THE MESSIANIC JEWISH BIBLE INSTITUTE
Winte r 2018
Latin America, AQUI VENIMOS!
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FE ATURE ARTICLE
4 | Museum of the Inquisition 10 | Life From The Land: Israel Firstfruits 11 | Yiddish Mama’s Kitchen with a Latino Flair
CO N TE N TS
Contact Information P.O. Box 610105 Dallas, TX 75261 (817) 864-9300 USAoffice@mjbi.org • mjbi.org
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For Zion’s Sake
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Museum of the Inquisition
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Introducing Tara Kieschnick
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Online Schools School of Messianic Theology SMT@mjbi.org • smt.mjbi.org
The King’s University
International Schools ARGENTINA Argentina@mjbi.org MinisterioBetEl.org
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ETHIOPIA Ethiopia@mjbi.org
UKRAINE Ukraine@mjbi.org OrHaMashiah.org
HUNGARY Hungary@mjbi.org
ZIMBABWE Zimbabwe@mjbi.org
By Nic Lesmeister
By Matheus Guimaraes
Latin America, Aqui Venimos! By Nic Lesmeister
Rest in Peace By Sam Arnaud
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Life From the Land
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Yiddish Mama's Kitchen
Accredited Messianic Jewish Studies Program tali.snow@tku.edu • TKU.edu
Winter 2018
Featuring Israel Firstfruits By Kelley Workman with a Latino Flair By Bonnie Saul Wilks
Dates to remember March 1 Purim March 31—April 7 Pesach (Passover) April 1 Resurrection Sunday April 11 Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) April 18 Yom HaZikaron (Israel Memorial Day)
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April 19 Yom HaAtzmaut (Israel Independence Day) ISRAEL'S 70TH BIRTHDAY April 1–May 19 Days of Omer (Counting the Omer)
View this issue online 2 | WINTER 2018
at m jb i .o rg /z ea lo u sma g a z i n e / wint e r- 2 0 1 8
FOR ZION’S SAKE NIC LESMEISTER
at MJBI are making a concerted, strategic effort to engage in Latin America in a new and deepened way.
W
hen I was in 10th grade in my rural Western Minnesota high school, I was required to enroll in two years of Spanish. My teacher, Señor Landwehr, was one of the best teachers I had in any subject in high school. And to prove his effectiveness as a teacher, I still retain a large amount of the Spanish I learned in his class to this day. I have always loved Latin American culture. It is true that “the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach” because Latin American cuisine is some of my favorite food. But Hispanic, Latin American and Spanish culture in general is so warm, inviting, and hospitable as well. We’re dedicating this issue of Zealous Magazine to Latin America. Specifically, we want to introduce you to the Jewish world of Latin America, which is so rich in history and culture. Did you know that all of the 15 million Jewish people on the earth today have at least one Spanish ancestor? Or that just before the Spanish Inquisition in 1492, 90% of the world’s Jews were Sephardic (Spanish descendant)? The Ashkenazi (European) Jewish culture now dominates broader Jewish life, but we
ZEALOUS Magazine
Nic Lesmeister
In this issue, you’ll learn about the amazing new opportunities for MJBI to advance Jewish ministry in the explosive Latin American believing communities, as well as the fast-growing Latin American Jewish communities. We’ll also share about the important work of our dear MJBI Brazil friends, Marcelo and Matheus Guimarães, and their Museum of the Inquisition. My right-hand man at MJBI, Sam Arnaud, has a very encouraging article about peace and rest. And our “Life from the Land” features my good friends at Israel Firstfruits, who are pioneering entrepreneurship for believers in Yeshua all over Israel. Grab a cup of Columbian coffee and enjoy this cultural deep dive with us into Latin America! Por amor de Sión (For Zion’s sake),
Editor-in-Chief
PROJECT MANAGEMENT Tara Kieschnick Managing Editor
EDITORIAL Bonnie Saul Wilks Staff Writer
Carol Adams Editor
ART & DESIGN George Estrada Graphic Designer
SOCIAL MEDIA Facebook.com/mjbi.usa Twitter.com/mjbi Youtube.com/mjbiusa Instagram @mjbiusa
NIC LESMEISTER, PRESIDENT & CEO MJBI.org/zealousmagazine MJBI.org
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Museum of the Inquisition
T
he infamous Inquisition against Jews began with their expulsion from Spain in 1492, and soon followed to Portugal in 1496. Discovered during the Inquisition, Brazil became a “Red Sea” for thousands of Portuguese Jews around 1500, fleeing forced conversion to Catholicism. These “New Christians,” also called “Marranos,” “Anusim” or “Crypto-Jews,” hoped to find in this new land a safer place to live away from the inquisitorial bonfires. But unfortunately, in 1591, the Inquisition arrived in Brazil. Many Jewish immigrants and their descendants were prosecuted and deported back to Lisbon, then tortured and executed. This persecution continued for over 300 years, sadly eradicating much of Brazil’s Jewish history along the way.
