Q. What is Messianic Judaism?

Messianic Judaism is a Christian movement of Jewish people who believe Yeshua (Jesus) was the promised Messiah in the Tanakh (Old Testament). Messianic Jews maintain their Jewish identity and heritage while affirming faith in Yeshua.

To learn more, go to our About Us page.

 

Q. Why do you say “Yeshua” and not “Jesus” or “Christ”?

“Yeshua” is the original Hebrew or Aramaic name used for Jesus in his historical and cultural context. “Yeshua” (ישוע) means “salvation” in Hebrew, and it was a common name during that time. When the New Testament was written in Greek, the name was transliterated as “Iēsous,” which eventually became “Jesus” in English through Latin.

We use “Yeshua” to emphasise the Jewish identity of Jesus, connecting him to his heritage and the Hebrew Scriptures. It can be a way to highlight the continuity between the Old and New Testaments, as well as to honour the roots of the Christian faith in Judaism. As Messianic believers, we want our Jewish brethren to know Yeshua was a Jewish man who came to die for their sins first, and often “Jesus” has a Gentile connotation that can be a turn-off to reaching them with the gospel.

Note we do not call him the Hebrew slang “Yeshu”, which is a derogatory name for Jesus. Some scholars believe it originated as an acronym for “Yimmach Shemo Vezikhro” (ימח שמו וזכרו), which means “May his name and memory be erased.” This phrase was historically used by some Jewish communities to express disdain or rejection of Jesus, particularly toward Messianic believers seen as having led other Jewish people away from traditional Jewish beliefs.

 

Q. What does “Beit HaMashiach” mean?

“Beit Hamashiach” (בית המשיח) in Hebrew translates to “House of the Messiah.” “Beit” (בית) means “house” or “home.” “Hamashiach” (המשיח) means “the Messiah” or “the Anointed One.”

 

Q. Is your congregation part of a larger denomination or organisation?

Beit HaMashiach is a part of the Churches of Christ denomination within Victoria, and was planted by and is overseen by Celebrate Messiah.

 

Q. What is the difference between Beit HaMashiach and Celebrate Messiah?

Celebrate Messiah is a non-profit mission organisation that seeks to “Bring the Message to the Original Messengers”. We have multiple ministries and initiatives to reach the Jewish community in Australia with care, support, and the good news of Yeshua. Celebrate Messiah has planted three Messianic congregations in Australia: Beit HaMashiach in Melbourne, Beit Shalom in Sydney, and Hineh Yeshua in Canberra. We partner with Chosen People Ministries in the United States.

Several staff members of Beit HaMashiach also work for Celebrate Messiah. Beit HaMashiach services are held at the Caulfield Messianic Centre, which also houses the Celebrate Messiah main office.

 

Q. I’m not Jewish. Can I still attend your congregation?

We welcome everyone, both Jew and Gentile, Christian and non-Christian, to come to our services and hear the Good News about Yeshua the Messiah! Our congregation and staff represent a mixture of Jews and Gentile believers who serve Yeshua in unity as the body of Christ.

 

Q. I’m Jewish but do not believe in Yeshua. Can I still attend your congregation?

Every Jewish person is welcome to attend and learn more about why we as Jews believe Yeshua was the fulfilment of the Messianic prophecies in the Tanakh.

 

Q. Does your congregation adhere to kosher?

We do not enforce strict adherence to kosher, but instead allow everyone under the freedom and grace of Yeshua to decide for themselves if they want to observe kosher adherence. We do ensure all catered events have kosher options.

 

Q. What is the dress code for your services?

Come as you are! We do not enforce a dress code at our events and services.

 

Q. Does Beit HaMashiach promote or enforce Torah observance?

At Beit HaMashiach, we celebrate our freedom in Yeshua, that each person must decide to do what he feels is right for him (Romans 14).

 

Q. To attend some synagogues on a regular basis, you need to pay a membership.  Is this the case for Beit HaMashiach?

No, you do not have to pay to attend Beit HaMashiach or pay for a specific seat. It is “come as you are, whenever you can”. Some events we host, such as our annual Passover Banquet, do have ticket prices, which are announced upfront.

 

Q. Do you provide childcare during your services?

We host three programs during services: Shalom Creche (toddlers), Shalom Kids (children), and Shalom Youth (Year 7 – 12). Parents will need to check-in their children at the back of the Dining Hall before our Shabbat Service begins at 10:30 AM. Children will then be excused from the stage after the V’Shamru Children’s Blessing, about 11 AM, into their respective programs.