Hi. I want to understand how to spell my moms name in Hebrew.  My dad is Jewish but my mom is not.  I was not raised Jewish.  I have looked it up online but I see two write it.  Which is right? Her name is Marilyn

Genesis 3 states that G-d told lucifer that he would bruise the heel (a death but then a resurrection) of the coming seed while that coming seed will bruise his (lucifer's) head (total destruction).  G-d did not choose the guy down the street in Ur but chose Abraham.  G-d did not choose Ishmael but chose Isaac.  G-d did not choose Esau but chose Jacob.  We would all agree the Jewish nation comes through the lineage of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  Then G-d chose that coming seed, Yeshua, and not the physical lineage.  How is it so many Jewish people do not see this and accept the invitation to come into Yeshua?

My title is kind of tongue-in-cheek.  I remember an episode of Seinfeld where his dentist converted to Judaism and was telling Jewish jokes and Jerry was asked if he was offended as a Jewish person.  Jerry answered: "No! I am offended as a comedian!"  My question to all the Jewish members who are reading this is -If you have read the New Testament book of Hebrews -how can you not logically conclude Yeshua is the Messiah?  Thanks.

The proposed changes to Israel's Supreme Court by the current Israeli government appear to be well known. However, I would like to know whether the Israeli government has communicated their reasons for their proposed changes about the Israeli Supreme Court. 
If they have, then what are they? 

It seems rather unlikely the Israeli government would seek to proceed with their proposed legislation about the Israeli Supreme Court, without first letting the Israeli citizen know what are the Israeli government's concerns with the Supreme Court, concerns such that would arguably justify the proposed changes. 
I have been unable to find the Israeli government's reasoning on this, on the Internet. 

The protests against the proposed changes indicate a good knowledge of what those changes are, so is the Israeli government's reasoning for the proposed changes either:  
Absent, 
or 
Not properly communicated?

In the absence of communication of the Israeli government's concerns arguably-justifying their proposed changes, this would inevitably lead the Israeli citizen to suspect an undemocratic "power grab" by the executive and legislature, over the judiciary. 

I can only assume there must be something about the Supreme Court's track-record of decision making, about which the current Israeli government has concern. 
However, again I have been unable to find any information on the Internet regarding the Israeli Supreme Court's track-record of decision making.
I do however recall, that in the case of Jewish landowners seeking the return of their land from Palestinian Arabs at Sheikh Jarrah, the judges offered a license to the Palestinian Arabs to remain if they would recognize the ownership of the Jewish landowners (which of course the Palestinian Arabs refused); thus indicating (if my understanding of those circumstances is correct), that the judges gave an impression they might be more interested in finding a way to allow the Palestinian Arabs to remain, than in awarding vacant possession to the Jewish landowners.

Another way to put this issue might be: 

The changes to the Israeli Supreme Court proposed by the Israeli government, have produced significant protest in Israel, yet I have been unable to find on the Internet what are the Israeli Governments' s concerns with the Supreme Court, that have led them to propose the changes. For example, is there (I do not have such information) any track-record of Israeli Supreme Court decisions that comply with the political-bias in the United Nations against Israel which wrongly-considers the Jewish people to be invaders, thieves, and illegal-occupiers of their own ancestral-homeland of Israel. Were that to be the case, then it would be understandable that some or all the proposed changes might be needed, so as to cause the Israeli Supreme Court to comply with the Jewish people's rightful self-determination within their Jewish homeland - Israel and which includes the whole of Jerusalem and the "West Bank" (Judah and Samaria) - Look up the Jewish post-Biblical Hasmonean Kingdom).

2 April 2023.

I am born Jewish. I am an observant MO Jew for the fact that I want a structured life (following rules and keeping mitzvot, praying fixed prayers... gives meaning and routine to my life), because I want to be a part of my community, and because I am all against assimilation.
THE PROBLEM: I don't believe in G-d as understood by mainstream Judaism. I am agnostic and not sure what happens after death and I believe nobody has the truth.
With that said, I repeat: I am a very rigid person and need a strict routine in my life. That's why I observe this branch of Judaism. It gives meaning to my life.
Am I gone crazy?

I came here after being barred (hopefully temporarily) from posting or commenting in another [Judaism] discussion forum. It was the second time in 5 years.
I didn't say anything bad.  I was always respectful on an personal level-- no ad hominem.  I introduced and responded to ideas only.  Hopefully, ye are more tolerant to [Jewish] ideas.  I identify as Orthodox.  I won't pull punches in the search for truth.  I hope we can have productive discussions, l'shem Shamaim. Thank you.

Hello Everyone,

I hope you are doing well and that it is a beautiful day indeed.

I have been reading about the Feasts and how they foreshadow Yeshua's time on earth; Bo: Passover, Do This in Remembrance of Me.

Is there any historical record that you know of that connects Yeshua to Pesach (Passover)? I'm not sure if this was considered the Herodian Period or the Roman Period, but I believe it was during the first century, between the years 30 to 35. I had read and been told that that historian Flavius Josephus wrote about Yeshua, but I was wondering if there were other accounts?

Personally, the connection of Tehilliim (Psalms) to Yeshua's crucifixion is particularly surprising; Tehillim (Psalms) - Chapter 22.

Due to its complexity, this will be a very watered down version of my whole story, but I'll pick up on the main points. The main question for me remains: how do I bring some peace and understanding about the idea of personal Jewishness or non-jewishness?