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M JB I PA RTN E RS AR E MAKING JE W I S H H I STORY IN BR AZIL By Matheus Guimaraes with Nic Lesmeister
New light has recently been shed on this period, however, thanks to the first Museum of the Inquisition in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. The museum, open to the public since 2012, is a project of ABRADJIN, which stands for the “Brazilian Association of the Descendants of Jews from the Inquisition Period,” a private, non-profit foundation begun in 2000 by longtime MJBI partner Marcelo Guimarães. It exists to restore the memories, culture and heritage of the Sephardic "Anusim" who made significant contributions as Brazilian pioneers. ABADJIN promotes social inclusion while combating religious intolerance through education.
The museum houses a permanent exhibit of panels and paintings and learning more about their roots (since many family histories by artists such as Spanish painter Francisco Goya and others. were wiped out by the Inquisition). The museum also houses a Along with period art, clothing, and other objects, there are also solemn “Memorial of Names,” dedicated to the Brazilian Jewlife-size replicas of torture equipment (such as the “pole,” the ish victims of the Brazilian Inquisition, much like 20th Century “colt (o pôtro),” and the “garrote”) serving as stark reminders of Holocaust memorials around the world. the religious intolerance of the time. It also "God is using the Museum of offers a library with a collection of over 350 God is using the Museum of the Inquisithe Inquisition to build strong rare, antique books and documents dating tion to build strong bridges between the bridges between the Messianic from 1637, with some even older. For inMessianic community in Brazil and Jewstance, one of the museum’s most prized community in Brazil and Jewish ish communities around the world. It is possession is a piece of Torah scroll used communities around the world." the only museum in the world that looks for many years by Sephardic Jews during the Middle Ages. Thankfully it survived the Inquisition. Another unique asset available for historical research is a database containing the names and surnames of the Jewish pioneers who helped colonize Brazil. Like Yad Vashem in Jerusalem, this catalog of painstakingly collected names offers invaluable assistance to descendants of “Anusim” interested in discovering
at the Inquisition from a uniquely Jewish perspective. We are so proud of Marcelo and Matheus Guimarães, and their faithful work with the Museum of the Inquisition, Congregation Har Zion, and their C.A.T.E.S. school, which is an outgrowth of MJBI's school in Brazil. These, and many other MJBI Brazil graduates are having a profound impact on the global Anusim Jewish communities.
For more information about the museum and how you can help support the work with the “Anusim,” visit museudainquisicao.org.br or anussim.org.br
AN N O U N C E M E NTS
MJBI Welcomes Tara Kieschnick!
With great excitement, we want to introduce you to Tara Kieschnick. Tara and her husband, Norris, have been faithful MJBI volunteers, supporters and part-time staff for many years now. We recently welcomed Tara to our staff team full-time as our Media and Communications Manager. She is very knowledgeable of Messianic ministry, and brings a high level of energy and passion to our efforts. We are so thrilled to have her on our team! Say hi to Tara by sending her an email at tara@mjbi.org.
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FE ATURE ARTICLE
BY NIC LESMEIS TER
O
n September 10, 2017, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu boarded a plane at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport to embark on a 10-day tour that no other Israeli Prime Minister had ever taken.
