I love the words of the psalmist who praises the Lord for His goodness and lovingkindness: “You are my God, and I give thanks to You; You are my God, I extol You. Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting”(Psalm 118:28–29).
Even amid our struggles, we can praise God for the splendor of His character. He is always good, faithful, merciful, and just! During this season of thanksgiving, we are reminded of all the Lord has enabled us to enjoy, and we can praise Him for what we see. More significantly, we can give thanks for what is often unseen when we focus on the character of God Himself, especially as revealed in the person of Jesus.
Grateful for Peace
At this moment—after more than two years of death, desperation, and devastation—we have the beginnings of a peace treaty between Israel and Gaza, which will hopefully last and extend to other nations that have been carrying out vicious attacks against the Jewish people in the Holy Land. We had been fervently praying for the return of the hostages remaining in Hamas’ torture tunnels, and we are rejoicing for those who have been returned—both those who are alive and who have died in captivity. While we recognize that resolving age-old conflicts is often tenuous, we still give thanks to God for what He has done and remain hopeful for a lasting peace.
One of the ways I have tried to remain hopeful during the events spawned by the horrific attacks of Hamas against Israel on October 7, 2023, is by looking toward the future that God promised to both Jewish people and Gentiles through the prophet Isaiah. Allow the words of this prophecy—given more than two-and-a-half millennia ago—to encourage your heart to trust in His promises.
The prophet wrote,
Now it will come about that in the last days the mountain of the house of the Lord will be established as the chief of the mountains and will be raised above the hills; and all the nations will stream to it. And many peoples will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that He may teach us concerning His ways and that we may walk in His paths.” For the law will go forth from Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And He will judge between the nations, and will render decisions for many peoples; and they will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, and never again will they learn war. (Isaiah 2:2–4)
My dear friend in the Messiah—I believe every word! One day, Jesus the Messiah will return and put an end to war, and we will live in peace. That is the future God has promised and offers to all who make the decision to follow Him!
The Story of Redemption
Some theologians have summarized the story of the Bible well in three words: creation, fall, and redemption! God made a perfect world, Adam and Eve sinned, and from the Garden onward, the Lord has been working to bring His sinful, broken world back to Himself.
The Jewish people are central to the story of redemption. God created the Jewish people for His glory, to be a bridge of redemption to the world, and He sent His only and beloved Son, Jesus—Yeshua, the Jewish Messiah—to purchase our redemption from sin, death, and judgment by His shed blood. The future of Israel and the Jewish people is linked to the decision to put our faith in Yeshua, and to then bring His gospel message back to the original messengers—the Jewish people through whom and to whom Yeshua first came!
This is the heart of the everyday work of Your Mission to the Jewish People.
The decision to follow Messiah changed my life when I was nineteen years old. You might remember the moment you embraced Him as your Savior as well. We experienced God’s peace when we accepted Jesus, and we will enjoy this peace even more when the Prince of Peace returns to reign. Until He comes and establishes a kingdom even more beautiful than Eden, we will face conflict, disappointment, and sometimes tragedy. But by His grace, we will be able to confront the difficulties of life with peace in our hearts.
We look forward to the day when “they will say, ‘This desolate land has become like the garden of Eden; and the waste, desolate and ruined cities are fortified and inhabited’”(Ezekiel 36:35).
Our Heart and Mission
Meanwhile, we continue to reach out to Jewish people around the globe. Today, I am thankful for the dedicated staff of Chosen People Ministries and for their tireless efforts to preach the gospel “to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16). It is a privilege to lead this wonderful 131-year-old mission to the Jewish people. Allow me to share some reasons why I am filled with gratitude today, and please join me in offering thanksgiving to God for His work through our staff.
We continue to operate throughout the United States, using diverse strategies to reach Jewish people. Our approach includes branch operations, Messianic congregations, strategic campus outreaches, campaign evangelism, digital evangelism, and public events centered on Jewish holidays. We also maintain various discipleship ministries through publications, websites, e-communications, and highly successful camping programs, as well as retreats and other events. At the core of everything we do is a passionate commitment to sharing the love of Yeshua with Jewish people worldwide.
I’m so grateful for this opportunity to share with you what God is doing through Chosen People Ministries. When I think about His faithfulness and the doors He continues to open, my heart overflows with thanksgiving, and I know our ongoing work, especially in the United States and Israel, will encourage you.
Ministry Across America
Here in the United States, we maintain active branches in major cities including Manhattan, New Jersey, Philadelphia, southern Florida, Atlanta, Phoenix, Seattle, Boston, and Chicago. But our reach extends far beyond these hubs. We have over seventy dedicated volunteers representing us in dozens of communities nationwide, engaging in evangelism, supporting church ministries, and participating in our national outreach events.
One ministry I’m particularly excited about is our Host Israelis Network, which has grown to over two hundred homes across the country. Imagine Israeli travelers, far from home, being welcomed into Christian and Messianic Jewish homes where they experience genuine love and hospitality—and hear about Yeshua, perhaps for the first time. It is beautiful to watch these relationships develop.
We’re also working with university students through our House of Living Waters program. We place young missionaries in apartments near major universities like New York University and Columbia, and we provide them with housing and support so they can build meaningful relationships with Jewish students. One of our leaders in this work is a Russian-Israeli brother we brought from Israel to study at Moody Bible Institute, and now he is engaging the next generation. The impact is multigenerational and eternally significant.
Our camping program continues to thrive, with camps on both coasts serving children and teenagers. What moves me most is seeing our teenagers take ownership of their faith by hosting their own Bible studies online and building community, not just nationally but internationally. This is the next generation of Jewish believers rising up, and it gives me such hope.
We are also privileged to operate several Messianic congregations that we have either planted or are leading in cities like Brooklyn, Northern Virginia, Pittsburgh, Southern California, and Minneapolis. These congregations provide spiritual homes for Jewish believers and their families, as well as places where they can worship Yeshua while celebrating their Jewish heritage.
The Heart of It All: Israel
Let me share what is happening in Israel because this is where we need to direct so much of our focus and prayer right now.
As you may know, our ministry center in Tel Aviv was struck by an Iranian missile. One side of our building suffered serious damage. It was a brand-new, beautiful facility—four thousand square feet across two stories—and we were just weeks away from receiving our occupancy permits when this happened. The building will take a year to rebuild, and our portion of the repairs will be substantial. We are awaiting confirmation of insurance coverage and potential assistance from the city council, but nothing is certain yet.
But here is what I want you to know: We have not stopped. We are continuing to rent the space across the street that we have been using, That building also had its windows blown out by the missile, though we are still running our full programs. Our Bible studies and other ministries are continuing, as well, and they are a strengthening factor for the body of Messiah within Israel and a powerful outreach for those seeking the Lord during these incredibly difficult times.
Let us pray that the recent peace plan holds and that we can continue to present the gospel to Israelis in the power of the Holy Spirit. Your prayers and support make all the difference in the world!
Please pray for:
- wisdom and provision as we rebuild our ministry center in Tel Aviv
- protection for our staff in Israel as they minister in a war zone
- open hearts among Jewish people who are experiencing fear and uncertainty
- boldness and opportunities for our missionaries to share the gospel
- fruit that remains with Jewish people coming to faith and their growth as disciples
We are living in prophetic times. The Lord is faithful to His promises, and He will complete the work He has begun. Until that day when all Israel recognizes their Messiah, we press on, grateful for partners like you who stand with us in this sacred calling.
Thank you for your heart for the Jewish people, and thank you for allowing us to share this incredible journey with you.
Dr. Mitch Glaser 