Bagels and Blessings: Recent Episodes
noreply@blogger.com (Ethel Chadwick)
Rachel has worked at several synagogues teaching Hebrew, and interned with the Jerusalem Institute of Justice after college. She founded and currently leads the young professionals group and co leads the drama club at her home congregation, Eitz Chaim Messianic Congregation in Plano, Texas. When she’s not serving at Eitz Chaim she works as a lawyer for the leading travel software and technology company. Rachel also enjoys escaping the city to go hike mountains and explore our National Parks.
David “Moose” Garrett and his wife, Kathleen, have served on staff with Jews for Jesus since 1981. David has served in a variety of positions including ministry to young people for over 30 years. He currently serves as Director of the Alumni Ministry. The Garretts have two married daughters, Virginia and Monica, and eight little friends.
Rabbi Michael Shorb is a third generation Messianic Jew. Even though he was raised in a believing home, his own personal faith and commitment to the L-rd didn’t come until much later. While in the service, he became friends with a believer and while visiting his friend’s farm, he heard the friend’s mother, a devout believer, praying for him and calling out his name before the Lord. God began to place people in Shorb’s life who would pray for him, minister to him, and eventually he surrendered to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
The Lord called him to reach Russian speaking Jews. He went to Kyiv and he traveled to Ukraine four times a year, where he became a member of the world's largest Messianic congregation in Kyiv. While in Ukraine, Rabbi Michael went into prisons and to rehab centers. He experienced the casting out of demons and those who were instantly healed from drug addiction. But the Lord showed him that his true calling was to be in his own home, near Baltimore, Maryland.Rabbi Michael had visited Israel and had pondered making Aliyah, but he clearly heard the Lord tell him to go home to his people in Maryland, where there are approximately 250,000 Russian-speaking Jews. The Lord impressed on him that if all the believing Jews left, who would teach his people?Rabbi Michael's Congregation, Beit Chesed (House of Mercy), is located in Baltimore County in Reisterstown, Maryland.
Rabbi Jim Appel has been the spiritual leader of Congregation Shema Yisrael since 1996 and a Jewish follower of Yeshua since 1977. He is ordained by the International Alliance of Messianic Congregations and Synagogues. Rabbi Jim previously worked for Xerox Corporation in Webster, N.Y., for 24 years as an optical engineer and engineering manager. He holds more than 45 patents in the areas of copier imaging systems and laser printing. Rabbi Jim received a bachelor’s degree in optical engineering from the University of Rochester in 1967 and a master’s degree in physics from the University of Southern California in 1970. Rabbi Jim decided to follow Yeshua after a long spiritual search. He grew up with parents who taught him that G-d did not exist and organized religion deceived and oppressed people. In 1967, after completing college, Jim became disillusioned with life as an atheist. He rejected his parent’s teachings and began his search for spiritual reality. This search took him into the world of mind-altering drugs and yoga meditation, and ended with a dramatic encounter with Yeshua the Messiah, who revealed himself to Rabbi Jim in the privacy of his bedroom without the assistance of any other person. Rabbi Jim and his wife, Diane, live in Brighton, and they have two grown children.
Rebbetzin (Rabbi’s wife) Candyce Hyslip is passionate about seeing the revival of our Jewish people manifest through healthy Kingdom relationships. She believes that wholehearted surrender and relational transparency are key to maturing in our identity in the LORD. Through her teaching, worship, written devotionals, community events, and hospitality she intentionally fosters a safe environment that deepens connection with the LORD and each other. It is within this atmosphere that healing, encouragement, and empowerment is appropriated to fulfill the unique calling God has created for each of us.
A Gentile believer who loves Yeshua found himself trapped in Israel October 7, 2023. I hope you enjoy this exciting interview!
Elias Duran was born in New York City, has been happily Married for 36 years and is the father of three children - a boy and two girls. Elias is a carpenter and floor installer in New York. He loves the Lord and loves to travel around the world. His favorite place is Israel where he has been seven times. In this interview, Elias shares what happened when he was in Israel during the events of October 7, 2023. He is looking forward to returning to Israel.
Gloria is a Messianic Jew living in Texas, but her story begins in Nigeria where she was born and raised. At the age of 12, a neighbor faithfully stopped by her home after school each day for 3 years, getting her to memorize the New Testament (Matthew, Mark, Luke, & John). Through that simple act of love, she came to faith in the Messiah — a decision that has shaped her life ever since.
Today, Gloria is a wife, a mom of three, and a CPA who runs her own accounting firm in Texas. She loves using both her faith and her professional gifts to encourage and serve others, and she’s passionate about sharing the hope of the Messiah with everyone she meets. She’s been on multiple mission trips to the middle east, and especially carries a burden for the persecuted church in “unreached places” like North Korea and much of the Islamic world.
Kathi’s parents were good moral people, but did not take her to church until she was in high school. Having no Biblical foundation other than hymns, Kathi strayed from that good moral standard of her parents and became addicted to pornography (men aren’t the only ones) and a critical spirit. Full of guilt and shame, she joined a Bible Study where these precious older ladies loved her into the kingdom. In 1979, Kathi surrendered to Yeshua and has been following hard after Him ever since. She has been involved in the ministry of prayer in various forms over many years. After a prayer mission to Israel during Sukkot in 2005, Kathi started attending Or Ha Olam in Kansas City, where she serves on the prayer ministry team, facilitator for the women’s Havurah and oneg team. She is also involved in her local county politics and leads a prayer group for her county. One of HaShem’s great gifts to Kathi is a good sense of humor and joy. She is widowed, but lives minutes away from her only child and his family. God is so Good!
Tevon Varlack lives in Houston TX with his wife pastor Omon Varlack. They are newly appointed head pastors at the Church of God of Prophecy in Brazoria TX. Along with writing, Tevon also is a musician. Don't be surprised if you hear a shofar or steelpan or a trumpet ringing out at your local grocery store parking lot, malls, street corner, city parks or wherever! Tevon and his wife are committed to evangelism in the community. They have hosted multiple apartment praise party events and 12 hr worship services. The Great Commission is the scripture that fuels their passion.
Lynda was born and raised in Rochester, NY in a Catholic family. Not much was discussed about the religion growing up so she never knew Yeshua. What really impacted her relationship with Yeshua in a bad way was the death of her father that sent her in a downward spiral of unbelief. That all changed in 2021 when she met her now husband, Bill, who gave her her very first Bible and he led her to the lord. She began the journey of being a born again Christian and learning to build a relationship with Yeshua in her early 40's. Still being a "Baby in Christ", Lynda is now a believer and has a new outlook and understanding of forgiveness, Yeshua and life.
Miki grew up in a Conservative Jewish family. As a child, she remembers once looking in a Catholic Church and being terrified when she saw a crucifix. After college Miki worked as a Physician!s Assistant and became friends with a co-worker’s wife. She noticed that they were different than other people she had met. They were very generous and were always taking in exchange students. Also they talked about God and having a relationship with Him. Eventually, Miki met Jewish believers in Yeshua, read the scriptures for herself and learned the truth. She learned that the world wouldn’t “blow up” if she walked into a church or read the New Testament and then it was a very Jewish thing to believe in a Jewish Messiah!
Joseph Bell was born Jewish and raised in Conservative Judaism in his hometown of Newton, Massachusetts (a suburb of Boston). At the age of 29, through a friend’s loving encouragement, Joe finally relented to read the New Testament. He then recognized how very Jewish the New Testament is. Through a miraculous work of the Lord, Joe asked Yeshua to come into his life. Joe committed his life to Jesus and immediately dove into serving the Lord. Jews for Jesus invited him to study theology with Dr. Louis Goldberg and train as an evangelist; thus Joe began his formal ministry training in New York City — leading over 100 people to faith in Jesus that summer. In 2007 Joe received full ordination as a Jewish Rabbi by IAMCS[International Association of Messianic Congregations and Synagogues]. Joe currently serves as Executive Director of For Zion’s Sake Ministries and as Rabbi of Ari Yehudah Messianic Congregation in the town of Bristol, Tennessee/Virginia.
David Brickner, currently the Executive Chairman to the Board of Jews for Jesus, became executive director of Jews for Jesus in 1996 and was the first to succeed our founding executive director, Moishe Rosen. Under his leadership, Jews for Jesus advanced internationally with missionaries in 12 countries, the largest number being in Israel.
David comes from five generations of Jewish followers of Messiah Jesus. Though he turned his back on his upbringing in high school, David had a unique encounter with God in college that prompted him to attend a Jews for Jesus Bible study. David says, “I surrendered my life to Jesus in 1976 and haven’t looked back.”
David has authored several books, including the most recent release Does the Jewish Bible Point to Jesus? 12 Key Prophecies that Unfold God’s Plan. He has been interviewed on secular and Christian radio and television shows, including Larry King Live and In the Market with Janet Parshall.
A graduate of Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, David also has a bachelor of arts degree in Judaica from Northeastern Illinois University in conjunction with Spertus College of Judaica. He has a master of arts degree in missiology with an emphasis on Jewish studies from the Fuller School of Mission and Theology.
David is an avid reader, hiker, and mountain climber. He resides in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife, Sabra, and is the proud father of Isaac, Ilana, and Sivan, and grandfather of three.
I previously aired an older interview, so here is my most recent interview with Rabbi John!
Rabbi John and his wife Becky have been members of Beth Messiah in Houston,Texas since 1994. John became the worship leader and youth pastor in 1995 and served in that role for 23 years. After that he transitioned to a role as a teaching elder before becoming the congregational leader in 2021. John and Becky have four grown children and one grandchild. John received his education from Houston Baptist University (B.S. in Biology and Theology), Masters International University of Divinity (Doctor of Biblical Studies) and Liberty University (M. Div. and D.W.S in Worship Studies).
Shaya was born and raised in Washington State, became a believer as a young child and chose to be water baptized at age 11. She became interested in the Jewish roots of her faith during her undergraduate studies and then became further acquainted with them while in grad school at Eastman School, when she was invited to join a Messianic Passover seder. Shortly after that, Shaya felt God called her to become a part of the local Messianic congregation in Rochester, where she has been for over 12 years. Over that time, Shaya has served as a cantor, dance leader, occasional worship leader, kiddish (hospitality) coordinator, and a member of many teams and outreaches.
Jesse & Irina Kauffman are the founders of Single 2 Married — a Spirit-filled, biblically grounded mentorship community helping singles prepare for marriage through healing, identity, and purpose.
Jesse shares powerful wisdom from years of singleness, discipleship, and meeting Irina at age 40. Irina brings prophetic insight and a passion for restoration, helping women walk in strength and dignity — inside and out.
Together, they guide others to discover their identity in Messiah and align with God’s design for love and legacy.
Before connection comes identity. Before marriage, preparation.
Single2Married #FaithFilledRelationships #GodsTiming #KingdomMarriage
Mordechai “Moti” Vaknin was born in 1984 in Haifa, Israel, as the only child of an Orthodox Moroccan Jewish family. Growing up in a vibrant cultural and spiritual environment, Moti developed a deep appreciation for his heritage. As a young adult, he pursued radio broadcasting and served in the Israel Defense Forces from 2003 to 2006, gaining valuable life experience and discipline.
In 2007, Moti traveled to the United States to follow his dream of becoming a photographer. While taking classes at Photo Manhattan in New York City, he worked as a kosher supervisor on the Upper West Side. During this transformative time, he encountered Chosen People Ministries and was challenged to read the Bible independently and seek a personal relationship with God. Through prayer, study, and reflection, Moti came to the conviction that Jesus (Yeshua) is the promised Jewish Messiah.
Moti returned to Israel in 2010. Over the years, Moti has developed a thriving service ministry, working with youth, soldiers, and students across Israel. He and his wide Orel are devoted to sharing the good news with their fellow Israelis, with a special focus on mentoring young believers and equipping them to grow in their faith.
Today, Moti continues to inspire and guide the next generation, helping new believers embrace their Messiah and encouraging others to explore the transformative truths of the Bible.
Ted Pearce is my returning guest. In this show he shares that his metaquest/virtual reality tour of Israel app is now live!Ted Pearce lived his teenage years in Beaumont Texas as an atheist. It was not until he decided to read the Bible, to find contradiction within it, did God reveal Himself mightily to Ted. A radically core shaking experience by the Holy Spirit in 1990 brought Ted to become a believer and he has been a worshipper for the Lord ever since.
Ted had already been playing professionally as a musician, but the Lord refined His gift towards worship and Ted soon recorded his first messianic album, "Shield of David" (1991).
He later put together a Christian rock band releasing 2 very different albums Nomadic Farmers (1997) and Big Methuselah (1999).
But his desire to bless Israel led him to record a new messianic project, which was called "Letter to the Hebrews" and released in Jerusalem on The Day of Pentecost 2001. Ted’s debut on Messianic worship label Galilee of the Nations followed in October of 2002 with "Zealous Over Zion". He has since recorded several more CDs.
Ted's vision is to see all the sons of Adam turn to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and believes that he can help build bridges of shalom.
Today I talked with Kristin Glazner and Judith Benhamou and they shared their plans for this summer‘s Jewish messianic vacation Bible school.
Cristin Glasner is a Middle School Science Teacher that has been serving in education for 26 years. Along with a love for teaching Science she has a great love for Yeshua and his word. She has been serving in children’s Ministry for 20 years, the last 3 years at Shema Yisrael. She is passionate about sharing with her students how much God loves them and how important it is to study his word through fun engaging lessons and crafts. Judith Benhamou has been working in Children's Ministry since 1985 teaching children ages 2 to 12. She holds a Master's Degree in Early Childhood with an extension in Gifted and
Talented Studies teaching school children and Directed children's programs throughout her career. She has been a believer since 1973 and her desire is to create fun and engaging programs that help children discover the blessings of following the Lord.
If there was an award for my most frequent guest, it would be Rabbi Ron Goldberg! He is my “Frequent Flyer!” Catch my other podcasts on this site or on iTunes. Here’s a little background:
Rabbi Ron was raised Jewish. While in High School, Ron did two things Jewish people are not supposed to do. First, he began sneaking out to church. Second, he read the "forbidden" Jewish New Testament. As a result, Ron met the Jewish Jesus. In 1985 he spent several months in deprogramming where 2 counselors tried to get Ron to reject Yeshua as Messiah. This was unsuccessful and he has spent his life helping people meet the Jewish Jesus.
Some of Rabbi Ron’s Experience:
- Jews For Jesus Summer Campaign 1990
- Mentored & ordained by Jonathan Bernis.
- ‘Hear O Israel’ Outreach in Russia & India
- Led a Messianic Congregation for 16 years
- Co-host of Messianic radio show for 5 years
- Taught in churches/colleges since 1986
- Trains people in sharing the Good News with Jewish People
In this broadcast Rabbi Ron shared an update of what's happening with his family.
Jacob is the congregational leader of Congregation Rebirth in North Orlando ( Longwood), Florida. He was once living in pursuit of his own desire and Messiah Yeshua revealed His power and grace to him in 2009. He chose to follow Him, and the Lord called him up (Aliyah) to his Jewish heritage, faith, and purpose. With the help of God, while having ministerial leadership since 2010, he achieved a BA in Business from Rollins College in 2018 and, from the IAMCS Yeshiva, a Certificate of Completion for Ordination in 2024. Lastly, he is a candidate for a Masters of Divinity from Liberty University. Rabbi Jacob’s hope is simply to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Yeshua and to lead those God has called him to in remembrance of our shared Heritage in Messiah Yeshua. Jacob recently authored the book “The Unkosher Marshmallow.”
Daniah came to know the Lord in Rochester, New York under the leadership of Rabbi Jonathan Bernis and eventually, she and her husband Mark were sent out to lead a congregation in Syracuse, New York. The Lord let them on other adventures and they eventually ended up in Texas. Sadly Mark passed away from vascular dementia in January, 2023.
The Greenbergs followed God on a seven year mission to fulfill the vision of providing a new Family Bible with the brand new Biblical text, the Tree of Life Version (TLV), for both Jews and Christians together to inspire families to return to God of Israel through faith in Messiah Yeshua – Jesus.