Latin America, AQUI VENIMOS!
Flying through the night, he arrived the next day in Buenos Aires, Argentina, becoming the first Israeli PM to put his feet on Latin American soil. After spending time in Buenos Aires, home to Latin America’s largest Jewish population of over 300,000, he then flew to Columbia and finally on to Mexico. Ever since the November 29, 1947, United Nations Resolution 181 vote to partition Palestine for a Jewish homeland, Latin America has been a strong ally for the Jewish State. Making up nearly 40% of the “for” votes on Resolution 181, 13 Latin American countries strongly stood with the creation of a Jewish homeland in historic Palestine. Netanyahu’s visit yielded new bilateral agreements between Israel and the countries he visited, as well as deepened trade relationships. But the history of the Jewish people in Latin America began long before 1947. Just before the dreadful Spanish Inquisition, which made Judaism illegal in the Spanish peninsula in 1492, 90% of the world Jewish population was Sephardic (Iberian peninsula descent). As you will read in our article on the Museum of the Inquisition in this issue of Zealous, many Jewish people fled to Latin America (Central and South America) to escape Catholic persecution. Over the centuries, many of these Jews secretly kept their Jewish identity, even though they were forced to convert to Catholicism. Eventually, the religious persecution subsided and many Jewish communities were allowed to flourish all over Latin America.
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400 million
Spanish-speaking Christians with little access to teaching on Jewish ministry.
Six-Day War After the founding of the State of Israel in 1948, and once again after the miraculous Six-Day War in 1967, a wave of Jewish pride began to sweep across the world. Jews who had previously been living in relative secrecy began to identify with the triumphant Jewish State and started to once again explore the roots of their Jewishness. With the advent of modern technology, this movement of rediscovery struck an even more fervent and fruitful pace. Millions of Latin Americans were finally able to access deportation records,
Israel benefits greatly from this wave of rediscovered Jewish identity. In 2016, over 200,000 tourists from Latin America visited Israel. Tourism to Israel is growing so much, in fact, that LATAM Airlines just announced South America’s first non-stop air service to Israel in 2018 from Chile and Brazil. As much as I celebrate all of these wonderful movements that stand with, support, and bless Israel amd the Jewish people, there’s one major problem that I have discovered.
With over 100 million people of Jewish descent, and over 400 million Spanish-speaking Christians in Latin America, there are very few credible, Biblical " W I T H O V E R 1 0 0 M I L L I O N P E O P L E O F J E W I S H D E S C E N T, A N D O V E R 4 0 0 M I L L I O N resources on Israel and the Jewish people. Though SPANISH-SPE AKING CHRISTIANS IN L ATIN AMERICA, THERE ARE VERY FE W there are many fine MessiCR E DIBL E , BIBL IC A L R E S OURCE S ON ISR A E L A ND T HE JE W ISH P E OP L E ." anic congregations all over Latin America, very little Catholic conversion documents, and ancestry docueducational resources exist to train both the Chrismentation that proved their Jewish lineage. tian and Messianic Jew on the Jewish roots of their faith, or on effective Jewish ministry. Today, it is said that every one of the 15 million Jews living in normative Jewish communities have a Recognizing this massive need, we at MJBI decided Spanish ancestor. Equally as miraculous, nearly 100 to make a concerted investment to change this. million Latin Americans can safely prove their own Starting last October, we began translating our Jewish ancestry! online School of Messianic Theology program into Spanish. By the grace of God, a wonderful couple On top of all this, the 500,000 recognized Jews came forth and donated the funds needed to cover living in Latin America comprise some of the fastest this expensive, time-consuming, 18-month project. growing Jewish communities in the world. In Panama We also began translating our MJBI.org website into alone the Jewish community has grown by over 70% Spanish around the same time. since 2003. In Argentina, Chile and Columbia, the Jewish communities are growing at rapid paces as well, and only 10% of Jews polled in a recent survey feel that living as a Jew in Latin America is risky.
