Tel Aviv is the financial and cultural capital of Israel. The greater Tel Aviv area is home to almost four million Israelis, including many youth. The city is also a hub for tourists and international students. Ministry in Tel Aviv offers unique opportunities to shape this generation of Israeli young adults who are remarkably open to the gospel. Reaching Tel Aviv is key to reaching Israel for the Messiah.

We sponsor up to four special events each month. Some include concerts, Sabbath dinners, and evangelistic lectures. In addition, we host regular Bible studies and much more throughout the month, like women’s brunches and discipleship groups.

We are renting a space in Ramat Gan, a major suburb of Tel Aviv. This center is very close to the light rail and the location of our new center.

The total cost for this new facility in Tel Aviv is $6.5 million. This amount includes the purchase price, heavy taxation on property purchases, the full renovation and build-out, furnishings, and all additional architectural and design fees.

The new center is more than twice as large as our current space. Now, we must limit our attendees to about sixty people. This is a problem, as our main events are so popular, we sometimes have to create a waiting list. The building we purchased has a capacity of about 125 people in an auditorium. This estimate does not include classrooms or offices.

We will continue our already-effective ministries like concerts, Sabbath dinners, lectures, and Bible studies. With the larger, more secure space, we intend to plant a Messianic congregation. We will also make the building available to other ministries who support our vision of reaching Tel Aviv for the Messiah.

Of course, we look forward to welcoming more people at our events, but one of the most exciting features of the new building is it will allow us to expand our ministry to whole families. Because our property has two levels, we can run simultaneous programs for adults and children. With the new space, we can easily accommodate adults in an auditorium setting while teaching children’s classes downstairs. This change is crucial, as our present space has sharply limited our work with children.

Messianic believers and ministries in Israel often experience opposition. In fact, the religious Jewish community asked our current landlord to stop renting to us. He has supported us thus far but explained to our Tel Aviv staff how he will be in a difficult situation if the resistance keeps up. He has other businesses, which the hostility can affect. This scenario (or worse) would follow us anywhere we rent in the greater Tel Aviv area. So, if we want to build a lasting testimony in a particular place, it would be far better to own than to rent as we will be less vulnerable to conflict.

Permanence is essential for Chosen People Ministries to develop longer-term relationships with the Jewish community. Jewish people will view us as a stable part of their neighborhood. A permanent place for our ministry in Tel Aviv strengthens the idea that Messianic Jewish people are part of a substantial Jewish movement and should be taken seriously. Building lasting relationships with the Jewish community is critical for evangelism, discipleship, and congregational life.

Our building is strategically located in a bustling pedestrian area of the city with close access to buses and trains. It is also close to our current center, making the switch easy for those who already habitually come to our programs.

Tel Aviv is Israel’s most secular city. Less than 0.5 percent of the overall population are believers. This marks the modern state of Israel as having one of the lowest numbers of Jesus-followers in the world.

At the Tel Aviv Messianic Center, we will not simply reach Jewish people for Jesus—we will help build a national body of believers. This larger and more permanent facility presents us with a perfect opportunity to expand our outreach in the greater Tel Aviv area and to enable like-minded ministries to do the same. We are bringing the gospel back to where it was first preached—Israel.

Since the facility is raw space, we anticipate the build-out to take twelve months from the time we begin construction. Delays in Israel can come about for various reasons, including social unrest, difficulty in securing materials and workers, as well as the possibility of opposition to our gospel efforts by religious groups trying to prevent our work. We hope to dedicate the new Tel Aviv Messianic Center in December 2023.

Thank you! We welcome your prayers for:

• the growth of the Messianic community in Israel
• the faithful leaders and full-time workers of missions
• resources to complete this center by the end of 2023
• the Chosen People Ministries staff at our present Tel Aviv center
• the Chosen People Ministries leadership in Israel

First, thank you! You may donate online (chosenpeople.com/donate), by phone (1-888-2-YESHUA), or by mail (241 E. 51st, New York, NY 10022). You can also donate a gift of stocks, mutual funds, bonds, or some other type of asset or investment. This type of contribution might provide substantial tax savings for you, so your donation will have a more significant impact on meeting the need of the greater Tel Aviv area. To learn more about strategic giving options, contact Cindy Forbes at 212-223-2252, ext. 1208 or [email protected].