MembersThe Growth of Jerusalem’s Messianic Community: A Personal Experience

My father was born in Poland, and after the Holocaust God brought him to Israel. My mother immigrated to Israel from Iran. Both came to faith in the Land of Israel. I’ve spent my entire life in Jerusalem, except for a short period studying abroad.

Jerusalem’s Messianic Community 50 Years Ago

The Messianic Jewish community in the Land of Israel numbered no more than 200 families. In Jerusalem, there were fewer than 50 families and no more than five congregations.

This period is engraved on my memory as a difficult time. As a child, I was mistreated by religious children my age who discovered that we believe in Jesus. Our pastor had been targeted by extremist ultra-Orthodox who planted a bomb in his car. Amid regular teasing and harassment, this group also flooded our congregational meeting place with water. Another congregation in the city center was torched, and vandalism was commonplace.