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The vision of MJBI has always been to see the Jewish people place their faith in Yeshua as the Messiah of Israel, knowing that this will lead to a Biblical revival of salvation for all peoples of the earth (Romans 11:15). Because we are motivated by this Holy Spirit-given mission, we find the Lord often sends us to the furthest corners of the earth to share Yeshua with the scattered Jewish populations and train leaders to further this great restoration movement.
100 million
Latin Americans with Jewish ancestry.
When we pioneered Messianic ministry with Jewish Voice in Africa in 2008, there were little to no known Messianic congregations on the continent. Today, there are nearly 90, and almost all of them are led by an MJBI graduate. Our vision for Latin America is similar. We feel greatly inspired by the Holy Spirit to bring sound education on the importance of the Jewish people and Israel, as well as training for leaders called to reach the Jewish people with the hope and love of the Messiah.
Benjamin Netanyahu clearly sees the importance of Latin America for the future of the Jewish people and the State of Israel. We also see this, but see that a great revival is stirring amongst these “hidden” 100 million Jewish descendants all over Central and South America. In this, we see the words of the Apostle Paul coming true in our lifetime: "So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather, through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous. Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean!"
—Romans 11:11-12
Because of your generous partnership with us, we will together see the restoration of the Jewish people to their Messiah, Yeshua, all over the world. This opportunity to bring our SMT program to the Spanish-speaking communities of Latin America is one that I am beyond excited about. We are truly making history, as we see yet another scattered Jewish community reached and equipped to see the fulfillment of Romans 11:26!
SEVENTEEN YEARS STRONG IN LATIN AMERICA
Update from Argentina
Since 2001, MJBI has had an active school in Buenos Aires, Argentina, under the leadership of Jorge and Marcela Goldstein. The Goldsteins oversee four Messianic congregations between Argentina and Uruguay. Home to over 300,000 Jewish people, Argentina has always been a key country for Jewish ministry. MJBI Argentina has graduated numerous leaders for Jewish ministry over the years, and has distance learning programs all over Latin America. As we expand even more in Latin America with our new projects, we are building upon the sturdy foundation of amazing fruit in Argentina.
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Photo credit: Gwen Paget
REST in Peace
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By Sam Arnaud with Tara Kieschnick, MJBI Staff
IFE CAN BE HECTIC. No matter where we live, distractions
can steal our allusive state of peace. But what really is peace? Our five senses may trick us into an external definition, confusing it with relaxing moments, or some sort of blissful tranquility. We can try holding on to that sort of fragile peace, but life's interruptions have a way of stealing it right out from under us. Here's how a typical "lack of peace" day goes for me. In the morning when my kids are slow to get ready, or a lousy driver makes me late for work, I lose my peace. Concentrating on an unpaid pile of bills could make me feel hopeless. Regret can replace peace if I've spent too much time at work or on my phone, TV, or computer instead of with my wife and children. Sound familiar? Our souls long for peace, but if restricted by human understanding, we will never find it. Is peace just for when we die? Is this why we engrave tombstones with the hopeful words "Rest in Peace?" The truth is, God intended "resting in peace" for those still alive in Messiah! But how does that work? Let's start with the Hebrew meanings for "rest" and "peace." The Hebrew expression for Saturday is Shabbat, and literally means "to cease from
work; to rest." The Hebrew word for "peace" is shalom, also "harmony, wholeness, and completeness." Shabbat is God's gift to us. He knew we would get busy, so He commanded a day be set apart weekly to cease, rest, and receive from Him. True, inner shalom is also an obtainable gift, received by accepting God's invitation to the table of Shabbat (rest). He commands peace upon His people as we sit in the holy presence of His Son, Yeshua, the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). This is true heaven on earth, where weariness and sin are crushed under God's holy atmosphere. But to "rest in peace" is conditional, a fruit of the Spirit that must be cultivated. Turning our focus away from our problems and toward Yeshua will allow us to experience that "peace that passes all understanding." More heaven on earth. This week, when life gets frantic, stop and intentionally trade His shalom for strife. Then on Friday night, as you gather with your family, invite the Prince of Peace to your Shabbat table and find rest in Him. Discovering that Yeshua is both our true peace and true rest will give new meaning to the phrase Shabbat Shalom.
