Shalom from New York City where I am presently taking part in our annual summer witnessing campaign (SWC)! It always energizes me to be here, out on the streets, telling people about Jesus. Since our ministry's inception in 1973, every single summer but one, we've campaigned to reach New York City with the gospel. No one campaign is exactly the same but they all share the following features: ...

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Author: David Brickner
Added: Tue, 15 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Next month our regular (print) newsletter will feature: an article by David Brickner titled, "Tisha B'Av: Why Are Some Jews Mourning This Month?"; "Tisha B'Av the Saddest Day on the Jewish Calendar", by Rich Robinson; "What the Destruction of the Temple Reveals"; Moishe's Musings (answers to a reader's questions) and Bits from the Branches in Los Angeles, Boston and...

Added: Tue, 15 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700

The Rest of the Story

Have you ever heard radio commentator Paul Harvey's engaging teaser, "The rest of the story"? The first part of Harvey's story always provides a bit of mystery, always leaves us hanging until he tells, "the rest of the story." Life is often like that. We hear something. We wonder what it means or how it all will work out, but we are often left hanging. Much of the Christian life is lived in that "in between" zone. The first part of the story does not always appear hopeful or encouraging. That is why we need to live by faith and not by sight; faith gives us confidence to trust God for the rest of the story. Faith assures us that He knows what is best, that He wants what is best and that He will do what is best. Eventually, in His time, we will understand the rest of the story.

"The rest of the story" is sometimes surprising, but it always demonstrates that God is in control, that He is writing the stories of life to bring honor and glory to Himself. I have watched this happen several times in the last few months as news stories have hit the press regarding Israel, Jews and Jesus. I wanted to report to you on "the rest of these stories."

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Author: David Brickner
Added: Sun, 15 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Tisha Be-Av begins at sundown on Saturday, August 9. The name of the holiday is "the ninth of Av," which is a date on the Jewish calendar commemorating the destruction of the Temples. Tisha Be-Av is not one of the holidays God commanded; it is a traditional day of mourning for the Jewish people. Click here for more information, as well as a flash animation that addresses the topic, "Where is God in Times of Tragedy?" For our perspective on this day, don't miss next month's print newsletter, in which David Brickner and Rich Robinson both write about Tisha...

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Added: Sun, 15 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700

With the Fourth of July coming around again, check out these articles about the role of Jews in the founding of the United States of America: "Jews and the Founding of America" Then there was Haym Salomon, a Polish-born Jewish immigrant to America, who played an important role in the Revolution. And in case you missed it in 2005, The Library of Congress' exhibition on the 350th anniversary of Jewish life in the U.S. is still available here, and includes an interactive timeline, articles on history, and resources for further...

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Added: Sun, 15 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700

New broadside tracts available! Evangelistic outreach in cyberspace! And an update on the next Liberated Wailing Wall team. Click here for full article....

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Added: Sun, 15 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Summer is a stepped-up time for all sorts of Jews for Jesus activities. Click here to find out where we're at and how to pray, and also to download free broadside tracts for the Fourth of July. ...

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Added: Sun, 15 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Pre-holiday sale! We have got an amazing deal for you on "The Fall Feasts of Israel," by Mitch and Zhava Glaser. This 256-page book covers Rosh Hoshanah (the Feast of Trumpets) Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) and Sukkot (the Feast of Tabernacles). It normally sells for $13.00, but your Real Deal for this month only is the amazingly low price of $6.00. We are having another special on this book for $7.50, but the Real Deal is always the very lowest price possible, and only for a limited time. In order to get this price, you must order online by July 31, 2008 and type in the following code at check out: FFEA Next month we'll be offering special deals for the Jewish holidays, so take advantage of this opportunity to learn about some of the items we will be offering. Order...

Added: Sun, 15 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Unbury the treasure! If you love to read about God's work in other countries, "Life's Tapestry," by Dr. Martin Goldsmith, is for you.  Dr. Goldsmith looks back over forty years of Christian ministry in various parts of the world including Indonesia, Malaysia, Africa and Latin America.  This 237-page book normally retails for $10.00 and is a Real Deal at $6.50, plus shipping and handling. Click here to order. Collect our most popular books and save! If you are interested in the Land of Israel and curious about what life was like in Bible times, don't miss this Real Deal. We have a beautiful set of books replete with four-color art as well as fascinating facts on Israel and life during Bible times.  Suitable for any library or coffee table, these books by Miriam Feinberg Vamosh are among our top sellers. They are: "Daily Life at the Time of Jesus" "Food at the Time of the Bible" "Israel at the Time of the Bible" "Women at the Time of the Bible" The books...

Added: Sun, 15 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Next month our regular (print) newsletter will feature: An article by David Brickner titled "What is Real?"; A feature on plans for this year's Summer Witnessing Campaign in New York City; an article titled "Why Not Wear Your Witness this Summer?"; an article titled "Freedom in Christ" by Rob Wertheim, Moishe's Musings on "When Your Friends Function as Enemies"; and bits from our branches in San Francisco and South...

