Rene Bloch, Paul
Wilbur & Mark Chopinsky
Pictured is Israel's Hope in 1988 at the first Messianic Jewish conference held in
Jerusalem in 1900 years! It is a great story in itself by Shira Sorko Ram which
you can read about here. I found it in search of a historical picture of the
Messianic Movement to illustrate an important article by Avner Boskey who takes
an unflinching assessment of where the movement has been in the past and as
steadfastly, the challenges that lie ahead.
Pictured is Israel's Hope in 1988 at the first Messianic Jewish conference held in
Jerusalem in 1900 years! It is a great story in itself by Shira Sorko Ram which
you can read about here. I found it in search of a historical picture of the
Messianic Movement to illustrate an important article by Avner Boskey who takes
an unflinching assessment of where the movement has been in the past and as
steadfastly, the challenges that lie ahead.
by Avner Boskey
The Book of Judges describes Jewish history at
that time as repeating cycles of forty years (Judges
3:11; 5:31; 8:28; 13:1). This
newsletter considers some of the major seasons in the Messianic Jewish movement
over the past 50 years. There is room for praise to God here, as well as
opportunity for thoughtful consideration. What are the fast-moving challenges
confronting both the Messianic Jewish movement and the larger Jewish world community?
From
Hebrew-Christian to Messianic Jewish | During
the first part of the 20th century Jewish believers in Jesus basically had only
one place to go for fellowship – the denominational and non-Jewish churches.
For Jewish believers these churches ended up being agents of ethnic and
cultural assimilation. Within the span of one generation many children of
Jewish believers no longer saw themselves as Jews and no longer participated in
the wider Jewish community.
The healthy desire for Jewish believers to meet
with other Jews presented a unique challenge. And churches were not necessarily
a safe place for Jews and Jewish identity. The wraith of anti-Semitism lurked
just below the surface among many Gentile Christians. The terms ‘Jew’ and
‘Jewish’ were suspect. ‘Judaizing’ was used as a curse used to describe any
continuing link between Jewish people and their culture, lifestyle and
traditions. The stopgap solution was the establishment of small fellowship
groups with a Jewish emphasis. Jewish believers in Jesus didn’t call their
meetings ‘Jewish.’ The safer term of self-definition was ‘Hebrew Christian.’
The concept of a Jewish congregation scared many Hebrew Christians. It met with
strong disapproval from most Gentile Christians as well.
Were these Hebrew-Christian fellowships simply
the last whistle stop on the train to assimilation? How would a visible and
healthy Jewish community of faith come into existence, and how would that torch
be passed to the next generation?
Two earthquakes shaped the answer to these
questions. The first was the Holocaust, where murderous anti-Semitism had a
Christian-looking face and where the world turned a cold shoulder to Jewish
survival. The birth of the State of Israel out of the ashes of Auschwitz put
the Jewish nation back on the stage of international history. Jews now had a
national focus and their own homeland. This renaissance triggered awareness of
the Bible’s prophetic promises about Israel’s restoration.
The second earthquake was the Six Day War in June
1967. Israel defeated five Arab enemy armies and restored Jewish control to the
mountains of Israel and the united city of Jerusalem. The Jewish ‘David’ had defeated the Arab
‘Goliath.’ The shock waves of Jewish survival and victory injected a new
dignity and joy to Jews worldwide, including to Jewish believers in Jesus.
Within seven years of 1967 a new wave of Jewish
leadership took the helm of the Hebrew-Christian movement. The new name
‘Messianic Jewish’ replaced the older terminology. A bolder use of Jewish
cultural expression quickly found its feet. Most of these new leaders were
Charismatic in theology and practice, and had come out of the hippie movement
and the Jesus revolution. They had a vision for revival and for fulfilling the
great Commission in their generation. Bold evangelistic outreach and street
witness was also part of this new Jewish movement. Messianic music (a blend of
folk-rock, klezmer and cantorial) exploded across the airwaves. And some
Messianic leaders began to build Messianic Jewish congregations.
