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What is the difference between the Messianic, Christian, and Judaic faith?
Torah is for All People
By Monte Judah
Is Torah for everyone? Or is it just for Jews? This is a major question facing many Messianic brethren today. It is the same question that was raised in the New Testament. It has to do with those who are physical Jews, biologically born of Israel, versus those who are physically Gentile, biologically born of the nations. Both groups are present in Messianic congregations and the vast majority are non-Jewish. I say non-Jewish because according to the Bible there are two groups that constitute physical Israel: the House of Judah (Jews) and the House of Israel (Ephraimites / Israelites). However, the question we are addressing is not about the two houses; rather, I am referring to the question in Acts 15 concerning the Law of Moses and Gentiles. Clearly, the Torah was given to Israel (all of the tribes) via Moses. There is no question about that. But Gentiles who come to faith in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who believe and trust in the Messiah’s redemption, which commandments are they to follow? Is the Torah for everyone of faith or is it just for Israel?
You would think that the real conflict in any Messianic congregation would be the debate over “Covenant/Replacement” theology. The Church has advocated for centuries that Messiah did away with Jerusalem and the temple service, the customs of Moses, and the Law of Moses. They sound out that “Jesus was the final sacrifice” and “We are not under the Law.” They would argue that there is no more obedience (that’s legalism) and everything is now covered by “grace.” The Church has historically taken the position that they (Gentile believers) are not to be keeping the Torah. That is for the Jews, and Jesus did away with it.
It is because of the Church’s arguments that many brethren became Messianic. They walked away because the Church’s position is directly refuted by the Messiah Himself in the New Testament. Yeshua’s statement about “not even thinking” that He came to do away with the Law (Torah) rings supreme over any pastor or historical church father. Furthermore, Messianic brethren can easily see that the very basis of the New Testament teaching is laced with quotations and truths that originate from the Torah and the Prophets. Logically, you can’t say that the Law is annulled while at the same time quoting it as the reference and basis for New Testament truth.
Many Messianic brethren have succeeded in getting into a Torah study and discovered that there is no conflict with the Law of Moses and the New Covenant. Instead, they have found the true foundational prophecies proving that Yeshua of Nazareth is, in fact, the promised Messiah. Their New Covenant faith has grown and matured beyond the “party line” of their previous denominational church. Some of this maturing has also included the observance of Sabbath and festivals, keeping kosher, and abandoning “replacement theology.” They have discovered that the issue of commandments and Gentiles is addressed by the “letter to the Gentiles” issued by the Apostles James, Peter, and Paul in Acts 15. It is explicit in stating how the Gentiles are to be a part of the New Covenant fellowship and their relationship with the Torah.
This passage is at the core of the misunderstanding for many modern Messianic leaders. In shedding the replacement theology of the historical church they have failed to renew the writing of the Law on their hearts as the New Covenant promised. They have not established their faith in the Messiah beginning with God’s promise of a Son from the Torah. As a consequence they do not understand the Law of God nor the relationship that God established with all who join the ranks of Israel. Therefore, it is only natural that misunderstanding should occur and that the early leaders in particular would take such a negative position toward, for example, the two-house teaching and restoration of the whole house of Israel. They are completely behind the power curve in understanding the Torah and the inclusion of Gentile believers (aliens and sojourners).
Stepping back for a moment, this is the real reason why the two-house teaching is in dispute. Teaching Torah to every Messianic believer encourages everyone to find their roots in Israel (the heritage of Jacob, to be part of the remnant by faith). It means that there is no more distinction between a Jew and a Gentile in the New Covenant faith. Where have you heard that subject before?
