FAQs

A Messianic Congregation?

We are a community of Jewish and Gentile people who gather to worship
the God of Israel and all mankind. We believe that Yeshua (Jesus) is our
promised Messiah, King, and Redeemer.

Do I have to be Jewish to attend?

Kehilat Tsion is open to all to attend. Our passion is for Israel, the Jewish people, and Israel’s Messiah, and we have many Gentile members who love all three as we celebrate Messiah Yeshua within the Jewish world.

What is your purpose?

our purpose is to be a Messianic Jewish community whose members, both Jews and Gentiles, are mutually committed to each other as we share the message of Yeshua, the Messiah of Israel, with the wider Jewish community.

Do I need to know Hebrew?

Our services are primarily in English but have certain elements in Hebrew such as prayers, music and liturgy. Hebrew prayers are always accompanied with the English.

How should I dress?

Dress codes at various synagogues vary but our community typically ranges from casual dress to semi-formal depending on your preferences. Shabbat services are a face-to face meeting with God and we try to dress accordingly.

Jewish men and sometimes women traditionally wear a tallit or prayer shawl. Because the braided fringes at the four corners of the tallit remind its wearer to observe the commandments of Judaism, wearing a tallit is a symbol of religious identification reserved for Jews. Tallit are available in the sanctuary, but you may decline to wear it if you are not Jewish or are uncomfortable wearing such a garment.

Kippot (yarmulkes) are available for men at the literature table. While not mandatory, wearing one is a sign of respect for a Jewish place of worship.

What do you believe?

Our beliefs are laid out in our bylaws, and reproduced here: What We Believe – Kehilat Tsion – קהלת ציון

Do you observe Torah?

Our statement as to what we believe addresses our convictions regarding the ongoing role of Torah. In clarification, it is worth noting that the Torah is indeed God’s covenant specifically with the people of Israel, and so is not incumbent upon non-Jews in any way. It is also worth noting that no-one, Jewish or not, gains merit before God by anything other than the atoning sacrifice, death and resurrection of Yeshua. Personal convictions regarding the ongoing observance of the statutes of the Torah vary from member to member.

Am I Jewish?

Am I Jewish if only one parent is Jewish? The question is answered differently by different groups in the Jewish community, but the Biblical record is clear, Jewishness is determined by the father, as seen in the genealogies.

In addition, though, Rav Shaul (the Apostle Paul) determined that Timothy was Jewish and had him circumcised as a result (Acts 16:1-3), so his witness among the Jews would not be impaired. In addition, at the end of the book of Ezra (Ezra 10), the descendants of pagan wives were put out of the community, suggesting that when people were of a mixed marriage, if they were to become pagans, they were no longer considered a part of God-fearing Israel.

As a result, among Messianic Jews (as well as Reform and a few others), the consensus is that either parent counts in terms of one’s Jewish identity and membership in the Jewish community, providing the person is seeking to follow the Lord.