A
developing middle-class movement | The
original Hebrew-Christian fellowships were plucky little groups. Many of the
participants had been broken on the wheels of life in their journey to Yeshua.
“For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according
to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble. But God has chosen the foolish
things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of
the world to shame the things which are strong” (1 Corinthians 1:26-27). But
now, the new leaders of the fledgling Messianic movement wanted their
congregations to be more ‘normal,’ more middle of the road. They wanted the
social composition of their members to mirror the larger Jewish community –
more upwardly mobile professionals, more emotional stability, more Jewish families,
etc.
As the movement grew, congregational buildings
were purchased and educational frameworks were established. And the
revolutionary hippie roots of some Messianic Jewish leaders gradually
transformed. New benchmarks for success were set. Rather than Neil Young’s cry
in his hit ‘Ohio’ (“We can change the world, re-arrange the world” – released
in June 1970 after the Kent State shootings), the zeal of the radical was
giving way to the complacency of the bourgeoisie.
And the same social dynamics which saw dropping
attendance and observance in Reform and Conservative Judaisms began to affect
the Messianic movement. Within twenty years the majority of attendees at
Messianic congregations had become non-Jews. The Messianic Jewish movement was
moving from a radical adolescence to a contented adulthood. The radical vision
of its founders was being assimilated into the American melting pot. The
Messianic Jewish movement could no longer be accurately called ‘a Jewish
people-movement.’
Zionist
or pro-Zionist? | An Israeli acquaintance once described for me
the difference between Zionists and pro-Zionists. Zionists move to Israel, he
said, while pro-Zionists send money. The Messianic Jewish movement (like most
Western Jews) has tended to lean toward pro-Zionism. It is easier to be
pro-Israel that to move to Israel. Life in Israel is challenging on many
levels. Sometimes there are even legal difficulties inhibiting Messianic Jews
from immigrating to the Jewish state.
* The
general attitude of the Messianic Jewish movement is warm and friendly to
Israel, but the majority of Jews in the Messianic movement have not voted with
their feet in terms of ‘making aliyah’ – returning to their Promised Land. The
rooting of Messianic Jewish identity in the Exile is a firecracker with a long
fuse. As goes the Western world in its attitude to the Jewish people, so will
go the future of the Messianic Jewish movement in the Diaspora.
The
grandchildren of Orthodox Judaism | The
famous Pentecostal spokesman David du Plessis used to say, “God has no
grandchildren.” By this he meant that religious belief and life are not
automatically passed on to the next generation. A personal and life-changing
encounter with the God of Israel is foundational to the process.
Most of the grandparents of the new Messianic
leaders been Orthodox Jews. These grandparents had become non-observant or less
traditional after leaving the ghettos of Europe. The new Messianic leaders for
the most part had little first-hand knowledge of their grandparents’ religion.
Ironically, secular Jews (who also knew little of Orthodox Judaism) often
accuse Messianic Jews, faulting them for believing in Yeshua: “If you had only
known real Judaism (ed. meaning Orthodox Judaism), you would never have
embraced Yeshua!”
This rejection has struck deep into the hearts of
Messianic Jewish leaders. Some said, “Perhaps if we learn more about Orthodox
Judaism – even become more Orthodox in our lifestyle and faith expression –
then we will be accepted by the larger Jewish community.” So the fruit of
rejection incrementally began to permeate the Messianic Jewish community. Some
leaders began to study Orthodoxy and to move their congregations into a warmer
embrace of rabbinic liturgy.
These dynamics helped birth two theological
emphases. The first now taught that Messianic Jews are under the Mosaic Torah,
and that Jewish identity is primarily manifested in rabbinic and Orthodox ways.
This viewpoint is held by significant minorities within the Messianic Jewish
movement. The second viewpoint denigrates the deity of Messiah Yeshua. This
second view is trumpeted by a very miniscule stream on the outskirts of the
Messianic Jewish movement.
