“I think you are providing a great service to many people.  Hebrew is a rich, energetic language and anyone who has the chance to study with you should feel really privileged.” Steve Roden

Shalom!  My name is Steve Roden.  I live in Arlington Texas in the United States of America.  I am 49 years old, married since 1981 and have a 20 year old daughter and a 14 year old son.  I really love my family and am so fortunate to have them.

Learning Hebrew is a passion for me.  I have been studying classical biblical Hebrew for some years in anticipation of both translating the Hebrew Scriptures and gaining a deeper understanding of the treasures waiting to be discovered in the Hebrew text.  In the mid 1980s, I began studying biblical Greek to do the same with the New Testament Scriptures.  My studies in biblical Greek have been tremendously rewarding!  I have no doubt that biblical Hebrew studies will be even more so.

I also believe that Jesus, or Yahshua by his Hebrew name, is the Son of God who loved His own people, Israel, as well as all non Jews, like me, enough that He gave Himself as the final sacrifice for the sins of all men and then was raised to life again to conquer death and give eternal life to anyone who simply believes He is who He claims to be and that He has the power to do so.  Hashem says twice through the prophet Jeremiah that He is the fountain of living water.  Yahshua promised in John 4 in the New Testament that He will give this same living water to anyone who asks Him for it.

I know that Yahshua is a controversial figure among Jews but also non Jews.  I do not mention my faith in Him to be offensive or “in your face” but simply to honor Him and to help explain my passion for the Hebrew and Greek Scriptures.  I am grieved that over the centuries many atrocities have been committed against the Jewish people in His name which He would never have condoned.

I am also eager to see the prosperity of Israel.  It angers me to read of the daily rocket attacks and sometimes terrorist attacks that you endure.  It is even worse to watch world opinion come down on you when you try to do what any other nation on earth would do and defend yourself against such barbarism.  Hashem promised Avraham that He would bless him and give the land to his people.  He will do this and I also believe because of the prophet Ezekiel’s writings in chapters 38 and 39 that the days of Israel’s Islamic enemies are numbered.  I have a burning desire to visit Israel someday.  There are so many places in the country that I want to see.  I want to experience the Israeli culture and people and so I am also trying to learn modern Israeli Hebrew.  I have various textbooks but I would love to take a Hebrew On-Line course with a native Hebrew speaking Israeli.  I have watched the video many times and I get excited each time I watch it.

Thank you for the opportunity to write and tell my “story”. I think you are providing a great service to many people.  Hebrew is a rich, energetic language and anyone who has the chance to study with you should feel really privileged.  Please keep up the good work and may Hashem enrich and protect Israel.

Steve Roden