sign in sign up
<<
Home , Druze

Publication of the Association of Hebrew Catholics No. 109, Winter-Spring 2021 TheThe HebrewHebrew CatholicCatholic “And so all shall be saved” (Romans 11:26)

Doré Bible Illustrations, www.creationism.org/images

But the angel said to the woman, “Do not be afraid; for I know that you seek who was crucified. He is not here; for he has risen, as he said. Come see the place where he lay.” Association of Hebrew Catholics ~ International The Association of Hebrew Catholics aims at ending the alienation of Founder Catholics of Jewish origin and background from their historical heritage. Elias Friedman, O.C.D., 1916-1999 By gathering the People Israel within the Church, the AHC hopes to help Co-founder enable them to serve the Church and all peoples within the mystery of their Andrew Sholl () irrevocable gifts and calling. (cf. Rom. 11:29) Spiritual Advisor The kerygma of the AHC announces that the divine plan of salvation has Fr. Ed. Fride () entered the phase of the of the Gentiles, prophesied by Our Lord and President St. Paul, and of which the Return of the to the Holy Land is a corollary. David Moss (United States) Secretary Kathleen Moss (United States) “Consider the primary aim of the group to be, not the conversion of the Jews, Director of but the creation of a new Hebrew Catholic community life and spirit, Lawrence Feingold S.T.D. S.T.L. (United States) an alternative society to the old.” Chairman, Board of Directors A counsel from Elias Friedman, O.C.D. Ken Wilsker (United States) “The mission of your association responds, in a most fitting way, Advisory Board to the desire of the Church to respect fully Card. Raymond Burke, Dr. Robert Fastiggi, the distinct vocation and heritage of in the .” Fr. Peter Stravinskas, Fr. Ed Wade, Most Rev. Raymond L. Burke, Archbishop of St. Louis, May 2006 Dr. Andre Villeneuve “Please be assured of my for your efforts devoted to studying and calling The Association of Hebrew Catholics (United States) is a non-profit corpora- attention to the Jewish roots of our Catholic and for your work to help tion registered in the state of New York, Michigan & Missouri. All contr- Catholics of Jewish origin to find their place and role in the Church.” butions are tax deductible in accordance with §501(c)(3) of the IRS code. Archbishop Robert Carlson, Archbishop of St. Louis, Sept. 2010 Please send correspondence and contributions to: Association of Hebrew Catholics The Association of Hebrew Catholics is under the patronage of 4120 W Pine Blvd Our Lady of the Miracle St Louis 63108, U.S. (who in the Church of St. Andrea della Fratte in Rome, Phone: 314-535-4242 on 20 January 1842, converted Alphonse Ratisbonne) E-mail: [email protected] and Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein) Web: http://hebrewcatholic.net Miriam, Our Lady of the Miracle, pray for us! Saint Edith Stein, pray for us! Write to address above or go to our web site for info about groups in other countries. Email discussion group: What They Have Said For info, send completely blank email to: In this context, and in this context alone, the Law, given on the same mountain of [email protected] on which the Name was revealed, regains its true significance. For the truly reli- gious Israelite, it is not and it never will be that burden of an exterior legalism which The Hebrew Catholic (ISSN 1547-4666) is a quar- is exactly what it seems to be when viewed from without. Was not Christ’s reproach to terly. Contributions to cover our production and the Pharisees precisely that they tended to view the Law in this way? But for anyone postage costs for four issues mailed from the U.S, who sees it in the light and darkness of Sinai-Horeb, the Law means communion with are shown below. Yahweh through the adoption of His own thoughts, through becoming like to what He Contributions above our costs provide the funds is in Himself and what He has revealed only to Israel. “Be ye holy as I am holy” – this needed for our work. phrase from Leviticus contains the whole substance of the Law. We can see, then, what for the Israelites will be and must be the everlasting concern (All remittances must be in U.S. funds) of the Law of God. It is not in the least a slavery to legalism, but it is, even in the US: $15; $20; Other Countries: $25 prosaic details of daily existence, the attitude of being at the disposition of God, of American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa, Paypal attentive subjection to Him, the attitude of total response to the divine word which is the fruit of the prophetic experience, and of which the life of remains the © Association of Hebrew Catholics, 2021 model. Thus there is nothing paradoxical in the notion, as that Christian Jew who Anything in The Hebrew Catholic may be reprinted, wrote the Epistle of St. James well perceived, that “to live by faith” and “to observe except: the law” could constitute one and the same program of life. The Meaning of Sacred Scripture, ©1958, Rev. Louis Bouyer, pgs 22-23 1. articles for which we have obtained permission, as indicated in the article’s credits, vuvh oaç tçv LËrç – Baruch haba b’Shem Adonai 2. articles which will not be printed in their com- Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord plete and unedited form. For these, we must approve the edited version. News and Notes ...... 3 Credits for the article must include the name and Letters / Emails ...... 3 issue number of our publication - The Hebrew President’s Memo ...... 4 Catholic - and the U.S. address of the AHC. Stories from the Diaspora...... 5 How a Near-Death Experience Changed My Life Send a copy of the publication with the reprinted by Dr. Elizabeth Stewart, Ph.D. article to the AHC at its U.S. address. Shabbat for , by Amanda Achtman...... 8 The views expressed in the published articles are It’s Not the Jewish Christmas – What Hanukkah Can Teach us Today...... 9 those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect by Michael Heekin the views of the AHC. Anomaly in the Land of Bashan, by Channah Bardan...... 10 AHC Resource Center...... 14

