Torah in Texas
Rayla-Jeanne Klepetko’s path to discovering the Jewish foundations of her faith started in 2011 when her son introduced her to the Chumash, a translation of the first five books of the Bible. The commentary, written from a Jewish perspective, rocked her world: “I was so fascinated with it, I couldn’t keep my excitement to myself.”
Today Rayla-Jeanne leads a Torah Club in San Antonio, Texas—two of them, actually. She has her hands full with a women’s group in the morning, a Chumash study in the afternoon, and a couples’ group in the evening, all on the same day of the week! Like so many others, her morning club grew out of a group study of HaYesod: The Foundation—a ten-week, introductory-level course produced by First Fruits of Zion. Student Joyce Smart recalls, “That’s really what piqued my interest … I think I was hearing that missing piece that I needed in my life in relationship to Israel.”
HaYesod was just the beginning. Rayla-Jeanne’s students wanted more. They found it in Torah Club, First Fruits of Zion’s small-group Bible study. One student, Marla Ripps, has discovered that her Messiah is Jewish: “I’m learning who God is, and I’m also learning who Yeshua is, which is really amazing. He’s not who I grew up thinking he was.” Torah Club has helped another student, Joyce Vanderpool, recognize her relationship with Israel: “I think it has promoted a deeper connection to the land, to the people, to the culture.”
First Fruits of Zion
