How Much do You Know about the Jewish People? Part One

Originally posted here: http://theundergroundsite.com/index.php/2009/08/how-much-do-you-know-about-the-jewish-people-part-one/

How Much do You Know about the Jewish People? Part One Posted: 23 Aug 2009 12:25 AM PDT A Christian named George has become friends with Simon, a Jewish man. George hasn’t yet found a way to approach the subject of the gospel with Simon. One day, he invites Simon to a party.  “I’m sorry, George, I can’t go that night,” Simon says. “It’s the start of the Jewish New Year.” “Jewish new year?” asks George. “I knew you had a separate one, but I didn’t know when.” “Yeah,  we sort of celebrate it for ten days leading up to Yom Kippur,” Simon replies. “Yum what?” George feels stupid for asking. He wants to tell Simon about Jesus, but now realizes he hasn’t really bothered to learn more about the Jewish people and their own customs. How much do you know about the Jewish people? The Jewish “High Holidays” are right around the corner. Rosh Hashanah (pronounced rush ha-sha-na and sometimes spelled Rosh Ha’Shanah) is the Jewish New Year. For 2009, it begins at sundown September 18. Rosh Hashanah is a celebration ushered in with the blowing of the beautiful shofar, a sort of trumpet made from a ram’s horn. At the end of ten days is Yom Kippur (yome kippoor). Yom Kippur is the yearly Jewish day of fasting - the Day of Atonement - when the people bring their sins before the Lord for forgiveness, as well as ask forgiveness of anyone they may have offended. They do not eat, drink or do any work for twenty-four hours. You may be thinking, I really don’t know any Jewish people; why should I read this? It’s important that Christians—and American ones in particular—make a special place in their heart for the Jewish people, especially because we two faiths believe in the same one true God of the universe, the God of Israel. Why in America particularly? Because it has the highest percentage of Jewish people in the world, and a climate of religious persecution is coming to America fast for both our faiths. Heavy persecution of churchgoers along with a new rise in anti-Semitism has reared  its head in America as in many formerly neutral European countries. By learning more about the Jewish people and their culture, Christians can better defend Israel and illustrate a desire for unity with Jewish people, thereby opening more opportunities to express our faith and hope. George is now exploring some Jewish issues before he talks to Simon again. Let’s go along with him and take a self-survey! As a Christian reading this, you are probably curious about matters concerning the Jewish world community, the nation of Israel and their relationship to world peace and Christianity. Ask yourself these questions: -How good is my knowledge of the Old Testament compared to the New? -In what New Testament book and chapter does Paul concentrate on explaining God’s special place for the Jews to new Gentile believers? -Am I aware of how sensitive most Jewish people are to the mention of Jesus and the Gospel message? -What’s another name for Jesus that I can use when speaking with Jewish people? -Am I aware that Jewish people feel The Church in general supported Hitler’s actions? -Why is the phrase “Jewish person” more polite than the term “Jew”? -Am I aware of the significance of these other Jewish holidays:  Passover, Hanukkah and Purim – and how they can be important to Christians?� -Is Judaism a nationality, a religion or a culture? -Do Jewish people really need to be “converted” to Christianity? -What’s a “Messianic” Jewish person? If you couldn’t come up with the answers to five or more of these questions, don’t go witnessing to a Jewish person just yet! Stay tuned for Part Two, where we’ll be answering these questions for George.

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