I was born in Amityville, NY and moved to Commack (on Long Island) when I was 8. I went through high school there (Commack North) and to college at Temple University (Philadelphia) where I received a Ba in History.
I went straight into the Marine Corps as a 2nd Lieutenant, and at the end of the next 3 1/2 years was a First Lieutenant, Company XO in the Combat Engineer Battalion. The only Jewish officer in the Battalion, I may add. That meant that I was assigned the Officer of the Day every Christmas. Bah, Humbug!!
After my Honorable Discharge I spent about 12 years on Wall Street as a suit, managing different departments and ending up a Bank Officer writing programs for the Securities Processing Division at Marine Midland Bank.
I left there to run a successful business; after all, I had gone to school at night for 5 years to get my MBA and figured I should use it. I also thought that being close to home would save my (first) marriage.
I was wrong on both counts: the business never took off, but my life savings did, and the marriage ended up in divorce, as well. After almost 30 years of trying to be friendly and helpful, all I have received back is spiteful hate from the “ex”, and due to her influence, my children have been turned against me and both have rejected me.
I went from Wall Street to Sales, and I was very successful at it (once someone trained me correctly.) In 1995 I met Donna McGill, and a few years later we married. This one is the one! On August 26, 2015, we celebrated the 20th anniversary of our first date (the date from hell, I might add) and this February 7 (2024) we have been married 26 years. To this day, every kiss with Donna is like the first kiss.
Dad passed in August 2005 and in January 2007 Mom went to tell him all that he is doing wrong, wherever he is. I took the inheritance, which was enough for me to change careers, and applied it to get Microsoft and CompTIA certified as a computer technician and systems engineer. I was doing help desk and network administration, and despite the fact that I loved the challenge of the work, I was more than ready to retire, which I did as of 1 January 2017. I am now a retired “gentleman of leisure.”
Well, OK- let’s just leave with I am retired.
In 1997 I decided it was about time I made a decision about God. I had always felt something missing in my relationship, which was more of a non-relationship. I studied, talked to many people, and God sent many mature Christians, who understood that Jews don’t want to hear about Jesus, but Jesus is who all Jews need. I ended up accepting Yeshua (his real name) as my Savior and discovered Messianic Judaism, where I have grown in my faith and am more Jewish in both worship and practice than I ever was before. I have taken classes and have a Certificate of Messianic Studies, which would allow me to call myself a Messianic Minister (if I paid dues to the school, which I don’t).
I served at Temple Beth Emanuel in Northeast Philadelphia for 17 years, as Ministry Head for a few different ministries, and Rabbi Pro Tem (along with my other Council members) for a few years while looking for a new Rabbi after the Rabbi who really built it all up went into a different ministry (Jacob’s Hope) , which is helping thousands of Jews in the worst places in the world for Jews to live to make Aliya (return to Israel).
In May of 2013, Donna and I moved to Melbourne, Florida and we haven’t looked back. We are happy here; God provided the job I needed and in 2015 I found a place to worship where I felt right at home. It was a Hebraic Roots church, and in January 2016, they asked me to join the Council. I served in a role similar to what a Cantor would do and often would “fill in” for the Senior Pastor when he needed someone to deliver the message on Shabbat. That church had to disband in 2017 and I have concentrated on this ministry since.
Donna and I are tremendously blessed.
I wrote my first book, “Back to Basics: God’s Word vs. Religion” while living in Philadelphia and since then have written three other books: one on Prayer, one that is a commentary on each of the 54 weekly Torah readings called “Parashot Drashim“, and my most recent book called “The Good News About the Messiah for Jews- Debunking the Traditional Lies About the Jewish Messiah“. You can find them under the heading “Books” on the Home page.
If you are interested in my Testimony, here’s is a really bad version of a really old video done over 29 years ago by the Assemblies of God, who used to help sponsor the Philadelphia Messianic Synagogue.
How do I get to heaven?
Ray,
According to the Bible, no one goes to heaven.
The earth will be almost totally destroyed during the apocalypse, but God will create a new earth, and those who have been faithful to God and are free of sin will be allowed to live on this new earth forever, with God’s presence all around us (read Revelation for all the details).
The way to get to be free of sin is to live in 100% accord with the Torah, 100% of the time- the Torah is God’s User Manual for Righteousness.
The “fly in the ointment” is that no human being can do that, but one did- Yeshua, the Messiah (Jesus).
To be freed of sin we must be forgiven through the sacrifice of innocent blood, which had to be done only at the temple in Jerusalem. But, because the temple in Jerusalem is no longer there, we need to accept that Yeshua is the Messiah and that through his sacrifice, our sins can be forgiven.
So, to get to be “saved”, meaning that you will be resurrected to life in God’s presence forever, you must faithfully accept that God exists, that Yeshua is the Messiah, and try to live as best as you can in accordance to God’s instructions in the Torah, asking to be forgiven when you sin by means of the shed blood of Messiah.
If you do that, the Bible is clear that you will be saved. However, if you prefer to reject the Torah, which is what most Christian religions teach, then I believe you will have trouble explaining to God why you rejected his word.
Personally, and based on how I understand the Bible, I do not believe that someone who rejects what God said to do is likely to be on his good side when coming before him at Judgement Day, even if they followed a religion and believed, in their heart, they were doing right.
loved to read your “about”…
Recognized many things you experienced in your life…as they seems to me like looking into a mirror.
Still having no luck, finding a good assembly for Shabbat and appointed times..
Doing them at home, is like missing something.(my new partner is orthodox…but she respects me in keeping Shabbat en appointed times)
From time to time I visit the synagogue, there were the Rabbi comes, which was my teacher for Hebrew at the univ…
I am really amazed reading your story… be blessed by HaShem !
Although I mention my website, it is not update since 3yrs (even pictures of my ex are still there….LOL)
I appreciate you’re wanting to find a place to enjoy the Shabbat and festivals. The place where I worship now will be disbanding in the next few months, as the Senior Pastor is going to pursue his Masters (it’s free from his job)and the Assemblies of God will take over the church, which means it won’t be Hebraic Roots anymore. There are other places I may seek out that are Hebraic Roots, but i will probably take a Shabbat rest from Shabbat, if you know what I mean. I have always be picked for Council work, and even though I refused for a year this time, God has His way of making what He wants happen. I am going to be a little like Jonah and run to Tarshish, so when the place where I worship now changes, I will be like you are- no place to go for Shabbat and festivals except my own home. I don’t mind, really- didn’t Yeshua say in Matthew 8:20 that the fox has it’s hole and the bird it’s nest, but the Son of Man has not a place on which to lay his head? I can live with that for a while.
Steven, I look forward to reading more of your journey. I appreciate learning about the Hebrew roots of Yeshua and love how you explained how we got the name of Jesus Christ from Yeshua ben Yosef.
Have a blessed day,
Brandon
ah I see now – also let me thank you from the bottom of my heart on behalf of me and my family for your service and sacrifice to our country. God Bless You and Yours!