Category: Founder’s Blog

 

Is the Bible B.S.?

Dan Savage's talk at the National High School Journalism Conference went viral over the past couple of days and was also featured on main news sites such as CNN. In his address he states, We can learn to ignore the bullshit about gay people in the Bible the same way we have learned to ignore the bullshit in the Bible about shellfish, about slavery, about dinner, about farming, about menstruation,...
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Becoming A Better Boss

***This was first published on my personal blog: BoazMichael*** On Saturday night a group of us gathered together for the Meal of Messiah, which is a unique Seder that takes place at the close of the week of Pesach. It was a wonderful time--a time of singing, eating fish, and contemplating on the future work of the Messiah. At the conclusion of our Seder we went directly into Havdalah--a time,...
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Remembrance and Repentance

With the freedom of Passover on everyone's mind I would like to spend a moment reflecting on a time of great tragedy. The annual Shoah (Holocaust) memorial falls this year on April 19th and should be a time of remembrance and activism for every disciple of Yeshua. First Fruits of Zion is supporting this activism through one of our strengths--publishing. For years I have wanted to create of book that...
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Vacation Time

I've had an incredible amount of difficulty compartmentalizing my life. It seems that my social, family, and ministry life all blend together. Actually, they do blend together. Over the years, I've taken little time for myself, for rest, or for personal renewal. Near the end of the completion of the Delitzsch Hebrew Gospels I kept hearing from friends and even strangers, "When was the last time you had a vacation?...
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A KISS from me to you

With all the kissing going on today. I though I would give you a KISS and say that I love you all and am committed to our relationship. This is the editorial letter in the current edition of Messiah Journal, entitled, A Simple Vision. I received a copy of Steve Job's biography as a gift for Hanukkah. I have been an Apple user for many years and have participated as...
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Kosher Sunday School

Almost every Sunday that I am in town I attend a local Southern Baptist church with my wife. We enjoy the fellowship with other believers and it affords us the opportunity to build bridges, connect, and discuss perspectives. The last few months we've been working through the books of Numbers and Deuteronomy, which has been "home turf" for me. This last week we discussed the dietary laws--it was a...
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Biblically Kosher Release Update

God willing, we will be shipping our newest book, Biblically Kosher, next week. Biblically Kosher is a book that examines in detail what the Bible (both the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament) says about food. Many people say that they keep "biblically kosher" or have a "Leviticus diet" because they avoid eating the unclean animals listed in Leviticus 11. But the Bible actually says much more about what to...
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A Six-Week Challenge: Shovavim

"Every action has an equal and opposite reaction" is the third of Newton's laws of motion. Most of the time when this formula is used, it is outside the context of physics--and is applied to choices that we make that bring certain consequences or results. This morning at our weekly FFOZ chapel service I passed on a challenged to our staff to make a six-week commitment to the "wayward ones."...
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Some Religious Predictions for 2012

It's a new year. It's a time for some predictions. CNN released at the turn of the year an interesting blog of various spiritual leaders casting their predictions for 2012. There were three thoughts/predictions that caught my eye. Sabbath Becomes Trendy! Fourth Commandment makes a comeback! Sabbath named Time's person of the year! A new movement sweeps the country. They call themselves 24/6. Worn out by being tethered to the...
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Five Reasons To Celebrate Hanukkah

1. Did you know that Hanukkah is in the Gospels? Hanukkah is not mentioned in the Hebrew Scriptures because the story of Hanukkah happened after the last book of the Tanakh (Hebrew Scriptures) had been written. However, Hanukkah is mentioned in the Gospels. Yeshua went to the Temple for the Feast of Hanukkah. 2. Did you know that Hanukkah is a story of religious persecution? Hanukkah is a story of...
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This is the Torah

What is Torah? It may seem obvious enough. Torah means Law. But does it? If Torah just means Law, shouldn't it begin in Exodus 20 with the Ten Commandments? Those are the first bonafide laws of the Torah. Instead, the Torah begins in Genesis 1. It tells the story of the creation of the universe, the origins of man, the tales of the Patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. It takes...
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Rosh Hashanah & Admonishing the Idle

This is a season of favor and forgiveness, growth, maturity, reconciliation with God and man. It is a time of new beginnings. Listen to the sound of the Shofar! Traditionally this festival is a time of the creation of the world and the re-creation of man. It is understood that at this time man can experience the newness of creation through his reconnection with God. This renewal process does not...
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eMidrash: John 3:16

Let's try to do a virtual drash (to inquire or seek similar occurrences) on the Delitzsch Hebrew Gospels rendering of John 3:16ff, 15:13ff as compared to the prayer Ahava Rabbah--the prayer immediately prior to the Shema, the "Hear O Israel...." Thematically there are some pretty nice parallel themes and allusions happening in these texts. We are not able to know if Deltizsch's use of the term Ahavah Rabbah is intended...
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The DHE Ships!

