The Persian Jews hold a most special claim to the festival of Purim. The story of Mordechai, Queen Esther, ‘Setara’ in Persian, and the Jewish people in their fight against the evil Haman, took place in Babylon. This became the great Persian Empire and eventually Iran. The struggle of the Persian Jews continues to this day. In the story of Purim, Queen Esther, who was the beautiful Jewish wife of the Persian king Ahasuerus (Xerxes I), and her cousin Mordecai, inform the king about an order for the general annihilation of Jews throughout the empire. The massacre had been plotted by the king’s c ..read more

Israeli Messianic Believer Chaim Malespin is not only the co-founder of the Aliyah Return Center, an Israel based non-profit organization that assists new Jewish immigrants, but is also a sergeant major in the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) Combat Engineering Corp’s special Yahalom elite commando unit, which means “diamond”. It is their job to search out the city of tunnels under the Gaza Strip, estimated to be larger than the New York subway system, and destroy it. These tunnels, which serve the Hamas terrorist organization as both anti-Israel attack and logistical structures, also serve as a me ..read more

While the Jewish community in Israel, and across the Diaspora, are preparing and enjoying yet another year of commemorating the Passover, there are a growing number of people in the world who are falling into the same trap of the “holocaust deniers”. In this case, these people are denying that the Exodus ever happened and that the Jewish people are not indigenous to the Land of Israel. This lie is refuted because, as was stated above in the biblical passage, the ..read more

It was the summer of 2023 that the words ’Civil War’ loomed at the forefront of almost every Israeli conversation. The country of Israel was, indeed, broken and ripped in pieces politically—left versus right. Judicial reform was promised by the right-wing government versus a left-wing block, which controlled Israel’s Supreme Court. There were cries of a “Netanyahu Dictatorship” versus a “True Democracy”. Originally instigated by a small, well-organized, funded, and very vocal left-wing minority, it grew into a national movement that threatened to split apart the very fabric of the nation ..read more

The horrific events of October 7, 2023, now known as Black Saturday, were tragic. However, one only needs to tune into the local news for a moment to realize the massacre of Black Saturday has somehow triggered an open season on Jewish people around the world. But while antisemitism is billowing like smoke from a gruesome fire, there is nothing new about the hatred of Jewish people. The Anti-Defamation League has adopted a simple definition of antisemitism: “The belief or behavior hostile toward Jews just because they are Jewish.” Under this definition, the first example of antisemitism is fo ..read more

The Tanakh, also known as the Old Testament, prophecies of a Messiah who will come to usher in an era when the people of the world will live together in harmony and righteousness. The term Messiah (Mashiach in Hebrew) means “anointed one.” From the beginning, the creation of the world, G-d has always desired for us to live with Him in unity. He created the Garden of Eden, a paradise, for all of His creation to dwell with Him together. Even when Adam and Eve were expelled from the garden because they sinned, G-d did not destroy Eden. He has maintained and kept it, awaiting a time when ..read more

The Bible is filled with many references to thanksgiving and gratitude. The word ‘thanksgiving’ is found about thirty times, with nine references specifying being thankful toward G-d. The word gratitude is mentioned over one-hundred and fifty times. G-d is the consummate communicator; He repeats Himself to get the attention of His people. In his post, Thanksgiving Day and Sukkot. What’s the Connection?, John Parsons states that “the phrase hodu la-adonai ki-tov, ki le’olam chasdo (“Give thanks to the L-rd for He is good, for His love endures forever”) appears five times in scripture ..read more

Yovel, the Hebrew word for the “Jubilee Year”, means “blowing the ram’s horn of liberty.” It is a fitting word for the 50th anniversary celebration this year of Jews for Jesus, the ministry that brought a tsunami change to Jewish evangelism worldwide led by its founder, Moishe Rosen. Incorporated in the Fall of 1973, Jews for Jesus (JFJ) broke historic molds used in Jewish mission, perhaps since the Book of Acts and the Jewish followers of Yeshua stormed the known world. Maybe this is why the plaque at the entrance to JFJ headquarters at 60 Haight Street in San Francisco reads “Found ..read more

Over the last five decades, Messianic Judaism has evolved and developed, especially in the observances of Jewish holidays and practices, with most of these traditions originating from traditional Judaism, with the High Holy Days being no exception. The High Holy Days include the Jewish New Year and traditionally it is the anniversary of the creation of Adam and Eve, and a day of judgment and coronation of G‑d as King. It is also called the holiday of trumpets because of the blowing of the shofar or ram’s horn several times during the service. Rosh Hashanah is celebrated as the head o ..read more

 A Lifetime Achievement Award is an amazing accomplishment that is given to an exemplary individual for having outstanding vision, dedication, and commitment to their life’s work. Rabbi Paul Liberman has dedicated five decades of his life to the Messianic Jewish Alliance of America (MJAA), Messianic Judaism, and Jewish revival. This past July 5, during Messiah Conference 2023, Rabbi Paul Liberman was awarded with the first-ever MJAA Lifetime Achievement Award by the Executive Committee of the Messianic Jewish Alliance of America. MJAA General Secretary Joel Chernoff shared that in Oc ..read more