* The
recovery and re-creation of a healthy and biblically sound Messianic Jewish
identity remains a challenge. Its expression in the Jewish state will also look
different from Diaspora Messianic Jewish expressions seen so far. Pray with us
about these issues!
Responding
to the tidal wave of anti-Semitism | German
Jews and French Jews at the turn of the 20th century believed that the future
of their Jewish communities was bright. There were up to 100,000
Hebrew-Christians walking the streets of Europe in those days. But the demonic
genie of anti-Semitism had escaped from Pandora’s Box, and the writing was on
the wall. From the pogroms of Eastern Europe to the Dreyfus riots in Paris, the
marching of leather jackboots was echoing from Munich to Moscow. Most Jews
hoped and prayed that this dark night would soon pass, but most could barely
imagine the malevolence of the Holocaust spirit climbing up out of the abyss.
* Europe’s
Jews were trapped and slaughtered while the majority of the Western world
yawned about Israel’s fate. Most Christians and Jews were painfully unprepared
for these events. A biblical perspective was missing regarding the demonic
roots of anti-Semitism, the Last Days international consortium resolved to
annihilate the Jewish people, and the prophetic closing down of the Jewish
diaspora. Today the same is true for the majority of both Jews and Christians.
Where is
it safest for the Jewish people? | If the
Israel Defense Forces had been around in the days of Hitler, it is possible
that the Nazi High Command would have had to face the cold steel of Israel Air
Force bombs. But the State of Israel came into being only after the close of
WWII. Jews were not safe in most countries of the world in those days. Today
anti-Semitism is becoming a global epidemic. Headlines are crowded with news
about the rise of physical attacks on Jews in the Diaspora from both white
supremacists and black racists. Jihadi forces are targeting the Jewish state
and Jews everywhere. Safety for the Jewish people is at a premium in many
nations today.
* Preparing
a hiding place for the Jewish people (like that prepared by Corrie ten Boom and
her family in WWII Netherlands) is once again becoming a reality and a
prophetic challenge for believers worldwide. Let’s remember that gale-force
winds are sweeping into every country across the globe, including the Jewish state.
The only safe place to be is where God tells you to be!
When the
going gets tough | A football coach for the Corpus Christi Green
Hornets was the first (1953) to say, “When the going gets tough, the tough get
going.” This pro-active approach to threats and challenges is encouraging for
us as well. The rising triple threats of a reborn jihadi spirit, a reborn Nazi
spirit and a resurgent leftist hatred of the Jews and their state – all must be
confronted with pro-activity. God is certainly not at a loss for words nor at a
loss for divine strategies in dealing with these hellish schemes. We who follow
the Lord of Armies need to listen up and shape up for the challenges.
Ezekiel’s
army | God’s End of Days strategy brings the Jewish
nation back to their Promised Land. It is the Holy Spirit drawing the children
of Jacob back, yet the majority of Israel’s Jews are not yet filled with the
Holy Spirit (Ezekiel 37). The day is soon coming when God’s Spirit will fill
the Jewish people in Israel with spiritual life. He will cause them to rise up
and stand on their feet. The prophet describes them turning into an
“exceedingly great army” (Ezekiel 37:10).
* As things
get worse in the world, as times get tougher both for Messianic Jews and for
the larger Jewish community, our prayers rise to center stage for God to visit
Israel with His protection, provision and salvation
How
should we then pray?
Pray for
God to pour a renewed vision and zeal on the world leadership of the Messianic
Jewish movement
Pray for
the God of Jacob to reveal His Last Days strategy for Israel to many throughout
the earth
Pray for
the spirit of grace and supplications to be poured out on the Jewish people
Pray for
the raising up of Ezekiel’s prophetic Jewish army
DavidsTent.org Beer Sheva psalm67@netvision.net.il
Your prayers and support hold up our arms and are the very practical enablement of God to us in the work He has called us to do.