Today we start shipping The Delitzsch Hebrew Gospels (DHE) to all qualifying Torah Club v.4 members. We will be shipping the Bible via USPS media mail. You should receive it within the next week. Pictured is the box to be on the look out for. We continue to receive favorable responses from various reviewers. Here is one that we received this morning. We at Judeo-Christian Research would like to recommend...
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The Four Jobs of a Disciple

In the first century, the disciples of the Sages had four major tasks to perform. These tasks describe the cultural context of the institution of discipleship in the Gospels. To memorize their teacher's words It was the job of a disciple to memorize the words of his Master. The oral transmission process was the only intergenerational communication practiced among the Sages. The great Rabbis and Torah scholars of first century...
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U.K. & S.A. International Meetings

London UK I will be sharing at Beit Sar Shalom on Shabbat July 23 in London, England. I will be presenting the Delitzsch Hebrew Gospels: A Hebrew/English Translation. If you live in the area it would be nice to meet you. London, England was the city in which the first editions of the Hebrew New Testament streamed forth throughout Europe to bring the Gospel message to Jewish people in the...
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Why is reading the DHE important for Christians?

This week we formally announced the publication of The Delitzsch Hebrew Gospels: A Hebrew / English Translation (DHE). Check out our announcement page here: DHE Countdown. Reading the DHE is important for Christians because it places the Gospels back in their proper context. The Messiah came as a Jewish man to the Jewish people in the land of Israel. This was no accident. Rather, this was the setting that the...
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Negligent Genocide

Can there be genocide without the intent to commit genocide? The church has sinned. Its sin is one of supersessionism--which has led to negligent genocide. I realize that this is a serious accusation and it demands explanation. Our newest book, The Holy Epistle to the Galatians builds the case that the church's reading of Galatians (and Paul in general) has resulted in the elimination of an entire people group--Jewish believers...
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The DHE is Finished!

The Delitzsch Hebrew Gospels: A Hebrew/English Translation (DHE) is complete and on press. After several years of dedicated and careful labor we are now finished. Thank you for your patience with us. I pray that you will be immensely blessed by this work. More importantly I fervently pray that this volume of the four Gospels will be redemptive--firmly restoring the Gospels back to a Jewish matrix and will bring Yeshua...
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Linguistic Bridges

One of the strengths of the Delitzsch Hebrew/English Gospels is an innumerable number of what I call, "Linguistic Bridges." Delitzsch's word choice frequently draws the reader back to messianic references in the Tanakh making beautiful links and bridges to the Gospels. These links can only be discerned and realized when one is familiar with the Hebrew--which may account for the historic success that the Delitzsch NT has had in communicating...
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Beginning the Struggle

This last week I spent three days at a Jewish missions conference called the Lausanne Consultation on Jewish Evangelism (LCJE). It was the first LCJE event I have attended in 12 years--since I participated 12 years ago at the international LCJE in Jerusalem. It was a nice time to reconnect with many of the organizations that have a specific focus on Jewish outreach. I was really not sure what to...
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Be Intentional with Passover

Last year, through Vine of David, we accomplished an important goal--we created and published a completely traditional Messianic Jewish Haggadah. The Vine of David Haggadah is the full service with sensitive and intentional messianic insertions. The Vine of David (VOD) Haggadah is not for everyone though. It assumes that the participants are familiar and comfortable with a traditional Passover Seder. For some, the complete Hebrew throughout, the references to the...
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121 Years Ago Tonight

Yahrtzeit is a Yiddish term that means, "Time of Year" it is a specific time to memorialize the death of a loved one, an honored teacher, or a community leader. Specifically it is a time each year to reflect on and remember the life of someone that has past away. Tonight, begins the Yahrtzeit for Franz Delitzsch. He passed away on March 4, 1890 which corresponds to the Hebrew date...
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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,...
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We Thank You v.2

Vine of David is proud to announce the release of We Thank You: Blessing of Thanks Before and After Meals. Originally published in 2008 under First Fruits of Zion, this resource has now transitioned into a Vine of David resource. Minor editorial adjustments throughout have sharpened this work in making it a timeless resource for you to use for your pre- and post-meal blessings. Corrections & Changes Enhanced: Prayers start...
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"A Brilliant Light"

A few days ago we were translating some of the Hebrew works of prominent nineteenth century Messianic Jews when we came across this review of the seventh edition of the Delitzsch Hebrew New Testament by Chaim Yedidah Theophilus, aka, "Lucky." Vine of David is translating the final edition, the eleventh edition, into English. The year 2011 is going to be an exciting year. The publication of the Delitzsch Hebrew English...
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Who and What is FFOZ?

First Fruits of Zion (FFOZ) is a Messianic Jewish educational ministry dedicated to proclaiming the Torah and its way of life, fully centered on Messiah, to today's people of God. FFOZ has offices in North America and Israel, FFOZ has both Jewish and Gentile staff and contributors. We are on a mission to restore the original faith and practice of the apostles and first followers of Yeshua of Nazareth. We...
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Blossom!

