These ideas frame how we read Scripture, understand the Messiah, and pursue Jewish life in the present age.
Our community affirms the Thirteen Principles of Faith as articulated by Maimonides (Rambam). These principles outline the fundamental beliefs of Judaism, including the existence of God, the divine origin of the Torah, and the coming of the Messiah.
Jesus has been slandered over the centuries. We have an obligation from the Torah to clear his name.
We agree with many scholars who suggest that the sages of the Gemara never directly addressed Jesus of Nazareth, and that the references to "Yeshu" in the Talmud may not pertain to him at all.
Though the Messianic era has not yet arrived, we are certain that Jesus of Nazareth is the agent through whom God will bring about this future redemption, and his teachings are a vital part of this process.
Jesus of Nazareth upheld the Torah in the most emphatic terms possible. His conflict with the leaders of his day was not about their interpretation of the Torah or traditional halacha, but their failure to uphold it.
The Hebrew Bible primarily uses the title "Son of God" to refer to the Davidic king. By definition, anyone who is the Messiah must be a descendant of King David, and thus a "Son of God" in this specific sense.
Belief in the resurrection of the dead is a core tenet of Jewish faith, as articulated in the Thirteen Principles of Faith. The New Testament interprets the resurrection of Jesus as proof that the Pharisees (the predecessors of mainstream Judaism) were correct and the Sadducees (Tzaddukim) were heretical.
Early pioneers of Messianic Judaism were vehemently opposed by Christian missionaries, because they saw them as a threat to their efforts to convert Jews to Christianity.
Later, Messianic Judaism became synonymous with Christian missions to Jews. This transition can be tied to a specific historical event.
All throughout history, there have been individuals of Jewish descent who have followed Jesus. Typically, this has meant leaving Judaism behind and embracing Christian theology and practice.
Towards the end of the 1800s, a new idea emerged among Jewish Christians. They realized that Jesus himself was Jewish, and in New Testament times, Christianity did not exist as a religion distinct from Judaism. So why should Jews who follow Jesus abandon their heritage to embrace something that was foreign even to him?
Perhaps you have heard of a Messianic Jew. But is it appropriate to refer to a Gentile as "Messianic"?
A Messianic Jew is a Jewish person who practices Messianic Judaism. They share the same basic faith as other observant Jews throughout history. Their specific kind of Judaism, however, is one that acknowledges Jesus as the Messiah.