Why Hospitality?

You do not need seminary training or the gift of evangelism. You simply need to say, “Yes!” to the Lord, open your heart and home, and allow God to love His people through you.

Thanksgiving & Hospitality 

Thanksgiving was founded not only as a time to give thanks but also as a holiday of hospitality.

The first Pilgrim settlers celebrated what we remember today as America’s first Thanksgiving alongside Native Americans. The Wampanoag indigenous people showed immense hospitality to the malnourished and dying Mayflower passengers by teaching them how to plant crops (especially corn), fish, and hunt. In November 1621, Governor William Bradford of Plymouth Colony held a three-day feast alongside a group of the Native Americans who assisted them. [1]

In America, this same spirit of hospitality and tradition continues. Thanksgiving is a time when we invite family and friends to our table to partake of the abundance of God’s good gifts and rich provision. It is a time when we allow our blessings to overflow to others through the gift of hospitality, especially for those in need.

We see our Jewish brothers and sisters as those needing blessed hospitality. As believers in Jesus the Messiah, our hearts beat for Jewish people, and, like the apostle Paul, we ache for their salvation (Romans 9:1–5). We long for God’s chosen people to join us at the great table of the wedding feast of the Lamb. A vital part of this effort is reaching Israel, the country with the largest Jewish population in the world.

Speaking of hospitality and Israel, did you know one of the best and most effective ways to proclaim God’s greatest gift among Israelis is by inviting them to your table? Instead of traveling all the way to Israel, you can easily have Israelis come to you—in your very home!

Why Host Israelis?

We have brought together a network of friendly believers in Jesus who host Israeli travelers in their homes at no cost to their guests. This ministry is called “Host Israelis.” Our hosts are motivated by a desire to bless Israel through their sacrificial service and provide a positive witness for the gospel.

It is estimated that tens of thousands of young Israelis travel the world for an average of six months following their mandatory army service before they begin college or their careers. This season of life is formative for Israelis since people in their early twenties often seek answers to life’s most important questions. The tone has changed since Hamas’ massacres in Israel on October 7, 2023, and subsequent attacks from Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran. These days, the Israelis we are ministering to have deep hurts, pains, and questions. An open door, a family meal, and a listening ear mean more than ever before.

Thousands of Israelis are already traveling to the United States every year, so all we have to do is invite them in! As a host on our network, you will join a move of the Holy Spirit, who is drawing Israelis to Messiah through this simple gift of kindness, right in line with God’s plan according to Scripture (Romans 11:11).

Blessing Israel through Hospitality

The mission of Host Israelis is to bless Israel through your generous gift of hospitality. Most Jewish people come to faith through the witness of caring Gentile believers. God called believing Gentiles to make Israel envious of their life in Messiah: “Salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make [Israel] jealous” (Romans 11:11b).

We pray for Israelis to recognize Jesus as Messiah through the witness of hosts in our network. We invite you to join us in prayer, hosting, or giving financially toward this powerful ministry.

Are you ready to host?

If you are ready to bless Israelis by opening your heart and home to them, go to our website and begin your application today:  chosenpeople.com/host

Hear from Our Hosts!

Hosts in New York City:

For many Israelis, the sense of home, gathering, and enjoying company around a good meal is familiar and comforting. For the traveling Israeli, it is most sorely missed! 

After a long season away from home, Naomi* chose to forego sightseeing in New York City to enjoy family life at home with us and our young children during her week-long stay in our home. She expressed how she really missed her family and how being with us—with a family—was all she wanted for her time in New York. “I’ve been traveling for months; I just want to hang out with you guys,” Naomi said.

We have hosted dozens of Israelis in our tiny house in New York City. However, despite the competition of the city’s restaurants, glitz, and glamour, our Israeli guests always heartily accept an invitation to stay and have dinner—especially a Sabbath dinner—at home with us. 

The beauty of hosting ministry is in how it touches the heart through food, conversation, lingering around the table, and enjoying each other’s company. With Israel being such a relational society, it is a tremendous blessing to Israelis to receive a free place to stay and feel welcomed during their travels with the embracing sense of family—a feeling of home away from home. 

This season, as you enjoy your Thanksgiving celebrations, praising the Lord for His bounty and goodness and celebrating with all the season’s traditions, consider letting the holiday spirit spill over throughout the rest of the year by welcoming Israelis into the warmth and joy of home—your home!

Hosts in Grand Canyon, AZ:

From the time I became a believer and started reading my Bible, it was a no-brainer to believe Christians should have a love for Israel. It is a privilege to understand how God blesses those who bless Israel (Genesis 12:3). Naturally, then, we have a love for Israelis. He wants them to know the Savior, and we get to be a part of that. The Lord saved us, and it is only natural we are about His business.

We hosted an Israeli family who were so open to Jesus as their Messiah. The Lord stepped in and made it go above and beyond! We got to show them a video of an Israeli explaining his testimony (Ifoundshalom.com). We also gave them an Isaiah 53 Explained book, and since they have been sharing their travels with others, they are the ones now reporting about Jesus! They have actually been presenting so much about Jesus to others because of their stay with us.

It is critical to engage in conversation, but there is no doubt they saw the Holy Spirit and the joy of the Lord with the families they had been staying with.

You gain more family members. Instant family!

Hosts in Minnesota:

As a Christian, I am thankful for the generations of Jewish people who safeguarded the words of God promising a coming Savior and telling us all how to recognize Him. This and the fact our Savior was born to a young virgin Jewish girl are what I think of when I read about Jesus telling the Samaritan woman, “Salvation is from the Jews” (John 4:22).

Sadly, research suggests less than two percent of Israelis today are devoted followers of Jesus [2]. The Son of God came into the world as a Jewish man. As hosts on the Host Israelis network, we are inviting in Jesus’ brothers and sisters in the flesh so we can serve the King Himself!

My wife and I recently had the privilege of hosting Israelis through the Host Israelis network. Noam* told us he was shocked to hear for the first time that Jesus is the Messiah of Israel. “Why did I never hear this in Israel?” he asked. “Why wasn’t this taught in school when we were taught what Christians believe? He is our Messiah!”

His wife, Shira,* had many questions. After dinner, she asked us, “What convinced you that Jesus is the Messiah?” and later, “Why do all the Christians we stay with seem to have this joy deep within them that I’ve never seen in anyone before?”

We never expected to host guests so hungry for the gospel. We had hoped to be able to share a tiny morsel about Jesus with them, but we should have known better because we serve the God “who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20).

Hear from an Israeli Traveler!

Thank you so much! We are an Israeli Jewish family who used the blessed project called Host Israelis. This amazing project introduced us to Jesus as Messiah. When we met with those lovely families, we shared our Israeli life. We were exposed to different cultures and beautiful lifestyles. The kindness and generosity will never be forgotten! We feel that each of the families became part of our family, and we look forward and are excited to see them in the Holy Land, Israel. Please continue to expand this successful and blessed project. God bless you all!

[1] Edward Winslow, Mourt’s Relation (1621) in “Primary Sources for ‘the First Thanksgiving’ at Plymouth,” Pilgrim Hall Museum, accessed September 14, 2023, https://www.pilgrimhall.org/pdf/TG_What_Happened_in_1621.pdf. 

[2] “Country: Israel,” Joshua Project, accessed August 24, 2023, https://joshuaproject.net/countries/IS.