Someone e-mailed me for a college research paper. I thought it was so interesting, I thought I’d post my answers.
Here’s her e-mail to me:"I am first year graduate student taking a diversity class at A P U. I was asked to look at another culture other than my own, based on stereotypes, and misconceptions, so I chose Jewish culture. I visited the Museum of Tolerance, and I wanted to know more about Jewish culture. Part of the reason is because I am apart of the Judeo-Christian faith, but have no real knowledge of Judaism of the culture."
My name is Rhonda and my college background: BA from City University of New York College of Staten Island and MS from Chaminade University of Honolulu
1. If asked by a non-Jewish person what you cherish about Judaism, what would you say?
That God has protected us through the years. In every century, someone has tried to kill us but God has kept his hand upon us and kept his promise to make us as numerous as the stars of the sky. We have a rich heritage.
2. What do you believe or think about God and does this hinder you academically in any way?
Since I am a messianic Jew, a Jew who believes in Jesus, my thinking about God may be different than mainstream Judaism. I believe God is real and has a plan and purpose for my life. I studied all my life to be a psychologist and I did do counseling for a while but I believe God wants me to stay home with my children. I am not against working but I think my main job is to be with the children and be a good wife and mom. As a result, I have not gone all the way to the PhD like I wanted to originally. Maybe, someday, I still will but right now, I am perfectly happy being where I am. I feel I can help people more by reading them the Bible than I ever could by studying psychology. I am not saying all psychology is bad but the Bible has a lot of wisdom to offer.
3. What has Judaism taught you that will help me understand your culture?
In "rabbinic" judaism they are waiting for the Messiah to come. They believe that when the Messiah comes, then there will be peace on earth. In Messianic Judaism, we believe that the Messiah came and He is Jesus, Y’shua. Born a Jew by blood lineage. Born from the descendent of Jacob. Line of Judah. In the Tenach, Old Testament, there are scriptures that talk about a suffering servant who dies for the sins of the world, who is lowly and riding on a donkey, who’s beard is pulled out as well as scriptures about a Messiah who will reign as king and bring everlasting peace. We believe that Jesus filfilled the scriptures about the Messiah being a suffering servant and when he returns again, He will bring peace on earth. For now, He brings peace to the hearts of men that believe in Him. Even though the Rabbis will try to say we are no longer Jewish when we believe in Jesus, we are still Jewish because we are descendants of Jacob and for the first 100 years of Christianity, most of the believers in Jesus were Jewish, not Gentile (which means the Nations).
When we believe in Jesus as a Messianic Jew, we still remain Jewish through the blood line. We can still celebrate the biblical holidays like Passover that Jesus celebrated when He was on this earth. We believe that in the last days, the nation of Israel will recognize Y’shua, Jesus as the Messiah. For now, there are only a remnant.
4. How do you feel about diversity on your campus?
As a Jewish person do you feel like you are being treated well?
When I lived in NY, I never had a problem. However, one semester, I went to school in central FL and I was told to get up from the table because I am Jewish. I was also called bad names for being Jewish. I was very turned off by these people and couldn’t wait to go back to NY. I couldn’t believe anti-semitism still exists in the south but it does. Although this turned me off to Christianity, (this was before I was a messianic Jew), I realized after reading the Bible that these people are not real Christians.
A real Christian believes what Jesus preached, "To love God and love one another."
Most Jewish people think that Christians hate them but a true Christian according to the Bible could never hate a Jewish person because their Messiah is Jewish! It was in Hawaii, while going to gradschool that I met Messianic Jews and saw more of God in their lives than in any other synagogue.
All the other denominations were plagued with tradition and ritual but in the messianic congregation I went to (They are not all the same), they had a personal relationship with God and had love for God, love for Israel, love for Jewish people and love for all people. It was their love that won me over. But then again, I saw that Y’shua fuflilled 333 prophecies of how you can recognize the Messiah when you see Him!
Here’s her e-mail to me:"I am first year graduate student taking a diversity class at A P U. I was asked to look at another culture other than my own, based on stereotypes, and misconceptions, so I chose Jewish culture. I visited the Museum of Tolerance, and I wanted to know more about Jewish culture. Part of the reason is because I am apart of the Judeo-Christian faith, but have no real knowledge of Judaism of the culture."
My name is Rhonda and my college background: BA from City University of New York College of Staten Island and MS from Chaminade University of Honolulu
1. If asked by a non-Jewish person what you cherish about Judaism, what would you say?
That God has protected us through the years. In every century, someone has tried to kill us but God has kept his hand upon us and kept his promise to make us as numerous as the stars of the sky. We have a rich heritage.
2. What do you believe or think about God and does this hinder you academically in any way?
Since I am a messianic Jew, a Jew who believes in Jesus, my thinking about God may be different than mainstream Judaism. I believe God is real and has a plan and purpose for my life. I studied all my life to be a psychologist and I did do counseling for a while but I believe God wants me to stay home with my children. I am not against working but I think my main job is to be with the children and be a good wife and mom. As a result, I have not gone all the way to the PhD like I wanted to originally. Maybe, someday, I still will but right now, I am perfectly happy being where I am. I feel I can help people more by reading them the Bible than I ever could by studying psychology. I am not saying all psychology is bad but the Bible has a lot of wisdom to offer.
3. What has Judaism taught you that will help me understand your culture?
In "rabbinic" judaism they are waiting for the Messiah to come. They believe that when the Messiah comes, then there will be peace on earth. In Messianic Judaism, we believe that the Messiah came and He is Jesus, Y’shua. Born a Jew by blood lineage. Born from the descendent of Jacob. Line of Judah. In the Tenach, Old Testament, there are scriptures that talk about a suffering servant who dies for the sins of the world, who is lowly and riding on a donkey, who’s beard is pulled out as well as scriptures about a Messiah who will reign as king and bring everlasting peace. We believe that Jesus filfilled the scriptures about the Messiah being a suffering servant and when he returns again, He will bring peace on earth. For now, He brings peace to the hearts of men that believe in Him. Even though the Rabbis will try to say we are no longer Jewish when we believe in Jesus, we are still Jewish because we are descendants of Jacob and for the first 100 years of Christianity, most of the believers in Jesus were Jewish, not Gentile (which means the Nations).
When we believe in Jesus as a Messianic Jew, we still remain Jewish through the blood line. We can still celebrate the biblical holidays like Passover that Jesus celebrated when He was on this earth. We believe that in the last days, the nation of Israel will recognize Y’shua, Jesus as the Messiah. For now, there are only a remnant.
4. How do you feel about diversity on your campus?
As a Jewish person do you feel like you are being treated well?
When I lived in NY, I never had a problem. However, one semester, I went to school in central FL and I was told to get up from the table because I am Jewish. I was also called bad names for being Jewish. I was very turned off by these people and couldn’t wait to go back to NY. I couldn’t believe anti-semitism still exists in the south but it does. Although this turned me off to Christianity, (this was before I was a messianic Jew), I realized after reading the Bible that these people are not real Christians.
A real Christian believes what Jesus preached, "To love God and love one another."
Most Jewish people think that Christians hate them but a true Christian according to the Bible could never hate a Jewish person because their Messiah is Jewish! It was in Hawaii, while going to gradschool that I met Messianic Jews and saw more of God in their lives than in any other synagogue.
All the other denominations were plagued with tradition and ritual but in the messianic congregation I went to (They are not all the same), they had a personal relationship with God and had love for God, love for Israel, love for Jewish people and love for all people. It was their love that won me over. But then again, I saw that Y’shua fuflilled 333 prophecies of how you can recognize the Messiah when you see Him!
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