Shalom during this delightful season of the year, which begins with Thanksgiving and ends with Hanukkah, Christmas, and the New Year. This is a time of great hope as we look forward to all the Lord will do in the days and months ahead. I am hopeful because of the dedicated and effective team at Chosen People Global Ministries, which consists of about 200 of us serving the Lord faithfully among our Jewish people worldwide. It is a privilege to serve with each staff member, and I appreciate your prayers for our ministries among the 15-plus million Jewish people around the world.
Israel in Need of Hope
But, as you know, there is a very special l and where hope is elusive—our beloved Israel. Hope should abound in the Holy Land, but at this time in the history of the modern state, Israel has endured tragedy upon tragedy, including one of its worst on October 7, 2023. As I write, Israel is defending itself on several fronts—in Gaza, southern Lebanon, Iran, Yemen, and even Syria and Iraq. Another front in this raging war for survival extends beyond the borders of this tiny state as antisemitism is growing rapidly in many different countries, including our own.
Furthermore, there is a growing and unfortunate lack of support for Israel on the part of democracies around the world. Israel is not perfect. Like any country, it makes mistakes, but the scrutiny and accusations hurled at Israel are unfair, as Israelis are fighting for their existence. And if not for October 7, Israel would still be working out the Abraham Accords, a normalization agreement with Saudi Arabia, and other diplomatic solutions to the challenges of building a modern Jewish state in a sea of hatred and hostility.
Courage Abounds in Israel
The stories of heroism today, in the face of grave danger, are innumerable. They remind me of the great stories of Hanukkah where the Jewish followers of Judah Maccabee were outnumbered by the Syrian Greeks and their leader, Antiochus Epiphanes. This mad leader attempted to turn Jewish people into Greeks and thereby rid the world of Jewish people. But he failed as God proved faithful once again and promised to sustain His chosen people. The promise in Jeremiah 31:35–36 says it all:
Thus says the Lord, Who gives the sun for light by day and the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night, Who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar; the Lord of hosts is His name: “If this fixed order departs from before Me,” declares the Lord, “then the offspring of Israel also will cease from being a nation before Me forever.”
And God always keeps His promises. The Lord is using today’s Israelis to fulfill His promises to Jewish people. He always works through people! I think of what our own staff, dozens of dedicated ministers of the gospel, are going through with their families. They have my heart and respect for staying the course and going beyond the call of duty to serve those suffering while they are enduring adversity themselves.
May I tell you about one way we are providing spiritual and emotional healing to Israelis in the Holy Land?
Our Growing Ministry in Tel Aviv
In June 2017, we opened a rented Messianic center in Ramat Gan, a busy suburb of Tel Aviv, one of the largest municipal regions in Israel. Over the first seven years of ministry, HaMercaz (Hebrew for “the center”) became a thriving spiritual home for Israelis of all ages, including many young families and elderly Holocaust survivors.
Our outreach and discipleship programs were so well received that every month hundreds of mostly young Israelis—believers and not-yet-believers—began attending our events. Our concerts, Sabbath dinners, and worship nights were bursting at the seams, as our 1,600-square-foot space accommodates fewer than a hundred people at a time. We have known for a while we have outgrown our rented space, and we have prayed about how to expand.
The New Tel Aviv Messianic Center
In 2022, after years of praying and searching for a desperately needed larger facility to keep pace with this growing demand, the Lord graciously provided a 4,000-square-foot space for a new center. It is near Tel Aviv’s downtown area with convenient access to its light rail system. We will be surrounded by Israelis who have never heard the gospel message!
The buildout of the new Tel Aviv Messianic Center, which will be completed in early spring 2025, slowed down because of the war. The center will more than double our capacity for outreach and events. It will play a vital role in providing our ministry staff with an excellent place to continue to serve the needs of Israelis now dealing with trauma, job loss, war injuries, personal loss, and grief. The new center is a step toward the future of God’s work in Israel and will also allow us to plant a much-needed congregation.
Ministry Post-October 7, 2023
I love Proverbs 16:9: “The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” We had plans to develop this wonderful property, but He had His own plans. The attacks of October 7, 2023, took Israelis—including the Israel Defense Forces and one of the best intelligence service in the world—by complete surprise.
At first our staff, like most Israelis, were stunned by the magnitude and viciousness of the attacks, but soon the Lord began turning the tragedy into an opportunity to bring His love to hurting Israelis.
Serving Israelis in Need
Almost immediately our staff efforts shifted to war relief among those Israelis we were already serving, and many others we met for the first time. During the first three months of the war, our Messianic centers in both Jerusalem and Tel Aviv served the needs of Jewish people of all ages, providing housing, relief aid, food, and supplies that our staff delivered to those in need.
Our staff and volunteers continue to serve the practical needs of Israelis, as these everyday needs are still great. Yet, the spiritual and emotional need is far greater. By God’s grace and the prayers and generous support of our fellow believers, we have been able to continue and even increase our number of Bible studies, prayer meetings, and worship events, along with retreats for children, families, and elderly Holocaust survivors.
The overwhelming challenges of ministry in the midst of tragedy and war reminds us so powerfully that the Prince of Peace is still our only hope for peace and His peace only comes through our accepting Yeshua as Messiah and Lord.
Proclaiming the Gospel in Israel
This is why we cannot separate our support and prayers for the State of Israel from our efforts to bring His peace to Jewish people in Israel and around the world. If we love Israel and do not proclaim the gospel, then there will be no lasting peace in the hearts and lives of Jewish people we love.
Bringing the good news of Jesus to our Jewish friends and neighbors in Israel and around the globe is vital. We live in a day when hope so easily slips through our fingers, yet we can be a great blessing to our friends and family by telling them about the magnificent hope we have through Jesus the Messiah.
We cannot live without hope. And hope is superficial when it is not rooted in our personal relationship with the One who conquered death through His resurrection from the dead. We bear the message of true hope and joy, forgiveness of sin, and the promise of eternal life. We cannot remain silent. The hour is late, and the gospel is desperately needed in the Land of Israel.
Dr. Mitch Glaser 