Monthly Archives: August 2016

August 15, 2016 · 4:16 PM

Antisemitism On the Rise in the UK

MitchGlaser_Portrait copyShalom in His wonderful grace. Today I write to you with a broken heart and a deep concern for the survival of the Jewish people. Just when you thought the world was safe for them—it is NOT!

Recently, the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported the following,

Since 13 September 2015, 40 people have been killed in terrorist attacks and 511 people (including 4 Palestinians) injured. There have been 155 stabbing attacks (including 76 attempted attacks), 96 shootings, 45 vehicular (ramming) attacks and one vehicle (bus) bombing.1

All too often today it seems that innocent Israelis and Palestinians are being attacked by pedestrian terrorists, blinded by a mixture of radical Islam and misguided nationalism! How I wish this were not true…I would much rather speak about the great things God is doing among Israelis and Israeli Palestinians.

And believe me—there is much good to speak about as both the Israeli and Palestinian church continues to grow in the midst of violence and unrest within Israel. Yet, the attacks against Israelis have, in reality, been attacks against Jewish people as proven by what has taken place recently in countries like France and England. This growing group of anti-Semites claim to be politically motivated against Zionism when in fact it’s just old-fashioned racially driven antisemitism!
Though some of the most vicious attacks are taking place in Israel and France, antisemitism continues to rear its ugly head in Western countries—especially in the United Kingdom. A virulent form of antisemitism, racist in nature, has been growing by leaps and bounds within England and has recently come to light in reports by concerned officials in the UK.

The British government has formed a committee to study the issue and make recommendations. They have produced an extensive report detailing the growing antisemitism in the UK.2

This group affirms the findings of Community Security Trust (CST), an organization which operates within the Jewish community to report on antisemitism. In their most recent report, they claim that,

There were 924 anti-Semitic incidents recorded in 2015, the third-highest annual total CST has ever recorded. The total of 924 incidents is a fall of 22 per cent from the 2014 total of 1,179 anti-Semitic incidents, which was the highest annual total recorded by CST. The second-highest annual total recorded by CST was 931 anti-Semitic incidents in 2009.3

In fact, the current mayor of London, a Muslim, said the following in a recent interview,

Sadly, for many people here in London, anti-Semitism is a very present problem. Over the past five years, anti-Semitic offenses in the capital have increased by 153 percent with 267 more offenses in 2015 compared to 2011. There are schools in London that need security simply because they are Jewish faith schools. There are places of worship that require protection simply because they are synagogues. This simply isn’t good enough.4

There is no doubt in my mind, as I travel to London three or four times a year to help with our growing ministry there, that this is even worse than is being reported.
Thank you for your love, faithfulness and deep concern for the Jewish people.

Now is a critical time to reach out to the Jewish people. The hardships they are now facing because of the growth of antisemitism are causing them to be more open to a hope beyond this world—a hope even greater than the Land of Israel—a hope that is only found in the Lord Himself.

We know that the one who is behind all antisemitism is the devil and he is trying to destroy the Jewish people because he understands that God has a continuing role for them.

We still believe that the turning of the Jewish people to Jesus will lead to the very return of Jesus, according to the words of the Apostle Paul in Romans 11:25-27.

For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery—so that you will not be wise in your own estimation—that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, HE will remove ungodliness from Jacob.” This is MY covenant with them when I take away their sins.

All of history is leading up to this great day of deliverance. The Jewish people survive because God is faithful to His promises! But that does not mean we will not face difficult times ahead.So please pray for the Jewish people and support us during these dire times so we can continue to reach out to Jewish people with the love of Jesus the Messiah. NOW IS THE TIME TO STAND WITH THE JEWISH PEOPLE AND TO TELL GOD’S CHOSEN PEOPLE ABOUT THE MESSIAH!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for caring, standing up and praying for the Jewish people at this time.

Your brother in the Messiah Jesus,

Mitch

Comments Off on Antisemitism On the Rise in the UK

Filed under Anti-Semitism

August 2, 2016 · 9:53 PM

Project: Tel-Aviv

MitchGlaser_Portrait copyDear Friend,

Did you know that the greater Tel Aviv area is the largest and, demographically, the youngest metropolitan area in Israel with a population of 3.7 million people? In fact, the Jewish population of Israel is growing! And Tel Aviv is the financial and cultural hub of the country.

The character of Tel Aviv is distinct from that of Jerusalem. Tel Aviv is Israel’s most secular city, whereas Jerusalem is more religious. There are probably a dozen believing congregations scattered throughout the greater Tel Aviv area—averaging about 50 – 75 congregants.

The usual and more conservative estimate regarding the number of believers throughout the entire country is somewhere between 10,000 and 15,000 – less than 0.5% of the overall population. This marks the modern state of Israel as having one of the lowest numbers of Jesus followers in the world.

Naturally, Israel is of great importance to the work of Chosen People Ministries, as we are a mission to the Jewish people. Tel Aviv is, therefore, critical to our ministry, as it is the home of the largest population of Jewish people in the Holy Land.

The Greater Tel Aviv Project
We believe that the bright future of Gospel ministry within Israel is with the younger Hebrew-speaking population. This is why we have initiated the Greater Tel Aviv Project designed to reach younger Israelis and their families—the building blocks of Israel’s future—with the life-transforming message of Jesus.

Our focus in Tel Aviv will be on two suburbs that border the downtown area – Ramat Gan2 and Givatayim.3 These urban suburbs consist of families who work downtown, but cannot afford the high cost of living in the city. Over 300,000 people live, shop, and have their social life in these two communities.

At present there is, only one small congregation serving these two urban suburbs, making the need great. Our great interest in these two communities is also driven by the nature of both suburbs as growing communities with young families as well as an “old guard” of original settlers within Israel who have probably never heard the Gospel.

The Plan
We have placed four missionary couples, all of whom are Israeli citizens, in these two suburbs, and they are already sharing the Gospel within the community. But, this is just the beginning! We are also ready to move forward as we have finally found a wonderful 1,600-square-foot commercial space in the midst of Ramat Gan to turn into an outreach center. We will offer Bible studies, public lectures, moms’ groups, children’s ministries, an outreach café and more through this center.

The ministry in the greater Tel Aviv area will be primarily focused on evangelism, discipleship, and congregational planting. We expect that the ministry will focus on younger people and their families, but we will also plan on working with middle-aged and older people—especially as we plant a congregation.

One of our goals during the next twelve months is to hire another staff evangelist—hopefully a young Israeli who is a graduate of Israel College of the Bible. If the plan goes well, we intend to hire a staff evangelist each year for the next three years to serve out of the Greater Tel Aviv Messianic Center and to also be involved in the congregational plant.

All of our missionaries in Israel currently raise their funding and, by God’s grace, the four couples and one single missionary already have the bulk of their support raised. It is difficult for them to continue raising additional support because they are in Israel, so we do our best to try and subsidize their shortfall.

I appreciate the opportunity to share my heart for my Jewish people and excitement for the Greater Tel Aviv Project. By God’s grace and faith we are going forward with this because we have no other choice—the days are dark, and we are growing closer and closer to the coming of the Lord.

We believe the Lord will provide for this work!

Our plan is to begin in the very place where it all began—in this instance Tel Aviv, as the Lord did tell His disciples to begin in Jerusalem and then to go to Judaea, Samaria and the uttermost parts of the world (Acts 1:8). The church has done a great job fulfilling this command, but now we need to return to the starting point of the Great Commission—to Israel itself—the very land where our Savior lived, died and rose from the grave…and the very place where He will return to reign as King!

Your Brother,

Mitch

Leave a comment

Filed under Israel