Beth El Fellowship

Persecution of Messianic Jews

2011-11-21T11:47:00.000-08:00

No More Silence

2011-11-14T03:36:00.001-08:00

We are breaking the silence now that the High Holy Days had passed and resume our weekly activities at Beth El.

Starting this Friday night we will celebrate Shabbat together so join us in song, prayer and teaching of Torah.

See you then...

From Our House To Yours...Derrick and Lu-Ann

2011-09-29T06:08:00.000-07:00

Rosh Hashanah Gathering

2011-09-27T16:12:00.000-07:00

Beth El will be meeting for Rosh Hashanah night at 9 PM but, if you cannot meet at the meeting place in Syracuse, you can go to http://www.1000mikes.com and listen.

L'shanah Tovah Tikatevu!

The Feast Days

2011-09-22T18:48:00.000-07:00

Due to the High Holidays, Messianic Judaism class will be cancelled. Classes will resume October 5, 2011.

Homework: Question--What's the difference between Rosh Hashanah and Pesach, which is to be the first month of the year according Shemote (Exodus) 12:1-2?

FEAST DAYS: Vayiqra (Leviticus) chapter 23
1. Jewish Community and families to celebrate HaShem's difference in B'Nei Yisrael.
a. His Presence
b. His Protection
c. His Provision

2. Colossians 2:16, 17...Let no man therefore judge you in eating, or in drinking, or with respect to a feast day or a new moon or Shabbat, which are a shadow of the things to come; but the body is Messiah's.

Rosh Hashanah

Rosh Hashanah is Jewish New Year, the day when the year number on the Jewish calendar increases. It occurs between Labor Day and Columbus Day. It lasts for one or two days, depending on your branch of Judaism.

Rosh Hashanah is a happy, festive holiday, but somewhat more solemn than American New Year. Like American New Year, it is a time to look back at the past year and make resolutions for the following year. It is also a wake-up call, a time to begin mental preparations for the upcoming day of atonement, Yom Kippur.

Many Jews who do not go to synagogue any other time of year will go to synagogue on Rosh Hashanah. You've heard of "twice-a-year Christians" who go to church only on Christmas and Easter? "Twice-a-year Jews" go to synagogue only on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

Most American Jews expect gentiles to be aware of Rosh Hashanah. It is, after all, listed on most calendars you buy in the store, but remember: the holiday starts at sunset the night before the day shown on your calendar! Many will be offended if you schedule important events, meetings or tests on Rosh Hashanah. Even those who do not go to synagogue and do not observe the holiday may be offended. Imagine how you would feel if someone scheduled such activities on Christmas or Easter, even if you didn't have anything special planned for the day, and you will understand how Jews feel about this holiday.

Yom Kippur

Yom Kippur is the Jewish day of atonement, a day of fasting and repentance to reconcile ourselves with the Creator for the mistakes we have made in the last year. It occurs on the ninth day after the first day of Rosh Hashanah (Rosh Hashanah occurs on the first day of the Jewish month; Yom Kippur occurs on the 10th), so it is usually in late September or early October, sometimes falling on Columbus Day. For obvious reasons, nobody adds an extra day to this 25-hour fast!

Remember that this holiday starts the evening before the day it appears on your secular calendar. Some secular calendars will mark the preceding day as Kol Nidre, which is the name of the first service of the holiday, in the evening.

Most (but not all) Jews take off from work or school on this day, even ones who are not religious at other times. This is the busiest day of the year for synagogues, even though many synagogues charge for tickets to this day's services (to defray the cost of serving so many extra people). Many will also want to leave work early the night before, so they have time for a large, slow meal before this 25-hour fast. Like Rosh Hashanah, most American Jews expect gentiles to be aware of this day, and almost all will be offended if you schedule important activities on it.

How do you pronounce the name of this holiday? "Yom" rhymes with "home" and "Kippur" sounds like "key poor" with emphasis on the "poor." A lot of Americans (even American Jews) pronounce "Kippur" like the smoked fish dish, kipper, but this really isn't correct. Please don't pronounce it that way; there is something fundamentally wrong with naming a fast day after a food item!

Last Week's and This Week's Notes from Messianic Judaism 101

2011-09-15T06:39:00.000-07:00

Shalom and blessings to you and yours this day.

I had forgotten to post last week's notes from the first week of class so you will be getting a set of notes from last week and notes from last night class.

Last Week's Quiz: An brief essay on Romim (Romans) 2:17-29

Your homework assignment for this week is going to be from Romim (Romans) chapters 9 through 11, and you are to write a five paragraph essay on what had read and your views on this.

