Background

Just thirty years before the destruction of the Second Temple, in accordance with the words of the prophets (Daniel 9:24-27, Yeshayahu 53), Yeshua m’Natzeret died as a martyr at the hands of the Romans. During his lifetime he had preached a radical Torah Judaism that so critiqued the religious establishment that he earned its lasting enmity and rejection. And yet there were many Jews in Eretz Yisrael and in the disapora, constituting a substantial righteous remnant, who recognised Yeshua as the promised Mashiach. They witnessed his resurrection from the dead, and by means of trusting faithfulness they also thereby experienced the long promised geulah (redemption) and spiritual renewal. These tens of thousands of Messianic Jews established their own synagogues (Yaakov 2:2), where they remained faithful to Yeshua’s teaching as they zealously observed the very Torah which he, by his teaching, his death and resurrection, had brought into its fullness (Acts 21:20). Through their faithful witness to God’s light in Yeshua HaMashiach countless numbers of Gentiles also converted to their renewed Judaism.

Although this testimony was subsequently crushed under successive blows from Church and established Judaism it has, since the contemporary return of Jewish people to Eretz Yisrael, been re-established by God to bear witness of His light, both to our Jewish people and to the nations. As an essential part of this latter-day restoration of Messianic Judaism the Union of British Messianic Synagogues exists to bear living witness to both the wider Jewish community and the nations of the geulah that comes through Yeshua HaMashiach.

Following the example of its first century forebears the UBMS aims to fulfil this function by means of establishing Messianic synagogues throughout the United Kingdom and by supporting those in other countries who are sympathetic to this aim. These synagogues are communities where the renewed Judaism that Yeshua established is thoroughly taught and lived out, and where community members are continually being encouraged and challenged in their faith and walk with God.Our synagogues are places where Jewish identity is cherished, and clarified, enriched and renewed in Mashiach for both those who were born Jewish and those from the nations who choose to convert. They are places where the many cultures and traditions of our people (as such do not contradict Torah) are appreciated and encouraged for both those who were born Jewish and those from the nations who choose to convert. Above all UBMS synagogues are places of worship where the immanent God who revealed Himself most fully to our Jewish people and to the world through Yeshua HaMashiach is encountered in a life-changing way.

To this end the UBMS places the highest value on training its leaders and commits itself to the ordination and continual professional development of its leaders at every level, including but not limited to a thoroughly professional rabbinate with the highest moral standards. The UBMS Beit Din is also committed to the continual study of and application of Scripture in the development of a halakhah which is infused with the life of the Mashiach and is founded on his renewal of Torah. As well as safeguarding the quality of its leaders, the UBMS Beit Din also safeguards the quality of conversions.