Dr. Michael Gabizon is associate professor of Jewish studies at Moody Bible Institute. He has a B.A. in Jewish studies from Moody Bible Institute, a Th.M. from Dallas Theological Seminary, and a Ph.D. from McMaster University. He was raised in a Messianic Jewish household in Montreal, QC, and has been active in both ministry and academia.
Shelly has been a believer in Yeshua for many years and has been to Israel four times. She has traveled through Guatemala, Belize, Panama, Costa Rica, Tahiti, Jordan, Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland, and Honduras and spent ten years teaching Science and Mathematics to Yupik, Cupik, and Inupiaq students in three very remote villages of Alaska. Many of her students became strong believers and have gone on to lead others to Yeshua. Currently Shelly lives in Kent, Ohio with her mother and she still teaches Science and occasionally substitute teaches.
Ryan is an author, speaker and teacher and describes himself as a thinker, writer, teacher, and bridge builder.
He loves to explore game-changing ideas in leadership, relationships, health, personal growth, and spirituality - especially in the areas of Jewish-Christian relations, education, and bridge-building.
His journey includes various stops that have prepared him for what he is doing today. He has been a public school teacher, a college baseball coach, a marketing and public relations director, and a leader in Jewish-Christian education and relations. He has recently published a book about Paul, "The Weird Apostle: The Strange Jewish Mission of a Global Game Changer."
Ryan and his wife live in Roswell, Georgia.
Rebecca Taylor Wyatt is an anointed singer/songwriter and worship leader who desires to see people touched by the LORD’s presence through music, including manifestations of spiritual peace, healing and divine reconciliation. John 14:6, Psalm 40:3, Is 54.
Emanuel Roro is a Jewish follower of Jesus, Artist, songwriter, worship leader born and raised in Israel. Emanuel has a passion for using music to bring people to the feet of Yeshua.
It has been a while since I spoke with Joshua.
Joshua Aaron is an award winning, Messianic Jewish singer and songwriter. He and his wife Jeannie have four children (Emma, Joshie, Max and Levi) and maintain citizenship with both the nation of Israel & the United States of America. Joshua travels in a full time capacity, sharing G-d’s good news through Hebraic worship, powerful testimony and biblical teaching… proclaiming a message of hope in Yeshua (Jesus), a love for the Jewish people and a desire for the return of the Messiah.
Joshua’s connection to the Messianic movement dates back to 1976 when his mother (an Israeli-born Jew) accepted Messiah after hearing a message by the late Martin Chernoff on “the Jewishness of Jesus”.
Rabbi Jim Meysenburg was raised in a Catholic home, on a farm in Nebraska. He became a Catholic priest in Duluth, Minnesota and taught Catholic school there. He was sent over to Sweden for a time. Then he met his wife and left the priesthood. She found out that she was Jewish and while living in the Washington D.C. area, she looked up Messianic Congregations. They started attending one there and eventually moved to the Baltimore area. They were attending a small congregation in Edgewood, Maryland and when the leader/Pastor resigned, Jim was asked to replace him. Rabbi Jim has been leading the congregation for seven years now. He has visited Israel one time and hopes to go again some day.
Janice was raised Baptist and accepted Yeshua into her heart at the age of seven. In the early 90s she attended a Bible study and was introduced to First Fruits of Zion and learned about Messianic Judaism. She was immediately drawn to the Jewish customs and holidays and couldn't stop telling everyone about Yeshua! Janice has had many miraculous healings and hopes to one day write a book about all her experiences with the Lord! She gives her whole life to God to do with as He pleases. She says "be all the Glory and Praise to Him for it all. Baruch HaShem!"
Marion was born and raised in Kansas. Dawn grew up in New Jersey and Minnesota. Marion has done many things, from working as tele-typist (Communication manager) to Park ranger in Mount Roger’s State Park in Southwest Virginia to Bus driver in Minnesota. Dawn graduated from Mounds-Midway School of Nursing with RN and Family Nurse Practitioner from University of Virginia in Charlottesville. They met in California in Oct. 1977 and were married 100 days later in Minnesota and went to live in Mountains of Virginia where Dawn was working as a Lay Associate for the Lutheran Church in America. Dawn and Marion love Yeshua and have a special love for the Jewish people.They now live in Minnesota and have 4 grown children and 6 grandchildren.
I met Gaylyn last year at the Messiah conference. She is an accomplished Author and we had a very interesting conversation.
Gaylyn Williams, President of Relationship Resources, is an inspirational speaker and author of over forty books. In her writing and speaking, Gaylyn uses practical, biblical principles to inspire people to be all God created them to be.
After receiving her degree from Dallas Bible College, Gaylyn spent 16 years as a missionary with Wycliffe Bible Translators. Using her degree in Bible, linguistics, and Greek, she conducted linguistic analyses on five different Mayan dialects, developing a written language for each. She then helped train the native speakers to translate the New Testament into their languages.Following her years as a missionary in Guatemala, she trained potential missionaries in basic linguistic and literacy skills, preparing them to go to the mission field. Gaylyn also developed the Wycliffe International Cookbook, one of Wycliffe Bible Translator’s top selling books after over 25 years. She later joined The Navigators as a full-time missionary, leading a single-parent family ministry.
Mother of two adult sons, Gaylyn currently resides part-time in Israel and part-time in view of the majestic Pikes Peak in Colorado Springs, Colorado. She is passionate about Israel and empowering others to learn about God’s heart for Israel. Her latest book is Explore God’s Heart for Israel. She enjoys hiking, walking, reading and spending time with the Lord and her friends and family.
Lori returns to Bagels and Blessings to discuss life in Israel in the midst of the current conflict.
Lori Kate has now been living in Israel for 26 years. She's part of an amazingly talented trio, playing clarinet in the musical group, One Lev.
How wonderful to have Rabbi Eric on the show again!
What a joy to interview Sharon Settel, widow of Jonathan Settel. I especially loved this show, hope you will enjoy it for years to come!
I met Dawn and Heather last year at the Messiah Conference.
It’s been several years since Ben Volman was on Bagels and Blessings. It was great to have him on the show again.
Debora is a lover of Yeshua and was born and raised both Catholic and 7th Day Adventist in São Paulo, Brazil, where she started her career as a pharmacist and researcher. Her great great grandfather was Jewish. She discovered Messianic Judaism after her son showed interest in the Old Testament scriptures. They started attending Beth Yeshua in Philadelphia. In the late 90’s, she met Tom in a conference in the United States. They have been married for 25 years.
Phillip Cohen describes growing up Jewish in a strongly anti-Semitic culture and what it’s like “crossing the line” to giving his life to Jesus. It has been a long journey that is not over yet.
Crushed by a violent, anti-Semitic world and a troubled alcoholic father, Phillip Cohen begins searching early in life for healing and love. He grew up in inner-city Chicago, Atlanta, and Miami before wandering around in three countries, searching for a life that matters.
This long, difficult yet amazing journey continues through hippie communes and ultraconservative Anabaptist church. He runs to mainstream Christianity but doesn’t seem to fit anywhere. Despite his efforts to find God, Phillip often finds himself in unanticipated places where God’s presence. Eventually he finds His Messiah.
Today Phillip works with individuals and businesses bridging the work life and personal life into a God-Centered life and building success in a God-centered business. He is the founder of Healthy Leaders, a coaching ministry that helps struggling business owners build strong, cohesive leadership teams with God in the center.
Here’s some info about my interesting guest:
Faith has enjoyed worshiping the Lord in Messianic Judaism for 45 years, though she is not Jewish. She first realized the Lord’s love for her when she was 19 years old. The Lord brought her to Congregation Beth Yeshua in Philly, in 1978, and she was blessed to worship under the loving care of her shepherd at that time, Martin Chernoff with his wife, Yohanna Naomi Chernoff. And now, almost 76 years old, Faith is blessed to be under the shepherding of their son, Rabbi David Chernoff and his wife, Debbie. She has worked at the Messianic Jewish Alliance of America for 36 years, and is so thankful that the Lord has provided the opportunity to serve Him there all of these years with Joel Chernoff and the rest of the Beth Yeshua staff. Faith is married to David Crowley. They are parents of two sons and have eleven grandchildren.
Jacob Cohen was born in Israel, immigrated to the United States when he was five years old and was raised in Brooklyn, NY in a traditional Jewish home. When he was ten, he attended Hebrew school at a conservative synagogue and certain passages in the Old Testamentstartled Jacob: “What’s Jesus doing in my Hebrew Bible?” Jacob assumed he was mistaken, after all, Jewish scholars would notice something this important. But is it possible. . .?
When Jacob was in his mid-twenties, he reexamined the Tenach(Older Testament) and concluded that yes, Jesus is the true Jewish Messiah! Jacob sensed God’s calling on his life and worked in Jewish ministry before graduating Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon in 1990.
Jacob served as a law enforcement chaplain for 14 years while he continued teaching the Jewish origins of Christianity in churches. Jacob and his wife Stephanie were visiting NYC during the 9-11-01 terrorist attacks and he volunteered as a police chaplain at ground zero and St. Paul’s Chapel, ministering in NYC for one month in the aftermath of the attack. Having retired from the police chaplaincy, Jacob and Stephanie began an outreach called Israel’s Remnant teaching believers the Jewish origins of Christianity.
Rabbi Joshua Brumbach is the Senior Rabbi of Simchat Yisrael in West Haven, CT and serves as adjunct faculty at Messianic Jewish Theological Institute (MJTI) and The King's University.
He is an accredited Jewish Educator, studied in an Orthodox yeshiva in Europe, and is ordained by the Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations and the MJRC. He is currently pursuing a doctorate in early rabbinic literature at Spertus Institute of Jewish Learning and Leadership, holds an MA in rabbinic writings from MJTI, and a BA in Biblical and Jewish Studies from UCLA.
Rabbi Joshua is an avid mountain biker, loves the outdoors, and he and his wife have two sons.
Catherine Wriston is the Praise & Worship Leader at Brit Ahm Messianic Synagogue in Pensacola, FL. She was raised Southern Baptist and found Messianic Judaism when God led her to it as a college student. She's a writer, an artist, and now a blessed wife and mother. Catherine and her husband, Jonathan (the Assistant Rabbi at Brit Ahm), live with their wonderful little boy, Eliezer, in Pace, FL.
Dr Mehosky is the author of “The Story of a Soldier” about his dad as a paratrooper during WW II. He is an ordained priest in the Anglican Church and holds a Th.D. from Chesapeake Bible College & Seminary, and is the Dean and Professor of Messianic Jewish Studies at CBCS. Dr. Mehosky and his wife Charlotte live in North East, Maryland. They raised two wonderful children who are both married. They are blessed with 8 grandchildren.
I enjoyed my interview with Lydia Jacobs. She is another person I saw at the Messiah conference in July.
Lydia Jacobs is a Jewish believer in Jesus. Both her parents are also Jewish believers and she was raised in a Messianic Jewish home in Upstate New York. Growing up, she attended Shema Yisrael in Rochester and Brith Hadoshah in Buffalo. For four years she traveled with the Liberated Wailing Wall, a traveling music missionary team through Jews for Jesus.
Lydia is currently a special education teacher in Little Rock, Arkansas where she lives with her two cats, Tiger and Shannon. Although she does not presently attend a Messianic synagogue regularly, she still celebrates all the Jewish holidays and enjoys teaching about them to others.
Amy has been a lover of Israel and the Jewish people all her life and longs to see them come to know their true Messiah. She now serves as the worship director of Or HaOlam Messianic Synagogue in Overland Park Kansas.
I had a great interview with Baht Rivka and George Whitten.
George Whitten is Founder and Director of leading pro-Israel Christian news website, worthynews.com and the “WorthyBrief”, a devotional/news brief with a daily readership of over 35,000. Focusing on Israel, persecution, prophecy, outreach, anddiscipleship, Worthy News has reached millions in over 120 countries since 1999. George is a visionary, journalist, astute observer and advocate for Israel. He brings a fresh, insightfulperspective on current events in the Middle East, giving balanced viewpoints on both the political and spiritual atmosphere in the Land and world-wide.Native Israeli Baht Rivka Whitten was born in Tel Aviv on the Yom Kippur War of 1973. Her Great-Grandparents founded one of the first settlements of its kind in central Israel in the early 1900s. As a young adult, she began to read the Bible and came to faith; she later led her parents tothe Lord. Baht is an accomplished musician, recording artist and worship leader. Her unique sound is comprised of original songs and traditional Israeli melodies, fused withpowerful vocals, Hebrew/English lyrics and rhythms from around the world. Her compelling music has impacted the nations through television, radio and the distribution of her three CDs, along with performances at international conferences and outreaches across the globe. Songs from her latest CD have played on secular Israeli radio.Married just over twenty years, George and Baht Rivka, along with their two children, (fifth generation Israelis), pioneered a Shabbat Dinner and Music Outreach Ministry from their prayer house in Southern Israel. It still remains fruitful, bringing many seeking Israelis weekly. Together, the Whitten Family has also ministered at hundreds of conferences, congregations and outreach events. They give a powerful presentation of Worship and Word as well as a beautiful display of cds and gifts.
What fun to reconnect with my friend Anthony!
Anthony has written four books and has written religious articles for the Messianic Times, Jewish Voice Today, Charisma and Ministries magazines, and the Western New York Catholic. He has also written articles on the Arab-Israeli conflict for the Jerusalem Post, the Buffalo Jewish Review, and the Orthodox weekly Yated Ne’eman in New York City. Cardinale also brings to his writings his dramatic touch as an award-winning playwright.
Today’s interview was taped at the Messiah Conference this past July. Marc Vidito, from "The Smiling Sheep" interviewed me, I interviewed him as well and we also chatted with Becca Chefran from "Stones of Witness."
Crystal grew up in Detroit, MI singing choral, traditional Jewish, Tin Pan Alley, musical theatre and liturgical music in her synagogue under the apprenticeship of well known Cantor, Harold Orbach; at which time she also started performing around Metro Detroit. She then began studying classical voice at Interlochen Fine Arts Camp where she first considered a career as a classical artist and Cantorial Soloist. She has a degree in classical voice from Oakland University in Detroit and has since performed with The Collegiate Chorale in NYC, Nashville Opera, & as a Cantorial soloist from San Francisco to NYC, as well as London, Israel & South Africa, and has directed and performed on national and international tours. She most recently led worship for the Jews for Jesus 50th anniversary convocation on Cyprus & is the advocate for multiple musicians in Israel on behalf of the Nashville based ministry, Artists in Christian Testimony. She is currently recording an album of virtuosic Cantorial music in Nashville.
Jamie Ellen De Oliveira is a Jewish Born, Messiah Yeshua Believing, Messianic Recording Artist! Born to a mom that was on Broadway, and a dad who was a music publisher, the writing seemed to be on the wall!
Before coming to faith in 1981, Jamie performed in various venues in the U.S. singing Musical Theatre, Opera, and even traveled with The Fred Waring Singers! In 1984, Jamie traveled as the Soprano Soloist for a Christian touring group called the "Spurrlows". Jamie Ellen has been a featured soloist on the Messianic Television Program, "Jewish Jewels", hosted by Neil & Jamie Lash since the early 1980's which is still in syndication now, programs are on the Jewish Jewels Channel on YouTube. Some other credits include featured concerts at various congregations throughout the U.S., and Canada, soloist at the Sukkot Conference in Jerusalem through Friends of Israel, ICEJ Feast of Tabernacles Conferences in Israel, the lead role of Lili in “Carnival” (a 'Christianized' version through Campus Crusade for Christ), at the University Theatre in Ft. Collins, Colorado, solo vocalist for Nova Southeastern University Commencement Ceremonies with the NSU orchestra for the last 17 years, soloist with the Hollywood, Florida Philharmonic. She has also performed in Messianic Believers, Jeremiah & Wendy Ginsberg's original musicals, “Mendel & Moses”, “Rabboni," (AKA "Mendel's Messiah"), and "Esther, Sweet Esther". Still ministering in music as the Lord leads, and excited for what He has in store!
This sweet couple attend Shema Yisrael Congregation here in Rochester, NY and it was a delight to interview them.
