By Alan Shore It has been over 30 years since I accepted the claim that Jesus is the Messiah, according to the Hebrew prophets. When I look back at that callow, unformed youth and ask, “How could you have made such an outrageous decision?”, I am amazed not so much that I did it, but […]
By Emily Seemar My story would not be complete without including my mother’s story. She had a difficult childhood and as an adult she sometimes found it hard to cope. My father had been raised as an observant Jew and was encouraged to get an education. But the more educated he became, the more he […]
By Dariush Coming to Faith I was born in Tehran, Iran, in 1957. I grew up in a Jewish home, but only went to synagogue two or three times a year. At the time, Iran was a secular Muslim nation with a Jewish population of roughly 70,000 centered in Tehran. Though Iran was friendly to […]
By Dennis K. I thought I’d put to rest questions about “The Meaning of Life” during my hippy days growing up around Washington, DC. After trying out a lot of schools in the area, I buckled down at American University. When I finished, I launched out into the business world. By then, I had decided […]
My earliest memories are tied to the strict Jewish religious observance in our family life that took place under the watchful eye of my father. But as observant as my father was, there was a side to his personality that was, quite frankly, brutal – even to the point of physical violence.
Photo credit: Jack Hazut/www.israel.net Israel’s three most significant biblical festivals – Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Sukkot – are examined in full, including a look at their biblical roots, their celebration in the time of Messiah, and by Jewish people today. The Fall Feasts of Israel is an invaluable guide to help you understand these […]
Does your family keep heirlooms? No matter if you’re rich or poor, the chances are that somewhere, hidden in an attic or a drawer, there is an object from another generation that has somehow passed into your family’s possession. It could be a photograph. It could be a book. It could be a candlestick. From […]
(Photo credit: Jack Hazut / israelimage.net) The Jewish context of the life and ministry of Jesus the Messiah is the source of a constantly renewed sense of wonder. We marvel at the mystery of the Incarnation as we contemplate the earthly life of the Lord and the Jewish trappings that accompany it. And we are […]
Shavuot: The Feast of Weeks – An Earthly and Spiritual Harvest Shavuot, or the Feast of Weeks, is one of the three “convocations of the Lord” that, along with Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles, constitute the “appointed times” (Leviticus 23:4) for Israel to gather in Jerusalem. It may be thought of as a unit […]