Jesus of Nazareth was a Jew, as were his parents and all his disciples. The earliest version of The New Testament says that when gentiles (non-Jewish people) were allowed to join the church without following Jewish rituals and laws, it was a watershed moment for the new faith.
Of course, Judaism and Christianity soon diverged, and for centuries Christians were intent on persecuting Jews through pogroms, inquisitions and forced conversions. Today, however, there seems to be something of a convergence of the two religions with groups of “Messianic Jews” or “Hebrew Christians” blending the faiths. A local example is The Bridge at San Martin (425 E. Middle Ave., San Martin).
A ministry called Jews for Jesus has spearheaded this movement. Founded in San Francisco in 1973 by Moishe Rosen, an ethnic Jew ordained as a Baptist minister, this evangelistic agency has grown to have branches in eight North American cities, as well as 10 international branches (including in Tel Aviv, Israel). With a staff of 200, its membership is estimated to number up to 125,000.
The late Dr. Rosen always denied starting Jews for Jesus: “Jews for Jesus began about 2,000 years ago, around 32 C.E., give or take a year. Jesus’ first disciples were Jewish, and there have been some Jewish people who have believed in him ever since.”
On the other hand, leaders of the traditional Jewish religious groups (Orthodox, Conservative and Reform) deny that one who accepts Jesus as “Messiah” or “Savior” can still be a Jew. One said, “It’s as though a piece of furniture were both a table and a chair at the same time.”
On Sunday, Jan. 13, Gilroy’s First Baptist Church (8455 Wren Ave.) will host a special presentation by Steve Wertheim, executive assistant to Jews for Jesus Director David Brickner. Raised in a Conservative Jewish home in Queens, N.Y., he was living in California and following a teaching career when introduced by his Jewish Christian landlady to Jews for Jesus; he became a follower of Jesus in 1975.
The Old Testament has many feasts or holidays that Hebrews were commanded to observe and that remain important in Judaism today. Wertheim will “explain the purpose of them both then and now and show how the coming of Jesus fulfilled those feasts and gave them larger meaning.”
Among the most important are the following:
• Passover, which occurs in the spring, marks the escape from slavery in Egypt by the Jews.
• Feast of Weeks or Pentecost, occurring early in the summer, combines observance of the giving of the Law and the first fruits of the wheat harvest.
• Yom Kippur, in the fall, emphasizes the atonement and forgiveness of sins.
• Succoth or Feast of the Tabernacles, coming in the fall, commemorates sheltering of the Israelites in the wilderness.
Jews for Jesus is known for its evangelism, including distributing 8 million colorful pamphlets each year. For those who feel Christianity contradicts the meaning of Judaism, Wertheim will be providing literature and offering time for discussion following his presentation.
For more information call Gilroy First Baptist Church at (408) 847-6000 or visit www.jewsforjesus.org.
