Founder’s Blog
The Memory of the Righteous
In Chasidic thought, it is an auspicious sign when a person dies on a holy day. On Shabbat Rosh Chodesh Adar, 5771, (the new moon of Adar), my spiritual mentor and teacher, Dwight A. Pryor (זצ״ל), passed into the world of truth. He died on a Shabbat, and more than that, he died on the new moon of Adar. According to the Talmud, "Joy increases in Adar." In this case, joy may have increased in heaven, but those of us still wrapped in this mortal coil lament the loss.
Mr. Pryor will be remembered for his great scholarship and his contribution to the work of restoring the Jewish Roots of Christianity. His Center for Judaic-Christian Studies has been a major contributor, and brought us books like Marvin Wilson's Our Father Abraham, and Bivin and Blizzard's Understanding the Difficult Words of Jesus. Mr. Pryor was also a founding member of the Jerusalem School of Synoptic Research and disseminated their work.
His spiritual contributions, however, weigh heavier than his academic contributions. His was a truly humble, gracious, and righteous soul--a man of integrity, wisdom, and the spirit of Messiah--without pretense and without braggadocio. He spoke into the lives of thousands, turning their eyes to Messiah, opening minds to the Jewishness of Jesus. Despite health complications, he worked tirelessly to bring the message of the kingdom and the Jewish roots of our faith into the midst of the Christian church. Untainted by the bitterness of many in the Hebrew Roots Movement, Mr. Pryor was animated by a genuine love for his brothers and sisters in Messiah.
He brought careful balance and real scholarship to a movement too often characterized by imbalance and lack of credibility. He was a progressive, never afraid to challenge the status quo when he felt it contradicted the testimony of scripture. He was not afraid to speak out against theological sacred cows--yet at the same time, he had a tremendous respect for the church, and labored toward her restoration, not her dismantlement.
In a sense, Dwight Pryor has a lot to do with the founding of the ministry of First Fruits of Zion. In 1991, I was working three jobs, was a young father, and had no intention of starting a ministry. I wanted to promote a local engagement where Dwight Pryor was speaking in Colorado. When the local Christian paper would not cooperate in publicizing the event, my wife Amber (Tikvah) and I began a small newsletter called Israel Today simply to promote Mr. Pryor's appearance. We were soon receiving subscription requests from all over the country--and thus the ministry was born. A few years later, in (1994,) we changed the name to First Fruits of Zion.
In 1999, we approached Mr. Pryor and asked if we might publish some of his articles in our magazine. Our magazine editor at the time was Jewish believer Keren Golan. She worked out of our Israel office and began corresponding with Mr. Pryor, who had lost his wife to cancer a few years earlier. They struck up a relationship, and before we knew it, Keren Golan became Keren Golan Pryor. I reflect back now on the day that Dwight called me to discuss Keren. Knowing the pain of loss he suffered at the death of his first wife, my heart was full of joy, knowing the caliber of Keren and what a perfect helpmate she would be for Dwight.
In some ways, it seems like Dwight's spiritual DNA has shaped the ministry of First Fruits of Zion. He pioneered much of the theological territory that we have settled. My colleagues Toby Janicki and D. T. Lancaster share my admiration for him. Dwight Pryor's teachings impacted both of them before they came to work for First Fruits of Zion. He is like a spiritual father to all of us at First Fruits. Although he was never officially affiliated with the ministry, he has always been willing to give us counsel (and at times correction), helping us to steer through these uncharted waters.
We inherited from him a love for the body of Messiah and a desire to impact the church with the message of Jewish Roots and the Jewishness of the Messiah. In that mission, we have tried, with varying degrees of success, to emulate his gracious, humble, long-suffering spirit. We have learned from him the importance of serious scholarship in this endeavor of restoration, and even more importantly, he taught us the value of accountability and connectedness within the body of believers.
Mr. Pryor will be missed by all of us at First Fruits of Zion and Vine of David. We send our condolences to Dwight's family and to our sister Keren: "May you be consoled along with the other mourners of Zion."
זכר צדיק לברכה
zecher tzadik livracha
May the memory of the righteous be for blessing.
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Visitor Feedback:
You know someone has impacted your life when you weep at their passing, even though they don't know you from Adam. Dwight has had a deep and lasting impact on my wife and myself, and was one of the people who helped us begin our journey to look deep into the rich Jewish heritage of our faith. Your words were very appropriate, Boaz. He was a luminary in our lifetime and will be greatly missed. The void of his presence will be felt in this present reality.
Darren Huckey | February 10, 2011 5:01 PM
I am sory for your loss!
Shalom!
