Jimmy Kimmel, SpongeBob, Orthodox Jews, and Biblical Values

SpongeBob Squarepants (Facebook )

Jimmy Kimmel, SpongeBob, Orthodox Jews, 

and Biblical Values

10/8/2015 JONATHAN FELDSTEIN  charisma news

Did you hear the one about the Orthodox Jewish students who rescued a TV cartoon character? Seriously, some things simply can't be made up.

Recently, late night TV host Jimmy Kimmel set up a "social experiment" on the sidewalk outside the theater from which his show is broadcast. He had a person dressed up as SpongeBob lying down and crying out for help to get up.  Watching the video is telling and shows that maybe we all could use a refresher course in basic values as Kimmel notes, it's "important to assist people in need wherever you can." 

Watch the video (at the end of this article) for yourself, but it won't surprise anyone that the people who came to SpongeBob's rescue was a group of Orthodox Jewish boys, people who study and internalize the Torah laws and values that Jews aspire to implement in every facet of our lives. 

Among Jews, the video went viral. It's funny, almost in an embarrassing way, to see the blatant disregard by so many: running, stepping over and taking pictures of the fallen SpongeBob as if he were a bag of garbage. It's hard not to laugh at people doing so. It says a lot about so many people blatantly ignoring cries for help, even from a TV cartoon character however, which is not funny at all.

The week the video went viral, Jews in synagogues around the world read the Torah portion from Deuteronomy 12:10-25:19, which is rich with many laws and values we need to apply in our lives today. In fact, this is the one weekly portion that has the single largest number of commandments, 74 out of 613. I've read it dozens of times, but each time, something new jumps out. That week it was verse 22:4, "When you see your neighbor's donkey or ox fallen along the road, do not ignore it; you must be sure to help him get the animal on its feet again."

Of course. That's nice and something we shouldn't have to be told, but a valuable lesson all the same, even today when few of us actually know people who own donkeys, much less use them for work.

And maybe, or especially, if we don't know people with donkeys, we should apply that Scripture to other aspects of our lives, even helping a person dressed up as a TV cartoon character. Therefore, when confronted by Jimmy Kimmel's experiment, these young men who have studied this Scripture, and all the Torah, and live by it in every facet of life, did what they thought was the only option.

Over the years, I have been blessed to be the recipient of so much warmth, solidarity and unconditional love from Christian friends throughout the world. As much as I have been blessed personally with genuine friendships that have enriched my life, I always find it interesting when I am introduced as an Orthodox Jew from Israel. Almost always, whether one on one or speaking to a whole congregation or conference, there's an instant affinity, interest and respect, but clearly not a full understanding of what it means to be an Orthodox Jew in Israel or anywhere else. Similarly, there's a lack of understanding of the difference between someone like myself, modern orthodox as compared to someone who is ultra-orthodox and more readily identified by his attire. That's not a fault of course, just an observation. I'm certainly no expert of Christianity. 

However, I am surprised that more Christians don't know more about Judaism, both given that we share so much in terms of Scripture in the Torah and other biblical texts, values from these, and of course that Jesus was an Orthodox Jew in Israel as well. While there's been an evolution of Jewish practice in the past 2,000 years of diaspora, and only a restoration and return to Israel in the last 100 plus years, if Jesus were to return today, He'd find Himself very comfortable and familiar with the worship in my synagogue, perhaps even more so than in most churches, as Christian tradition rooted in the New Testament did not thrive until after His death. 

Of course, one thing that's missing in my life today that Jesus had in his life is the opportunity to worship, teach and bring offerings in the Temple. Sadly, if He were to return to the same Temple Mount today, where He preached and worshipped some 2,000 years ago, he'd be met by hostile chants and threats by Muslim extremists, if not have rocks and Molotov cocktails thrown at him. That's for a much longer article on its own.

Anytime I am confronted with questions about what it means to be an Orthodox Jew, I try to explain honestly and clearly how we live our lives through the prism of the Torah. It's not only authentic Jewish tradition, but also the foundation of Christianity. More and more Christians seek me out because of this, not that I am an expert, but as a practicing Orthodox Jew, they recognize a piece of at least early Christianity that's missing from their lives that people like myself have lived and maintained for thousands of years. 