Some Messianic Jewish leaders still hold to the Church’s teaching that the Torah is not for Gentiles. Adding a racist element to that error, some Messianic Jewish leaders have argued that the Jews have a “unique” calling and that they are being “deluded” in the Messianic Movement by all of those non-Jews hanging around. Further stated, their goals are to be a part of the greater Jewish community by advocating “Messianic Judaism.” They want unbelieving Jews to feel “at home” with them (to gently bring them to Messiah?) without any Gentiles hanging around. They have succeeded in garnering the support from other Evangelical church leaders for this agenda and approach. A de facto agreement has taken shape. The Messianic Jewish leaders want all of the Jewish believers and they will let the Evangelical church leaders have all of the Gentile believers. “Oh, the gentile believers can come for a visit, give their money and time to help build our congregations and ministries, but in the long run, they belong over there with the Christians.” As long as the Messianic Jews don’t take issue with what the Church is doing, everything works out pretty well. However, the arrangement is perverse and contrary to the Scriptures.
The fly in the ointment here is of course... Read more, click here.
From Yavoh, 2000
Last September, a group of Messianic believers (Messianic Jews and non-Jews calling themselves Ephraim) joined together in fellowship, calling themselves Messianic Israel. Such a meeting has not happened in more than 2700 years. For me personally, it was a momentous occasion. Dating back more than fifteen years ago, I named my son Ephraim Judah in the hope that he would be part of the rejoining of Ephraim and Judah to become one in the hand of the Lord. The end result would be one people (Israel and her companions in the commonwealth of Israel) who know the true King of Kings and are prepared to make the greater exodus back to the Land of Israel.
What is this spiritual movement that is happening in our generation? Why are more and more Christian brethren ceasing from their labors on Sabbath? Why are brethren that have been taught "Sabbath and festivals have passed away" seeking a seat at a Passover Seder? Why are church brethren wanting to know more about the Biblical festivals and the teaching of the Torah? The answer is really very simple. God said this would happen at the end of the ages. God said He would begin to gather Israel from where she was scattered in the nations and brings others (Israel's companions) back to the Lord. He also said that He would reunify the two Houses within Israel (the House of Judah and the House of Israel). There is a name given to this return. It is not the revival of the church. It is called the Messianic Movement.
The Messianic Movement in Prophecy
Moses first described this return in the last days.
If they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their forefathers, in their unfaithfulness which they committed against Me, and also in their acting with hostility against Me— I also was acting with hostility against them, to bring them into the land of their enemies— or if their uncircumcised heart becomes humbled so that they then make amends for their iniquity, then I will remember My covenant with Jacob, and I will remember also My covenant with Isaac, and My covenant with Abraham as well, and I will remember the land. For the land shall be abandoned by them, and shall make up for its sabbaths while it is made desolate without them. They, meanwhile, shall be making amends for their iniquity, because they rejected My ordinances and their soul abhorred My statutes. Yet in spite of this...Read more, here.
Baking has always been a big thing for humans, bread is considered to be the most elementary of foods, eating bread to break ones hunger is the most basic way of survival. The making of bread is very different from culture to culture, and as men started to migrate and met other like him in different parts of the world the cooking and baking changed forever, because of this mixture of tastes and flavors we enjoy many diverse kitchens and ways of cooking today.
The Jewish people have traveled long, it is in the dramatic and tragic story of this people that they have been moved from their country and forced to travel around the world, but surprisingly the Jewish way of cooking has not changed much, probably due to the segregate nature of the Jewish nation.
The Challa is a kind of bread that is traditionally eaten on the eve of Friday, this kind of bread is associated with the traditional Shabbat food and the Shabbat cooking, to further explain this you will need to know that religious Jewish people do not cook on Shabbat, they can not light a fire or do any kind of work, so all the food for the traditional family dinner at the evening of Friday has to be prepared in advance.
The preparation of the Challa is no different, many traditions dictate different strategies for the preparation of the Challa, some start the mixture of the flour and the ingredients early on Friday morning and others prefer to prepare the whole thing on Thursday lunch, following the old saying that the Challa is at its prime once it has aged for two whole days.
For all that can be said about the way different people cook is that it is always different, and one will not adopt the other ones way simply because it is not his way, everyone sticks to his own personal way, and in fact all this does not have a big effect on the real basics of the challa making, it is just little changes that create the diversity in food from one place to the other.
