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messiah

David: Great Leader or Damaged Hero?

\”The Life of David\” by Robert Pinsky (Schocken Books, $19.95).

Every morning, pious Jews pray to God that \”the offspring of Your servant David may speedily flourish … for we hope for your salvation all day long.\”

The hope of future redemption and a return to ancient glory has long been a staple of Jewish life, based upon God\’s promise to David that \”your house and your kingship shall ever be secure before you; your throne shall be established forever.\”

Longing for the Messiah

When we open our doors at the seder and invite Elijah the Prophet to sip the glass of wine that we have designated for him, we express our longing for

the Messiah. Elijah, in our tradition, will herald the arrival of a ruler who will enable a world of peace. The message of the seder is of hope: God, the Creator, entered history to free us from bondage, providing reason to believe that God will re-enter history to facilitate the final redemption.

Why Jews Don’t Accept Jesus

Why don\’t Jews accept Jesus as the Messiah or son of God?

Growing up in Philadelphia, I attended Akiba Hebrew Academy, a private Jewish school. In 11th grade, a Southern Baptist preacher came to speak to our class. He looked around the room, and with a kindly smile said, \”You seem like nice boys and girls. But I must tell you that unless you change your ways, you are all going to hell.\” I admired his honesty, but not his theology. I spent the next hour trying to think of a question that would stump him. As the class was ending, I raised my hand.

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Shabbat dinner, right in your inbox.

More news and opinions than at a Shabbat dinner, right in your inbox.

More news and opinions than at a Shabbat dinner, right in your inbox.