When I began taking classes at MJTI, my goal was to deepen and broaden my understanding of Messianic Judaism. My husband and I are Jewish and have been Yeshua-followers for many years. While always active in the congregations of which we have been a part, our energies were largely devoted to career and family until a few years ago. At that point, having launched our children, I decided that I wanted to better equip myself to serve my community, as I move into the next phase of my life.
What I could not foresee was how deeply MJTI would affect my life. I began with a certain amount of trepidation, because I had been out of academia for quite a while and had no formal background in college-level religious studies. Both the professors and the other students, however, always met me where I was at, treated me with respect, and then encouraged me to grow. In course after course, the professors have challenged me to be open to new ideas and points of view, to engage with the materials rigorously and creatively, and to speak and to write thoughtfully and well.
I have gained far more than academic skills and knowledge at MJTI, however. Fellow students have become friends and colleagues, and professors have become academic and spiritual mentors. MJTI is more than an institution; it is a community, and in that community, I have grown personally in ways I never could have imagined when I began.
This post was written by MJTI student Chaya Levy. For more student testimonies, read our interviews with Yahnatan Lasko, Michael Hillel, or Michael Eldred.
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