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A Visit to a Messianic Jewish Congregation
Observations and Impressions

by Laura Ellen Shulman

Do they call themselves a "church" or a "synagogue"? The phone book lists them under "synagogues" but they prefer to simply call themselves a congregation. Are they "Jewish Christians" or "Christian Jews"? Both, it would seem. Is it Jewish or Christian? Christian by theology, Jewish by practice - though with a Charismatic flavor more typical of Christianity rather than Judaism. And, yes, they do view themselves as being "within the Charismatic movement." How do traditional Jews and Christians view them? I imagine that Jews would reject them as Jewish but they like to think of themselves as Jewish.

I'm talking about the Messianic Jewish movement which began in the late 1960's (although, technically speaking, the original first century Christians were messianic Jews). Jews who had been converted to Christianity but still felt drawn to their Jewish roots came together from the traditional Christian churches they had joined in order to form a new movement where they could practice Judaism and maintain their Christian faith.

These Messianic Jewish congregations also appealed to those born and raised Christian who wished to identify with the religion of Jesus and his early followers (who were all Jews). Thus, today the Messianic Jewish congregations (at least the one I visited) are comprised of about fifty percent each born Jews and born Christians with a new generation being raised in the movement. Regardless of their religious origins, all Messianic Jews hold to a basically fundamentalist Protestant faith in Jesus ("Yeshua") as Messiah, "personal Lord and Savior" and mediator between humanity and God, having "taken the sins of the world upon himself." They are Biblically based (using both Old and New Testaments) in much the same way as traditional fundamentalist churches, quoting the same scripture to uphold their Christology.

Messianic Judaism does not try to emulate twentieth century Judaism. It does not focus upon Rabbinic or Talmudic Judaism but, rather, upon First century Judaism. Yet, even in this, there is deviation - men and women sit together, some men wear tallit (prayer shawls) and even tzitzit under their shirts (you can see the fringes hanging out). I even saw a woman wearing tzitzit! Many men wear yarmulkas (skullcaps) and I observed one woman with a shawl over her head during prayer. They use traditional Hebrew chants for the basic prayers (Shema, Barechu, etc.) and then sing the translations in contemporary praise song style. Most Messianic Jews keep kosher (although I do not know to what degree) yet, following the service, I found both bologna and cheese served for luncheon. In some ways Messianic Jews are more Jewish in practice than many mainstream Jews (especially the Reformed Jews) but their theology is definitely Christian.

It is all quite confusing. Sometimes they look and sound Jewish, though with a spirit and enthusiastic joyousness more typical of Charismatic churches than synagogues. They mix elements of both Jewish and Christian worship - a communion meal of matzah and wine with traditional Hebrew blessing over both and an added statement concerning the traditional Christian symbolism of the "body and blood of Christ." Their entire approach is epitomized in the birthday wishes that were sung to someone during the fellowship luncheon following the service: they sang the melody "To Life" from Fiddler on the Roof with words referring to "Yeshua" and being "born again." Throughout the service there is healing with the laying on of hands, words of prophesy and visions shared spontaneously, even speaking in tongues - all elements one would expect to find in a Pentecostal church but not in a Jewish worship. There are also ecstatic motions and hallelujahs scattered about during prayer - arms outstretched with a waving and trembling of hands, eyes closed, faces turned upward toward heaven. The fellow in front of me held his hands in some kind of Mudra with arms out, hands held in the Cohanic style (the Vulcan greeting of Star Trek fame) with thumbs and index fingers forming a triangle (symbolic of the trinity or half of a Mahgan David?) - he held this Mudra (a term used in Eastern traditions for various positions of hands during meditation) throughout most of the service.

The worship service, held on Saturday morning, is three hours long! It is preceded by a children's praise of song and sharing of "what the lord has done for you this week." As adults join in a half hour later, more songs of praise are sung - all with a joyous and uplifting flavor. They then move into the traditional Jewish prayers and even have a Torah reading with a march of the Torah around the congregation (who reach out to touch it as do Jews in synagogues). Chanting of Torah blessings and a reading (in Hebrew) and explanation of the Torah portion are done (though the reading is strained - at least by the reader I witnessed). They have created their own prayer book (opens from back to front like Jewish prayer books) which includes the traditional Jewish prayers in both English and Hebrew as well as a large collection of Praise songs. Traditional elements of Jewish prayer found in the book include the Barechu, Shema, Veahavta, Mi Chamocha, Aleinu, Kaddish, etc.; although not all of these were a part of the service I witnessed. Following the Torah service were announcements and an offering with a singing performance.

Finally, after one and a half hours, we get to the message which goes on for an entire hour! Their spiritual leader is neither referred to as a Rabbi nor a Minister although the people there do, at times, call him "rabbi" (much as Jesus was called "rabbi", referring to him as a teacher). This particular leader had been an Orthodox Jew before he converted to Christianity and became an ordained minister in a traditional Christian church; but they "do not stress labels" in this congregation. So, here is an Orthodox Jew (who resents traditional Jews denying him his Jewish identity) teaching Christians (and Jews) how to be Christian! Ironic? He spoke about both traditional Christianity and traditional Judaism as going astray from the true teaching of God.

Following the message were the communion meal and a healing service (elements found in Christian worship but not Jewish). People would announce that they had a vision of someone needing to be healed of this or that and the person would come forward to receive a laying on of hands. To close the service, they sang such traditional Jewish songs as "Yaseh Shalom" and "Shabbat Shalom". About fifty percent of the worship is spontaneous and unplanned - what songs to sing, what visions and words of prophesy people will be moved to stand and share. Most people stand for the entire segment of singing and the healing service, though some do sit. It all seems quite informal and haphazard but natural - definitely moved by the spirit!

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