Barry Budoff
May 4, 2008
Hi Enid,
It's great to hear from you. I do hope you and Alicia will be able to visit soon, you know you are always welcome!
bb
Congregation B'nai Maccabim: Guestbook
May 3, 2008
Hey Enid
Way cool, hope you can come! (MH)
Enid King and Alicia Williams
May 2, 2008
Shalom!!
I (Enid) really enjoyed listening to the Audio Files on this web site. Thank you!! We (Alicia and Enid) would like to visit for Shabbat Service and, perhaps even Shabbat School, sometime this Spring or Summer. We did visit, occasionally, in Highland Park, but have not had the opportunity to visit B'nai's new location in Lake Bluff. I hope that we can visit soon. Blessings.
Shabbat Shalom!!
beth
April 27, 2008
Dear Rabbi, I have some questions, I hope you can help me, according with the gospels, Yeshua celebrated pesaj the night of 14th and during the day of 14th he died, then he arose from the grave three days and three nights later . Well I have heard that he arose in the feast of the first fruits, and that day is the 17th, Is this correct? and my other question is: Why Torah says that the feast of the first fruits is the next day to the hight shabbat lev 23:11 , if the hight shabbat is the 15th lev 23:6,7 how is tha the feast of the first fruits in on the 17th instead of the 16th, of course if this information is correct, and in this year when was the feast of the first fruits?, thank you, and I hope you can help me understand this confusion that I have. Shalom Beth
Doug Saesan
April 22, 2008
Barry and Mike,
It's great to see you both and see the ministries the Lord has given you.
Doug Saesan
Elizabeth
March 24, 2008
I enjoyed being in the Shabbat service last week in you congregation, the teaching was very good and helped me to understand what is the messianic movement, also your congregation made me feel welcome so, Thank you all of you for your kindness, I hope I could be with you again soon. Shalom Elizabeth.
February 7, 2008
Hey Ken, right on!
Ken Betach
February 7, 2008
Hi I came across your comments (Crystal and others below) a while back--I too have been involved in Messianic Judaism a while. I'm just passing thru and saw the stuff on this site but I really wanted to kind of spill my guts on something.
When I see comments and excitement by Christians (like below) I really really have mixed feelings. Let me try to explain why.
I also wasn't raised Jewish but kind of came to Messianic Jewish awareness through Jewish portals first (like Spertus Hebrew class, Hashomair HaTzair, Hillel, JUF, etc). It always does a double take on my kishkes because of the weird mixture of Jewish and Christian (expressions/ culture/ theology/ lingo, etc) on a seeming Jewish site like this.
Understand what I do and don't mean. I don't mean that Yeshua isn't messiah. I also don't mean to imply G-d doesn't have a unique path in mind for people like those below, or even that for the first time in 1850 years, some in the larger Christian world are waking up to awareness of what they usually call Hebrew roots--and waking up in a way that isn't philo-semitic, or replacing the Jewish people.
What I do mean is this: more and more parts of the Mess. Jew. movement are wrestling with what it really does mean to have that suffix ("Jewish") attached to "Messianic." This wrestling informs its theology, culture, lifestyle and community of identification (larger Jewish community) from what used to be Christian-with-Jewish toppings to a truly authentic Jewish space/expression of worship to G-d.
Yeah this all is kind of ironic cuz I'm not Jewish and all that and I am not looking for a family Jewish relative four generations back to kind of validate me. I still am old me. But I'm involved as I said. And by the way I'm not wanting to rag on Christians in general. It's just my gut reaction is all.
So for those people who left their comments who are excited about Mess. Judaism I'd say as someone just floating by (and who asked me but I couldn't resist after all)--get involved with the mainstream Jewish community (being honest about yourself as a believer, and not trying to be anything else). Get involved to learn and not with an agenda. And study. Study study study.
Cheers.
Shirley Kapina
February 6, 2008
Dear Rabbi Barry:
I have been looking for your e-mail address because the one the Sanctuary (whitewater) gave me was incorrect. I am going to visit your congregation soon as I have witnessed to a Jewish family recently and need to refer them to your congregation. I know where you are located in Lake Bluff, but need the other information. Blessings. Shirley
keijo
January 28, 2008
"Test everthing.Hold on to the good."And you will find more goodness and holinees from joy and righteous bibles verses and of the Lord and be strong of his power and love,win and help too the lost that find Christ,pray for blessed revival soon,thanks and bless and hope,keijo sweden
Crystal Clapp
January 21, 2008
I have been studying TORAH, the JEWISH ROOTS of my christian faith, for about 3 years now. Oh, How I cry out to OUR SAVIOR YAHSHUA, to send a Rabbi our way, to teach us and whom we may worship with in spirit and truth The One True Living G-D!
