Beit HaMashiach

Went to church today. Yes, it is a Saturday. No, I'm not a seventh day adventist. It's called Beit HaMashiach, and it was a messianic jewish congregation... That is, both jews and gentiles following the Jewish traditions, but who also believe that Yeshua (Jesus) is the messiah. Dad and I had gone there once before a while ago so this was our second visit, and it was quite good because it was also the same day that a couple of girls had their bat mitzvah, where they become accountable for themselves before God, (previously their parents would be accountable) so it was a very celebratory service.

I'm not Jewish, but I quite like the idea of a bat mitzvah or bar mitzvah. In the Western world there aren't that many rites of passage and the ones that exist informally tend to promote privilege and even recklessness rather than responsibility, such as getting drunk or smoking your first cigarette, that kind of thing. I like the idea of having a definite transition from childhood to adulthood, clarification for the individual where they understand that they're responsible for their own moral actions, rather than the blurred kind of line that many of us have. They are still under the authority of their parents until they're eighteen, but they have to answer to God for themselves, now, according to what I understand of Jewish tradition.

Also, it's not just suddenly they turn twelve or thirteen, (twelve for girls, thirteen for boys) have a ceremony and BAM! They're adults, they have to read out or recite prayers in Hebrew, the two girls actually lead the service, sung the blessings, that sort of thing, and it would have been something they would have had to study and practice for.

Oh, and afterwards, while I was there, I noticed a lady who I thought looked remarkably like an old teacher... only, I couldn't remember what the name of the teacher was! Then, when I saw her standing next to another old school teacher of mine, I was certain it was them. The other teacher's name I did remember, so I approached them and the second teacher recognised me but had to think to remember my name. Oh, and while I was chatting to her, she mentioned a third teacher that I used to have from that old school worshipped there, too! Although, I didn't see or meet him that day.

Shabbat Shalom!