For as long as I can remember I've crossed paths with Jewish culture/religion. I grew up in an intensely devout and passionately involved Christian (a strange mix between pentecostal/evangelical/charismatic) family - every single day I lived and breathed my faith, wholeheartedly. I have since left the church (cult) and am now writing a book a of short absurdist stories about the damage it caused; yet, it hasn't damaged my inquisitiveness and search for God. Running through the threads of my upbringing were themes of Judaism and Jewishness. Yes, I was exposed to much messianic judaism (which I thought very strange), reform and even progressive. It was an incredible opportunity to be involved in Shabbats, Pesach, Purim etc. I was circumcised very young, I don't remember it. The first instance I remember wearing a kippah was at around age 6. Yet, I wasn't Jewish and didn't claim to be throughout my life. I even remember an instance on more than one occasion that I told my Jewish friends that wasn't Jewish, to which they protested and said even so, they welcome me as a Jew. Ever since, I've felt incredibly welcomed and accepted and love taking part in festivals etc. Since my early teens, friends and family have flitted between calling me Samuel or Shmuel/Shmueli.

But I wasn't Jewish.

I'm sure you're thinking "this is getting complicated..."

Psychologically this whole idea of Jewishness has been a real conundrum. Considering all the arguments for what Jewishness may pertain to ie, social, ethnic, religous, cultural, etc,. I've been wholly flummoxed, and even quite annoyed with myself that it constantly niggles at my brain, the proverbial itch that you can't scratch.
My family always thought my dad was Jewish. There was even a story. Turned out he wasn't. Either way, my search for meaning, belonging and calm persisted, and wherever I adventured, the teachings and wisdom, culture, etc of Judaism would not go away. About three years ago, I started to teach myself about Chabad; reading, listening, watching everything I could. It blew my mind. Chabad to me felt like I'd found home. But I wasn't Jewish. I felt like God had found me, I had found God again, but not the Christian God.

I still had a hard time knowing that without any Jewish credentials or patronage, my journey into chabad was pretty much sitting on the sidelines. So, I suppressed everything I could about Judaism and Jewishness and started to focus on many other things that would bring me peace, understanding and enrichment.

For my parents' 50th wedding anniversary my family decided to get them two DNA tests. (I know what you're thinking, that baseless DNA fad) My mum's mum was illigitimate,so my mum just wanted to confirm a few things about what her mum had said to her growing up. The test results came back, and to our surprise my mum had Jewish ancestry. It wasn't anything to write home about, but, and it is a big 'but', suddenly everthing started to make sense. My mum, who knew she had family originating in Canada, found out that much of her heritage was of Eastern European descent - immigrants I can only guess. 

Knowing that hallacha says that the Jewish line is matri-lineal, I felt there was something to grasp, albeit something that made me feel I was still fabricating my own identity. I'm quite a rational person, and I avoid being disingenuous and try to source a reason/explanation for everything. Still, I'm utterly confounded as to how I identify, to myself. Itdoesn't matter much to me about who knows whether I'm Jewish or not, but when moments come up where someone asks, I feel I have to explain myself away, or just say "no". So, does that make me Jewish to a certain extent? I am very familiar with all the complexities about jewish identity and what it makes up, so right now I'm looking to discuss this to bring some sort of finalisation, just so my brain doesn't stop speeding around.

Amazingly, a new Chabad house was set up in my town at the start of the year. At this point I really thought God was moving mysteriously, but well. I went along purim, was welcomed abundantly, as a Jew. I didn't tell anyone my story, for one it was not the right moment, two it would have taken too long. So I revelled in the pursuit of belonging. I stayed late into the night having a stimulating conversation with the rabbi. He asked me to come back a week later to join him in evening prayers. This was yesterday. Feeling guilty, ridden with ideas that I was lying to myself and to him, I decided I'd tell him my story. I was super excited, but trepiditous was the step, for what could come of it? My feeling was that he'd understand and there would be some sort of sense of relief. To cut a long story short, he was fascinated with my story but - and I expected this - said that technically I'm not Jewish. He asked if I had any documents from my mother that could confirm my Jewry. I told him there were none and we've tried looking before. He understood, and he was very mature and personable about it all.

He still welcomed me to participate in future events, but as an observer. I suddenly felt a pang of real embarrasment and shame for attending purim and then later to his to put on teffilin. Oh yea, that was interesting. I had absolutely no idea he wanted to do that, but we did, and it wasn't until after that I told him my story. He was so excited that I had arrived that evening and there was 14 minutes before sundown so I thought 'If God planned this, then he has a sense of humour'. What made it more embarrassing and shameful for me was that the teffilin he brought out had never been worn, and he was giving me the honour of wearing them for the first time. I started learning Hebrew and the blessings from about aged 13 - my Christian Zionist/messianic influence was the main influence on this (I rejected the idea of Christ as saviour many years ago, but I was also always aware how the Christian church used the concept of Christian zionism for its own agenda - I always felt uncomfortable with the church's ideas on Israel or jewry, and subsequently didn't match what I felt was real Jewry, for myself).

I left mortified by myself, feeling I was an imposter, or that had I lied to myself and to him. Conversion was discussed, but that's a whole other issue. Time to give up this charade I said to myself. Push it away.

But why does all this mean so much to me? Why did I feel I'd found a community, but couldn't reconcile with myself any of the 36 years exposure and my genuine love for Judaism? The biggest question is however, how do I see myself? Jewish? Not Jewish? What are your thoughts? Ideas? Should I continue with this adventure? Where do I go from here?

I apologise for such a long post. But I'm sure you can agree that the complexity of the existential avenues that I've wandered down, a lot of the time without wanting to, have become a real trial for me.


Thank you for reading.

Hello everyone, I hope your day has been great.

I was reading in Shemot (Exodus) about the establishment of the first of the year and Passover in the month of Nisan. I  also recently read that the New Year is celebrated in the month of Tishrei? I was wondering if anyone could talk about the change? Thank you!