Jocelyn and Corey Brown, a married couple like so many, both decorate the Christmas tree and light the menorah, raising their Jewish children to develop their spirituality within the Messianic culture. Jocelyn was brought up in a secular Humanist Jewish family. Corey’s aunt and grandmother were the only ones to expose him to the Christian teachings of the bible as a child. Now raising a family of their own have blended their backgrounds to accept Yeshua into their household as their guiding light.
When the world became unexpectedly challenging during the 2020 lockdowns, the Browns strengthened their faith in God as they discovered you cannot have liberty without proper moral governance, a virtue rooted in their American heritage. With faith and freedom deeply intertwined, the Browns held the belief that Messianic Judaism would provide a remedy to the new restrictive environment humanity would have to endure. Together they created American Seekers Academy, a Classical based homeschool co-op for ages K through 12. In this interview, we discussed their faith and their exciting education program. For more info go towww.americanseekersacademy.com.
It was great reconnecting with Yochanan Marcellino at the Messiah Conference this past July. Here’s a little background on him:
Yochanan Marcellino was the son of legendary Motown A&R producer Jerry Marcellino (Michael Jackson, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Lionel Richie & the Commodores and Smokey Robinson). Yochanan Marcellino was also the founder of FM Management, managing such artists as Kerry Livgren of Kansas ("Dust in the Wind"), Cindy Birdsong of The Supremes, Kyle Henderson of The Producers and John Waller, who has featured songs in the Fireproof, Courageous andWar Room motion pictures and soundtracks. Marcellino also founded several successful record labels over his 40-year career, including Kerygma Records/Bright Star Records,City of Peace Media and its affiliates, and most recently, Identical Production Company (The Identical motion picture). Marcellino has released over 70 major music projects worldwide through his record labels and has led key divisions of several other music companies.He is the founder, president, and CEO of City of Peace Media, City of Peace Films, and Galilee of the Nations and has been instrumental in producing much of the music we have come to enjoy within the Messianic Community.
What fun to interview Simeon recently! Here's some background:
Simeon Greenberg grew up in ministry with his family, beginning in his father’s synagogue as a volunteer and worship leader until becoming the videographer for the Tree of Life Bible Society. Simeon has spent the past 6 years recording and editing hundreds of videos full of biblical content. Simeon is happily married to his wife of three years and now works as the Media Manager for the TLV Bible Society, distributing biblical study content across multiple platforms and countries.
Note, Simeon's Mom, Daniah, was my mentor and taught me how to be a worship leader many years ago!
Joshua Turnil is the director of Jews for Jesus in France and Switzerland, overseeing the work in francophone Europe. Joshua was born in New York, and has a bachelor’s degree in French literature. His wife, Delphine, who is French, also serves with Jews for Jesus. They have three children: Ilan, Lilya, and Levia. Joshua has participated in, and produced five music albums, as well as video projects such as the life story of resistance fighter and Holocaust survivor, Ruth Gottlieb. Joshua is uniquely qualified to speak to the question of antisemitism, as his Paris office is often the target of antisemitic threats and is under the constant vigilance of the French police. Also, he has worked side by side with leaders of the French Jewish community and church leaders to actively fight against antisemitism.
Dr. Kaiser is a retired theology professor and old testament scholar. He taught at Wheaton Graduate School and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He has written about 90 books on the Old Testament and loves Israel and the Jewish people. Dr. Kaiser has 6 more books waiting for publication and he has led over 25 tours to Israel. He considers himself an "armchair archeologist," having never actually participated in a dig.
Dr. Kaiser is a respected author, speaker and Bible teacher. Currently he is President Emeritus and Distinguished Professor of Old Testament and Ethics at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Hamilton, MA. At 90 years old, he keeps going, like the energizer bunny!
Dawn Bell was born in a Gentile home and became a believer at an early age. Later on after starting her career as an airline pilot she met Joe Bell, fell in love and married. The Bells served with Jews for Jesus on the Liberated Wailing Wall for 2 years and then moved back to Dawn’s home town where they started a congregation, and a bagel business. She currently serves with Rabi Joe at Ari Yehudah Messic Congregation as Rebbetzin and worship leader while working as a 737 pilot.
Rabbi Michael grew up in Ohio and accepted an invitation to receive Yeshua from Reverend Curt Thomas in May,1988. Rabbi nurtured his commitment to Yeshua at Cathedral of Life under the ministry of Bishop C. Herschel Gammill and Pastor Dana Gammill.
Approximately a year after earning his degree from Fuller Theological Seminary, Rabbi Oyler began a three year internship under Rabbi Murray Silberling of Beth Emunah Messianic Congregation in Agoura Hills, CA and returned to Ohio in April of 1998 to help plant Canton’s first "Messianic" Congregation, The Star in the East.
On a local level, Rabbi Oyler has hosted community Passover Seder celebrations for the past 23 years, a regular at National Day of Prayer observances, participated in Canton Naturalization ceremonies and has opened the Ohio House of Representatives in Prayer.
A teacher at multiple Messianic conferences both on the regional and national level, some of his topics have covered stewardship, worship, Jew and Gentile relationships, the Jezebel spirit, the theory of the rapture in the End of Days, and solving the mystery of the birth of Yeshua/Jesus.
Rabbi Oyler and his wife Rachelle have been blessed with 5 children...Jadin James, Ariel Simcha, Michael Shalom, Shiphirah Rachel, and Evan Michael.
Rabbi Greg Hershberg was born in New York City and raised in Orthodox Judaism. In 1989, he married Bernadette and while on his honeymoon in Israel had a visitation from the Lord that turned his heart to serving God.In 1992, Rabbi Greg became involved in the Messianic Jewish Movement and was ordained through the International Association of Messianic Congregations and Synagogues (IAMCS). He became the leader of Beth Judah Messianic Congregation. In 2002, the Lord moved Rabbi Greg and his family to Macon, Georgia, to lead Congregation Beth Yeshua.The ministry went global in 2010 and Congregation Beth Yeshua became Beth Yeshua International (BYI). What was a local storefront congregation became an international ministry/training center in Macon, Georgia, with congregations and schools in India, Kenya, Australia, Germany, Israel, and across America. Rabbi Greg currently resides in Macon, Georgia, with his wife, Bernadette, and their four children. More about Rabbi Greg can be found in his autobiography, From The Projects To The Palace.
Henry M. Morse is an ordained Messianic Rabbi with a degree in Bible and Theology from Central
Bible College in Springfield, MO. Formally known as “The Great Benafucci,” Rabbi Henry did acrobatic tricks and rode a unicycle to reach many young people. He has been in full time ministry for over 40 years; serving as youth minister, evangelist, missionary and congregational leader. Henry has ministered in twenty countries and 45 states. He has authored 2 books. Henry lives in Stoughton, MA, with his wife of 39 years, Cherri, he has five grown children, 7 granddaughters, and 2 grandsons. He is the founding Rabbi of Messianic congregation Sha'ar Hashamayim and has served there for 17 years.
It’s always a pleasure to chat with my dear friend Brian Slater. Here is his bio:
Brian is a Messianic believer who lives in Israel. Brian is CEO/Director of Abundant Bread of Salvation and has managed and established several others of the same works in Tel-Aviv. He has also established an additional Food Pantry in the center of Netanya that serves many Holocaust Survivors amongst the 350 families he serves on a monthly basis. This same facility now also houses the ministry headquarters. He has worked at times as a nurse, giving free medical care and assists in directing the day-to-day operations as well as counseling in a Messianic drug and alcohol treatment center in Netanya. Over the last several years, Brian also has worked closely on many projects serving two local orphanages that house over 500 poor and needy children. Furthermore, he was recently awarded a Certificate of Honor from the Israeli Ghetto Survivors Association for his aid to Shoah-Holocaust Survivors. This is the 6th time he has been interviewed on Bagels and Blessings.
Valerie grew up in a Baptist family in an Italian Catholic neighborhood. She invited Yeshua into her heart in the 70s, during the Jesus Revolution. The Lord helped her through a broken engagement, later she met her Jewish husband Lou in 1985. They married at a chapel at Brown University in 1988. In 1998 they got involved in Messianic Judaism after Valerie’s brother sent them some information. Her husband heard Stan Telchin's testimony about finding the Jewish Jesus and he was very touched. He agreed to come to a Messianic congregation. They found one in Massachusetts and later attended Miskan David in Rhode Island (Brian and Sue Samuel). The Lord began working on both of them, they kept visiting and they were surrounded by love. During high holidays Lou became a believer in Yeshua!
What a blessing to meet Kassia at the women’s retreat this past April. Since childhood Kassia has had a hunger and curiosity to know God. She found Jesus reading the Gospel, or actually He found her. The Bible became a passion and the people in the Bible became her people, her friends, brothers and sisters. Their lives became her inspiration. Deep inside Shabbat had always been a mystery and when someone told her she could not teach Hebrew because she is a woman, Adonai led her to Congregation Mishkahn David. Kassia decided to learn Hebrew to read the Bible in Hebrew. All the little details of her faith that never made sense finally clicked into place. Now Kassia is part of God’s story- her life is in the Bible ... she is counted with the stars!
John Kanter was born in Los Angeles to Jewish parents of Russian ancestry. At age 16, he trusted Yeshua (Jesus), the Messiah of Israel, for forgiveness of sin and eternal life. John has been involved in Messianic ministry for over 30 years. He has served as a Messianic pastor, para-church minister, national ministry representative, and radio broadcaster; preaching and teaching the Jewish context of the Scriptures to numerous churches both domestically and internationally. John is a graduate of Moody Bible Institute and Dallas Theological Seminary.
John and his wife Terry have a married son, Stephen, and a grandson Joel.
Enjoy his faith journey and some wonderful Messianic music!
My good friend Diane told me she met an interesting Messianic believer while visiting family in South Carolina. I called Paul Buksbazen and had a delightful conversation with him. I know you will enjoy this interview!
Paul Buksbazen is a 4th generation Messianic Jew. His grandfather Victor Buksbazen started the Friends of Israel organization and wrote the first book on the connection of the Biblical Feasts to the New Covenant and Yeshua. It’s called the Gospel and the Feasts of Israel. Victor and his family escaped the Nazis and rescued many Jewish people from Europe.Paul has had many insights about Passover and explains many of them during our interview together. He and his wife Heidi live in Fort Mill, South Carolina.
I have known Michele for many years and finally got to interview her!
Michele grew up in a Catholic family and attended a Catholic High School. Michele’s Dad died in 1983 and in 1986 a friend shared the Lord with her. Michele gave her heart to the Lord and learned that she could be close to Him.Michele married a Jewish man and she discovered Shema Yisrael Messianic Congregation where she served as Office Manager for a few years. In 2000 Michele was diagnosed with Bi-Polar disorder and the Lord walked her through it and pulled her out each time she had an episode. She has had a great quality of life due to her strong relationship with God. Today Michele is connected to “Angels of Mercy” here in Rochester. They provide a boutique for women, providing them with clothes that they can wear for interviews and other functions. They send hand-made dresses to various locations throughout the world. They also provide information about the prevention of human trafficking.
Recently I attended a wonderful Women's Retreat and met some lovely ladies from Rhode Island. This is the first of three interviews that I did while attending the retreat.
Elaine Fawcett was raised Catholic and in her college years she was interested in science. She met a scientist who believed in God and seeds were planted. Years later a co-worker invited her to his church and she went to an Easter service. Still not interested in Jesus, she felt more drawn to Judaism. After her grandparents died she found out that she was, in fact, Jewish! She heard God's voice say "keep the Sabbath!" Elaine sought out others that keep the Sabbath and found a fellowship in Rhode Island. She fell in love with it! Today Elaine is part of Mishkahn David in Rhode Island (Rabbi Brian Samuel) and is deeply in love with Yeshua!
It was fun chatting with my long-time friend Judith Benhamou. Judith was raised in a Jewish home but was drawn to Jesus when she was a little girl. She met her Jewish Messiah at 25 years old and fell in love with him. She discovered many other Messianic Jews and has never looked back. This year Judith celebrates 50 years (herJubilee) as a Jewish believer in Yeshua.
Judith’s professional career has been in Education and she loves working with children and helping them to discover the joys of learning new things. In this broadcast Judith will share information about our congregation’s upcoming Messianic Jewish VBS program for children.
I really enjoyed interviewing Rabbi Peter Oliveira! Formerly the Messianic Rabbi of Congregation Mishkahn David in Rhode Island (Rabbi Brian Samuel is the current Rabbi) Rabbi Peter and his wife Lisa felt called to work at an orphanage in Haiti. They sailed with their children on a sailboat from Rhode Island and it took almost a year to arrive there. They saw miraculous healings while there. It’s truly an amazing story.
Currently Rabbi Peter is the Rabbi of Congregation Mishkahn Nachamu (Tabernacle of Comfort) in Litchfield, Connecticut on Saturdays and on Sundays he is the Pastor of the famous First Congregational Church of Litchfield.
Gotta love social media! I found another Messianic believer! Fun interview! Here is some background on Ellen Herr:
Ellen was born into a Jewish family and raised in Lancaster, CA where her parents started the first synagogue. As a young adult Ellen moved to Los Angeles and began to search for a relationship with God. This was during the Jesus revolution where many young Jewish people came to faith in Yeshua. Ellen visited a Messianic congregation in the San Fernando Valley and gave her heart to Yeshua. She began attending the congregation and became the office manager there. Later Ellen worked for the Anti-Defamation League for a few years. Ellen met and married a wonderful Jewish believer. For the past thirty years they have lived in Las Vegas and her family has been very involved with the Messianic community there.
I enjoyed getting to know this talented young man.
Joe Miterko grew up in a Messianic gentile home and has been involved in music ministry for as long as he can remember. In 2008 while on a trip to Israel, he felt the powerful presence of the Lord, and it changed his life forever. Originally from the Connecticut area, he now lives in Boston, teaches piano, plays at various Messianic functions, and has a deep love of the Lord.
I was delighted to find Dr. Jay on Facebook. He is a fascinating man. Here is some background:
Dr. Jay Christianson is the founder and President of High Beam Ministry and has faithfully served in ordained ministry since 1994. He is a pastor, teacher, worship leader, speaker, Israel tour leader, independent researcher, Jewish-Christian Dialogue participant, and outspoken advocate for Israel and the Jewish community.
Through his online High Beam Ministry, Dr. Jay hosts the weekly Truth Barista Podcast, authors the Frothy Thoughts Blog, teaches Bible classes, and produces Bible study resources.
He is an enthusiastic teacher who focuses on understanding the Bible from the original Hebraic-Jewish context. He first became excited about the Hebraic heritage of Christianity in 1986. Since then, he has led tours to Israel and twice participated in Bridges for Peace’s Institute of Israel Studies in Jerusalem, Israel. He enjoys teaching Christians about the Jewish foundations of their faith and encouraging interfaith understanding between Christians and Jews.
Dr. Jay Christianson holds a Bachelor of Arts (University of Minnesota), a Bachelor of Arts in Pastoral Studies (North Central University), a Master of Arts in Judeo-Christian Synergism (Masters International University of Divinity), and a Doctor of Philosophy in Biblical Studies (Master’s International University of Divinity).
Jay and his wife, Jeanne, reside in Naples, Florida.
Check out his website: The Truth Barista Podcast | Highbeam Ministry
It's always an honor to chat with my Rabbi. Here's a little bit about Rabbi Jim:
Rabbi Jim Appel has been the spiritual leader of Congregation Shema Yisrael since 1996 and a Jewish follower of Yeshua since 1977. He is ordained by the International Alliance of Messianic Congregations and Synagogues.
Rabbi Jim previously worked for Xerox Corporation in Webster, N.Y., for 24 years as an optical engineer and engineering manager. He holds more than 45 patents in the areas of copier imaging systems and laser printing. Rabbi Jim received a bachelor's degree in optical engineering from the University of Rochester in 1967 and a master's degree in physics from the University of Southern California in 1970.
Rabbi Jim decided to follow Yeshua after a long spiritual search. He grew up with parents who taught him that God did not exist and organized religion deceived and oppressed people. In 1967 after completing college, Jim became disillusioned with life as an atheist. He rejected his parent's teachings and began his search for spiritual reality. This search took him into the world of mind-altering drugs and yoga meditation, and ended with a dramatic encounter with Yeshua the Messiah, who revealed himself to Rabbi Jim in the privacy of his bedroom without the assistance of any other person.In this broadcast we discussed the miracles surrounding our purchase of our beautiful new building, miracles in his life, and the meaning of Shavuot.
