My family (Jewish) immigrated to America in the 1850's...from the Rheinland. Aaron Friedheim (a rabbi) and his brother Judah Levi brought their families here to escape active and systemic antisemitism.

Shalom from Pacolet, South Carolina. My name is Thomas Friedheim and as I hesitate to share my story, I hope it will touch your heart. My family (Jewish) immigrated to America in the 1850's...from the Rheinland. Aaron Friedheim (a rabbi) and his brother Judah Levi brought their families here to escape active and systemic antisemitism. I was made aware of this when I was very young. It made a lasting impression upon me. The God of my fathers was the God of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob. It was important that I know and never forget this. On the other hand... I grew up one house down from the local Rabbinic synagogue in Alexandria, Virginia....and five blocks from the local denominational church. Every Shabbat I watched Jewish families pass by on their way to pray, worship & study...but my father never took me into the synagogue...not once. It was very confusing. For reasons that remain a mystery, even now, he raised me a (Jewish) secular humanist. I suspect it had to do with the Holocaust. With that said (and to complicate matters further), almost every Sunday I was driven five blocks - in the other direction...to accompany my Mom to the Gentile church. This did not make sense to me. Papa would come with us on occasion, out of respect for mom. He never explained...but I understood well - to Papa, Mom's Jesus was only (perhaps) a very good rabbi. Full stop. Out of respect to my papa, I adopted the same "understanding." Mom, on the other hand, clearly believed in and loved Messiah...and she was (honestly) the best person I've ever known...she lived the "love of God" & the "love of neighbor"...without the religious clutter...or pretense. It was real love. This too made a lasting impression...she prepared...my heart. I didn't (couldn't) reconcile this complex and seemingly contradictory foundation until I moved away to college, got married & had a son. I was a young architect and could recognize "intelligent design" when I saw it. After hours of labor and the delivery, my wife fell asleep. Alone with my newborn son in those timeless/eternal moments, my secular humanism collapsed...in a single stroke...with a single epiphany. Shema Israel, Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai echad. Left with now two remaining (and I thought mutually exclusive) options, Judaism or Christianity...I read the Tanach for myself...for the first time. No, rabbi, no pastor, no teacher...other than the Torah, the Nevi'im and the Ketuvim. Isaiah 53...was so obvious, I wept. The Jesus of my mother was the Messiah of my fathers. Yeshua HaMashiach. Light. Everything changed. I devoured the Brit Chadashah. Life. I was filled with questions...some remain...but I never looked back. That was over thirty years ago, I'm 56 now. My life since that day has merely been a commentary punctuated by this profound new birth. I've been a talmid, a disciple of Yeshua ever since...studying, searching for truth, understanding, and wisdom...in Messiah, the living Word. Such as I am, I have been a servant along the way...a teacher, shepherd, in both the Messianic community and within Non-denominational Christianity. At every bend in this (very) winding road, I have sought to enter His rest, to live the truth and to teach the truth - as I understood it. My understanding has matured over the years...but the key has remained...Yeshua and the faith he taught...are Jewish. The Gospel, the Good News of the Kingdom, rests squarely upon the Jewish context of the first century...the rich root of the olive tree. Messiah remains the Chief Cornerstone...a precious stone. He is the Hope of Israel and the Light of all Nations. The truth stands. The God of my father's, the God of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob brought us Salvation in His Son...the one mom called "Jesus." Baruch HaShem. I love Him too. He'll be back. :] Let me cut to the chase...After so many years, I am still a child and I am very much still a student, walking with my Rabbi. Today more than ever I hear Him patiently but firmly commanding me, and those who gather here in Beth Mishpachah (in my home group)..."V'a Hav Ta"...you shall love. You shall love the Lord your God. With all your heart. With all your soul. With all your might." And, "V'a Hav Ta"...you shall love your neighbor. Love him/her as you would want to be loved. Because you are...loved." Mom was right. Papa is now on board. Our little group here in Pacolet, South Carolina, is comprised of family, friends, and guests...the outcast, sick, poor, etc...lots of children. It is a multi-cultural, multi-racial group. All of us have been through a lot. All of us have entered His rest, grace and truth. We are real...Some might say we are too casual or sloppy...in the religious sense. I don't believe we are. Perhaps such folks forget how Messiah gathered with the thirsty and hungry...in homes, on the hills, beside the lake...the fire. We are content. We don't believe we know everything. We are comfortable expressing differing ideas. In short, we have concluded we don't fit (best) into contemporary Christianity or the Synagogue...though we have all at times "belonged" to either a Messianic Synagogue and/or a Church. We still respect and visit both. But we choose the modest homegroup...His smaller family...His Mishpachah. He has blessed us. It is enough. And it is (very) good. :] Shalom Thomas Friedheim Start your own Yeshua group here ©2018 holylanguage.com | yeshuagroups.com Web Version  Preferences  Forward