The whole procedure of making Kosher food is very complicated, it gets more and more complicated as the level of the Kosher is increasing, kosher baking is the same and has to follow the same rules, some of the kosher rules are very physical and do not allow to mix one ingredient with the other, and some are much more spiritual and social like making sure that some of the flour has been deducted for the poor and needy.
Kosher baking is not difficult and in fact, once you give it a go you will not feel that there is any difference than any other way of baking, except if you are usually using livestock fat or things like this you will probably not notice anything that is special about the baking, except if the baker like to sing some Hasidic songs while he is working.
Try some Jewish cooking, it will certainly make a change in your dinner, and if you are making a Challa, try and serve it to your family on the evening of Friday, after all it is meant to be enjoyed with the whole family around the table and in the spirit of love and peace.
Daniel Wiesz is a kosher baker, a professional in baking and bakery consulting, Daniel has recently started to publish his Kosher Bread recipes and his unique baking stories and philosophy. Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Kosher Food Popular With Health Conscious Of All Faiths
By Miklos Margaretten
Until recently, it was close to impossible for the kosher or health conscious traveler to keep his religious or healthy meals while in transit. Now developments in the kosher food industry are making this challenge much easier.
The health conscious and dieters are finding Kosher food is better for you and offers a very wide range of items and dishes, and this trend is spreading rapidly.
Keeping kosher means following dietary laws handed down through the centuries among the Jewish faithful. Kosher has its roots in the Old Testament. Kosher laws are generally more strict than U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) standards.
Religious inspectors also rule out sick or injured animals that would be normally be accepted in non-Kosher markets.
In our modern world where most animals are often treated roughly, keeping Kosher means eating a much healthier grade of meat.
Kosher tradition features a major group of foods known as Parve. Parve includes a huge variety of fruits, vegetables, and grains in their natural, unprocessed state. This is exactly what many people who are trying to eat a healthier, low-fat, high-fiber diet are looking for.
These days Kosher food is widely available and often can be ordered pre-packaged via the Internet or mail. This makes a perfect option for anyone who wants to try Kosher, eat Kosher occasionally, or needs a stash of good Kosher meals when traveling.
Options include a wide variety of vegetables and salads along with meat, chicken, and fish dinners. Also available are salt-free meals and veggie dinners for people with special dietary needs. You can chose from menu items with traditional Jewish names to items that might seem to come from your average neighborhood restaurant. The difference is that everything is prepared with very high Kosher standards for ingredients and preparation.
People everywhere are starting to view Kosher certification as a mark of a food's superior quality, cleanliness, and healthfulness.
Miklos Margaretten is the owner of Kosher Meals To Go in New York. His site features a very wide variety of fine Kosher meals pecially insulated double-wrapped packages that can be ordered y anyone, including travelers and people on the go. See http://www.bestkosherfood.com
MONTE VISTA, CO-Public schools work hard to address the needs of all students, but still there seem to be some who fall through the cracks, if they are not recognized for being a gifted student. Colorado schools in recent years have implemented programs for gifted students, with Monte Vista schools among them, showing progress for gifted students in kindergarten through twelfth grades.
Parents are taking a more hands-on approach, in some cases, by providing their gifted students a home schooled, custom-tailored educational program. With schools such as those listed below, which are only a small sampling, and many other Universities specializing in this, now, local public schools will have to compete, at least on the middle to upper income level students whose parents can afford to offer distance learning to their children. With shrinking budgets, enrollment, and CSAP regulations, local schools could see changes in the future, but change is not always a bad thing. The distance learning schools have begun offering courses designed to fit into and mesh with the curriculum of local schools, so students have the added advantage of both worlds.
There are even schools you wouldn’t consider to be distance education specialists- schools such as Texas Tech, who now offer home school courses. There are many schools, now, online with materials available for most students, even the gifted, some of which are household names. Here is some general information available at their sites, in their own words, for just a few of these schools:
Johns Hopkins University’s CTY Online
Thanks to advances in technology, especially the Internet, CTY can offer a wide variety of courses anytime, anywhere, through distance education. CTY began offering distance courses in 1983 with assistance from the National Endowment for the Humanities. The program, now known as CTYOnline, has grown to more than 7,000 enrollments yearly, with students throughout the United States and more than 60 countries.