Carmen was raised in a gentile home but discovered later that she was Jewish. Rabbi Carmen Welker is a graduate of Messianic Jewish Rabbinate. Author of several books and host of a major Messianic website, The Refiner’s Fire, she is a former U.S. Army Sergeant Major who served 22 years as a journalist and newspaper editor, administrator and German language translator. Originally from Germany, she came to the United States in 1960 when her mother married an American soldier.Carmen has a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of the State of New York and is also a graduate of Mid-America Business College (Springfield, Missouri); the Defense Information School (journalism) at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana; and the prestigious United States Army Sergeants Major Academy in El Paso, Texas, where she also worked as a lesson developer and instructor.
A former Bible study teacher and leader in the prison ministry “Friends in Transition,” she is now a Hebraic Faith/Netzari teacher and author who had the distinct privilege of being the original editor/proofreader of the Aramaic English New Testament.
It was great to reconnect with Avi Snyder. Avi was raised in a conservative Jewish home in New York City and came to a saving faith in Jesus in 1977 with the help of a Jews for Jesus tract and the forthright witness of Christian friends. He graduated from Fuller Theological Seminary, the School of World Mission, with a Masters degree in missiology. Avi has served with Jews for Jesus since 1978 and has provided leadership for branch offices in the US, the UK, the former USSR, Germany, and Hungary. He currently lives with his wife Ruth in Budapest where he serves as the ministry director for Europe and the former USSR. He and Ruth have three grown children.
On Tuesday, April 18, 2023, Jonathan Settel passed away, and ran into the arms of Yeshua. His music has been a part of my show since the very beginning and I have interviewed him a few times. Today I am paying a tribute to one of the greatest Messianic recording artists ever, and a dear friend as well. Enjoy the music and the interview. Here is a bit of background:
Jonathan was born in Berlin, Germany and grew up in a traditional Jewish family in Washington, D.C. He studied music at the Inter American University of San German, Puerto Rico. For twenty years he was a vocalist in nightclubs, hotels, bars and cruise ships in the United States. In February of 1984, while employed by Walt Disney World, Jonathan had an "Encounter with Eternity". He became a Believer in Yeshua Ha Mashiach.
He was discipled for six years in a small church in Florida and was one of their worship leaders for their Erev Shabbat Service. In 1990, Jonathan responded to The Lord's call to make "Aliyah" (returned to his homeland, Israel), and moved his family to Jerusalem where he came to love and identify completely with the Israeli culture–and was fired up to "bring the Word forth from Zion". After a tremendous growth in Ministry, in June of 1996, he and his family then returned to the U.S. to fulfill the next part of God's plan for them.
Rest in peace my friend!
I first met Karol Joseph in the 1990s when we lived in the NYC area. She is a sweet, loving woman and I am was so excited to have her on with me again today.
Karol was born to Jewish parents in the Boston, Massachusetts area. In the years following her Bat Mitzvah, she was Jewish culturally only. She had many fears, anxieties, and also battled an eating disorder. While working on her PhD, a fellow student shared Isaiah 53 with her, and she was intrigued. Eventually, she contacted Jews for Jesus (J4J), and begin seriously considering the Jewishness of Jesus. She became a believer in her Jewish Messiah, and later joined J4J and has worked for them ever since, bringing the good news to her fellow Jewish people. Karol lived in the New York City area for many years, and now resides in Florida.
This is the first time Rabbi David has been on the program since he has become our assistant Rabbi at Congregational Shema Yisrael.
GA. He grew up following the Methodist traditions with a few Jewish customs
throughout the year. He came to salvation when he was 20 years old through
Campus Crusade and has been seeking the Lord since. In this interview, we discuss how he was drawn to his Jewish roots and became interested in Messianic Judaism. We discuss his journey to becoming a Messianic Rabbi and what it was like moving here, looking for a house, and the excitement of fulfilling his calling to the Jewish people.
Anna Levine was raised as a Reform Jew. She had a strong attraction to the occult but when she met Messiah Yeshua she turned away from all New Age practices.
Enjoy music with a Passover theme!
She was lost but now she's found! What? Let me explain! I did an interview with Jen a year or so ago, but for some unknown reason it never aired. I recently found the interview - just ready and waiting to go on the air. So here it is! Here's a little background on Jen:
Jen Rosner, PhD, is senior adjunct professor of theology at Azusa Pacific University, and also serves on the faculty of Fuller Theological Seminary, Messianic Jewish Theological Institute and The King's University. Her areas of expertise are contemporary Jewish-Christian relations, Judaism and systematic theology. After spending two years living in Jerusalem, Israel, Rosner currently resides in Lake Tahoe with her family. Rosner's doctoral dissertation, Healing the Schism: Barth, Rosenzweig and the New Jewish-Christian Encounter, was published by Fortress Press in 2015. She also edited Mark Kinzer's book, Israel's Messiah and the People of God (Cascade, 2011). She has published articles and presented numerous conference papers on Jewish-Christian relations, Messianic Judaism, Karl Barth, Franz Rosenzweig and other related topics. Her book, "Finding Messiah," can be ordered here:
https://www.amazon.com/Finding-Messiah-Journey-Jewishness-Gospel/dp/1514003244?ref_=nav_custrec_signin
Enjoy!
I love doing this program! I met another Jewish believer online. Rabbi Mark has a very interesting story!
Rabbi Mark Kinzer (PhD, University of Michigan) is the Moderator of Yachad BeYeshua, an international and interdenominational fellowship of Jewish disciples of Jesus. He is a leading Messianic Jewish theologian, and the author of several books. His most recent volume is Jerusalem Crucified, Jerusalem Risen: The Resurrected Messiah, the Jewish People, and the Land of Promise (2018). Rabbi Kinzer is President Emeritus of Messianic Jewish Theological Institute, and Rabbi Emeritus of Congregation Zera Avraham in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
No picture due to privacy.
Jonathan was raised both secular and religious Jewish growing up and his great grandfather planted five synagogues in a mid west city near Chicago. Jonathan is the first believer on either side of his family.
Enjoy some great Messianic music!
I am so excited to share this encouraging interview. If you have ever been depressed or know someone who is suffering, this program is for you!
Also I picked some songs about Purim, based on the book of Esther.
Here is a little background about Kim in her own words:
"I grew up in a Jewish family celebrating all the holidays. I had the ‘normal life’ of partying with friends and going out to bars…searching for the right one to fall in love and live happily ever after…with no success. One night I had an encounter with Jesus (Yeshua) in a dream and He told me to become “Born Again.” I fell in love with the written Word of God. Eventually God gave me the BEST husband, Mark & a beautiful son named Micah. In January 2011-July 2016, I began to experience fear, anxiety, and depression to the point of suicide and had adopted many addictions. There were emotions and past experiences that had caused pain that were lying dormant and not dealt with properly. Eventually, I could no longer function like a normal human being. I knew the written word backwards and forwards, but I DID NOT KNOW & FULLY EXPERIENCE THE LIVING WORD. In August of 2016, the Holy Spirit began to do surgery on my heart and the Spirit became my PERSONAL Counselor! I began to hear His voice and He (the Spirit) brought up situations that had occurred in the past (as well as presently) on how to handle them. My Heavenly Father, Jesus (Yeshua) & with the help of (my personal counselor) the Spirit, had set me free from EVERY addiction and I no longer live for his presence, but in it. Like God told Abraham (Gen. 15:1) “I AM SHIELD AND GREAT REWARD” and now He has become mine!!!! And I am SO IN LOVE WITH MY LORD! I am in the process of a rewriting a Bible Study to help others get free and experience this EXTRAVAGANT LOVE."
What a joy to reconnect with Shimrit Hanes from Zemer Levav. Shimrit is a songwriter, vocalist and harpist. When chronic illness forced her and her husband to stop touring, they settled in Florida and Shimrit turned to writing novels. Music is still important to her and she continues writing new songs and playing her harp. This interview focuses on her novels and will feature the music of Zemer Levav.
MY PODCAST SERVER IS STILL DOWN BUT YOU CAN LISTEN HERE:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/nehcf45ripyq9e0/Jonathan_Bernis4_Interview.mp3?dl=0
Happy to re-air this interview from 2016. Here is a little bit about Jonathan Bernis:
Not only was Rabbi Jonathan the founding Rabbi of my own congregation here in Rochester, NY, Congregation Shema Yisrael, but also Jonathan is President and CEO of Jewish Voice Ministries International (JVMI) and has been a leader in Messianic Jewish ministry for more than 30 years. He hosts JVMI’s weekly syndicated television show, “Jewish Voice with Jonathan Bernis,” aired worldwide.
Jewish Voice exists to transform lives and help fulfill the biblical mandate to see all Israel be saved. The ministries’ mission is to proclaim the Gospel, grow the Messianic Jewish community, and engage the Church concerning Israel and the Jewish people.
Rabbi Bernis is a sought-after speaker and a popular radio and TV guest. He has authored numerous books, including Unlocking the Prophetic Mysteries of Israel and his best-selling “Rabbi” series.
In addition to Jewish Voice Ministries, Jonathan is also the founder of Heritage LA, which is an interfaith Jewish community committed to creating space for all types of believers across the city of Los Angeles.
While Jonathan lives in Phoenix, Arizona with his wife, Elisangela, and their two daughters, he has a heart for the Los Angeles area and is excited to see Jewish and interfaith families thrive in the Heritage Community!
J
NOTE: My podcast server is down. You can listen to the interview portion here:
https://www.facebook.com/michael.david.5268750/videos/866263971154266/?mibextid=l066kq
It was great to welcome harpist Michael David back to the program! He is a very talented man and I really enjoyed talking with him!
Michael-David is the author of a new book "The Frequency of the Supernatural". He is an inventor, composer/producer, prophetic harpist/psalmist and Renaissance man. With a lifelong passion for technology, astronomy, and quantum physics, he merges these fields with a love of music and God. His patented electronic harp called the Harpella has taken him around the world in prophetic harp music.
Michael-David is a Psalmist who leads worship and holds harp schools internationally. He has a calling to help restore the harp as a prominent instrument for worship and prayer. He is the founder of the School of the Prophetic Harp and has given instruction in Davidic Psalmistry in Israel, North America and around the world.
Michael-David and his wife Zsiporah are a Messianic couple who have ministered in music for over 30 years with a distinct Hebraic emphasis. They have appeared on Canada’s #1 daily Christian TV program 100 Huntley Street on a number of occasions and in Israel at the ICEJ Feast of Tabernacles before thousands of international visitors and delegates as well as ministering at the All Nations Convocation with the Jerusalem House of Prayer For All Nations for multiple years.
As a harpist, composer, and producer, Michael, along with his wife, who is an author and singer, have produced original musicals including The Feast of the Ages (available on DVD) and A Camelot Christmas Tale that has aired across North America. They are also credited as Executive Producers for a number of feature-length films in conjunction with CubeCity Entertainment.
They were the founders and directors of the KingsBridge School, a classical Christian academic, and school of the arts. They currently are the directors of the KingsBridge Arts Round Table, a non-profit Christian Arts organization as well as providing leadership to the Chautauqua Movement in Muskoka, Canada.
I had the pleasure of speaking with Petra Scott, president and CEO of The Road to Jerusalem, a few weeks ago. She is the daughter of Raleigh Washington, former President of Promise Keepers.
Petra embraced her call to exposing the body of believers to the significance of One New Humanity in 2004. She experienced a deep revelation of the significance of the Jewish Culture of Jesus and how understanding this can enhance the faith expression of believers. She believes that demonstrations between Jews & Gentiles can change homes, communities , and the WORLD.
Petra has experience in both the private and public sectors as a teacher, life coach, pastor, and consultant. She desires to see the philanthropic side of TRTJ flourish too something that will impact the kingdom. In addition to her passion for ministry Petra is a wife and mom, she has three children Darius, Devorah, and Isaac. She is the author of “Intimacy: Unlearning Religion , Embracing God.”
https://theroadtojerusalem.org/
I was delighted to find out about Scott Volk.
Scott is Messianic Jew who came to faith in 1975. After graduating from North Central University in Minneapolis in 1988, Scott has served in various pastoral capacities in Arizona, Florida, and North Carolina . After more than 20 years in pastoral ministry, Scott founded Together For Israel, a non-profit ministry that exists to partner with the Church for the salvation of Israel (Rom 11:26).
Scott and his wife Beth have been married for over 25 years and have a heart to see Jew and Gentile united as ‘one new man’ in the Messiah. They have five children and reside in Charlotte, North Carolina.
info@fireschoolchicago.org
We knew the Wilskers when we lived in NYC. It was great to reconnect after all these years!
Ken grew up on Long Island, NY in a very Jewish community. In college he discovered eastern philosophy, humanistic psychology, astrology, and all things new age. He was searching, decided to read a New Testament and started attending a Unitarian Church. He married a Jewish woman and they eventually found themselves at a Messianic congregation where they both felt at home.
After a crisis of faith they moved to Indiana and learned about the Association of Hebrew Catholics (AHC). They discovered a whole network of Jewish people who practice the Catholic faith but are deeply in love with Yeshua. Ken still considers himself Jewish and he and his wife observe the Biblical feasts. This was a most fascinating interview!
Continued from last week. As previously stated, Elie was my very first guest on Bagels and Blessings. It was August 2, 1997 and little did we know that we were making history!
Today's show continues his story. Elie grew up in a secular Jewish home in Long Island and when he was in the military he had a supernatural experience where he met Yeshua!
You'll enjoy some great music too!
Elie Grunhaus was my FIRST guest ever on Bagels and Blessings. It was August 2, 1997. I had a chance to do a "one time, one hour" show and I thought I might as well pretend to be a real DJ. The Lord gave me the name "Bagels and Blessings," and I invited Elie to come on the show - I knew he had great diction and a fun story! Little did I know that the show would become a regular and last for so many years! God is full of surprises!
Today you will hear part 1 of his story -- stay tuned for part 2 next week!
Here's a little bit about him:
Elie came to trust in Yeshua as his Messiah in 1973, despite being raised in NYC by parents whose experiences during the holocaust left them doubting God was even real or cared about their suffering. Through a miraculous set of circumstances he found his Messiah.. And that pivotal decision has brought God to the top of his radar in just about every facet of his life: his wife, their two kids, and the many experiences in which he has seen God's reality and care for him in so many ways. Elie and his wife Sherry reside in Kentucky and are former members of Congregation Shema Yisrael in Rochester, NY.
What a blessing to reconnect with Jeffrey D. Miller! Here's a little background:
Jeffrey D. Miller was raised in a traditional Jewish home, but spent twenty-four years of his life as an atheist. However, in 1983 he had a miraculous encounter with the living God and committed his life to Yeshua, the Jewish Messiah. For 30 years, Jeffrey D. has traveled the country and overseas ministering in hundreds of churches and Messianic Jewish Congregations about how Jewish it is to believe in Jesus, and bringing reconciliation through the love of the Messiah.
What a fun interview today! Matt McKeown is the Associate Pastor at the United Brethren in Christ Church (UBIC) in Holly Hill Florida and the Manager of Sound Mind Studios. His music is featured in televised sports games and events for the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, and F1 racing. He also has worked in ADR for programs like Hawaii Five 0, Law and Order SVU, and The Man in the High Castle.
In ministry Matt has served on his denomination’s Youth Leadership Team and National Human Sexuality Task Force. Matt has a passion for studying Messianic Judaism and as a Christian Pastor lives a Messianic lifestyle; willingly attending his local Messianic Synagogue, studying at Yeshivat Shuvu, eating Kosher and teaching from a Messianic Jewish perspective. He has also taught on tours in the Holy Land and has provided music for the Bless Israel Network. Matt has done voice over work for FFOZ on their television show and is the voice of Torah Kids audio lessons and their books ‘Tent of David’ and ‘Elementary Principles’. He is currently recording the audio version of the Complete Jewish Bible by David H. Stern.
