Changes

*follows an [[Evangelical Christian]] [[theology]].  

*follows an [[Evangelical Christian]] [[theology]].  

They differ from other Jews over their beliefs about the Messiah. Messianic Congregations are made up of people of Jewish and non-Jewish backgrounds, and are distinctly Jewish in [[culture]]. All celebrate Jewish [[Holy Days]] and support the State of [[Israel]], and most have their main service on the seventh day [[Sabbath]]. They believe that all of the [[Bible]], both the Tanakh and the [[New Testament]], is inspired by [[God]], and that the New Testament was written by Jewish writers to announce to the world the arrival of the long awaited Jewish Messiah.

They differ from other Jews over their beliefs about the Messiah. Messianic Congregations are made up of people of Jewish and non-Jewish backgrounds, and are distinctly Jewish in [[culture]]. All celebrate Jewish [[Holy Days]] and support the State of [[Israel]], and most have their main service on the seventh day [[Sabbath]]. They believe that all of the [[Bible]], both the Tanakh and the [[New Testament]], is inspired by [[God]], and that the New Testament was written by Jewish writers to announce to the world the arrival of the long-awaited Jewish Messiah.

All Jewish [[denomination]]s reject Messianic Judaism on the principle that belief in Jesus automatically makes them Christian, and therefore outside of the Jewish community. In fact, Messianic Judaism fits the definition of Christian provided in the dictionary. Many view Messianic Judaism as a dangerous and subversive form of [[apostasy]].<!-- We need more here about this rejection. I'm not "fact-tagging" this. I'm fairly sure it's true. But we need to know who says this and WHY they say it. For example, WHY does believe in Yeshua automatically exclude a person from the Jewish community? When did this this exclusion become automatic? -->

All Jewish [[denomination]]s reject Messianic Judaism on the principle that belief in Jesus automatically makes them Christian, and therefore outside of the Jewish community. In fact, Messianic Judaism fits the definition of Christian provided in the dictionary. Many view Messianic Judaism as a dangerous and subversive form of [[apostasy]].<!-- We need more here about this rejection. I'm not "fact-tagging" this. I'm fairly sure it's true. But we need to know who says this and WHY they say it. For example, WHY does believe in Yeshua automatically exclude a person from the Jewish community? When did this this exclusion become automatic? -->

[[Jews for Judaism]] claims that

[[Jews for Judaism]] claims that

Messianic missionaries have used deceit to trick Jews into converting, such as not mentioning that Messianic Jews believe Jesus is God to people who they evangelize to to.<ref name="a1">http://www.jewsforjudaism.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=375&Itemid=420</ref>

Messianic missionaries have used deceit to trick Jews into converting, such as not mentioning that Messianic Jews believe Jesus is God to people who they evangelize to.<ref name="a1">http://www.jewsforjudaism.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=375&Itemid=420</ref>

Messianic organizations get most of their funding from Evangelical Christian organizations.<ref name="a1"/> In fact many Messianic organizations are former Evangelical Christian missions to Jews. For example, Messianic Jewish Alliance of America, one of the most well known Messianic organizations, was originally named the, Hebrew Christian Alliance of America, an Evangelical Christian organization geared towards spreading Christianity amongst Jews. Chosen People Ministries, another Messianic organization was originally named the, American Board of Missions to the Jews. Another organization called Jews for Jesus, which some identify with the Messianic movement, was founded in 1973 by Martin Meyer Rosen, an ordained Baptist minister. He had been a missionary for several years in the past geared towards converting Jews to Christianity, when he was unsuccessful he came up with Jews for Jesus.

Messianic organizations get most of their funding from Evangelical Christian organizations.<ref name="a1"/> In fact many Messianic organizations are former Evangelical Christian missions to Jews. For example, Messianic Jewish Alliance of America, one of the most well known Messianic organizations, was originally named the, Hebrew Christian Alliance of America, an Evangelical Christian organization geared towards spreading Christianity amongst Jews. Chosen People Ministries, another Messianic organization was originally named the, American Board of Missions to the Jews. Another organization called Jews for Jesus, which some identify with the Messianic movement, was founded in 1973 by Martin Meyer Rosen, an ordained Baptist minister. He had been a missionary for several years in the past geared towards converting Jews to Christianity, when he was unsuccessful he came up with Jews for Jesus.