Barbara Metcalf | February 10, 2011 6:14 PM
Newly introduced to this "Messianic" thinking somewhere around 2002, I was watching one of Dwight's videos. As I stopped the video to read something he spoke, I opened my bible and noticed a reflection off the glossy burgundy inside front cover. After adjusting the cover in the light I recognized something I had written. It was the "Shema". A friend, Tommy Beaver, of Beaver Productions, had taught it to me near 1988, but I did not much care at the time. Well, here I was over a decade later - watching Dwight's teaching - on a Sabbath nonetheless!! The teaching was great and better yet the Production was done by, you guessed it, my friend Tom.
Ken Sharrock | February 10, 2011 6:20 PM
What a loving and kind tribute to a very humble man. Thank you FFOZ!
I was deeply touched by Mr. Pryor's love and kindness toward the church. His loving messages always reflected a deep pure love for Messiah Yeshua. He will be greatly missed.
Katia
Katia | February 10, 2011 6:27 PM
His work was very influential in my life. He will be missed.
Peggy | February 10, 2011 11:22 PM
I knew Mr. Pryor in 2001 when a friend of mine in MN, send me 10 teachings in tapes of Mr. Pryor, since then, my life change and a passion for my Jewish Messiah, my Jewish brothers and sisters, my Jewish land and my Jewish Bible.
His way of teaching with passion and patience was unique, and reflect his long hours meditating in the word. His teachings was share with hundreds of brothers here in Juarez, Mexico, we spend hours and hours listen them again and again and never get tired of the wisdom that the eternal One Blessed Be he, put in this humble man. I will always remember and share his teachings.
May the Lord raise more man like brother Pryor. Thanks FFOZ, Boaz, Toby and Lancaster for have his teachings of these man of the Lord in your ministry. I love you my brotehrs.
Joel Barraza | February 11, 2011 1:04 AM
"He who makes peace in His heights, may He make peace upon us..."
James | February 11, 2011 11:01 AM
Dwight Pryor was a teacher "par excellence"! His influence on my faith, my love for the King, and my love of the Torah has been profound and life-changing as I "shema" - "hear and do." I am forever grateful for his life that touched my life!
Amy | February 11, 2011 1:35 PM
Dear Boaz...
Sincere condolences for your loss... Dwight Pryor impacted my life without knowing it as I read the books the Center for Judaic-Christian Studies published. I subscribed to A Taste of Torah for some time before I realized Keren was his wife. Now, to find out you were around when they met, etc., makes some sense... yFFOZ is also having "historic impact," even as the Center for Judaic-Christian Studies has, and hopefully will continue to... Shabbat shalom... ~ Dan
Dan Hennessy | February 11, 2011 3:26 PM
... a beautiful written tribute to a great man...
Dan Hennessy | February 11, 2011 3:41 PM
On our life’s journey we have listened to great teachers but none have influenced our lives as Dwight has. It was with anticipation that we looked forward to his monthly teachings which are listened to over and over. As stated by others, he was one of the few humble Jewish Roots teachers. He did not try build an empire or introduce new never before heard “hidden truths”, always ready to agree to disagree in a graceful manner, using his knowledge and life experience to reason what Torah says about controversial issues in the Hebraic movement, a steady keel in a sea of many currents.
We are truly thankful for the effect his teachings have had in people’s lives, especially those of FFOZ, it shows.
Finally, not many web based resources live up to what they show on the their sites .... Dwight and Keren truly live up to their statement:
“A trusted source of balanced, biblically based and Christ-centered scholarship from a Hebraic point of view”
Shalom Andre & Liz - Australia
Andre & Liz Rabe | February 12, 2011 12:10 AM
"When the righteous are born, nobody feels any difference, but when they die, everybody feels it" (Ecclesiastes Rabbah 7:4).
Eduard | February 12, 2011 9:25 AM
Dwight has greatly influenced my life as well, and I will always be grateful. When I knew very little about my Jewish roots, I felt his great knowledge and humility always searching and explaining new truths. And when I made Aliyah to israel 18months ago he allowed me to continue to be a member of his organisation without the normal fee until I could get work. Bless you dear friend and lihitraot!!!! Gilie
Gilly grant | February 12, 2011 2:49 PM
Dwight's legacy will be reflected in the fruit born through his students. He taught us to be "Father focused, Yeshua centered and Holy Spirit saturated. Lift up the name of Yeshua and you willno go astray.
Keshet | February 12, 2011 6:15 PM
My precious brother Boaz, for us who did not know this great friend and brother as you did, thank you for sharing with us, that which you have heard and have seen, and have received, as he has now been promoted to the entire gathering and assembly of the first-born having been enrolled in heaven, and to Elohim the Judge of all, and to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, and to Yeshua the Mediator of a new Covenant.
Phillip van Niekerk | March 12, 2011 12:03 AM