Using hebrew names

[ubermandy]

I am a youth leader at my church, and am searching for a name for our group. How do you all feel about the "church" using Hebrew names and words for youth groups, women's meetings, care groups, ect?

Also, if you have any suggestions (Hebrew or not), I am stumped.
Thanks,
Mandy

 

[Henaynei]

My opinion...... here's my nickle.....

Using Hebrew terms is not in and of it self bad. Thinking one can appropriate some portion of being Jewish by or designated by a Hebrew name or term, well, that is another matter.

It is meritorious to have a name with a definite meaning and to study, know and incoorporate that meaning into one's world view and attitude - as long as it places G-d front and center in all His unique wisdom and love.

B'nei Emet = Children of Truth

Khavarah Or = Community of Light

B'nei Khai = Children of Life

 

[Multi-Elis]

Just call your youth group Kvotzat No'ar With all the searching we ever did that was the only name we ever got called when we were a youth group.

 

[ubermandy]

I've heard that the word Shekinah means "presence of G-d". Is that a name for G-d himself or a description. Would that be appropriate to use?

Thanks for the suggestions so far. It would be wonderful if our group truly were children of life, children of truth, and a community of light. That is our goal as youth workers, of course.

Multi-Elis, what does Kvotzat No'ar mean?
Thanks,
Mandy

 

[Sephania]

I've heard that the word Shekinah means "presence of G-d". Is that a name for G-d himself or a description. Would that be appropriate to use?

Mandy

No, It is the indwelling presence of G-d in this world, that may be in you and all around you but can not be a name of a group. This is his essence so to speak, this is what filled the holy Temple ( and also left) and also I believe it is the same as when Yeshua said wherever two or more are gathered in my name I will be with them, that is his presence ( unseen ) with us.

Let me ask, is your group doing things to support Israel? Do they have a knowledge and love for her people? Otherwise as Henanei said it is only a pretense and should not be done.

May I suggest that you read the book of Ruth and let the Ruach Ha Kodesh ( Holy Spirit) lead you?

 

[simchat_torah]

Shekinah is a specific type of presence. It is the physical manifest prescence which the material world was born from.

shalom,
yafet

 

[sojeru]

one must know the exactness of the language to use it correctly.

 

[Multi-Elis]

I always understood that Shekinah ment Holy Spirit. It comes from a root meaning to dwell, and Yeshua sent the Holy Spirit to dwell in our hearts. Thats my conclusion after studying poetry in my Israeli highschool. So I don't think you want to call a youth group "Holy Spirit" but things like "Minnookhàt Ha Shikhinàh", which means the Resting (Place) of the Holy Spirit.

Kvootzat No'ar simply means youth group.

What do the youth in the youth group think about the name that will be given to their group? They would probably want something that sounds "cool" even if they don't remember what it means. In my former youth group in Israel we could never come up with a "cool" enough name, neither a "cool" enough logo, to the secret frustration of my pastor (I was the one giving him the rational reasons for the groups feelings, and I was the one who explained to the pastor that we didn't feel we needed names and symbols, for many reasons...) so we ended up just being called Kvootzat No'ar, and had the fun of feeling really "cool" about having a youth group that is so spontanious, exciting, and free, because we didn't have any constraining name or symbol to be explained to new commers. I think this makeshift, free identity suited us best.

 

[JewishHeart]

Bnei Barak - It means "Sons of Thunder"

It also is a city north of Tel Aviv... veryyyy orthodox.

 

[JewishHeart]

I am a youth leader in Israel and the name we gave our youth group is "Noar Kitzonee" or "Radical Youth."

 

[ubermandy]

No, It is the indwelling presence of G-d in this world, that may be in you and all around you but can not be a name of a group. This is his essence so to speak, this is what filled the holy Temple ( and also left) and also I believe it is the same as when Yeshua said wherever two or more are gathered in my name I will be with them, that is his presence ( unseen ) with us.

Let me ask, is your group doing things to support Israel? Do they have a knowledge and love for her people? Otherwise as Henanei said it is only a pretense and should not be done.

May I suggest that you read the book of Ruth and let the Ruach Ha Kodesh ( Holy Spirit) lead you?

Right now we are not supporting Israel as a group. That might be possible in the future.
Here are a few more of my thoughts to clarify.
I have been thinking about using Hebrew to name our group for some time, now. My main thought was that the name should mean something, and since Hebrew is a Biblical language, it would be possible to find something appropriate.
My church is non-denominational, and not Messianic. I am the one who has had leading from the Ruach Ha Kodesh to study Messianic Judaism. At first, I was confused, and scared. I thought it was going to shake my whole world. My husband and I were constantly arguing about it. Anyway, there is a Messianic group about 20 minutes from my house, and I contacted them. Well, to make a long and off-topic story short...I will continue studying Messianic Judaism, but I will not leave my church, where I am a key youth leader, as well as a worship leader. So, I am taking this journey slowly, but surely.

Thanks for all your input.
Mandy

 

[ShirChadash]

My church is non-denominational, and not Messianic. I am the one who has had leading from the Ruach Ha Kodesh to study Messianic Judaism. At first, I was confused, and scared. I thought it was going to shake my whole world. My husband and I were constantly arguing about it. Anyway, there is a Messianic group about 20 minutes from my house, and I contacted them. Well, to make a long and off-topic story short...I will continue studying Messianic Judaism, but I will not leave my church, where I am a key youth leader, as well as a worship leader. So, I am taking this journey slowly, but surely.

Hi Mandy
What you described up there ^ is exactly how the Ruach has worked with us as well. I think slow and sure is the way to go. My FIL was surprised that after some 4+ years of stepping more and more into Messianic Judaism, we still didn't have any of the "outward judaica" (chanukkiah, etc... he figured we would at least have had a shofar of our own by last Rosh HaShanah ). But yk, it isn't the outward things that make one who one is. So we concentrated (and still do) on embracing faith in Yeshua from a Messianic Jewish perspective. (and actually, FIL saying that to us, being a non-Messianic himself, was very much a vote of "yes" from our beloved papa-in-faith nonetheless and we have begun to buy more of the "outward" things now as his words indicated to us that it was time ) And we continue to attend a non-denom church as well, as there isn't a Messianic community anywhere near us (4+ hours away). The church is supportive of us in our Messianic walk.

Blessings!

 

[ubermandy]

Zemirah,
Sorry for this late reply! I just wanted to thank you for your encouraging words. Sometimes I feel very overwhelmed, and I did consider leaving my church. It is a long story, that I would love to share with you sometime. But the short of it is, I believe I am where I need to be right now. I am ministering to teenagers that count on me every week, and to just flat out leave would be detrimental to them. I think taking things slowly is prudent!

I appreciate this board, and all of the wisdom I have gleaned from fellow believers.

Mandy

 

[ShirChadash]

I'd love to hear your story anytime, Mandy. Blessings, and be of good courage. Yeshua knows where you are, and loves your heart for Him AND for your ministry to those teens!!
Shabbat Shalom!