Hosting Israeli’s Around the World

Shalom dear friend,

Hospitality is a hallmark of our faith and evidence of our love for those we hope to reach for the Lord. Showing generosity by opening our lives and homes is often mentioned in Scripture. God commanded the Israelites:

“When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt; I am the Lord your God” (Leviticus 19:33–34).

The book of Hebrews also reminds us, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it” (Hebrews 13:2).

In the ancient world, hospitality was deemed a virtue. Travelers often had to depend on the hospitality of strangers as travel at that time was dangerous. One example of this is in Genesis 18:1–11. Abraham generously let three strangers stay with him, tended to these visitors, and gave them the best he had. It turned out he had hosted two angels and the Lord himself!

While modern travel today has generally become safer, hospitality is still an essential aspect of walking with Messiah Jesus and sharing the gospel with others.

Let me tell you about a cultural phenomenon that is particular to Israelis. After completing their mandatory years of military service, young Israelis often take much-needed time off to travel around the world. In a world of alarmingly increasing antisemitism, Israeli travelers have found that post- army travel is becoming more and more unsafe. This is one reason our hospitality ministry, Host Israelis, is so important and powerful.

What is Hosting Israelis?

Our Host Israelis mission statement says, “Host Israelis is a network of Israel-friendly believers who host Israeli travelers in their homes for a few nights at no cost to their guests, motivated by a desire to bless Israel through their sacrificial service and to provide a positive witness of the gospel.”

We also utilize hostels we either own or rent in locations like New Zealand, Australia, India, Brazil, and Japan as young Israelis enjoy visiting these countries!

The apostle Paul tells us in Romans 11:11 that believers—especially non-Jewish Jesus-followers— have a special calling to make Israel jealous of their life in Messiah. Paul explains, “Salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make [Israel] jealous.” He continues in verses 13 and 14, “But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, if somehow I might move to jealousy my fellow countrymen and save some of them.”

Many Jewish people have come to faith in Jesus because of the witness of loving Gentile believers. Therefore, the goal of Host Israelis is to connect Israelis with believers in Jesus through Christian hospitality, the opening of one’s heart and home.

We believe that most Jewish people will come to faith through Christians who love the God of Israel and the Jewish Messiah.

The Impact of Hosting Israelis

One of our Host Israelis staff members in Japan shares this testimony:

I would like to ask for prayer for Eran,* a young Israeli who recently completed his service in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and came to Japan to study. Like many, he experienced loneliness and disconnection from family and friends. I invited him to our Friday evangelistic gathering, where he was overjoyed to meet other Israelis.

We serve through our Ministry Center and guesthouse in Tokyo, as well as in Hokkaido (northern Japan), through ministry work in Kobe (central Japan), and through outreach in Okinawa in the south—where we do not yet have a center but serve through a trained missionary in partnership with local churches. Through these efforts, we create a safe place where Israelis can find community and opportunities for meaningful spiritual conversations far from home.

After the service, Eran shared that he had been following our ministry on social media and said, “I feel love in this place and want to be part of this community.” This opened the door for deeper conversations and Bible studies, especially on Isaiah 53. As he came to understand that faith in Jesus aligns with the promises of the Messiah given to Israel, he placed his trust in Yeshua (Jesus) as his Messiah.

Recently, Eran was baptized. The Lord has already begun to use him—through his testimony, a young Japanese man named Teruto* came to faith, and after a period of discipleship, Teruto too was baptized in a Baptist church near his home. Please pray for Eran’s continued spiritual growth, and that many more Israelis and Japanese people here in Japan would encounter the love of the Messiah.

*Names changed for privacy.

Here is another testimony of the ministry from a Host Israelis staff member in California:

“Thank you for keeping strong in your beliefs and your prayers.” Talia is a young Israeli, not yet a believer in Jesus. She has been so touched by the love, friendship, and faith of believers. When presented with the opportunity to send Christian viewers a message (over video), she thanked us for our support, and she charged us to remain strong in our faith and continue to pray for the protection of her people. I find it incredible to hear a not-yet-believer encourage us to continue to act like believers! It’s even more incredible when I consider the circumstances of this recording. Her video was recorded in central Israel during the 12-Day War with Iran. Talia has experienced the love of believers in sharp contrast to the antisemitic hatred against Jewish people and Israel that she sees all over the world.

These testimonies are just two stories among many of Jewish people around the world being drawn to the love of Messiah through the Host Israelis ministry. Around the globe, Jewish people are becoming more spiritually open and seeking God more than ever, especially amid a climate of increasing antisemitism around the world and war in the Middle East. We are praying for more people to join us in saying “yes” to the Lord’s work among His people by opening their hearts and homes, so that God’s love can reach His people through believers in the Jewish Messiah.

Becoming a Host

Here is a description of what we look for in new hosts for Host Israelis:

We are looking for hosts in key tourist hotspots, which primarily means cities along the East and West Coasts, as well as near or enroute to national parks. The hosts should be safe, friendly Christians who love Israel and the Jewish people. Our hosts are motivated by a desire to bless Israel through their sacrificial service and to provide a positive witness of the gospel. They should have a genuine love and interest in the people, the land, and the culture of Israelis; they should not be solely motivated by evangelism to get them saved.

Our hosts listen and ask questions, show genuine care and concern for our Israeli guests, and are ready to be a compassionate host against a backdrop of prevalent antisemitism. They are not pushy with the gospel; they are sensitive and led by the Holy Spirit. Our hosts should be fun, kind, winsome, and engaging. It is a plus to have a nice, comfortable home near outdoor activities, and time to engage with guests. Hosts must be willing to fill out an application, gather references, undergo an interview, and then set up an “Airbnb” type of listing as well as a WhatsApp account. Hosting is a commitment.

If you feel both called and qualified to become a host for Host Israelis, please consider giving back to the Jewish people and the Jewish Messiah from whom we have received eternal life through kind hospitality. Knowing Hebrew is not necessary, but who knows? Maybe the traveling Israelis will give you some free lessons in the language of Israel and the Old Testament Scriptures. Hosting Israelis is filled with opportunities to receive mutual blessings! You can learn more about how to become a host at hostisraelis.com.

If you are not called or able to become a host, please consider giving a gift of support to our ministry of welcoming traveling Israelis and sharing the love of Jesus with them. We need funds for advertising the hosting network to Israelis, producing Hebrew gospel literature to give to those we host, and to help pay the expenses for our hostels, which are growing and have a global budget of well over $100,000 this year.

We are grateful for your prayers, availability, and your financial support that allows Your Mission to the Jewish People to share the love of Messiah with this community of Israelis traveling around the world.

I cannot tell you how exciting it is to have Israelis in your home and to show them the love of Jesus during this season of wars and growing antisemitism. Thank you for your help and support!

Your brother in Messiah,

Mitch