RUSSELLVILLE — According to the tenets of Judaism, members are identified in either of two ways: either they are born to a Jewish mother or they convert to the religion. Randy and Beth Cook of Russellville, both of whom were raised in Christian homes, arrived at the faith via conversion.
Independent of each other and long before they met, Randy and Beth decided to walk the Jewish faith, but neither was prepared to abandon their faith in Jesus, so the Messianic Judaism sect appealed to them.
For Methodist-reared Beth, the decision followed years of feeling a void in her birth faith, she said. Her persisting questions led her toward Judaism 17 years ago.
“I had issues with what the Bible was preaching, such as keeping the Sabbath holy, and then not following those teachings,” she said. “Messianic Jews believe in the Messiah and in the laws of Moses. We believe in the Old and New Testaments. We believe it was Messiah who spoke to Moses from the burning bush. For us, God can’t change.”
Randy, raised in the Church of Christ tradition, agreed.
“We were both searching for the answer, and we both wanted to find the true Messiah, and we wanted to worship him the way he wants us to,” Randy said. “It all boils down to that.”
Randy held up fringes dangling from the hem of his shirt.
“We keep the law of Moses, and this reminds us of that, but we don’t do any sacrifices,” he said. “Really, the main difference between us and Sunday churchgoers is that we keep the Sabbath and observe holy festivals, and we eat biblically clean foods.”
To make the lifestyle a bit easier to adopt, kosher foods and prayer accessories are sold in the synagogue’s vestibule.
“Everything reminds us to commune with God always,” Beth said.
She pointed to a clear flask containing a small scroll covered in Hebrew script and added, “The Scripture tells us to keep the Ten Commandments posted on our door posts so that we’ll remember to obey throughout the day. Many times, we touch the flask as we leave for further impact.”
The symbol of the doorway was also invoked in the telling of the story of the exodus, which includes Passover. It was the threshold on the door where the children of Israel were to smear the blood of a lamb so that the angel of death would pass over their homes when he came to collect the firstborn children of the Egyptians.
Judaism is rich in symbolism, and that appeals to the Cooks, who organized Congregation Chiam B’Derech, the only synagogue for miles.
Between 30 and 40 members worship each week, Randy said.
“We have African-American, Hispanic and Caucasian members,” he said. “It’s wonderful. We’re very mixed agewise, too.”
Randy, a native of Russellville, admits that his family regarded his quest as a little strange, but they’ve come to accept his choice. For Randy and Beth’s 15-year-old home-schooled son, Josiah, however, Messianic Judaism is all he’s known.
“My son was born into this,” Beth said. “He’s never celebrated Christmas or Easter. We do celebrate the Fourth of July and Thanksgiving with our extended families.”
The Cooks and those new to Judaism in their congregation have had to learn without the benefit of generations before them, Beth said.
“In my childhood neighborhood in New Jersey, probably one-fourth of the families were Jewish, and I loved going to their homes because I loved their foods. You could go to one home, and the way they prepared something was a little bit different than another’s family because all those women in those generations added or took away a little something.”
And, of course, learning the Hebrew language has been a challenge.
“We’re working on that constantly,” Randy said. “Every Saturday morning, we study.”
While the Cooks have found resistance from the other branches of Judaism — mainly Orthodox, Reform and Conservative — because of the couple’s belief in Jesus as the Jewish Messiah or Son of God, the Christian denominations have embraced them in the community.
“We get Jews who don’t believe in Messiah who visit,” Randy said, “but they’re attracted to the Hebrew prayers on the Sabbath. The beauty of our congregation is that we agree to disagree.”
Celebrating the week of Passover is major for the band of believers, Beth said.
“Every faith has its food traditions, and although it’s a lot of work preparing for Passover, with the special foods and setting the Seder table, it’s really a joy,” she said. “The almond bread is so good and easy that I could make it anytime, but I resist because it wouldn’t be special if I made it often.”
“It’s a big commitment for people to walk this way,” Beth said. “America isn’t geared for a day of rest on the Sabbath. We will be attending my nephew’s wedding, which is planned on the Sabbath, but we won’t attend the reception because people will be working to put that on. It can be limiting, especially if you’re involved in sports, but the walk is so fulfilling for us.
“We don’t believe the laws save us. The Messiah’s atonement is what saves us. The keeping of the law is how we love him.”
“The important part,” Randy said, “is the search.”
Congregation Chiam B’Derech, at 410 S. Arkansas in Russellville, offers Bible study at 7 p.m. Thursdays and Hebrew services Saturday morning, followed by an afternoon casual fellowship lasting until sundown. For more information, call (479) 967-LIFE or visit www.chaimbderech.com.