The Discordant Army

Regarding one's spiritual development, the Netziv provides a terrific insight when commenting on the verse, "Follow the path of your heart" (Ecclesiastes 11:9). He states that each individual Jew must find their own way of serving God. Some people carry out their divine service through study or prayer, while others focus more on charity or acts of kindness. Of course, a person can engage in all of these at different times, but it's important to find a specific focus through which you can personally find meaning and fulfill your mission in life. Whichever particular path happens to attract you most, work on it. Every single one of us has the ability to cultivate the divine spark God has given us and achieve greatness.
-from The Power of the Individual
Lev Echad blog

It's Friday morning again and time to reflect upon the state of community (or lack thereof) in the Christian and particularly the "Messianic" world of faith. I was intrigued that blog writer Asher at Lev Echad would be writing on a theme that has been one of my favorites lately. I previously wrote about how an individual can be the answer to prayer and Asher also comments that each of us has something unique to give.

Joshua Brumbach also discussed this theme in relation to this week's Torah portion, Parashat Pekudei as illustrated by one man, Moses, completing the work on the Mishkan in the desert and opening the door for the Divine Presence to dwell among His people. While Joshua sees the act of Moses as a leader humbling himself to "get his hands dirty" and finalizing the Mishkan's construction, I see Moses representing each of us as we do our part to repair the world and prepare for the coming of the Jewish Messiah.

However, Asher touched on a very important point that I think needs to be drawn out:

This can be taken one step further when it comes to a person's career. Although it's terrific for any man or woman to pursue their professional dreams, if they decide to become a stay-at-home parent, for instance, they should also be proud of their work. It always bothers me when women say something like, "I'm just a housewife." In my opinion, that's the most important job on earth. You're raising a family, being gracious to guests, and maintaining a peaceful home, among other things. What's more important than that?! Great things tend to be accomplished by people who embrace what they do and give it everything they have - no matter who may denigrate them from the outside. Never let anyone undermine the passion you give to what you believe is your calling in life.

When I'm in services and reciting and singing prayers, I'm sometimes very aware of how poorly I speak Hebrew and how badly I sing (something like a frog with a sore throat). I could practice diligently and probably improve my Hebrew somewhat (though languages aren't among my talents), but nothing will ever make me a better singer. I also must admit (with some embarrassment) that although it is a kindness and a commandment to visit the sick, I feel sort of creeped out in hospitals. It's not that I can't go in a hospital to visit someone, it's just that I don't look forward to doing so. Gee. I don't look forward to obeying God and making someone's life a little happier. That sounds bad.

It's easy to look at what I can't do and to feel lousy about the holes in my faith, my deeds of kindness, and my personality. I don't know. Maybe you feel the same way about yourself or maybe you don't. Most people in the religious blogosphere tend to emphasize how terrific they are and showcase the areas where they are well accomplished, so it's hard for me to tell.

I have to struggle to remember that, as Asher says, I should never "let anyone undermine the passion you give to what you believe is your calling in life." Of course, not all denigration comes from the outside. Often, our worst enemy is the person inside our head. If you are (if I am) not skilled in many areas, there is still likely at least one thing you have to offer:

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.

Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot were to say, ‘Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body’, that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear were to say, ‘Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body’, that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? -1 Corinthians 12:12-17 (NRSV)

What's the one thing I do obsessively? What's the one thing I can't seem to go a day without doing? C'mon, it's not hard to guess. In fact, you're reading it now.

God "wired" me to write. I don't know if it does any good to anyone besides me (and I sometimes wonder even about me), but like a billion other people, I hop on the Internet, fire up Blogger, and spew my thoughts and feelings onto the web for someone or no one to read. I named my very first blog A Million Chimpanzees in "honor" of the phrase, "It's been said that if you give a million chimpanzees a million typewriters, they'll eventually reproduce the complete works of Shakespeare", essentially making fun of the importance of blogging (and in a world where anyone can create a blog, is there any significance to blogging?).

But whether it's worth it or not, here I am, a soldier among an infinite army of bloggers, marching to the drummer's beat I hear in my head and occasionally tripping over my own two feet, dropping my rifle, and falling into the mud. Sometimes, I even get stepped on. Sometimes I step on others. It's a mess.

Moses completed the Mishkan and ushered in the single most important event in the history of the Jewish people: bringing the living God into the community of Israel. Rabbi Jerome Epstein writes on the importance each, individual Jew has in repairing the world in order to summon the Messiah to rescue the Jewish nation and to "fix" humanity. Yet in both of these pictures, we see the individual acting within the context of community. Moses was the Prophet of the Children of Israel and each Jew acts within the context of overall Judaism, and it is Israel that the Messiah will save as a nation.

Thus says the Lord God: When I gather the house of Israel from the peoples among whom they are scattered, and manifest my holiness in them in the sight of the nations, then they shall settle on their own soil that I gave to my servant Jacob. They shall live in safety in it, and shall build houses and plant vineyards. They shall live in safety, when I execute judgements upon all their neighbours who have treated them with contempt. And they shall know that I am the Lord their God. -Ezekiel 28:25-26 (NRSV)

Although we are all gifted by God so that we may serve him, both Jew and Gentile, we don't act in isolation, even if we are alone. Certainly no one Jew can be separated from Judaism and even if a Jew isn't religious; even if a Jew doesn't believe God exists, he or she will always be a Jew. What about Christians? Our connection is by choice, not by birth. We can choose to quit. We can choose to fail. Do we operate in community or, like the endless stream of bloggers in cyberspace, do we march discordantly to a million different beats, each charting our own confused and aimless course, a parade of one without a leader or goal?

And I heard the number of those who were sealed, one hundred and forty-four thousand, sealed out of every tribe of the people of Israel: From the tribe of Judah twelve thousand sealed,from the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand,from the tribe of Gad twelve thousand, from the tribe of Asher twelve thousand,from the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand,from the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand, from the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand,from the tribe of Levi twelve thousand,from the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand, from the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand,from the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand,from the tribe of Benjamin twelve thousand sealed. -Revelation 7:4-8 (NRSV)

We see again in the apocalyptic Christian text that 144,000 members of each of the 12 tribes of Israel will be "sealed". But is there anyone else?

After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice, saying,
‘Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!’ -Revelation 7:9-10

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. Nothing accursed will be found there any more. But the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him; they will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. -Revelation 22:1-4 (NRSV)

Yes, the rest of us, at least some of us, will be there at the end. Just as the Master prophesied:

When Jesus heard him, he was amazed and said to those who followed him, ‘Truly I tell you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. I tell you, many will come from east and west and will eat with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven... -Matthew 8:10-11 (NRSV)

So here I am and tonight the Shabbat enters the world once again. Some of us will welcome her into our home and we will attempt to taste a brief moment of the sweetness that will come when the Messiah reigns. The Shabbat is a day of worship and community and we can shine as a part of the body of Messiah. But the body is not whole. We have this congregation and that doing what they think best. Small collections of people spinning away from the other groups or disastrously colliding with them. We are together and we are apart. Within our own groups, we are sometimes together but we are apart. As I continue on my own individual path, I can feel myself pulling away from my group and charting my own course. But how can I be sure that I'm following God on the path and that the Messiah walks with me?