Guest Review by Darren Huckey. What do wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, honey and/or dates and this month have in common? Two weeks from today is a minor holiday called Tu Bishvat. Tu Bishvat means the 15th of the Hebrew month of Shevat. A few years ago our family started celebrating Tu Bishvat, and it has been a unique and fun time for the family to remember the provision...
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Respect the Work that God is Doing

I wanted to share with you the cover letter for this months Torah Club members. Shalom, This month I wanted to share with you a note from a pastor friend who is learning Torah, has a Torah study in his church, leads Passover Seders in his church, fasts on Jewish fast days as a matter of solidarity with Israel, etc., etc. I send this note as a reminder to each...
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Plant & Bloom

Here is an announcement of two new and exciting resources. Tu Bishvat this year falls on Thursday January 20th. In light of the recent fires in Israel, this year's observance of Tu Bishvat has added importance and meaning. Plan to host a Tu Bishvat seder on or around the 20th and use our new resources (to be announced next week) as a springboard for discussion, education, and implementation. New Resources...
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Conference, Seminar, & Tour Dates 2011

This coming year FFOZ will be hosting several important educational conferences as well as a big end-of-the-year Simchat Torah bash. Good times of fellowship, learning, and connection are ahead. Some of you may need to inform your employer or plan your year prior to the close of 2010 so we want to get you these dates as soon as possible. Details will be worked out over the next couple months,...
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Pagan Roots of Christianity

First Fruits of Zion is a Torah-teaching, Yeshua-believing Messianic Jewish ministry. One would expect that we would receive harsh criticism from traditional Judaism and traditional Christianity because all of our materials and our very existence challenge their paradigms. On the contrary, our harshest and angriest critics are always people who identify themselves as Torah-keeping Yeshua-believers. For example, my colleague Toby Janicki has just completed a new audio teaching entitled, "What...
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Wise Men Still Seek Him

Long ago, wise men sought out the one born king of the Jews. In the days of King Herod, when Yeshua was born in Beit-Lechem of Yehudah, megushim [wise men] came from the land of the east to Yerushalayim. They said, "Where is the king of the Yehudim who was born? For we have seen his star in the east and have come to bow down to him." (Mattai 2:1-2...
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Line Extension

Line extension, in business terms, is the use of an established product's brand name for a new item in the same product category. Companies do this all the time to further expand their business, profits, and market dominance. Line extensions seem to make a lot of sense: If Listerine has established a good name as mouthwash and is known for the power to create fresh breath, kill plaque, and clean...
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Messiah Journal Reviewed

There are a lot of solid points of learning available by staying connected on a daily basis with the developing Messianic movement through the Messianic blogosphere. If you have not connected with some of the Messianic blogs, I would encourage you to do so, as each day these bloggers bring important issues to the table. Recently, some bloggers have reviewed the forthcoming Messiah Journal issue 105. The journal will be...
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FaceGod not Facebook

Do you ever feel overwhelmed--like you just have too much on your plate and you cannot keep up? Here at First Fruits of Zion, we are always taking on more projects than we can handle, and we talk about having "too many balls in the air." When a juggler has too many balls in the air, he's going to drop a few, or eventually, he may end up dropping all...
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Luke 2:27 through Hebrew Eyes

It has been very exciting and interesting to see the stories and teachings of our Master through the lens of the Hebrew language. Many English translations focus on making Yeshua seem more culturally relevant and familiar, but this obscures his true national and cultural identity. More than anything, when reading the Hebrew (and hopefully our Hebraic English translation) it becomes immediately apparent that Yeshua and his students were Jews observing...
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Reconstructing the Hebrew of Luke 10:27

It has been very exciting and interesting to see the stories and teachings of our Master through the lens of the Hebrew language. Many English translations focus on making Yeshua seem more culturally relevant and familiar, but this obscures his true national and cultural identity. More than anything, when reading the Hebrew (and hopefully our Hebraic English translation) it becomes immediately apparent that Yeshua and his students were Jews observing...
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Hebrew Gospels Update

"Anyone who translates a verse [of Scripture] literally is a liar; anyone who adds to it is a blaspheming libeler." (b.Kiddushin 49b) Many eager readers have inquired about and requested an update on the forthcoming translation of the Delitzsch Hebrew-English Gospels. We are not letting our excitement over such a monumental work get ahead of us--we are working through this project carefully with a grave sense of responsibility. Translation is...
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Borough Park Symposium

Tonight in New York City, a room full of Messianic Jewish leaders from around the country and from across the world gathered together to discuss theology, specifically Christology, at the 2010 Borough Park Symposium. Tonight we heard from Messianic Rabbi Russ Resnik, Dr. Mark Kinzer, Mitch Glasser of Chosen People Ministries, Dr. David Rudolph, Rabbi Jason Sobel, and doctoral candidate Jen Rosner. The rest of the room was filled with...
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Free Holocaust Webinar Registration

An Overview of the Holocaust From a Critical Perspective Hosted by: First Fruits of Zion This webinar is a wide-ranging introduction to the subject of the Holocaust that includes an overview of some of the key historic pre-conditions, such as the concept of anti-Semitism, that allowed it to occur. Registration & Dates All sessions (CST) Central Standard Time. April 11th (Sunday: Yom HaShoah): 6:30-9:00 pm : Register Here Webinar Focus...
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They Rise Up Against Us: Holocaust Awareness

In your Seder tonight at some point you will read: THIS is what has stood strong for our fathers and us. For there was not only one nation who rose up against us, but in each and every generation they rise up against us to put and end to us. But the Holy One, blessed is he, rescues us from their hand. First Fruits of Zion will be hosting a...
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Is All This Cleaning Really Worth It?