2 The Hebrew Catholic, No. 109, Winter-Spring 2021 News and Notes Letters / Emails

About this issue This is your column, your means to express your thoughts and to communicate with our readers. We will attempt to publish all In our last issue, Dr. Elizabeth Stewart briefly described letters as received. However, we reserve the right to edit letters her journey to the Catholic faith, thus becoming a Hebrew because of excessive length, personal comments, or inappropri- Catholic. In this issue, she relates how her life changed ate matter. after an accident and a near-death experience. We honor all requests to not publish the letter writer’s name. Channah Bardan continues her exploration of Israel and We will also withhold the writer’s name if we feel the contents the surprise find of what might be a synagogue/basilica of warrant it. the fourth century. Amanda Achtman interviews and spends a Sunday meal Appreciates The Hebrew Catholic with Jean-Marie Elie Setbon and his family. Our webstore I have received the fall issue of 2020. This issue is simply has Jean-Marie’s story, From the Kippah to the Cross. wonderful. I am so proud to be a member of the Associa- Finally, at this time of Passover, Lent, and Easter, we tion of Hebrew Catholics. feature an article about Hanukkah and Christmas. It is very Phyllis LaPerchia (nee Levitt), United States relevant for the time we are living in. We support your work. We are all united in Yeshua & Little Eucharistic Brothers of the Divine Will His mother, Miriam. We will pray for you. Pedro & Merle Tandoc, United States …I’m praying for your community and thank God for your faith. I’m looking forward to the day when I will be able to study the teachings that you promote. You are such an important part of our Church. Unity with you, L. & L. N. and All God bless the Association of Hebrew Catholics. It is always a joy to receive the latest edition of The Hebrew Catholic, reading with interest each one of its articles from cover to cover. It truly enriches my Catholic faith. Thank you, David, and your team for putting these quarterlies together. Left to Rt: Br. Stephen Joseph Varga, Br. Gilbert Joseph Bloomer, I miss the monthly havurah meetings with Fr. Br. John Joseph Martin, Archbishop Julian Porteous. Arsenault since moving out of Moncton, New Brunswick Photo, Mark Franklin, hobart.catholic.org.au in 2016. I will be contacting the Neugebauers to join the Toronto Havurah through Zoom. The Little Eucharistic Brothers of the Divine Will have James Ouellet, Canada become a Public Association of Christ’s Faithful in the Archdiocese of Hobart, Tasmania. Dr. Feingold’s lecture series is a blessing The group’s moderator, Br. Gilbert Joseph (Athol Enclosed is a token of my appreciation for the lecture Bloomer), has been a long-time member of the AHC. He series, The Sacramental Economy. What an extraordinary writes that the Jewish roots connection is mentioned in opportunity and blessing it was to dive deep into the most their now-approved statutes. They will continue keeping important aspects of our faith and to benefit from Dr. Fe- Jewish festivals, weekly Shabbat meals, and attendance ingold’s extensive knowledge on the Sacraments. of Orthodox Jewish events as part of their Bnei Miriam Wishing you a blessed New Year! Havurah activities. They continue to pray daily as AHC Karen Hynds, United States contemplatives for the intentions of the AHC, for AHC leaders, the havurot, the ingrafting of the Jews, etc. Pray for Deacon Mark Neugebauer and Family Link to their website: http://littleeucharisticbrothers.org/ Deacon Mark and Sue Neugebauer, leaders of the AHC Link to their havurah: https://bneimiriam.blogspot.com/ Toronto Havurah, and son Matthew are recovering from Covid, but Mark is in the hospital. Sue and Matthew are at home. You can reach them at [email protected]

The Hebrew Catholic, No. 109, Winter-Spring 2021 3 President’s Memo

Shalom Chaverim (Friends), succumb to the apostasy, and as we enter into in- As always, I am happy and relieved to get this issue out creasingly dark times, our gatherings in havurot can to you. I hope its arrival finds you and your loved ones gird our with the light and joy of Christ. If you healthy and at . read the article about Hanukkah and Christmas on Producing this issue turned out to be a great challenge. page 9, I think you will find moral encouragement While gathering materials, something happened to our for strengthening our Faith during our in computer, and we were unable to do anything. Over the these times of affliction. If we follow Christ closely next 2 days, I restored our system with our backups. Un- we shall be allowed, even on this earth, to stand as it fortunately, the restoration affected our license to use our were on the threshold of the heavenly Jerusalem ...2 photo processing software. Because I was unsuccessful in reactivating our license, I purchased new software which I From long ago ... moving on! now had to learn. Thus, if you think the picture quality in this issue leaves a little to be desired, please know that it The AHC reflects a witness of more than 4,000 years will improve as I continue to learn more about this product. of God’s development of a remnant of the People Israel and now with the nations, all alive in Christ. To further Mission and Future of the AHC the ongoing mission of the AHC, we will soon be adding In the last issue, I wrote about the mission of the AHC, new members to the AHC Board of Directors. With Ken with a focus on the times we are living in. In this issue, I Wilsker, our Board Chairman, and myself, the Board will would like to continue writing about the mission, but this chart the path forward of preserving the identity and heri- time with a focus on continuing the work for whatever tage of the People Israel within the Church. time that our Lord gives us. I will reach my 80th birthday this year. While I am in Our affiliates – members, supporters, friends – are dis- relatively good health, our Lord can call me Home at any persed throughout the world. They are fully engaged in time. So, planning to turn over the work of the AHC to a their families, in their occupations, in their Churches, in new president, secretary, and others, along with the time religious orders and communities, in school as teachers or needed for training, is what my wife Kathleen and I pray students, etc. God has not yet called Hebrew Catholics to for daily. Please join us in this prayer, ending as our Lord’s live together in one geographical location. prayer ended in the garden of Gethsemane: not my will, but thine be done.3 Havurah - in person I welcome your thoughts concerning the AHC, espe- One alternative that we have encouraged is the estab- cially our future development. Of course, I welcome any lishment of havurot, where small groups of individuals consideration of your personal involvement. get together for prayer, study, celebration, fellowship, and Finally, let me call attention to the important books mutual support. Up till now, havurah growth has been slow. we have featured in this issue. They reflect the ongoing But if ever we needed the heartbeat of “small communi- development of the Church’s exploration of the mystery ties of light” in Yeshua, it is now. Two people ... three or of Israel. four? See how the Cross of the Lord stands revealed as the tree of life.1 The two books by Gavin D’Costa review the Church’s teaching on the Jewish people in Vatican II and the subse- Havurah - internet quent development since the Council. Fr. Antoine Levy in Another way of getting together is the internet havurah, his book offers a critical assessment of various positions re- groups meeting through Zoom or other equivalent virtual garding the corporate presence of the Jewish people within gatherings. These work for individuals widely dispersed the Church, especially that of Messianic Jewish theologian, or who are affected by social lockdowns. Currently, the Rabbi Mark Kinzer. Both Fr. Levy and Rabbi Kinzer were Saint Louis Havurah and the Toronto Havurah meet via founding members of the Helsinki Consultation. Zoom. While it does not replace meeting in-person, the Wishing you every blessing of Passover, Lent, and Zoom meetings still enable the members to enjoy the fel- Easter, and with gratitude for your prayers and support, lowship of gathering together for study, prayer, shmoozing. I am yours in hearts of Yeshua, Miriam, and St. Teresa Havurah - going forward Benedicta of the Cross,

As many of our leaders in both Church and state 2 of the Hours, Vol. 2, pg 342, From an Easter Letter by St. Athanasius, Bishop. 1 Liturgy of the Hours, Vol. 2 3 Luke 22:42