Kelli Anderson
January 17, 2008
As a christian of 25 years I am only now beginning to explore the richness of christianity when understood in its full Jewish context. I have so much to learn! The passover seder, now celebrated by my family in a Christian perspective, has only been the start of what I now realize can be so much more. I am so pleased there are congregations like yours and I wish we had one closer to my area. Blessings to you all--!
Barry Budoff
December 26, 2007
Dear David,
I honestly have no idea where your comment is coming from, but I will tell you that this is not the place for an Anti-Catholic diatribe. Every faith community has had its falsehoods, and false leaders, including the Protestant/Evangelical Christian community. If you have some comment about our website, our congregation, or would like to ask a question about the Jewish or Messianic Jewish world be my guest and post away. However, please don't post this hate filled tripe here again.
Thank you!
Rabbi Barry
David Erman
December 24, 2007
II Corinthians 10:3-5
10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through
God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself
against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every
thought to the obedience of Christ;
The apostle Paul writes to the Corinthians of our spiritual warfare against sin. The seat of the great apostasy (the Vatican) has sought to impose its faith on the masses using the argument that "freedom of thought" can lead to licentiousness. A Professor of history, writing around the outbreak of WWII (a time when Catholicism and fascism were sometimes allied) wrote:
A MODERN POPE ON FREEDOM OF CONSCIENCE
We enjoy under our constitution freedom of conscience. What will become of it should votes ever be cast under the supervision of the Roman Church? Let a modern pope answer, Gregory XVI (died 1846). I translate from his encyclica Mirari Vos as follows:
From the filthiest of fountains of indifference (to wit: freedom of thought) flows that absurd and erroneous sentiment or, rather, delirium, the assertion and vindication of universal freedom of conscience. For this pestilential error the way is smoothed by that unrestrained freedom of thought which of late has been spreading far and wide to the destruction of things sacred and secular, for there are those who proclaim that thereby religion will be advantaged. Here is the cause of the mental perverseness, the steady corruption of youth; here the contempt on the part of the people for sacred things and sacred laws; here, in one word, the pest of the commonweal surpassing all others, tested by experience and in evidence from hoariest antiquity-that countries, once fourishing by reason of wealth, dominion and glory, came to grief through this one evil, the unrestrained liberty of thought, freedom of assembly, desire of innovation.
So Pope Gregory XVI in A. D. 1832. The pope puts his finger upon a sore spot indeed! License of thought does lead to license of behavior. But the remedy is not the universal subjection to the pope's word which this gentleman advocates. For one thing, when he was universally acknowledged as arbiter of truth, not only the laity but also the reverend clergy were so corrupt that the Reformation heaved into action by the very logic of necessity. For another thing, the freedom to obey the Gospel would soon be suppressed, whereas compliant license might receive the golden rose, as in the case of Isabella of Spain. We would suggest as remedy for the evils arising from freedom of conscience, the more effective proclamation of the Bible and its Christ.
(C. B. Gohdes, Litt.D., Does the Modern Papacy Require a New Evaluation? , The Lutheran Literary Board, Burlington, Iowa, 1940, Pp.74-75).
And the Roman Catholic Church tried to justify its persecution of Jews and Muslims under the Spanish Inquisition because they thought the mere existence of people belonging to other faiths (even, as the case was, in secret) was a threat to the "church":
"At that time the purity of the Catholic Faith in Spain was in great danger from the numerous Marranos and Moriscos, who, for material considerations, became sham converts from Judaism and Mohammedanism to Christianity." (newadvent.org article "Tom'as de Torquemada). When the Jews agreed to pay the Spanish government 30,000 ducats to avoid persecution it was reported that King Ferdinand II considered the offer but inquisitor Torquemada compared this to Judas selling Jesus for 30 pieces of silver and then presents an idol (specifically, a crucifix) saying "Here He (Jesus) is; take Him and sell Him." (ibid).
Despite all this, and the late persecution of Protestants by the inquisition in Spain, Ferdinand's Queen, Isabella of Castile, was put the path to "sainthood" by Paul VI through beatification in 1974, the reason given was because of her advocacy of the Spanish poor and the American Indians against the exploitation of the Spanish nobility.