The call on Pastor Matt’s life is an interesting one. The Lord is using him to be a bridge between the Christian world and the Jewish world. It is his desire to see Jewish people recognize Yeshua (Jesus) as the Jewish Messiah and for Christians to recognize the Jewish foundation of their faith.
Matt, his wife Kara and their three teenage children live in the Daytona Beach area of Florida and in addition to serving at UBIC attend Beth Judah Messianic Synagogue in Ormond Beach.
With permission from the Messianic Times (this first appeared in the December, 2022 issue) I am happy to share this pre-recorded interview with Avi Abrams. Originally from Russia, he came to know the Lord through a bizarre set of circumstances. Eventually he moved to Calgary, Aberta, Canada and he led his mother to the Lord. She also joined him in Calgary. Together they attend Beth Shechina Messianic Congregation where Avi is the Cantor, Worship Leader and Web Designer.
Thanks to the Messianic Times Newspaper, I became aware of this fascinating lady named Rachel Kushner. She has a wonderful testimony and an even more amazing ministry called "Links to Messiah!"
Rachel is a Jewish believer. Her parents were in ministry and felt called to serve the Jewish community. She and her two younger sisters grew up experiencing the best of both worlds: Passover and Easter, Christmas and Hanukkah, Rosh Hashanah, and Shabbat dinners on Friday evenings. They learned Hebrew prayers, enjoyed latkes in the winter and seder meals in the spring. Most meaningful was learning the deep connection of how Yeshua fulfilled the prophecies foretold in the Old Testament.
“Links to Messiah" is an online ministry where people can buy a holiday box with instructions on how to celebrate various Jewish holidays.For more info click here:Home - Links to Messiah
Anna Hershman was born into an Irish Catholic family. The daughter of a modern day woman at the well, her childhood was extremely tumultuous. She became born-again and started attending a Baptist church. She married a Jewish man, and in 1989, on the day of her son Noah’s Bris, she knew the Lord was calling her to Messianic Judaism. Later, Anna’s faith was challenged with the sudden loss of her husband and son, but she continues to praise Adonai for many blessings.
What a sweet woman of God! Here's some info about Misha:
For over a decade Misha has dedicated her life to the art of music and the ministry of worship.
Growing up as the only child to modern day psalmist Marty Goetz and his wife Jennifer, Misha’s earliest memories formed in Nashville behind the piano where she composed her first recorded song at the age of eight. “As a Messianic Jew, my dream is to unite Christian and Jew in worship of the Holy One of Israel,” says Misha. Her style of worship builds upon decades of her father’s ministry and yet incorporates her own youthful style and anointing.
Her first full-length album, Weight of Glory, was released summer 2013 to critical acclaim with the help of a successful Kickstarter campaign. Her debut album is a blend of Messianic and Christian worship styles with most of the songs written and produced by Misha herself.
Above all, Misha’s desire is that her music would penetrate to the heart and usher people into the presence of the Lord. Her heart is to see a generation touched and transformed through surrender in worship. "I love to worship, and it is my greatest joy to see people blessed and changed, the way I am changed in His presence," says Misha.
Misha's newest CDis "A Time for Everything." Before that she and her father Marty produced a full-length DVD and CD titled Marty Goetz & Misha: LIVE from Jerusalem. It was filmed and recorded in Israel, overlooking the Old City of Jerusalem with a 26-piece orchestra.
Currently, Misha resides outside of Washington, D.C. with her husband, Joshua, their six-year-old son, Caleb, and their one-year-old, Samuel.
For more info: Misha Goetz Ministries (itsmishamusic.com)
It was fun talking to David Welch again. Here's his bio:
David M. Welch joined Joel C. Rosenberg’s The Joshua Fund building strategic partnerships in Israel and the Middle East with/for Christian higher education & Christian affinity groups. From 2016-2022, Welch served as the Executive Director of LU Send, Liberty University's centralized hub for student travel/international education where he managed the team responsible for all study abroad and international travel. Welch designed and implemented numerous faculty FAM trips, study tours and study abroad/internship opportunities. He sourced and negotiated multiple contracts with major study abroad firms/universities for Liberty University, including a strategic partnership with The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Welch is a citizen of both the US and Israel and lived in Israel from 2008-2011. He holds an MA in Public Policy/Int’l Conflict Resolution from Tel Aviv University, and is also a Certified Travel Industry Executive. In 2011, Welch relocated back to the US, serving in both the Risk Management and the Israel Travel industries between 2012-2016, before agreeing to join Liberty University. He is married to Rachel and they have a boy, Moshe (2020) and a new baby girl, Tikvah (2022). The Welches reside in Williamson County, Tennessee.
One of the greatest joys in hosting Bagels and Blessings is hearing the best Messianic music on the planet, in addition to getting to know some of the most interesting people too!
Troy Mitchell is a delightful man who loves the Lord. I enjoyed chatting with him once again and his music just keeps getting better and better! Here's more info:
Worship leader Troy Mitchell brings a fresh and authentic voice to Messianic Judaism. Mitchell’s original songs draw from the Gospels, the Hebrew of the Tanach, the Midrash, synagogue prayers, and first-century liturgy—even utilizing the Greek of the Apostolic Scriptures—to bring a fusion of Chassidic joy, gospel hope, jazz, and soulish prayer focused on the light of Messiah. His ability to almost become one with the music comes from his 20 some years of leading and/or playing with worship bands.
Mitchell has been challenged by blindness most of his life and has used music as a way to connect with Hashem and other people. His love for the Psalms, liturgy, the words of Yeshua and his involvement in the synagogue has given the movement unique melodies and niguns, but even more than that, it has instilled in him a passion to see everyone have the chance to draw closer to Hashem through music and prayer.
For more info, log into Troy Mitchell Music is creating Messianic Jewish Music and Liturgical Resources | Patreon
It's been a long time since I interviewed my buddy Brian Slater. He is a dear friend with an amazing testimony - and even more amazing is the ministry he started in Israel - Abundant Bread of Salvation. Here is his story:
Brian is a Messianic believer who lives in Israel. Brian is CEO/Director of Abundant Bread of Salvation and has managed and established several others of the same works in Tel-Aviv. He has also established an additional Food Pantry in the center of Netanya that serves many Holocaust Survivors amongst the 350 families he serves on a monthly basis. This same facility now also houses the ministry headquarters. He has worked at times as a nurse, giving free medical care and assists in directing the day-to-day operations as well as counseling in a Messianic drug and alcohol treatment center in Netanya. Over the last several years, Brian also has worked closely on many projects serving two local orphanages that house over 500 poor and needy children. Furthermore, he was recently awarded a Certificate of Honor from the Israeli Ghetto Survivors Association for his aid to Shoah-Holocaust Survivors.
For more info: Abundant Bread of Salvation - Saving Lives in Israel (yeshuasfreshbreadinisrael.blogspot.com)
It was a joy to have Ralph and Mindy back on the show! Here's a little background:
Mindy Seta is a Jewish believer who came to faith in the Messiah of Israel, Yeshua (Jesus of Nazareth), on Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) 1992. She is the founder of Messianic Dance Camps International and has created dance curricula since 2002. Mindy and her husband Ralph have been traveling together for over twenty years teaching worship through dance, israeli-style, at conferences and congregations around the world.
Mindy is a skilled choreographer, and has choreographed over two-hundred dances that are being utilized in the Messianic movement. She together with her husband Ralph developed the television show, Come Join The Dance for God's Learning Channel in 2013. Mindy currently resides in Southern Nevada; hosts dance camps; trains up new dance leaders; and leads dancing tours to Israel in order to meet with the Believers and minister together in the land. Recently, Mindy has been working on a new teaching series dealing with the healing aspects of the dance. Mindy is currently pursuing her doctrinal studies in Pastoral Care and Counseling, with a focus on Traumatology and Community Dance. Mindy has witnessed first hand how The Lord has used this medium of worship in the dance to accomplish His purposes of healing.
What an exciting program today! I loved chatting with John Waller. John wrote songs we sing at Shema - including "Our God Reigns Here," the Blessing over the children that Shaya sings each week, and the recent song at Simchat Torah, "Your Word, My Life." While a rising star on the Christian music scene, he shared that recently he and his family have started observing Shabbat and enjoy celebrating the Jewish holidays.
He has recorded many CDs. While not in the studio John can be found with his wife and 10 children residing in Atlanta, GA.
I love when guests come back to me! It had been a few years since I first interviewed Carolyn. I enjoyed playing her music and getting reacquainted with her!
I know you will enjoy today's program!
Carolyn Margolin-Hyde was raised in an Orthodox Jewish synagogue near Chicago. She graduated from University of Illinois and as an RN she practiced nursing for many years.
After making Aliyah Carolyn served as worship leader at K’tsir Asher, The Harvest of Asher Congregation, in Akko, and then led worship at Kehilat Poriya, a congregation near Tiberius. She has written and recorded many worship songs in English and Hebrew and her worship CD’s include “Just Like Joseph” and “The Latter Rain”- contemporary worship CDs; “Deep Calls to Deep” – a soaking CD; and “Fine Linen” – worship with a touch of the blues.
Today's show was not only focused on Sukkot and wonderful music from Steve McConnell, Sue Samuel, Ted Pearce, Nancy Santiago, Marty Goetz and Paul Wilbur, but I had a lovely time chatting with Ed and Amanita Marvin!
Ed and Amanita Marvin are leaders of Shoresh David Messianic Synagogue in Wesley Chapel, Florida. They have been involved in Jewish ministries for many years. They have eight kids and five grandkids. They have a heart for Jews and non Jews to know the Messiah Yeshua and become His disciples.
Ed is a graduate of Columbia Bible College, currently called Columbia International University. He served with Slavic Gospel Association among Soviet Jewish immigrants in Chicago for four years in the 1980’s and then bringing the gospel to the former Soviet Union while based in Finland. In Finland he founded Shorashim Fellowship. Amanita is a lawyer and a native of Finland. She was involved with several Israel Friendship organizations in Finland and studied at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Rabbi Ed and Rebbetzin Amanita have been in ministry in Florida since 2013.
A few friends attended the Messiah Conference in Pennsylvania and said that I should definitely interview Bill Marks. I am so glad I listened to them. He is a sweet man who loves the Lord. Here is his story:
In the natural Bill was born and raised as a farmer, educated as an accountant, made a living as a jewelry, Insurance, car, real estate, and art salesman. Through these endeavors He discovered his true calling in life, his love of people! His greatest joy comes as he helps people reach their goals and accomplish their God given destiny.
The Ministry of Helps takes him on different paths as he strives to follow the Word of God as a teacher, in the prophetic, as an evangelist, and as one with the Father's heart to minister to the down and out or the more affluent yet equally hurting members of our society.
Bill can often be found near the display of the art of His late wife, Seer Prophet Leslie Young Marks. Her Holy Spirit inspired prophetic art is shared at many Messianic conferences around the country. He also manages their market place ministry and speaks, prays and ministers at these events.
Check out Leslie's beautiful art here:
VISUAL PRAISE - HOME
Praise the Lord for finding another person to interview! Rabbi Joshua Lessard was born and raised in the Messianic Jewish movement. After serving as a cantor in two Messianic synagogues, he transitioned to a role as a messianic rabbi in 2011 after founding Tree of Life Messianic Fellowship (at the time, Tikvat Ami Messianic Synagogue) in Tallahassee, FL. He holds two degrees in music and a Master's of Divinity in Messianic Jewish Studies from The King's University. In addition to his role as congregational leader, he serves as the president of Tree of Life's K-12 private school and teaches guitar at a school for the arts. He has a passion for teaching and pursuing life in the Spirit. He resides in Tallahassee, FL with his wife and children.
I used to see Helen every year at the Messiah Conference. She was always teaching dance classes and was a lot of fun!
We recently reconnected and I was excited to learn more about her. Here is her story! Enjoy the music too!
Helen Weiner Wilson grew up with only a vague connection to her Jewish roots. She was raised in Ethical Culture, a humanistic religious movement, and regarded belief in God as unscientific superstition. In college, she met people who led her to question her belief system, and it was only after accepting Messiah Yeshua, that she began to understand the significance of her Jewish identity. She is long-time member of Congregation Beth Yeshua in the Philadelphia area, has served as a leader and teacher in congregational dance, and has choreographed a number of the Messianic dances that are used in congregational worship throughout the world.
Another fascinating find on Facebook. What an amazing story!
Michele Rozeen was born in an Orthodox Jewish home in Cape Town, South Africa. At aged 14, she had an experience with the LORD and accepted Yeshua. Michele made Aliyah to Israel, brought up her 3 children there. In 1991, she moved to the United States, to Florida, with her late husband, and is currently an intercessory prayer warrior, standing in the gap for her family and for her Congregation, L'Chaim Messianic Congregation. She is also the Personal Assistant and Administrator for hr Messianic Pastor, Pastor Bruce Elman.
One of the most exciting discoveries was that the synagogue I attended as a young girl in Richmond, Virginia had been bought by a Messianic Jewish Congregation! At one time Jamie Cowen was the Rabbi of Tikvat Yisrael, and his testimony is very exciting. In his own words:
A LITTLE ABOUT ME
I was born in a Jewish family in New York but grew up in the Washington, DC, area from age one on. In the early years my family was secular, but as I approached Bar Mitzvah age, we joined a Conservative synagogue, moving to a Reform one a year and a half later, where I eventually made Bar Mitzvah. I came to faith in Yeshua (Jesus) the Messiah in my senior year of high school through the influence of friends and a high school Christian group.
BELIEVING AS A JEW
At the time I assumed I was the only Jew who had ever believed this. No one told me Yeshua was Jewish; all his first followers were Jews or all the writers of the New Testament were Jews. I discovered the missing link the following year at college. There I met another Jewish believer who explained that we were Messianic Jews and showed through the Jewish Scriptures the many prophecies of the Messiah. Suddenly, everything made sense. I was a Jew who had found the Messiah. Unfortunately, this news was not good for my family, who reviled the idea, and sadly, years later disowned me. By the grace of God, this miraculously changed with a reconciliation with my father in December, 2013 and with my mother in May, 2014, four days before she died.
From college I went to law school and also did graduate studies in economics. After graduating, I took a position in the U.S. House of Representatives and the following year in the U.S. Senate. That same year I married my wife, Stacy. This year, 2013, will mark our 35th anniversary. While I enjoyed the Congressional work, eventually becoming Chief Counsel to a U.S. Senate subcommittee, I still felt there was something more. That something more became entering the ministry. In 1988 I enrolled in a Messianic Jewish seminary in the Washington, DC area, completing my studies in 1990. In 1990 I was installed as Rabbi of Tikvat Israel Congregation in Richmond. Our congregation, Tikvat Israel, became one of the flagship congregations in the Messianic Jewish world. Shortly, after my family moved to Richmond, our then small congregation secured the usage of an historic synagogue building, eventually purchasing it in 1992. We became the first Messianic congregation to be housed in an original synagogue. In 2002 I was elected president of the Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations (UMJC), an international umbrella group of Messianic Jewish congregations. I served in that capacity for six years. During that time we made a significant impact on the nation of Israel.
Israel Tour
In the summer of 2003, in the middle of the Palestinian Intifada when tourism to Israel precipitously dropped, the UMJC brought the largest tour to Israel for the entire year. Our coming at such a difficult time caused two of the Israeli newspapers to write positive stories about our visit - the 1st time Messianic Jews in Israel had received positive coverage. Following that event, as president of the UMJC, I was invited to Israel at the request of a member of the Israeli parliament (Knesset) to assist in raising money for humanitarian needs in Israel. This was again the first time a Messianic Jewish organization joined forces with the Israeli government. I was invited to speak to an Israeli military base as a Messianic Jewish leader. In 2007 through our connections we invited another Knesset member to speak at the UMJC international conference in Chicago. This was the first time, and to this point the only time, a current Knesset member has spoken to a Messianic Jewish organization.
