Rabbi Paul, in the Book of Romans, reminded the mixed crowd of new believers, Jew and Gentile alike, that the Jewish people were charged with the task of preserving the Holy Scriptures from their very first calling as a “people.”
In May 2008, this project started as the desire of one small group of Rabbis’ wives hoping to publish a Messianic Jewish Children’s Bible. Instead, God breathed on this spark and He revitalized our “people” in a move so powerful it reunited families, destroyed disunity between our organizations and gave our movement a fresh vision of what we could accomplish TOGETHER by taking our place “on the wall around Jerusalem” alongside the Christian Church in these last days.
Originally, our desire to use “Messiah Yeshua” instead of “Jesus Christ” and the Jewish book order instead of the Christian book order for the Old Testament seemed meager goals. Few of us had any idea how big the chasm between our worlds was. But, make no mistake, Christianity is based on Judaism. There is so much more that connects us than divides us, and this text is finally finished.
Since our inception: a hope for a children’s Bible became a dream for a family Bible, one translator multiplied into 32 scholars, a $5000 check gave seed to over a million dollars in donations, a single translation became a collaborative work, the Greek sentence structure was restored to Hebrew sentence structure, faith turned into a verb instead of a noun, salvation became Yeshua, and peace became shalom.
Originally, our desire to use “Messiah Yeshua” instead of “Jesus Christ” and the Jewish book order instead of the Christian book order for the Old Testament seemed meager goals. Few of us had any idea how big the chasm between our worlds was. But, make no mistake, Christianity is based on Judaism. There is so much more that connects us than divides us, and this text is finally finished.
Since our inception: a hope for a children’s Bible became a dream for a family Bible, one translator multiplied into 32 scholars, a $5000 check gave seed to over a million dollars in donations, a single translation became a collaborative work, the Greek sentence structure was restored to Hebrew sentence structure, faith turned into a verb instead of a noun, salvation became Yeshua, and peace became shalom.
The hope of our team is to see Yeshua high and lifted up through the promotion of His Story, as told through Jewish eyes.
But beyond all of that, our mission reflects the Great Commission: to spread the Gospel as far and wide as possible. For us, this is acheivable in a new and exciting way - through the use of modern technology and the Internet. With God’s favor and blessing, the Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society has worked diligently to make the Tree of Life Version available on many different digital platforms. We are immensely blessed to be a part of making the Word of God accessible on your desktop, laptop, tablet, and smartphone.
In 2015, we held our first Bible Conference in conjunction with The King’s University, our university partner, and the Jack W. Hayford Institute. A delightful success, the TLVBibleCon was the first time that all the team members of the Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society gathered from across the globe. Stories of how the MJFBS was formed, person by person, were shared and then enjoyed by the hundreds that attended.
The future of the Tree of Life Bible Society is full of exciting campaigns to bring the Word of God into places like prisons, college campuses, and the Land of Israel. Won’t you join us in this wonderful journey?
Consider becoming a ministry partner with the Tree of Life Bible Society today!
Daniah Greenberg
Founder / President | Creative Director
Daniah, a wayward catholic with Jewish ancestry, came to faith after a single visit to a Baptist Church while in college. She graduated with a degree in Communications and married a “nice Jewish boy” named Mark Greenberg in 1989.
After 14 years in congregational ministry, the need for a “Messianic Family Bible” for the next generation of Jewish believers was made incredibly apparent. She took up the charge and effectively gathered leaders from throughout the national Messianic Jewish and Christian community to birth a brand new translation of the Bible: the Tree of Life Version (TLV).
She now leads a diverse team of 70 professionals representing Messianic ministries nationwide and affiliates in Israel to maintain the text. She is also the spokesperson and chief fundraiser for the Tree of Life Bible Society, whose mission is to see God’s Kingdom grow through the unique Hebraic perspective God has given them. Daniah is a spark plug for community activism and energizes catalytic change wherever she goes.
Dr. Jeffrey Seif
Chief Theologian | Vice President
Jeffrey L. Seif was born into a German-Jewish family on November 9th 1955. He was raised in a typical American Jewish household, save the fact that he was sent off to go to school in a Yeshiva—an Orthodox Jewish training school. Though raised with a “traditional” Jewish upbringing, Jeff eventually came to a saving faith in Jesus, subsequent to which he experienced a “call” into vocational ministry. Jeff went to school to prepare for the ministerial vocation, taking studies at the Moody Bible Institute, Trinity College, and then the theological Seminary at Southern Methodist University, where he took both a master’s degree and doctorate.
