Facing the Holy and Each Other in Prayer

For some, prayer is free-flowing, meandering from one topic to another, like a summer breeze, a living dialogue, or a musical improvisation. For others, prayer is something more formal, organized, and structured with care. It's not that one approach is superior to another, but there is room for

Second Temple Era Stone Inscription Mentions Jerusalem

During the winter of 2017, archaeologists working in a Jerusalem suburb, discovered the foundations of a Roman structure dating to the 1st century B.C.E. What they found was building remnants and a part of a common round column. The exciting part is that the column had writing on

Experiencing Worship at Herod's Temple (~3h)

Have you ever imagined what a worship experience was like at the Jerusalem Temple in the days of Jesus? In these lectures, we will delve briefly into the layout and setting of Herod's Temple, but more importantly, we will imagine the daily lives and experiences of an average

A Morning Prayer: May Your Will Always Be...

I wanted to share with you a Morning Prayer and, more specifically, a musical piece I created based on it. The words of this song are inspired by the words of the traditional morning blessings found in the Siddur (Jewish Prayer Book). The person who is praying in the early

Simon and the Jews of Cyrene

During the Second Temple Period, many Jews lived outside of Israel. And the city of Cyrene in Northern Africa was one of the major Jewish Diaspora centers. You may not have heard much about this city because its glory has disappeared from the pages of history, and it stands in

Seeking God

I would venture to say that, depending on your unique interests, each one sometimes struggles with things that pull us in and captivate us completely. These interests could be good things, even very positive and honorable things. I am simply wondering if those are the things we need to focus

The Riddle of The Broken Matzah

There is no Passover without Matzah. If you're not familiar with it, it's what Jews call the unleavened bread, a tradition dating back to the days of Moses. Every year, Passover is commemorated by eating this simple bread - Matzah (מַצָּה) and also by

Why Would Christians Say That Christ Has Not Risen?

A few years back, the Gospel Herald reported that according to a BBC poll, 25 % of Christians in Great Britain said, “Jesus’ resurrection was not real.” It turns out that according to the survey results, one in four of those who considered themselves Christians in Great Britain do not truly

Does Torah Teach Resurrection?

The resurrection of the dead techiyat hametim (תְּחִיַּת הַמֵּתִים) has always been a belief that some embraced and some rejected. Historically, while some Jews were very optimistic about such prospects, others were doubtful of them. Pagans for the most part have not seen resurrection

Fifth Century Samaritan Inscription

A new Tzur Natan neighborhood construction in central Israel was preceded by a dig. The excavation unearthed a rare written record. It points to a Samaritan business from 1600 years ago. The Greek inscription mentions a wealthy landowner, ‘Master Adios’. In the 5th century, the heartland of Israel was populated

The Jews of Cyrene (~45 min)

The New Testament records that some Jewish followers of Jesus from Cyrene were responsible for the first Gentile converts in Antioch (Acts 11:19-21). Indeed, the Jewish inhabitants of Cyrene were fully engaged in world affairs and closely connected to Jerusalem and other Jewish communities throughout the Mediterranean. Yet, sadly,

Bearing Fruit

In Isaiah Chapter 28, God speaks of his people, Israel, poetically painting them as his vineyard. Isaiah 28:10 says, “the fortified city is left alone, a deserted settlement and abandoned like the desert. Calves graze there, lie down, and eat from its branches.” The fortified city that Hashem speaks