Izzy here. Robin Smith, a member of the Holy Language tribe, recently tipped me off to Animated Hebrew, a YouTube channel with oodles of handy videos focused on Hebrew grammar and verbology. See for yourself here.
Thanks Robin! And if you have any resources you'd like to tell the Holy Language tribe about, I'd be happy to pass them on for you too. Just hit reply and let me know.
Zachary's Story
Zachary is following Yeshua in a Hebrew way! Here's his story.
Shalom. My parents were the founders and leaders of Campus Crusade for Christ - now known as Cru. I began following Yeshua when I was, perhaps, 5 years old. By high school, I had become an apologist for Christian faith at the public high school. I had been reading C.S. Lewis and Francis Schaeffer for several years, and had visited L’Abri in Eck en Weil, Holland.
I have been a long-distance bicyclist. I cycled from the Oregon coast to the Delaware coast in 5 weeks and cycled in the California mountains and along the CA coast.
During my first year of college, as a music major at Cal. State, San Bernardino, I began to be threatened and overwhelmed by doubts about the Christian faith. Christians that I spoke with, in the beginning, were not helpful; they were too threatened by or unprepared for my issues. I struggled for about seven years. Through a variety of mentors, experiences, inner healing, and study, God slowly put the pieces of my life on a firm “footing"; there were no instant answers, though some were offered. During this time, I prayed to YHWH, “If you exist, and get me out of this pit, I will prepare myself to become the kind of person that could be helpful to someone like me.” Whether Elohim will bargain with people, and whether bargains like mine are binding, nonetheless, it has shaped my whole life afterward: I seek, out of compassion, to find good answers for troubled believers and for despairing nonbelievers.
Journeys through several Christian denominations and the Charismatic Movement followed until eventually I returned to the church denomination of my parents, now known as the Presbyterian Church (USA), to prepare for ordination.
Here is a summary of my education. I used to joke that I was doing a tour of So. CA. educational institutions. I am only including here those I graduated from.
Life Pacific College - Diploma in Bible - 1979
Azusa Pacific University - B.A. in Religion & Philosophy - 1986
Fuller Theological Seminary M.A. in Theology - 1992
Sometime in the mid-80s, I studied, with my wife and daughter, at L’Abri in Huemoz, Switzerland.
After several internships, I was pastor for almost 25 years of a Latino/a congregation, until I broke my leg in a swimming accident in June 2013. I have been on long-term temporary disability ever since. After the leg was healed, I had several surgeries on my right foot, but now though I can walk short distances, drive my car and attend worship, I am not allowed to stand on my right foot without a brace made for it (also when I leave my house, I must use a walker while I train my foot). From 2008-2013 my congregation had a coffee house and music venue for alternative music bands; it was a place to plant seeds of the gospel, in a low-key way. I sometimes say that I seek to plant seeds of dissatisfaction and rumors of glory wherever I go. :)
Currently, I write a somewhat humorous blog, that can be found at - zacharybright.com, am active on Facebook, and teach a Bible study for our neighborhood, in our home, on Thursday evenings. My time with the Latina/o church, sparked my interest in Hebrew because many of my Latino friends on-line attend Messianic congregations and are learning to speak Hebrew. I live with my wife, Terry, who is the program director at Elizabeth House, a shelter for woman with children who are facing problem pregnancies. We have two adult children, Rebecca is a “dog whisperer” in Pennsylvania, and Chris is an actor in West L.A.
I recognize some Hebrew from my seminary and college years, but N.T. Greek was much easier for me. I am also fluent in French and Spanish and so-so in German.
Are you following Yeshua in a Hebrew way? If so, the Holy Language tribe would love to hear your story, and we would love to help you tell it! Here's how.
new lessons
Modern Hebrew with Elihana Elia this Monday evening, watch here!
NO Biblical Hebrew with Rabbi Derek Leman this Thursday evening - he's still in Israel.
Live Shabbat services this Friday evening and Saturday morning, join us here!