The Torah is full of lessons, values and laws by which Jews today continue to live, by which Jesus lived, and which was the foundation for his ministry. It's noteworthy that in the same Torah portion also teaches in verse 24:17 that we need to be considerate of the widow and orphan, an injunction of course that's reiterated in James, John and Mathew.

These and many other such values are central to Judaism and Christianity. For us, the addition of rabbinic teachings over the past 2000 years helps us understand and apply these values to modern life.

Surely in Biblical times nobody could imagine that there ever would be a SpongeBob. But today, when we might be more likely to come across a cartoon character in distress than a donkey fallen under its burden, the same value applies. 

I relish the opportunity to share aspects of my life, doing my best to be an Orthodox Jew not just in the State of Israel, but the Land of Israel where so many of the specific laws apply uniquely. While large sections of the Torah may not seem relevant today, and are not taught in many churches, living in the Land as an Orthodox Jew, you'd be surprised as to how these are relevant and we apply these in a way that's modern, always being sure to sanctify God. Our tradition is that no single letter of the Torah is extraneous, and we have the benefit of tens of generations of rabbinic teaching to understand this all and apply it in our lives.

Since we never know when we will be tested, or by whom, whether under the eye of a Jimmy Kimmel experiment, or the much more important Eye of Eyes, living and applying biblical values throughout our lives is not just a good idea to avoid embarrassment on TV, but to do what's right in the eye of God. That's how Orthodox Jews live, by applying the Torah to our everyday lives.

So when you read your Bible and something doesn't make sense, or is culturally part of a time past, don't brush over it and think it's irrelevant. If we believe in the divinity of Scripture, all the Scripture, every Hebrew letter, every verse is relevant, even if we don't yet understand how or why. 

That's what it means to be an Orthodox Jew, and watching the video of these young men helping SpongeBob off the sidewalk is what we call a Kiddush Hashem, sanctification of God's name.

Watch the video for yourself, but it won't surprise anyone that the people who came to SpongeBob's rescue was a group of Orthodox Jewish boys, people who study and internalize the Torah laws and values that Jews aspire to implement in every facet of our lives. 

Jonathan Feldstein was born and educated in the U.S. and immigrated to Israel in 2004. He is married and the father of six. Throughout his life and career, he has been blessed by the calling to fellowship with Christian supporters of Israel and shares experiences of living as an Orthodox Jew in Israel. He writes a regular column for charismanews.com's Standing With Israel. He can be reached at FirstPersonIsrael@gmail.com.

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Orthodox Jews More Like Christians Than Other Jews?

Friday, August 28, 2015 |  David Lazarus  Israel Today

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Orthodox Jews are like evangelical Christians. They believe in God, vote, worship, act and raise their children more like evangelicals than like any other Jews. That is the revelation of a new Pew Research study on the attitudes of Orthodox Jews in America. Here are some of the surprising conclusions.

On Israel

The survey finds that almost nine out of every ten Orthodox Jews (84%) believe that Israel was given by God to the Jewish people. That is more than twice the number of other American Jews (35%) who hold this view. Among evangelicals 82% say they believe that the land of Israel was given to the Jewish people by God.

Orthodox Jewish attitudes towards the Israeli/Palestinian peace process are much closer to evangelical Christian views than to other Jews. Most Orthodox Jews do not believe that Israel can coexist peacefully alongside an independent Palestinian state. Orthodox Jews are less than half as likely as other Jews to support a state for the Palestinians.

Like many evangelicals, most Orthodox Jews support building Jewish settlement in the West Bank. Non-Orthodox Jews were much more likely than Orthodox Jews to say that building Jewish settlements in the West Bank hurts Israel’s security (47% vs. 16%).

Modern Orthodox Jews have a very strong attachment to Israel. Almost all of them say that they are very emotionally attached to Israel and that caring about Israel is essential to being Jewish (79%). They are also convinced that the U.S. is not supportive enough of Israel (64%).

On Politics

Similar patterns can be seen in Orthodox Jewish political views. Orthodox Jews and Christian evangelicals support the Republican Party (57% and 66%) compared to a mere 18% of non-Orthodox Jews who back Republicans. In the U.S. non-orthodox Jews lean heavily toward the Democratic Party.

Like evangelicals, Orthodox Jews tend to identify as Republicans because they hold conservative values on social issues such as homosexuality. Orthodox Jews are far more likely than other Jews to say that homosexuality should be discouraged in society (70% compared to 38%).

