Napoleon, the French Emperor, invaded Czarist Russia in the Franco-Russian War of 1812. The war ended in defeat for the French, with the Russians, referring to this as the Patriotic War, emerged victorious. Napoleon was in the process of liberating Jews from their enforced living in European ghettos, intending to emancipate and integrate them into modern French society. Emancipation of the Jews was a key byword, and many Jews hailed Napoleon as their benefactor and savior. To achieve fullest integration, Napoleon created a modern version of the Jewish Supreme Court, the Great Sanhedrin, to answer questions regarding Jewish belief, laws and their ability as well as intention to integrate into modern society. The head of the Sanhedrin was Rabbi David Sinzheim, Chief Rabbi of Strasbourg, France. However, opposed to French emancipation of the Jewish community was the first Chassidic leader, the Rebbe of Chabad, Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi. He was so opposed to French emancipation efforts that he directed a member of his community, a man with multi-lingual talents, to offer his services as a translator of documents. In reality however, he acted as a spy and passed French military plans to the Russians. We are aware of this clandestine effort by way of a letter Rabbi Shneur Zalman wrote to the spy, explaining his rationale for acting this way. The rabbi felt that emancipation would reduce Jewish reliance on religious devotion and prayer, while emancipation would provide material benefit with a consequent loss of piety and religious adherence. The letter from the Rabbi adds a dimension of thinking why he was so opposed to Napoleonic success. At the time this was taking place, Jews were subjects of the Czarist Empire, mandated to live in the Pale of Settlement, a region rife with anti-Semitism, pogroms, penury and poverty. But such living conditions, the rabbi felt was preferable to emancipation. Hence, this strange policy was applied, even to Jews who were not Chassidic, not members of this sect or community. After the Second World War, Chabad changed dramatically. No longer could the policy of their first Rebbe be imposed on Jews. Because of the massive anti-Semitism exhibited by the Nazis and their many willing allies who assisted them in murdering Jews, the notion of living under Christian (or Muslim) domination was no longer viable. The last Chabad Rebbe, instead introduced a Messianic message, praying for, and encouraging others to work towards, the arrival of the Messiah. This book describes Jewish suffering, both in the period when Rabbi Shneur Zalman was alive, as well as in the long term, particularly in the last millennia when Jews faced great persecutions and no less than 48 separate expulsions. This volume questions the logic of Jewish suffering as a necessary prerequisite for Jewish belief and practice to be viable. This policy offers the pertinent study of the period when the question of Jewish suffering was deemed key to Judaism, but while enormous anti-Semitism was present. Yet, after the Second World War, an entirely new reality was introduced for Jewish survival.

On 5 December 1496, King Manuel I signed the edict of expulsion affecting all Jews in Portugal, effective in 1497. In 1536, the Portuguese Inquisition was established, ending in 1821. These 324 years were centuries of unremitting difficulty for Jews, in Portugal itself as well as in any territory governed by Portugal. In 2015, Portugal offered dual nationality to Jews who had a connection to the country, with a path to citizenship. Portuguese requirements for citizenship differed significantly from a similar offer by Spain, making the Portuguese pathway, simpler and less complicated. This volume discusses my family's narrative showing my connection to Portugal and how I met each of the requirements for citizenship.

This book is the go-to source for introductory information on Messianic Judaism. Editors David Rudolph and Joel Willitts have assembled a thorough examination of the ecclesial context and biblical foundations of the diverse Messianic Jewish movement. Unique among similar works in its Jew-Gentile partnership, this book brings together a team of respected Messianic Jewish and Gentile Christian scholars, including Mark Kinzer, Richard Bauckham, Markus Bockmuehl, Craig Keener, Darrell Bock, Scott Hafemann, Daniel Harrington, R. Kendall Soulen, Douglas Harink and others. Opening essays, written by Messianic Jewish scholars and synagogue leaders, provide a window into the on-the-ground reality of the Messianic Jewish community and reveal the challenges, questions and issues with which Messianic Jews grapple. The following predominantly Gentile Christian discussion explores a number of biblical and theological issues that inform our understanding of the Messianic Jewish ecclesial context. Here is a balanced and accessible introduction to the diverse Messianic Jewish movement that both Gentile Christian and Messianic Jewish readers will find informative and fascinating.

This book is a synopsis of three monotheistic faiths Judaism, Christianity, and Islam their common areas and their differences. The authors desire? To show why she believes and to also prove that, of the three main faiths existing in the world today, Christianity (a true and right personal relationship with Christ) is the only vehicle to God. It is only through Jesus Christ, Gods Son, that we find our way to Him. (John 14:6).

Becoming a vampire saved Alyssa from death, but the price was high: the loss of everything and everyone attached to her mortal life. She's still learning to cope when a surprise confrontation with Santino Vitale, the Acta Sanctorum's most fearsome hunter, sends her fleeing back to the world she once knew, and Fallon, the friend she's missed more than anything. Alyssa breaks vampire law by revealing her new, true self to her old friend, a fact which causes strong division in the group that should support her most: her clan. Worse yet, her revelation entangles Fallon in the struggle between vampires and hunters and The Acta Sanctorum is ready to attack again, with a new army of hybrid creations: the Frenzy Soldiers. If Alyssa hopes to survive and keep her mortal friend safe, she'll have to be willing to make a deal with the enemy, and regain her clan's support. It will take everyone working together in a precarious truce to fight against the Acta Sanctorum's new threat.

The messianic idea that a redeemer sent by God will come to end the suffering of a persecuted people and inaugurate a new age of justice and peace has been one of the most powerful and influential concepts given by the Jewish people to western civilization. This book represents a sample of the most penetrating and provocative scholarly interpretations of Jewish messianic movement from various perspectives- historical, sociological, psychological, and religious.

A multifaceted analysis of how Jewish leaders in medieval and early modern times responded to the challenges they faced. Based largely on the study of sermons and responsa—genres that show Jewish leaders addressing real situations in the lives of their people—it reveals how rabbis have handled intellectual, social, and political diversity and conflict in various vibrant Jewish communities.