How can any of us?

But it's not who you are underneath, it's what you do that defines you. -Batman Begins (2005)

The road is long and often, we travel in the dark, alone.

Faith Means Being Alone

Fusing the existential acuity of Kierkegaard with the wisdom of the Old Testament, Boston Orthodox rabbi Soloveitchik has produced a timeless spiritual guide for men and women of all religions. In this soaring, eloquent essay, first published in Tradition magazine in 1965, "The Rav," as he is known to his followers worldwide, investigates the essential aloneness of the person of faith, whom he deems a misfit in our narcissistic, technologically oriented, utilitarian society. Using the story of Adam and Eve as a springboard, Soloveitchik explains prayer as "the harbinger of moral reformation" and probes the despair and exasperation of individuals who seek to redeem existence through direct knowledge of a God who seems remote and unapproachable. Although the faithful may become members of a "convenantal community," their true home, he writes, is "the abode of loneliness" as they shuttle between the transcendent and the mundane. Sudden shafts of illumination confront the reader at every turn in this inspirational personal testament.

from the Editorial Reviews section at Amazon.com for the book
The Lonely Man of Faith
by Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik

No, I haven't read this book and it's not on my "soon-to-be-read" list, though I'm probably going to put it on my wish list as it seems compelling. I came across this book while I was searching for other books on Amazon and it was the title that grabbed me: "The Lonely Man of Faith"

While I can't comment on Rabbi Soloveitchik's book, I can comment about loneliness in the "community" of faith. I put the word "community" in quotes, because, depending on your perspective, there isn't very much fellowship going on.

Most of us worship in a congregation of some sort. Some of us worship in more than one. I know a number of the folks I worship with on the Shabbat also worship in local Christian churches on Sunday. There are a lot of reasons for this, including having a spouse who is more traditionally Christian, needing a traditional Christian environment to supplement Messianic/One Law worship, and wanting to be a bridge between the church and the Hebraic worship context. However, I've also recently come across a blog that advocates non-church attendance in favor of an individual worship paradigm.

If you mean that time alone with Yeshua replaces community, I don’t think I can agree with that. While I can agree that time in prayer is enormously valuable, we still need close community to keep our focus as believers and to avoid self-deception. A person who is perpetually alone in their faith, unless they are extremely self-disciplined and focused, will eventually start to “drift” in their perceptions and over time, will start to create an internal “theology” that does not have much resemblance to the larger community of faith and accepted understanding and scholarship.

That was my response to blog writer Mike Gantt on Derek Leman's blog when discussing the topic of large "outer" faith communities vs. "inner circles". Please feel free to go to Derek's blog post to read the complete conversation as well as to Mike Gantt's blog to get his views on the matter.

It occurs to me that, whether or not we are a "community-based" believer in the Jewish Messiah, we are in some sense alone and isolated. Yes, we may have our congregations around us, but consider how we are understood and received outside of our communities. Being "Messianic" in whatever shape or form you conceive the practice, is "neither fish nor fowl" as far as both the Christian church and the traditional (non-Messianic) Jewish synagogue is concerned (let alone the secular realm). For all Messianic Judaism's protestations and claims of "community" with both the synagogue and the church, we (they?) aren't well understood by either. Churches tend to see Messianic Judaism (MJ) as being "under the law", while Jews see MJ as "Christians" and thus not "really" Jewish. There may be certain exceptions, but that's the general rule.

Splitting hairs further, calling yourself "Messianic" doesn't automatically mean you belong to everyone else who calls themselves "Messianic". One Law congregations call themselves "Messianic" but they don't have a lot in common with MJ congregations who associate with organizations such as the Messianic Jewish Theological Institute. The same goes for Two-House believers, and in-between those three camps, are a lot of individual people, home fellowships, and loose associations that, while claiming to be "Messianic", don't fit anyone else's mold except their own.

As has been previously pointed out to me, Jesus (Yeshua) didn't spend a lot of time complaining about being lonely or not having a sense of belonging, but no one denied that he was (and is) Jewish, either. While he was criticized and even nearly stoned a couple of times, he was (and is) part of Israel and a Jewish worshiper of the Father. His disciples didn't stop being Jews and didn't stop being Israel just because they were his followers, and they maintained most or all of their relationships with friends, family, and in the larger religious community throughout their connection with the Master.

I've been to churches where the people didn't really seem any different than in the rest of the world. When I was a kid, my parents took me to a Lutheran church and in my catechism class, I can tell you that the kids didn't treat me any better than the kids I went to school with. I'm not saying all churches are like this, but it seems that the church is making a great deal of effort to blend in with the rest of the community rather than allowing their values and principles distinguish themselves from the secular world around them.

Maybe being a person of faith is supposed to be lonely. But where do you strike a balance...or do you?

Messianic Judaism, MJTI style, emphasizes the distinctions between Jewish Messianics and Gentile Christians (especially those Gentile Christians who call themselves "Messianics"). This is done, at least in theory, to promote a greater association and community with the rest of Judaism (which for the most part, doesn't share the desire to have community with MJ) so MJ does and doesn't have community with groups outside of itself. One Law has associations with itself, but to the degree that they have a hard time (some of them, anyway) what the "apostasy" of the church, they don't have fellowship with Christianity. If One Law disdains the (non-Messianic) synagogue for its devotion to the Oral Law and it's denial of Jesus, then community doesn't exist in that direction, either. Plus, many One Law congregations have very specific theologies such that they don't have agreement with many other One Law congregations.

This is getting really complicated. What are we supposed to be doing again?

Oh yeah!

One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

“Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” -Mark 12:28-33

Ironically, we all say we're obeying these commandments and I believe each and every one of you when you say it. It's just that we all have such many and varied ways of trying to obey the Master. We tend to pursue our chosen method of obeying God and following the Jewish Messiah with such zeal, that when we stop for a moment and look around, we can find ourselves very much alone. Sure, we are obligated to go through the narrow gate (Luke 13:22-30), but can you honestly say you alone are the only one who will be passed through?

Where do we strike the balance between our principles, values, and understanding of our role in God's kingdom, and having a life we share with others? Are we to hide in our ivory towers with only the select few who think and feel exactly the same way we do, or can be find a way to connect to others? Is there room in our hearts and theologies for people who don't believe precisely in the same manner as ourselves? Which is the sin, to admit others who aren't quite like us and risk "polluting" the community, or to stand firm and deny entry to anyone who doesn't pass the conformity test?

I don't know. I do know that I often feel isolated and alone in my faith. I can express such feelings online, but my Internet "community" is "virtual" at best. I haven't the faintest idea who I could share all this with face-to-face and who wouldn't be completely blown away by my revelations.

I suppose that's why prayer is so important.

