Kristin Wiprut Interview

Kristin and her husband Jim serve at Congregation Beth Shiloh in the Carolinas as Associate Rabbi and Rebbetzin.  Kristin was born in Southern California and raised Catholic.  She met her husband while attending college in Santa Barbara, CA.  While in Santa Barbara, Kristin found herself drawn to the New Age movement and spent the next decade in that world. In the midst of this, G-d began working significantly in her life and in the life of her husband. In 2010, feeling a calling to the Asheville area, she and her husband left their home in California and moved across country with their two young boys. Once in North Carolina, everything changed. Her husband began questioning spiritualism, religion, and New Age. He became a born-again Jewish believer in Yeshua and began praying desperately for his wife to find Yeshua again.  In August 2012, after Jim spent a full year praying for her, she gave her life again to Yeshua and became born again.  Soon after, they began attending Congregation Beth Shiloh. They began taking on active rolls in the service during their first year. Kristin taught Shabbat school Saturday mornings for the children and was spending her extra time taking on administrative rolls at Beth Shiloh. Jim felt a calling on his heart and soon began taking Yeshiva classes to become a Rabbi.Through all of this, Kristin believes that the most important ministry she has been involved in has been her family.

Macario Hernandez III Interview

Macario has been in the Messianic Jewish Faith since he was three years old. He attended Wharton County Junior College and then Texas A&M-Corpus Christi where he led a Bible-Study teaching people about the Torah and how Yeshua lived. Macario received his Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering with a Minor in Mathematics. Currently Macario attends Congregation Beth Messiah (CBM) in Houston, Tx where he is one of three Directors for their online services, one of their stage Lighting Technicians, and is an active volunteer in other areas as well. Macario will dance in the CBM Men’s Dance Team for this year’s upcoming Passover Sedar hosted by CBM as he done for the past few years.  He also serves as an Aide/Chaperone for CBM’s Youth Group and is a part of CBM’s College & Career group. Macario is excited to see how else God intends to use him in the future. 

Debbie Bateman Interview

Debbie Bateman is a wife, mother, and grandmother of 3 amazing boys.    She is also a daughter, sister, and an aunt of 18 nieces and nephews. Her heritage is English, Irish, Scottish, Cherokee, German Jewish, Norman French. In addition to serving in L’Chaim Pro Life ministry,  she leads Israeli and Messianic Dance in their community and is very involved with her congregation.

Jeff Marcus

Jeff Marcus was born in Brooklyn and went to Lawrence HS in Long Island. He attended Rider College, and Grad school at Trenton State. Jeff worked in the mental health field and in Special Education.  He has been married for 44 years, has 2 children and 2 grandchildren.  Jeff became a believer 5+ years ago and currently attends Beth Zion Synagogue in Jackson, NJ.  

He is currently retired and teaches chess to schools and also privately. 

Judith Mendelsohn Rood Interview

Judith was raised in a Conservative Jewish home, attending Hebrew School at the Tree of Life in Pittsburgh and Adas Israel in Washington, DC. Her father’s escape from Nazi Germany made her a student of the Holocaust, Antisemitism cast a long shadow over her life—shaping how she saw and understood history. Her love for Israel led her to question why the Palestinians hated the Jewish people, leading her on a journey that led her to the foot of the Cross. While she was a doctoral student she accepted Yeshua as her Messiah and Savior, recognizing that He is God, and has been with all who suffer in this Age of War. Her new book, Beauty for Ashes: Understanding the Israel-Hamas War (WestBow, 2024) analyzes the history of Zionism and the Palestinian Resistance from a faith perspective framed by her life of scholarship. This is the Age of Salvation—an age that offers hope to everyone in the time that remains.

Bob Hall Interview

Robert (Bob) came to faith as a young man of 17 after viewing the movie “A Thief in the Night” and has never looked back. He was often told that he had to have Jewish blood in his background because of his stance on scriptures (not Jewish as far as he knows). He found the Messianic movement in 2004 when Shoresh David opened a community in Lakeland Florida. He joined soon after and has loved learning about the Feasts of the Lord. Robert is presently making plans to record a new CD called “No Other Place.”

Previously Robert spent six years in the U.S. Naval Submarine Force. He is currently the Worship leader and Elder at Etz Chayim Messianic Synagogue, Lakeland Fla.

Michelle Teeter Interview

Michelle Teeter grew up in a home where her faithful mother took her to church. In God’s world there are no accidents. Almost 45 years ago many questions and many desires were put on her heart which led her to Messianic Judaism . Michelle‘s love of the arts was the inspiration for creating jewelry and items with a Hebraic flavor and Jewish heart.  “Inscribed on My Heart” was born with the idea of starting conversations. Michelle and Dave have been married 40 years, have four beautiful daughters and three grandchildren.