THE JOURNEY BEGINS
Approximately, eight years ago my wife and I began to discuss and pray about a possible relocation to Israel. We began to consider this for a couple of reasons: 1) The center of world Jewry is shifting to Israel. This has not been the case for 2000 years. In the most recent Jewish census, the largest Jewish community in the world is now in Israel. At the same time, the center of Messianic Judaism also seems to be making a similar shift. Modern Messianic Judaism’s roots are in the United States, but with the rapid growth of the movement in Israel, this is gradually changing. As president of the UMJC I made mention of this numerous times. Much of the growth of Messianic Judaism in Israel has come from young American Messianic Jews immigrating there. We could see ourselves there, assisting the community, as we’ve done in the U.S. 2) Our three daughters have immigrated there as well, and so we began to question the Lord as to our moving there. Without belaboring the point, I felt the Lord indicate to me where we were to live when on a trip in 2003. It was confirmed in the summer of 2008, and in December, 2011, we moved to Israel.
LIFE IN ISRAEL
In Israel, we live in the north, and I lead a small chavurah (home fellowship) called Adonai Shamah Congregation. In addition, I have been asked to teach parts of my Jewish history course to different leadership groups in the country. However, my primary work is that of a Messianic Jewish lawyer. My goal is to assist the growing Messianic Jewish community in Israel both legally and politically. My wife, Stacy, teaches piano, guitar and English.
I met a new friend over Facebook. Granville Payne is the real deal. He loves Yeshua, the living Torah.
Granville started studying G-D on his own in December of 2007. He got serious about living out Messianic Judaism around August of 2021. G-D blessed him with Chron's Disease in 2009, a bad knee injury that took him out of commercial truck driving in 2014, and a serious car accident in 2019. The miracles started happening around September 2021 and they involve his physical problems. He has absolutely no doubt that Yeshua, who he affectionately knows as Living Torah, has revealed Himself to him through many miracles. Granvilles want people to be aware of his story to show that through Yeshua, a person can have a fulfilling life by doing the mitzvots of Living Torah and His written Torah.
It was great meeting Jonathan over the phone. He has a very interesting story. Here's a little background:
Jonathan grew up in a Messianic Jewish home. But he made his own choice to follow Yeshua. One evening, while on a pre-army trip with a friend in 1981 – Jonathan was curious to know: If there was a God, why the world was in such a mess? The answer, when it came was quiet and simple… As he sincerely internalized his guilt in the mess, he was overwhelmed by the understanding that the great Creator-of-the-universe loves him wants him and KNOWS him – And so, that night, he gave his Maker EVERYTHING – whoever he thought he was; art, sports – EVERYTHING – he gave Him the “keys” to his life. He put his faith in Yeshua and handed his life over to Him, as his Master. He was AMAZINGLY transformed!Jonathan and Faith Goldberg serve in Haifa Israel.
First I interviewed Stacy's mother, Cookie Berman, and she recommended that I speak with her daughter. I really enjoyed this interview. Stacy lives in Charlotte,NC with her husband and 2 dogs where she teaches 5th grade math and science in the local school district. She became a believer in 2002 and has been an active member of Hope Of Israel Messianic Congregation since. She has 2 grown children who also live in Charlotte.
I am so happy to bring you another great interview! Today's guest was Stephen Katz. Stephen was raised in a traditional Jewish home and at the age of 18 became a follower of Jesus. He has been on staff with Jews for Jesus (JFJ) since 1989, serving first in Los Angeles before becoming branch leader their San Francisco, then Washington DC branches. For a number of years he was Director of Recruitment and is currently Chief of Staff. For 12 years he oversaw JFJ’s work in Israel and still continues to be involved with the work there. He’s been on countless evangelism campaigns and is currently spearheading one of the ministry’s newest and most challenging endeavors. He and his wife, Laura, have four married children and seven grandchildren (with another on the way). Stephen holds a master's degree in social work from the University of Illinois and another in intercultural and Jewish studies from Fuller Theological Seminary. He is known as a warm-hearted and engaging teacher and a good listener.
A mutual friend connected me to Mark Posner and I really enjoyed hearing his testimony. In his own words:
"Born in Albany, NY, I was brought up in a somewhat religious conservative Jewish home. We were members of a conservative synagogue where my parents were very active. My sister and I went to the Hebrew Academy of the Capital District (HACD) aka Bet Shraga. I went through 7th grade before transferring to the public schools. Albany had/has a large Jewish population as many Jews from the NYC area moved up there to work for the state - as was the case for my dad. My graduating class was approximately 10% Jewish. A large % considering the % of Jews in the world. Because of a sign from God- I married a Catholic girl. My folks were very against it at first but came around. On her death bed, my mom told me - 'thank god for Mary Lou, otherwise I don’t know what would have become of you.' She also made me promise not to convert. While I will be going to be immersed in a few weeks - I don’t feel like I’m converting. I’m adding I have been married for almost 39 yrs now. We have two married sons going on ages 33 and 31. No grandchildren yet. I am semi retired and my wife is retiring soon. We like travel and hiking. And beaches! We like shell collecting and I have recently started to get into shell art."
Enjoy some cool music too!
So I was walking up the escalator here at Pittsford Plaza and my friend dropped her purse at the top. This nice man picks it up. We start chatting and then I realized - hey, it's Mike Fanto! I had him on Bagels and Blessings a VERY LONG time ago. This was no coincidence! I set up an interview -- and the rest, as they say, is history!!!
Here's a bit about Mike:
Mike grew up in Long Island to a Jewish mother and an Italian father. He was a typical rebellious teenager and didn't really think about God very much. His sister came to know the Lord first, and he followed, after a supernatural experience when he was hitchhiking. He was picked up by a Jewish believer who met with him several times and explained many things in the Bible and pointed him to the prophecies. He accepted Yeshua into his heart and his life has never been the same.
With permission from the Messianic Times, I am happy to share a delightful interview with Doug Carmel from Rock of Israel Ministries. This interview was originally published in the June, 2022 issue of the Messianic Times.
Doug was born in the Bronx, New York City to a newly immigrated Israeli man (Sephardic) and an American Jewish woman (Ashkenazi). They attended a Conservative temple in New York City and Doug attended Hebrew School there for several years preparing for his Bar-Mitzvah.
Doug graduated from SUNY Stony Brook (State University of New York) in 1985 at the age of 21. In May of 1986, he was up in the late hours of the evening watching television when he heard a slight rumbling sound outside, possibly coming from the sky. He heard it again, and then suddenly a thought crossed his mind – literally for only a few seconds – but it changed his life and eternity…. “This is it” he thought, “The Christians are right! JESUS IS COMING BACK and it’s tonight!!” For a few seconds, his eyes were riveted to the sky as he waited for horses to appear in the sky and for this Jesus to return as he knew the Christians said he would do one day.
Doug began to think about forgiveness and to have thoughts about God. Eventually he called a Messianic ministry and after attending a Messianic service he gave his heart to the Lord. Today he is on staff with Rock of Israel Ministries where he sets up booths all over the world proclaiming that Yeshua made him kosher.
It was fun talking with Diana Levine! Our daughters went on a ministry trip to the Ukraine together many years ago. Small world!
Diana grew up in a Catholic household where God created an intense love for Israel and the Jewish people. She holds a BS degree in art education/art history from the State University College at New Paltz, NY. Following her college graduation she worked at various corporations in NYC. After accepting her Messiah she and her husband (Rabbi Alan Levine) founded Kol Mashiach Messianic Synagogue in Melbourne, Florida. She has spoken at Bible studies, women’s retreats, and both national and international conferences. Her blogs are featured on http://diana-levine.com
It was wonderful to reconnect with Ed Zagofsky! It's been over 20 years since we last spoke. His family is very dear to me, they welcomed us when my family first moved to New York City back in 1989.
Born and raised in NYC, Ed came from a Jewish family. The family was not religious but had a lot of Jewish pride. Ed attended Hebrew school for 5 years in preparation for his Bar Mitzvah.
When he turned 15, Ed began doing drugs and became involved in anti-war demonstrations. He was encouraged to apply for a baseball scholarship, but instead he began to sell drugs and became a major distributor.
Ed met his wife Nirit in the Catskill Mountains. They married in 1975 and lived in Rego Park, NY. After their 1st two daughters were born he lost his business and began driving a taxi. His wife was attending a beach club in Atlantic City.
One day a lifeguard at the beach approached Nirit, shared the Gospel, and gave her a New Testament. She had an experience at Atlantic Beach and accepted Yeshua into her heart.
Ed noticed a big change in the way she dressed and discovered Christian music playing in the house.
When she shared her experience with Ed, he thought about leaving the family. But after hearing her full testimony, he realized that everything he was looking for was in Yeshua. He began to cry in the street and didn't know why. He knew she had found something that he needed.
After Nirit prayed for him, his desire for drugs, drinking and smoking was gone. In an instant, the Lord took it all from him. Ed gave his heart to the Lord and started sharing with people as he chauffeured them.
The Zagofskys felt the Lord wanted them to go to Israel. They sold all they owned within 3 months and in March, 1992 they moved to Israel. He is semi-retired and loving life.
Today's wonderful interview is with Larry Herzekow.
Larry and his wife Bess are full time missionaries to Israel that have been sent out from Calvary Chapel Aurora, in Colorado (US). They are Jewish and hold dual citizenship in the US and Israel. Their personal journey with Yeshua began in 1984 for Larry and in 1987 for Bess. They originally made Aliyah to Israel in 1996 and lived there for 16 years. In 2012, they moved back to the Denver, CO area. In 2014, they felt the Lord calling them once again to Israel with the vision of Beit Rachamim, which is Hebrew for “House of Compassion.” With this fresh vision, Calvary Chapel Aurora has commissioned them to serve as missionaries to Israel in obedience to His calling.
Enjoy GREAT Messianic music too!
It was fun talking with Tzofiya Rogers a few weeks ago. I know you will be inspired and encouraged as you listen. As usual, I have some of your favorite music picked out too!
Tzofiya Rogers is an international itinerant minister, teacher, and conference speaker who specializes in training and equipping the body in prophetic and deliverance ministries.
She is a Jewish believer and mother of 10, is the founder of As You Go Ministries, an ambassador for Tikkun Global, and is a commissioned prophet by Harvest International Ministries (HIM). Through Tzofiya’s ministry and counsel, God brings transformation to individuals, families, leadership teams, and congregations.
She and her husband currently reside in the South Florida area and serve the local congregation Beth Yeshua as Messianic Ministers.
Today's show was very special to me. I have fond memories of fellowshipping with the Nelson family when we lived in NYC. Gail's parents, Carole and Roger, were the leaders of Beth Tefilah, our congregation in Queens. Today I shared music written by Carole and performed by the whole family. I only recently had the cassette tapes converted to mp3s so it was exciting to once again hear their songs. I hope you enjoy this little trip down memory lane Great interview with Gail as well!!
As a young child Gail and her brother Israel sang with their parents on a few musical projects, "The Family," and the "Ten Commandments," some of which were featured on the show today. Music was a big part of their family life. The Nelson family traveled across the country ministering in music.At the age of 10 Gilah made a profession of faith but the real decision to follow Yeshua came when she was 19 years old.She met her Christian Arabic husband at Galtronics, a company of believers in Israel. After being a stay at home Mom for 16 years, Gilah decided to go back to work. She had various jobs but ended up working for Nazareth Village. They recreate what Nazareth looked like in the time of Yeshua. She is the Assistant Manager and does guided tours and invites anyone coming to Israel to come and visit!
What a fun interview with Kenneth Berg! Kenneth has traveled extensively throughout the Holy Land and the Middle East for over three decades producing award-winning television programs based on the Bible.
Ken was raised as a minister’s son in New York City. After serving in the motion picture division of the US Army, he moved to California, where he worked in Hollywood for a Christian advertising agency.
His is the founder of Berg Productions, Inc. which produces such programs as “Zola Levitt Presents” and “The Nazareth Jesus Knew,” which can be seen on one or more of the national Christian networks.
Kenneth has been to Israel 73 times.
I am so very happy to share this fun interview with you! Rabbi Brian and Rebbetzin (Rabbi's wife) Sue have been on Bagels and Blessings a few times now. We are happy to host them tomorrow, June 5 for our Shavuot Service as well.
Sue and Brian are blessed to travel around the world, visiting congregations and sharing G-d's message of hope and healing for all of His children. They visit all congregations, both large and small, knowing that they sing to an audience of One.
They have produced several CDs, including Promises", "Songs ...From The Secret Place," "Home Away From Home", and their newest album, "Revive.”
Brian and Sue are currently serving as Rabbi and Rebbetzin of congregation Mishkahn David in Rhode Island.
Today I chatted with Rabbi Mark Rantz. I sure enjoyed hearing his story! Rabbi Mark is the leader of Beit Hallel Messianic Congregation | Tikkun Ambassador to Presbyterian Reformed Ministries International (PRMI) | Author | Lead Contributor and Assistant Sr. Senior for the Complete Jewish Study Bible | Senior Editor - Tikkun Restore Magazine.
As a leading Holocaust Scholar and leader with the March of Remembrance, Rabbi Rantz is presently also developing his Masters Thesis on "The Complicity of the German Church and the Nazi Holocaust" into book form and has recently written a book about the Black Lives Matter movement.
Enjoy some great music too!!
I met Elyse a very long time ago when I visited family in Hawaii. I was looking to connect with other Messianic believers and got her contact info. We have stayed in touch over the years. I first interviewed her at the Messiah Conference maybe 10 years ago, so this is a nice refresher!You will love her story and of course the great music too! Here's a little more about Elyse:Elyse grew up in the 1950s and 1960s in New York City. Her Jewish parents were secular and didn’t raise her in the faith. When she was in college, she started searching for meaning in life and truth. She came to the Lord Yeshua as a hippie during The Jesus Revolution. As she grew in The Lord, she started to appreciate how significant the Judaic roots are to Christianity. She now strongly identifies with her Jewish roots as a Messianic Jew. Elyse lives in Hawaii and is a very talented artist. Find her art projects here:
(1) Elisheva Inspired Art | Facebook
Today’s delightful interview was with Rabbi Adrian Bernal.
Dr. Adrian Bernal is a Sephardic Jewish believer. He holds a Bachelor of Biblical Studies with a major in Biblical linguistics, a Master's of Theological Studies with a major in Biblical Counseling and minor in Jewish Studies, and a Doctor of Ministry with a major in Jewish Studies. Over the past 29 years he has led congregations in Hawaii, Wyoming, Idaho, and Alaska. He has been involved with the Messianic Movement since 1987 and has a passion for the lost. He enjoys teaching the Jewish Roots of the faith to the Church. He has also developed curriculum for the class and is currently writing commentaries on 1 and 2 Timothy. He is the senior rabbi for Beth Yeshua Messianic Synagogue in Coral Springs, Florida. In his spare time he is a golf teaching professional with the United States Golf Teachers Federation and was ranked the top 100 golf teaching professionals for the 2020/2021 season. He enjoys spending time fishing and kayaking with his wife and they make their home in Margate, FL.
Today you will hear the wonderful testimony of Dr. R. Gordon. Here is her story:
Dr. Gordon is a psychological assistant, working in the southern CA area, providing therapy for the treatment of various ailments including anxiety, depression, panic disorder, PTSD, relationship and communication issues, parenting issues, adolescent support, and work-related psychological injuries.
Dr. Gordon combines a holistic approach to treatment that includes examining underlying causes of mental illness related to the mind, body, and soul. She has worked in the field of psychology for almost 30 years and has also worked as a pastoral counselor. She received her undergraduate education at the City University of New York, College of Staten Island, her MS in Counseling Psychology from Chaminade University of Honolulu, and her doctorate of psychology from California Southern University. Dr. Gordon has spoken at hundreds of churches across America, on television and radio broadcasting networks, and has published in magazines and newspapers. She has written a book entitled, "Matched by Messiah," about her spiritual awakening after reading the New Testament.
I was once a Weiner too -- back in the early days LOL. I met Brett over Facebook and he agreed to share his faith journey on Bagels and Blessings. You'll enjoy some music honoring Yom Hashoah (Day of Remembrance) and the Israeli Independence Day too. Lots of great music. And here's a little bit about Brett:
Brett was raised Christian, but his grandparents were Orthodox Jews. When Brett was in his twenties, the Psalms and the prayer book pronouns became personal to him. He was told that Abraham would have descendants that would be as numerous as the stars in heaven, and the sands on the seashore and that he could be one of them. He just needed to accept his seed which was one in the Messiah. He loves celebrating the Jewish holidays, especially the Feast of Tabernacles. Brett and his wife reside in West Springfield Massachusetts and have two adult sons who walk with the Lord.