And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you. -Friedrich Nietzsche

The road is long and we travel alone in the darkness.

Embracing Your Inner Shiksa

I am a recent convert to Judaism, but I still call myself a Shiksa. Why? Because I’ve spent the majority of my life as a Gentile. I’m exploring Jewish cuisine with an open mind and heart. I am happy that I was born a Shiksa; it made me who I am today. Judaism is my spiritual path, but I will never forget where I came from. Plus, “The Convert In The Kitchen” doesn’t sound quite as cute, does it? ;)

Tori Avey
from The Shiksa in the Kitchen

I came across Tori Avey on twitter and was intrigued. Actually, after my last few rather somber blog posts, I needed an emotional and spiritual pick-me-up and "the shiksa in the kitchen" seemed to fill the bill.

I've read a number of books on conversion to Judaism lately and, from what I understand, most converts want to keep a low profile, despite the fact that the Torah commands Israel not to oppress the convert and not to treat them any differently than "born-Jews". Human nature (Jewish or otherwise) tells me that there's plenty of "treating differently" that still goes on.

That's why it's a little surprising to me that Avey not only is so upfront and public about being a convert, but refers to herself as a "shiksa" (I always picture shiksas as blond for some reason, which certainly isn't Avey).

I authentically have to admire and congratulate Avey for openly blogging the Shiksa is Jewish! She must have a very supportive family and synagogue to feel so comfortable in sharing her world with the rest of us. Either that, or she possesses boundless amounts of courage and self-confidence. Ether way, I kind of envy her.

As many of you know, the word shiksa means a non-Jewish woman. Some of you may be wondering, “Is she still going to be called The Shiksa In The Kitchen?” I answer that question with an enthusiastic yes! Historically, the word Shiksa has been used in a derogatory way — meant to convey that the “Shiksa” is somehow “less than” somebody born into Judaism. Rather than shy away from the word, I choose to let my background empower me. I have no shame that I was born a Shiksa; I am exploring Judaism through the eyes of somebody newly reborn and thrilled to be part of the Tribe. I am happy that I was born a Shiksa; it made me who I am today. Judaism is now my spiritual path, but I will never forget where I came from. Plus, “The Convert In The Kitchen” doesn’t sound quite as cute, does it?

What's also amazing (at least compared to the Messianic blogosphere) is the comments section on her blog post which directly announces the completion of her conversion. Click the link and take a few moments to scroll down through the various congratulations and warm regards related by everyone who has chosen to express them, born-Jew and convert alike. It's quite refreshing.

Does what I'm writing have anything to do with similar blogs I've written about community lately? Absolutely!

Tori Avey found her community and a place where she is welcome to be who she is (Jewish, shiksa, and all). May God grant us all (yes, me too) the same grace...and a home.

Thanks for the blog, Tori (should, by some miracle, you ever find this post and read this).

The road is long and often, we travel in the dark...

Where is the House that God Built?

Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain. In vain you rise early
and stay up late, toiling for food to eat - for he grants sleep to those he loves. -Psalm 127:1-2

For I am already being poured out, and the time of my departure has arrived. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have guarded the belief. For the rest, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Master, the righteous Judge, shall give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all those loving His appearing." -2 Timothy 4:6-8

I'm quoting from two recent blog posts, Writing in the Dirt and The Maggid's Blog respectively. I've been feeling a little uninspired and unmotivated on this blog over the past few days, but the combination of these messages suggested a topic.

Actually, I also have to include Derek Leman's report on Hashivenu 2011, Day 3 to the mix, since it also discusses the topic of "community", particularly between the church and the Messianic Jewish synagogue.

The solution may be found in a number of forms. New congregations that are solely Jewish can form. Existing mixed groups could find ways to be on a trajectory toward Jewish congregations. My own suggestion, well-received, was that many existing MJ congregations think of themselves as Judeo-Christian congregations with a Jewish minyan within. Over time, we can work toward an independent life for the Jewish minyans within our congregations.

What does this have to do with me?

Right now, it seems like "not much". As I feel myself mentally and emotionally divorcing myself from anything that calls itself "Messianic Judaism", I keep trying to envision myself going back to "the church". Frankly, the idea still feels rather alien to me, in part because of the quote from Psalm 127. In my search for a "church home", how do I know which one has been "built by the Lord"? As I read Derek's report on the Hashivenu conference (and I recommend giving it a look...lots of interesting stuff), I find myself also feeling alien in relation to Messianic Judaism. I suppose the latter comes from not ever having attended a "Messianic Jewish" congregation as opposed to a One Law group that was primarily Gentile-driven. Given Derek's description of the conference over the past three days, I don't think I'd fit in there, either.

So what's left?

I don't know right now. Like any Pending Divorce, there's a part of the process where you feel neither connected nor disconnected, but are cycling somewhere in between the two states of being.

That brings me to the comment Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 4:6-8 as he was coming to the end of his life. I'm expected to "run the race" until the very end and I certainly want to, but as it stands now, I'll be a marathon runner somewhere out on the road in the middle of the night, away from anyone else, looking for sign posts.

My son complicated matters just a little while ago. I had lunch with him to discuss things that are going on in his life including matters of faith. Although both he and his wife are believers, they haven't ever attended a church together. They're currently living with my son's in-laws who also believe but don't attend a church.

Feeling my own sense of "disconnectedness", I asked him about going to a congregation and he suggested coming to mine.

Oh wow!

David's been to a Messianic (One Law) group before, so he knows more or less what to expect, but his wife will be taken by surprise, no doubt. Plus, I've never actually taught family members before, which I can only imagine is a unique experience. How can I tell him that I'm getting ready to leave soon? How can I tell him that as of this summer, I will be as much without a congregation as he and his family are now?

My son did say a funny thing, though. He said that when a person feels comfortable where they're at in their church or congregation, that's when they need to do something to make themselves uncomfortable. In other words, faith isn't supposed to be an easy going process.

I can relate to that very well. Now, all I need to know is where to find the house that the Lord built. I'm sure it must be around here...

...somewhere.

The road is long and often, we travel in the dark, ignoring the light of the world. Look for the lamp who lights your path or you may become lost in the dark forever.

"A Jew never gives up. We're here to bring Mashiach, we will settle for nothing less." -Harav Yitzchak Ginsburgh

Overlap, Part 2: The Therapeutic Horse

Let us use the famous story of Shammai, Hillel and the three converts (Shabbos 31) to demonstrate the fusion of Halacha and Aggadah,: A gentile once came to Shammai, and wanted to convert to Judaism. But he insisted on learning the whole Torah while standing on one foot. Shammai rejected him, so he went to Hillel, who taught him: "What you dislike, do not do to your friend. That is the basis of the Torah. The rest is commentary; go and learn!" Another gentile who accepted only the Written Torah, came to convert. Shammai refused, so he went to Hillel. The first day, Hillel taught him the correct order of the Hebrew Alphabet. The next day he reversed the letters. The convert was confused:"But yesterday you said the opposite!?" Said Hillel: "You now see that the Written Word alone is insufficient. We need the Oral Tradition to explain G-d's Word." A third gentile wanted to convert so he could become the High Priest, and wear the Priestly garments. Shammai said no, but Hillel accepted him. After studying, he realized that even David, the King of Israel, did not qualify as a cohen, not being a descendant of Aaron...