4 The Hebrew Catholic, No. 109, Winter-Spring 2021 Stories from the Diaspora

How a Near-Death Experience I jumped into my car and raced off. Changed My Life Somewhere between the hotel and the school, I overtook By Elizabeth Stewart, Ph.D. a long line of cars, crashed head-on into a lorry coming the other way, ricocheted off the lorry and slammed into a tree. [Ed. From The Hebrew Catholic #108, Letters, pg. 4, by Dr. Elizabeth Stewart: “In fact, learning to ‘offer up’ suf- Mercifully, I don’t remember the actual crash at all. I fering was what brought me into the Catholic Church, as briefly regained consciousness about half an hour after you will see from the article I wrote. My mother’s family the crash, when I found myself looking down on the scene were Dutch Sephardic Jews, but my mother herself was from about twenty feet in the air, hovering at the level of not observant, and neither she nor my father, who was a the tree I had almost felled. lapsed Irish Catholic, actually practiced any … In Far below, a woman was being delicately and gently Israel I began, to my great surprise, to feel a strong longing eased from the wreckage of a car. All around her, the to know more about Jesus, or Yeshua…”] crumpled metal and screaming sirens told the story of what must surely have been a fatal accident. In between the sirens and the agitated commands of the paramedics, After I died, my life was never the same. I heard the woman moaning. Her eyes were shut and she th I mean that quite literally. On February 19 , 1983 in shuddered in agony. What a terrible way to die, I thought— Atlanta, my car crashed into a tree at high speed, and for and then it hit me that the woman was me! a short space of time, I ceased to exist. According to the Yet, not me. The body was mine, or rather it had been doctors who later attended me in hospital, I died. When mine, but was now an empty shell that had once held my eventually the paramedics and fire-fighters cut me free . I look at it with detached concern, but I was no longer from the wreckage and resuscitated me, I came back to in it, no longer in pain. The sounds that came forth were life – but to a life which was, forever, completely changed. distressing, and any observer would have thought I was The day began quite normally. I saw my two young suffering. On the contrary, I was free and on my way to daughters onto the school bus, grabbed a hasty coffee and somewhere else. rushed to work. I was a journalist with a daily newspaper, The scene below began to fade a little, and then I found and although my speciality was the in-depth interview, I myself being drawn irresistibly, with no effort on my part, also wrote a weekly column and had recently begun to host into a dark tunnel. I could make out very little of the sides a chat show on a local cable television station. I absolutely of the tunnel, but as I travelled further along, I noticed a loved my ! It was a dream come true. I had all the time growing light. Slowly the darkness disappeared and was I needed in which to write, I had a small but growing fan replaced by a soothing white light, and I came out of the base, and my work gave me the freedom to ask searching tunnel and into—well, where, exactly? I didn’t know. I questions to all kinds of interesting people, from film stars was still conscious, so I must have been alive somewhere to religious leaders. other than in my body. My personal life, however, was in tatters. My husband And then I realized that the light which surrounded me of twelve years had left us, and I was now the main bread- was emanating from another living Being, a Person, and I winner for the family. Juggling the needs of small children knew for certain that this Person was none other than Jesus. with the demands of my job was so stressful that I had begun to drink in the evenings, and I became involved How did I know? People have asked me this many times, with someone who was not at all good for me. and the only answer I can give is that I recognized that light and the Person from whom it flowed; I recognized Jesus That afternoon, my assignment—a “puff piece” story on just as you or I would recognize our own mother or father, a new hotel in downtown Atlanta—finished early. As was or a dear friend, by their presence. If you have ever been the custom in the 80s, the five-star lunch they had served unwell, and felt while your eyes were closed someone’s us journalists and public relations people was augmented loving touch on your forehead or clasping your hand, with a delicious wine. After two glasses, I remembered I you know how you recognize that person without having had to collect the children from school. No longer would to open your eyes. That was the way I recognized Jesus. my soon-to-be ex-husband pick them up; now it was my duty every day. His actual face was partly veiled with the light that streamed forth from his whole being. I glimpsed a loving

The Hebrew Catholic, No. 109, Winter-Spring 2021 5 expression and felt an infinite compassion surrounding me can they move my muscles properly. Today, I am partly as I came closer to His Person. paralysed and use a wheelchair. I knew I was on my way to a place of great joy and peace, Gone are the days of chasing news stories, playing ball that if I continued to draw closer to Jesus He would lead me with my children, dashing from interview to newsroom, away from my earthly body and into a completely differ- running along the beach, or striding along a street. ent existence. How I wanted to enter that state, that place! In every bone, every joint, I now have arthritis. I can- Suddenly my progress stopped. In front of me here ap- not open a tin, play the piano (although I have learned the peared the faces of my two daughters, one aged six and ukulele, which is much easier), write longhand, or spin and the other ten. weave as I used to do. I still paint, and thanks to computers, I was instantly drawn towards them. I felt a deep wave I can write once again. of compassion mixed with grief as I realized that if I con- And despite all this, I have never been happier! tinued towards the place that awaited me, I would never Of my months in hospital, all were spent either in re- see them again on earth. learning to do simple tasks, such as sitting up once I was And there flashed through my awareness that knowledge out of traction, feeding and washing myself, and moving that, without me, they would be as good as orphaned. Their as much as I can. father no longer lived with us, and we had no close family Despite intense pain, I persevered with small but essen- in America. I would no longer be there to love them, guide tial things you probably take for granted, as I did before them, take care of them. They would be alone, raised by my accident: bending a knee, stretching an arm, feeding virtual strangers. myself, transferring to a wheelchair. At the same time, I felt that Jesus understood every- While my physical recovery was slow and only partial, thing—my thoughts, my feelings, my deep sorrow at my spiritual life grew wings and soared. A Catholic friend leaving the children, and the overwhelming need to stay brought me St. Therese’s autobiography, and I devoured alive in the world for their sake. every word. I had never heard of redemptive suffering, and He gave me a choice. I chose to return. I was eager to learn more. An. Anglican chaplain visited Then everything went dark again, and when I eventu- me, and we read the Bible together, but the more I discov- ally recovered consciousness, I was in an intensive care ered about St. Therese and other Catholic saints, the more bed the following day, with anxious nurses and doctors I felt drawn to seek reception into the Catholic Church. hovering round me. In fact, although I didn’t know it then, I had already My mind was restored, but my body was quite shattered. been given conditional Baptism and had the Last Rites I would spend months in hospital and never again would read over me by a Catholic priest during the time I lay I walk unaided. These days, my wheelchair is a daily link unconscious, shortly after I’d arrived at the hospital. The to the world, for which I thank God, but if I break another Baptism evidently “took,” and as much as I respected the bone I will be bed-ridden, because I have reached the Church of England, I saw that the Catholic Church was limits of what surgery can do. There is literally no bone my true spiritual home. left to work with. When I was discharged from hospital, I needed nurses at My lung was punctured, my bladder ruptured. I lost home around the clock, but in time and with much practice, twelve pints of blood and was given twelve in transfusions. I grew better at looking after myself and my children. After There are only about nine-and-a-half pints of blood in the many months, I was able to live alone and care for them as body of an adult, so my entire bloodstream was renewed I had done before, though the need for a wheelchair meant through the generosity of strangers. that our lives were changed. I had smashed my pelvis and lower spine. My left leg was During my recovery, I underwent more operations, in- in smithereens, with my ankle hanging from it by a thin cluding two marathon sessions, one of ten hours and one thread of flesh. My knees and ankles were shattered; both of sixteen, carried out by teams of surgeons. I beat all the my hips were almost obliterated. I am now held together records for recovery, and have been the subject of lectures by countless pieces of metal. at Emory University. When I recently had to have a scan for osteoporosis, the Nobody thought I would survive any of my operations; technicians could not find enough space free of metal to nobody thought I would ever be able to leave my bed, let yield an accurate result. alone to live independently. My gluteal and sciatic nerves were torn to shreds. They When I said I have never been happier, I mean it quite have regrown, but in the wrong way. Now they magnify literally. God used my suffering to teach me how to live. what would normally be a feeling of discomfort into ago- Learning about the life of St. Therese has changed my nizing pain, but they don’t tell me where my legs are, nor own. I realized that the pain and suffering we all have to

