Ministry in War-torn Southern Israel
On the tenth day of the war, our staff arrived with humanitarian aid in Moshav Sapir, about eighty miles north of Eilat (the southernmost tip of Israel). The government transported 2,500 people from areas bordering Gaza to this small settlement. Our staff discovered they had a significant need for basic necessities and helped with those needs as much as they could. In addition to the physical work, our team engaged with people who had been on the front lines and offered support. Some asked for prayers (they all knew our staff were believers in Jesus).
Our staff heard the story of Tal* and her two sons. They are from the city of Sderot, one of the cities Hamas brutalized on October 7. Tal showed a video of terrorists heading toward her house. She said she had never been able to fathom the horrors of the Holocaust until she witnessed firsthand what occurred in her neighborhood. Tal expressed feeling like Anne Frank as she hid in her home for hours, praying they would not be discovered and harmed. Her eldest son, who is nine years old, experienced the trauma so deeply he stopped talking. Her eyes welled with tears when our staff informed her of many Christians worldwide who are praying for and supporting Israel and Jewish people. Please keep Tal and her children in your prayers for healing and salvation.
High School Friends Reunite in Israel, Discuss Belief in Jesus
One of our missionaries in Tel Aviv, who grew up in the United States, reunited with a high school friend who comes from a secular Jewish family and was very upset when his sister became a believer in Jesus. “I felt she betrayed our people, and I was not willing to hear anything she wanted to share,” he said. He gradually became more observant of Jewish religious practice and moved to Israel, where he had heard his high school friend had also moved.
When our staff member told him she also became a follower of Jesus, he felt more comfortable asking her about it. She explained how she sees Jesus as the promised Jewish Messiah, showed some prophecies, and described how Jesus has drawn her closer to the God of Israel.
One Friday evening, the man got stuck in Tel Aviv, missing the last bus to Jerusalem before the Sabbath began. Our missionary invited him to a Sabbath gathering at the Tel Aviv Messianic Center. Though hesitant, he was curious. “I do not know what I was expecting, but I was delighted to find a vibrant group of Israelis lighting the candles for the Sabbath and sharing delicious kosher food. The joy of the Sabbath was very present.” Most of the people he met at the dinner believe in Jesus as Messiah, and someone told a short story of how Jesus changed her life. “We then sang Sabbath songs and some other songs of praise. It changed my idea of Messianic Jews. I realized their love for the Scriptures and for community.”
He went home and, after the Sabbath, called his sister to ask her why and how she came to believe in Jesus. This special time helped restore his relationship with his sister. While he still has many spiritual questions and is seeking answers, he is thankful for his Sabbath experience at the Tel Aviv Messianic Center.
Believers in Israel Find Encouragement at the Tel Aviv Center
We have received numerous testimonies of believers in the Messianic community in Israel expressing their gratitude for the Tel Aviv Messianic Center and its impact on their lives. Many said they appreciated gathering with fellow believers in a safe, loving environment where they could explore and express their belief in Jesus through various community events. To some, it feels like home.
Others told how their time at the center led them to grow in their knowledge of God and His Word. They were looking forward to spending more time with fellow believers. It is especially meaningful and important for them to connect with other believers since Israel’s believing community is much smaller than in the United States. They can experience God’s power as they pray for and encourage one another, even through difficult times. The center offers worship nights, Sabbath meals, Bible studies, game nights, and many other opportunities for fellowship. The Tel Aviv Messianic Center is a tremendous blessing to the body of Messiah in Israel.