Arrows from Zion
Summarized from the Weekly
Summary of Prayer Requests Israeli
Ministries by subscription only donna@israelprayer.com
Fitting that the first ministry letter up this week is from Marc
Chopinsky's son, Eli Ben Moshe who is carrying on his father's legacy to
produce the worship artists of Israel from the very "Future Vision"
recording facility Marc built and Eli probably learned most of his chops in.
(pun intended). Eli is sharing new worship music from his ASHIRA (I Will Sing)
productions: Eli
Haitov's first music video and a new lyric video for Daniel
Borok's single “God's Love”, we also just released a new music video for Dana
Miller's "You Are Holy", from her debut EP.
ALSO, Eli, representing his wife Vanessa and his mother, Leah, wife of
the late Marc Chopinsky continue on as emissaries of the Tikkun Israel family.
You can support the great work that Eli is doing in the studio through the
Tikkun donation page for them: https://tikkun.tv/eli-vanessa-ben-moshe/
Dani & LuAnne Sayag, who started the Kerem-El congregation 10 years
ago, are now transitioning out of the leadership there to devote themselves to
their leadership in the mother congregation, Kehilat HaCarmel. They have been
operating as the senior leaders of both congregations since the passing of
David Davis a few years ago. Now they are handing the full leadership role at
Kerem-El over to Yonatan and Stefan and Keren Silver. That is the big news news
in the Kerem-El ministry letter, but there is also much news of their
activities during the recent holidays, especially with the traditional
"holiday of holidays" the city of Haifa puts on when they do major
outreach on the street festivities. Also they held a Testimonies night in
December for members and one of our favorite people, Ronit Bender was one of
those who shared God's goodness in their lives. Kerem-El asks special prayers
be made for their children and children's ministry, for wisdom for the new
senior leadership, and finances for their 2020 ministry.
Chuck Cohen of the Intercessors for Israel in Jerusalem group sends the Friday
Prayer Points 1-3-2020. He, like 100% of the Israeli
ministries we've heard from, is thankful and praising God "One of
Israel's most dangerous enemy leader was eliminated yesterday by a USA drone
strike on Bagdad's airport. General Qassim Solemani was the Iranian head of its
IRGC division that spreads terror worldwide and has been very active in Syria
near Israel recently." Read the full Friday prayer points online, and be
advised that their Jan 20-27,
2020 IFI prayer conference will commence in just a couple of weeks.
Revive Israel sends this good word from Asher Intrater Two-Word
Prayer for Revival | Plus 2 VIDEOs, one Cody Archer Walking with
God and his internvew with Mati Shohani What's
Happening to Israeli Messianic Jews?
Yariv Goldman updates us on the Hands of Mercy/Tents of Victory
ministry in S'derot writing, " Due to the tragic effects
of many years of relentless rocket-trauma, nearly all of the impoverished
families we support suffer from post-trauma stress disorder. Among those
supported, there are people with disabilities, elderly people with no local
support networks and large families." This is who they are helping. These
are the lost sheep of Israel and the team asks for your to pray for the
individuals they are ministering to, and also to help by donations for their
various ministry programs.
Chaim Malespin of the Aliyah
Return Center sends a video 2020
Kingdom Vision about “Resting in the Lord”. They plan to release another part of their
strategy each week that God has given them for the year 2020 about what He
wants to do in the Galilee of the Nations and for your nation.
Last week we could only supply a small about of the news that came in the
ministry letter of Rania Sayegh of the Nazareth House of Prayer & Exploits
(HOPE), but this week we have a link to the whole letter Dec 2019
full of exciting and encouraging activities. Rania is a Christian Arab intercessor
who is linked with many of the Messianic Jewish women in Israeli ministry, and
elsewhere. You will be blessed to follow
all that they are doing in the Land.
