I remember that day like it was yesterday. That day in 1995 when my life was changed forever! I was invited to an Easter drama by a close friend of mine. And while there was hesitancy on her part in inviting me because I am Jewish, she gave in as she obeyed the voice of the Lord. I had no idea that this production would play a vital part in my salvation experience. It would be years later, that God would bring me back to the very thing I despised and ran away from years before, my Jewish roots. From that point on, God began to unfold a deeper understanding of my Jewishness, as He healed me from the past. During that time, I learned about anti-Semitism throughout church history, and for “some reason,” I felt to research the date of my salvation. I found that it was the same date as the Resurrection of Yeshua, the date that fell on Passover/Feast of Unleavened Bread in 1995.

Do you know what’s ironic about this? For a long time, I thought Easter and Passover were two separate holidays as many others believe in the church today. I couldn’t believe that I thought this for so long. How did I not know? Why wasn’t this taught in the church?

It’s because we have been so indoctrinated through the church ages by the church fathers who taught separation from its Jewish roots. And not only that, their theology was steeped in replacement theology, a term that denotes the church replacing Israel in their calling. Easter was used to replace Passover back in 325 AD, when Constantine called for the church council (Nicean Council) to settle the dispute over the date of Jesus’ resurrection. His true motive was anti-Semitic because he wanted the church to separate from its Jewish roots and replace the Hebrew calendar with the Roman pagan calendar and unfortunately his plan worked!

For the Jewish believers at that time, they were required to make a profession by the Church of Constantinople. Their statements included separation from their own Jewishness, meaning no more Sabbaths, no more Kosher food, etc. It even included their separation from their Jewish relatives. Unfortunately, replacement theology goes back even before Constantine and continued with many more church fathers including Martin Luther. He made sure that the parting of the ways between the Jewish and Gentile believers became part of the church doctrine. And it is very clear, it is still in the church today. It’s a terrible thing to build up the wall that was abolished in Yeshua’s flesh when the two (Jewish and Gentile Believers ) became one through His death on the Cross! (Ephesians 2:15) If you’re married, can you imagine being separated from your spouse? Denying who they are as a man or a woman as well as their rights within the marriage?

You may wonder how Jewish believers feel about Easter today. My position as well as other Jews within the Body of Christ that I personally know, share the same thoughts and it is this: Easter’s origins in the church is replacement theology. And for me as a Jew, I don’t celebrate it. I also don’t like how bunnies and eggs are used to represent Jesus as well.

However, let me be clear on this… I do not, nor will I knock anyone celebrating Easter. Anytime something is used to bring the knowledge of the gospel to people, I am totally for that. I mean look what happened to me. But because biblically, He was resurrected during Passover, and because of my personal convictions as a Jew, I won’t celebrate Easter as being Resurrection Day. I will only celebrate Resurrection Day on Passover.

We all have our convictions to walk out before the Lord. Paul said in Colossians 2:16, “Let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or new moon..Sabbaths. However, as one who is part of the nation of Israel and part of the Church and a teacher within the Body of Christ, I feel that it is only right to equip and educate people about their Jewish roots. We cannot unhinge from our roots no matter how hard we try. And at the same time, we must remember that above all, we should be endeavoring to walk in the greatest commandment which Yeshua gave to us, LOVE…which is a priority. For all the law and the prophets hang on that!

I believe in speaking the truth in love which results in life as it brings more depth to yourself and the relationship between you and God. But condemnation brings death and if I am condemning you because of how you celebrate, I am not walking in love.

Whether you celebrate Resurrection Day on Easter or Passover or both, the most important thing is that the Lord be glorified in all that we do.

Until next time, let’s come in agreement with Yeshua and pray together the Lord’s prayer for the One New Man (Ephesians 2:15), as He prayed to the Father in John 17:21:

“that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent me.”

Your friend,

Ellen (Brucha)