AboutRabbi Barry Dov Lerner Expertise Write to me with questions about Jewish customs and law, history,
philosophy and tradition for answers from a Conservative perspective or conversion. I am a graduate of The Jewish Theological Seminary and a member of the Conservative Rabbinical Assembly. Having served in congregational pulpits since 1970, I now am President of the Foundation For Family Education, Inc. a non-profit educational endeavor. I established it to create new formats of hands-on programs and provide free educational downloads at www.jewishfreeware.org. In addition to general informational questions I welcome your questions about programs for social action, outreach to dual-faith families, inter-faith clergy projects, healing services, education for conversion, adult education for the congregation and the community. If you have questions about Informal and Formal Education I am ready to share my extensive experience with Youth Activities, Camping and Religious School/Hebrew High School on a congregational, community and national/international level.
Experience I have served on the National Youth Commission for more than 25 years and serve on the Boards of the Conservative Zionist movement MERCAZ and the World Council of Synagogues. I have always dual-families and taught candidates for conversion with a great sense of fulfillment. I am very proud of 25 years on the Jewish camping staff of Camps Ramah. My greatest source of pride is my family! Ask me about them, please!:-)
You mentioned in the original question "Jesus as the Messiah';
"The Hebrew Bible according to Jewish interpretation was describing a national savior who would arrive in the time of the Bible at the time of the exile to Babylon and restore the nation of Israel with a capital at Jerusalem."
You did not mention who this individual was or when this happened.
Thanks
Murel
Answer Dear Murel,
The time frame for Isaiah is 8th-9th century, BCE, 800 years before the time of Jesus.
There was no name for such a person because it was unknown. When the Jews returned to national sovereignity after Persia conquered Babylonia in the 6th century BCE, the leadership was under Ezra and Nehemiah, neither of whom claimed to be the messiah nor were they declared to be messianic figures.
In no way in Jewish faith and study of Bible do the prophets speak of Jesus by name, description nor does he fulfill the messianic qualifications.
We'll have to agree to disagree agreeably about this subject.
