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Halakhic Guidance for Individual and Communities Affected by COVID–19

Prepared by the Faith and Halakhic Standards Committee of the Messianic Jewish Rabbinical Council. Approved by the Executive Committee.

March 26, 2020

The SARS-II/COVID-19 Pandemic has created an unprecedented situation for humanity worldwide. Like other communities in the world, Messianic Jewish synagogues are working to nurture community, to support people, and to share the promise and hope of God through Messiah Yeshua during this difficult time.

Due to restrictions on gatherings and communal assemblies throughout the world, the current pandemic poses unique challenges for sustaining community and gathering for worship and study. We offer the following recommended halakhic guidelines to help Messianic Jewish leaders and communities as they organize alternate ways for their communities to gather for prayer.

June 2018 MJRC Ordinations

smicha June 2018 Today was a momentous occasion as Vered Hillel and Isaac Roussel received rabbinical ordination. Vered is the first woman to receive s'mikhah from the MJRC. Below is an excerpt from our standards manual outlining our policy of ordaining women as Messianic Jewish Rabbis.

(Link from the Standards Manual)

1.2.3 In concert with the example of Messiah Yeshua and the teaching of scripture concerning the leadership roles of men and women, we affirm the ordination of women as Messianic Jewish Rabbis.

In issuing this standard, the Messianic Jewish Rabbinical Council (MJRC) welcomes women to use their God-given spiritual gifts in our community as leaders, rabbis, and teachers.

Scripture contains a number of examples of women who hold significant roles in leading and shaping the life of the people of Israel and the early community of Yeshua's followers - Miriam, Deborah, Huldah, Esther, Junia (Romans 16:7), and Phoebe (Romans 16:1) to name a few. Scripture often describes these women as having significant positions of leadership within the community: judges, prophets, deacons, emissaries, etc. We regard these women leaders in the Tanach and Apostolic Writings as models rather than as exceptional cases reflecting communal disorder or the lack of men of sufficient caliber to serve as leaders in the community.

Who Are We?

The Messianic Jewish Rabbinical Council (MJRC) was formally established in May 2006. It consists of a group of ordained Messianic Jewish Rabbis and associated leaders who share a common vision for Messianic Judaism rooted in Torah, instructed by Tradition, and faithful to Messiah Yeshua in the twenty-first century.

The MJRC had its beginnings five years earlier. At that time a set of Messianic Jewish leaders from New England invited some of their colleagues from outside the region to join them in working on a common set of halakhic standards for themselves and their congregations.

Our Mission Statement

Rooted in Torah, instructed by Tradition, faithful to Messiah Yeshua

The Messianic Jewish Rabbinical Council (MJRC) consists of ordained Rabbis and associates who promote a life of faithfulness to God's covenant among Jewish followers of Messiah Yeshua by providing realistic and practical guidelines for Messianic Jewish observance.

Our core mission is to define, clarify, and foster standards of observance for council members and for those in the Messianic Jewish community who look to us for leadership.

We also exist to serve the professional and personal needs of our members by fostering high standards of professional competence, ethical behavior, and halakhic conduct.