|
Last year at our Yom Kippur service
God used the message in a very special way in Joelle’s life. Here is her
story in her own words.
Growing up on Long Island, NY, I never received any formal Jewish education.
We celebrated the high holy days with family get-togethers, and the only
time we ever attended synagogue was for a special event, such as a Bar
Mitzvah. Even though I never had a deep understanding of my heritage or
faith, being Jewish was still very important to me. My mother instilled in
us to always be proud that we were Jewish, because it was a special gift.
She did everything she could to maintain a Jewish identity in our home.
Deep in The Heart of Texas
It wasn’t until I left New York and moved to
Texas that my spiritual restlessness--lasting almost 10 years--would begin.
I was officially a Jew living in The Bible Belt, and most people that I met
were strong believers in Jesus. Questions began to come to my mind: Who was
Jesus? Why don’t we Jews believe in Him? If there is one God, then why does
there seem to be more than one way to get to Heaven? Which is the right way?
Besides, I’m a good person, so why wouldn’t I go to Heaven?
Later I moved to North Carolina, where I found even more enthusiastic
Christians, who truly believed that the only way to Heaven was through
Jesus. So I searched. I read about why Jews don’t believe in Jesus, but I
never really got a clear cut answer. There seemed to be great arguments from
both angles. I just wished I could go back to Jesus’ time and see what
actually happened myself, then I would be able to make up my own mind about
it.
In my late 20’s I met my future husband, Marc. He had been raised Catholic.
Though I thought that this relationship would never work due to our
religious differences, still we felt a strong connection, and believed that
God put us together for a reason. Our relationship developed very quickly
over the phone. Within two months we were engaged, two months later we were
married, and then pregnant two months after the wedding. Suddenly it was
extremely important to us to find a spiritual base for our family. Both of
us were searching. Both of us believed in God, we just did not know how to
worship God together. On Friday nights we attended Jewish services and
alternated with some churches on Sundays, but each of us felt very alienated
in the other’s place of worship. We didn’t know where to turn. So when a
friend told us about Messianic Judaism, we wondered if this might be
something that would work for us.
About a year later we moved to Charlotte where we found Hope of Israel
Congregation, located just a block from where we lived. We decided to attend
services hoping this congregation would satisfy our spiritual needs. I felt
comfortable worshipping in what was obviously a Jewish congregation, and
Marc was happy that Messiah was at the center of everything. We attended for
about a year and I listened and learned a lot about the Bible, but I still
felt just as confused about Jesus. I prayed to God to reveal truth to me.
Honestly, I really was looking for a big sign, a bolt of lightning or maybe
Jesus himself telling me--something!
The Final Yom Kippur
Sacrifice
Last year as Yom Kippur was approaching I
planned to attend the service. Marc stayed home with our babies, and I went
by myself. At the Yom Kippur service there was one thing that spoke strongly
to me. Sam Nadler was speaking about how in biblical times during Yom
Kippur, when an animal was given for sacrifice, the scarlet thread tied to
the Temple door would turn white. This would signify to the people that God
was pleased with their sacrifice and atonement was provided for another
year. Sam then went on to read a portion of the Talmud* that said 40 years
before the destruction of the Temple in ad70, when an animal was given for
sacrifice on Yom Kippur, that same scarlet thread no longer turned white.
Sam pointed out that this 40 year period would have begun at the time that
Jesus gave Himself as the atonement for our sins. Hence the ribbon would not
turn white because atonement had already been made by Messiah Himself. Sam
cited scriptures such as “not through the blood of goats and calves, but
through [Messiah’s] own blood, He entered the holy place once for all,
having obtained eternal redemption....For it is impossible for the blood of
bulls and goats to take away sins” (Hebrews 9:12, 10:4).
I was stunned. First of all, the Talmud is Jewish! And it said that? This
was just too coincidental for me. After the service, I immediately went home
and searched books and the internet to learn more of what Sam was talking
about. It seemed pretty clear cut, however I still found arguments against
it. I kept praying for a sign that would give me obvious proof that Jesus
was in fact the Messiah. After days of reading and searching, it finally
occurred to me to just read the New Testament and see what it said. So I
began with the Book of Matthew, and after I started I could not put it down!
I read it day and night, any chance I got. I felt myself completely immersed
in Jesus’ life and was amazed by all the things He did. I also felt as
though I was defending Him and His teachings; I was on His side when the
Pharisees were against Him. So, as I continued I felt a strong sense of
truth in every word I read. I came to the point where I asked myself the
question I had asked so many times before: do I believe that Jesus, Yeshua,
is the Messiah? My answer was, “Yes, I believe.” At that moment the weight
of the world was lifted off my heart. I finally felt as though I had found
purpose and direction in my life, for myself and my family. My restlessness
was now replaced with the peace that Messiah promised: “Peace I leave
with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you.
Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful” (John 14:27). I
am so thankful to God for revealing His truth to me, and bringing me, as a
Jew, to my Messiah!
Marc and Joelle are both chiropractors in the Charlotte area. WMM
Publications Director, Natalia Fomin has been discipling Joelle over the
past year. Recently, Marc and Joelle joined
Hope of Israel
Congregation, and followed Messiah through immersion.
Y
*Tractate Rosh Hashanah 31b in the Babylonian Talmud.
|
