Why are we doing this podcast? Partially, it’s because we want to understand and talk about what brings us together. But, it’s also to address the distinctions within the body of Believers we commonly refer to as the Church. Jesus prayed for unity, not uniformity. So, we also want to talk openly about what distinguishes us from one another.

We also want to talk about current events, headlines we’re seeing in what really does feel like unprecedented times, and what God’s doing with Israel and the Jewish people around the world.

In this first full-length episode of A Jew & A Gentile Discuss, Carly puts Ezra on the hot seat to answer questions relating to common misconceptions and preconceived notions that Christians might have about Jewish people and Messianic Jews. Subjects included in this episode are:

Ezra often gives what he jokes are typical Jewish answers of “Yes and no” before expounding with insights of the nuances and conditions. With touches of Jewish history and context, he provides an understanding of Jewish thought and the historical baggage that comes with Jewish disbelief in Jesus. He notes how important this understanding is for the Christian listener who carries a burden to share the Gospel with Jewish friends and relatives.

Ezra reveals through Scripture that there’s no middle ground when it comes to belief about Jesus and how political correctness fails the less stringently religious who attempt to take it.

Words you might learn in this episode: Messianic Jew, meshugenah, Yeshua/yeshua, dual-covenant theology, Torah, bar/bat mitzvah, aliyah, rabbinic Judaism, mitzvot.

Tune in this week wherever you listen to podcasts or go to www.ajewandagentilediscuss.org for more information.

In this foundational episode, Ezra and Carly discuss Messianic Judaism and Christianity and identify some of the key ways Messianic Judaism differs from Christianity and why. They unpack the topic that some listeners might be wondering about ­– “Why use different names? Aren’t we all Christians?” – to give a fuller understanding of what Messianic Judaism is and what it isn’t.

Using a question and answer format, Ezra and Carly ask each other questions coming from their own perspective and aimed at the other’s background and faith practices. Their discussion includes:

Carly also asks Ezra how he defines himself when people ask him about his religion, which gets at the heart of why Messianic Jews don’t call themselves Christians. They also discuss how the “good news” is an Old Testament concept that appears in Scripture long before the New Testament. Ezra explains how Messianic Judaism typically presents the Gospel in a way that “fills in some blanks” of the way many Christians share it.   You’ll also learn Ezra’s enlightening take on when “Messianic Judaism” really started.

Ending on a light, fun note, Carly and Ezra ask each other what their favorite holiday is on the other’s religious calendar.

Words you might learn in this episode:

protoevangelion, seed, besora, evangelion, holy one, Mashiach, Shabbat, Shavuot, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Shema, Judaizing, convert, missiology, Baruch haba b’shem Adonai, hosanna, hoshiana, hamantashen

If you want to hear more from A Jew and A Gentile Discuss, subscribe to the podcast anywhere you get your podcast content or go to www.ajewandagentilediscuss.org. And we’d love to hear from you. Leave us feedback. Ask us questions. We want to improve, and we want to hear what topics you want to explore as someone who is searching for things related to Israel and the Jewish people. Go to www.ajewandagentilediscuss.org, where there’s a place for you to get in touch.

A little understanding goes a long way. Christians may be surprised at the meaning that some of their everyday Christian words and symbols can carry for the average Jewish person.

In this episode of A Jew & A Gentile Discuss, Ezra grills Carly with some common misconceptions Jewish people have about Christians. Throughout the conversation, they reveal some ways Christians may be unknowingly shutting down or offending a Jewish person. When we – on both sides – seek understanding, we can have meaningful conversations with each other.

It’s Carly’s turn to be on the hot seat while Ezra asks her to address many misconceptions, such as:

He also asks Carly to answer a few questions Jewish people have of Christians:

They discuss what it means to bless someone and give insight into how Jewish people typically interpret words like “convert,” “cross,” and “become a Christian.” They also bring up tips for engaging in meaningful conversations with Jewish friends and family with sensitivity and a Bible-reading challenge to listeners.

Words you might learn – or gain new insight about – in this episode:

Bless, convert, the cross, Shema, trinity, echad, nations, ethnos, proton, Tanakh, Nevi’im, Ketuvim, New Testament/New Covenant, Christian Zionism, chanukiah

Tune in for new episodes wherever you listen to podcasts or go to www.ajewandagentilediscuss.org for more information. Leave us some feedback – we’d love to hear from you.

Ezra Benjamin and Carly Berna, your hosts of the brand-new A Jew & A Gentile Discuss podcast, introduce themselves and explain what makes this podcast so different.

Ezra is the Jewish half of the conversation. He and his family celebrate Jewish holidays, including Chanukah and Passover. After earning a degree in Business and Finance, Ezra worked for a faith-based non-profit in the Chicagoland area. When he volunteered on a Medical Outreach with Jewish Voice Ministries International, Ezra sensed God calling him to make a neglected aspect in the Christian non-profit world a priority in his life: Jewish ministry.

Ezra began working for Jewish Voice in 2010 and has spent the last decade leading 40-some Medical Outreaches to the “Lost Tribes of Israel” living in Central Asia, India, Africa and beyond.

Carly is a Gentile Christian who celebrates Christmas and Easter. She’s been working for Jewish Voice for over seven years in a role that connects people who care about the mission of Jewish Voice – which is to transform lives and see all Israel saved – to the organization so they can live out their mission through what we’re doing.

Carly earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in Business. She worked at a Phoenix-area non-profit and tried her hand at starting her own business. She is currently in seminary because she loves learning.

In this 8-minute introductory episode of A Jew & A Gentile Discuss, Carly and Ezra share their common ground as believers in Jesus as the Messiah and let you know what you can expect from the podcast.  Highlights include:

While discussing the podcast’s purposes, Ezra and Carly give you a taste of what’s to come on A Jew & A Gentile Discuss as they break out to talk about the meaning of Romans 1:16 and it’s often overlooked phrase declaring the Gospel is “to the Jew first.” Ezra brings out the Greek concept of “necessary firstness.”

As you listen to this short introductory episode, you’ll get a taste of what’s to come in future episodes. For more information about A Jew & A Gentile Discuss, go to www.ajewandagentilediscuss.org.