-Hillel, Shammai and the Three Converts
Saratogachabad.org

Bilateral Ecclesiology and the Gentiles Series

This is probably the story from Talmud that everyone, even many non-Jews, know about Hillel and Shammai and while it paints a rather rosy picture of Hillel in terms of his patience and compassion, it tends to cast Shammai as rather harsh and uncompromising. This commentary gives us more insight into the motives of both men, starting with Shammai:

But Shammai took people at face value. From his perspective, he rightfully rejected them. Shammai's original stern attitude helps us appreciate his statement (1:15): "Welcome everyone with a pleasant face." Shammai honestly conceded that Hillel's approach was proven right by the three converts. Yet, even while changing his personal attitude, Shammai refuses to relax his principles. He insists:"Set yourself a time for Torah study;" i.e. Torah cannot be learned in a rush, while on the run. Do not attempt to learn Torah while standing on one foot.

Shammai is not "bad" in comparison to Hillel's "goodness". Both men represent important aspects of how Jews are to approach God, Torah, and other men, including non-Jews. That said, the important lesson I get from this integral part of the Talmud is that, if you want a person who is sincere but misguided to change, instead of rejecting them out of hand, let them study (under your subtle guidance) until they learn their errors.

So, for proper ongoing dialog to take place and for healthy lasting relationship to be build, just as Christians in churches are expected to deal with their suppersessionism and anti-Judaism, so should Gentiles in congregations under the "Messianic" umbrella be expected to develop respect for the unique nature of Jewish identity and traditional Jewish norms, including appropriateness of appropriation of certain Jewish ritual, garb and life cycle events (like brit-milah and bar-mitzvah). A "Judaicaly informed" congregation should be expected to be informed regarding these things, to understand and respect the Jewish understanding of these Jewish matters.

Gene Shlomovich's comments from my
Overlap blog post.

I hope Gene won't mind me picking on him a little bit, but I'm trying to illustrate some of the difficulties that Messianic Judaism (MJ) is having developing relationships with other believing groups, including the church and particularly "Messianic" One Law congregations, especially as MJ attempts to apply the ideals of Bilateral Ecclesiology (BE). While it's understandable that Jews who were raised in ethnically and religiously observant Jewish homes would find it distressing or offensive to see non-Jews wearing tzitzit, laying tefillin, and speaking Hebrew prayers, is it reasonable to expect such groups to abandon practices they are quite used to in an instant and before establishing relationship with their Jewish "mentors"?

Consider Hillel vs. Shammai again and see the differing results. Each convert, through their own studies, realized their errors and humbled themselves. But what would have happened to these three men if, after Shammai rejected them, they gave up on their desire to convert and went in some other direction? Shabbos 31a records the answer:

One day the three met and said: "The sternness of Shammai sought to drive us from this world [and the world to come], Hillel's humility and gentleness brought us under the wings of the Divine Presence."

Many years ago, when I was in graduate school (I have an M.S. degree in Counseling), one of my classes was studying the therapeutic and hypnosis techniques of pioneer psychotherapist Milton H. Erickson. Erickson had a unique perspective on how to achieve therapeutic change in patients that defies reduction down to a "method" (although my graduate program did a very good job of trying). One story Erickson is said to have told stuck in my mind. I can't quote it verbatim, but I'll do my best to retell it from memory:

You are on the back of a runaway stallion. The horse has been panicked and is galloping out of control. You have the reins in your hands but any attempt to suddenly stop the horse will result in you being violently thrown from his back and with the horse escaping into the unknown distance.

Although you can't stop the horse, you find that if you gently pull the reins, the horse will turn direction slightly. You turn the horse, still at full gallop, first a bit to the left and then a bit to the right. You slowly but persistently continue to turn the speeding steed in one direction or the other, and it becomes a little easier to control your mount each time you gently tug the reins. After much time and patience, you find you can slow the horse down a bit. You allow him to speed up again, then slow him down a bit more. You repeat your actions, gaining an increasing amount of control with each slow, and steady move.

Finally, after many such maneuvers, the horse becomes calmer and responds in greater measure to your directives, finally slowing to a canter and then a slow walk. You can now turn him back to the stables and he acts in full cooperation with you.

I'm sure Erickson could have told the story better, but you get the idea.

Of course, my use of Erickson's metaphor assumes that the Jews in Messianic Judaism are in "the driver's seat" and in control of access to the community of the Messiah, even above the Christian church. While in the time of Paul, Peter, and James, the Jerusalem Council was in direct control of the admission of formerly pagan non-Jews into the community of God, nearly 2,000 years of relational division have broken that tie. While Gentiles who align themselves with the Messinaic movement are more "dependent" on their Jewish counterparts than the church, a direct mentor-disciple relationship between the two groups doesn't exist and thus, Messianic Judaism isn't positioned to "drive the horse" to any destination they desire, at least not in any abrupt or "parental" manner. Like Shammai, all they'll accomplish is to chase us away with a stick.

Like Hillel, the observant Jews in Messianic Judaism, in order to achieve their goals, must understand the different groups of people in which they are in relation, and allow those groups who are willing (and not all groups will be), to discover their own answers, while learning under the "Messianic umbrella". This is what Hillel understood and the rest of us need to learn to achieve. From the Saratogachabad.org commentary:

The convert was not just acting silly by standing on one foot; he was actually symbolizing his quest for true unity. This gentile had left behind a confusing plethora of pagan gods and multiple deities. He searched and finally found Monotheism, One Torah and One G-d, wanting to live by a single unifying principle, the 'one foot' on which all else stands. Hillel taught him that the underlying principle that unites all is Jewish Love. The second convert, had rejected the other man-made religions as human concoctions, was attracted to the Divine Torah, which consisted solely of G-d's word. He was shocked to find that we follow a Rabbinical tradition. He wasn't being rebellious, but sincerely asking a valid question; "I wish to observe G-d's word alone, not any human additions." Hillel creatively showed him that the two Torahs are not two separate systems, but are one and the same. The written word and the oral traditions complement each other. It is as basic as the Aleph Bais, where you can't have one without the other. Indeed, the Torah itself bids us to follow the enactments of the sages. The third convert, disillusioned with pagan shallowness, aimed for a higher meaning to life. He yearned to reach the highest level, assuming that being a High Priest is the ultimate spiritual fulfillment.

How can we deny anyone from coming into acceptance under the wings of the Divine Presence and drive them from unity with the larger body of the Messiah? The horse must be willing, but the guidance must be humble and gentle.