6 The Hebrew Catholic, No. 109, Winter-Spring 2021 undergo to some extent is valuable currency in the King- ized that I was an alcoholic and had to abstain completely dom of . I know I have something I can offer to from this mind-altering substance. God, and which He will use for the benefit of others, so I began to attend AA, and to go to the nearest Catholic that nothing, not even a minor twinge, is wasted! Church. In America I was lucky – the Americans with Dis- As long as I bear my trials patiently, without boasting abilities Act mandates that most public spaces should be or complaining, Jesus transmutes my efforts into treasure. accessible, and I managed to find a Catholic Church close Every time I feel pain or encounter difficulty in my daily to my house, to which my carers could take me. It was life, I have learned to offer it to Him for the salvation of not long before I was formally received into the Church, souls, as our CUSA* prayer teaches us. and it took place on the feast of the Triumph of the Cross, Because my body is now so different from before, my which has great significance for those of us with illness way of life is vastly altered. or disabilities. As I mentioned earlier, I could no longer go on as- Joining the true Church has been the greatest blessing, as signment for the newspaper, and although I still wrote you will appreciate. I cannot overstate the effect it has had my column for a while, and have freelanced articles to on my life, and for that alone, it would have been worth publications as different as The Guardian newspaper and all the pain I have been through. The Catholic Herald, the writing I do now comes from a In many ways, I’ve been fortunate. For many, the worst deeper place. part about being disabled or sick in America is the financial My aim is to help people understand the value of pain burden. I had health insurance at the time of my accident, and disability, and to realize that they can offer all this but when I left the newspaper I lost that benefit, and after a to God. No matter how small or insignificant they may while, I decided to return to England where I have the free feel, they are of infinite value to Him. We who live with use of the National Health Service. I hope and pray that disabilities are sometimes considered “less than” others, all Americans will one day have access to free health care, when this is far from the case; we can perform great works which is a basic human right, along with free education. simply by enduring our pain, praying, and remembering No longer a full-time journalist, I had to decide how I with gratitude God’s many gifts to us. was going to make a living in the future. I did not want We are not called upon to perform many of the tasks to be on disability benefits if it was not absolutely essen- other Christians happily carry out, and this is fine, because tial, so I sought to continue my education so that I could everything we do can be part of God’s Will for us. someday teach. As Father Benedict Groeschel has said, however, we all I was accepted as a Ph.D. student in English at Georgia have to be careful when it comes to our suffering. We must State University, and I graduated in 1992. For a while, I resist the temptation either to belittle it or to magnify it. taught English and Journalism at Georgia State University Our suffering does not make us better than anyone else. If and DeKalb College. When I arrived back in England, I we do not endure it with patience, it could make us a great was fortunate enough to find a place lecturing in Humani- deal worse! Nobody wants to be around a complaining, ties with the Open University. miserable martyr, always reminding those close to her just Because students often came to me with their problems, how much she has to endure and how wonderful she is for I took courses in counselling and became a certified putting up with it. therapist; I now counsel occasionally, as a volunteer, and Nor should we attempt to “make a living” out of being continue to write. disabled. We are more than our disability or our sickness. After my recovery from alcoholism and my adaptation We should not be a burden to others, as C.S. Lewis pointed to a new way of life, God sent me yet another, inestimable, out; his definition of being a burden was not that we need blessing. I met my husband in England in 1992 at an AA help from others with physical tasks, but that we should gathering, and we have now been married for 25 bliss- not make ourselves into a psychological burden by mut- fully happy years. I was afraid that having been married tering and complaining. before would preclude me from marrying again, but after On the other hand, we want to be sufficiently free from our parish priest had made enquiries, I learned that since pride that we can accept help from other people when we neither my previous husband nor I were baptized, I was need it. Being too stoical and carrying on regardless is no now free to marry in the Church. use to anyone, for if we exhaust ourselves, we will need My husband, Colin, is also my carer, and he has been even more care in the future. a brilliant stepfather to my children who are now grown Learning how to live with our altered bodies (and some- up and have full lives of their own here in England, close times, minds) is a task we all need to do. In my case, it to where we live. included learning to live without , because I real- * CUSA, An Apostolate of Persons with Chronic Illness or Disability Continued on page 13

The Hebrew Catholic, No. 109, Winter-Spring 2021 7 Shabbat for Christians Amanda Achtman

To my great surprise and delight, he invited me to join his family for a Sunday meal at their home in the south end of Paris! And so it happened that, one week after reading his book, I was following Jean-Marie to his home where I was then greeted by all of his children with kisses on both cheeks as I entered their front door. They each introduced them- selves – living characters out of the memoir I had just read. We sat down around the table and the children began pouring water and wine and bringing in the dishes of chicken and potatoes. Jean-Marie’s grace wasn’t the usual Catholic grace before meals. He spoke in a spontaneous and heartfelt way. He prayed for his family’s material and spiritual health and wealth, for his children’s exams, and for little Nathanael’s life on the celebration of his fifth birthday. After the meal, Nathanael, the youngest was responsible for getting the Bibles off the shelf to hand to Jean-Marie Elie Setbon and Amanda Achtman each of us. Every Sunday, the family discusses a chapter together. “We are in Genesis 28,” he said to us as we all One day when I was searching for a book to read on my flipped open our bibles, the teenagers finding the passage holidays, I asked God, the Divine Librarian, to help me on their phones. choose one. Since I was going to , a book that had been on my shelf but that I had not yet read caught my Then, Jean-Marie began questioning his children. At eye when I read the back cover. That book was, From the first the questions were fairly simple: “Isaac is the father Kippah to the Cross, the story of Jean-Marie Élie Setbon. of who?” “Abraham is the father of who?” He read, “Then The back cover noted that Jean-Marc, as he was initially Jacob woke from his sleep and said, ‘Surely the Lord is in named, was the son of a non-observant family of French this place—and I did not know it!’” Then he asked, “Now, Jews. He grew up in Paris, not far Sacré-Cœur Basilica why does Jacob wake up from his dream and say this? in Montmartre. Doesn’t it seem a strange thing for him to say since he knows that God is everywhere? What does he mean by it?” In his memoir, he chronicles his mysterious attraction The children all proposed different answers. It reminded to the person of Christ, how he snuck into the basilica a me of Shabbat lunch at a rabbi’s home in Toronto. few months before his bar mitzvah and then, after it, used his bar mitzvah money to buy a small crucifix from the Jean-Marie discussed these questions and others for a cathedral bookshop. Eventually, though, he sought to shake while. At the end of the chapter Jacob says, “And of all his interest in by connecting more deeply with that you give me I will surely give one-tenth to you.” . He moved to Israel where he learned Hebrew, Jean-Marie remarked, “People tend to think that tithing is lived in a kibbutz, served in the Israeli Army, and studied a Protestant invention but see – it’s right here in the Book Torah. He then became an ultra-Orthodox rabbi, married, of Genesis, with Jacob. And it’s not just a matter of tithing and had seven children. Still, his interest in Christ persisted income, but of tithing our whole lives. “Do you tithe one and the book tells the story of how and why he came to tenth of your day?” he asked his children. The children enter the Catholic Church. were silent, reflective, and a bit surprised by the question. I read this dramatic, moving, existential book over just One of his daughters finally exclaimed, “A tenth of your a few days. It was a marvelously engaging read – the sort day! But that’s enormous!” that you are sad to finish simply because you would wish Jean-Marie calmly asked, “What is one-tenth of 24 to see the story continue unfolding. hours?” The children were thinking. “It’s more than two And this is when it occurred to me to try to contact the hours!” Jean-Marie was gentle and encouraging: “Pray author, express my gratitude for his book, and – auda- when you wake up and ask the Lord to help you through ciously – ask to meet. your day. Pray while you do your schoolwork. And before Continued on page 13