My Yahoo! group:http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sabbathkeepersdiscussionboard/
December 11, 2007
Hi Don & Lorraine
I am one of the ppl at Bnai who answers email and have added my two cents occasionally (below) to the guestbook. There are several resources (that you may have already tried). For instance I tried the Torah Observant MJ official listing (http://usa.ctomc.org) of congregations. Nothing is officially listed for IN yet. (But see below.)
But as you know, you probably ought to personally check each place, if you can, regardless of its affiliation (or lack thereof) simply due to the flux in the larger MJ world as it changes and grows. Example: Bnai is fairly "conservadox" as far as praxis. The leadership here studied under Chabad and in yeshiva. But short of a m'chitzah between men and women, establishing an eruv on Shabbat, (since people have come from literally a tri-state area to Bnai)--while Bnai holds Torah to utmost importance--nevertheless, we don't officially have that as a label. Bnai, for instance is part of the UMJC. But again, one might see big differences between Bnai and other UMJC congregations since UMJC does not function in the same way as some other organizations, I believe.
So having said that you may find something in Indiana that's right for you. A question came up before (same area, Indiana) and I forwarded the email to Barry Budoff. I think his response might be good for you too, to at least check out anyway, tho this congregation is to the South of you:
"I would recommend that you go to the MJAA (Messianic Jewish Alliance of America) web site, and follow the link to their IAMCS (International Association of Messianic Congregation and Synagogues) site. One of their member congregations is located in Indianapolis. It believe it is Ahavat Yeshua, but I am not sure. If it is, the leader there is Jeff Adler. I know Jeff very well, and while I am not sure how traditionally Jewish the congregation is, I can tell you that Jeff is a very good teacher, a caring leader, and a man who is committed to following Yeshua."
Hope that helps, if you want read thru the previous guestbook entries for an historical overview. Be well.
Mr. & Mrs. Don & Lorraine Purvis
December 10, 2007
Shallom >> my wife and I are Torah observant and will be moving March 2008 to the area of Griffith, Indiana and would be grateful to find a synagogue / Messianic congregation to study at in the area can you help us please? Thank you Don and Lorraine Purvis 972-358-9480
Karen McIntosh
November 30, 2007
My husband and I live in Lake Bluff and serve with the Military Ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ - Sailors for Christ - at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center. Last week at our bible study I met a delightful young sailor who is a Messianic Jew looking for a place to worship - another sailor is evidently also a Jewish believer and knew of your congregation. I told Elaina I would try to find you and provide transportation for her if I could. I am so happy to know you are so near - knowing this is also a wonderful resource for other interested Jewish people I meet from time to time. Praying God's richest blessings on your congregation - Karen
November 27, 2007
November 6, 2007
Hi Immanuel Gomez. I forwarded your comment and email to Bnai's congregation leader, Barry Budoff.
In the meantime here's what I can tell you. It seems you are asking a question of the UMJC (a nationaly organization) vs Bnai, a local congregation. The UMJC does not distinguish between Sephardic or Azkenazic Jewish believers. Anyone who goes through their (I think its) MJTI courses and meets some standards (whether you are S'fardi or not does not matter) gets smicha. The courses are vetted, and to be accredited. For more info on that see www.UMJC.org, and www.MJTI.org.
There are very Orthodox Messianic Sfardi rabbaim I know of and have met (in Florida and South America).
Of course Bnai also does not distinguish between S'fardi and Azkenazi. Also there are a lot of non-Jewish believers (in Yeshua) who have varying degrees of understanding and commitment to a "Torah life" and to the larger Jewish community.
Be well.
Messianic Pastor: Immanuel Gomez
November 5, 2007
I wanted to ask if Sefardic Jews are welcome to the UMJC and can obtain Ordination to Rabbi Level? I was also wondering if my friend whom is Goy who has a love for Yisrael and wants to live a Torah obedient life in Yeshua was also welcomed? I also would like to know if any of your Synagogues or Congregations perform Halaich Return ceremonies? Shalom and Todah Rabbah, I look forward to hearing back from you, I am interested. I do have a congregation and am looking to possibly be affliated with a reputable Messianic Organization. Please contact me and let me know, Todah and Shalom.
Sincerly and in Yeshua,
Messianic Pastor: Immanuel Gomez
D'vi Zuriel
October 5, 2007
Nice web-site...informative!
Rob Seibert
September 19, 2007
Good to see you, Rebbe Budoff. I like the new site, much better! I've been busy recording music (http://www.myspace.com/trebiesbor), attending Beit Midrash while in exile here in the Southeast.....have an easy fast this Yom Kippur. Sholem Aleichem!