Overlap

Bilateral ecclesiology does not necessitate the social and religious isolation of Messianic Jews from Gentile Christians. The most direct translation of bilateral ecclesiology into actual practice would be for a Messianic Jew (or group of Messianic Jews) to primarily attend synagogue, whilst also meeting, eating, and worshiping regularly with each other and jointly with Gentile Christians. My own religious life, where I supplement my synagogue life with involvement in the life of a church, is not a pragmatic response to the absence of a viable Messianic Jewish synagogue. Were it not for the isolation and quasi-deception, it would be my ideal situation.

From Ovadia's blog post
Enfleshing Bilateral Ecclesiology

Bilateral Ecclesiology and the Gentiles Series

What do I want? I know, sounds narcissistic, but the Messianic blogosphere is full of opinions, ideas, preferences, and the occasional demand. Gene Shlomovich recently asked me what my ideal expression of "Messianic Judaism/Bilateral Ecclesiology" would be if I could have my way. Time to cough up the answer.

As strange as it may sound coming from me, I don't want anything that much different, at least at the core, from what has been stated regarding Bilateral Ecclesiology (BE).

• I believe that it's good for traditionally observant Messianic Jews to build communities to serve their own populations and to attempt to bridge to larger Judaism.
• I believe that it's good for Messianic Judaism to enter into a dialogue with "the church" and to help to repair some of the damaged aspects of Jewish/Christian relations (supersessionalism and such).
• I believe that it's good for Messianic Jews to not be required to turn themselves into "Gentile Christians" and to abandon "Jewish practices" in order to worship the Jewish Messiah.
• I believe that it's good to attempt to educate the numerous Gentile-driven One Law "Messianic" congregations regarding what is and isn't Jewish practice, sound doctrine, and solid Biblical scholarship.

Wait! What was that last point?

Within BE's various suppositions, directives, and mandates, there is no provision for addressing the little bits and pieces of shattered glass that represent the numerous One Law, Two House, and otherwise Gentile-driven congregations, home fellowships, and loose associations that litter the national (and perhaps world wide) landscape.

While I don't say this in a critical voice, the original One Law stance of First Fruits of Zion (FFOZ) may have done a disservice to the many non-Jewish Christians who left the church in search of something more "authentic" (and FFOZ has since made a significant course correction, which required a lot of integrity and courage). While many of these Christians left the church out of a sense of disillusionment or a feeling of betrayal, there are others, like me, who feel "called" to follow the beat of a different drummer. My drummer just happens to be Jewish.

This doesn't mean I'd be completely at home in an Orthodox shul. I'm sure I wouldn't be. But there is something about the teachings, studying the Torah portion, reading the commentaries, and praying with a Siddur, that touch something in me that I never found in the church.

So what do I want?

I can see a continuum of "believing" congregation models with three major expressions:

• Messianic Jewish congregations based on the traditional observant Jewish worship, halakhah, and community model. This expression would serve Jews who have a strong cultural and religious Jewish identity and who want to extend that identity into other "Judaisms".
• "Judaically informed congregations" (to borrow Derek Leman's phrase) of either primarily non-Jews who, like me, are "called" to a more Judaically-aligned model of worship and who observe some of the traditions in solidarity with Messianic Judaism, or a more or less evenly mixed Jewish and non-Jewish group who don't have a strong need to worship in an exclusively Jewish community and who want to share direct fellowship and community with each other.
• The Christian church, which represents the vast majority of non-Jews who worship the Jewish Messiah (Jesus Christ), and who, like the congregation Boaz Michael references in his latest blog, seeks an improved relationship with the other two groups, and particularly Messianic Judaism, and is adjusting their theologies and practices to more align with the other groups.

This isn't a perfect model, nor do I expect it to be. The one thing about Boaz's latest blog post that jumps out at me is the following:

The work of First Fruits of Zion wants to see the church change, but this is done through mutual respect, relationship, and love. Only through these attitudes will the message of the Jewishness of the Gospel, the Torah, and the centrality of Israel be able to be heard and understood.

The idea, as I understand it anyway, is that no one of our groups is completely baked (yes, I'm saying we're all "half-baked"), but rather, if you'll excuse the mixed metaphor, we are all "works in progress" or "diamonds in the rough". Communities of faith have developmental processes, just like living organisms. Unlike Adam and Eve, we didn't spring forth, full-grown, from the breath of God. We have to start at the beginning and go through the pain of growing up.

Derek's latest blog post outlines some of the reasons why non-Jews might legitimately leave the church based on some of the modern church's shortcomings, but it would be a mistake to think that any of our religious expressions is perfect or even "better" than the others.

The idea of having different expressions of faith communities is to service different populations, not to establish dominance or superiority, but they aren't exclusive neighborhoods with locked gates. There may be some Gentiles who would thrive in a Messianic Jewish congregation and some Jews who were raised in culturally and observant Jewish homes who might feel very well connected to either "Judaically informed" congregations or their neighborhood church.

An absolute requirement for these three expressions though, is that they establish and maintain a communications and fellowship conduit between them all. As Ovadia states:

Bilateral ecclesiology does not necessitate the social and religious isolation of Messianic Jews from Gentile Christians.

If, as a "Judaically-informed Gentile", I want to attend a Talmud class at the Messianic Jewish congregation across town, ideally, I should be welcomed. If a group from the Christian church wants to host a summer picnic (with appropriate foods for the other two groups) for their Messianic Jewish and Judaically-informed brothers and sisters, that should be encouraged and well attended by those groups.

In the original Star Trek series, the character Spock (played by Leonard Nimoy) sometimes wore a pendant with a symbol called the IDIC. IDIC is an acronym meaning "Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combination" and is a core Vulcan philosophy embracing "the vast array of variables in the universe", including the many different forms of life, lifestyles, and expressions.

I'm not suggesting "infinite" acceptance of all possible combination of religious expression, since some religious groups within the broadest spectrum of "Christianity" are based on principles and practices that would be considered "cultic" (and we need to be careful with our judgments here because some churches likely see "Messianic Judaism" as a cult). There needs to be a spirit of fellowship between these three expressions based on a commonly held set of core beliefs and a clear understanding that we all serve the same Messiah and worship the same God.

For Messianic Judaism on its end of the scale, the conduit could and should extend into other expressions of Judaism (Reform, Conservative, Orthodox, and such) as part of the BE mandate, though this may end up working more on the level of individual Jews connecting, rather than networking entire Messianic and non-Messianic congregations.

We may think that Messianic Judaism has been around awhile and is a mature entity, but I feel it is still in its early developmental stages. While Christianity and Judaism have been around for a great lengths of time, these faith expressions are also progressing through different "life stages" that will ultimately arrive at a joining point of some sort when and after the Messiah returns.

We are all trying to point to the same goal: Yeshua, Jesus, the Jewish Messiah, the Son of God. We have different ways of recognizing our responsibilities to the Messiah and different methods of honoring God, but these differences shouldn't stand in the way of uniting and binding us together.

There may be many sheep pens, but there is only one flock.

