"So, Jimmy. Are you Jewish?"

I get that question a lot. I hear everything. "You look like you are." Really? Since when is having dark hair, Ashkenazic-ish complexion, and just overall good looks something that you rarely find in a non-Jew? (Ok, so I'm working on that last qualification, but still....) "But the way you think and talk, your gestures, your mannerisms...you're Jewish!" All I'm gonna say is I've been around the culture long enough. "You seem to have a strong understanding of Yiddishkeit, though (Definition - http://www.ou.org/about/judaism/yz.htm)." I'm sure you would, too, if you just read enough books and had enough conversations.

Look, the bottom line is simply this. No, I am not Jewish, and in my opinion, nothing I do will ever change that. Being Jewish is about being a bloodline descendant of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, b/c it was w/ them that God established His covenant, thereby creating the children of Israel (Gen. 12:1-3; 17:19-21; 28:10-15; 32:28). Even if I were to make a full conversion to Judaism, adopting all of the practices, that doesn't change anything as far as I'm concerned. A Jew is a Jew b/c he is born a Jew, the same thing goes for a Gentile, and to say anything to the contrary would make God out to be a liar in my mind.

That having been said, I feel it's important for you to understand that I do believe in Yeshua(Jesus) as the Jewish Messiah prophesied in the Hebrew Scriptures, through faith in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of Israel. Consider, if you were to visit someone's house w/ a friend of yours, who would be the most important person? More than likely you're going to say that nobody is more important than anybody else, and if you've said this, you've answered well. However, only one of these three people is the host, and is it not fair to say that you should honor this person? Likewise, there are many nations comprised of many individuals, all of whom are equally esteemed by God Almighty (II Chron. 19:7; Rom. 2:11). However, only one nation has been chosen to host us into the blessings of God, and no matter how many other guests we invite, the host is still the host. It only makes sense to me, then, that I should honor the host, the Jewish people, b/c in not doing so, not only am I showing disrespect to them, I'm acting in grievance against God.

So to answer your question one last time, no, I am not Jewish, but I am honored to be loved by the God of Israel through the redemption I've received from Him in the Messiah, Yeshua, and I feel so immeasurably indebted to let that be known amongst all peoples.

"Do not boast against the branches (the Jewish people). If you boast, remember, it isn't you that bears the root, but the root that bears you." - Rom. 11:18