S1 EP13 | Was Thanksgiving Originally a Jewish Holiday?

What do costume parties and Bible reading have in common? What about plays and partying? Dice and triangle-shaped cookies? Why, Purim, of course! See how this crazy combination of elements comes together in one of the most fun and happy holidays of the Jewish year. ...

Get ready for a fun and meaningful episode of A Jew and A Gentile Discuss because Carly and Ezra are talking about food traditions surrounding Easter and Passover. It’s Part 2 of a three-part series about the two holidays. If you haven’t heard Part 1 yet, be sure to check out “The Difference Between Passover and Easter.” In this episode, they talk main dishes, bread, desserts and, of course, the curious foods that are part of the Passover observance.     The conversation centers on:  Easter traditions and food memories for both Carly, a Gentile Believer, and Ezra, the son of a Jewish father and Christian mother  The significance of foods for Passover and Easter  The meanings of the various foods on the Passover Seder plate  Where Passover ranks on the “spending-it-with-family” scale  What you can do if you’re a Christian interested in the Passover Seder    Along the way  During their conversation, you’ll also hear about:  Ezra’s favorite Easter food growing up and the strict family rule about it  What “have to” items must be on the Seder plate for it to be a Seder  The Passover egg and three different theories about what it represents  Passover’s not-so-nice-tasting food traditions and what it was like participating ...

So, you run across a person you know is Gentile but who wears a Star of David, a prayer shawl and says and does Jewish things. And you just don’t get it. Wait, what? Why…? Huh? Or maybe you’re one of those people; you’re Gentile, and you love Israel and the Jewish people just like the Bible says you should. So, what’s the problem, right? In this episode of A Jew and A Gentile Discuss, Carly and Ezra dig into the subject of “Jewish affinity” to sort out the questions and mysteries surrounding it. They challenge both sides with pointed questions and insights. Join them as they discuss: What “Jewish affinity” is and where it sometimes comes from Biblical examples of Jesus being Jewish Where the words Jew and Jewish come from Invitation vs. obligation regarding Jewish observance The line where Jewish things could become not so good for Gentiles Along the Way As always, as the conversation progresses, some great insights emerge, like: Flipping the script on perceived weirdness of a Jewish affinity due to mixed marriage Jesus not only “was” Jewish, Jesus “is” Jewish Interesting tidbit about how the “Lost Tribes of Israel” identify themselves Three questions Ezra answers with: “I absolutely do,” “No, I don’t,” and “Sure, I do” The two types of “Why” questions Gentiles should ask themselves about participating in Jewish things Do Christians earn anything in God’s eyes by doing Jewish things? Reasons why Messianic Judaism may have gotten a bad rap among the Christian community Caution about fair-weather alignment with the Jewish people Loving Jewish things but not Jewish people – Ouch! – Good point of self-examination Words You Might Learn in This Episode Rabbi, rabboni, Yehuda, Ani Yehuda, Bnei Menashe, Cohen/Kohanim, Lost Tribes, “scattered Jewish communities,” WWJD, Shabbat, tallit, mezuzah, ...