Beit Shalom Messianic Synagogue reflects on Hamas attack, prays for deliverance

Jill Holloway, Thomasville Times-Enterprise, Ga.
·4 min read

Oct. 10—THOMASVILLE- Members of Beit Shalom Messianic Synagogue were in the midst of celebrating Shemini Atzeret/Simchat Torah on Saturday, October 7, when they received the news of Hamas' attack on Israel and the Jewish people. Beit Shalom is a Messianic Jewish synagogue.

According to Rabbi Robert Ackerman, the Messianic Jewish Movement in the United States began about the same time as when Israel recaptured Jerusalem in 1967 during the "Six Day War."

"It began with the Jesus Movement in California and moved across the nation. Among the many "hippies" who met Jesus, many were young Jews. As the movement developed, they wanted to continue the worship of their fathers and it is reflected in the worship practices of the Messianic Jewish Movement today. The Jewish members are fully Jewish, but followers of Jesus, Yeshua in Hebrew, Ackerman said. "Our main prayer is for the salvation of the Jewish people. We focus on Israel and supporting Israel and praying for the day the prophecy is fulfilled." The prophecy Ackerman is referring to comes from Romans 11, when God declares Israel will be saved, as it is written.

With their main focus on Israel, the Messianic Synagogue has joined in the many prayers of traditional Jewish people and Christians alike who are mourning and praying for the Holy Land.

"We are heavily involved in prayer right now and prayer groups online," Ackerman said. "We support Israel financially and through prayer as Messianic Jews and Gentiles together."

Ackerman is encouraging all those who feel called to make donations to support Israel to consider doing so through the Messianic Jewish Alliance of America's website, mjaa.org.

"On there, you'll find the Joseph project," he said. "The Joseph project is named for what Joseph did in Egypt years ago. He prepared ahead of time for the famine and when it came, he was able to give people food to eat and so forth."

According to Ackerman, the Joseph Project was started in the mid 1990's by the Messianic Jewish Alliance of America. In partnership with Christians and certain industries, the Joseph Project has sent more than $100 million worth of items of need to Israel.

"It includes not only food, but clothing, furniture and items for the military," he said.

In Israel, the MJAA has several warehouses, where items are shipped by the container load before being distributed into neighborhood centers.

"They give without regard to who you are," Ackerman said. "It doesn't matter if you believe in Yeshua, or you are a traditional Jew or a Muslim. They give to everybody who needs."

One of the recipients of MJAA's distributions is the IDF (Israel Defense Forces).

"In the past, we've been able to give them bullet proof glass and tents," Ackerman said. "We also give to hospitals and are able to provide hospital beds. Individuals can receive furniture."

MJAA Executive Secretary Joel Chernoff was in Israel when the attack took place.

"He and a number of our leaders were there for a conference," Ackerman said. "We've heard from him several times that he is okay. He was a little further north than where the war broke out."

Ackerman said some have already begun referring to this event as the Simchat Torah War because it began on Shemini Atzeret, the Eighth Day concluding festival of Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) which is celebrated in conjunction with Simchat Torah (Rejoicing in the Torah), the day that Torah scrolls are rolled back to Genesis from Deuteronomy. This attack occurred 50 years and one day after Israel was surprised in the attack on Yom Kippur, which later became known as the Yom Kippur War of 1973. The Hamas attack on Shemini Atzeret/Simchat Torah is especially hurtful, as this is the day Jewish people are called to rejoice.

"The rejoicing part of it is that we rejoice with the Torah," Ackerman explained. "The Torah is God's word, written in Hebrew from Genesis to Deuteronomy."

On Saturday, as Ackerman and the synagogue celebrated, they read a portion from the end of Deuteronomy before re-rolling the Torah back to Genesis and reading a portion of Genesis and dancing with it while carrying it on their shoulders. Since the tragedy, the synagogue has been praying daily individually, on text threads and through Zoom, constantly lifting up their brothers and sisters in Israel. While Ackerman would love donations to the MJAA for Israel and for their local body, the synagogue, he asked for prayers more than anything and for all those surrounding.

"Please support us in prayer for what ADONAI (God) has called us to do and that His mission for us will be fulfilled," Ackerman said. "He provides for us so we can give 10% to other ministries, including those in Israel. Pray God's will be done here."