8 The Hebrew Catholic, No. 109, Winter-Spring 2021 It’s Not the Jewish Christmas – What Hanukkah Can Teach Us Today Michael Heekin the Temple by dedicating it to Zeus, plundering its sacred objects, and sacrificing pigs on its altar. Mothers who cir- cumcised their children were humiliated by being paraded around Jerusalem with their babies and then murdered, along with the rest of their families and those who had performed the circumcisions. Whether succumbing to pressure from the pagan em- peror, or cooperating for personal gain, or simply being allured by the prospect of social progress, many Jews renounced the religion of their forefathers and adopted Hellenism. They assumed Greek names and some even In 1938, during the dark days of the Holocaust, Pope underwent surgery to reverse their circumcisions. Much Pius XI declared to Catholics – and all Christians – that of the religious hierarchy also sided with the Hellenists “Spiritually, we are Semites.” Christians and Jews are all against their fellow Jews. However, an elderly priest Children of Abraham and must stand in solidarity against named Mattathias resisted those abominations. He fled evil in the world. It is also true that studying Jewish his- to the hill country of Judea with his five sons and other tory and religion reveals the roots of Christianity, and can co-religionists. From there, they waged an inspired guer- guide us in responding to the challenges that people of rilla war against the Hellenists. The rebels suffered many faith face in modern times. hardships, but they persisted, and as the victories mounted, Consider the festival of Hanukkah that begins at sunset their strength grew. on , December 10 [2020]. That feast celebrates events recorded in the books of First and Second Macca- After Mattathias died, his son, Judah, became leader of bees. Although Hanukkah is one of the more popular Jew- the guerillas. Because of his prowess in commanding the ish holidays, especially in America, the Maccabees books resistance, he became known as “Maccabee,” which means are not found in the (or in most Protestant “hammer.” Likewise, his fighters were called Maccabees. bibles). However, they are found in Catholic and Ortho- Antiochus resolved to eliminate the Maccabees once dox bibles and in the Septuagint, an early Greek language and for all, and sent an army of 65,000 soldiers against version of the Hebrew Scriptures. There are interesting Judah’s force of 10,000. Before the engagement, Judah reasons for those strange twists, but that is another story. and his army prayed fervently to God for Israel’s deliver- Christians often think of Hanukkah as the “Jewish ance. Their prayers were answered, and the Maccabees Christmas”—a lovely festival that involves lighting roundly defeated the superior Hellenist forces. Although candles on the menorah, singing traditional songs, and some fighting continued, that battle freed Israel, which exchanging gifts. In fact, Hanukkah commemorates an would remain independent until occupied by the Romans epic struggle between an outmatched Jewish resistance a century later. and internal and external forces that were determined to destroy Judaism. It is a story that is especially relevant After the victory, the Maccabees rushed to Jerusalem for Christians and Jews today, with growing hostility to to purify the desecrated Temple and rededicate it to God. people of faith and declining religious observance around (“Hanukkah” means “dedication” in Hebrew.) According the world. to tradition, they found only one day’s supply of consecrat- In the fourth century B.C., Israel was subjected to Greek ed oil to light the menorah, but it miraculously remained rule when Alexander the Great defeated the . Two burning for eight days until the oil could be replenished. centuries later, Alexander’s successors had grown con- Thus, the celebration of Hanukkah lasts eight days, and temptuous of Judaism, and acted mercilessly to impose menorahs used for the feast have eight main candles, one their “superior” Hellenist culture on backward Israel and for each day. its restrictive beliefs and rules. What are the lessons that people of faith today can learn Antiochus IV, who called himself Epiphanes, the “vis- from the Maccabean resistance? In 167 B.C., the religious ible god,” forbade the practice of Judaism under penalty of Jews faced threats of extinction from their pagan emperor death. He murdered the incumbent High Priest and 40,000 and from many of their fellow Israelites. The High Priests, Jews and sold another 40,000 into slavery. He desecrated Continued on page 13

The Hebrew Catholic, No. 109, Winter-Spring 2021 9 Anomaly in the Land of Bashan Channah Bardan

The remains of the synagogue/basilica of Deir Aziz in the Lower .View looking up the mountain. Even though there was plenty of room at the crest of the hill, this structure was placed here facing west to east - very atypical for a synagogue.

The earliest believers in Yeshua as the Moshiach were dubbing and subtitles for the latest movies from around Jews living in Jerusalem and in the lands adjacent to the the world. From high atop Mt Bental, one can look north Sea of , or Lake Kinneret. These lands included to the snow-capped Mt. Hermon – or just eastward down the Galilee region to the west and south and the Golan the mountain into (just last year you could see the region to the east and north. Surely they must have left battles taking place around the area) – or to the behind traces: signs of who they were and Who they fol- south and the Kinneret. There are also more than a few lowed. Thus far, very little has been said or written about archaeological sites and centuries-old abandoned villages. archaeological finds of this nature. Could it be that they Could any of these places hold a clue about the beginnings were overlooked? Or perhaps there were signs that were of the early Church? ignored or cast aside altogether? In a remote corner of the Southern Golan Heights, just The windswept Golan Heights, the ancient Land of about five miles from the shores of the Kinneret as the crow Bashan, is a wild and desolate place. There are few villages flies, are the remains of a Roman-era Jewish settlement. scattered along the basalt range towering just to the east of Perched atop a steep cliff is the ruined village of Deir Aziz, the Kinneret. It is a land of IDF bases and training grounds: not far from the more famous Jewish stronghold, Gamla, vast mine fields left over from past wars, cordoned off by whose inhabitants valiantly fought off the Roman Legion barbed wire and “no trespassing/danger” signs; kibbutzim in 67 A.D. I had the privilege of exploring this ruined town with acres of productive fruit orchards and vineyards; with Israeli historian and adventurer, Eldad Keynan. He villages; and Dude Ranches complete with Old- explained that “in this part of the Golan, there was a pat- Western-style cattle ranchers and Texas BBQ restaurants. tern of Jewish settlements from the Second Temple period Among the oddities of this region is Kibbutz El Rom, the that extended into the late Byzantine era.” “Hollywood” of Israel. This kibbutz does all the Hebrew