CTY's unique distance education program provides challenging academic courses all year long for eligible students in grades K through 12. Like CTY's summer programs, the distance courses are varied, demanding and very appropriate for our highly able students. Unlike the summer programs, however, students can work from home or school, guided by CTYOnline faculty and using computers and the Internet to learn and interact with teachers and students.
Accreditation
The Commission on Secondary Schools of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools accredits CTY for grades 5 through 12. Many schools work closely with CTYOnline, and a large number of students arrange to obtain credit or placement from their schools for successful completion of CTYOnline distance courses.
Read more >>> http://cty.jhu.edu/cde/
Stanford University’s Education Program For Gifted Youth
The Education Program for Gifted Youth (EPGY) at Stanford University is a continuing project dedicated to developing and offering multimedia computer-based distance-learning courses. Combining technical and instructional expertise, EPGY provides high-ability students of all ages with an individualized educational experience, optimized in both pace and content. Through EPGY, students have access to courses in a variety of subjects at levels ranging from kindergarten through advanced-undergraduate. Since its inception over 50,000 students from 35 countries have taken courses from EPGY.
Northwestern University’s Center For Talent Development (CTD) offers students the opportunity to participate in computer-based mathematics and language arts courses that are developed and administered by Stanford University’s Education Program for Gifted Youth (EPGY). This component of the Gifted LearningLinks Program allows academically talented students in grades K - 12 to progress at their own pace in math and language arts courses.
Students in EPGY courses use the computer to access multimedia lectures. These lectures are followed by exercises in which students answer questions that are evaluated by the computer. Students also have the option of joining weekly sessions in the EPGY virtual classroom, a real-time forum for teacher-student interaction.
EPGY students are assigned to course instructors who are available for additional instructional support by phone, email, and virtual classroom. Instructors monitor student progress, review student assignments, and help address particular student difficulties. EPGY instructors have a thorough knowledge of their subject areas as well as expertise in using technology to provide advanced instruction to gifted students. To ensure success, students should be in constant contact with their instructors electronically. They may also seek help from their parents or other family members when questions arise.
Computer Requirements
The EPGY courses are Web-based and run on computers with Windows XP/2000 or Macintosh OS X 10 3/4. Computers must have browsers that support Flash and Java plug-ins. Textbooks are not required.
Recommended Weekly Time Commitment
Students should expect to spend anywhere from two to eight hours per week on the course, depending on the age of the student and the level of the course.
Course Dates
EPGY courses begin on the first of each month throughout the year and last for three months. Registration and payment must be received at least one month prior to the desired start date.
Course Fees
The fee for EPGY courses is $530 per course per quarter (three months). The fee includes tuition, registration and shipping. Full payment for the first quarter of study is due at the
Courses
Accelerated K-2 Mathematics Topics include counting, elementary set operations, addition and subtraction, measurement, multiplication, fractional parts, and shapes.
Accelerated 3-4 Mathematics Topics include basic axioms of arithmetic: integers, symmetry, angles, polygons and operations with fractions.
Accelerated 5-6 Mathematics Topics include an introduction to plane and solid geometry, sentential logic and sets, operations on fractions and mixed numbers, decimal arithmetic and percentages, functions and graphing, area and volume, prime numbers, and probability.
Honors Pre-Algebra Grade 7 Mathematics The topics covered in grade 7 Mathematics are traditionally covered in a grade 7-8 pre-algebra mathematics curriculum. Topics include the coordinate system, solving linear equations, surface area and volume, exponentiation, elementary statistics and trigonometry, absolute value, and graphing.
