Frequently, as I have had the opportunity to minister in various congregations, I have asked people, ‘What do you think it means to be Jewish?’ People tell me that being Jewish is being part of the chosen people. Or that it is a person who has the Jewish religion. Or that it is a person who does not believe in Jesus...

One of the holidays that we will be celebrating in March is the Holiday of Purim. Purim is from the Hebrew Word for "lots" (see Esther 3:7; 9:20-22). Purim is a holiday that commemorates the time when God delivered the people of Israel from the evil plot of Haman, an Haman was the royal vizier to Persian king Ahasuerus, who was planning to have all of Persia's Jewish subjects killed...

It is important to understand the foundation of what Jewish people believe today. There is no single answer. The term dogma, which is much better applied to Christianity, has little place within Judaism. In Judaism, the need for a profession of belief did not arise, and rabbis saw no necessity for drawing up concise formulas stressing Jewish beliefs and faith...

While watching news reports on the heart-wrenching situation in Turkey, I was continually amazed at the reporter’s distortion of the reactions of the people upon recovery of trapped victims. You could hear the men yelling in unison praise to Allah; then the reporter says they all praise God for the recovery. What?...

Last month we celebrated Christmas and Chanukah. These are joyous holidays that remind us how God is the One who initiates the acts of salvation among His people. At Chanukah, we celebrate the miracle of light, God’s deliverance of the people of Israel, and the temple’s re-dedication. And on Christmas, we celebrate the day when Jesus— the second person of the Trinity— took on flesh to live among and save His people...