Added: Sun, 15 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Regarding last month's prayer requests, click here for "show and tell." ...

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Added: Sun, 15 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Your prayers mean so much to us, and especially to all those involved in our Behold Your God Israel campaign last month. Twenty-two campaigners handed out 131,725 broadsides, and received contact information for 2,250 Israelis willing to hear more about Jesus. They also attempted to call 37,699 Israelis from the phone book, completed 13,285 calls and received contact information for 956 more people willing to receive further information about Jesus. Thirty people prayed to receive Jesus so far (that includes the campaign itself, as well as people we've been following up since the campaign). Also as a result of our campaign, Dan Sered, leader of our Israel work, who headed the Behold Your God campaign received a major media opportunity on a well-known Israeli morning news show.

David Brickner will be mailing out a special report on this campaign, but for now, here are a few more stories and photos from Behold Your God Israel for you to enjoy. ...

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Added: Sun, 15 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700

New Opinion Poll on What Israelis Think About JesusThis month marks the 60th anniversary of the founding of the modern state of Israel.  It's no coincidence that we've chosen this time for our first Behold Your God Israel Campaign.  In preparation for the campaign, we polled people as to their current opinions concerning Jesus.  This first-of-its kind survey was conducted by a well known Israeli polling firm, 21st Century Marketing.  The 981 completed surveys provided a good sampling of modern Israeli attitudes and revealed startling information that we want you to see. The twenty questions asked included: "What is the name of the Christian Messiah?"  Only 8% of the respondents knew that Y'shua is the Hebrew name of Jesus.  The survey showed that most believe that the Hebrew pronunciation of Jesus is Yeshu.  The two may sound alike, however Yeshu is not a real name; in fact, it is a corruption of the name...

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Author: David Brickner
Added: Thu, 15 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Find out what the General Conference of United Methodists said regarding a. Israel and b. evangelizing Jews; if you are interested in a Master of Arts Specializing in Jewish Ministry we know of a terrific opportunity...

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Added: Thu, 15 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Anti-missionaries in Israel tried to prevent a Jewish believer in Y'shua from participating in Israel's annual Bible quiz, which is held in conjunction with the celebration of the nation's birthday. The controversy over this year's quiz has drawn even more attention than usual to the event. Meanwhile, our Behold Your God campaigners had planned to hand out broadsides on the day of the quiz long before the controversy arose. It turned out to be a most appropriate tract in light of the controversy. Click here to see what the Jerusalem Post.com had to say about the rabbis' attempts to cancel the...

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Added: Thu, 15 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Lag Ba-Omer is a little-known holiday, even among many contemporary Jewish people. It began as a simple period of counting the days between Passover and Shavuot (the Feast of Weeks), but eventually become a minor holiday that encompasses several colorful traditions: children get their first haircut, there are picnics and bonfires, and the kids get to play with bows and arrows. This year, Lag Ba-Omer falls on May 23. Want to know more? Click here to learn more about this holiday from the Jews for Jesus website. You can also find a good description of the holiday from "Women of Reform Judaism" by clicking here. Please note, the reason this page gives a different date for the holiday is that it was written and published prior to 2008. Traditional Jews count each day of the Omer period between Passover and Shavuot, often using special "omer counters" to keep track of the days. While some of these counters are quite traditional, others make use of contemporary culture. ...

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Added: Thu, 15 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

The Lord gives and the Lord takes away; blessed be the name of the Lord.  We invite you to rejoice with those who have been blessed with new life and mourn with those who have lost a loved one. Jonah Daniel Mebasser was born to Emmanuel (our web developer) and Sarah Mebasser on April 21st at 6:12 pm.  He was 19 inches long and weighed in at 8 lbs. 10 oz.  Both Sarah and Jonah are fine and healthy.  Dave Lipkowitz, who has been on our administrative staff since the 1970s mourns the passing of his father, George.  Please pray for the family and especially Dave's mom, Phyllis, during this sad time.  San Francisco branch leader Rob Wertheim requests prayer for a successful outreach at this year's Bay-To-Breakers Race on Sunday, May 18.  Pray that we will have enough people to cover the outreach and that we will encounter Jewish people who are open to the gospel. In Sydney, Australia, we had a four-day outreach at a New Age Festival attended by some 15,000 people. ...

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Added: Thu, 15 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

What better way to celebrate Israel's 60th anniversary than with a special meal of Middle Eastern dishes from our Jews for Jesus Family cookbook. You can learn to make your own hummus, falafel and baklava. (There are lots of other yummy recipes from all over the world.) This large, easy to read 179-page cookbook normally sells for $12, but for you, a real deal at only $7.50. Use Coupon Code "COOKBK" at checkout for the discount. (Click Here to...