September 10, 2007
Hey Elizabeth
Here's my second part of an answer. It involves recent MJ history to give you more of a perspective. (And forgive me since you may or may not know this stuff already.) Some of the modern history I have seen close up--both as a former worker in the (Hebrew Christian) mission world, of which I no longer am in, all the way to living in Israel and studying informally with Mea Shearim (ultra Othodox). I have seen the pan spectrum extremely close up. So, I am coming from a certain perspective, but more on that later if you wish.
While there have always been Jewish believers in history, from as late as possibly the 5th century until the 19th century, there were no official combinations of Jewishness and Jesus-ness. If you were Jewish but somehow came to connect to Jesus/Yehua, you were mandated to officially deny your ("former") Jewishness. In a nutshell, Christendom (all aspects of it, Western and Eastern) came against Judaism (and by extension, the remaining Jewish believers), starting from early in the 2nd century and onward, typified by the sermons of John Chrysostom who encouraged Christians to violence against Jews (see below).
The reasons for this are nuanced. What became normative Judaism also hardened itself against those believers in Yeshua still within the community. But, continuing my nutshell, one reason for this general hatred and antipathy was an issue of simple survival and vying for recognition from the Roman empire by Christians to be an official religion--recognized by Rome, and therefore not liable to capital punishment. So what became known as Christianity, then consciously modeled its theology, polity and praxis (how it lived its communal life) to be as different as possible from Judaism. ("Easter" had been around the time and similar to Pesach/Passover-ish. Forcefully given a different date, etc.)
Another reason was what is called "Anti-Judaism," a theology that predicates that the Jewish people are past, not the people of G-d, that Christians are now, that G-d is through with the Jewish people, the Jews are damnable etc etc.
So centuries went by. Not a great atmosphere to have the freedom to investigate the case for or against Yeshua in objectivity.
Starting in the 19th C there were stirrings again (Don't worry, this response won't go into all that) from Jewish believers that had been in the church world to explore their Jewishness in the light of Jesus-ness. Up until the late 60s, the re-emerging groups of Jewish believers were still pretty much a subset of the larger church/Christian world. The identify of Jewish believers was "Hebrew Christian." I.e., Christians ultimately, Jewish locally. A background of Jewish but a new creation in Christ (by which that meant, looking unconsciously and or consciously like a Christian--and here I mean culturally, and some aspects of what we'll call anti-Judiastic theology.)
First in approx. 1895, and specifically in the early 70s, some leaders in the then-Hebrew Christian movement deliberately, and with full awareness of the import of what and why they doing so, changed their designation to Messianic Jewish. They did so with the idea that they were and would remain Jewish--still willing to have cordial relationship with their fellow non-Jewish brothers in the Messiah ("Christians") but ultimately, with the G-d ordained motivation committed irrevocably as Jews and to something called "Klal Yisral"--ALL of Israel/Jewish people. (How do you do this, when you believe that Yeshua is G-ds way for all people--and the Jewish people--in light of the Holocaust and centuries of Christian persecution is a tricky discussion for another time... but there are answers, I believe.)
When MJs first started using this nomenclature, Jewish Missions, Hebrew Christians, believers in the churches who had a Jewish background but no longer self-identified as Jews except by background or surname, and many Christian in general felt that this language "divided the body of Christ."
Fast forward about 40 years. Again for lots of reasons I won't get into here, it is now, to use Madison avenue parlance, very "sexy" to use the general umbrella term of "Messianic" or, less often, "Messianic Jewish" to mean anything that involves some aspect of Jewishness lined up next to Jesus. That's why you have the samples I gave previously of such a broad use of the term by very disparate groups. The differences remain, by the way. Many people now use the term Messianic Jewish, even tho their lifestyle, theology, attitudes and beliefs are the same as it was (mentioned in the above paragraph talking about 40 years ago).
So--the term has become generic by many Christians and Jewish believers. It does not now mean what it meant--specifically a very dedicated commitment to a a Messianic Jewish theology, a Jewish lifestyle as a G-d given mandate, learning, and larger Jewish community.)
By the way, I want to quickly add that, and this is my view only, that while I personally wish all Jewish believers would remain dynamically committed within the Jewish community that there are those believers in Yeshua from a Jewish background who are comfortable for whatever reason within the church or mission world. I have tried many times to give G-d my agenda and preferences, but this is the reality on the ground.