10 The Hebrew Catholic, No. 109, Winter-Spring 2021 These settlements were once inhabited by Jews, with some remains actually attesting to Jews and Romans co- inhabiting the same spaces. After the Jews entered the Diaspora in 70 AD, and after the Romans and Byzantine Christians, the and random tribes settled the area using the same materials to build their homes and animal sheds that the previous civilizations left behind. After earthquakes and other disasters, the Mamlukes en- tered the scene, the Crusaders and then the Ottomans, and later, Syrian Bedouin tribes. Civilization after civilization recycling the materials of the previous inhabitants have created a confusing tapestry of interwoven history. Deir Aziz is one of those settlements. It was discovered and partially excavated by British Member of Parliament and Christian Zionist, Laurence Oliphant, during his explo- ration of Palestine in 1880. Almost an entire century later, Eldad points out the semicircular apse facing out in the 1970s, after Israel had retaken the Golan Heights southward towards Jerusalem…. during the Six Day War, Israeli archaeologist Dr. Zvi Ilan Aron haKodesh, can be found on the southern wall facing rediscovered the site during his survey of the land. Shortly the Holy City. Could this be an early Hebrew Catholic place thereafter, Dr. Haim Ben David led a full-scale archaeolog- of combining the elements of both the synagogue ical dig of Deir Aziz. There, he unearthed the foundations and the basilica? of a settlement from the Mishnaic and Talmudic period, consisting of homes, a grain warehouse, a mikveh, and a strange synagogue from the early fourth century A.D. This “synagogue” has proven to be quite the anomaly.

Columns line each side of the nave with stone benches lining both sides of the walls (typical synagogue style). This photo is taken facing east.

Perched high atop the cliff is the ruins of a once-majestic two-story, dark basalt stone synagogue with pillars and stone benches along the walls. It was definitely a Jewish Looking outside the southern wall of the structure at the apse jutting outwards. place of worship, as inscribed in the wall are the names of It was definitely NOT a later addition. Eldad Keynan explained that the same type and size of basalt stones were used, and that the apse was the Jewish donors: Yehudah, Ezekias, and Azizo. Or was continuous with the rest of the structure…. other stones which have it? Even today, traditional synagogues are built with the fallen from the walls of the synagogue remain on the ground in situ. apse facing Jerusalem, the focal point of Jewish prayer. This synagogue was built oriented west to east overlooking Labeled a “synagogue/basilica,” the building was con- Syria. Jerusalem lies to the south of the Golan. Instead, a structed in the basilica style. Between two giant basalt strange, out-of-place circular niche for the Holy Ark, the columns at the west entrance would have been a door which

The Hebrew Catholic, No. 109, Winter-Spring 2021 11 opens into a nave or worship hall set apart by two rows of Eldad Keynan points out another interesting fact. Ara- central columns running towards the eastern apse. Basalt maic was the lingua franca of the day in the Biblical Land benches for the congregants line both sides of the hall. At of Israel. The word Deir (pronounced deer) is an Aramaic the east end is a large, raised stone apse where there would word for monastery. Like so many towns throughout the have been ample room for a bima or altar. Could it have Galilee and Golan, the who resettled these aban- been that there was a “new” focal point for the worship doned villages kept the Aramaic names for the places. service? One pointing towards the east, the direction of Today, one can drive through majority Muslim villages the rising sun (or the risen Son?)? Eldad Keynan of Deir Hanna (The Monastery of John), Deir al Assad that this is, in fact, the case. A structure combining both (The Monastery of the Lion, St. Mark’s), and Deir Keifa elements of traditional Jewish and non-traditional early (St Peter’s Monastery). So here are the ruins known as Catholic worship, in essence, a synagogue/basilica. Deir Aziz (the Monastery of Azizo?). Could this building project have been a joint effort between an early Ecclesia ex Circumcisione (Hebrew Catholics) and Ecclesia ex Gentibus (Gentile Catholics)? An early synagogue/basilica where both groups made up the congregation? Could it have been a house of worship for Jewish settlements as well as Gentile settlements living in close proximity? These are some of the theories put forth by Keynan: To be accurate, I think initially it was Messianic Jewish and probably shared also by ‘regular’ Jews. Gentile Christians came later. Then it was most likely used by the Byzantines. The place became a monastery during the last phase of in- habitation. Thus the name Deir Aziz. The Israeli Antiquities Authority recognizes this histori- cal site only as a strange type of synagogue. In their nar- rative, and the narratives of the trained tour guides, there is no mention of a Christian population worshipping here. The synagogue/basilica of Deir Aziz is truly an anomaly. Until further excavations are done, there is little chance of knowing for certain, as there seems to be no mention of the place in historical accounts that survived from the post-Second Temple period. For now, it remains shrouded in mystery. † † †

This photo looks southward at the mikveh…it is fed by underground streams and still in use today!

In 1998, Dr. Ben David, an esteemed Israeli archae- ologist, excavated a small clay jar buried under ash at the southern end of the synagogue. It contained 14 gold coins dating to the rule of Byzantine Emperor Justinian I. His findings also included an ancient olive press on the hill directly above the synagogue. Fresh oil would have been processed on-site from the nearby groves for use in anointing . Just down the hill from the synagogue/ basilica is a large mikveh fed by natural underground springs. Could this pool have been used for baptisms as well as Jewish immersion? To this day, observant The stones of the mikveh were reinforced with cement in the 1990s. You can see the synagogue basilica at the top of the photo in the Jewish groups come to use this as a mikveh, a ritual im- center. It was not a far walk directly downhill from the mersion pool. synagogue/church to the mikveh/baptismal…