On Faith

Asked about the importance of faith in their lives, the large majority of Orthodox Jews (83%) and evangelicals (86%) say that religion is very important to them. Only one in every five of other Jews asked (20%) say that faith or religion have meaning for them. Orthodox Jews and evangelical Christians frequently attend religious services (74% and 75%, respectively). Only 12% of non-Orthodox Jews go to synagogue at least once a month. Most modern Jews never go to synagogue at all.

The report shows that 93% of Christian evangelicals and 89% of Orthodox Jews believe in God with absolute certainty. Only 34% of all other Jews share this belief.

What does it mean?

The Orthodox Jewish community is growing far more rapidly than other, non-Orthodox Jewish populations. 98% of all Orthodox Jews will marry a Jewish spouse, while more than half of all other Jews will intermarry. Orthodox Jews will raise on average more than five-times as many children in their lifetime compared to all other Jews.

As the populations of Orthodox Jews continues to grow at a rapid pace, and the numbers of all other Jews shrink, there will eventually come about a shift in the characteristics and practice of Jewish life in areas of faith, social values and political views.

The similarities between the Orthodox Jewish and evangelical communities have been a source of inspiration to many pro-Israel Christian groups who are working together with the Orthodox primarily on issues concerning Israel. A number of evangelical pro-Israel groups are mobilizing support for Israel politically and financially while putting emphasis on the message of the Bible while strengthening moral and godly values in society.

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Bellwether? Why This Tiny Synagogue Should Concern You

Bellwether? Why This Tiny Synagogue Should Concern You

By Paul Strand

CBN News Washington Sr. Correspondent

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

DALLAS -- For thousands of years, believers have gathered to pray and worship in private homes. In America, it's been a protected right -- at least until lately.

For instance, in Dallas the city government is attacking a small home-based synagogue so hard, it might kill it off.

Dallas first demanded that Congregation Toras Chaim -- a group that meets in a home in the Highlands of McKamy neighborhood of Far North Dallas -- get a city-issued certificate of occupancy to operate. When they didn't, the city sued.

The congregation has been trying to comply, but says the costs of what the city is demanding in renovations is simply too high.

"It's about $200,000 in changes for the 20 families who are members in the synagogue. We could never afford it," Rabbi Yaakov Rich told CBN News. "It would mean shutting down the synagogue and forcing everybody, literally, to sell their homes and to move somewhere else."

That's because they all have to be close enough to walk.

"You see, in Orthodox Judaism, we are not allowed to drive on the Sabbath," Rich explained. "And so if the synagogue couldn't be within walking distance, then everybody would have to relocate to where the synagogue was."

Members feel singled out since as far as they're concerned, they're just a small group of religious believers meeting privately in a home, no different than the small groups or home groups that thousands of Christian churches have all over the country.

National Implications

The pressure goes beyond the government. Liberty Institute lawyer Justin Butterfield has been lead counsel in the synagogue's legal dealings.

"Since the city brought their lawsuit, there's been vandalism," he said. "There've been swastikas painted - one on the rabbi's car, on fences around the area. And it's really created just a hostile environment."

Butterfield warned that the city's duel with Toras Chaim is a bellwether.

"If they can shut this small Orthodox Jewish congregation down, they can shut down the prayer meeting, the Bible study, even the person who just has some friends over for dinner," he asserted.

"We realized very quickly that this had really national implications in terms of setting precedent for law and religious liberty in the United States," Rich added.

Another Opponent

But some in the neighborhood see it differently. They feel they were promised they'd live in a strictly residential situation, and they've ended up with a busy synagogue as a neighbor.

David Schneider lives across the street.

"They do services two times a day, seven times a week," he said of the congregation. "So, they're a very active congregation, which is wonderful, but that also means a lot of foot traffic, a lot of car traffic."

That and the potential for falling property values among other things prompted Schneider to lead a Highlands of McKamy homeowners association effort to sue Toras Chaim.

Schneider was asking for $50,000 in damages because he figured that's what the synagogue's presence was knocking off his property's value.

"Any type of thing that is non-residential, in my mind, would make this area stand out from other areas and make people less interested in buying at some future point in time," he said.

Critics Deny Anti-Semitism

Schneider is quick to say none of his objections are anti-Semitic.