Grades 3-5 Language Arts & Writing The Language Arts and Writing course provides students with a systematic presentation of the essential elements of English grammar and mechanics, focusing on grammatical concepts, language conventions, and sentence-level writing. The content is divided into three curriculum strands: parts of speech, sentence structure, and sentence composition.
Grades 7-12 English Grammar/Web-based This self-paced grammar course is designed to help students understand the grammar of the sentence and make stylistic choices informed by their knowledge of grammar. Topics include effective subject and verb choice, active and passive voice, clause coordination and subordination, sentence fragments, comma splices and run-together sentences, and phrasal modifiers, including verbal constructions for finite verbs.
The University of Nebraska’s Independent Study High School
The UNL Independent Study High School offers home school students the tools needed to earn a high school diploma from a fully-accredited and internationally-recognized high school program.
The diploma program allows students the flexibility to choose their own track of study. This program is highly effective for students seeking to attend college after high school, as the Independent Study High School is fully accredited.
Independent study courses are also an excellent option for students looking to supplement their existing curriculum. Over 100 courses allow home school students to explore a wide range of topics.
Read more >>> http://nebraskahs.unl.edu/waycool/course_demo.shtml
Hewlitt Packard’s International Telementor Program
The International Telementor Program (ITP) facilitates electronic mentoring relationships between professional adults and students worldwide, and is recognized as the leader in the field of academic based mentoring. Since 1995 over 15,000 students throughout nine countries have received support, encouragement, and professional guidance. ITP serves students in K-12 and home school environments as well as college and university settings.
Telementoring is a process that combines the proven practice of mentoring with the speed and ease of electronic communication, enabling busy professionals to make significant contributions to the academic lives of students. Through mentoring by industry professionals, a corporation helps students develop the skills and foundation to pursue their interests successfully and operate at their potential.
Although research shows that face-to-face mentoring programs can have a variety of positive impacts, many top professionals believe they simply don't have the time to make that kind of commitment. By spending about 30-45 minutes per week, mentors can help students achieve academic excellence and explore career and educational futures.
A study of teacher survey data from the last three years (September, 1999 - March, 2002) indicates telementoring is making a measurable difference for students. A high percentage of teachers witnessed significant improvement in writing skills (95%), self-directed learning (88%), critical thinking skills (75%), career and workplace knowledge (57%), desire to go to college (46%), subject grades (45%), and science comprehension and ability (44%). Access the research documents on the Web site: www.telementor.org
ITP staff encourages you to consider providing this resource for your teachers and students. The general steps to participate include:
1. Visit www.telementor.org to review successful ITP projects from students around the world. 2. Identify teachers who have project based learning experience and technology skills. 3. Develop ITP projects that meet and enrich existing education goals. 4. Ensure teachers and students have a solid connection to the Internet. 5. Determine whether students will be able to communicate 2-3 times per week with mentors. 6. Secure funding for your students to participate. The cost of the program is $200 per student. 7. Contact ITP staff with your questions or comments.
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No more heating bills
Getting off the grid
By Dianne Lockhart
MONTE VISTA, CO-With temperatures ranging from -36 in the winter to in the 90s in the summer here in the Valley, one wonders why people do not use alternative building methods to virtually eliminate heating and cooling bills, to have indoor gardens, and to do away with sewage bills. If society could move off the grid, and out of dependence on buying electricity, heating fuels, water and sewer, would it? Alternative building is gaining prominence and popularity around the world, and innovative builders improve on proven methods every year. With the urgency for recycling and sustainable living, this is right up a conservationist's alley. Both homes and businesses could be a source of much savings, if the builder would consider the alternatives.
Papercrete
Newspaper and cement or sand is mixed together and used to form blocks or similar structures with which to build. Papercrete has these properties:
It is dimensionally very stable both through the process of taking in moisture and drying out and in a wide range of temperatures.It will hold fasteners to some extent, especially screws, without cracking.It is highly insulating (about R-2 1/2 per inch).It does not support flames, but will smolder for days if it does catch fire. The more cement and mineral material that is added to the mix, the more fire proof it becomes.It will support molds if it remains warm and moist for too long.It will wick moisture from the ground into the wall if it buried in dirt.It becomes soft and will deteriorate if kept damp (especially underground) for too long.It resists rodent and insect infestation.
