Who We Are
Or HaOlam is part of a world-wide movement of Messianic congregations of Jews and people from all ethnic groups, who worship Yeshua (Jesus) as the Messiah in the context of Jewish lifestyle and identity. This is in accordance with the ancient promise of the Psalms [147:2-3] that "Adonai is rebuilding Yerushalayim, gathering the dispersed of Israel. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." Come and join us, and share in God's rich nourishment of His own special "tree of Life." Romans 11.17 (plan of salvation)

What Are Messianic Jews? by Shmuel Wolkenfeld, Messianic Rabbi
Or HaOlam is a congregation that is called a Messianic Jewish Synagogue. We use that term because we worship the G-d of Israel and Yeshua the Messiah of Israel. Yeshua is the original name of the individual that is now called "Jesus" by many Gentile people. The apparent name change is because the name has gone through several languages. The Greek form of the name had to have an "s" at the end to be masculine in Greek. The "Y" changed into a "J" for similar reasons. When He was on earth, He was Yeshua to his parents, family, and friends.  (learn more)

Our Vision And Purpose
The vision and purpose of for Or HaOlam, as Rabbi Shmuel sees the khazon, is in building a pipeline of Jewish Yeshuish Renewal, fulfilling Romans 11:15.
Building: all are [or should be] actively involved, in prayer, spirit, word, sacrifice, and action.  (learn more)

Statement of Faith: Or HaOlam Messianic Congregation
I will walk in the light of the Scripture as the inspired Word of G-d. Ps. 119:105; I acknowledge the tri-unity of Adoni, yet that He is also One. Dt. 6:4. (a supra-rational, but not irrational understanding of HaKadosh, the Holy One.) (learn more)

Congregational Vision And Concept by Rabbi Shmuel 
Our reason for existence as a Messianic Jewish congregation is the covenants G-d made with our people. In particular, the Abrahamic covenant implies that Abraham’s offspring would serve G-d as a distinct people, with rights to a distinct Land, forever. The Torah, and the Messiah, are the specifics of the terms of that covenant, and the empowerment of that covenant. Since our “constitutional” roots go back to Gen. 12, we are fundamentally a Judaism, not a Christianity.

We are defining Christianity as the predominantly Gentile church, that has been the custodian of the good news of the Jewish Messiah, for the last 1800 years, approximately, and has wedded the message of the Messiah with their indigenous cultures.  (learn more)

Membership
After months of prayer, study and discussion, Rabbi and the Z’kayneem feel led of HaShem to initiate a much deeper membership covenant. We have carefully reviewed and refined our mission and vision and how we can carry out that vision. Our desire is that we become a scripturally defined family in Messiah—to love, encourage, be committed and accountable, and pray for each other; to serve each other as He has commanded us.  (learn more) (see membership booklet)

Conversion to Judaism
This not practiced by most Messianic congregations because doing so undermines the message of the Messianic Scriptures [New Testament] of Gentiles being grafted into the "olive tree roots." (learn more)

Rabbi Shmuel Wolkenfeld's Testimony
I was born in New York City and grew up in a Conservative Jewish home. I attended a traditional Hebrew School three times per week and was Bar Mitzvahed at age 13. I always took school and learning seriously, but my religious training seemed like an anachronism that nobody really believed in. My home was really a typical dysfunctional, secular, materialistic home, but Jewish in culture and identity. (view full testimony)