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Life from
the Land
F E ATU R I N G IS R AEL FI RS TFR U ITS C E N T E R FO R ECO N O M I C A DVA N C E M E N T
I
T'S HARD TO IMAGINE Arabs, Jews and
Gentiles working together in Israel. However, amidst conflict and prejudices, Israel Firstfruits, made up of Jewish, Arab and Gentile believers, is doing just that. Mordechai Wiseman, CEO of Israel Firstfruits, elaborates: “We are the economic development agency for the body of Christ in Israel. We exist to help the local body of the Messiah prosper, break the 'dependence cycle,' and become a community that is engaging and blessing society while demonstrating the reality and power of the Kingdom of God in the marketplace.” One of our most valued events is the Israel Business Forum. In 2017, 80 international business leaders joined over 120 local believers in an amazing time of business exhibition and training, one-on-one meetings, as well as anointed worship and prayer. We hosted a countrywide business plan competition with quality and creative local entrepreneurs. We also provided opportunity for over 30 locals to spend extended time with the
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international delegates, allowing for deeper relationships and mentorship. Future planning includes how to further coach and support the dozens of local businesses with whom we are connected.
Ron Brooks, U.S. Director, shares, The Forum is where we gather international kingdom business leaders and local Israeli entrepreneurs to form a community of support to help launch and/or grow their businesses. The marketplace is a key evangelism and discipleship sphere for Israeli believers, since it would be a literal miracle for a seeker to enter a local church–so the Church must go to the marketplace.” Mordechai adds, “In addition, local believers struggle with a poverty mindset and economic
dependence which needs to be overcome in order for local churches to become self-supporting.” Over the last several years, from very humble beginnings, God has mightily blessed this work. Hundreds of Israeli entrepreneurs have been impacted with biblically-based training, teaching, mentoring, and events. We have also assisted dozens of businesses and watched many launch and grow successfully, impacting their community and their local congregation. And this is only the beginning! KELLEY WORKMAN serves as the US Ministry Coordinator for Israel Firstfruits Center for Economic Advancement. Her background involves sports, ministry, and administration. She loves Yeshua, Israel (and the nations), family, pets, being creative, and traveling.
To receive more information about Israel Firstfruits, please visit israelfirstfruits.org
Yiddish Mama’s Kitchen W IT H A L AT I N O FLAI R
Pozole is a popular Latino soup traditionally made with pork and hominy, but this Jewish fusion version is made with chicken and the addition of matzah balls. Jewish people have been very successful at adapting local cuisine according to their families’ Jewish traditions and treasured recipes. This is a great fusion and a crowd-pleasing dish that can be used at Passover or any time you want the comfort of matzah ball soup with a Latino flair. –Bonnie Saul Wilks, MJBI Staff Writer
LATINO POZOLE WITH MATZAH BALLS INGREDIENTS
3 Tbsp. oil 1 lb. chicken thighs, cubed bite-size 1 cup onion, chopped 2 tsp. garlic, minced 5 cups chicken broth 1 (14.5 oz.) can mild red enchilada sauce
1 (4.5 oz.) can chopped green chilies 1 tsp. each ancho chile powder, chili powder, cumin ½ tsp. each Mexican oregano, paprika 1 (15.5 oz.) can white hominy, drained 1 Tbsp. lime juice 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Heat oil in large pot on medium heat. Add chicken, onion, and garlic. Sauté 3-4 minutes, browning on all sides. 2. Stir in broth, enchilada sauce, green chilies, and spices. Bring to a boil on high heat. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer 40 minutes. 3. Add hominy. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. 4. Stir in lime juice and cilantro.
MATZAH BALLS
Use a standard box of matzah ball meal mix. Follow directions but add 1/2 tsp. paprika and 2 tsp. lime zest to the mix. Add the formed balls after they have been cooked in hot water according to the package directions and drop into the pozole. Garnish with chopped cilantro, shredded cabbage, and shredded radishes. This is the ultimate Latino/Jewish comfort food!
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