"Let my people go, that they may serve me." (Exodus 7:16; 8:1; 8:20; 9:1; 9:13; 10:3) Passover is intensely meaningful, with the potential to be incredibly spiritually uplifting. Most people I know who have chosen a Torah walk had an early encounter with Passover, which began their journey "out of Egypt." Observing Passover, one of the lessons you quickly learn is that our freedom did not come so that we...
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Sold Out!

We have completely run out of the new Vine of David Passover Haggadahs. It was a great joy to create a Yeshua-honoring, traditional haggadah for the Messianic movement. It felt like something holy, a substantial contribution to the maturing of Messianic Judaism. In retrospect, I wish we had printed more because the orders keep coming in and we are sold out. I hate to turn people away, especially at Passover....
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Free from the Law?

Being free is a wonderful thing. We like having free time--time when we can do whatever we desire. We enjoy living in a free country--a place where we can choose our way of life and pursue happiness. But have you ever heard the phrases "free in Christ" or "free from the law"? What does that mean? At first glance, it might seem like being spiritually free would mean that we...
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My Wife--My Life!

The church is broken, increasingly ineffective, and in some ways self-serving. As men we tend to see the broken state of the church and quietly rejoice in her brokenness because it gives us an excuse to pull back and withdraw. The cycle will continue to spiral downward until the church's complete destruction--and we, a gang of male revelers--will rejoice in its destruction ... b-e-c-a-u-s-e that means we will be free...
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True Love

HaYesod is a great resource for teaching and learning about Christianity's Jewish foundation. But how important is that Jewish foundation? One might think that learning about the Jewish worldview fills in some details, but the basics are already well understood. But instead, you will find that the even the most central concepts of the Gospel are grasped better from a Jewish perspective. Jesus said that the greatest commandment is to...
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Free HaYesod Preview

The HaYesod discipleship program is now complete, but how do you know if the program is right for you and your flock? The program is now available for free-online preview by pastors, congregational leaders, and potential group leaders. The HaYesod discipleship program is designed to work hand-in-hand with churches and established Messianic congregations to help build up your community and establish your work. HaYesod will strength and unify your community....
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Always Before Me

The Torah is God's foundational revelation to his people. Through it, God opens our eyes not only to how we should behave, but who he is and how to be in relationship with him. But the blessing found in the Torah does not come automatically. We must immerse ourselves in the Torah's words, occupy ourselves with them, and set them before our eyes and on our lips. We must place...
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Sukkah Contest!

First Fruits of Zion wants to participate in your simcha--and, we want to add to your joy. So, send us a picture of your sukkah, we will post it on our website and you will be entered into a drawing to win a complete Torah Club volume of your choice. We will be giving away 5 Torah Clubs to five different entries in the following categories: Furthest sukkah from Jerusalem...
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The Hunger of Man

For all you Yom Kippur well wishers, those of you that posted notes on blogs, Facebook, and closed out our conversations, with "May your fast be easy:" Thank you. It was a great fast and an absolutely beautiful Yom Kippur. For me it was a day of being spiritually refreshed and was a time to re-focus on God. Our services were a marathon--our morning service was the longest, it was...
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Closing the Gates

This evening I will stand before God on the most serious day of prayer in the year. Yom Kippur, the Day of Judgment, begins tonight; I will stand before my Creator, account for my actions, words, and intentions. May God have mercy on my soul. May he show me his grace through the atoning sacrifice of his Son. I write this note at the end of the Days of Awe,...
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Rosh Hashanah: Hitting Reset

L'Shanah Tova First Fruits of Zion family and friends, There is a party taking place this weekend; tonight is an auspicious time when Rosh Hashanah and Shabbat occur on the same day. The holiness of the Sabbath is sweetened with the holiness of the festival. We have the opportunity to herald the Messiah King and the Sabbath Queen. Will you be there? Everyone is invited to come to the King's...
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Q&A: Divine Invitation

Let me start out by saying how much I respect everyone at FFOZ. I consider you my brothers. Thank you for writing. I want you to know that I have devoted my life to the establishment of Torah and its implementation in the lives of Christians, Jewish and Gentile both, and that mission and call for which I have sacrificed my entire life, remains steadfastly the same. I want you...
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Moral vs. Ceremonial