"A Jew never gives up. We're here to bring Mashiach, we will settle for nothing less." -Harav Yitzchak Ginsburgh

Jews are from Mars, Christians are from Venus

My Christian interlocutors are therefore justified in their concerns. We must affirm and guard the unity of the ekklesia at the same time as we preserve its essential two-fold nature. How is this to be accomplished? I did not intend in PMJ to propose a particular governmental or structural arrangement for the bilateral ekklesia. Instead, I attempted to define the communal and relational reality that any such arrangement must foster. The discussion about ecclesial structure is yet to take place. It should be set in a dialogue between Christian and Messianic Jewish leaders who accept and embrace the need for both unity and bilateral differentiation.

Dr. Mark S Kinzer from his paper
Postmissionary Messianic Judaism, Three Years Later (2008)

Bilateral Ecclesiology and the Gentiles Series

Ovadia posted this in the comments section of the blog post Why Bilateral Ecclesiology Will Matter and I finally gave it a read. It's all part of what I now am calling my Bilateral Ecclesiology and the Gentiles Series. You can read What Do We Call a Wandering Christian and the two most recent blog articles I posted before this one to get the context. Reading the other blogs I link off to, including their comments will help immensely, if you haven't been part of the conversation up to this point. Yes, it is a lot of reading.

I'm sure you recognized the title of this blog post as a nod to John Gray's famous and much parodied book Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus (which I've never read) about improving communication and getting what you want in your relationships. The idea is that you have two human beings who are fundamentally different from one another who just happen to be sharing a home, a bed, sex, children, money, and everything else...yet they think and feel about all these things in extremely different ways. They practically speak different languages. What do to?

I've come to see Jews and non-Jews (Gentiles, Christians, whatever) in the Messianic movement in more or less the same way. My rather brief encounter with the wife of our local Chabad Rabbi showed me just how different an Orthodox Jewish woman could view and react to me and how "alien" I felt in response. No, she meant no harm and I understand that her behavior was completely driven by cultural and religious norms, but it did highlight the differences Messianic Judaism and Bilateral Ecclesiology (BI) have been trying to beat into my head with a blunt instrument for the past six months or so.

Oh, so that's what you meant (light dawns on "Marblehead").

OK. I get it. I am a critter from Venus and you (Jews in general as well as in the Messianic movement specifically) are from Mars. It's amazing we can co-exist in the same community (or solar system) at all. It's the reason that the Jews in One Law congregations are people who were never raised ethnically or religiously Jewish and had only one Jewish parent (of course, that doesn't explain how religiously and ethnically Jewish people such as Dan Benzvi can consider me a "Fellow Heir" without batting an eye, but I digress).

I wrote my previous blog post out of frustration and a certain amount of despair, but I've had a chance to "sleep on it" and am feeling much better now, thank you very much.

Having read Dr. Kinzer's 2008 paper, which I reference above, the specific quote I used presents the core of our current discussion and the puzzle we are (or at least I am) trying to solve.

What is the relationship between Gentiles and Jews in the Messianic movement supposed to look like? As of 2008, Dr. Kinzer didn't know. He says he never wrote his original book with the idea that he was going to describe "the practical structure of a bilateral ekklesia", so perhaps my bridge building attempts have been in vain.

I previously likened the "bridge building project" as being designed to span a two-mile wide chasm but in practicality, requiring a bridge linking San Francisco and Hawaii. Now I'm considering the gulf to be more "interplanetary" so any "fellowship" will have to be conducted (metaphorically speaking) via radio or rocketship. If our two planets exist in separate solar systems in different parts of the galaxy, then we'll require fictional assistance in the form of "sub-space radio", "warp drive", or a transpacial wormhole.

Point being, this bridge building job just got a whole lot harder.

While structure remains a problem, Dr. Kinzer says the following is of vital importance:

It seems clear from the Apostolic Writings that one of the crucial functions of this ritual is to be an expression and instrument of unity (1 Corinthians 10:16-17; 11:17-32). It is also clear that the Apostles viewed the partaking of food at the same table (in contexts which likely included a eucharistic dimension) as a primary sign of the reconciliation of Jew and Gentile in one community (Galatians 2:11-14). Thus, any adequate structural and communal embodiment of bilateral ecclesiology will need to provide contexts where members of the Jewish and Gentile wings of the one ekklesia can gather together to celebrate HaZikkaron as one two-fold body.

Ovadia suggested a practical application based on my Boychiks in the Hood metaphor:

Messianic Jews and Gentile Christians can be "ekklesia" together without necessarily being part of the same congregations. We should worship jointly, feast for Yeshua's sake jointly, participate in tikkun olam jointly, study jointly. But jointly. Not as an blob of amorphous Jew-Gentile, but as Jews and Gentiles, each confident in their own God-given identity, together. In your metaphor, the two neighborhoods should come together regularly to throw block parties, and keep those friendships.

That requires some working out of community standards for food at the very least and perhaps a mutually agreed upon worship structure (siddurim, hymnals, or both?) as well.

Of course, Dr. Kinzer is talking about establishing and maintaining relationships primarily with people who are affiliated with a traditional Christian church, not those of us who are part of what Derek Leman calls Judaically-informed Christian congregations (AKA One Law groups). To be fair, Derek is suggesting a third alternative for Gentiles in "the movement" who would not be entirely welcome in a traditional Messianic Jewish venue (that is, a traditional synagogue service for Messianic Jews) nor be comfortable returning to a traditional church setting. His viewpoint is controversial as he readily acknowledges, but he is trying to see to the needs of people like me, who are not accounted for in Kinzer's model.

If we accept as a given that Jews in the Messianic movement require a traditional Jewish worship setting that allows them to maintain an observant lifestyle, has a strong affiliation to the covenant and Israel, and provides potential linkage to a larger Judaism, then assuming that the linkage also travels in the direction of the Christian world by virtue of a common worship of the Jewish Messiah, we need to start working on the currently non-existent "practical structure of a bilateral ekklesia".

I used to be a pretty big science fiction fan and as a kid in the 1960s, I watched a lot of hokey TV shows. One of them was the Irwin Allen "classic" (I say that tongue-in-cheek) The Time Tunnel. This was a secret Government project designed to create a point-to-point link between the present and any other moment in time. Of course, it got broken, sending two American scientists across the time-line and stranding them in one cornball version of a historical event after another on a weekly basis. Nostalgia makes the show for me a fond memory and in the current context, it becomes a persistent image.

Like my former reference to a wormhole (which is at least theoretically possible), maybe given the distance between us, we don't need a bridge so much as a conduit that creates a virtual "tunnel" between our two worlds. Like many inventions suggested by science fiction and then realized in the world of technology (1966 Star Trek communicators and 2010 cell phones, for instance), maybe what seems impossible now is just waiting for the right moment to become possible.

Or are we waiting for the finger of God to start writing on our world...or in our hearts?

Forked

One of the statements I've been pondering lately is the suggestion from MJ/BE proponents that the proper worship venue for Gentile believers in the Jewish Messiah is "the church". By "church" I can only imagine what they mean is the traditional Christian, Sunday-going, Christmas and Easter celebrating, pork chop and bacon eating church.