==How Messianic Jews see themselves==

==How Messianic Jews see themselves==

As a movement, modern Messianic Judaism is still very young. Prior to this, in the 1950s-1970s, Jews who believed in Jesus saw themselves as "Jewish Christians" or "Hebrew Christians" or a Christians of Jewish origins. Some were members of Churches, and some not but often met together to be "at home" with fellow Jewish believers. The most prominent organization of Jewish Christians was the Hebrew Christian Alliance of America , holding monthly meetings and annual banquets. It was not uncommon to hear Yiddish spoken at their meetings as well as English. But nowadays, Jewish expression among Jewish believers in Jesus is evinced in and through Messianic Congregations as well as home meetings rather than Churches. Many Messianic Jews in American are experiencing their 2nd and 3rd generation of believers and so provision is made for youth meetings and full family life that finds Jewish expression in the traditional home celebrations of Shabbat, Passover, Succoth and Hannukah celebrations. Messianic Jews also celebrate other of the Jewish Holidays but without the the religious and Halachic commandments and significances. For example, few Messianic Jews keep the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) halakhically as Jesus' atonement on the cross has preempted the traditional rational for the Day and few Jews keep Tisha B'Av—the Ninth of Av, a fast day that mourns the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. On the other hand, Israel and its survival and its continued existence as a Jewish Nation and a homeland and a refuge for the Jews is almost universally supported by Messianic Jews, probably as much as among the non Messianic religious Jews, and probably much more than secular Jews. The foundation for this adherence to the rebirth and resurgence of Israel is more the Biblical promises of God that are believed in through the teaching and preaching of their Congregations than it being based on a nationalistic or cultural agenda. Most Messianic Jews see themselves as the "first fruits" or the advanced guard of the Jewish people coming to faith in Jesus as the Messiah of Israel and the Light of the Gentiles and most are evangelistically minded toward Jews as well as non Jews coming to faith in Jesus. However, few of them have adopted "Jewishness" as a means of attracting Jews to the faith. This is for the simple reason that almost all Messianics either have experienced a deep and sincere personal conversion to Jesus that has affirmed them in whatever Jewishness that was theirs, either great or little, or they have grown up as Messianics and the Jewishness they live in is already "second nature". It is, they feel,  not up for sale, for exploitation, or for "commercial use" in evangelism. This is not to say that Messianic Jews are not learning in their Jewishness and that in step with their learning to follow Jesus as their Lord. In that way, many Messianic Jews "become" more Jewish, much in the same way that secular Jews become more Jewish. Most Messianic Jews are aware that to believe in Jesus is to be fulfilled personally in what God holds out for them and their people and are good Jews for doing so, and sincerely wish the same for their fellow Jews. Though Messianic Jews are sometimes thought to be merely Evangelical Christians in "Jewish disguise", and having the mainstay of Christian belief, this is not universally so. Groupings of Messianic Jews as well as individual ones, may be differing in their adherence to Christian trinitarian and incarnational theology, and range the full gamut in understanding and creedal confession - when there is a creed. There is also a great range of practice of the Mitzvot or practice of the religious law and custom. This range of belief and custom, is evinced among the congregations in Israel as well as in the Unite States. Messianic Jews see that they have an added mission as believers in Jesus. This is to bring to Christians a deeper knowledge of the "Hebrew roots" of their own Christian faith. In Israel, there is great opposition to Messianic Judaism, while at the same time, there is a growing awareness of the movement that is keeping pace with with the growing numbers of Israelis (estimated to be 15,000) that are turning to Yeshua (Jesus) in faith. This is the investigative reporting about the movement of a recent feature by "Ulpan Shishi" (Friday Studio)a secular Israeli News T.V. review. This video is in Hebrew but with English subtitles [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sEBAldf4L0] The following is an example of the surprising diverstity found among Messianic Jews. The subject is an Indian physician working among the tribe of Bnei Menasha of north east India, whom he was instrumental in "discovering", who have been recently declared eligible for immigration to the State of Israel as descendents of Menaseh, together with Ephraim, one of the 10 lost tribes of Israel [http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/973487.html]. His hope is that the "hundreds of thousands" of Messianic Jews, like himself,  found among the Bnei Menasha will with the rest of the tribe, also be eligible for immigration to Israel.  

