Tammy Priest on What Christians Can Learn from the Jewish Roots of Their Faith

Interview with Tammy Priest

Why does understanding Jewish traditions matter to Christians, and what motivated you to write about your experience as a Jewish Christian? 

Jewish faith and tradition shed so much light on Jesus’ choice of words and actions throughout His incarnate ministry. I’ve found that when modern Christians understand what Jesus’ Jewish audience was doing, expecting, and longing for in specific Gospel moments, then the words and actions He chose take on deeper meaning. That’s why I love to teach about my heritage in ways that transport Christians into the hearts, souls, and sandals of the people who encountered Jesus. 

How has growing up in Judaism given you a unique perspective on Jesus as Messiah? What do you think most Christians miss about that aspect of who he is? 

When I first began to read the New Testament, I was astounded to discover how Jewish Jesus was. As I recognized the Jewish context of His actions and declarations—especially during the pilgrimage feasts—I was in increasing awe of Jesus’ intentionality. I do think Christians sometimes miss that Jesus observed all the biblical feasts, dietary laws, Sabbath commands, etc., since He kept and fulfilled the law perfectly. What a gift that we can now be clothed with His perfect righteousness! 

What’s something you wish Christians knew about the Jewish faith or its traditions? How can Christians find common ground with Jewish people without distorting or disrespecting their faith? 

There is an ancient beauty and unity in Judaism. With each sabbath and holiday, Jews around the world offer up the same ancient prayers and rituals at the very same time in a ripple across time zones; we even study the same Bible passages!  

So even though we may not agree on all matters of interpretation, there remains a solidarity and sense of belonging to one another among the whole Jewish diaspora. The question of common ground is a complicated one that I address in Jerusalem Calls, but the simplified answer is to be curious, kind, and respectful as you discuss points of connection between Judaism and the gospel.  

There is a fine line between appreciating and disrespecting, but a guiding principle is to consider whether Jewish people may be offended—and therefore hardened toward the gospel—over a non-essential in the life of a Christian.

 

You teach about messianic foreshadowing in all the Jewish feasts and festivals. What led you to focus specifically on the three pilgrimage feasts in Jerusalem Calls? 

Growing up, I didn’t really think about God’s call for a Jerusalem pilgrimage, because without the Temple standing, there is no way to honor His pilgrimage command. So we celebrate the pilgrimage feasts within our homes and local synagogues, just like we do for all the other feasts and festivals. After I became a believer in Jesus and began studying the Jewish scriptures with new eyes, I recognized messianic purpose in tying the Feasts of Booths, Passover, and Pentecost together. This realization deepened my faith in Jesus as Messiah and grew my amazement at God’s intentionality. It is my prayer that this book does the same for others’ faith, too. 

Who is this book for, and what’s one thing you hope they gain from reading it? 

Initially, I began writing Jerusalem Calls for Christians, in order to bring the pilgrimage feasts to life and to deepen understanding of Jesus’s teaching and actions. As the project came together, my hope grew that potential Jewish readers would discover more about the history of biblical Judaism, as well as the Jewishness of biblical Christianity. But no matter what a reader’s personal beliefs happen to be, I hope they will gain unique insights into history and appreciate faith traditions different from their own. 

Tell us something about you that only your friends or family would know. 

I was published at eight years old! While visiting my grandparents in Brooklyn during winter break, I wrote a short story. The next thing I knew, my grandma drew some illustrations, typeset my little manuscript, and then printed and bound the whole thing at the print shop she’d founded. Grandma added a copyright symbol and an About the Author page. I was over the moon!  

Somewhere out there, ten or so copies of The Dove and the Ski Lodge are floating around. Maybe check a little free library for this literary masterpiece! 

Jerusalem Calls: Three Jewish Feasts and My Journey to Jesus is a compelling memoir about Judaism’s rich traditions and the author’s unexpected encounter with Jesus. Tammy Priest grew up in love with her Jewish heritage and identity, until at age 21, she heard God’s audible voice unmistakably telling her, Jesus is the Messiah. In her book she tells the remarkable story of how God drew her to himself, and she opens up the three Old Testament pilgrimage feasts that shaped her Jewish childhood to reveal new layers of meaning for anyone ready to see them with new eyes. 

Tammy Priest is a Jewish follower of Jesus. Deeply connected to her Jewish heritage, she was caught by surprise during her young adulthood by Jesus. Her love for Judaism only deepened as she discovered Jesus in her Scriptures and customs and as she came to recognize Judaism throughout so much of the New Testament. She is passionate about bringing these connections to life for Christians. Tammy earned degrees from the University of Virginia and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and has worked in finance, social work, and local church ministry. Tammy currently resides with her family in North Carolina.