Remember that your attendance is 80 percent of your work and 20 percent from coursework.

INTRODUCTION TO MESSIANIC JUDAISM
I. Definition: A movement established in the first century as Jewish followers of Yeshua HaMashiach who viewed Him as the promised Messiah the Tanakh pointed to.
A. Founded in 33 CE
B. Observed Yahweh's Appointed Feast Day, ate Kosher, prayed and had Torah read in the synagogue, brought offerings to the Temple (until the destruction of Yirusalayim and the Temple in 70 CE) and obeyed Torah.
C. Trendsetter: Rebbe Melech HaMashiach Yeshua (MATTITHYAHU [MATTHEW] 5:17-20)
1. Kefa Aleph (1 Peter) 2:21
2. Yochanan Aleph (1 John) 2:3-6
3. Yeshua walked and lived like a Jew and Messianic Jews worship YHVH in the context of the Jewish lifestyle and identity.
4. Names for the Messianic Jews: Nazarenes, The Way, never Christian (Romans' derogatory insult that later was adopted by Gentiles)
D. 100 years later: Gentiles came in with their pagan practices and beliefs; stamping out the Jewish aspects. Roman emperor Constantine at the Council of Nicea forced out the Jews and made it a major crime to be Judaisizing.
E. References: Church Father Epiphaneus and Marcel Simon, first century Church expert

Difference Between Messianic Jews and Gentile Christianity
NOTE: THIS IS IN NO WAY TO ATTACK CHRISTIANITY. THOSE WHO ARE JEWISH SHOULD NEVER FIND ITSELF GOING INTO ANOTHER GROUP THAT WILL DESTROY ONE'S JEWISH IDENTITY AND LIFESTYLE IN CONNECTION WITH YESHUA, WHO WALKED THE EARTH AS A JEW AND DID NOT ABOLISH THE TORAH AT THE "CROSS" AS CHRISTIANS CLAIM.

Messianics observe traditional Jewish holidays such as Purim, Chanukah, etc. Christians do not.

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Messianics observe the biblical feasts of Vayikra (Leviticus) 23 such as Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), Rosh HaShanah (Feast of Trumpets), Sukkot (Feast of Booths) and Passover. Christians do not.

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Messianics do not observe Christian holidays that were borrowed from paganism, such as Christmas and Lent or were simply concocted.

Messianics do not use Easter bunnies, Easter eggs, Christmas trees, etc., (which are part of Christian tradition in many parts of the world although they are not part of official Christian theology).

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Messianics worship on the biblical Sabbath, i.e., Friday evening till Saturday evening, not Sunday. HaShem says the Sabbath is an eternal covenant between Him and the descendants of Israel. (Sh'mot/Exodus 31:16).

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Messianics cant the Shema, and traditional Jewish blessings that most Christians have never heard of, e.g., the kiddush and the Aaronic benediction.

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Messianics cant the Torah portion in Hebrew at worship services.

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Messianic preaching is mainly from the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh), although references to the B'rit Chadasha are common.

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Messianic Judaism emphasizes the special relationship between G-d and the Jewish people, whereas Protestantism and Catholicism hardly ever mention it.

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Messianic Judaism emphasizes Jewish traditions that do not conflict with the Bible, whereas Protestantism and Catholicism totally ignore those traditions.

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Messianic Judaism asserts that the Torah (literally, "teaching") is still in effect (as modified by Yeshua). Christianity claims that once Jesus "fulfilled the Law" it no longer applies.

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Messianic Jews bar-mitzvah their sons and bat-mitzvah their daughters. Christians don't.

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A Jewish person who converts to Protestantism is referred to as a Hebrew Christian, not a Messianic Jew.

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Messianic Judaism and Protestantism teach the biblical doctrine that salvation is a free gift from G-d, by faith in Yeshua.

Roman Catholicism teaches that Catholics can earn ("merit") all the grace necessary for salvation, and that Moslems will also be saved, even though Islam denies the deity, death and resurrection of Yeshua.

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Messianics do not need to be proselytized into Christianity. We already know who Messiah is and what he did to provide salvation for his people.

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Messianics use the same scriptures as Protestants, including the common translations, e.g., NIV and New King James Version. Of course, it is much more common to find a Messianic who has studied biblical Hebrew than a Christian.

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Messianics only baptize believers, not babies, and only baptize by immersion, since the practice described in the B'rit Chadasha is actually derived from a mikvah, a Jewish ritual purification bath.