Paper adobe is similar to papercrete, but instead of cement used to bind the paper fiber into a solid, clay is used as the binder. The material must be kept dry.
Earthship
An Earthship is a U-shaped structure built of used tires that are rammed with dirt, providing an amazing self-sufficieny. Self-sufficient, earthships are buildings that provide their own heat, cooling, water, electricity and sewage treatment. The tires make up the basic building block for an Earthship, and once filled with dirt, each tire may weigh 300 pounds. They are constructed in many parts of the world.
A fully rammed tire, which is about 2 feet 8 inches wide, is massive enough to surpass conventional requirements for structural load distribution to the earth. Because the tire is so dense, it does not burn when exposed to fire, and a rammed earth building surpasses most building code requirements for quality, strength, effectiveness, fire resistance, durability and safety.
Collecting water to drink
Earthships collect rain water and snow which are stored in cisterns which feed a pump and filter system, through gravity flow, making it drinkable.
No more sewage waste
Greywater, water that has been used and is unsuitable for drinking, is used within the Earthship for a multitude of purposes once it is reclaimed. First, before the greywater can be reused, it is channeled through a grease and practical filter/digester and into a 30" deep rubber lined botanical cell, a miniature living machine, within the Earthship. Oxygenation, filtration, transpiration and bacteria encounter all take place within the cell and help to cleanse the water (Reynolds 2000). Within the botanical cell filtration is achieved by passing the water through a mixture of gravel and plant roots. Due to the nature of plants, oxygen is added to the water as it filters while nitrogen is removed. Water taken up through the plants and transpired at their tops helps to humidify the air. In the cell, bacteria will naturally grow and help to cleanse the water.Water from the low end of the botanical cell is then directed through a peat moss filter and collected in a reservoir or well. This reclaimed water is then passed once more through a charcoal filter and used to flush conventional toilets. Even the 'black water' from toilets is filtered and used for outdoor irrigation.
Making your own electricity
Earthships are designed to collect and store their own energy from a various sources, the majority of which is electrical energy harvested from the sun and wind. Direct current (DC) energy is stored in batteries similar to golf cart batteries, after being harvested from photovoltaic panels and wind mills located on or near the Earthship. Connection to the city grid is sometimes useful.
Stored energy from batteries is inverted for AC use, through a system that, attached to a wall on the interior of the Earthship, is wired conventionally. The energy run through the system can be used to run washing machines, computers, kitchen appliances, vacuums, and many others. None of the electrical energy in an Earthship is used for heating or cooling.
Rammed earth
Rammed earth technology has been around for thousands of years, and these homes feature two-feet thick walls that keep the home an even temperature (usually within 10 degrees difference) in summer and winter. Say goodbye to heating and cooling bills.
The Great Wall of China is rammed earth.
European castles are rammed earth, faced with stone.
The cores of pyramids in Mexico are rammed earth.
• Properly constructed rammed earth walls are unaffected by rain, wind, fire or termites.
• Rammed earth walls are generally 18 to 24 inches thick.
• Rammed earth walls are made of earth compacted layer upon layer within forms.
• Rammed earth walls can be stuccoed, plastered, or left bare to expose the soft, rhythmic layers of earth, like sediment lines in sandstone.
• Rammed earth can be used in any style building with any kind of roof.
• Properly designed, a rammed earth structure will store the sun’s heat each winter and block it each summer, yielding energy savings year after year.
• The cost of building a rammed earth home is comparable to the cost of building any fine custom home, varying according to personal design choices.
There are many alternative building materials that can be reclaimed from human usage, and many styles of building such as straw bale and adobe construction. Many pioneers, who settled the Southwest, were familiar with living in 'half dugouts', in which the settlers dug a big hole in the ground and put a roof on it. The alternative builders of today are much more sophisticated.
