Dear Jewish Friend: A Very Special Outreach
The last few months have been hard. Really hard. As those who work in ministry to the Jewish people, we have felt the heaviness every day since Israel’s war with Hamas began on October 7th. Our heart is in Israel, with our friends and ministry partners. We have been able to raise and distribute over $100,000 to help with relief efforts, but we wish we could be there in person to help out and hug people.
Another reason for the difficulty of the last few months is that this war has not only affected Israel. The events of October 7th set off a chain reaction of hatred against Jewish people like nothing we’ve seen in our lifetime. Antisemitism around the world is skyrocketing. It feels like a metaphorical lid has been taken off of evil around the world.
Antisemitic hate crimes have increased over a thousand fold across the world. Last month there were hundreds of bomb threats made to synagogues across the US. Jewish people are scared and exhausted. They feel alone and don’t know who they can trust. While this has been very traumatic, it has also opened up an amazing opportunity to share the love of our Messiah with the local Jewish community.
In the midst of it all, we have been so grateful for the way many of our brothers and sisters in Messiah have stood up for Jewish people during this time. People have frequently reached out and asked us how they can give, serve, and help out. We’ve encouraged people to reach out to their Jewish friends, to give them a meaningful gift for Hanukkah, and
to educate themselves about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Many wanted to do more.
Dear Jewish Friend
In November, we sent out an e-mail to our network inviting Christians to make cards of love and support for Jewish people in Atlanta. We were overwhelmed by the response! We received almost 500 cards, letters, and notes of encouragement! They came from individuals, families, church groups, and children in Christian schools. If you were one of those that sent in cards, thank you so much!
We asked people to address the letter to a “Dear Jewish friend,” to share that they were a Christian, and communicate that they care about and support the Jewish people. We were floored and truly touched by the outpouring of love for Israel and the Jewish community that we read in these cards. We teared up with emotion, and we also laughed at some of the cutest notes from kids we’ve ever seen!
Here are just a handful of the messages...
Dear Jewish friend, I hope you know God loves you and you are not alone. I am a Christian and I love you and we are in this together. Love, A student at Eastside Christian School
To my Jewish brothers and sisters, In Genesis I read the words of God spoken to Abram, “I will bless those who bless you, and curse those who curse you.” As a Christian, I want my church, my country, and myself to always be on the right side of that promise. God loves the Jewish people and expects me to do likewise. I am especially thankful to the Jewish people for faithfully, over thousands of years, keeping the scriptures intact so that all mankind can read about the great- ness of God! Love, Steve (A fan)
Dear Jewish friend, I am a Christian who loves Israel and the Jewish people! I am heartbroken over the hatred you are experiencing, and I want you to know I care and am praying for you and for Israel each and every day. May God Almighty protect you and give you peace. Nancy
Dear Jewish friend, I support you and you are loved by God. I am sorry for what you are going through. You are strong and I know you’ll make it through. And I think maybe I will visit your beautiful country when this is all over. I hope you will have peace. Just keep praying to God and he will be with you always. Love, A student from Cornerstone Christian Academy
Dear Jewish friend, We stand shoulder to shoulder with you and pray for peace and healing. You are loved and cherished always. Jane
Dear Jewish friend, I’m a student at Eastside Christian School. I hope you are safe. Have a great and happy Hanuk- kah. I’m praying for you any time I have. Your new friend, Hope
The Impact
We delivered the cards to twelve different synagogues in the Atlanta area during the week of Hanukkah. We made sure that they knew who we were, and the heart behind what we were doing. We were able to have so many beautiful in- teractions and conversations with rabbis and synagogue staff. They were so surprised and touched by these cards!
Anna Beth reports:
Delivering these cards to synagogues was such a joy and an honor. Every person that I got to interact with was so grateful. One man, with tears in his eyes, told me about his family member who is currently fighting in Gaza. He said that this gesture was a ray of light in the darkness and it meant more than we know.
I received this e-mail from a local rabbi the same day that I dropped off cards at his synagogue:
“I was just handed a bag full of the most amazing cards from our Christian neighbors. These are so incredibly meaningful, and if the intent was for us to feel your presence, and to not feel alone, then you have succeeded. Jews are feeling alone...and targeted. Now more than ever in my lifetime. We will somehow figure out a way to share these letters with our entire congregation. With gratitude, and shalom.”
Murray reports:
Visiting synagogues is very natural for me. I grew up going to synagogue 5 days a week, every week, from the time I was 5 or 6 until I was 16. They are my people. When the Jewish community is feeling hurt and alone I carry the pain with them. When I can go and let them know how much I love them, it is very special.
I also go hoping and praying for them to come to know the Messiah who weeps with them as well. Delivering the cards is not a time to necessarily talk about Jesus...It is a time to show them Jesus. I always tell them who I am and the organization I represent. That’s enough. Our prayer is that our relationship with them is deepened.
I had a long conversation with an administrator at an orthodox synagogue. She was not only intrigued by our ministry, but very grateful for the bridges we are building. She said, “I will make sure the children in the day school see these wonderful cards.”
At another synagogue I waited to talk to a rabbi who was on the phone when I arrived. When I introduced myself, he received me with a hug and words of encouragement. He also showed me 1000 other cards of encouragement delivered by a nearby Christian school.
We sent cards to a very a special synagogue in North Carolina where my dad attends. The rabbi and I are quite close. When he received the cards I got a text message from him, “Thank you very much. Very thoughtful!”
We went to a local public lighting of the Hanukkah menorah, and I personally gave cards to the rabbi and his wife. They were delighted to receive them.
Thank you for your support and encouragement as we enter into the new year sharing the message of Jesus. 2023 has been extra challenging not only because of the war in Israel. The rise of antisemitism and hatred has affected Jewish people and communities around the world. May 2024 be filled with hope, peace, comfort, and shalom in our Messiah Jesus.