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Added: Thu, 15 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Next month our regular (print) newsletter will feature: An article by David Brickner titled "The Day Pentecost Was Fulfilled"; "Passing It On Camp Style" by Matt Friedman; "Also this summer" descriptions of upcoming Summer Witnessing Campaign in New York and Massah; "Musing Over Moishe's Musings" by Ruth Rosen and bits from our branches in Montreal, Chicago and...

Added: Thu, 15 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Israel Behold Your God Stories Avi Snyder, our European Director, training BYG campaigners The Training   Onlookers witness the shoving of one campaigner by the man in the white T-shirt Campaigners engaging Israelis in conversations about Jesus The class was a mix of Israelis, Americans, Russians, Ukrainians and Ethiopians.  With accommodations a block from the beach, the sun and sand provided the perfect setting for evangelism, so in addition to the classes and studies, the trainees also went out on sorties (tract-passing expeditions). The first week was during Passover so there were a lot of teens on the beach.  Some of the kids who were bored and perhaps ready to be riled up were easily encouraged by a group of religious folks to harass us.  Surrounding the team, they were screaming "Missionary!  Missionary!"  One of the youths threw a rock that struck...

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Added: Thu, 15 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Quite a bit of controversy has been stirred over the recent publication in the "New York Times" of The Gospel and the Jewish People: An Evangelical Statement sponsored by the World Evangelical Alliance. The statement, signed by prominent evangelical leaders, is an irenic open letter denouncing anti-Semitism while supporting direct Jewish evangelism and the rights of Jews who believe in Jesus to identify as Jews. As you might expect, several Jewish leaders have publicly opposed the statement. The Anti-Defamation League responded to the statement with a press release in which Abraham Foxman shrilly denounced the statement as "offensive and insulting" while Shmuley Boteach wrote in the Jerusalem Post that "The Jewish community must respectfully but forcefully respond to our Christian brothers and sisters as to why proselytizing Jews is a bad idea." He even went so far as to say that Jesus would want the evangelization of Jews to cease.  The Jewish Telegraphic Agency ...

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Author: David Brickner
Added: Tue, 15 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

According to the April 4 edition of Jewish Chronicle.com, Rabbi Shmuley Boteach is being heavily criticized by the British Jewish community for agreeing to participate in two debates with Dr. Michael Brown, a well-known Jewish believer in Jesus who has written several books on apologetics. 

The Jewish Chronicle quotes Rabbi Boteach as saying "I have debated against Michael Brown on many occasions. The missionaries can say whatever they want: they have their own agenda, I have mine."

The debates are scheduled in London on May 12 and Oxford on May 13.  Please pray for many Jewish people to attend and be drawn to Jesus.

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Added: Tue, 15 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Passover, the Festival of Redemption, begins this year on April 19. This holiday is a touchstone of Jewish identity and even Jews who do not consider themselves religious celebrate it. It's a great time to acknowledge your Jewish friend with a Passover Greeting card. ...

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Added: Tue, 15 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Read how our family is growing, what you can be praying for regarding BYG Israel, and how one of our missionaries was arrested for handing out tracts....

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Added: Tue, 15 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

It's here! Joel Rosenberg's new political thriller, "Dead Heat." Rosenberg is a Jewish believer in Jesus whose fiction has come eerily close to real life events . . . that happened AFTER people read about them in his books. He's not a mind reader, he's a Bible reader, and a best-selling novelist. If you want 416 pages of suspenseful reading on how the end times might play out, you'll want to order "Dead Heat." It retails for $24.99 but you can get it on our web site for $20.00. Plus, if you order online this month, you can receive free shipping by typing in "shfree" when you check out. (Click Here to...

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Added: Tue, 15 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Next month our regular (print) newsletter will feature: An article by David Brickner titled "Remarkably Well Preserved"; explanations of Jewish holidays that fall this May; a translation of the text of a broadside we will be handing out in Israel on Israel's Independence Day, as well as background info on the topic of the tract; Moishe's Musings on having your own personal witnessing campaign; and bits from our branches in Sydney, New York and Montreal....

Added: Tue, 15 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Passover Tours Our missionaries are back from their Passover tours and we are very grateful for all your prayers. We wanted to share a couple of stories with you. ...

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Added: Tue, 15 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Why Evangelize the Jews? To see how Christianity Today answers that question, click...

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Added: Sat, 15 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0700

If you'd like more information on Purim, this month's Jewish holiday, including articles from a Messianic perspective, recipes and a broadside tract to download, click...

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Added: Sat, 15 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Sergio Danon reports on this year's Carnival outreach in Rio de Janeiro; it's not too late to attend one of our Christ in the Passover presentations or banquets; we have positions open for the next Liberated Wailing Wall; and one of our staff requests prayer as she travels to minister to Ethiopian Jews. ...

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Added: Sat, 15 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0700