism notes that Messianic Judaism is difficult to dismiss on the basis of some essential Jewishness which would necessarily leave Messianic Jews out in the cold. She writes:
"To believe that "Jewish authenticity" is something that can be defended from a "false Judaism" is to make the assumption that there is a "genuine Judaism" present carrying within it the essence of a genuine Judaism past, a line of unbroken continuity that Messianic Judaism violates. Indeed, such an assumption is highly questionable." Rabbi Carol Shapiro, Messianic Judaism --
A Rabbi's Journey Through Religious Change in America, Boston: Beacon Press, 1999.

[3]This point is often missed by Messianic Judaism's detractors. Orthodox Jewish scholar Michael Wyschogrod provides the historic perspective of Halachah or Jewish law in a famous letter to Cardinal Lustiger, a Jew who had joined the Roman Catholic Church after being hidden as a child from the Nazis among pious Catholic people in Poland. See Soulen, R. K., Ed. (2004). Abraham's Promise. Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdman's Publishing Company.
"So I return to your claim that you remain a Jew in spite of having become a Christian. Is this a claim that I can accept? Of course I can. Anyone born of a Jewish mother or anyone properly converted to Judaism, is, according to Rabbinic law, a Jew."

[4]Actually, the best evidence suggests that Yeshua spoke Aramaic, a language related to Hebrew and spoken widely in the Middle East in the First Century. However, Hebrew was in those days the language of synagogue prayer as it remains today.