Rene Wallace returns to Bagels and Blessings to share how she is dealing with grief. She became a widow 6 months ago.
Rene is an extraordinary women. She is an author, teacher, and "Chief Farmhand" at Safe Haven Oasis and Messianic Fellowship, Former Church Ministries Coordinator at Chosen People Ministries and Co-founder at Safe Haven International Network. Rene wrote a series of books about a little girl named Zoe who discovers the Jewish holidays. Today's program will be an encouragement to anyone mourning the loss of a loved one.
I have known Melanie for a few years, and we finally got a chance to do a phone interview. At 23 years old, a Jewish friend showed her only from the Tenach that Jesus, Yeshua, was the Promised Messiah of Israel and the Savior of the world. Melanie moved to Israel 6 years ago with her husband. They are both believers in Yeshua. Melanie has been walking with the Lord for over 40 years!
Enjoy some new music from Sue Samuel too!
I interviewed Deborah Cohen a few months back, and then I had the pleasure of speaking with her wonderful husband Noam.
Noam is a Sabra, meaning he was born in Israel (Jerusalem). He was raised in the digs of the desert with his father, who was a renowned archaeologist in Israel, and he served in the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) as a tank commander in the first Lebanon war. After living in Japan for over 20 years, he returned to Israel, where he found Yeshua, his Messiah. For the last 15 years, he has been speaking, teaching, writing, and ministering to the body of Messiah and to the Jewish people. He and his wife, Deborah, live in the Galilee region in Israel and have a ministry called Declaring Zion International.
Special Passover music too!!
Be sure to read his book "The Ninja and the Pastor!"
The Ninja and The Pastor - Kindle edition by Cohen, Deborah, Cohen, Noam. Religion & Spirituality Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.
Never fear - the Messianic Matchmaker is here! Today I aired my interview with Rabbi Aaron Allsbrook. He shared his faith journey with me and I know you'll love it!
Plus some great music too! Here's more about Rabbi Aaron:
Born and raised in Southern California, Rabbi Aaron Allsbrook has known Yeshua his whole life. He shared about Yeshua to his Jewish and non-Jewish friends in high school. At the end of high school Rabbi Aaron began to feel that there was more to his Jewishness than just Passover and Hanukkah at his grandparents.
At this time he made his first visit to a messianic synagogue in Philadelphia, his first trip to Israel, and then his first visit to an Orthodox synagogue. God certainly was moving in his life, revealing to him that his Jewishness was something central to his identity. He went so far as to begin to live like an Orthodox Jew, including getting Orthodox rabbinic ordination.
Not longer after that Rabbi Aaron knew there was something missing, something more. While the traditions were great, he craved for more of the Spirit of God and the love of Yeshua. He left the Orthodox world, and began to seek a way of living an authentic Jewish life under the leading of the Spirit.
His travels brought him to Israel, where he lived for four years, and then to New York, where he met his beautiful wife, Brooke, with whom he has three children. It was in New York that he was a special education teacher and an assistant rabbi at a Messianic synagogue on Long Island. After several years of serving in this capacity, he wanted to pursue being a full-time Messianic rabbi, which is what led him to Ohev Yisrael.
He desires to see Jewish people come to know Yeshua, their Messiah, and live their life in service of our Master as Jews full of the Spirit of God.
For more info about the Messianic Matchmaker:
The Messianic Matchmaker
I had heard of Mitch Forman many years ago, but I guess the timing wasn't right. So happy to finally connect with him and hear his story.Mitch was raised in a traditional Reform Jewish home near Boston. After graduating from high school, he went to the University of Massachusetts and focused all his attention on a culinary career. Mitch worked at some of the finest hotels in Boston, achieving his goal of cooking with the best chefs in the world. In 1982 Mitch moved to San Francisco and started working at some of the top restaurants on the west coast as well.
However, as a result of his wild lifestyle, he could no longer keep up with the high demands and pressure of cooking at the top and was fired from his job. While lying on his couch one day, he realized that his life was a wreck and prayed to God for the first time in years. The next day, he quit smoking and drinking. As Mitch began to trust God for the first time in his life, he talked with a Christian co-worker about the Bible and Jesus and finally began to grasp the Gospel message.
Mitch invited Jesus into his life in 1987. Afterward, Mitch became involved with Jewish missions and served 12 years in the field both in San Francisco and New York City. In 2002, Mitch and his family moved back to Boston to help in a family business. They started to attend Grace Chapel and Mitch became involved in the adult discipleship team where he taught classes focusing on the Jewish background of the Scriptures. He was also involved in the founding and leadership of Beth Yeshua Messianic Congregation in Newton, which is the heart of Boston’s Jewish community.
Today Mitch is back in full-time ministry as VP of US Ministries for Chosen People, the oldest Jewish mission in the United States. Mitch is based in Boston but oversees all recruitment, training, mentoring and leadership of the entire US-based missionary staff. Mitch is married to Kina, a second-generation Jewish believer, and they have two daughters Kaelee and Alana and a son Joshua.
Enjoy some great music too!
It's all in the family! A few weeks ago, I aired my interview with Tov Rose and now today I shared an interview with his brother Jason! Here's some info about Jason:
Jason Rose is the Director of our Greater Tel Aviv Messianic Center. He lives and serves the Lord in Tel Aviv, Israel along with his wife Janice and their five boys. Jason grew up in a Jewish home in Minnesota and became a believer when he was 15 years old through the strong testimony of a family member. Jason served in the U.S. Navy for four years and then went on to receive two degrees: a BA in Jewish Studies from Moody Bible Institute in Chicago (2002) and a Masters Degree in English Language Teaching and Learning (2006) from Liverpool University, England (Tel Aviv campus). In 2002, Jason moved to Israel and began his Masters degree program. He served in a local congregation in many capacities. Due to his strong desire to share the Gospel, in 2005, with the help of many friends, Jason created an outreach called the Gospel Cafe. It was a weekly event with live music, free lattes, and an elegant atmosphere.
In March of 2009, Jason became a full-time staff member with Chosen People Ministries. At that time the Gospel Cafe became a ministry of Chosen People Ministries. Since 2009 dozens of Jewish people have come to know the Lord through our coffee shop outreach. His ministry focuses on outreach, discipleship and education. The vision of Greater Tel Aviv Messianic Center is to provide much needed educational information to the public through classes and courses taught by believers who are professionals in those fields. These environments eliminate some of the cultural barriers to the Gospel and allow us to demonstrate that Jewish believers in Yeshua (Jesus) are actually normal people. Jason is also working with other local Israelis to open a Messianic / Christian school in the Tel Aviv area. Jason and Janice both have a passion for discipling young people and love ministering as a couple. The excellent behavior and good manners of their children have opened many doors to share about Messiah Yeshua (Jesus). As a missionary family they are blessed and honored to serve the Lord among God’s Chosen People in Israel.
Enjoy the music and the interview and Shabbat Shalom!
You may ask, "How does she find new people to interview?" Well, I'm glad you asked! Sometimes I find them on Facebook, other times through a recommendation. And occasionally someone contacts me and asks to be on the program!
I found Cookie Berman through a mutual contact on Facebook. She is delightful and I know you'll enjoy our interview together. Here is her story:
In the late 80’s I remember telling my mother I was planning to get baptized and she responded “before you do that, I want you to find a nice young Rabbi and tell him that I did a bad job of bringing you up as a good Jewish girl.” (Jewish Guilt 101.) It was a difficult journey but this is how my life went from growing up as a Jewish girl and finally finding my redeemer, Yeshua HaMashiach! Baruch HaShem!
Shalom! Today you'll hear a fun interview with Susan Gibboney. Here's her story in her own words:
"I hale from Montreal Quebec Canada and I got here to Orange, a city in California, when I was 18 years old. Due to some very bad choices, I did end up being incarcerated for a short time, for sales of Illegal drugs but that had nothing to do with how much love and attention and encouragement that I got from my parents and my family. It was just that I did have to leave all my friends when I was 18 which was very hard, and settle in Orange County in 68 which was the beginning of drug culture at this time.
I was raised Catholic, private Catholic boarding schools with the nuns, since my mom wanted me to get a good education, and I did finally find Yeshua, my Lord and Savior in 1974 at Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa with Chuck Smith and Romaine and Greg Laurie. I did have to go through a very hard divorce when I was 29 after being married for six years, since my first husband did cheat on me with a secretary, but the gist of all that is that I have two beautiful sons and they are 44 and 46, and I have six beautiful grandchildren, one girl and five boys, and after I met my current husband Les, in 1982, At that time my boys were three and five And we did marry when they were five and seven, and then of course my current husband and I had my daughter, who is 36 years old, now. And history repeating itself in that she just married somebody who has two beautiful children,boys, that she shares with him, and they are 11 and eight. I had discovered that I was not receiving everything from God that he wanted me to have, and I became Messianic about 20 years ago through my church Shiloh Messianic Congregation in Crestline. As I had earlier stated,after Calvary, where I was saved, I became part of the Vineyard Church in Anaheim - for a time. And then Shiloh Messianic 20 years ago, when our church made a big change from Vineyard and Calvary. And the Blessed and the fun part of that , is it’s my sister and her husband that are the pastors - Pastor Bruce and Pastor Kathleen Dowell. We are part of the one new man, the Jew and the gentile grafted in, and our congregation is in Redlands , California at the Church on the Hill , in case anybody wants to come visit on Shabbat."
Enjoy!
Several years ago, I met Tov Rose at the Messiah Conference and had a brief interview with him. Well, the years flew by, and we had another opportunity to chat recently. This was a very enjoyable interview with lots of banter and laughter. I know you'll love it - and the music too of course!
Tov and his parents came to faith in 1973 through the witness of several Christian families, making Tov a second-generation Jewish believer in Jesus. He is the author of several books including, The Book of GOD: For Men, The New Messianic Version Bible, The Baptism of Jesus from a Jewish Perspective, Jesus in the Jewish Wedding, and more.
Tov has served as a Pastor, Speaker, Entrepreneur & Leadership Consultant, Television Producer, professional singer, Christian Radio Host, Bible teacher, Corporate Chaplain, and, Mission. He and Michelle are currently on staff with the International House of Prayer in Kansas City, where their older teen kids are blossoming!
Tov holds a BA in Public & Media Relations; a Masters in Marketing Management, is working on a Masters in Biblical Research with the Institute of New Testament Midrashic Studies, and plans on completing his PhD in New Testament Midrashic Studies. He has, additionally, completed training in Pastoral Ministry, Ethnic & Multicultural Ministries and Missions, Biblical Languages, Pastoral Counseling, the Spiritual Roots of Disease, and Entrepreneurship. His hobbies include SciFi, singing, archaeology, anthropology, and physics.
Tov is currently involved with helping tribal peoples fulfil their Romans 11:11 end times calling, and gathering resources and building partnerships to bring a “Targum-Inspired” Old Testament to 100 Tribal peoples over the next the next 3-5 years.
Enjoy!!!
I have known Eliot Katz for many years. He and his wife Claude were on Bagels and Blessings over 15 years ago and it was wonderful to reconnect.
Eliot Katz is a retired attorney and active real estate investor who was raised in a Reform Jewish household and became Bar Mitzah at 13. He has an interfaith marriage with his wife of 39 years, Claude. Eliot had been at times an atheist, at times an agnostic, and at times simply a cultural Jew. He came to the Lord and accepted Yeshua late in life 19 years ago. He is thankful to Congregation Shema Yisrael and Rabbi Jim Appel for this. Eliot is the father of four children, all adopted from the Far East. All of his children are young adults and he is pleased that all four of his children are believers and have relationships with the Lord. Eliot is also a grandfather with three grandsons and one granddaughter. As a Messianic Jew, Eliot is part of the Adult Sunday School Teaching Team at the Rochester Chinese Christian Church. He says that the Lord has a sense of humor in placing this “Jew Born Anew” with a Chinese church that has supported his youngest daughter from China from the time that she came to the U.S. at 12.
I know you will enjoy the music too!
Shabbat Shalom! Today I aired a pre-recorded an interview with the lovely Jacqueline Servantess. You will hear all about her discovery of Yeshua as Messiah and hear some amazing music!
Jacqueline Servantess is a faith-based holistic coach for women (specializing in weight loss), an Amazon bestselling author on narcissism, and has an online ministry where she encourages understanding and obedience of God's Word & maintaining a strong relationship with Him through prayer & Scripture reading..! :)
She has been a Jewish born-again believer in Messiah Yeshua for around 12 years and believes in trying to break free from any man-made traditions that have "crept in" since The LORD Messiah's resurrection, and "get back" to the way His Apostles saw and did things in the book of Acts.
Right now, she has a ministry youtube channel that releases a variety of content on a regular basis, which includes the reading of Elohim God's Word, the sharing of dreams, sharing original Messianic praise & worship songs, and more.
For more information, you can please feel free to email her at jacquelineservantess@gmail.com.
Ginnie is a wonderful woman who loves Yeshua! She is a Gentile believer who has come to love the Jewish roots of her faith. She met Yeshua in 1977, when she was 24 years old. A neighbor began sharing the gospel with her and as they studied the scriptures Ginnie asked God to show her if the words of the Bible were true. He did and she has followed Him ever since!
Ginnie has been married for 51 years to the love of her life. They have 3 married daughters and 7 grandchildren.Enjoy fabulous Messianic music and be blessed!
I discovered a fascinating woman and made a new friend! You will love today's show - great music and a fun interview with Deborah Cohen.
Deborah gave her heart to the Lord at a Billy Graham Crusade when she was nine years old. Years later, the Lord called her into ministry. While pastoring, Deborah’s eyes were opened to the reality of the Jewish roots of the Christian faith. For more than thirty years, she has ministered the Word of God in churches, conferences, radio, television, and books, both in America and around the world, presenting the gospel and the truth of who Yeshua is – the King of the Jews. She and her husband, Noam, live in the Galilee region in Israel and have a ministry called Declaring Zion International.
Check out their story, "The Ninja and the Pastor" here:
https://www.declaringzioninternational.org/apps/search?q=ninja
Shalom! In a galaxy far away, many years in the past, I interviewed Glenn Harris. Neither of us remembers the exact day or time, so it was good to have him back on Bagels and Blessings! His story is inspiring, and you'll love it! As always, I picked out some of my favorite tunes!
Here's a little background on Glenn:
Glenn Harris was born and raised in a traditional Jewish family in Los Angeles, CA.
After several fruitless years searching through New Age religions for answers to the big
questions of life, Glenn became a follower of Jesus in March of 1981, through the
challenge of a co-worker to come to a church presentation and to give the Gospel a fair
hearing. Glenn served for ten and a half years with Jews for Jesus and now for the past
twenty-four years has been the Associate Rabbi and Worship Leader at Congregation
Shema Yisrael in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan - a community of both Jews and Gentiles
who acknowledge Yeshua (Jesus) as the Messiah of Israel and Savior of the World.
Glenn holds his Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Literature from Northeastern Bible College
(now Kings College, NY) and Master of Divinity from Michigan Theological Seminary
(now Moody Theological Seminary - Michigan). He and his wife Alexandra have three
grown children and two grandchildren, and live in Birmingham, MI. Glenn is a respected
Bible teacher, occasional talk-radio host, outspoken pro-life advocate, cancer survivor,
musician, and avid motorcyclist.
Here's another fascinating story about a woman who met her Messiah! Born in Israel, Anna grew up in a multi-cultural Russian-Jewish family. Anna came to know God at around 10 years old but did not truly know him until having an encounter at a college youth retreat through her university. Anna is currently a Data Analyst by profession, but her true mission is sharing the message of hope in Yeshua to all. She is blessed with a wonderful marriage to her husband and they have an adorable cat Barney.
Enjoy the music also!