At First Fruits of Zion, we teach that the Torah is not cancelled by the Gospel. Unlike the common Christian theology that teaches Jesus abolished the Law, we believe that the Torah is God's eternal, unchanging word. We believe that the Torah's commandments like the Sabbath, the festivals, the dietary laws, and so forth are still relevant to all believers today. However, we see a biblical distinction between a Jewish...
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Reasoning Together

"Come now, let us reason together" (Isaiah 1:18) the LORD said through his prophet Isaiah. Over the next few weeks and through the holiday season, I invite you to visit these FFOZ blogs and reason together with us at First Fruits of Zion as we talk through the biblical basis for our recent rejection of One Law theology that defined much of our ministry in past years. At First Fruits...
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Will We Be Ready?

Will we be ready to greet the Jewish Jesus when He returns, or will He be like a stranger to us? He is coming soon. Time is short. Listen to this exciting new introduction to the booklet, "HaYesod: Exploring the Jewish Foundation of Christianity." Audio: How Firm a Foundation? Become a HaYesod leader: HaYesod...
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Exile! When Does It End?

"At First Fruits of Zion, we are listening, waiting, and longing for that day when the Torah will flow forth from our land--the land of Israel. Day cannot exist without night, but even the longest night must come to an end. At the end of darkness, there is a light. The prophets of Israel predicted an end to the current exile, a light at the end of the tunnel, and...
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R"Lichtenstein's Prayer

Almighty Heavenly Father, Eheyeh asher Eheyeh, Sovereign Ruler of past, present and future; we bless You for our past, and thank You, that in Your inscrutable wisdom, You have chosen us out of all peoples of the earth, to give us knowledge of the truth, and to make us witnesses of Your Covenant of everlasting life. Our present is dark, gloomy and desolate; but we trust Your word, O Father,...
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Friend, Move Up Higher

Have you ever noticed how the Kingdom of Heaven turns everything upside down? "Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted" (Mathew 23:12). I believe that the greatest impediment to spiritual growth is spiritual pride. Those of us in the Torah movement seem particularly susceptible to the sin of spiritual pride. It's something I wrestle with, and we all need to wrestle with. When we...
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Grafted In from Mount St Helens

Tags:  Grafted In, road trip

As we left our wonderful friends in the Seattle area and headed south, we drove through the beautiful Cascade mountain range. I became overwhelmed by God's awesome creation and an old hymn kept playing in my head: "How Firm a Foundation". We serve an awesome God that upholds us with His omnipotent hand. Today's video blog is from Mount St Helens where the devastation that comes from volcanic eruptions has...
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Saskatchewan, Canada.

Updates and wrapping up my time in Saskatchewan, Canada....
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Beth Yeshua - Twin Ports

Great meeting in Northern MN and WI. HaYesod will be strong in this area. God willing we will really make a positive impact. The event was hosted by the nice community, Beth Yeshua Twin Ports. There were multiple pastors from local churches that intend to bring the program into their communities. We are heading North to Canada today. Your prayers for an easy boarding crossing are much appreciated....
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Shavout in Hudson

Closing out our Shavuot conference and a short introduction to the completed, "Love and the Messianic Age." Today we leave for Duluth, MN to have a HaYesod training and a session on Grafted In....
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Hearing Impairment

Do you realize that those that suffer from various disabilities are often left out from Bible teaching or are such a minority that it is not cost effective to address their needs? Years ago a good friend and advisor implored us integrate aids into our resources that would address the often-neglected community of the hearing impaired. He felt that it was a great opportunity for the message of Torah and...
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The First Sprouting

The Lord has blessed me to have seen and experienced a beautiful act of His creation--renewing in me an understanding of His final redemption. This last Friday night, prior to Sabbath I was praying on our back porch and I remarked to our guest how I was concerned with that the trees were still bear this late in the season. Literally, after a nice rain and within 24 hours, the...
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In the Hands of Hatred

"May God have mercy and say "enough!" to the affliction of the Jewish people and to my personal torment. May He return to me my dear, sweet, and modest daughter Rekhil Yehudit, long life to her, who was kidnapped from me on the second day of Rosh Chodesh Elul, Friday in the week of Shoftim 5702 [August 14, 1942]." R'Kalonymus Kalman Shapira Rabbi Kalonymus [tz"l] lost his life by the...
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The Church Next Door

The Church next door to our office is today commemorating Palm Sunday. The Gospels record this as the day that the Master arrived in Jerusalem, prior to Pesach (Passover). This time marked the beginning of His suffering, death, and resurrection. This season should be solemn, reflective and filled with gratitude on our Messianic calendars. The point of this note is not to drive any particular calendar agenda, so let's not...
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The Long Path of Torah

If I was to collect the scriptures that have most moved me to a place of humility and refection, I think Psalm 119:96 would be toward the top of that list. I prefer the JPS version, I have seen that all things have their limit, but Your commandment is broad beyond measure. As many of you know, this last week our youngest son, Noach, became a Bar Mitzvah ("son of...
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The "Kingdom" & Tabgo

