Rabbi Eduardo Arroyo Interview

Congregation Shema Yisrael is getting ready to host our very first Messianic Youth Summit and today I interviewed our keynote speaker for the event, Rabbi Eduardo Arroyo!

Rabbi Eduardo Arroyo was born in 1984 in Brooklyn NY to anusim parents and was raised in a nominally Catholic home. Growing up during the golden age of Hip Hop, in the home of Hip Hop Rabbi Eduardo fell in love with music. His first personal encounter with Yeshua was at Christ Tabernacle in Queens NY, during a Wednesday night youth meeting at the age of 16. He returned to Judaism in 2004 at the age of 19 after a meeting with Messianic Rabbi David Rosenberg on Nyack College campus. A couple of years after that Rabbi Eduardo moved to Pennsylvania where he picked up a set of turntables to pursue the craft of DJ’ing. He has since been a professional DJ for 15 years. While living in Pennsylvania he met Messianic Rabbi Mark Shulman at Beit Simcha in Allentown Pennsylvania. Rabbi Shulman became a spiritual father to Rabbi Eduardo. In 2014 he married the love of his life Rebbitzin Amy Arroyo. They have been together for almost 10 years and married for 5. Together they have a beautiful 1 year old baby boy named Aiden. In 2018 Rabbi Eduardo was licensed as a Messianic Chaplain, and then in 2019 he received smicha (ordination) as a Messianic Rabbi by Rabbi Mark Shulman, Zaken Dan Sicher and Zaken Leon Benner. Rabbi Eduardo has completed all coursework towards a BA in Jewish Studies and Religion Studies. He teaches Hebrew, Bar/Bat Mitzvah classes, leads Shabbat and high holy day services. He serves as a volunteer Chaplain for Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, and as the Associate Rabbi under Senior Rabbi Mark Shulman of Congregation Beth El Gibor in Bethlehem, PA.

Enjoy some great music while you're here - and a belated Happy Thanksgiving to you all!!

Dale Lockamy Interview

A few months back I spoke with Rabbi Andy Meyerson about a surprise Mikvah that was discovered in South Carolina.   Today's show goes more into it --- Dale Lockamy is the "Mikvah Lady" and her story is wonderful!

Dale was born and raised in Florida and became a believer at 12 years old.  She was always active in the church.  Dale graduated from Florida State University with a degree in Nursing and served 22 years as a Home Health Nurse.

She has been  married to George for 42 years, has 4 children, 6 grandchildren, and 1 great grandchild.
 
Dale became active in the Messianic Jewish congregation in 2010 and was ordained as the Mikvah Lady in 2018.

Enjoy the music of Jonathan Settel, Ted Pearce, Aaron Shust, Miqedem, Marty Goetz, the Schleps, Israel's Hope, Paul Wilbur and Joshua Aaron!  And of course every show ends with the wonderful "Golem Tant" and the violin music of Itzhak Perlman!

Another Wonderful Interview with Ted Pearce!!!!

You can never have too much of a good thing!    It was another great show with the music of Ted Pearce and a great interview too!

Ted is a world-renown Messianic recording artist who In 2011, produced his first independent project in a decade called "emergency" with Dallas Producer Phil York. In August of 2012, the March of Life went to Poland, where Ted met Polish soul-singer and superstar Mietek Szczesniak, who introduced him to the unusually good fortune of working with Producer Wendy Waldman in California, which led to an opportunity to work with Polish Producer and Pianist-extraordinaire, Pawel Zarecki (and his incredibly talented wife, Jadzia) which led to working with the Longhouse Crew, which led to meeting and working with Israeli Producer/Guitarist/Singer Jamie Hilsden. Working with these friends in Warsaw, Hollywood, and Jerusalem was the inspiration and foundation of the Cultural Xchange Series recording sessions. 

"Warsaw Sessions" was originally released in Tubingen Germany (March 2014) followed by Hollywood Sessions (Nov 2014) and Jerusalem Sessions (June 2015). Warsaw and Jerusalem sessions were combined and released as "Cultural Xchange." 

He has since published a cool project called "Songs of the Rabbi," a collection of tunes written by various Messianic Rabbis, and some newer songs which are are also featured in this show.

Enjoy!!!

 

David Levitt Interview

I met David at a Be in Health Conference here in Rochester, NY in September.   His story is fascinating and I think you'll enjoy hearing it!

David Levitt was born to his Methodist mother and Jewish father in Atlanta,
GA. He grew up following the Methodist traditions with a few Jewish customs
throughout the year. He came to salvation when he was 20 years old through
Campus Crusade and has been seeking the Lord since.

