Kabbetz West

Kabbetz, the UMJC’s regional gathering of twenties and thirties was really a great experience for the Seattle Jewish messianic community. This was a West Coast event, but young people traveled from all over to attend. Friday evening our rabbi, Jason Forbes, discussed an “open source” model for sharing our energy, thoughts, and talents for the purpose of building our community. On shabbos morning, a guest speaker, Rabbi Jason Sobel, inspired our community to practice a Jewish faith that could transform the world around us through the tangible experience of healing and real encounters with the divine. We davvened and ate continuously, which made for a very full weekend. Sunday morning we discussed further ways to create authentic community in our movement before riding the light rail from Synagogue Beit Hashofar into down town Seattle to sip some coffee and tour the Pike Place Market. Thank you to every one involved and a big yasher koach (especially to the kitchen crew)!

My Community, Beit Hashofar

I am a member of Synagogue Beit Hashofar in Seattle, WA. Our shul is the oldest Messianic Synagogue in the Northwest and is truly paving the way for the future of our movement. Our community formed over forty years ago, originally holding services at 16th and Main here in Seattle. In those days the sign in front of the building read “B’nai Shalom.” The group was comprised of many staunch Zionists and was part of the “Restorationist” movement. It was their belief that the “times of the Gentiles” had ended and that the day had now come for Israel and the Jewish people to reclaim their central position in the world as G-d’s chosen nation and mouthpiece for Mashiach Yeshua.

In 1967 we sold that building to purchase what at that time was an old church building. Today, after so many years and numerous remodeling jobs, the last of which included our new aron kodesh (Torah closet) and bimah (reader’s platform), we have one of the finest small shuls in the area.

Our founder once said that he envisioned a center in the Northwest. That’s exactly what we have become. In addition to our Synagogue’s main structure, we have also recently established The Lichtenstein Memorial Beit Midrash and Guest House located on that the same block. We are currently developing our Youth program and have recently begun providing religious education for children 6yrs-Bar/Bat Mitzvah. We are an open community representing multiple affiliations with diverse attendance. If you’re in the Seattle area, join us for Tuesday Night Torah studies or Shabbat services. To find out more about this amazing place visit www.shofar.org