"Treasures in Heaven" has reached the islands of Trinidad and Tobago where a messianic group there will host a seminar this Sunday. Toby and I will be teaching this Sunday in Branson, MO while Daniel will be home in St. Paul resting with his family. Our times may be trying, but the Master of the universe is always near us when we seek him. I would like to share with...
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Contrasts? Traditional Judaism and Yeshua

I feel so blessed to be able to live within contrasts. It makes life interesting. Life here in Missouri is such an amazing contrast to that of Israel. That should not be a surprise as Israel is unique when compared to any other place in this world. While in Missouri I know I am right where I need to be and where I am supposed to be, yet while I...
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HaYesod Field Report #10

We have grown very fond of the sound of rap while here in Isreal. I mean wrap. Especially when David holds his finger up, spins it around and says, “That’s a wrap!” Today, we finished—we accomplished our goals and made every shot. There are so many things that worked well for us on this trip. By God’s assistance we really accomplished a lot. I am eager to get home and...
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HaYesod Field Report #9

I am on the bed trying to conjure up the energy to start packing. We leave at five in the morning for a final day of shots; our goal is to do three in Caesarea and one in a seedy part of Tel Aviv. We fly out at eleven in the evening so tomorrow will be very full. Out of the forty teaching segments we hoped to capture, with God’s...
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HaYesod Field Update #8

Fourteen to sixteen hour days are the norm for us here in Israel as we enter the final week of shooting our short teaching segments for the new HaYesod program. At times during this trip it looked impossible to get everything done prior to our departure home on March 6th. At those times I asked for your prayers and it seems as if the Father answered our requests—as of this...
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HaYesod Field Update #7

3AM, Jerusalem—I am in the lobby of our hotel all by myself. Despite our incredible work load and the fatigue of the schedule, I am not sleeping well. As I glanced across the room, I see a picture on the wall of David Ben Gurion sitting at the same exact table and chair that I was working at. It is pretty amazing to connect with history like that. The intent...
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HaYesod Field Report #6

To capture five minutes of teaching it takes about 3 to 4 hours of on location work, and I am estimating another 8 hours on each segment in the editing studio. It is hard to believe that this is the ratio of time versus output, but we are shooting for a very high standard and want to make it right. We realize that for many people, HaYesod will become their...
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HaYesod Field Report #5

Good foggy evening from Jerusalem. Things are going really well. We are still two lessons behind on our schedule—we hope to make those up on Wednesday of this week. In the morning we leave for two shots at Qumran. What has been so nice on this trip is that we have full permissions from all of the park services to shoot at the sites. It has given us essentially free...
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HaYesod Field Report #4

Daniel, Toby and I are sharing a room--they are now asleep. In the room next to us houses David V., Joel P. and Jeremy S. I am sure they are sleeping as well. It was a long and hard day. Prior to Daniel fading away in sleep he typed out this journal of our day. With everyone in bed I wanted to say how proud I am to work with...
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HaYesod Field Report #3

Today was beautiful in Israel. The skies were clear and the weather was perfect. Today we did a shot at Tel Dan about Christian holidays—some of you are going to love it, some of you will absolutely hate it. But we like it. You’ll have to wait for the new program to see how we treated this topic. Any guesses? Here is a picture of the Golan today taken just...
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HaYesod Field Report #2

Today we had problems. Without going into a bunch of technical details it boiled down to an equipment breakdown. It was a real disappointment. We have spent a lot of time and effort making sure things like this did not happen—so, like yesterday, when things go well, we acknowledge God’s goodness, today when things go wrong, we acknowledge His sovereignty. Everything is a test, in every situation there is an...
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HaYesod Field Report #1

Monday February 16th Location: Tiberius Israel Shots Summary: HaYesod Scene 4.6, “Yeshua and Tzizit” We all arrived in Israel for the three week marathon of shooting short, on-location teaching segments throughout the land for inclusion in the new HaYesod program. We have about forty five shots to take over the next three weeks. Thus far all of our pre-trip planning and preparation is paying off. We all feel confident in...
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Facing West in Prayer

Shabbat shalom. We really need your prayers this next week as myself, Daniel L., Toby J., David V., Joel P., and Jeremiah S., leave for Israel to film 45, on location, teaching segments to be placed into the new and revised HaYesod discipleship program. We are all obviously excited. Going to the Land is like a really a good dream, a dream that lasts the entire time you are there....
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Deep Impact with HaYesod

Today I had to authorize an unexpected expense that for us was a huge amount of money. It was for the upcoming HaYesod project as it relates to our video production in Israel. I am just stunned at the expense of video production equipment—I guess most people or businesses that buy this level of equipment are highly profitable, and this allows them to afford premium prices. I wanted to present...
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A Joggling Act