David is a Teacher and Elder at Hope of the Generations Church and serves on
the board of directors for Be in Health. David has been with Be in Health® for
almost 15 years. He helps oversee the doctrine and teachers at Be in Health
and the For My Life Retreat in Thomaston, GA. His passion is to take seemingly
difficult scriptures and making them easy to understand.

He and his wife Kassy have 5 children and they all love anything outdoors.
You can find teachings by David on YouTube www.youtube.com/beinhealth.

You will also enjoy some fabulous Messianic Music!!

Cyril Gordon Interview

Another great find --- this man is on fire for Yeshua!!!  

Cyril Gordon serves on the staff of Jewish Outreach International. He is a Jewish believer in Yeshua, is married with three children and has ministered with Jews for Jesus for about 20 years.  Cyril joined the staff of Jewish Outreach International on June 1, 2019.  Among Cyril's many roles he organizes weekly outreaches at Venice Beach, monthly barbecues for Jewish believer men and ministers to Jewish people at senior adult homes.

You'll enjoy music from Zealot Sounds, Joshua Aaron, Corry Bell & Lev Shelo, Lamb, Jonathan Settel, Ted Pearce and Marty Goetz!!

Stuart Dauermann Interview

When you think of the early Messianic songs, Stuart Dauermann wrote almost all of them!   What a joy to finally catch up with this brilliant man of God!

Rabbi Dauermann holds a PhD from Fuller Seminary’s School of Intercultural Studies and is a Rabbi ordained by the Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations, and the Messianic Jewish Rabbinical Council. Rabbi Stuart has spent his life as a bridge-builder at the intersection of the Christian and Jewish worlds. 

He enjoys helping Jews and Christians understand and respect each other and likes developing and serving communities where Jews live as Jews and honor Yeshua as Lord.

He was one of eight founders of Jews for Jesus, where he composed worship music that is still sung all over the world today. He is also the founder of Hashivenu, a Messianic Jewish think tank, and co- founder of Messianic Jewish Theological Institute.

For twenty years, Rabbi Dauermann served as the Rabbi Ahavat Zion Messianic Synagogue in Santa Monica, and now serves there as Rabbi Emeritus, leading services, preaching, and teaching a weekly Bible Study, Interfaithfulness. The Bible Study promotes respect and understanding between Christians and Jews, and faithful commitment to the more Jewish Jesus, who is the peacemaker between these two communities.

His most recent book is Converging Destinies: Jews, Christians, and the Mission of God and his doctoral dissertation is on The Rabbi as a Surrogate Priest. 

His interests right now especially center in household spirituality which is essential to spiritual growth and development. He provides weekly Shabbat Table Discussion Guide called Shulchan Shelanu.

He is currently writing a book on household spirituality and just finishing a discipleship manual for Jewish millennials.

Rabbi Dauermann lives in Altadena, California with his wife Naomi. They have three grown children in New York City, and they hope to join them there within the next year or so.

Steven Kowalsky Interview

I first interviewed Steven maybe 20 years ago.   I thought it was time to have him back!

Steven is the president of Empire Recycling Corporation in Utica, New York, a company that has been owned and operated by the Kowalsky Family for 103 years.  

Steven worked for Empire during his teenage years, he then entered Curry College in Massachusetts to study anthropology.  Steven’s  love of music led him to the Institute of Audio Research in New York City, and ultimately landing him in a band in Boulder, Colorado where he was the drummer and band manager.  

It was in Colorado that Steven met his wife, Monica.  They are now celebrating 43 years!  They have two children and four grandchildren.  Steven grew up in a Jewish family which established the values that he still holds close today.  Steven and Monica became believers in Yeshua and gave their lives to their Messiah 1994.

As president of Empire Recycling Corporation, and the Empire Recycling Family of Companies, Steven is fortunate that his position provides many opportunities to give back… not only on the corporate level through community partnerships with not-for-profit organizations, but also giving of his time.  He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Rescue Mission of Utica, the Board of Directors and Performing Arts Chair of Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute, and He is  a former Board Member of the Mohawk Valley Council on Alcoholism and Addition and Sitrin Healthcare Foundation. Steven also served as a former Board President for Temple Beth-El.  Steven’s love of music has kept him active on worship teams for 25-years at various Messianic congregations, and he currently in a leadership position at Beit Messiah.

Enjoy some fabulous Sukkot music as well!!