In S'derot, a ministry that gets its name (City of Life) as God's
response to Hamas declaring S'derot is "the city of the dead." There
is no doubt about it: S'derot is a traumatized population. How could it not be
since it is the "Bomb Shelter Capital of the World!" But Michael and
Dina Beener of the City of Life are speaking Yeshua's life over the city
population and ministering to so many there in a multitude of practical and
spiritual ways. They write about the Hanukkah party for children of the city
that they put on because they wanted to give the children a respite of fun
from, "The atmosphere is tense in our city because of the constant
sirens sounding announcing bombings from Gaza, the fires produced by missiles
or terrorist incendiary balloons or the new discoveries of terrorist tunnels...."
They "invite you to be part of our ministry so that together we can
bring hope to our border town of Sderot. Our work would not be possible without
the help of partners like you."
Today I read a 2017 prophecy from an Australian about seeing lightenings
all over Australia which many are relating to the fires going on there now
and how it will cause a great spiritual awakening in Australia. This resonated
with the email I received from Rick Ridings last week recalling his own vision
about lightenings in the Middle East. These he related to the killing of
Iranian terrorist-General Soleimani. Here is Ridings guide to
praying in this very strategic season.
Claude and Michelle Ezagouri are the leaders of the Morning Star
Fellowship in Tiberias, who have an essential priority on prayer and worship in
their congregation and outreaches. This emphasis on worship was recently
granted leave to worship in the downtown area of their city for 3 days and they
report a mighty presence of God was there. Because the area around Tiberias is
heavily religious (like the area around Arad) there is much going on in this
congregation that we just can't share because it is too sensitive. Still we
want to urge you to pray for this ministry, and either connect with them directly
if you want to know more, or see my Weekly
Summary of Prayer Requests from Israeli Ministries, which is also only by
vetted subscription.
Tony and Orna Sperandeo lead the Kehilat Hamaayan in Kfar Saba. They put
out a Year in Review in Pictures (which we were unable to share that many
pictures, but supplied the text in the Weekly
Summary. This is also a congregation that places a high emphasis on prayer
along with all the other ministries going on within the Wellspring congregation
and out to the their community. Their prayer points could easily be prayed over
every single congregation in Israel:
Prayer points for 2020
Prayer points for 2020
·
The
eyes and hearts of the people to be opened to God through Yeshua's love and
Lordship. (Rom. 11:26)
·
Wisdom
and direction for our elders and leadership to fulfill their calling within our
congregation (1 Tim. 2:2)
·
The
members of our congregation, to be prepared to minister to all the seekers God
is drawing to our meetings. (Luke 10:2)
·
The
new believers to grow in their faith. (Heb. 6:1)
·
God
to provide more partners to join with us in fulfilling our call here in Israel
through prayer and finances. (2 Cor.9:8)
·
For
us to continue to develop a good relationship with our city government. (Psalm
22:28)
·
For
righteousness to be the standard in our city, and for corruption to be exposed.
(Proverbs 29:2)
Israel
and the Government
·
That
the historic third election in Israel will result in a strong mandate to form a
government that will be led by righteous leaders, honoring the God of Israel
and His Word. (Isaiah 9:6-7)
Joel Jelski is a Tikkun
Emmissary who ministers for Fields of
Wheat in the Haifa area, with Eitan Shishkoff. His ministry work is varied,
one part working alongside David in the Olive Tree Discipleship program. The
last program ran from Tabernacles to Hanukkah with several firsts, Joel writes,
including the first time women where in the program; first Arab participant and
teachers, first outreach done in the Middle East, and finally for the first
time there was no work-pay program, instead balancing work and
"spiritual" content. Joel writes about what quality spiritual impact
this was for all involved including one recently released from elite military
service whose heart was completely transformed as he served Syrian refugees in
Gaza. "He went from fantasizing (like a football player would about a
game) about fighting in a war with Syrians or in Gaza, being filled with hate
for them (he saw friends killed in attacks), to serving them and sharing the
gospel to them and praying over them." What a mighty God we serve!