OK, that sounds pretty bad the way I expressed it. To be fair, some of the people who are most devoted to God and to living out a life dedicated to Yeshua/Jesus are found in the Christian church. I don't know about congregations that are MJ/BE focused, but from the OL congregational perspective, we often turn to a Christian church when we need a place of worship. Some (but not many) churches provide their space either cost free or for a substantial discount as part of their fellowship with our community and as an expression of our common faith in Messiah/Christ. And while both the Messianic Jewish and One Law groups tend to focus on the minutiae of our practice (how to tie your tzitzit, the best way to lay teffilin...), the church, for the most part, has been performing the weighter acts of the Torah by visiting the sick and imprisoned, feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, and preaching the Gospel of salvation through Christ.

Just how many Messianic Jewish and One Law congregations do that? OK, maybe yours does, but I'm talking about the wider population of congregations that, whether Jewish or Gentle lead, actually have their primary focus on serving others and not just focusing on the members of their own specific groups, their own practice, and their own ceremony.

Again, to be fair, no congregation, synagogue, church, denomination, sect, or any other grouping or category of religion or faith is perfect. The simple reason for that is such groups are always made up of human beings. We aren't always nice and we certainly don't always follow the teachings of our Master. More's the pity.

We can excuse, to some degree, the secular world for not performing the weighter acts of Torah kindness because their only Master is their own wants and needs. Yes, secular people can be altruistic, kind, selfless, giving, and self sacrificing. Chalk it up to being made in the image of God. While they don't acknowledge God, they seem to be listening to Him on some back channel or little known frequency, receiving His signals without quite realizing who they're talking to. Maybe they think it's the "milk of human kindness". Regardless, God talks to everyone and all of us, believer and secular person alike, have the choice of listening or not.

Here's what I'm getting at.

MJ/BE says that Gentiles should only worship within the context of the aforementioned Christian church. While the church, in general, has a lot going for it as I've mentioned, there are also "issues". Of course, there are "issues" in any faith group. Many people go "church shopping" (and I suppose in communities with a large enough Jewish population, some Jewish families go "synagogue shopping") to find a place of worship that most suits their needs, desires, theological perspectives, and anything else they may require. If I had the power to choose where to worship, where would I go?

Wait! Don't I have the power to choose where to worship? Yes and no. Let's think about it.

I have to choose from the available worship venues in my immediate community, unless I want to drive eight hours one-way to reach more options. I also have to consider the MJ/BE viewpoint that my only valid worship venue as a Gentile, is the church. I want to examine my options as if I have made no decisions. Here are the parameters.

I'm going to assume three possible options: The Christian church, the One Law congregation, and the Messianic Jewish synagogue. For the purposes of this blog, I'm going to define "Christian church" as a single entity, even though there are a large number of denominations and, even within those denominations, there are specific churches driven by slightly different priorities and perspectives. Here we go.

Christian Church

Pros:

1. Acceptance: As a Gentile believer, I'm instantly "in". I don't have to worry too much about being judged by my ethnicity, my nationality, my skin color, or a lot of other variables (unless I want to attend a church serving the Korean or African-American or Russian communities in my area).
2. Availability: Churches are just about everywhere and even in my little corner of the world, I have a lot to choose from. I have a lot of "shopping" options.
3. Community: There are a lot of Christians out there, so calling myself a "Christian" instantly tells people who I am and what I believe. Even secular people and people of other religions understand what a Christian is (even if they don't like them or at least don't like what they believe Christians stand for).
   
4. Low Requirements: This is sort of like "Acceptance" in that, there isn't much you really have to do to be accepted in the community. There aren't a lot of behavioral requirements to which members must comply. I can shop on Saturday and Sunday, eat what I want, dress how I want (mostly), pray how I want, call God and Jesus what I want (no foreign language requirements), and read the Bible just in English without feeling guilty or stupid.
5. Lovingkindness: I can operate within a congregation that is more dedicated to performing the acts of kindness commanded by Yeshua/Jesus and that is commanded throughout the Torah without having those acts be overshadowed or overwhelmed or just plain diluted by ceremonial concerns.

Cons:

1. Acceptance: As a Gentile believer with a "Hebraic" (however you want to define that term) point of view of the Bible, I'll either have to keep my big mouth shut during Bible classes or risk being tossed out on my ear when I speak up and disagree with the teacher that Jesus made all meats clean or changed the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday (and you know how well I keep my opinions to myself).
2. Education: If I have to go through one more Kay Arthur canned, programmed Bible study, I'm going to puke. I design teachings so people can ask questions, even the hard ones, so that people can really participate and share their perspectives, not just so people can agree to the "party line". I'm not saying that Christian education is poor, but there aren't a lot of opportunities to stretch and grow and, as you know, I like questioning assumptions.
3. Ceremony: I gave up Christmas and Easter long ago and have no regrets. Even if I chose not to "celebrate" those events in my home, as part of a church, I'd be expected to participate in them in corporate worship and to at least fake being excited at the approach of the Christmas play.
4. Food: I keep what the local Chabad Rabbi calls "kosher-style" which amounts to following the Leviticus 11 guidelines for what is and isn't food. It's a personal conviction of mine (and I don't care if you say I don't "have" to or not, I "choose" to), so pretending I'm allergic to all pork, shellfish, and other treif products will be tough over the long haul.
5. Lying: This actually encompasses all of the "con" points because I'd have to do a considerable amount of lying to be able to operate within the parameters of what's expected in a church. Even keeping my mouth shut or forcing myself to stuff it with a ham sandwich is a form of lie.
6. Hypocrisy and worse: The single thing I can't swallow about the Church is replacement theology. While I've been repeatedly criticized by MJ/BE proponents of supporting replacement theology, that same group says I should attend a religious organization that's guaranteed to practice some version of this. Not an option for me.
   
7. Marriage: My wife is Jewish and even in terms of my current worship, she has to conceal certain items in our home when she has friends from shul over. Imagine how much more difficult life would be like for her if I became a regular church attender.

One Law Congregation

Pros:

1. Acceptance: Since I already attend what you call a One Law congregation and it most matches my theological understanding and worship style, I'm quite well accepted.
2. Education: I do most the teachings so, by definition, I approve of the curriculum, including the Shabbat teaching, any other classes, plus the blog and website content.
3. Ceremony: As a member of the board, I have a say in the order of service, prayers, so on and so forth. Plus, within the privacy of my own home, I can choose to pray in a manner that I feel consistent with my convictions.
4. Food: Within the congregation, we have agreed to the Leviticus 11 standard, so there's no question about diet and menu.
5. Community: While we are few, all of the folks who regularly attend tend to view the Bible, God, Yeshua, and each other in pretty much the same way. We like each other and tend to get along.