12 The Hebrew Catholic, No. 109, Winter-Spring 2021 Continued from page 8 How a Near-Death ... they defeated the evil that meant to destroy their faith and heritage against all odds. God could not have given me a happier life than the one I now have. I thank Him daily for all the good things He The Polish people faced a similar challenge in the 20th has given me, for CUSA, for my continued creativity and Century. Like the Hellenist rulers of Israel, the Communists enjoyment of life, the companionship of good friends, and who ruled Poland used terror and fear to maintain control above all for my family. and destroy the deep Catholic faith of the people. However, in 1979, in the first return to his homeland as pope, John I wrote my little book so that people might see how an Paul II inspired the Polish people to call out the evil of apparently insurmountable problem may be God’s way of Communism. He challenged the people with these words: changing us for the better. I plead with you—never, ever give up on hope, never doubt, It has been found that when people undergo Near Death never tire, and never become discouraged. Be not afraid. Experiences, it takes about seven years for the full effects The Poles took the Pope’s words to heart, and the Com- to be felt in one’s life. That has been true for me, for at the munist dictatorship was doomed. Less than two years end of that time I was a Catholic, a recovering alcoholic, later, the tables were turned, and the dictators were on and a Doctor of Philosophy with a new purpose in life. the defensive offering reforms that they hoped the people And the effects continue to manifest themselves in my would accept. Within 10 years, Communism in Poland had everyday life, as I appreciate to the full all the gifts God been all but destroyed. has bestowed on me, and which He continues to shower Christians and Jews today face perils similar to those down on all of us who accept His Will with joy. of Hellenist Israel and Communist Poland — † † † of God’s faithful and intolerance of their beliefs. Govern- Continued from page 10 Shabbat for Christians ment, academia, and the culture are increasingly hostile to the Judeo-Christian culture on which America is based. you go to sleep, say a short brief of thanks to God.” Sadly, in the name of tolerance and remaining relevant in I was deeply moved to witness this model of reading the modern world, the are too often indifferent or the Bible on Sundays and of a father leading his family worse, supportive, of the dismantling of the country’s core in becoming familiar with scripture through questioning. Judeo-Christian principles. I had never seen Catholic families study the Bible in America cannot survive if it abandons its guiding moral quite this way. Rosaries and pious family devotions, yes. principles, as President John explained in 1798: Biblical around the dinner table, nope. Still today We have no government armed with power capable of this experience fills me with joy and hope. contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion . . . Our Constitution was made only for a moral and Jean-Marie’s goal is to promote more catechesis within religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government the family home. Education in the faith is not restricted to of any other. teachers and priests. It was attractive to see these elements of Jewish tradition that he has retained while raising his To this Catholic, the emancipating message of Hanukkah family in the Christian faith. was demonstrated by the Maccabees and by John Paul II — never, ever give up on hope, never doubt, never tire, and He has written a new book currently only available in never become discouraged. Be not afraid! We hear those French entitled, Dieu au coeur de notre famille: Des outils simple, powerful words proclaimed repeatedly throughout pour l’intelligence de la foi [God at the heart of our family: the Scriptures, by , David, Solomon, Ezekiel and Tools for the intelligence of faith]. Isaiah, and Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Paul. That May God be at the center of our lives and at the heart message is profoundly liberating, for the Maccabees, and of our families. the Poles, and for us. Amanda Achtman is a Jewish Catholic Canadian. She is blog- ging daily throughout 2021 about death, dying, culture, and We may face a long grey twilight of ever-increasing meaning at DyingToMeetYou.ca intolerance and persecution of the faithful and their Judeo- † † † Christian principles, but we know how it will end. It is up to us to act boldly in the face of injustice, live our faith Continued from page 9 It’s Not the Jewish ... openly and fearlessly, and oppose evil wherever it is found. other religious and civic leaders, friends and neighbors As Catholics, let us embrace the rich patrimony we share were in league with the emperor. The religious institutions with our Jewish brothers and sisters, starting with the les- of Israel were crumbling and the Jews who remained faith- sons of Hanukkah. To all Children of Abraham, Happy ful faced persecution and death. But the Maccabees never Hanukkah! Be a Maccabee—persevere, trust in God ... gave up hope in the providence of God and persevered in and be not afraid. the defense of their beloved faith. Free of fear and despair, † † †

The Hebrew Catholic, No. 109, Winter-Spring 2021 13 AHC Resource Center

Sister Mary Baruch – A Novel On a voluntary errand of mercy for a dying Catholic Fr. Jacob Restrick O.P. friend, Becky enters a Catholic Church for the first time to Vol 1, The Early Years, ©2015, 350 pages light a candle and say a prayer for her friend. Once inside Vol 2, The Middle Ages, ©2016, 264 pages the heavy church door, an incredible peace falls upon her, Vol 3, Vespers, ©2017, 336 pages and the fear and trepidation of entering a Catholic Church Vol 4, Compline, ©2019, 352 pages disappear. She is awestruck by the mysterious beauty that Four of five volumes of Sister Mary Baruch have been pub- engulfs her. Determined to fulfill her mission for her dear lished in soft cover by Tan Books. They retail for $16.95 and we friend, she explores a side chapel and discovers a full-sized sell them for $14.40 each (+ shipping). If you purchase all four statue of Jesus. His face was more beautiful than any face volumes, they will cost you $13.55 each, plus $5.57 shipping. she had ever seen. She is given a mystical awareness that To read about each volume, search for “Sister Mary Baruch” she is known and loved by this Jesus. She asked herself, in our webstore at: https://store.hebrewcatholic.net/shop/ “How can this be?” Suddenly, she felt very faint. Overwhelmed, she took refuge in a pew near the front “When I started Sister Mary Baruch, I didn’t know what to ex- to recover her balance. Noticing that people were scat- pect, but I couldn’t put it down, and I couldn’t wait to get back to tered around the church praying, she realized that their it when I did. It is an endearing tale, lovingly and artfully told.” prayer was focused toward a circular brass box that was Fr Peter John Cameron. OP., Founder of Magnificat suspended over the high altar. Becky is struck with a real- ization: She has been discovered by a loving Presence like nothing she ever experienced before. This Jesus was real, By Sr. Anatoly, HSMC alive, and loved her. Becky Feinstein, a Jewish girl from Sr. Mary Baruch–The Early Years, a novel by Fr. Jacob a famous rabbinic family, found herself at the beginning Restrick, OP is a Hebrew Catholic ’s story. It’s a perfect of an incredible romance that would change everything. selection for AHC readers and friends alike. The authentic Right then and there, she falls in love with the Jewish realism makes it hard to believe that it is a novel, but Fr. , her destiny. Jacob has had over a decade of experience as a chaplain Fr. Jacob accurately portrays the heartwrenching trauma for cloistered Dominican . Sr. Mary Baruch is the that erupts when faith in Jesus emerges in a Jewish family. fruit of his unique experience. It is guaranteed to capture When Becky makes known her intention to seek Baptism your heart, bring tears to your eyes, and a smile to your and enter the Catholic Church, she is asked to move out face. You will not be able to put it down. The story takes of her family’s home. The drama heightens when Becky place in New York City during the turbulent 60’s. The discerns a call to enter a Dominican contemplative mon- main character, Rebecca Feinstein, comes from a typical, astery. The hidden but amazing reality is that she will not-so-observant Jewish family that could be your own. become more Jewish by becoming Catholic. Sr. Mary The drama begins when Becky unexpectedly falls in love. Baruch will bless all who open their hearts to the mystical Everything in her life changes. journey that follows.