"I know for some people, the first thought off their mind is, 'Well, if you're opposed to a synagogue, you must be anti-Semitic.' But you can be opposed to something a synagogue does without being opposed to the synagogue itself," he insisted.

To prove the point, Schneider pointed out he has offered to let congregants on busy days park in front of his home. He and others that sued made a $1,500 reward offer to help track down whoever painted the swastika on the rabbi's car.

But Rabbi Rich said that local attack really hurt.

"The amount of anxiety - having a lawsuit, a major lawsuit, that quite possibly the synagogue might have to close down and the members of the community would have to sell their homes and move somewhere else - it was just too much to bear," he told CBN News.

Short-Term Relief

Short-term relief came when a judge dismissed the neighborhood lawsuit. But then the city sued. The rabbi has tried to face the situation with humor.

"I was running out of material to speak about on the Sabbath morning. And so the city sued us and now I have new stuff to talk about again," he joked.

The Dallas City Attorney's Office rejected CBN News' request for an interview, but passed on a statement.

"The city of Dallas does not restrict the location of synagogues and any other places of worship anywhere in the city. Places of worship, however, are not exempt from complying with city ordinances," it said in part.

The city insists this case has nothing to do with religion. It's about a home that daily hosts meetings with people from outside the home while not adequately protecting them when it comes to fire and safety issues.

Dallas wants a second front entrance to the house, a sprinkler system installed, bathrooms made larger and handicap-compliant.

"They are asking us to put 13 parking spots on the property. I don't know where," Rich said. "And the interesting thing is that on the Sabbath, nobody drives; nobody parks on the street; you'll never find a car."

"I think the city has in their mind that this is not a handful of families who are coming together. That this is hundreds of people, and it's not," his lawyer, Butterfield, added.

"Often there's fewer than 20 people on a Sabbath," he explained, pointing out that "people will have 15 or 20 friends over all the time. I'm sure there are many Super Bowl parties that are double or triple that."

Schneider shot back, "And probably there are a few Super Bowl parties that should be regulated."

He argues the rules are the rules; the neighborhood is for single-family homes only, residential use only - and neighbors are upset because the synagogue doesn't meet the criteria.

"Pretty much most of the people around here would feel the same way if it were a medical clinic or a school," he insisted.

Government Overreach

But the judge who tossed the lawsuit Schneider spearheaded already announced Toras Chaim is protected by Congress's federal law RLUIPA - the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, as well as Texas' own version of RFRA - the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

Both laws are meant to stop local governments from doing to small congregations what Dallas is trying to do to Toras Chaim.

And Butterfield has warned city attorneys that could come back and really bite the taxpayers of Dallas.

"I pointed them to some previous cases," he said. "There was one a couple of years ago in Los Angeles that resulted in an almost $1 million verdict against the city."

Butterfield's colleague at the Liberty Institute, General Counsel Jeff Mateer, added, "It's government overreaching and invading the sphere of our private lives."

He suggested there couldn't be any more fundamental a case.

"The bigger picture here is that this isn't just about a small group of Orthodox Jews. This is about anyone who wants to practice their faith in private homes," he asserted.

Still, the rabbi said it's a frightening time as his group faces their second lawsuit.

"Going up against the city has the perception of being something much bigger and much worse," he explained.

No matter the merits of this case - who's right, who's wrong, who wins, who loses - what's not in dispute is the fact that the very existence of the small religious group Congregation Toras Chaim is on the line.

Watch interview:/report: Toras Chaim Synagogue

Israel burials set for 7 kids killed in NYC fire - USA TODAY

Israel burials set for 7 kids 

killed in NYC fire

Michael Winter, USA TODAY March 22, 2015

(Photo: Peter Foley, European Pressphoto Agency)

Seven children from an Orthodox Jewish family who died early Saturday when fire swept through their Brooklyn home are to be buried in Jerusalem, where the family had lived before emigrating to New York.

Funeral services for the four boys and three girls of the Sassoon family, ages 5 to 16, are to be held Sunday afternoon at a Brooklyn chapel that serves their religious community.

The bodies will then be flown to Israel and buried in Jerusalem at 2 p.m. Monday, the Israeli network Arutz Sheva reported. The family had lived there for many years before moving to the Midwood neighborhood of Brooklyn two years ago. A friend said the family had planned to return to Israel to live.