Cons:

1. Requirements: Not so much for regular attenders, but our worship style and pattern can be hard to pick up. The Hebrew tends to put off folks with a traditional church background and we can seem quite "rule bound" in some ways.
2. Community: We are only one of two One Law congregations within driving distance. Not a lot of shopping options.
3. Extreme Variability: If you look at One Law congregations in general, they are highly variable. No two are exactly alike or even remotely alike. While I feel comfortable and accepted in my local community, I could visit another OL congregation and feel completely alienated by their practices and theology. I find some OL congregations to be kind of "crazy" in their beliefs. Lots of "grass roots" congregation development, and not always for the good.
4. Unusual People Magnet: I don't know how else to put this and be nice about it. We tend to attract people who have such odd or strange beliefs that they aren't accepted or even tolerated in any other religious venue. I've heard people say that during "the lost years of Jesus", the teenage Yeshua traveled to India with his "uncle" Nicodemus. The Bible hardly figures into some of these beliefs. We also occasionally attract predators and I've had to ask more than one fellow to leave after he expressed an "uncomfortable" interest in the woman and children of the congregation.
5. Acceptance: Within our walls, we accept one another, but we aren't accepted, or at least understood in the larger religious and secular communities. Most of us say we go to a "Messianic" congregation, which most church people have at least heard of. How do I explain the difference between MJ and OL to other communities who already think we're have crazy if not heretics or cultists?
6. Personal Education and Growth: If I want to learn, I have to self-study. Not a lot of opportunities to consult with more learned OL colleagues around here. Also, if I were a mere "member", and I had a personal or theological crisis, I could turn to someone higher up on the chain, expect wisdom and the assurance of confidentiality that wouldn't impact my relationships. I can't really do that when I'm on the board.
7. Marriage: While my wife and I have agreed that we are each doing what is right for ourselves in terms of our faith, we don't worship together anymore. As a member of an OL congregation, if I were to attend her synagogue, it might cause problems, especially since some people who orbit the fringe of OL locally also show up at the traditional synagogues. She's not available to worship with me in my context.

Messianic Jewish Congregation 

Pros:

1. Education: I'd be in an environment where the Rabbi/Congregational leader is well educated in Hebrew, Torah, Talmud, holding the equivalent of a Masters degree in theology or divinity (which is the educational requirement for all Rabbis in modern times..if you don't have the same background as a non-Messianic Rabbi, you're probably not a Rabbi).
2. Organization: The synagogue would have a more formal and organized structure of worship, activities, and so forth, rather than the more "grass roots" feel of an OL congregation.
3. Food: Whether or not I'd be expected to keep kosher on any level, any food in the congregation would be consumable by my standards.
4. Population Consistency: Most of the people would be Jewish or Gentiles who are seriously committed to supporting the Messianic community.

Cons:

1. Availability: There are none in my community, so that's that.
2. Acceptance: By definition, MJ/BE congregations redirect Gentiles to the Christian church, so there'd be minimal to no acceptance of me as a Gentile.
3. Ceremony: Since the worship would be specifically tailored towards Jewish members, parts of the prayer service that said, "Thank you for not making me a Gentile" would be more than a little uncomfortable and what would I do with the prayers in the Siddur where the person is referring to themselves as a Jew?
4. Community: Like acceptance, community would be a struggle if it was available at all. There would also always be some doubt that at least a few Jewish members of the congregation would look down on the Gentile members.
5. Marriage: My wife still wouldn't attend and, like many Jewish people, doesn't consider any form of Messianic Judaism to be a Judaism.

I'm sure that there are variables on both the pro and con side for each worship venue that I've overlooked and I trust that someone will step in and help me fill in the blanks. If you feel I have been unfair in any of my assessments, please let me know. I'm not trying to be unfair, I'm trying to take an honest look at what is and isn't attractive, from my point of view, about each worship type. No two churches or church denominations are alike. Certainly no two One Law congregations are alike and in fact, there's virtually no standardization among this body of worship communities at all. I don't know this for a fact, but I can only believe no two Messianic Jewish and probably no two MJ/BE congregations are exactly alike. I've had to generalize but I've tried to capture what I see as the core characteristics of each group. I have ignored one other option, but I might as well explore it. Particularly since I've had some experience worshiping there in the past.

The Jewish (non-Messianic) Synagogue 

Pros:

1. Marriage: I could worship with my wife. I know other families in the Chabad synagogue were one spouse is Jewish and the other is Gentile. It's doable as long as the non-Jewish spouse adheres to all of the requirements and behaviors of the congregation and does his or her best to fit in.
2. Population Consistency: Most if not all people attending are Jewish or Gentile spouse of Jews who are dedicated to living a Jewish lifestyle, including prayer and worship.
3. Food: A no brainer. If Gentiles are attending because they're married to a Jewish spouse, they're expected to eat the same foods as their spouse. No arguments here.
4. Ceremony: Everyone operates within the same framework, Jew and Gentile spouse alike, with the understanding that Jews and Gentiles have different roles and responsibilities (Gentiles aren't called up to read the Torah for instance) [Italicized text added as suggested by Gene for accuracy].
5. Acceptance: Oddly enough, as the spouse of a Jew, I'd probably be more accepted in a traditional synagogue than I would be in a Messianic Jewish/BE synagogue. No traditional Jewish Rabbi in his right mind would suggest that only my wife should worship in the synagogue and redirect me to a church, keeping in mind that "acceptance" is within the context of my not being Jewish.
6. Consistency and Stability: Unlike OL and maybe some MJ congregations, traditional Judaism is a well established worship form with lots of standardization and larger organizational support. No grass roots.

Cons:

1. Acceptance: While I'd probably be better accepted in the traditional synagogue by virtue of being married to a Jew, I've experienced some "discomfort" with certain members of the synagogue, so it's not all rosy. The primary reason why I left the synagogue (in this case Reform) the first time was that I couldn't find a niche. I didn't "fit in".
2. Ceremony: Again, when the siddur says "Thank you for not making me a Gentile", I'm going to have to swallow my tongue. As previously mentioned, my role in ceremony would be restricted by my being a Gentile.
3. Lying: I'm not abandoning my faith in Yeshua/Jesus but to worship in this context, I'm going to at least have to keep my mouth shut. If someone asks me point blank about my faith, I have to tell the truth and get kicked out or lie and deny the Messiah. This would also impact how my wife would be viewed and endanger her community with her fellow Jews.
4. Busting the Cover: Related to "lying". Occasionally, some people who orbit the fringes of OL visit traditional synagogues. I don't live in a large metropolitan area, so chances are I've met them all before. They'd "blow my cover" in a heartbeat, again messing up my wife's connection with the Jewish community.
5. Conversion: Believe it or not, this has crossed my mind before, but again, I'd have to deliberately lie and deny my faith in Yeshua/Jesus which I cannot do. Also Paul said conversion was not only unnecessary but basically a slap in the face to Yeshua's bloody death on the stake. Beyond all that, God created me as a Gentile, not a Jew. Who am I to say He made a mistake?

What do I want? What does God want of me? I don't know. Does anybody else think like me?