14 The Hebrew Catholic, No. 109, Winter-Spring 2021 Vatican II Catholic Doctrines Catholic Doctrines on on the Jewish People Jews and Muslims After Vatican II Gavin D’Costa Gavin D’Costa Oxford University Press Oxford University Press ©2014, Soft cover, 270 pgs ©2019, Hardcover, 240 pgs $34.95, $29.70+$3.89 shpg $80.00, $68.00+$4.45 shpg “This study explores Ro- “Gavin D’Costa breaks new man Catholic doctrines after ground in this authoritative the Second Vatican Council study of the Second Vatican regarding the Jewish people Council’s doctrines on other (1965-2015). Gavin D’Costa , with particular at- establishes the emergence of tention to Judaism and . the teaching that God’s cov- The focus is exclusively on the enant with the Jewish people doctrinal foundations found in is irrevocable. D’Costa exam- Lumen Gentium 16 that will ines early magisterial docu- serve Catholicism in the twenty first century. D’Costa provides a ments that seem to contradict current teachings. The apparent map outlining different hermeneutical approaches to the Council, contradiction is historically contextualized. D’Costa argues whilst synthesizing their strengths and providing critiques of that earlier teachings accept the positive value of Jewish rituals their weaknesses. Moreover, he classifies the different author- within certain conditions. These earlier traditions also show a ity attributed to doctrines thereby clarifying debates regarding positive valuation of Jewish cultic practices within the early continuity, discontinuity, and reform in doctrinal teaching. Christian church.” [From the cover] “Vatican II: Catholic Doctrines on Jews and Muslims expertly Gavin D’Costa is Professor of Catholic Theology and Head of the Department on Religion and Theology at the University examines the Council’s revolutionary teaching on Judaism, of Bristol. which has been subject to conflicting readings, including the claim that the Council reversed doctrinal teachings in this area. Table of Contents Through a rigorous examination of the debates, the drafts, the 1. The Catholic Doctrine of God’s Irrevocable Covenant official commentary, and with consideration of the previous for the Jewish People • Introduction • Methodology and Mag- Council and papal doctrinal teachings on the Jews, D’Costa lays isterial Authority • Two Basic Doctrines: God’s Irrevocable bare the doctrinal achievements of the Council, and concludes Covenant with Biblical Jewish People; Applicable to Rabbinic with a similar detailed examination of Catholic doctrines on Jewish People • Fulfillment and Supersessionism – the Same Islam. This innovative text makes essential interventions in the Species? • Conclusions debate about Council hermeneutics and doctrinal teachings on 2. The “Ceremonial Law”; Dead and Deadening or Alive the religions.” [From the cover] and Life-Giving? • Introduction •Bruce Marshall’s Depiction of the Catholic Problematic Israel of the Flesh and the Irrevocable “Gavin D’Costa is Professor of Catholic Theology at the Uni- Jewish Covenant • Do Previous Magisterial Teachings Con- versity of Bristol and has advised the Vatican, and the English tradict Recent Magisterial Teachings? • Resolving Marshall’s and Welsh Catholic Church, and the English Anglican Church Conundrum through the Fulfillment Thesis • Conclusions on interreligious dialogue.” [From the cover] 3. The Church and the Biblical Promised Land • Introduc- tion • Key Terminology Regarding This Question • The Promise of the Land: Biblical Considerations • Hermeneutics for Reading Table of Contents the Old and the New Testaments • Land in the Old Testament Introduction • The Temple and Jerusalem • The Land in the Old Testament Interpreting the Interpreters – continued • Land in the New Testament • The Temple and The Council and the Religions Jerusalem in the New Testament • Conclusions The Council and the Jews: A ‘Dramatic Change’ in Doctrine? 4. The Church and Minimalist Catholic • Intro- The Council and the Muslims: Worshipping the Same God? duction • The Actors on the Stage • Vatican Diplomacy and the Conclusions Land of Israel • The Telos of Catholic Theological Teachings about the Land • Conclusions “This clear and well-organized volume draws on an admi- 5. Catholic Mission to the Jewish People • Introduction • rable amount of research in primary and secondary sources ... Defining the Terms • Arguments against Mission to the Jews • What D’Costa writes about historical, literary, and theological Critical Reflections on the Arguments • The Significance of the hermeneutics repays study.” [From cover] Jewish Ecclesia/Hebrew Catholics • Conclusions Gerald O’Collins SJ, Theological Studies Conclusions of a Tentative Post-Conciliar Theology of the Jewish People Bibliography • Biblical Index • General Index

The Hebrew Catholic, No. 109, Winter-Spring 2021 15 “Fr. Levy has written an important book. With his critical analysis of various positions, he has profoundly and convinc- ingly presented a case for continued Jewish identity and practice in Jesus. A challenge to church leaders and to Messianic Jews on the ecclesial unity of the Church.” Daniel Juster, founding president of Tikun International and the Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations “Fr. Levy enters into a critical conversation with the Messianic Jewish theology of Mark Kinzer and addresses the ecclesial status of the Jewish people within the Catholic Church. Levy’s masterful presentation introduces critical considerations in the ongoing and vital theological discussions concerning the Jewish people and the Church.” David Moss, President, Association of Hebrew Catholics “Fr. Antoine Levy has written a very important book in which he engages in an intensive ecumenical dialogue with the of Mark Kinzer, perhaps the most articulate and profound exponent of the theology of Messianic Judaism. Levy shares the foundational conviction of Kinzer on the need for a Jewish corporate presence in the Church. He differs quite substantially, however, on the ecclesial and liturgical forms of this presence. A very fruitful dialogue indeed.” Lawrence Feingold, Ave Maria University

Table of Contents Jewish Church Foreword by Mark S. Kinzer A Catholic Approach to Messianic Judaism Technical Foreword Antoine Levy, O.P. Introduction: The Purpose of a Critical Conversation with Mark Foreword: Mark S. Kinzer Kinzer Lexington Books,©2021, Hard cover, 434 pages, I. Salvation (From Post- to Pre-Patristic Messianic $125, $100 + $4.45 shipping Judaism) “The idea of a Jewish Church has been banned from the Chris- 1. Mystery of the Church and Mystery of Israel according horizon for almost two millennia. But things are changing. to Recent Magisterium Since the middle of the 1970’s the Messianic Jewish movement 2. Rethinking the Salvation of Israel in the New Testament has strived to build an ecclesial home for all Jewish believers II. Torah in Christ. This new phenomenon brings to life issues that had disappeared since the first centuries of the Church. What does 1. Origin and Configuration of the Problem it mean to be a Jew in the Church? Should there be a distinction 2. Combinatory Modes and Theological Issues between Jews and non-Jews among believers in Christ? Is such a 3. “Continuity Model” versus “Messianic-Torah Model”: distinction compatible with the unity of the whole Body of Christ 4. What New Testament Halacha for the Jewish Disciples so ardently preached by Paul? What lifestyle should this Church of Jesus? promote? In his various works, Mark Kinzer, a prominent Mes- sianic Jewish theologian, has attempted to provide substantial III. Ekklesia answers to these questions. With Kinzer, Levy has launched the 1. Structure “Helsinki Consultation,’ a cross-denominational gathering of 2. Sacramental Life and Hierarchic Organization Jewish theologians. In this book, Levy examines Kinzer’s posi- 3. Charisma and Institution: Distinction and Interaction tions critically, bringing forward an alternative vision of what a between Apostolic Authority and the Jewish Presence ‘Jewish Church’ could and should be. This is only the beginning in the Church of what promises to be a fascinating discussion.” 4. The Shaping of a Living Tradition “Levy, a Catholic Jew, is facing the most crucial challenge 5. Jewish Reappropriation of Christian Tradition of a full catholic Ekklesia head on: how do the two parts of 6. Ecclesial and Political Situation of a Jewish ekklesia humanity, the Jew and the non-Jew, come into the one fully 7. The Ecumenical Dimension of a Jewish ekklesia restored Catholic Church of Jesus Christ? This book is a timely celebration of the ‘coming home’ of Jews who believe in Jesus Conclusion: The Wider Fence in the living Body of the Messiah.” Bibliography Benjamin Berger, Shepherd of Jerusalem Messianic Name Index Congregation, Kehilat ha’Seh al Har Zion Index of Scripture, Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha

16 The Hebrew Catholic, No. 109, Winter-Spring 2021