S2 EP5 | Communion: Borrowed from the Jews

Wait, what? Isn’t Thanksgiving about Pilgrims and discovering America? In this episode of A Jew and A Gentile Discuss, Carly and Ezra chat about Thanksgiving’s historical and national origins and bring out surprising information tying the holiday to Jewish roots. You’ll also hear each of their favorite Thanksgiving traditions and some age-old Yiddish wisdom of Ezra’s grandma. Plus, you’ll learn:  Possible passengers on Christopher Columbus’ fleet of ships  Pilgrim and Puritan ties to Judaism  How the Feast of Sukkot parallels with Thanksgiving  Why President Washington declared a national day of Thanksgiving and later, why President Lincoln reiterated it with new meaning  How a funny play on words in the modern Hebrew language ties turkey to giving thanks  How giving thanks is foundational in both Jewish and Christian thought  An enlightening take on understanding the will of God for our lives  Encouragement to return to being people of thanksgiving and fundamental reasons we have to be thankful regardless of what may be going on around us  Making thanksgiving the posture of our hearts every day  Words you might learn in this episode  Cristobol Colon, Maimonides, Mishnah, Sukkot, chicken of India, Hodu la-donai ki-tov ki le’olam chasdo (Give thanks to the Lord for His mercy endures forever), kvetching  Scriptures referenced in this episode  Psalm 118:1, Psalm 100:4, 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18  Check out other exciting conversations between “a Jew and a Gentile” wherever you listen to podcasts or go to www.ajewandagentilediscuss.org for more information.   We’d love to hear from you! L ...

Yeah, it can be uncomfortable. Intimidating? Maybe. Awkward? Probably. But seriously, it’s super important. Like, eternity-important. So, Ezra and Carly are here to help you understand some things that will make talking about Jesus with a Jewish friend easier for you and more meaningful for your friend. In this episode of A Jew and A Gentile Discuss, they talk about: The misconception that Jews don’t need Jesus Where to start when it comes to talking with a Jewish friend about Jesus Sharing the Gospel in the context of the Jewish Bible Words that will likely be misunderstood and terminology to use to help make the connection Sharing your faith testimony – is that good, relevant or what? Praying about the person and the conversation Along the way During the conversation, they share indispensable information about: An even bigger misconception that Jews don’t need a Redeemer The Jewish mindset given there is no Temple to carry out the biblically prescribed method of atonement Encouragement to dig into the Bible and discover some of the many other Messianic prophecies What’s even more important than being sensitive to terminology A challenge Ezra gives – try it for a week and see what happens Words you might learn in this episode Ben Adam, Tanakh, Yeshua, Yeshu, mitzvah Scriptures referenced in this episode Genesis 3:15, Genesis 1–3, Romans 1:16, Deuteronomy 18:15, Acts 3:22, Isaiah chapter 53, Daniel 9:26, Revelation 12:11, Matthew 15:28, Luke 24:27, Haggai 2:7, Romans 11:25–26 ◦◦◦ You Could Win a Free Bag of Ethiopian Coffee Enter our monthly drawing at www.ajewandagentilediscuss.org, and you could win a free bag of some of the finest Ethiopian coffee in the world from Lost Tribes Coffee Co. Do you like what you hear? You know, the only way we can continue providing these engaging conversations ...

Ezra Benjamin and Carly Berna, your hosts of the brand-new A Jew & A Gentile Discuss podcast, introduce themselves and explain what makes this podcast so different. Ezra is the Jewish half of the conversation. He and his family celebrate Jewish holidays, including Chanukah and Passover. After earning a degree in Business and Finance, Ezra worked for a faith-based non-profit in the Chicagoland area. When he volunteered on a Medical Outreach with Jewish Voice Ministries International, Ezra sensed God calling him to make a neglected aspect in the Christian non-profit world a priority in his life: Jewish ministry. Ezra began working for Jewish Voice in 2010 and has spent the last decade leading 40-some Medical Outreaches to the “Lost Tribes of Israel” living in Central Asia, India, Africa and beyond. Carly is a Gentile Christian who celebrates Christmas and Easter. She’s been working for Jewish Voice for over seven years in a role that connects people who care about the mission of Jewish Voice – which is to transform lives and see all Israel saved – to the organization so they can live out their mission through what we’re doing. Carly earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in Business. She worked at a Phoenix-area non-profit and tried her hand at starting her own business. She is currently in seminary because she loves learning. In this 8-minute introductory episode of A Jew & A Gentile Discuss, Carly and Ezra share their common ground as believers in Jesus as the Messiah and let you know what you can expect from the podcast.  Highlights include: Helping you understand what’s going on in the world from a biblical worldview Relevant topics of today and what they have to do with the Bible and tenets ...