An Israeli finds the Messiah
• of Israel J
t n A memca/
sage! I went to challenge the pastor about his mes- -i ~{'~ was bum in Israel
sage and in response, the Pastor challenged me to • .~ :~ and raised on a Rib-
::a '~'~' "~;~4~ butz (a collective farm in go and read the Word of God and then come speak .... "- ,', ~" w'g "¢~'
(,,~,:~{ >: modern Israel)• ks a child, to him. Upon arrival to my home, I found the book
~ ! was somewhat aware of l~hy Me? by Jacob Damkani. As I opened it, I saw
God's existence, but lived a comparisons between the Tanakh and the New Cov-
enant Scriptures, which captured my attention. As completely seculm: ungodly lifestyle. At the age of a Jewish
I read the book, my whole body shivered and I got 13, I made my Bar Mitzvah out of respect for my man, I thought
grandparents, who were Conservative Jewish people. "goose bumps;" the Word of God came alive to me
for the first time, and I had no doubt that God exists At about the same age, I became a disc jockey in that Yeshua,
nightclubs, and from that time, I was exposed to the and that Yeshua is the only way. whom I viewed
drinking and pawing lifestyle. Still, as a Jewish man, I thought that Yeshua, whom as 'Jesus," was
At age 19, I joined the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), I viewed as "Jesus," was only for the Christians; I
also feared the rejection of my family and friends. I like every Israeli is required to do. In January of only for the
did not want to hurt my parents whom I love dearly. 1995, I moved to a new unit. During the same ChriMi
month, an event happened that changed my life I asked God to show me His power in my life and to
forever. On a Sunday morning, we heard on the give me the security, of His existence.
Moran is the Director of news of a suicide attack that took place where my Since that time, the LORD has faithfully shown me
Hope for Israel Ministry. He old unit met. It was a day of great uncertaint and
is now married to Melissa, his His power and might. One of the biggest miracles fear of the worst -- the loss of my friends' lives•
wife of one year, and they are was a change of my heart attitude toward the arab Twenty-two soldiers, several of whom were friends
preparing to move back to Is- people, whom I hated• I was invited to share the sto W
rael from the USA. For more of mine, and one civilian were murdered in this of my life at a conference with Jewish and arab dis-
information, please visit horrible event• That incident not only drew me fur- ciples of Yeshua, the Messiah. I came to this confer-
www.hope4israel.org ther away from GOD, but also brought a lot of anger
ence with a heavy heart, as I viewed all arab people against the arab people.
in the same way. It did not matter to me whether or
not they were Christians or Muslim - they were still In 1997, I left Israel after not being able to stand
Arabs. When I finished sharing my story, a Pales- the reality, of more friends dying, and people in gen-
eral who were being killed right and left• Through tinian man approached me and introduced himself
as Taysir Abu Saada, a former PLO member, ks I various circumstances, I found myself in the United
took a step back, he told me that he loves me; I was States of america.
shocked! It was a minute later that I found myself A family that I knew invited me to their church•
shoulder to shoulder with an ex-enemy, praying Upon my arrival at this church, I was surprised to
with tears for the peace of our people in the Middle discover the love that these people had for Israel
East. Taysir was sharing his story at the same meet- and the Jewish people. That love and the wonderful
ing, and when he was done, he called me on the music they had in their service gave me the desire
stage and asked for forgiveness in the name of his to return again. At one of the services, the pastor
people for the killing of my friends. I asked him for made the statement, "In order to know God in a
forgiveness for the anger, hatred, mistrust, and not personal way, you need to have faith in Jesus." He
being able to forgive the arab people. Only a true was teaching from the Book of Hebrews and said
and gracious God can perform such a miracle. To that my people, the Jewish people, although they
God be the glory/ revere God, do not know Him personally. Mthough
I was a secular Jewish man, this statement angered
me. I thought he was giving an anti-Semitic mes-
12 Jewish Voice Today May/June 2005
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