Rabbi Jim (Appel) Returns!

It's always an honor to chat with my Rabbi.  Here's a little bit about Rabbi Jim:

Rabbi Jim Appel has been the spiritual leader of Congregation Shema Yisrael since 1996 and a Jewish follower of Yeshua since 1977. He is ordained by the International Alliance of Messianic Congregations and Synagogues.

Rabbi Jim previously worked for Xerox Corporation in Webster, N.Y., for 24 years as an optical engineer and engineering manager. He holds more than 45 patents in the areas of copier imaging systems and laser printing. Rabbi Jim received a bachelor's degree in optical engineering from the University of Rochester in 1967 and a master's degree in physics from the University of Southern California in 1970.

Rabbi Jim decided to follow Yeshua after a long spiritual search. He grew up with parents who taught him that God did not exist and organized religion deceived and oppressed people. In 1967 after completing college, Jim became disillusioned with life as an atheist. He rejected his parent's teachings and began his search for spiritual reality. This search took him into the world of mind-altering drugs and yoga meditation, and ended with a dramatic encounter with Yeshua the Messiah, who revealed himself to Rabbi Jim in the privacy of his bedroom without the assistance of any other person.

In this broadcast we discussed the miracles surrounding our purchase of our beautiful new building, miracles in his life, and the meaning of Shavuot.

Shmuel Oppenheim Interview

He's 77 years young and on fire for the Lord!   Shmuel Oppenheim shared his testimony on this pre-recorded interview.  In his own words:  "I was Rabbi of Lev HaShem Messianic Jewish Synagogue for 11 years. Retired, August 2015 from Congregational Leadership and I am still in full time ministry. Have been filling in at Messianic Synagogues and in Churches. Some are referring to me as, "The Wondering Jew." I was born in El Paso, TEXAS raised in Ysleta and spent growing up years on the Fort Quitman Land and Cattle Company Ranch. I'm a real live honest to goodness Texas Jewish Cowboy!"

Enjoy some great music too!!

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!!

Grant Berry Interview-3

Back by popular demand, here is an exciting show with author, speaker and Rabbi Grant Berry!   We are discussing his latest book, "Romans 911."

Grant Berry is a Jewish believer in Yeshua and is also the author of The New Covenant Prophecy and The Ezekiel Generation. He has founded Reconnecting Ministries with the specific focus to help the church reconnect spiritually to Israel and considers it vital to the kingdom of G-d in the last days. His message focuses on the unity, love and healing that the Father wants to bring between Jew and Gentile yet clearly points out the differences and misunderstandings between the two groups. Now is the time to look more carefully into this mystery to make way for healing and reconnection in the Spirit. For more information, please visit reconnectingministries.org.

Rabbi Eric Tokajer

On today's show Rabbi Eric discussed his new book, "Transient Singularity," which is about Senator James Madison. Senator Madison forms a secret government agency whose role and unique ability is to manipulate individual moments in time. Every event in life, no matter how wonderful or tragic, is completely dependent upon many smaller events. Such an adjustment of a single, seemingly insignificant event can change the entire course of history.

Rabbi Eric is the founder of The Messianic Daily News website, which was introduced in 2006. The Messianic Daily News merged with the Messianic Times in July of 2012, and in January 2013, he took over as the executive director of the Messianic Times.

Tokajer is also the rabbi of Brit Ahm Messianic Synagogue in Pensacola, Florida and a member of the International Alliance of Messianic Congregations and Synagogues. His first venture into published authorship was "Oy! How Did I Get Here?" a book on the many challenges he's experienced in ministry over the years.

For more information on Rabbi Eric Tokajer, please visit www.rabbierict.com.

And of course, fantastic music by Michelle Gold,  Sue Samuel and Joshua Aaron!

Shmuel Wolkenfeld Interview

Today's program featured a pre-recorded interview with Messianic Rabbi Shmuel Wolkenfeld of Overland Park, Kansas.  Rabbi Shmuel was born into a Jewish family in NYC.  Part of the youth movements of the 60s and 70s, he toyed with Marxism and Eastern Religion.  He found Yeshua in April, 1969 but still didn't know about Messianic Judaism.

He met Martin Chernoff in 1971 and began attending Beth Messiah in Cincinnati, Ohio. Rabbi Shmuel attended Bible college, studied in Israel for a summer, met his wife, and together they were college campus missionaries.

From 1990-2001 Rabbi Shmuel taught science and math at a private high school in Overland Park, KS, and is the founding and present Rabbi of Or HaOlam Messianic Congregation since 1995.

Rabbi Itzhak Shapira Interview

Wow, interesting interview!!!   Great music on this program:  Barry & Batya Segal, Ted Pearce and Sue Samuel.   I had the privilege of interviewing Rabbi Itzhak Shapira (also known as "Tzachi"). 

Rabbi Shapira has a teaching series on God's Learning Channel titled "What is God's Love Language?" The show airs on Sundays at 7:30 PM CST. He is also producing a new Web-TV program called "Yoshvim" where he will have different guests from the Jewish world who share their testimony for Yeshua.