It was the city's deadliest fire since 2007.

USA TODAY

Hot plate may have sparked fire that killed 7 NYC children

Fire officials believe the blaze was started by a malfunctioning hot plate being used to keep food warm during the 25-hour Sabbath, when religious restrictions forbid cooking. The house had only one smoke detector, in the basement.

"I call this not a tragedy but an absolute disaster," said state Assemblyman Dov Hikind, who represents the district. "Everyone's in utter shock."

He urged the Orthodox community to make sure that hot plates were working properly and that smoke detectors were installed properly and functioning.

Authorities identified the Sassoon family victims as girls Eliane, 16; Rivkah, 11; and Sara, 6; and boys David, 12; Yeshua, 10; Moshe, 8; and Yaakob, 5. All were found in upstairs bedrooms of the two-story, brick-and-wood, single-family home.

Their 45-year-old mother, Gayle, a Brooklyn native, and 14-year-old sister, Tzipara, remained in critical condition Sunday at area hospitals. They survived by jumping from a second-story window. Gayle Sassoon reportedly was burned over 45% of her body, and Tzipara suffered broken bones and smoke inhalation.

Seven children were killed in a house fire in Brooklyn early Saturday morning. Video provided by Newsy Newslook

"I heard a child yelling, 'Mommy! Mommy, help me!' " neighbor Andrew Rosenblatt told reporters. "I looked out the back window, and I saw flames, smoke. ... The smoke and the flames were horrendous."

Other neighbors said Gayle Sassoon was heard yelling, "My kids are in there! My kids are in there! Get them out! Get them out!"

Firefighters arrived about four minutes after the blaze was reported at 12:23 a.m. Saturday, but it was too late to save any of the children trapped inside.

"They're some of the nicest, most well-behaved kids," neighbor Isaac Apton told the New York Times. "A great family."

Another neighbor tearfully described them as "beautiful little children."

"It's unbelievable. It doesn't seem possible," Rose Insel, told the Associated Press, recalling how she had given the children lollipops after they shoveled her walk unprompted.

Their father, Gabi, was at a religious conference in Manhattan at the time and did not learn of the tragedy for several hours because of the Orthodox prohibition on electronic communications. He was found praying at a synagogue Saturday morning, and fell to his knees in tears when given the news, the New York Daily News reported.

"What will happen to us now? Where will I go?" he told Arutz Sheva on Sunday.

The Times said he met his wife when she moved to Israel after having divorced her high school sweetheart. They had eight children, and lived in the Har Nof neighborhood of Jerusalem for many years before moving to Brooklyn to be closer to her family.

They ultimately intended to return to Israel, a friend of the father said.

"You can't explain it, it's unbelievable," Alon Deri told the Israeli news site Walla! News. "I hope we wake up from this bitter dream. It's like the story of Hannah who dedicated her seven sons."

