How did a Jewish Woman Like Me Fall in Love with Jesus?

I grew up in a reform Jewish community with a rabbi whose entire family except for his wife and daughter had been killed in the Holocaust. He escaped after the urgent plea of a friend who said, "Get out!" Rabbi Richhter was brilliant and beloved. He was fluent in 8 languages. He was----rabbi! I had a longing for God as a child. I remember going to see Ben Hur with my religious school class. We had a wonderful teacher, Dan Goldman, who took us everywhere!  He took us to Christian Science church, to the Unitarian Church, to movies and to Chinese restaurants. I was twelve when I saw Ben Hur. I was stunned, struck, and motionless when I saw the encounter between Jesus and some others...a woman? a man? all I remember is the outpouring of love that flowed from Him and the longing that flowed from me. But I'm Jewish! Jewish girls don't believe that, so I put it out of my mind. We got back to Sinai Temple the next week and I asked Rabbi Richter what (looking back at it) maybe have been an offensive question. "Rabbi, why aren't there any real men of God anymore?" I followed it up with another question. "When are we going to learn about God?" Rabbi spoke eloquently about ethics, political events, societal issues--but I never once heard him talk about God. He looked at me with what I can just describe as sorrow. "Cheryl. You aren't ready to learn about God."

I went away to college and was in a dormitory with some Pentecostal girls who kept talking about the 'Spirit'. As a joke three of us went with her to church one evening. The pastor met us at the door. I'm sure they  had been alerted to the Jewish girl coming in. He pumped my hand and said, "We have so much in common with you people." I thought, "You have nothing in common with me." He asked us all to stand during the service and said, "Come on down. The baptismal tub is ready." I rolled my internal eyes and looked for the door. As my eyes scanned the room I saw women all over weeping on their knees and I thought, "What a homely bunch of weird women." Many years later I realized that those dear souls were praying for me!

On a trip home to Michigan City that summer I went to the LaPorte County Fair. A woman was handing out little books. She handed one to me as I passed. "Here dear. Here's a Bible." I barely glanced at her and said, "No thanks. I'm Jewish." She stepped closer and smiled broader. "Oh but dear. This Bible is especially FOR the Jews." I thanked her and as I turned the corner threw it into the trash.

Back at college I noticed a line in the newspaper. "Jesus loves the Jews. For more information call................" So I did. "Hello. This says Jesus loves the Jews. Is this true?" Then came the sweetest, gentlest voice. "Yes. Yes it is true. Dear are you Jewish?"  I said, "No!" and hung up the phone.

I  married  a Jewish man and  moved to Ohio and then to St. Louis. I was teaching French at McClure High School. There was a zany art teacher who was in the office at the same time I was during all-school testing. Because he was art and I was French we had no responsibility during testing. I noticed a piece of sculpture he held and said, "Oh! I love art." He asked me downstairs to see his classroom. The walls were filled with beautiful scenes which all showed pastel skies. When I commented on the lovely skies he said, "Cheryl three years ago I found the Lord Jesus Christ and made Him my Savior. He healed my marriage, got rid of my demons and totally changed my  life." I thought this guy was the height of crazy---even worse than the Pentecostal pastor. At least the pastor was in a church. This guy was spouting off about Jesus in a school of all places.

I left his room disgusted and couldn't wait to get home and report him for preaching in a school! I was driving home and got to Washington turning right onto Derhake and suddenly SUDDENLY SUDDENLY Jesus Christ was sitting in my passenger seat! It was He! There was NO DOUBT ABOUT IT! He spoke. He said, "I am Who they say I am. I am the Son of God."  I started sobbing! I was weeping and could barely see to drive. Jesus showed me scene after scene of when I denied Him. I said NO to Him at age 5 when I was saying prayers at night and said, "What if Jesus really IS Your son?" and quickly shook my head and said, 'No Jewish girls don't believe that. (click. onto the next scene)  The time I went to the Pentecostal Church and mocked the pastor's invitation. (click) The time I saw the scene of Ben Hur but knew He wasn't for me, a Jewish girl (click.) The time I hung up on the man from the newspaper. (click) The time I threw away the Bible at the state fair (click). It was relentless. Scene after scene. Denial after denial. I said, "Jesus I don't even know Who You are but I am following You the rest of my life." At that time I felt that following Him meant giving up my precious Jewish faith. But I chose. I chose Jesus. I chose Jesus even though I KNEW that I was going home to a Jewish husband who would be livid, would be calling Jewish parents who would be heart broken. I chose Jesus. But I have found out since then that I am still Jewish. I am  Jewish woman head over heels in love with Jesus!