Thank you for wanting to get to know us! Here is a simple explanation of our congregation. This site has many resources to delve deeper – just follow the links.
Who We Are
Congregation Bat-Tzion is a community of Jews and Gentiles who believe in Elohim, the Creator, the God whose name is יהוה [Yahu’ah], and in His Messiah, Yeshua, The Son of Elohim.. We strive to be keepers of the Torah, setting forth God’s praise through obeying His commands. We believe we are not saved by our works but by grace through our trust in Messiah Yeshua alone.
We worship יהוה, the God of the Bible, through Messiah Yeshua, the Son of God. Our Messiah is Jewish and lived His life as a Jew. He observed the Torah, settling many debates in Israel of His day. He taught the Torah perfectly and showed us how to live it.
We come together as a diverse community, with Jews and Gentiles joining in unity just as they did in the early days. We want to provide a space for our Jewish community to serve the Messiah as the first-century Jews did and for the Gentile community to experience the richness and beauty of Jewish traditions as taught in Scripture.





Who We Are Not
Given the diverse backgrounds within Messianic Judaism, it’s important to clarify some beliefs and practices that we do not follow. While we embrace many Jewish traditions, we are not specifically Talmudic or Rabbinic. We also do not subscribe to certain beliefs in Messianic Judaism at large, such as the Two-House Replacement Theory or the Sacred Name movement. Many of us have a Christian background, but we are not a Hebrew Roots Church. We also are not Trinitarian or Calvinist. While we encourage fellowship in our homes, we don’t operate as a home fellowship but primarily gather in our synagogue building on Shabbat. Further explanations of doctrinal differences can be found here.
What To Expect When You Visit Us
If you’re new to our beliefs, start with the “Our Faith” page to understand our core principles. If you plan to visit us, understanding our customs will enrich your experience and make you feel more connected.
Congregation Bat-Tzion assembles weekly on the seventh day of the week, the Sabbath. Our schedule is listed on the Home page. Are you new to sabbath keeping? See this article for why and how we do it and read these guidelines to know what’s expected. At various times we gather “from house to house” both to open and close the Shabbat together and for various other opportunities of fellowship. These are announced during service and on our private Telegram channels.
In addition, Bat Tzion joyfully assembles throughout the year at various times appointed by Yah as holy convocations, as expressed in Leviticus 23. Visit these articles for explanations of the Spring and Fall Feasts.
Membership
Membership in the local congregation is legitimized for those who regularly keep the Sabbath’s congregational worship more than 25 times per year and who will publicly acknowledge that they have committed their lives to יהוה and His Messiah and Torah, agreeing to our tenets and publicly declare that agreement to the congregation on or about the anniversary of their first year of attendance. Such membership is not a “recognition of conversion”, but a commitment to serve in the local congregation and walk in peace with its members.
Other Helpful Reading
Frequent Questions, Messianic World from a Christian Perspective, Messianic World from a Jewish Perspective
About Our Name
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“Sing! Daughter of Zion! Shout! Israel! Rejoice and be glad with all your heart, Daughter of Jerusalem! For יהוה has removed your judgment! He has cast out your enemy! The King of Israel, even יהוה, is in the midst of you! Do not fear evil anymore!”
— Zephaniah 3:14-20
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Bat-Tzion (pronounced’ bot tzeeyoan‘) takes its name from the scriptures above, found in Zephaniah 3:14-15.
Those who believe in Messiah Yeshua are no longer afraid of judgment for their sins. They are no longer children of darkness, children of this world, but are children of Jerusalem, the Holy City, and of God Most High, its ruler! Tzion, or Zion, is another name for Jerusalem, the capital city of Israel, and the place where יהוה promised He would write His name in the earth (Deut 14), and from whence Messiah will rule for 1000 years.



Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the One Moses wrote about in the Torah, the One the prophets foretold—Yeshua of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
“Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Nathanael asked.
“Come and see,” said Philip.
John 1:45-46