Rabbi Shapira is the founder of Ahavat Ammi Ministries which translates from Hebrew as "For the Love of my People." Their goal is to reconcile Yeshua as Messiah to the Jewish people and train others to do the same. Ahavat Ammi does this by revealing Yeshua, not just through the Hebrew Scriptures but through ancient Jewish writings.

Tzachi's teachings often deal with the issue of the Deity of the Messiah. There has not been a single name that is more offensive to the Jewish people than that of Yeshua. He addresses the reasons Yeshua has been denied and rectifies them with ancient Jewish understanding of the promised Messiah.
In June 2013, Rabbi Shapira released his new book, The Return of the Kosher Pig. The book takes the setting of a court of law where evidence is presented for and against the claims of a divine Messiah.
For more information on Ahavat Ammi, please visit www.ahavatammi.org.  For more information on "The Return of the Kosher Pig," please visit www.kosherpig.org.

Eric Tokajer Interview #3

In this broadcast Rabbi Eric talks about his wonderful new book, "Oy, How Did I Get Here?"   We chatted a bit at the Messiah Conference and really enjoyed hearing about the book.   You'll love the music of Sue Samuel, Shani Ferguson, Debbie Chernoff, Rivka Whitten, Sharon Wilbur, Corry Bell, Deborah Kline Iantorno, Misha Goetz and Greg Silverman!

Eric Tokajer Interview

I first interviewed Rabbi Eric Tokajer 4 years ago and decided to re-air it on Saturday March 30.   Rabbi Eric was the editor of The Messianic Daily News website. That website was updated daily with news that pertained to the Messianic Jewish people. Since the induction of that website in 2006, the website grew rapidly.  In the beginning of 2012 the Messianic Daily News began merging with the Messianic Times.  This merger was completed in July of 2013.  Since this merger the Messianic Times website has over 30,000 hits a month from over 100 countries.

Raised in a traditional Jewish home, Rabbi Tokajer began study the Hebrew scriptures closely and questioned much of what he had been taught.  When unable to get answers from his rabbis, he became agnostic.

While serving in the United States Navy, Rabbi Tokajer challenged a believer in Yeshua to study the scriptures with him until he found the answers within them.  During this time of study, Rabbi Tokajer accepted Yeshua as his promised Messiah of Israel.
Now, thirty-one years later, he is an ordained Rabbi of the International Alliance of Messianic Congregations and Synagogues (IAMCS).  He has helped to establish five congregations across the Gulf Coast including Slidell, Louisiana, Pascagoula, Mississippi; Foley and Spanish Fort, Alabama; and Pensacola, Florida.  He has served as Rabbi of the Tree of Life Messianic Congregation in Mobile, Alabama and is currently the Messianic Rabbi of Brit Ahm Messianic Synagogue in Pensacola, Florida.
For more information on Rabbi Eric Tokajer please visit http://www.britahm.org/meet-the-rabbi-rebbitzin.

Henry Morse Interview

Henry Morse is the Rabbi of Sha'ar Hashamayim Messianic Congregation in Stoughton, Massachusetts.  Henry grew up in an Orthodox Jewish home and since coming to faith at the age of 18 has an appreciation for the Jewish roots of the Gospel. He was ordained as a Messianic Rabbi by Kehilat She'ar Yashuv in December 30, 2000.  Kehilat She'ar Yashuv is affiliated with Chosen People Ministries and has a degree in Bible and Theology from Central Bible College in Springfield, Missouri.  Rabbi Henry is presently enrolled in Beth El Yeshiva studying for his Mdiv in Messianic Rabbinic Theology.  He has been in full time ministry for more than thirty years serving as youth minister, missionary and congregational leader.  Henry has ministered in over twenty countries and forty-five states.   This program features music from Paul Wilbur's new CD, "Your Great Name." 

Matt Rosenberg Interview

Another week of fabulous music and an interview with Rabbi Matt Rosenberg, the Rabbi of Beit Messiah in Seattle, Washington. He is ordained by the IAMCS Board of Rabbis and has served as secretary of the YMJA.

He has a B.A. in Religion from Nyack College and completed course work towards a M.A. at Alliance Theological Seminary in Nyack, New York. For five years, before moving to Seattle, Rabbi Matt served as Associate Rabbi, along side his father, Rabbi David Rosenberg, at Shuvah Yisrael on Long Island, NY and in Manhattan.Rabbi Matt is passionate about sharing the message of Yeshua with his Jewish people in Seattle and all over the world. Rabbi Matt is a thinker, reader, dreamer and leader among his generation in the Messianic movement. He is an excellent teacher of the Word of God and loves to help people understand the importance of restoring the Jewishness of Gospel!

Rabbi Matt was raised in a Messianic home and his family has been involved in the Messianic movement for more than thirty years. Rabbi Matt and Rebbetzin Laura were married in June of 2002. Together they have three children! Enjoy!