Once the Discipleship program was wrapped, Joel was off to lead the Katzir Hanukkah youth camp - also a first for him because he was thrust into his first solo flight because Eitan Shishkoff had to stay away due to battling the flu. Joel writes that even with the challenges of being tired, the camp was a blessing for himself and also his wife Teresa who " was able to be a girls' small group leader for the first time in over a year, something that was a huge blessing to her. She loves investing and spending time with teenage girls." Pray for this young family with a son as Joel is being spiritually fathered and even now stepping into the 'prime' of his ministry life in Israel.
Once the Discipleship program was wrapped, Joel was off to lead the Katzir Hanukkah youth camp - also a first for him because he was thrust into his first solo flight because Eitan Shishkoff had to stay away due to battling the flu. Joel writes that even with the challenges of being tired, the camp was a blessing for himself and also his wife Teresa who " was able to be a girls' small group leader for the first time in over a year, something that was a huge blessing to her. She loves investing and spending time with teenage girls." Pray for this young family with a son as Joel is being spiritually fathered and even now stepping into the 'prime' of his ministry life in Israel.
Howard Bass of the Beer Sheva Nachalat Yeshua (Yeshua's Inheritance)
congregation writes about potential fallout from the Soleimani execution by the
US but encourages believers that " Morning will come, but not before the
night." Do not be frightened but trust God. "Our message is the
gospel" and later Howard illustrates that in talking about an evening he
and Randi spent with "Deans and professors from Emory have come to Israel
to meet with not only graduates, but also officials from various Israeli
universities, including BGU here in Beer Sheva.
What helped make the evening enjoyable for us was being open about who
we are and what I do. It led to some
surprising conversations and questions.
One Israeli business woman of some high standing (an Emory graduate who
actually returned home to Israel) said that it was refreshing for her that she
could talk about something else other than business! After a homosexual introduced his
"partner" without any hesitation, I told Randi how important it was that
we had done the same about our faith in Jesus.
What a shame it would have been to us with the Lord if we had held back
out of some fear, while a homosexual was so open about his iniquity."
Howard also appeals for prayers for those who are fighting being exiled
from Israel due to their faith in Yeshua.
(Donna: This is an ongoing battle for many believers already in Israel
and finding closed doors to enter Israel as citizens. This is extremely serious
prayer concern which is greatly impacted by who is in power, for instance a
greater problem under Netanyahu as PM because of his political need to appease his
religious allies. Because of how long he has been PM, there is no doubt about
it that the power of the religious opposition against Jews of faith in Jesus
has become greater and greater.)
Here are several articles by Howard: When Does
The Day Begin? | Lamech,
Amalek... | Jesus the
Israeli Jew
Urgent HEALING Needs: Life and Death is
in the power of the tongue
Please keep in prayer these Israeli ministry leaders
and believers with urgent health needs
Please continue to pray for Jacob Damkani, who remains after surgery locked in the place of non-communication. Pray the LORD's mercies over Jacob and his dear wife, Elisheva | Continue please to pray for Ruth Nessim Critical prayer need she is losing sight! Prayers for a miracle for Ruth.| Olga Bikas has longstanding severe back pain. please keep praying for Olga. Sadly, she is not getting better and recently she has even felt worse for a period of time.
Please continue to pray for all the Israeli ministry leaders who contracted influenza after a conference | Pray for Rania Sayegh asks for prayer of restoration of strength, energy, and complete healing. | Ronit Bender says my heart valve is still leaking but my lungs are fine. I totally have peace about my health, although it is far from great. I still appreciate prayer, as I need it. I am very grateful they let me travel in October and November both to Australia and Holland. Please continue to pray for Ronit
THANK YOU to those who have considered this ministry worthy of financial support.
Donna Diorio donna@israelprayer.com or donna@d10r10.com
Donations appreciated | paypal.me/DonnaDiorio
Or look up on paypal: donna@israelprayer.com
Or by postal mail make
donations payable to the order of Donna Diorio
P O Box 111302 Carrollton, Texas 75006 | I do not have tax exempt status.
P O Box 111302 Carrollton, Texas 75006 | I do not have tax exempt status.