Source: USA Today

Richard & Carolyn Hyde - Heart of G-d Ministries Update May 2014

Heart of G-d Ministries   Please click above if photos don't appear   "Oh L-rd fill my heart for I long for Your presence night and day."  The words above sound like those of a worship song, right? Well, this is a song that an Orthodox Jewish man played in a pub in Tsfat (Safed) Israel!  Can you hear the longing he has to know G-d intimately?  This desire is increasing more and more each day among Israelis, both secular and religious.    I had the opportunity to participate in an open stage night in Tsfat with two of my daughters.  Since I hadn't registered previously they only had space for me to sing one song.  Before I began to sing I said, "Oh, how I love to sing from the Psalms". After the song the audience, comprised of many Orthodox Jews, exclaimed, "More, More!"  Wow, what a hunger and what a privilege to minister to my people!   Sha'arei Tsion (The Gates of Zion) After I finished singing, three men approached me to see if I could sing on their new CD's!  Two of them have already called me and I shared with them about Messiah. One was Orthodox and after I told him I believe in Yeshua he had one question: "What holidays do you celebrate?"  After I told him Pesach, Sukkot, Shabbat, etc, he asked what I celebrate in December.  I said, "Chanukah, because Yeshua is the light of the world!"  His response was,  "Well, you're still Jewish."   Let me explain.  Recently a dear Israeli friend was recording a worship CD and while in the studio of an Orthodox Jew, she and her husband explained that they are believers in Messiah Yeshua.  The Orthodox man replied, "I don't have a problem with the Jewish Yeshua, but I have a problem with the Christian Yeshua."   How we wish that the history of the Church and the Jewish people wasn't so tragic. But G-d used the blindness of the Jewish people to our Messiah to spread the Gospel throughout the world.  So the nations were introduced to the G-d of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  And now after 2000 years, G-d is removing this blindness that we've had and fulfilling His promises to restore Israel.  "A partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in." Romans 11:25 Praise the L-rd for His faithfulness to keep His promises and for pouring out wisdom and favor upon His sheep and dreams and visions upon His prodigals!    "For I do not want you to be uninformed of this mystery so that you will not be wise in your own estimation - that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; so all Israel will be saved, just as it is written, 'The deliverer will come from Zion; He will remove ungodliness from Jacob.  This is My covenant with them when I take away their sins.'"  Romans 11:25-27 "Supernatural or Just Remarkable"  Booklet testimony: "I had bought just one copy thinking that it would be interesting reading but found it had a very powerful message that had to be shared.  I gave my copy to my son, who after reading it, passed it around to his fellow workers.  One young man from a Lutheran background never knew that Jesus was a Jew." "Then a friend gave me another copy to send to my grandson. He had accepted Yeshua as a young boy but many disappointments in his life led him to believe that there was no G-d.  After reading the booklet he decided there is definitely a G-d and now his heart is once again open to the Gospel!  So now I'm passing around your booklets to friends and praying that their hearts will also be open to the Holy Spirit." The booklets are available via our website and make a wonderful gift for your Jewish friends and family!  Would you like to live in a house with an Israeli-Moroccan Jewish family (believers) and learn Hebrew?  Small swimming pool, three meals daily (the wife is a fantastic cook!) and laundry provided.  It's only $120 per day per person or $200 for a couple.  This is less than what you'd pay for a hotel room alone!  Come for a week or two and see your Hebrew soar.  Contact us for more details.   תודה רבה VERY GOOD NEWS! After receiving over 24,000 hits on social media ads from the "Supernatural" booklet, our son Ariel and Richard continue to work, along with the blessings of Pastor David Davis of Kehilat Ha Carmelin Haifa, on the second booklet and new evangelical websites.  Thank you for partnering with us - we're so grateful!     Another sign of the times?  Rain in May is highly unusual but last week we had a huge rainstorm - Let it rain!     Recently while praying on the Golan with friends from Sri Lanka,  we gave away Psalm 91 bandanas and gifts to soldiers and hitchhikers. The openness of heart here in the Land is astounding, praise G-d!  Thank G-d for so many opportunities to shine for His glory at recent events for Holocaust survivors too!   After a day of touring in the Galilee, please come over to our home for the    Living Stones Experience   and join us for worship, Israeli folk dancing and sharing how G-d is moving in our midst today.  Dinner will be served on our balcony with a magnificent view of the Golan, Kineret and Jordan Valley - enjoy!   Thank you for your love, prayers and support!  Our hope is to worship the King of Kings and raise up informed intercessors for Israel and partners in outreach to the lost.   Blessings in Yeshua's love! Richard and Carolyn Hyde www.heartofg-d.org    Heart of G-d Ministries   PO Box 461546, San Antonio, TX 78246          Click on the CD covers for song samples and enjoy!           We write G-d and L-rd like this according to an ancient Orthodox Jewish custom that Carolyn grew up with and loves to continue.  This is done only out of reverence and respect for the name of the Holy One of Israel.  Thank you for understanding.

What is Truth? (Part 1) by Zev Porat

What is Truth? (Part 1)

by Zev Porat

Until now, very few ultra-Orthodox Jews in Israel have made a leap o faith to find salvation through Messiah Yeshua and fewer yet have proclaimed it publicly. This is the amazing story of one who did... 

I was born in Israel,raised in Bnei Brak – considered the most ultra-Orthodox city in Israel. There famous Rabbis live and thousands of men spend their entire life studying in the yeshivot (rabbinical schools). 

To religious Jews, our ancestry is very important to us. So here is mine: My father, grandfather and ancestors were rabbis. Some were “dayans,” meaning “judges of rabbis.” My grandfather, Rabbi Pinhas Porat, escaped from the holocaust in Poland. As he fled, he helped two women who were sisters escape with him. One sister died on the way to Israel and the other became my grandmother. 

