From the Editor – Issue 46
By Kesher Editor
From the Editor TODAY, I would like to make two announcements: Rabbi Russell Resnik, who edited this journal since 2018, has stepped down to continue to pursue his interests in writing, counseling and pursuing the good life of relationships with his wife of 52 years, children, grandchildren, and friends, while engaging in hiking and cycling.…
Jewish Images of the Messiah Throughout the Ages
By Elliot Klayman
Introduction The Hebrew Bible contains messianic forecasts, which often form the expectation of a coming Messiah who will advance God’s program of redemption and reconciliation. Prophecies contained in the Tanakh support the position that Messiah will be born in Beit-Lechem, from the tribe of Judah,1 from the root of Jesse, and that from King David2…
Joseph: A Prefiguration of Messiah
By Roman Skliarov
Translated from Ukrainian by Oleksiy Panych The story of Joseph victimized by his own brothers is a well-known part of Torah. For Christians and Messianic Jews, the similarity of Joseph’s path to the life of Messiah is quite obvious. It is worth noting that even in traditional Judaism the figure of Messiah is closely linked…
The Daring Life and Faith of the Wife of Joseph
By Tyrone Flanagan
A common fate of history’s notables is to have their true lives and personalities distorted by the legends that grow up around them. In time, the authentic identity of the person becomes submerged in the image and narrative associated with them. The great Roman conqueror, Julius Caesar, for example, was a balding man who suffered…
Creation, Covenant, and Strange Climate
By Jon C. Olson
Introduction Most people are worried about the strange, changing climate, but are unsure what to believe or do. Accelerated climate change is one consequence of poor human stewardship of the environment, resulting from an unbalanced view of our role in the world, ultimately a spiritual flaw. Trying to scare people into action does not work;…
Awakening the Inner Voice: Prayer, Identity and Divine Encounter
By Tyler Hoose
In the most desperate times people turn to one of the greatest gifts: communication with the Creator through prayer. In these moments of trial and testing, prayer emerges and our spiritual voice finds its identity. What is prayer? The ever elusive, conclusive answer, which perhaps unlocks the door to the essence of what it means…
Faded Ink and Torn Parchment: What the Cairo Genizah Can Tell us about Jewish Life Under Islam and Beyond During The Early Middle Ages
By Joshua Brumbach
For much of the medieval period, the majority of the world’s Jewish population lived under Islamic rule, and these Jewish communities were responsible for many of the institutions, texts, and practices that would define Judaism well into the modern era.1 According to Norman A. Stillman, “The first two centuries of the Islamic era represented a…
Book Review
The Scandal of a Divine Messiah: A Response to Maimonidean and Kabbalistic Challenges to the Incarnation. by Brian J. Crawford
By Rich Robinson
Reviewed by Rich Robinson Summary Brian Crawford’s new book represents the fruit of several years of thinking about Jewish apologetics. It comes with hearty endorsements from Richard Harvey, Darrell Bock, Mitch Glaser and others who are known to many readers of Kesher, and also from an Orthodox Jew who is not a follower of…
Ogrodowa Street – Based on the Life of Rachmiel Frydland
By Steffi Rubin
Preface Welcome to “Ogrodowa Street,” a poignant and powerful play based on the life of Rachmiel Frydland, crafted by Steffi Rubin. This narrative unfolds in the heart of the Warsaw Ghetto during the harrowing days of World War II, capturing the essence of human resilience, faith, and the struggle for survival amidst unimaginable adversity. Rachmiel…