As a movement, modern Messianic Judaism is still very young. Prior to this, in the 1950s-1970s, Jews who believed in Jesus saw themselves as "Jewish Christians" or "Hebrew Christians" or a Christians of Jewish origins. Some were members of Churches, and some not but often met together to be "at home" with fellow Jewish believers. The most prominent organization of Jewish Christians was the Hebrew Christian Alliance of America, holding monthly meetings and annual banquets. It was not uncommon to hear Yiddish spoken at their meetings as well as English. But nowadays, Jewish expression among Jewish believers in Jesus is evinced in and through Messianic Congregations as well as home meetings rather than Churches. Many Messianic Jews in American are experiencing their 2nd and 3rd generation of believers and so provision is made for youth meetings and full family life that finds Jewish expression in the traditional home celebrations of Shabbat, Passover, Succoth and Hannukah celebrations. Messianic Jews also celebrate other of the Jewish Holidays but without the religious and Halachic commandments and significances. For example, few Messianic Jews keep the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) halakhically as Jesus' atonement on the cross has preempted the traditional rational for the Day and few Jews keep Tisha B'Av—the Ninth of Av, a fast day that mourns the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. On the other hand, Israel and its survival and its continued existence as a Jewish Nation and a homeland and a refuge for the Jews is almost universally supported by Messianic Jews, probably as much as among the non Messianic religious Jews, and probably much more than secular Jews. The foundation for this adherence to the rebirth and resurgence of Israel is more the Biblical promises of God that are believed in through the teaching and preaching of their Congregations than it being based on a nationalistic or cultural agenda. Most Messianic Jews see themselves as the "first fruits" or the advanced guard of the Jewish people coming to faith in Jesus as the Messiah of Israel and the Light of the Gentiles and most are evangelistically minded toward Jews as well as non Jews coming to faith in Jesus. However, few of them have adopted "Jewishness" as a means of attracting Jews to the faith. This is for the simple reason that almost all Messianics either have experienced a deep and sincere personal conversion to Jesus that has affirmed them in whatever Jewishness that was theirs, either great or little, or they have grown up as Messianics and the Jewishness they live in is already "second nature". It is, they feel,  not up for sale, for exploitation, or for "commercial use" in evangelism. This is not to say that Messianic Jews are not learning in their Jewishness and that in step with their learning to follow Jesus as their Lord. In that way, many Messianic Jews "become" more Jewish, much in the same way that secular Jews become more Jewish. Most Messianic Jews are aware that to believe in Jesus is to be fulfilled personally in what God holds out for them and their people and are good Jews for doing so, and sincerely wish the same for their fellow Jews. Though Messianic Jews are sometimes thought to be merely Evangelical Christians in "Jewish disguise", and having the mainstay of Christian belief, this is not universally so. Groupings of Messianic Jews as well as individual ones, may be differing in their adherence to Christian trinitarian and incarnational theology, and range the full gamut in understanding and creedal confession - when there is a creed. There is also a great range of practice of the Mitzvot or practice of the religious law and custom. This range of belief and custom, is evinced among the congregations in Israel as well as in the Unite States. Messianic Jews see that they have an added mission as believers in Jesus. This is to bring to Christians a deeper knowledge of the "Hebrew roots" of their own Christian faith. In Israel, there is great opposition to Messianic Judaism, while at the same time, there is a growing awareness of the movement that is keeping pace with the growing numbers of Israelis (estimated to be 15,000) that are turning to Yeshua (Jesus) in faith. This is the investigative reporting about the movement of a recent feature by "Ulpan Shishi" (Friday Studio)a secular Israeli News T.V. review. This video is in Hebrew but with English subtitles [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sEBAldf4L0] The following is an example of the surprising diverstity found among Messianic Jews. The subject is an Indian physician working among the tribe of Bnei Menasha of north east India, whom he was instrumental in "discovering", who have been recently declared eligible for immigration to the State of Israel as descendents of Menaseh, together with Ephraim, one of the 10 lost tribes of Israel [http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/973487.html]. His hope is that the "hundreds of thousands" of Messianic Jews, like himself,  found among the Bnei Menasha will with the rest of the tribe, also be eligible for immigration to Israel.  

===Why Messianic Judaism sees itself as distinct from Christianity===

===Why Messianic Judaism sees itself as distinct from Christianity===

===Israeli secular support===

===Israeli secular support===

Support for the civil rights of Messianic Jews in Israel has come from the quarters of civil rights activists and lawyers and some on the secular political spectrum. The reason for this has to do with the political apportionment of cabinet positions and ministries. Israel rarely has enough support in the electorate to ensure majority vote for any one party in the election of the government. Therefore political parties vie for the support of smaller parties to bring them into the government on their side. Shas, the Sephardic based religious party, often is one of these parties, and for their support, the larger parties usually offer it the Ministry of the Interior which deals with their interests. Part of their interest is the curtailing of missionary work in Israel which is accomplished by the Ministry of the Interior blocking the issuance to foreign missionaries of visas, and the preventing of Messianic Jews from abroad from taking out citizenship. Anti-missionary groups (foremost among them being "Yad L'Ahim"-Hand to the Brothers) unofficially are resource to the Ministry of Interior.  Thus Messianic Jews find support among these civil rights lawyers and groups who find that in the defense of Messianic Jews, the power of the Ministry of the Interior is limited and civil rights for all citizens are more strongly established.

Support for the civil rights of Messianic Jews in Israel has come from the quarters of civil rights activists and lawyers and some on the secular political spectrum. The reason for this has to do with the political apportionment of cabinet positions and ministries. Israel rarely has enough support in the electorate to ensure majority vote for any one party in the election of the government. Therefore, political parties vie for the support of smaller parties to bring them into the government on their side. Shas, the Sephardic-based religious party, often is one of these parties, and for their support, the larger parties usually offer it the Ministry of the Interior which deals with their interests. Part of their interest is the curtailing of missionary work in Israel which is accomplished by the Ministry of the Interior blocking the issuance to foreign missionaries of visas, and the preventing of Messianic Jews from abroad from taking out citizenship. Anti-missionary groups (foremost among them being "Yad L'Ahim"-Hand to the Brothers) unofficially are resource to the Ministry of Interior.  Thus Messianic Jews find support among these civil rights lawyers and groups who find that in the defense of Messianic Jews, the power of the Ministry of the Interior is limited and civil rights for all citizens are more strongly established.

===Evangelical support===

===Evangelical support===