Seif is one of the Messianic Jewish movement's best-known personalities. He is best known to the general public through his high visibility work with the nationally-syndicated TV concern called Zola Levitt Presents, where he sat at the teaching helm and shot programs in Israel which, in turn, were broadcast in the States through a variety of major networks. Dr. Seif has held the title “University Distinguished Professor of Bible and Jewish Studies” at Kings University-Houston, and also taught in the university's Dallas and LA campuses. In addition, Professor Seif served as a Bible professor at Christ for the Nations Institute, a position he held for 26 years. Professor Seif was the principal supervisor and project manager for the TANAKH of Tree of Life Version of the Bible, a joint-venture translation project, constituted by 70 Messianic Jewish scholars and friends. Dr. Seif is the author of many books and has done over 100 programs in/from the Middle East.
Layne Stone
Treasurer
Layne was raised in Protestant churches and stumbled upon the Messianic movement while doing research to teach a Sunday School class. After just one visit to a Messianic service, her eyes were opened to a new way to connect with God, and she became a part of the Messianic community. However, through her relationship with the Greenbergs, she has realized that there is even a better way to connect with Him. She now reads her Tree of Life Family Bible daily and listens for instruction from the Ruach. She uses the TLV Bible App as a daily tool for learning to live a Biblical Lifestyle. A staunch supporter of the Greenberg family and the Tree of Life Bible Society, she volunteers her time and energy with them in whatever capacity is needed to send out His will and His word into the world.
Staff
Mandie Greenberg
Chief Executive Officer | Post-Production Text Manager
After a childhood of congregational ministry by association with her parents, Mandie showed a pension for music and was added to her congregation's worship team at the tender age of 14. By the time she was 17, she was a senior worship leader. After graduating high school in 2007, Mandie took time off of schooling to discover her life's true calling.
It was in 2010 that she was given the opportunity to serve with Jews for Jesus as a Mobile Musical Evangelist with their experimental band - Blue Mosaic. After a year of touring and evangelism, she came off the road and returned to congregational ministry alongside her family. During her time on tour, God had been at work with her mother, Daniah Greenberg, bringing about the Tree of Life Version of the Holy Scriptures. Heeding the call to her family’s unique calling, Mandie joined the staff of the Tree of Life Bible Society in late 2011 and has felt a distinct calling to theology ever since.
Joseph Greenberg
Chief Information Officer | App Project Manager
Joseph Greenberg, both a husband and father, is the Chief Information Officer of the TLV Bible Society. Growing up watching Bibleman, Joseph developed a strong passion for God’s Word. Little did he know, he would become a modern day Biblemanwithin the TLV Bible Society, creators of the Tree of Life Version (TLV).
Joseph started as a volunteer in high school during the early years of creating the TLV but soon became an active part of getting the Word out.Joseph has had the privilage to minister alongside his father, Rabbi Mark for many years in congregational ministry as well as with his mother Daniah Greenberg throughout the country promoting Bible Literacy and Bible Engagement.
His life verse has always been Romans 3:1-2, "What is the advantage of being Jewish?...They were entrusted with the sayings of God."
Hanah Greenberg
Illustrator | Social Media Coordinator
From the minute she could hold a crayon, Hanah has been creating anything and everything she possibly could. Growing up, she would doodle and personalize everything she owned and even things that she didn’t, like her parent’s walls, for instance. With age, Hanah found new ways to express her creativity through theatre, singing, and dancing. While her roots kept her grounded in visual arts, she followed her love of musical theatre to Reinhardt University until God reminded her of her first love of art and gave her a chance to use His gift to her of visual creativity in ministry here at the TLV Bible Society.
ADONAI, our God, placed His spark of creation in her heart and inspired her to reinterpret one of the drawings in the TLV Family Bible. Hanah gave her work to Daniah Greenberg, the President of the Bible Society, and new Mother-in-love. From there, Hanah embarked on an artistic and spiritual journey with Daniah and the whole of the TLV team. Hanah is delighted to be apart of the Greenberg family and to help bring to fruition this ministry’s mission of creating and giving children a Bible filled with living color that will be made for them and their families.
Simeon Greenberg
Media Manager | Videographer
Being the youngest Greenberg, Simeon grew up in ministry from the very beginning. Always looking for something to do, Simeon spent 5 years doing everything from interning and assisting at the bible society, leading worship in synagogues, extracurricular activities and local community theatre. Although it wasn't until he finished high school that he finally found his niche in videography, diving head-first into creating a bulk of the Tree of Life Bible Society's video content. Simeon now works full time as the Bible Society's Videographer as well as being a part time student as a communications major.