A rare opportunity for scholars, students, and anyone interested in Jewish-Christian relations presents itself this week as one of the nation’s most comprehensive private collections opens its doors for an unprecedented book sale. Hakesher Library, housing over 13,000 volumes focused on Jewish-Christian dialogue and scholarship, will offer more than 4,000 duplicate books at 70-90% off retail prices.
The sale, hosted at Adat Yeshua (8512 Stearns, Overland Park, KS 66214), features works spanning Biblical studies, First-Century Judaism, Jewish-Christian dialogue, and more. Sale dates are Thursday, February 6 (4:00 PM – 8:00 PM), Friday, February 7 (10:00 AM – 3:00 PM), and Sunday, February 9 (10:00 AM – 6:00 PM).
Available topics include Second Temple First Century Judaism, Jewish practice and philosophy, Christian Biblical studies, Jewish backgrounds of the New Testament, the Parting of the Ways, the State of Israel, and Jewish history.
Behind this remarkable collection stands Messianic Rabbi Jerry Feldman, who has spent the past 33 years building bridges between Jewish and Christian traditions through education and dialogue. His work has centered on understanding what scholars call “the parting of the ways” – the historical divergence between Christianity and Judaism.
“The consequences have been profound and devastating to say the least,” Feldman told Metro Voice, referring to centuries of misunderstanding between the two faiths.
For over three decades, Feldman has created courses and learning opportunities studying the Jewish foundations of the Christian faith and the early church’s formation. He has taught more than 1,000 students, consistently asking the crucial question: “How did what began as a small Jewish sect become a predominantly Gentile religion, and what got lost in the mix?”
At the heart of his work lies a confrontation with antisemitism and its theological root: supersessionism. This concept, also known as replacement theology, suggests that God has broken His covenant with the Jewish people and “replaced” them with Christians as His chosen people. This belief, sometimes overt and sometimes subtle, continues to emanate from pulpits across the nation, often without pastors even realizing it.
As a 30-year member of the Society of Biblical Literature, Feldman has observed how scholars from both traditions have seriously reconsidered these systemic misunderstandings. “Christian scholars were deeply affected by the question of how ‘Christian’ Europe could have been the seed bed for the Holocaust,” he says. “Likewise, the Second Vatican Council created the ‘Nostra Aetate’ statement, departing from the long theological and rhetorical position attributing guilt of ‘the Jews’ involving the traditional portrayal in Jesus’ death.”
During his tenure in Kansas City, Feldman has assembled what may be the nation’s most comprehensive library focused on current scholarship in Jewish-Christian dialogue. The collection spans a vast array of topics including Jewish history, Biblical studies, philosophy, and practices, alongside Christian Biblical studies, theology, and history.
“It created a meeting place for the study of Judaism and Christianity,” Feldman notes. The library maintains up-to-date publications reflecting the remarkable post-Holocaust era development where Jewish and Christian scholars increasingly engage in meaningful dialogue.
The upcoming book sale represents a unique opportunity for individuals to build their own collections from this carefully curated library.
–Dwight Widaman | Metro Voice