Rabbi invites Jews, Gentiles to celebrate Passover and Jesus

This month, many Fox Valley Jews will celebrate Passover traditionally as they do every Spring, but some -- like Rabbi Leora Rosenberg-Meiszner -- will bring a different perspective to the festival. Passover, the rabbi believes, is not just a commemoration of the Hebrews' deliverance from Egypt in the time of Moses.

Pesach, or Passover, is also a time to celebrate Jesus, "the fulfillment of the feast," she said.

With that in mind, Rosenberg-Meiszner and her Messianic ministry, Ha Mishkan David, invite Jews and Gentiles alike to a biblical Passover Seder at 4 p.m. April 19 at Comfort Suites, 2480 Bushwood Dr., Elgin.

The rabbi will explain the symbolism of Seder foods like unleavened bread and bitter herbs and will also "give Scriptures of how Yeshua was and is our Passover lamb," she said.

Rosenberg-Meiszner said the life of Yeshua -- Jesus -- as recorded in the New Testament fulfills many of the Old Testament Jewish prophecies.

At least one is even specific to the lamb, a central focus of Passover, as it was the blood of lambs smeared on Hebrew doorframes that caused the angel of death to "pass over" the Israelites' firstborn sons.

When the angel took the Egyptians' eldest, the Israelites were free to escape the land of their oppressors.

So how does this apply to Jesus?

For one thing, in Exodus 12, Moses instructs the people not to break the legs of the lambs that would be sacrificed for future Passover remembrances.

The rabbi finds this corresponds to the apostle John's account that Roman soldiers did not break Jesus' legs as they did of the two men crucified with him.

In John 1:29, John the Baptist refers to Jesus as "the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world."

Rosenberg-Meiszner said Jewish history also indicates that Jesus died on the cross at the same hour the priests would have finished slaughtering the lambs for that year's Passover.

And there are other parallels, she said.

"There are Scriptures, but people have to kind of dig in. Many times people forget that Jesus wasn't a Gentile, but he was a Jewish rabbi.

"Jesus was sent to fulfill the feast."

Matzah and bitter herbs serve their purpose as symbols, but this Pesach also will include more palatable foods such as chicken and Passover sweets.

There will be a time of praise and worship and Jewish dancing after the meal.

"All of that is also involved with the Passover," Rosenberg-Meiszner said.

"Even in this year of 2008 we celebrate how he brought us out of Egypt, but we also celebrate how he brought us out of sin and bondage when he died on the cross.

"Passover is something to celebrate because it brought our king to us."

The Pesach Seder is $10 per person -- children under 13 are free -- but Rosenberg-Meiszner doesn't want the cost to scare away anyone on a restrictive budget.

They should come anyway, she said.

For reservations, call (847) 464-5477 or (224) 330-8690 by April 16.

Helping hands needed: The Mosaic Youth Team from Elgin's Epworth United Methodist Church will come together for a community workday on April 26, and they're looking for a few extra hands.

The kids plan to do repair work and cleanups, and people of all age groups are invited to join them.

They'll send off volunteers with a meal at 10 a.m. and finish up at 4 p.m. with a youth-led praise service.

A participation fee buys workers a T-shirt, lunch and supplies for the various projects.

The cost is $15 per person and $10 for children under 10.

Or, sign up your whole family for $40.

For more information or to register, e-mail Mollie Denman at mdenman@gmail.com.

Epworth is at 37W040 Highland Ave., Elgin.

Summer gear here: Can't resist a good bargain?

You'll want to include the "Like New Spring and Summer Clothing Re-Sale" in your spring shopping plans.

It's a rummage sale of sorts, but this event focuses on all kinds of warm weather clothes for all ages.

Proceeds will go toward local missions.

Dates are April 18, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and April 19, from 9 a.m. to noon, at Barrington United Methodist Church, 98 Algonquin Road.

Plus, there's a great bargain bag sale on Saturday -- everything you can stuff into one of their bags for $5 or $8.

If you've got clothes to give away, so much the better.

Donations will be accepted Monday to April 16; call (847) 836-5540 for more information.