My mother wasn’t born into a religious home. Her father, Zev Goldman, was a member of the Knesset in the Likud party – now headed by Benjamin Netanyahu. But when she met my father, she was ready to become part of the ultra- Orthodox community and in 1965 I was born. 

My father was offered a job in Los Angeles to be principal in a Hebrew day school and Rabbi of a synagogue, so I was raised in southern California. One day when we were leaving school, a group of Christians stood across the street handing out tracts and Christian literature. 

My father was furious and told us to stay away from those people because they were dangerous. He told me that God would be angry with me if I just mentioned the name of Jesus because it was blasphemy and against Judaism. 

I remember growing up being particularly scared of two things – the name of Jesus and pork. 

After junior high my father sent me to a very Orthodox yeshiva – a rabbinical school – called “Emek” in downtown Los Angeles. I wore black clothes with the shtreimel, the big black hat, and peias, the long sidecurls. 

My father and grandfather - the whole family - was expecting me to continue the tradition of becoming a rabbi - the most honored profession by far among Orthodox Jews. 

But I never actually wanted to be religious. It was just too difficult for me, too intense with rules, rules, rules, and I begged to go to a public school. My father finally agreed on condition that I study in the afternoons at the synagogue. 

I didn’t really connect with the kids in public school as I was “the rabbi’s son,” and not allowed to mix with the outside world. So I grew up without many friends. 

Then my father suddenly died of a heart attack and we returned to Israel and buried him in a special cemetery in Bnai Brak – where rabbis and religious soldiers are buried. 

I Join the Air Force

My grandfather, Rabbi Pinhas Porat, was still alive and he took the place of my father, making sure he made time to keep me studying the Torah and Talmud. I loved my grandfather and was thankful that he cared for me as he did. 

But it was time to make some decisions in my life. I decided to join the air force – something that ultra- Orthodox men don’t often do. But by this time I had taken off my shtreimel and was only wearing a yarmulka – a knitted skullcap. And I shaved off my beard. I was becoming less inclined to ultra-Orthodoxy. 

In the air force I began to drift away from religion altogether and did everything that I was not allowed to do as an Orthodox Jew. I started going to bars, to drink and to get into fights. Eventually the Internet came along; I was doing everything on the Internet except the will of God. 

I went to work for a large insurance company, and for extra money was a clerk at reception in a hotel two evenings a week. One night a tour group from China arrived to visit a food exhibition in Tel Aviv. Out of the entire tour only one woman, Lin, could speak any English, and so I registered the group and helped them settle into the hotel through Lin. 

I found out she was a top chef from Shanghai and somehow we clicked. Soon we married. At home I still had pictures of rabbis on the wall and icons warding off the evil eye, while Lin lit incense to a statue of Buddha. 

I Meet a New Friend

One day when I was in an Internet chat room someone asked me where I was from. When I said “Israel,” the guy began to talk with me about Jesus, about Yeshua. I of course told him I am Jewish and I don’t want to hear about the New Testament because it is not for Jewish people. “Secondly,” I said, “I came to the chat room in order to run away from God and I don’t want to talk to you!” 

The easiest thing would have been to press the delete button and this guy would have been out of my life. But for some reason (which I understand now) I didn’t. So this guy – his name was Todd – told me his story. He was from Southern California (where I grew up), and he began to chat with me about the Good News. I couldn’t press the delete button. 

Todd then told me, “Listen, I’ll teach you the truth that’s found in the Bible. I’ll show you from the Old Testament.” Thank God this person knew the Old Testament! So for four years, almost on a daily basis, Todd taught me about the Messiah from the Tanach – the Old Testament. I started to understand Isaiah 53, Isaiah 9, Micah 5, Genesis 3, Psalm 2, Psalm 110, Psalm 122, Isaiah 7:14.

It began to register. But then I told myself, “Even if this is true, I can’t believe it because I am a Jew!” 

Zev and his wife Lin, a top Asian chef from Shanghai. They met when Lin visited Israel to attend a food exhibition.

I Go on a Two-Year Search

But then, after about two years of Todd’s teaching, I began to have a terrible time sleeping. I had had problems in the past, but now it was worse. As I tossed and turned, I decided I was going to do my own investigation about the real Jewish Messiah. 

