December 2023
The Chosen People Newsletter
Jesus: The Hope of Hanukkah
Dear friend in the Messiah, Shalom in His peace, Happy Hanukkah and Merry Christmas! Most of what we know about Hanukkah comes from the writings of the Jewish historian Flavius Josephus and the apocryphal books of 1 and 2 Maccabees, which Jewish people and Christians view as history, not Scripture. Though Hanukkah is not one of the major festivals listed in Leviticus 23, it…
ReadWithout question, the present growth and maturing of the believing community in Israel is the work of God. As we consider the history of ministry in Israel, we can learn some important lessons about how the Holy Spirit works. Since…
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Ministry News Briefs
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.
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.
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.