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Rabbi explores Jewish roots in book and class

By JEWISH REVIEW

article created on: 2010-10-15T00:00:00

Rabbi David Zaslow, who recently published a book on the Jewish roots of Christianity entitled “Roots and Branches,” will offer two courses on the subject, one in Portland and one in Ashland.

The Portland class will be held monthly beginning this Fall on Thursday evenings at St. Mark Presbyterian Church, 9750 SW Terwilliger Blvd. The evenings are Nov. 4, Dec. 9, Jan. 20, Feb. 17, March 24, and April 21. To pre-register or for more information contact Britta at admin@pnaiorpdx.org.

The Ashland course will be held at Havurah Shir Hadash Synagogue located at 185 North Mountain Avenue on Tuesday evenings Nov. 16, 23, 30 & Dec. 7, 14. Pre-register by e-mailing Bari at ashlandhavurah@yahoo.com or call 541-488-7716 for more information. Both the Portland and Ashland courses have a fee of $50 plus $36 for the text. Some partial scholarships are available by contacting Rabbi Zaslow at Shalomrav@aol.com.

In March 2008 Time Magazine cited “Re-Judaizing Jesus” as one of “10 Ideas That are Changing the World.” Zaslow says, “Many Jews and Christians today are eager to learn about the historical context in which Jesus lived and taught. This kind of study can only strengthen interfaith bonds, increase religious tolerance, and thereby reduce Anti-Semitism.”

Participants will learn: the difference between Hebraic and Western thinking; the distinction between the historical Jesus and the theological Jesus of the Church; how Jesus? teachings and spiritual practices are firmly rooted in the Jewish tradition; and the roots of Replacement Theology and Anti-Semitism.

According to Zaslow, the course has no denominational, political or theological bias. It is purely about the historical nature of first-century Judaism, and the theological environment that “Rabbi” Jesus taught within. The class will be enlightening and enjoyable for Jews, evangelical Christians, mainstream Christians, and students of history. This is not a class to debate theological differences, rather, it is an intellectual celebration of the Jewish roots of Christianity.

The book is available for purchase through Shalomrav@aol.com.