Special Times During Feast Days

2011-09-06T10:08:00.000-07:00

A lot of events are happening during YHVH's Holy Days and, though I join the Mishpochah Yisrael at New Beth Israel in Syracuse every Shabbat, venues, dates and times are subjected to change as we will be coming together to celebrate Rosh HaShanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot. Mark these down on your calendar:

Rosh HaShanah: September 29 - 30, 2011 @ 9 PM EST
Yom Kippur: October 8, 2011 @ 9 PM EST
Sukkot: October 13-19, 2011 @ 9 PM EST

Special Guest Teacher: Brian Seward

2011-08-30T17:11:00.001-07:00

This coming Saturday we have Brian Seward come to us and teach Torah. This is going to be interesting since I had not heard him share his heart from the Scriptures for several years, and I had invited Brian to be with us.

The Oneg is Saturday at New Beth Israel; Rabbi Jacob Rogers and I will be going all out with making chicken wings. Imagine two rabbis eating chicken wings on Shabbat. Lu-Ann will have pictures, knowing her.

Septembetr 25, 2011 at the Jewish Community Center all Jews will coverge to celebrate the Syracuse Jewish Music and Cultural Festival in Syracuse, NY. Come out and enjoy!

Nazarene Israel

2011-08-23T10:18:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Nazarene Israel from Norman Willis on Vimeo.

Messianic Judaism 101 Course Syllabus

2011-08-22T07:59:00.000-07:00

Messianic Judaism 101
Course Syllabus
Instructor: Derrick Whitt

"You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them..." (Timotheus Bet [2 Timothy] 3:14, NASV.

Class starts September 7, 2011 @ 9 PM EST

Eight to twelve week class for students to become familiared with the Messianic Jewish Movement, its tenets of faith, practices and challenges to share Busorot Tovot (Good News) to the Jewish and Christian Communities.

Toward the end of the course, a student will be enable to...

*Explain the differences between Messianic Judaism and Gentile Christianity
*What the Talmudic writings say about the coming Messiah
*What to say to the Jewish seekers
*Feast Days in connection with Yeshua
*Responding to Christians' objections to following Torah and performing mitzvot

This is also prerequisite for those who want to be an e-member of Beth El Fellowship.
Attendance and class participation will make up over eighty percent of your grade while the twenty percent will be from quizzes. No final exam will be given.

Topics To Be Covered in Class:
1. Introduction of Messianic Judaism
2. Jewish Tenets of Faith and How It Relates to Messianic Tenets of Faith
3. Talmud References to the Messiah
4. Messianic Prophecies
5. Differences Between Messianic Judaism and Gentile Christianity
6. Feast Days Connecting To Yeshua
7. Responding to Jewish Seekers
8. Christians' Objections to the Torah, Mitzvot

Materials Needed: The Scriptures (Jewish Publications Society Version of The TANAKH/New American Standard Version or Complete Jewish Bible)

Class Notes will be on the upcoming Beth El Fellowship blog (TBA)

Conference number 724-444-7444 and enter PIN# 111815

Further Assistance: contact Derrick @ 315-496-1781 or derrickwhitt@yahoo.com

Information About Messianic Judaism 101

2011-08-22T07:56:00.000-07:00

Shalom and Blessings to you and yours this day.

We want to give HaShem thanks and praise that Beth El will be starting a new course for those interested in being part of the Messianic Jewish Movement, and to be part of Beth El Fellowship as an e-member.

We must stress that Messianic Judaism does not have a conversion process but Gentile followers of Yeshua Rebbeinu must live the Messianic life in the context of the Jewish identity and lifestyle as the apostle Yochanan said in the first letter to the fellowship in the first century: "Whoever claims to live in him must live as Yeshua did" (Yochanan Aleph [1 John] 3:6) because Yeshua was Himself a Jew!

During the twelve week course, a student will be taught the following...

*History and the difference between Messianic Judaism and Gentile Christianity
*What the Jewish writings had to say about the Messiah
*Feast Days and Connections To The Messiah
*Responding to Christians' Objections to the Torah and Prejudices
*Presenting Busorot Tovot (Good News) to Jewish Seekers

Once completed members will receive two certificates: Certificate of Completion and E-Membership. By being a member to the fellowship, he/she is an active member of what's going on at Beth El online and serve the fellowship where his or her gifts can be utilized so that we can fulfill the mission of the congregation as we pursue, proclaim and publish the Wisdom of YHVH to a hurting generation (Mishle [Proverbs] 4:7).

We look forward to being involved and continue to pray for us as we make YHVH's Wisdom the Principal Thing.
Sincerely,

Derrick Whitt, Messianic Pastor

DW:dw