A joggler is an individual that jogs and juggles at the same time. Most remarkably a joggler usually runs marathons, which is distance of 26.2 miles of 42 kilometers. Imagine running for hours at a time and having the concentration to flip multiple balls in the air in a constant rotation. Quoting one joggler blogger, “I'm on a quest to joggle 44 marathons. I do it because I can and...
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A Closed “Canon”

I just finished afternoon mincha prayers with the guys here at the new FFOZ office in Missouri. Today, particularly for me, was a nice time of prayer. As we gathered we all were especially sobered with the weight of concern we have for one of our colleagues. I would like to share our burden and ask for your prayers. I cannot share a lot of details at this time as...
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Articulate in 2008

Moses believed that he was unable to speak to Pharaoh, the Egyptians or the Israelites. He felt unable to eloquently articulate God’s covenantal faithfulness to His people Israel. Then Moses said to the LORD, "Please, Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither recently nor in time past, nor since You have spoken to Your servant; for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” (Exodus 4:10) The Marharal of...
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FFOZ 2007 Year in Review

In my initial assessment of 2007, it seemed that this was a year spent mostly on “behind the scenes” preparations that will lay a foundation for growth and, Lord willing, the future stability of this work. I know that taking this time is needed to accomplish our mission: To Teach Torah and its way of life, fully centered on Messiah, to today’s people of God. However, upon a more pragmatic...
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Happy Hanukkah from the Ozarks

My family and I are getting ready to celebrate Hanukkah for the first time in our new home here in Missouri. Tonight we begin this celebration by lighting the first candle on the Hannukkiah and I can already smell those latkes cooking. This will be quite a change of pace from being on the road last year and those warm Hanukkahs in Phoenix. Somehow the cold weather makes it feel...
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Heavy Burdens pt.2

The recent release of our new book, Mezuzah: You Shall Write them on the Doorpost of Your House and on Your Gates, re-launched the series of booklets by First Fruits of Zion intended to address the application of the various Torah commandments. This book series is called, Mayim Chayim. Over the next year, G-d willing, we intend to publish 3 to 4 new titles covering topics such as tefillin, Sacred...
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It's Time for Sukkot!

Shalom and Sukkot Greetings, Tonight begins the festival of Sukkot. Is this not the time that we are working towards? On this night, every native born Israelite is commanded to build a sukkah and live it in for seven days. Sukkah is the Hebrew word for booth (sometimes translated as tabernacle). In Zechariah 14, even the Gentiles are shown keeping Sukkot in the Messianic kingdom to come. Therefore, Sukkot is...
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Erev Yom Kippur

Tonight the holiest day of the year begins. Tonight is Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, the beginning of the day that the book of Acts simply calls, “The Fast.” The Day of Atonement is a day of prayer, confession and repentance. Here in Missouri, a few First Fruits of Zion families will be gathering to pray through the traditional liturgies. Other FFOZ staff and volunteers will be attending their...
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Spreading Simcha pt.3

This is the third in a three-part series of blogs on supporting the needy in Israel during the Festivals. Spreading Simcha pt.1 Spreading Simcha pt.2 As promised, I will make an appeal for donations to a specific charity in the Land. This organization is a much-needed work in Israel, both during the Festivals and year round, bringing people back to the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob. Perhaps I am...
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Serving the King!

With trumpets and the sound of the horn shout joyfully before the King, the LORD. (Psalm 98:6) Happy Rosh Hashanah. I trust the fall holidays find you in peace and blessing. It seems hard to believe that another year has already come and gone. It has been an incredible, action packed busy year for us at FFOZ. Thanks for sticking with us through these times of transition. Sometimes the Messianic...
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Spreading Simcha pt.2

In the first of these three blogs (part 1), we explained the importance of joy on the festivals and how it is actually commanded in the Torah. We also examined how one of the most difficult hurdles in obtaining this joy can be a lack of finances. There are various places in the Torah that discuss giving and or lending to those in need. Here are two: If you lend...
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Spreading Simcha pt.1

Simcha means Joy--so let us spread some this season! And you shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son and your daughter and your male and female servants and the Levite and the stranger and the orphan and the widow who are in your towns. (Deuteronomy 16:14) The Torah commands us to have joy in our feasts. Although the context of this verse specifically applies to Sukkot, the Sages...
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Online Dictionary (Torah Club)

I wanted to give everyone a sneak peek of just one of the many projects in progress behind the scenes at FFOZ. Over the past few months our staff has been developing a new online dictionary for Torah Club subscribers. We hope this will be a comprehensive resource and a valuable tool for the disciples of the Master. Here is a sampling of entries from the Ns: Nakdimon ben Gurion...
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MOre Needs!

