Israel College of the Bible () is a private

Hebrew Hebrew (; ; ) is a Northwest Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Historically, it is one of the spoken languages of the Israelites and their longest-surviving descendants, the Jews and Samaritans. It was largely preserved ...

-speaking Messianic Judaism, Messianic Bible college in Netanya, Israel. It is an independent academically accredited institution.

History

Israel College of the Bible (ICB) was founded in 1990, and provides theological and practical training at a Bible school inside the country for Israelis who would previously have had to travel abroad for equivalent courses. It provides theology, theological training for both Israelis and foreign students, and it provides ministry training and leadership development for Christians. The emphasis and the majority of programs are focused on training Israelis, both Jewish and Arab, and distance learning courses are available online in English. The college is accredited through the European Evangelical Accrediting Association and the Asia Theological Association, although Israel's Ministry of Education does not recognize its degrees. The campus moved to its new premises in Netanya, Israel, in 2010, and has several hundred students in its programs. Israel College of the Bible hosts a large Messianism, Messianic library. The College has been accused by anti-Christian mission to Jews, missionary groups as being at the "forefront of missionary activity in Israel".''Israel Now'', Netanya local news site, 27 June 2012.

Academic scope

Israel College of the Bible faculty expertise is primarily in the areas of Bible and Theology, Jewish studies, Biblical Geography and Culture, Archaeology, Practical Ministry, and Leadership and Counseling. The college offers a Hebrew Bachelor of Theology, a Bikurim program, a Bachelor of Arts degree, and Master of Arts counselling. Semester credits can be applied to a certificate in Messianic Studies. All teachers are Israeli believers in Jesus as the Messiah, and come from a variety of cultural backgrounds. Israel College of the Bible celebrates a Messianic version of the Jewish holidays, and keeps an emphasis in the curriculum on the Jewish origins of Christianity, but claims to be "very inclusive, and live very harmoniously with our Arab brothers and sisters and our Gentile brothers and sisters". The "Linga" organization of Arab Christians in Israel has also affirmed this connection, and has celebrated the graduation of several Arab students who had gained their qualifications from the ICB. The primary language of the college is

, with some courses also taught in Russian and English. The teaching staff are all Israeli, and the students also come from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds from within Israel.

Selected courses in Hebrew

Theology and hermeneutics; The Messiah in the Jewish Scriptures; Introduction to the New Testament; Greek; Biblical Aramaic; The Torah; Doctrine of the Messiah and of salvation; Doctrine of man, sin and salvation; Family and marriage counseling; Pastoral counseling.

Selected courses in English

Biblical Archaeology; Biblical Geography; New Testament Backgrounds; Messianic Prophecies; Biblical Hebrew; Jewish Roots of the Christian Faith; The Feasts of Israel; Jewish Apologetics; Jewish Christian Relations; Kingdom and Covenants

Activities and promotion of "Messianic Judaism" in Israel

The college is the headquarters of "One For Israel", which both supports the Messianic community in Israel, and promotes understanding of "Messianic Judaism" abroad. There is a media center on the premises, with radio and video studios, to broadcast music and teaching, as well as being the hub of several websites about the Messianic faith. Regular excursions exploring Biblical Archaeology, Geography of the Bible, Cultural and Historical Background of the New Testament, and History and Theology of Modern Israel are scheduled for the students around the country of Israel, as part of their studies and recreation. Additionally, ICB Tours has been developed to provide study tours for Christians wanting to visit Israel in the context of academic Bible study. Tours are led by "professional, Messianic guides". The college partners with local authorities in distributing food to the poor and elderly in the city.

Criticism

Many Israeli Jews regard the Messianic movement in a negative light and view Messianic proselytizing in Israel as a threat. The leading anti-missionary organization, Yad L'Achim, declared the college to be at the "forefront of missionary activity in Israel". Rabbi Tzvi Wilhelm, rabbi of the Chabad synagogue north of Netanya, objected to the establishment of the Israel College in Netanya, criticized Jesus for rejecting Jewish religious law (Halakha), and termed the college's subject matter "idolatry". Rabbi Irwin Birnbaum, a former Conservative Judaism, Conservative rabbi in Netanya, considers the activities of Christian proselytizers in Israel to be "worse than the Nazi Party, Nazis", and believes they are set on destroying Judaism spiritually rather than physically.

References

{{Coord missing, Israel Bible colleges Christian universities and colleges in Israel Christian Zionism in Israel Messianic Judaism Universities and colleges in Netanya 1990 establishments in Israel Educational institutions established in 1990