How do you share Messiah with people who will not even talk to you?
The Ultra-Orthodox Jewish people, called Haredim, account for about one in seven Jewish people in the world today—but by the year 2040, it is predicted one-quarter of the Jewish population could be Haredim.
The Haredim do not associate with anyone except other Ultra-Orthodox Jewish people. They live in insular communities and endeavor only to interact with other religious Jewish people—occasionally with other Jewish people if it cannot be helped—and rarely, if ever, with anyone who is not Jewish.
But you are reaching out to the Haredim who live outside New York City!
During our Shalom New York 2022 outreaches, you sent a team to a Haredi enclave outside New York City to begin forging relationships . . . with the goal of an invitation to celebrate the Sabbath with them. As the team walked the streets of this tight-knit community, they first found it difficult to engage in conversation with the residents: they do not get many visitors, and visitors always stand out.
But eventually, a Haredi man took the time to stop and talk . . . soon 30 minutes had flown by, and the team had received amazing insights into the community . . . along with an invitation to return and celebrate the Sabbath!
Our team’s visit was noted by many of the Haredim, including the community leadership . . . and before our team left for the day, the police turned up and demanded to know why we were walking around town! (The ultra-Orthodox have suffered horrendous antisemitic attacks, so they can be suspicious of newcomers.)
Thankfully, our team was not detained, and they plan to return for the Sabbath and to continue building bridges to the group that may soon become the majority sect of Jewish people in the world. Thank you for helping Chosen People Ministries make inroads to share the message of Messiah with the Haredim.
From secular to Orthodox Judaism to atheism . . . where will Jacob go next?
Jacob* grew up like many American Jewish people, with observance of the high holy days and the general hallmarks of secular Judaism, but it was never enough for him. He moved to Israel and converted to Orthodox Judaism in his search for meaning. But then . . . he still had no sense of God’s presence in his life!
He returned to the United States and gradually came to doubt the existence of God at all. Once, he had wanted to believe in God, and know God, but there were so many different opinions on the Scriptures and Messiah. Maybe there was not any God at all! Maybe it was all just a human invention.
Then Jacob met a Chosen People Ministries missionary right in his hometown in Pennsylvania . . . a new friend who was willing to talk with him about those spiritual yearnings in his life . . . and why he had never been satisfied with any spirituality in his life—even when he was attempting to appease God through Orthodox Judaism.
Finally, he heard the truth about the Messiah, Jesus, who perfectly fulfilled the law and whose sacrifice on the cross is intended to save all people—Jews and Gentiles. It seemed like the answers he had been searching for all his life.
We are still talking and praying with Jacob, believing that he will soon come to make Jesus His Savior. Thanks for showing him the way to the Truth he has been seeking.
*Name changed.
It is a sign!
If you hear about our Messianic congregation in Phoenix, it is easy to find the church where the Beit Emet congregation meets—and in case you are a little lost, there is also a sign out front. “Beit Emet—Jewish Messianic Community.”
But the sign does not attract traffic from the street, and it is very rare anyone attended a service just because they saw the sign. Especially because most Jewish people will not attend Messianic services unless they are specifically invited or highly motivated to explore the message of Messiah.
It is rare for any Jewish person just to see a church sign and decide to check it out.
But Charlotte* lives near the church where Beit Emet meets, and she drove by the sign often. She wondered what a “Jewish Messianic Community” might be and decided to stop by and check it out.
The sign out front did more than direct Charlotte to our congregation—it directed her to a whole new chapter in her life. Attending the services, speaking with Chosen People Ministries missionaries and other Messianic Jewish people, Charlotte came to understand Jesus is the Jewish Messiah.
She chose to follow Him and has been a member of Beit Emet congregation ever since!
Thank you for making it possible for Charlotte to find the Messiah . . . just by following the signs.
*Name changed.
And . . . she is back!
“Oh, how exciting!” Joan* cried out during weekly Bible study at the retirement home. An elderly Jewish lady, she had begun attending a couple of weeks ago, and was discovering so much she never knew about the Scriptures!
But then she abruptly said she would not be attending anymore, despite her delight in digging into the Bible with her new friends. She had spoken with her rabbi, and his opinion was that studying Scripture with Christians would only confuse her.
Of course, our missionaries said they would miss her and welcome her back at any time, but she seemed certain that she would not be part of the group in future.
When our team planned a showing of “The Wedding Gift” episode from The Chosen series, Joan wanted to see it—she did not think a movie would be too confusing, even if it was being shown by Messianic Jewish people.
But she got the time wrong and missed the film showing—the audience was already moving into the library for a discussion of what they had seen. Our missionaries warmly invited Joan to come and be part of the discussion . . . but she declined.
A few moments later, as the discussion began with reflection on Matthew’s “genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham,” our missionary looked up to see Joan had decided to join them after all and was listening with great joy on her face!
We are hoping Joan returns to the Bible study . . . and chooses to follow the Jewish Messiah, Jesus.
*Name changed.
Jewish people are discovering the truth of Messiah every day . . . thanks to your prayers and partnership with Chosen People Ministries! Thank you for supporting this outreach to Jewish people all over the world.