Todd would teach me on the Internet and then I carried out my own search. I combed through the libraries to do a history check. I studied the history of Judaism and Christianity. I became more confused. 

Then I decided the best place to determine the truth would be to go to whom else? The rabbis, of course! First I went to my grandfather, Rabbi Pinchas Porat. He was 86 years old at that time and was a very calm man. I didn’t go to him and ask, “Who is the Messiah?” I never spoke to him about Yeshua. I simply showed him various places in the Bible – the Jewish Bible – that Todd had shown me on the Internet. 

I showed him Isaiah 53. I showed him Isaiah 7:14. I showed him Jeremiah 31:31 – about the New Covenant. I showed him Genesis 3 and then I showed him Micah 5:2. (Micah 5:1 in Hebrew) 

My grandfather became very nervous about my questions. Very nervous. The more nervous he became, the closer I found myself moving toward the unthinkable – THE TRUTH! I knew there was something wrong with my grandfather’s behavior and I was determined now to get to the bottom of it. 

Here was my question: Who is this baby in Micah 5:2? I wanted an answer. 

But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
Though you are little among the thousands of Judah,
Yet out of you shall come forth to Me
The One to be Ruler in Israel,
Whose goings forth are from of old,
From everlasting. 

In Hebrew the end of the verse is even stronger than in English. It says, “Mi Kedem, Mimey Olam” meaning “before the foundations of the world.” 

I wanted an answer from the rabbis: Who is this child that has been in existence before the foundation of the world? One who would be the Ruler of Israel? Who was this Baby? 

I Interview 32 Rabbis

After work I actually conducted a series of interviews with rabbis - 32 in all - during a period of over two years. I received 26 different answers to that same question. At the same time Todd was still speaking with me over the Internet. 

I finally decided to go and meet with the Chief Rabbi of Israel – at that time Rabbi Israel Lau. Rabbi Lau knew my family very well because he had flown to California to conduct my Bar Mitzvah. I asked him a simple question, “Rabbi Israel Lau, I interviewed 32 rabbis, one of them being my own grandfather. I have received 26 different answers to this same question. Isn’t there one Bible?” 

He just sat there smiling at me and said, “Zev, you asked 32 rabbis and received 26 answers. It’s OK, because there are 70 faces to the Torah – 70 faces to the Bible.” 

Rabbi Lau’s answer was not only disappointing, not only shocking, but he confirmed to me THE TRUTH at that very moment. 

I left the office, being totally convinced of the Truth, but still in denial. I still said to myself, “I am a Jew. If I believe that Yeshua is the Messiah of Israel I will lose my family, my friends, my job, my life. I cannot believe this.” 

That was my conclusion after four years of discussion on the Internet and two years of research and evaluation. The Bible truly speaks about the Jewish people being stiff-necked. As far as I was concerned, that is an understatement! 

I Hear a Voice

The next night a cold wave had hit Israel and we had no heating at that time in our bedroom. I went to sleep, but about 3:00 a.m. I broke out in a heavy sweat and began to shake. I realized instantly that I was having a supernatural visitation. I felt electricity going through my body and over my head I saw a cloud. 

Usually a cloud is “cloudy,” but this cloud was shiny and through that cloud was a very bright light. Then I heard a voice call my name twice. The voice said in Hebrew, “Zev, Zev, Isaiah 53 is the Messiah of Israel! Isaiah 53 is the Messiah of Israel! It is true!” 

I began to shake violently. I knew that I knew THE TRUTH. 

As a religious Jew from a rabbinical family, I had been raised to believe that I had a relationship with God because I am a Jew. But this was the first time that I had ever actually experienced the presence of God. I was feeling something I had never felt before in my life. I had connected directly with God the Father through His Son Yeshua. 

I woke up my wife who had heard and seen nothing, and I said, “Lin! It is true! The Messiah of Israel is Yeshua!” Lin, still a Buddhist, said, “Go back to bed, Zev. The guy from the Internet is brainwashing you.” I said, “No, Lin! He is the Messiah!” 

Then she saw that the whole bed was wet from my sweating – on this very cold night. She knew something had happened to me. Within a week she too accepted Yeshua as her Messiah and Lord…