Jewish Identity in Messianic Context

For the Messianic Jewish community, as well as for the broader Jewish world, I think it is time to come to a definition of the Jewish identity and what it means to be Jewish.

Obviously we can't use the historical definition of being a descendant of the Jewish people - or adopted into it - and not believing in Yeshua.

Is there a distiction to be made between Jewish believers and followers of Yeshua and non-Jewish ones?
One of the definitions of messianic Judaism being offered at Youtube holds that Messianic Jews are Jews and Gentiles united by the Messiah Yeshua, which refrain from certain "Christian" traditions, and keep certain other Jewish ordinances. This sounds like an attempt to reform and correct the Church, creating a new, more biblical-correct movement within the Church.

The common-use definition of Messianic Jews here is Israel means believers and followers of Yeshua within an Israeli Jewish context, whereas non-Jewish (mainly according to their own self-definition) members of the community just call themselfs messianics.

The original realization standing at the birth of the messianic Jewish movement is G-d's faithfulness regarding the promises given to the Jewish people and the irrevocability of the calling. Replacement theology is found faulty. Being a Jew is not a curse that needs to be washed off at baptism together with all the sins, but it is a responsability, which remains, just as a parent retains the responsabilities of a parent after baptism, - surely not without relying on G-d's help, guidance and direction in order to fulfill these responsabilities.

I would want to try to state these special responsabilities of the Jewish people, which are incumbant upon all Jews born as such and upon those that join the Jewish people and are adopted into it.

One might think of the "obvious" answer to the responsabilities: the 613 Mitzvoth. But this is not a very applicable answer to the question. They might supply a theoretical framework of action, but the reliability of the rabbinical translation into halacha is a matter of dispute for messianics. The reasons are manyfold:

-disagreement about the adaptation to the new reality: on one side to the absence of the temple and living in exile, on the other side to the time after the coming of Yeshua and the multitude of gentile believers in Him.

-mistrust towards the rabbinic judgements, their intentions and the spirit guiding them.

-the dichotomy of the Letter and the Spirit might require rather an understanding of the heart of the Mitzvah, its intention and normal practical application, leaving the specific details for each instance up to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, instead of arguing about specific applications based on the Letter in a kind of legal debate.

With this last point in mind, one might also in regard of the responsabilities rather look to describe them in terms that touch the heart of the calling of the Jewish people. The framework of the 613 Mitzvoth are just the instructions given by divine wisdom in order to live out this calling to G-d's honor. They reflect G-d's love and character and are a way which He chose to bless.

... to be continued. Comments welcome!