Nourish Your Biblical Roots

How many of us think about repentance as we celebrate and usher in a New Year on January 1? Probably not many! But when Jews usher in the Jewish New Year on Rosh Hashanah, the main focus is on repentance, or teshuvah, which means to “return” to God and to who we really are. The sound of the shofar, the ritual trumpet, signals this time to reflect on the past twelve months, fix any behavior that isn’t helpful, and return to God who is waiting with open arms. In this special Rosh Hashanah episode, host Yael Eckstein shares the Jewish perspective on the meaning of repentance and its significance for both Christians and Jews, and how it has the power to nourish our souls and transform us into the people we are meant to be! [...]

Did you know that God has an alarm clock for our souls? Beginning a month before the start of the High Holy Days, the sounds of the shofar, the biblically mandated trumpet, can be heard throughout synagogues across the world, calling people to reflect, repent and return to God. On this podcast, Yael continues exploring the significance and meaning of the Jewish High Holy Days, focusing on one of the primary rituals of this holiest time on the Jewish calendar: the sounding of the shofar. Yael explores why the Jewish people use a shofar to prepare themselves for the new year, and how its many sounds are a call to self-improvement, to repentance, and to return to God during these holy days. Join Yael as she explains the symbolism and messages of the shofar, and how its sounds should be reverberating in our daily lives. [...]

Today, host Yael Eckstein begins a six-part series examining the spiritual journey Jews around the world take each year during the High Holy Days and what lessons these holy observances can teach Christians and Jews about making real and lasting change. In this series, Yael will explore how the sounds of the shofar awaken the soul, how Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, teaches us about the gift of repentance, and Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, teaches us the power of forgiveness. We’ll discover the blessings of unity that Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles, teaches, and how this holy season ends with a celebration of God’s Word on Simchat Torah and a renewed commitment to bring His word with us into the new year. Yael begins the journey by looking at the three paths to real and lasting change — repentance, prayer, and charity. Join us today! [...]

We live in the so-called “selfie generation,” where our focus is often on ourselves — how we look, how many “likes” we get on social media, what we have, and what we do. The irony is that focusing on ourselves does not make us happier; rather it robs us of our joy. As the Bible teaches, what truly brings joy is giving to others. In the Jewish faith, charity is not seen as simply a good deed, but rather as a sacred obligation. It is practiced throughout the year as part of the Sabbath and Jewish holidays observances. Most Jewish homes, synagogues, schools, and even businesses have at least one special receptacle for giving charity. The ultimate goal, says Yael, is for her children to learn to give consistently and generously. Listen today to learn how these principles can help your children experience the joy of giving. [...]

If we want our children to live according to godly — not worldly — values, then it is essential that we instill in them courage. Host Yael Eckstein shares on the podcast that courage is one of the most important values that she can pass down to her children. This vital trait is celebrated annually on the biblical observance of Purim, which commemorates the story of Queen Esther, whose courageous actions saved the Jewish people from certain annihilation. As Yael shares, it is faith that gave Esther her courage, and courage that gave her the confidence to take a stand for her people. Together, faith and courage have always advanced God’s work on earth. Listen today to this inspiring call to raise the next generation to be “strong and courageous.” [...]

Join host Yael Eckstein as she talks with one of the unsung heroes on the frontlines of the war in Ukraine — Ilia Golberg, Chief Security Officer for the Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine. Since the beginning of the war, Ilia Golberg has been an instrumental partner with the International Fellowship of Christians and Jew (The Fellowship) in rescuing Jews from war-torn Ukraine and in providing safety and lifesaving assistance to those who remain behind. Ilia shares with Yael how the landscape and Jewish communities have changed throughout the war — from those disbelieving that war would ever come to their country to those who are now returning so their children can resume their lives as best they can. The podcast is a fascinating look behind-the-scenes of this horrendous conflict and a poignant call to not forget that people are still living in a war zone and that the needs are even greater as the colder winter months set in. You don’t want to miss this inspiring conversation with this humble hero from the frontlines of war. Listen today! Learn how you can help vulnerable Jews in Ukraine by supporting The Fellowship and its partners’ work on the ground, providing emergency and lifesaving aid to God’s children. Come back each Sunday as Yael shares inspirational teachings on the Jewish roots of Christianity on her weekly podcast, Nourish Your Biblical Roots. For more information on today’s episode, visit mybiblicalroots.org. [...]

What’s the greatest distance between two points? As host Yael Eckstein shares on today’s program, it’s the distance between our head and our heart. On an intellectual level, we know what we believe, but acting on that belief is another thing. Bridging this distance is part of our life-long service to God, what Yael calls “faith-living.” Every year during the observance of Sukkot, the Festival of Tabernacles (Booths), the Jewish people practice “faith-living” by leaving the comfort of their homes and living in a rickety makeshift shelter known as a sukkah. As she and her family eat and sleep in their sukkah for seven days, Yael explains they are reminded that we live by faith in God, trusting Him to provide all our needs — just as the Israelites did thousands of years ago while wandering through the desert for 40 years. Listen today for this invaluable lesson for our children. [...]

One of the most difficult practices for any of us to learn is forgiveness —asking forgiveness from God, seeking forgiveness from others, and giving forgiveness. Yet this practice is so critical to living a healthy and happy life, and its rewards are invaluable. On today’s podcast, host Yael Eckstein shares how the Jewish observances of the High Holy Days — Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, and Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement — help equip her children to both ask God for forgiveness and to seek forgiveness from others. During this intense time of spiritual reflection and repentance, Yael says her children learn the importance of saying “I’m sorry” and letting go of past hurts and offenses. As Christian theologian Billy Graham once said, “Every year during their High Holy Days, the Jewish community reminds us all of our need for repentance and forgiveness” Listen today! [...]

What is the one thing we must teach our children if we want them to never give up and never give in when it comes to their values and beliefs? We must teach them hope. On today’s podcast, host Yael Eckstein shares how an unflagging hope in God’s promises has sustained the Jewish people through exiles and pogroms, persecution and even the Holocaust. Every year, on the Jewish observance of Tisha B’Av, this foundational principle of hope is celebrated as the Jewish people mourn the many tragedies that have befallen them throughout history on this very day. As Yael explains, by teaching our children that the world is not as it should be, we are equipping them to never give up. There is always hope for a better world, a better future. Listen today! [...]

How can we raise children to be grateful when we live in a culture that’s constantly telling us that we need — and deserve — more? It’s not easy, but as host Yael Eckstein explains in this week’s podcast, the key is helping our children recognize all the blessings in their lives. Yael continues her summer series on passing on our faith to the next generation by exploring how the annual observance of Shavuot, better known as Pentecost to Christians, reinforces the principles of gratitude. As Yael explains, Shavuot is about the fruitful times in our lives, when everything is going well, and remembering that God is the source of all our blessings. Discover how the simple habit of recognizing the good can permeate our lives with gratitude. Listen today! [...]