Things are progressing here in MO (Missouri) for FFOZ. I just took some friends out the other day to see the FFOZ building, which is now under construction. And to my surprise, walls are up and the roof is being placed. Things are moving ahead very quickly. It was fun to see. With this said, we still have some needs. 1. We still need to fill office/customer service staff positions....
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FFOZ & Evangelism

Several weeks ago I had the pleasure of addressing several dozen messianic leaders from the greater Chicago, IL area. This gathering was unique in that the vast majority of the leaders where not necessarily on the same page as FFOZ in several key areas. The meeting took place in the heart of the Jewish section of Chicago at the Jews for Jesus offices on Skokie, IL. While I affirmed their...
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SPAM (The Meat Kind)

Since 1937, people all around the world have enjoyed the taste of SPAM®. Recently I received—as a gift—a commemorative SPAM® t-shirt, and I am actually quite proud to wear it. In fact, I’m wearing it right now. According to the SPAM® website, “2007 is the Chinese Year of the Pig, it is also the 70th anniversary of the greatest moment in the history of mankind.” This “greatest moment in history”...
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“Yes Sir!”

Our culture shapes us. I am now in Missouri establishing a home for my family and helping with the transition of the FFOZ offices before the next leg of the Shalom Tour begins this winter. I am learning quickly that in some areas we need to adjust quickly in order to fit in and not be offensive. Here, it is proper to use the term, “Sir.” My first real encounter...
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Increasing His Splendor!

Today is the first day of the Hebrew month Iyaar. The importance of Iyyar can be found in the meaning of its name. In the earliest times, it was simply called “the second month.” Knowing that Iyyar essentially means: splendor, brightness, blossom, or light—it is a biblical month that represents “increasing splendor” simply calling it the second month diminishes its uniqueness on the biblical calendar. If you are a myffoz...
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FFOZ & The US Pentagon

Several months ago we received an order...actually it was more like a kind request from a Chaplin in the US pentagon for FFOZ materials. Of course we complied, and below is an account of what followed. I could go on and on about these recent happenings, but I will leave that to Hope Egan; she prepared a summary for me and updated me concerning the recent recognition of the Torah...
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Self-Reflection

From time-to-time it is healthy to look into the mirror honestly and to carefully critique what we see. Internally, at FFOZ, I would say that we do this very often; I find that we are our biggest critics, in many ways. One of the questions that I ask staff members is, "What would your opponents say about you?" I find it incredibly helpful (both personally and organizationally) to seriously consider...
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Annual Update and Support Request

As the fiscal year draws to a close, I am extremely encouraged. As I reflect back on 2006, and I look ahead to 2007, it's exciting to see Abba's hand guiding our ministry, opening doors and leading us in new and unexpected directions.
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Your Support Counts!

We are already several months into the new biblical year 5766, and the civil year 2005 is drawing to a close. I am writing to thank you for your past support and would like to share with you some of the exciting things we have planned for 2006.
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On the Front Lines

We are well into the Hebrew year of 5766 by now and close to the turn of the new Gregorian year 2006. Looking back at this last year, I spent an unprecedented amount of time on the road, seeing the Torah movement firsthand, spending hours in conversations with community leaders and Torah-practicing believers
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A Time of Recognizable Growth and Maturation

A Torah-based, Messiah-centered lifestyle is surely transforming! We are constantly introduced to new aspects of our faith and the revelation of what obedience practically looks like in our actions.
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Sowing in the Field

Shalom FFOZ reader! During the past several months, we have aggressively shared our Messiah-centered, Torah-based message to the greater Body of Messiah. Since August we have conducted over 30 seminars and have spoken to over 2,500 people. We have planted many seeds, and many of them have fallen onto the fertile soil of genuine seekers where they will certainly take root. Here are some recent comments that we have received:...
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Celebrate the Light

Hanukkah is the Festival of Light. The Master told His disciples, "I am the light of the world." On another occasion, He instructed them, "You are the light of the world; Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works (mitzvot), and glorify your Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 5:16). In the same way, it is traditional to place the Hanukkah...
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A Spark that Lights a Fire

During the summer months, my family and I had the opportunity to travel and to conduct seminars in various locations across the United States. These mini-conferences are a big part of the ministry of FFOZ. Over and over again we find that the best way to reach people with the message of Gospel and Yeshua's call to Torah is to meet them in their own backyard, so to speak. Although...
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Our Mission, Our Vision

Torah life is not a difficult life. To say that the Torah is a burden, or that it is simply impossible to do, diminishes the work of the Messiah¹ and stands opposed to the assertion in Deuteronomy 30:11–14. In addition to the biblical declarations, there are literally tens of thousands of people throughout the world that are living lives submitted to the Torah and fully-centered on the Messiah.
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"Working Choices"

"Why are you trying to put Christians under the Law"� a Messianic Rabbi recently asked me. He was genuinely concerned that First Fruits of Zion was teaching legalism. I responded, "I am not going to tell anyone what they should, must or have to do." You see, I have learned that these imperatives threaten people more than they motivate them; they separate people rather than unite them. I would hate...
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Spreading the Gospel

Have you ever wondered what the Gospel really is? When we mention the Gospel, many think it is something that began with the Apostolic Scriptures. But the Gospel message did not appear for the first time in Matthew, nor even in the Apostolic Writings. God "preached the Gospel beforehand to Abraham"
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