I also have to say with 34 years' perspective, tho, that there are some very interesting mind blowing changes happening MJ movement wide and I welcome these wholeheartedly.
Well, are you totally zzzzzzz by now?
OK Elizabeth, here is my last two cents (yay):
Don't believe a word I say.
Explore for yourself. Use your own brains, be open also to G-d. If you want some starting resources I am glad to give them to you at another time, or contact Barry.
Be well.
Jphn Chrysostom:
"A synagogue is not only a whorehouse, it is also a den of thieve and a haunt of unclean wild animals. When animals are unfit for work (as the Jews clearly are) they are marked for slaughter. By making themselves unfit, they have become ready for slaughter."
10. For an overview of emergent Jewish status in the christianized Roman Empire, see James Parkes, The Conflict of the Church and the Synagogue (London, 1934), 151-269. On the crucial role of Augustine in the development of a normative view concerning the Jews, see Bernhard Blumenkranz, Die Judenpredigt Augustins (Basle, 1946), and, idem, "Augustin et les juifs, Augustin et le judaisme," Recherches augustiniennes, I (1958): 225-241, reprinted in, idem, Juifs et chrétiens: patristique et moyen âge.
September 9, 2007
Hey Elizabeth
Great observations, great question. I go to Bnai and so will give you one answer tho you may get others and may hear back also from Bnai's leadership. I've also been involved with Messianic Judaism for 30 years and have seen a lot of changes and interesting developments in that time.
So here's a short answer (see later for more details if interested).
Messianic Judaism (MJ), like normative Judaism, has different approaches all along a spectrum. Under one umbrella you will find very different congregations in feel and "flavor." The commonality all across the board in MJ is that its adherents are Jewish people who have come to believe that in fact Yeshua ben Yosef (Jesus) was and is the Jewish expected one, the Maschiach (Messiah). This includes Bnai. (There are also many non-Jews who attend these congregations.)
One Messianic congregation you visit may look in form very similar to a Christian church service; its first family of identity is the larger Christian world. So with the exception of a few Jewish symbols, or maybe a Jewish prayer like the Shma, the service and language is modeled after that larger Christian world.
Some Messianic congregations may be filled with mostly non-Jews who look very Orthodox, and who now view themselves as Jewish. (These congregations aren't as numerous, but there are a lot of things calling themselves "Messianic" so if you wonder...)
Some Christian bible studies call themselves Messianic if they are seeking Christians who want to find their Hebrew roots. Etc etc.
_________________
Now onto Bnai.
What I would say, is that Bnai's services are kind of "Conservadox." If you went to a service there, it might remind you of a conservative shul (synagogue). Same kind of approach and similar liturgy, but in addition, passages from the Brit Chadasha (New Testament) are read. Commentary and drashes (sermons) are from a Jewish perspective, drawing on the inspiration, to give an example, of great Jewish sages to maybe help amplify say, a passage from Romans.
The Jewish holidays are kept. A conscious alliance with, and an awareness and commitment to the larger Jewish world in the form of relationships that individual congregants have, or in the form or volunteering with various events and groups, etc., etc. is there.
__________
It is important to note that that the reason WHY Bnai (and some other MJ congregations are involved and committed to the larger Jewish world is because, simply put, many of the Jewish believers, upon committing to Yeshua, never left their larger Jewish community. It is an act of simple integrity to maintain a Jewish identity--not as a maneuvering tactic, or to be deceptive, (because their Jewish identity is maintained regardless of response by some in the larger Jewish world, but simply because--that is what is. And in the heart of the Jewish community is where the Messiah is as well.
BTW, this is not to say that for instance, Bnai, and other groups are anti-the Christian world. It is a cordial relationship-- but Bnai and many other MJs believe very much that the Jewishness that comes from G-d (God) is G-d given and irrevocable. It is a distinctive that must be kept.
More coming on the history. Thanks again, Elizabeth...
Elizabeth
September 8, 2007
very interesting your page, but can you tell me a little more about your believes, I know that there are many messianic congregations and not all of them believe the same. Thank you.
john gill
September 8, 2007
shalom rabbi, its been a while since i spoken to you all im in mesa, arizona now, but still think of you all at bnai. lshana tova to you all and many blessings...........john
Glenn Harris
September 4, 2007
Blessings to Barry and Dyann from an old friend.
MH
August 30, 2007
Mazal tov on getting this up!!! yay. Great art by the way. Except I couldn't see the cartoon of Budoff very well.