Rabbenu
A Discussion of Messianic Judaism, the Emerging Messianic Jewish Paradigm, and Related Leadership Issues from the Preoccupied Mind of Rabbi Stuart Dauermann, PhD.
All Contents ©2004-2007 Stuart Dauermann - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Sunday, June 19, 2005
An Older Guy and A Young People's Conference
I recently participated in a conference of Young Messianic Jewish Scholars. It nearly killed me. That''s what happens when you try and keep up with people thirty to forty years younger than you are. But it also resurrected me! That's what happens when you find yourself in the middle of what God seems to be up to in the world.
The meeting included young Messianic Jewish scholars, highly Jewishly committed young people, and some of their friends. We prayed shacharit, mincha and maariv together, benched Birkat HaMazon, had a stellar high energy Friday night service, [they had a Shabbat shacharit service elsewhere while I conducted services at my shul], we ate Seudah Shlishit together, heard a fine teaching on Pirkei Avot, experience what for me was the most meaningful Havdalah service of my life, and even frequented a nearby Kohser Hookah Bar. I'm getting tired. . .and resurrected. . .all over again just thinking about it.
Young people like these are out there looking not just for God: they are searching for each other and reconnecting with Jewish life. There is a power that is released when such young people of similar or parallel holy passions get together.
And this is just the beginning!
When God is up to something, you don't have to spend much time engineering things. In fact, you'd better not! As I told Jonathan Kaplan and Jason Sobel, the young coordinators of this event, when young people like this get together, the best thing to do is stay out of the way and not mess it up!
I am reminded of what Winston Churchill said: "This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning."
Well, maybe we aren't even that far yet. Perhaps it is the beginning of the beginning. But one thing is sure, and no "perhaps" about it. It was great. It was glorious. And it is growing.
posted by Stuart Dauermann @ 5:40 PM
1 comments
it nearly killed me and i am technically still a "young scholar".
but despite the sleep deprivation, oxygen deprivation (from the hooka) and other factors, it was a truly powerful time.
i am unable to fully put into words how much these days meant to me (i as a mad blogger am yet to post a ymjsc/yls post!), but it was so encouraging to be with a group of people in tune with a messianic judaism future passion. though we come from different backgrounds, parts of the countries and philosophical bents we were together for one goal and that was to build a messianic judaism future.
erev shabbos may have been one of the most memorable and powerful spiritual times in my life and i am so in awe of the privilege to be counted amongst those invited.
and to conclude shabbos with a great talk on havdalah and our time singing the powerful words of the liturgy as we set out from holy time to "the real world", reinvigorated and inspired for what G-d has for us in the future.
may this be just the beginning of more good things as we "young scholars" and "young leaders" step out and be available to be used in the service of our G-d!
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