What is a "Messianic Synagogue"?

A messianic synagogue is one which affirms the messiahship of Yeshua (Jesus of Nazareth).

At Shuvah Yisrael, we gather for Torah (“instruction”), avodah (“worship”), and gemilut hasadim (“deeds of lovingkindness”). In this way, we are very much like congregations you would find in any Jewish community. And like any synagogue, we are a “Bet Knesset”, a place where the congregation assembles and addresses community needs, a “Bet Tefillah”, a place where we pray together, and a “Bet Midrash”, where we study our heritage and transmit it to the next generation.

Those who have visited or participated in the wider Jewish community find much that is familiar at Shuvah Yisrael — our liturgy, our wearing of traditional talleisim (prayer shawls) and kippot (skull caps), and our festival observances. Shuvah Yisrael feels like a synagogue because that is what it is!

As a Messianic Synagogue, we affirm our confidence that Yeshua of Nazareth is the Messiah promised in the Tenakh (commonly called the “Old Testament”), and our acceptance of the New Covenant Scriptures in addition to the Tenakh as G-d’s revelation to Israel and the nations.

Are you the same as Jews For Jesus?

No, we’re not.  Unfortunately, the term "Jews for Jesus," like the term "Kleenex" or "Xerox" has gone from having a specific reference to a more generalized usage in modern culture. Jews for Jesus is a mission organization headquartered in San Francisco. Their mission statement is "Jews for Jesus exists to make the Messiahship of Jesus an unavoidable issue to the worldwide Jewish community." The vast majority of Jews who believe in Yeshua of Nazareth are not "Jews for Jesus." The term we prefer to use to describe ourselves is "Messianic Jews." Rather than being a one-issue organization, we have both a different style and concern ourselves with more and/or other issues are not properly understood as being "Jews for Jesus." In other words, those who use the term "Jews for Jesus" in a blanket fashion are being imprecise and overgeneralized in their language. To better understand our issues and our style, you may of course visit our congregation and/or further tour our website.

Do I have to be Jewish to attend?

Every week at our congregation we welcome visitors who are not Jewish. However, like any synagogue, we chiefly exist to serve Jews. And therefore, we recognize and extend our community to serve the spiritual needs of interfaith couples (Jewish/Christian couples) and their families as well.

Do you celebrate Christmas/Easter and Hannukah/Passover?

Like other Jews, we celebrate Hanukkah and Passover. Unlike other Jews, we also observe and celebrate the coming of Messiah and the death and resurrection of Yeshua at the appropriate seasons--yet without borrowing the cultural trappings of other communities to do so. Believe it or not, we celebrate the coming of Messiah and his death and resurrection in Jewish ways!

How are you different from a church?

Churches tend to be ideologically committed to being a worshipping home for all ethnicities. In practice, this is rarely the case: it is a fact of human socialization and generally a given in community-building that people tend to form churches that are somewhat homogeneous.  At Shuvah Yisrael, we seek to be a synagogue: we are a community of Jews and interfaith couples and their families; we use Jewish liturgy in our services, wear the garb associated with Jewish prayer (tallit and kippah), and generally feel like "Jewish space." However, we are a synagogue of a different kind: we believe that Yeshua of Nazareth was the Messiah of whom Moses and the Prophets wrote, and we read the New Covenant as well as the Old Covenant Scriptures in our services. And in this, we have much in common with church people.

How are you different from other synagogues?

We are different from the synagogues of the wider Jewish community chiefly in our embracing Yeshua of Nazareth as Messiah, in our theology, experience and manifestations of the Holy Spirit, and in the authoritative role we give to the New Covenant Scriptures.

Do I have to know Hebrew to attend your services?

Our services are in Hebrew interspersed with English, and knowing Hebrew is beneficial because one can better appreciate the liturgical portions of the service. We do offer basic Hebrew classes several times a year so that people can pronounce the Hebrew words.

How should I dress for your services?

One should always dress his best, and conservatively, to attend synagogue services, and treat the occasion with respect and honor. And for the younger set, "Grunge" is definitely NOT the look!!