Today you will hear a pre-recorded interview with Lynn Wein McCoy (yep, she's the real McCoy!). Lynn was raised in a religious Jewish home in Hartford, Connecticut. She became a Bat Mitzvah at the age of 13, attended Jewish youth groups, and even graduated second in her Hebrew class. Later she entered the University of Hartford, and studied Psychology. While there, she attended a meeting where a Jewish Believer gave his story of coming to believe Yeshua was the Messiah. She began searching the scriptures and a month later became a believer! She has served in the field of Jewish evangelism since 1987. You can find her on YouTube cooking some delicious recipes. Look for "Taste of Wein" - (W E I N).
Watch her cooking show here:
https://youtu.be/oQ3eBhZCwMg
Enjoy the music too! Thanks so much for listening!!
Today you will hear the testimony of Grace Stasica. Grace grew up Baptist, accepted Yeshua into her heart, and it wasn't until her 50s that she became interested in the Jewish roots of her faith. Today she is Torah observant and a member of a Messianic congregation in Colorado.
I enjoyed chatting with Grace and I know you will be blessed!
Also enjoy the music of Jonathan Settel, Joshua Aaron, Jordan Elias, Paul Wilbur, Corry Bell & Lev Shelo, and Ted Pearce.
Every day of your life is an opportunity to be a blessing to someone!
Today's show is a continuation from last week. After a tragic loss Mishael learned valuable methods to cope with her husband's untimely death. She has a wonderful ministry called "180 Your Life," and a website to help widows and widowers worldwide at widowstrong.com.
For more background on Mishael see last week's post.
Enjoy wonderful holiday music! Yeshua is the reason for the season!
There have been too many deaths in the past couple of years. So many have lost their precious loved ones. I thought it was time to interview Mishael again to encourage us and share tips on dealing with loss.
As a reminder here is her info:
Mishael Porembski turned tragedy into a ministry after she become a widow at the age of 36. She created a ministry titled "180 Your Life."
180 Your Life empowers widows, bereaved women and children to craft a life they love after loss by strengthening body, mind and spirit in active, faith-based small groups. Through retreats, training and mentoring, bereaved women and their families can leverage their loss into leadership by getting strong and helping others.Her Story:My name is Mishael Porembski. In 2007, I became a widowed mother. In just five short months, I lost my husband to suicide, gave birth to our second daughter, and lost my mother to breast cancer. Although very depressed, I craved a holistic grief empowerment program that helped younger widows, like myself, and helped our children recover from the losses we experienced. I was tired of asking, “Why did this happen to me?” and wanted to take action, healing my mind, body, and spirit through healthy, wise choices. I asked some widowed friends to join me, and our lives changed dramatically. Not finding a program like this, I developed 180 Your Life to provide fresh, dynamic support teams to better empower bereaved women and our grieving families.
Today I shared a pre-recorded interview with Julia Pierce. It was a joy to hear her story of faith. I know you will be blessed with her music and with our interview together.
Julia has been involved in worship ministry for many years as a singer and songwriter. She is currently the worship leader at Living Waters Church in Shelbyville, KY. Her uncommon transparency in worship draws others to open their hearts to the Lord in more vulnerable ways when they worship Him. Because of her own testimony, Julia has a passion for teaching others about living a life of worship in all things and for sharing what it means to dwell safely in the Joy of the Lord even in times of grief and heartache.
Enjoy!
This is a wonderful show! It's full of beautiful Chanukah music from Nancy Santiago, Ted Pearce, Marty Goetz, Greg Silverman and Sara Liberman. You'll really enjoy the interview with Dr. Michael Brown. Here is more info about him:
Since coming to faith in 1971 as a 16 year-old, heroin-shooting Jewish rock drummer, Dr. Michael Brown has devoted his life to fostering awakening in the Church, sparking moral and cultural revolution in the society, raising up gospel laborers for the nations, and reaching out to his own Jewish people. He is the host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio broadcast, the president of FIRE School of Ministry, and a professor of Bible and Hebrew studies at several leading seminaries. He has a PhD in Near Eastern Languages and Literatures from New York University, has preached in more than 25 nations, and is the author of over 30 books and numerous scholarly and popular articles. Dr. Brown has debated Jewish rabbis, agnostic professors, and gay activists on radio, TV, and college campuses, and he is widely considered to be the world’s foremost Messianic Jewish apologist. (http://askdrbrown.org/)
Rabbi Michael Schoening and I had a fun conversation a couple of months ago and I finally aired it today! I know you will enjoy the music also. I shared from my heart and also did a small tribute to a dear friend who recently went home to be with Yeshua.
Enjoy! Here's some info about Rabbi Michael:
Raised in a non-religious home, Michael met God in a southern Baptist church at 6. He served in the missions field with the Methodist church, and became an ordained Pastor in the Nazarene church. In pursuit of the roots of not just his faith, but his heritage, he dove into church and synagogue histories, which led him out of his church. He became a Hebraic Roots Minister and worked for Hebrew nation radio, before being called to Colorado where he and his wife now serve in a Messianic Synagogue. Michael is Rabbinically ordained under the UMJA, is a national speaker, sales trainer, business coach, foster parent, and specialist in emotional trauma.
Today I aired a pre-recorded interview with John Glueck. In the summer of 1970, at the height of the Jesus Movement, the Lord appeared to John forever changing his life. Trained in classical prophetic ministry as well as biblical studies in the renewal and Messianic movements as a young Jewish believer, he went on to share in congregational building and planting ministries. All of this while traveling as a national accounts,sales management and training professional. Today he is Director of the Love and Justice Project based in Kansas City, with works in Rio de Janeiro and the Galilee in Israel.
David Levitt was just in town for a few days. He and some other staff members from Be in Health led a workshop at Congregation Shema Yisrael here in Rochester. It's always informative to learn about the spiritual roots of disease.
I first aired this interview 2 years ago. I hope you will enjoy it and the wonderful music too.
A little bit about David:
David Levitt was born to his Methodist mother and Jewish father in Atlanta,
GA. He grew up following the Methodist traditions with a few Jewish customs
throughout the year. He came to salvation when he was 20 years old through
Campus Crusade and has been seeking the Lord since.
David is a Teacher and Elder at Hope of the Generations Church and serves on
the board of directors for Be in Health. David has been with Be in Health® for
almost 17 years. He helps oversee the doctrine and teachers at Be in Health
and the For My Life Retreat in Thomaston, GA. His passion is to take seemingly
difficult scriptures and making them easy to understand.
He and his wife Kassy have 5 children and they all love anything outdoors.
You can find teachings by David on YouTube www.youtube.com/beinhealth.
Shalom my friends! I had fun speaking with Rebbetzin Susan Feldman (that means she is a Rabbi's wife - as in married to Rabbi Jerry Feldman). Susan was raised in a Gentile home but was drawn to the Jewish roots of her faith. She met her Jewish husband and he discovered his Jewish Messiah. Together they lead Adat Yeshua Messianic Congregation in Overland Park, Kansas.
Susan shares her story of faith and you'll hear more new songs from Ted Pearce - in addition to songs from Miqedem, Jonathan Settel, Deborah Kline-Iantorno, Joel Chernoff, Elana Watson, and Karen Davis,
Thanks for listening!!! Let me know how I can pray for you -- email me at bagelsandblessings@gmail.com!
I recently spoke with Rabbi Jamie Shapiro and learned about his journey to finding Yeshua. I know you will enjoy the interview and the great music today - incuding some new tunes from Ted Pearce.
Jamie Shapiro is the Congregational Leader at Adat Yeshua Messianic Synogogue in Albuqueque, New Mexico, and is the UJC USA Southwest Regional Director.
It's always a joy to speak with Rabbi Ron Goldberg! Rabbi Ron was raised Jewish. While in High School, Ron did two things Jewish people are not supposed to do. First, he began sneaking out to church. Second, he read the "forbidden" Jewish New Testament. As a result, Ron met the Jewish Jesus. In 1985 he spent several months in deprogramming where 2 counselors tried to get Ron to reject Yeshua as Messiah. This was unsuccessful and he has spent his life helping people meet the Jewish Jesus.
Some of Rabbi Ron’s Experience:
- Jews For Jesus Summer Campaign 1990
- Mentored & ordained by Jonathan Bernis.
- ‘Hear O Israel’ Outreach in Russia & India
- Led a Messianic Congregation for 16 years
- Co-host of Messianic radio show for 5 years
- Taught in churches/colleges since 1986
- Trains people in sharing the Good News with Jewish People
In this broadcast Rabbi Ron shared an update of what's happening with his family. We are excited to have him at Congregation Shema Yisrael next Saturday, October 30 for our 10:00 AM service!
Enjoy!
Today I featured the music of Barry & Batya Segal and an interview with their lovely daughter Liran (her last name is spelled differently).
Born and raised in Israel, Liran had an exciting and different type of childhood. Her parents, being well known messianic musicians, would travel around the world taking Liran and her brother with them on many occasions. On one hand life was an adventure but on the other side it was a dark and painful experience. She was struggling with depression and suicide, while being tormented in her dreams. Her journey and experience to freedom was nothing short of supernatural. Yeshua was the only one who could truly save her.
Enjoy!
Today's program featured wonderful music and a pre-recorded interview with Rabbi Alan Levine. He is the author of "Hidden Secrets of the Passover Haggadah," Rabbi Emeritus at Kol Mashiach Congregation, and Director at Lev Elohim Ministries.
Today he shared how he came to know his Messiah and I know you will enjoy it!
If you would like more info on his book, you can find it here:
Hidden Secrets of the Passover Haggadah - Kindle edition by Levine, Alan. Religion & Spirituality Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.
I was so blessed to grab another interview with Dr./Rabbi Michael Schiffman. His story is very interesting, as I am sure you will agree.
Dr. Schiffman grew up in New York in a traditional Jewish family. He has earned BA, MDiv and DMin degrees. In addition, he has had an ongoing private study of Talmud, Shulchan Oruch, and Chasidus.He is also is the Executive Director of Chevra USA, a humanitarian organization that feeds elderly Jews, particularly holocaust survivors, in the Former Soviet Union and Israel, as well as mentoring Messianic Leaders in Eastern Europe. In addition, Dr. Schiffman has lead three Messianic Jewish congregations in Arizona, Ohio, and New York, and served as Associate Rabbi in Connecticut. He has authored two books, and has been a frequent contributor of articles to Boundaries, Kesher, Messianic Outreach, and other publications. Dr. Schiffman also is a lecturer on Messianic Judaism, History, Torah, and Messianic Worship in the Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations Yeshiva, and is a Professor on the faculty of St. Petersburg Theological Seminary, as well as an adjunct professor in several theological schools.For more information about Chevra USA visit www.chevrahumanitarian.org.
Today on Bagels and Blessings you will hear the testimony of Jeff Millenson. He's been involved in Messianic music and ministry for many years. It was pure joy speaking with him recently. You will enjoy great music, including some tunes written by Jeff and performed by Liberated Wailing Wall. It's always fun talking to someone who has been in the movement for a long time. We chatted a bit about how Messianic tunes have changed over the years. You'll love it! Thanks so much for listening!
I had the privilege of speaking with Sam Nadler a few months ago and just now aired our interview together. What an interesting man!
Sam Nadler is founder and president of Word of Messiah Ministries. In his forty years of Messianic ministry, Sam has focused on raising leaders who plant Messianic congregations and make disciples. Sam mentors Messianic leaders around the world and is recognized as a congregation planter, teacher, and leaders’ coach. Sam has conducted numerous Messianic congregation planting and leadership conferences throughout North and South America, Israel, and Europe. To equip the Messianic community and the greater Body of Messiah in their calling to make Messianic disciples, Sam has written multiple books on Messianic congregation planting, discipleship, outreach, and the Feasts of Israel.
Enjoy wonderful music from Marty Goetz, Elana Watson, Ted Pearce, Joshua Aaron, Steve McConnell, Nancy Santiago and more!
What a joy to speak with the amazing Suzy Linett again! Here's some info about our gal Suzy:
Suzy Linett was born into a Jewish family and attended local synagogues as she pursued her education and obtained a degree in occupational therapy from the University of Southern California. She continues to work in that field providing services for children with special needs. Through evangelical friends, she accepted her Messiah and Lord in 1981.
Ms. Linett pursued her Bible education in her local church and through online studies. She became an active member of a Messianic Jewish Synagogue in 1994 and was involved in leadership and teaching until that congregation dissolved. In 2009, she joined Calvary Faith Center Foursquare Church in Rancho Cucamonga, CA, obtaining her ministerial license in 2012 and ordination in 2014.
Currently, she serves on staff as a teacher at that church and is also is the leader of Kehilat Emunah, a Messianic ministry designed to bring Jewish and Gentile believers together in understanding of the whole Word of GOD. Ms. Linett is the author of Mattityahu-Gift from God, a study of the Gospel of Matthew from a Hebraic perspective, and God is in the Waiting, a devotional about seeking the Lord’s guidance during times of difficulty. She a speaker at churches and Messianic Synagogues.
Today we will discuss her new book, “Unity of the Faith, Finding Harmony between Jewish and Gentile Believers by Examining Eight Key Topics.
Unity of the Faith: Finding Harmony Between Jewish and Gentile Believers by Examining Eight Key Topics: Linett, Suzanne, Pepoon, Loral, Tsalkova, Dusty Rose: 9781953211187: Amazon.com: Books
A friend handed me a book and said "I think you'll like this!" It was "Prepare a Room," by Michelle Shelfer. My friend was right, I thoroughly enjoyed the book!
Prepare a Room: A Path to Peace and Healing for Those Hurt by Abortion: Michelle Shelfer: 9781946497956: Amazon.com: Books
Michelle Shelfer lives with her husband of thirty-eight years in Northern California and loves to tend to her six chickens and eleven grandchildren. She provides musical leadership at her place of worship and is currently managing editor at Nordskog Publishing Inc.
Michelle was raised in a secular Jewish family in San Francisco. She was the child of bohemian artist parents, one of whom escaped the Holocaust. Michelle studied the arts, gaining a Masters degree in Motion Picture Animation from UCLA and going on to work in the field of educational software. She has produced award-winning, internationally screened animations and has released four musical recordings of her original compositions.
Michelle seeks to see the many men and women hurt by abortion healed and restored. She brings her own personal experience with abortion—with compassion, insight, and practical guidance—in the hopes that those who have been hurt will find relief and new life.
Enjoy her story and some fantastic music!
This delightful young lady loves Yeshua and is a talented artist. It was a privilege to talk with her and learn how she became involved in Messianic Judaism.
In her own words:
Hi! My name is Jessica Hultquist, and I am from Mobile, Alabama. I currently work as a Graduate Assistant and a PhD student in Instructional Design and Development at the University of South Alabama. I enjoy creating art pieces, especially with oil pastels and acrylic paint. When God gives me a dream or a vision, the strokes from my brush/pastels flow from my hands to the paper/canvas. In my spare time, I enjoy dancing at synagogue and operating the screens for the tech crew at church. You can find me on Facebook at Jessica Hultquist and on Instagram at jessicahultquistart.
Enjoy!
What a privilege to find this in the archives. Rabbi Scott lost a battle with Covid and is now in the arms of Yeshua. Here is a post from his obituary:
Rabbi Scott Sekulow of Chicago, Illinois, a Sr Rabbi at Congregation Beth Adonai has passed away August 12, 2021, he studied at Beulah Heights University after he went to Woodward Academy and Mercer University Atlanta.
Rabbi Scott’s wife, Judy Burnham Sekulow had recently stated on her Facebook post that her husband was hospitalized due to covid pneumonia.
Rabbi Scott Sekulow will be dearly missed by family and the Beth Adonai community. Our thoughts are with everyone who knew him.
”…… great sadness I wanted to let our community know of the departure of the Tzaddik from the world. Rabbi Scott Sekulow, a true son of Israel. Prayers for comfort for our the family. Thank you. We remember his beloved wife Judy Burnham Sekulow and his beloved daughter Natalie Sekulow . Please lift the entire family in prayer in this difficult moment. The Rabbi served over Beth Adonai Synagogue in Atlanta, and was truly a giant in the early days of Messianic Judaism. Rabbi Scott was a true lover of the G-D of Israel, the people of Israel, and his giant heart surely continue to work in the heavens. He served on several boards including on Ahavat Ammi International board. I will miss him so much as he is one of the few people in ministry that I can close true soul friends….”
Remember to keep his family in your prayers.