December Webinar Q&A

This month we are sharing three questions that were submitted during our December webinar, "Jewish Disciples of Jesus: Learning from Our Own History." We weren't able to discuss them live, but we sent one to each of our panelists.

Question: What were the successes of the Luminaries in interfacing with the wider Jewish world? What worked and what did not?

Aaron Eby:

For the most part, the Luminaries were not successful in interfacing with the wider Jewish community. They were ridiculed, rejected, deposed, and denounced. However, Levertoff enjoyed some success in the academic Jewish world. His translation of the Zohar (Soncino) can be found in many Jewish libraries to this day. But Pauline Rose was perhaps the most successful bridge builder in this regard. She was loved by Arabs and Jews, both religious and secular. She left a legacy in Arab/Israeli relations. She accomplished this through Shabbat meals in her home, where she was known for her tolerance of others.

Question: Fr. Neuhaus, have you dealt with any problems with members of your Kehilla not being able to get Israeli citizenship because of their faith in Yeshua?

David Neuhaus:

We have had cases of people being refused citizenship because of having been baptized. In fact, the classic case was that of one of our founders, Daniel Rufeisen, Polish Jew, Catholic monk, who was refused citizenship, sued the government and lost. He received citizenship shortly after as a Righteous Among the Nations. A more recent case is of a Jewish Polish priest who was told that he could only get citizenship if he renounced his Catholic faith. We continue to point out the injustice in such a practice.

Question: What are the next steps for Messianic Jews in terms of their relationship with the larger Jewish and Christian communities?

Jen Rosner:

From my perspective, Messianic Judaism is still in the process of gaining credibility in both the wider Jewish and wider Christian worlds. In the context of the larger Jewish community, I think this mostly looks like existing as a movement that is actually (in some sense) Jewish. Though the Messianic movement has no clear consensus on what this looks like, it seems to be a key element in gaining legitimacy in the Jewish world. From our own experience, I can say that our general regard for halacha and Jewish calendar/life cycle events has been a significant factor in connecting smoothly with the local Chabad. With regard to the Christian world, I think the main task is demonstrating the reality of God's ongoing covenant with the Jewish people, and what this looks like concretely. In my experience, Christians tend to be skeptical of Messianic Jews adhering to "the Law," and much gentle education and theological deconstruction/reconstruction is needed in this area. Our relationships with Christians and church leaders offer key venues for this kind of discussion.