Let it Rain
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There is more to repentance than sorrow.
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We always associate repentance with sorrow, shame, and serious self abasement for wrong doing.
But there is more.
There is the joy that comes afterwards.
While true sorrow for sins is a definite component of true repentance, we sometimes make it such a dreary and dreaded thing, that we fail to make clear the joy that comes as a result of it.
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Suddenly a clean slate.
All is forgiven.
Deliverance cannot come without repentance.
And repentance cannot be complete unless there is the joy of forgiveness.
It is like standing in the rain, with arms outstretched, receiving what the sky has to offer.
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![clip_image002[5]](https://heavenawaits.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/clip_image0025.jpg "clip_image002[5]")
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Everything is washed away.
No more shame .
No more guilt.
No more secrets.
No more fear.
With forgiveness there is peace.
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As we examine our conscience, we should look for sins with the desire to be free from them.
The freedom will bring the happiness we have been looking for.
So facing our sins will ultimately bring joy.
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As we witness to others about repentance unto salvation, this is important to remember as well.
The lost will be quicker to repent if they look past the dread, the guilt, and the embarrassment, and see the joy and peace that is waiting for them.
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Repentance and salvation is more than avoiding hell.
It is the path to wonder, and peace, and joy, and freedom.
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![clip_image002[7]](https://heavenawaits.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/clip_image0027.jpg "clip_image002[7]")
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Repent and rejoice!
Let it rain His grace and glory upon you!
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Heaven Awaits 
My prayer is that the Israeli people will re-examine their history and have a change of heart. I believe that we don’t have to wait till the Tribulation for the veil to be lifted. There is a remnant to be reached.
This is documentary I was exposed to on Sukkot. Here’s the web site.
http://fountainoftearsdocumentary.com/about/
Story/Synopsis
Most Israelis would never parallel the execution of Christ and the sufferings of the Jewish nation during the Holocaust. In light of the 20 centuries of rejection and persecution in Europe and Eastern Europe by those who identified themselves as followers of Christ, most modern Jews do not see how the sufferings of Christ has anything to do at all with their historical suffering. They tend to place Christ and his followers in an adversarial role, viewed almost as the catalyst that helped to break their spirits, so as to make them more vulnerable to being victimized by the Holocaust. This viewpoint, considering the historical circumstances, is to be expected.
However, One artist named Rick Weineke who lives in a city in the Negev has done just that. He has created a sculpture 60 feet wide and 12 feet tall, called the Fountain of Tears. The sculpture shows how, through the course of suffering His own execution, Christ is able to identify and empathize with his Jewish brothers and sisters who suffered during the Holocaust.
The sculpture follows the seven last words of Christ that he spoke during his execution. It is made up of seven panels. Each panel has a carving of Christ hanging on the cross, carved into a 60 foot wall made of Jerusalem stone. Standing in front of each panel is a corresponding bronze sculpture of a Holocaust victim, whose head is shaved and who wears the characteristic striped prison garb. Each panel shows one of the stages of grieving that each went through on their path towards death. The sculpture is in fact a study of the grieving process. On the third panel, Christ’s head is shaved and there is a number tattooed on his arm. The corresponding Holocaust victim is shown crying out “My, God, My God, Why have you forsaken me”. This was the historical cry of Jesus, right before he gave up his spirit. This was also the chant of those Jewish men who were made to clean out the ovens and gas chambers after each mass slaughtering. It is still the heart cry of many of the Holocaust survivors who cannot to this day account for how such an event could have possibly taken place.
Linda, who is an administrator of Yad Vashem, whose parents survived Auschwitz and whose husband is very influential member of the Knesset, is a friend of the Artist. When she saw the sculpture, especially the panel where Christ’s head is shaved and his arm bears the tattooed number, she broke into tears. She at that moment remembered when she was five years old and she would daily try to scrub the tattooed numbers off of her father’s arm, because she knew that it was the reason that he could not speak or communicate with her. She was so profoundly touched by the image of Christ, suffering side by side with the Holocaust victims, that she asked the artist to make a scaled down version for her to put in her home. She admitted that as a secular Jewish woman, the idea of Jesus as the messiah/healer had never made any sense to her whatsoever, but now felt that through the message of the sculpture there may be a pathway to healing for Holocaust survivors, and children of survivors, such as herself who had grown up profoundly affected by the brokenness and the pain of her parents.
The sculpture has been very controversial in the remote town that the artist lives in. He has suffered threats by those who oppose its message. It is not a popular message in Israel, yet dozens and dozens of Israeli Jews and Christians seek it out and testify that its message has impacted their lives.
I want to use the artist’s story and the message of the sculpture as bookends for the piece, and to fill in the body of the documentary discussing some examples of historical Jewish suffering from the Babylonian Captivity to the Spanish Inquisition; introduce the concept of martyrdom and how it is explained by Orthodox and Messianic Jews; discuss Israel’s eternal purposes and place in history; and to show how Christ’s sacrifice is a sign to all nations, and especially to Israel, that God deeply loves and has accepted every man and nation that will receive this love.
Vision/Purpose
I believe that we are in the beginning of the season in which the “full number of the Gentiles” appointed to come into the kingdom is nearing completion. This means that it is the season in which the Lord is again favoring Israel, softening their hearts and drawing them as a people into the saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. As it says in Romans 11:25, 26: “…Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the gentiles has come in. And so, all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “the Deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.”
The Lord speaks of this again in Romans 11:11, 12: “Again I ask, did they (Israel) stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness bring!”
And again in Romans 11: 23: “And if they (Israel) do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.” (Here, the Apostle Paul is speaking of Israel as the natural branches of an olive tree that have been broken off, branches that the Father is willing to graft back into His original vine.)
In light of this reality I have two objectives for making this documentary.
1) I want to use it as a vehicle to help prepare those already in the Body of Christ to embrace and receive those belonging to Nation of Israel as they come into the fold in this season.
Over the past twenty centuries, roughly, between the destruction of the temple in 70 AD and the reestablishment of the Nation of Israel in 1948, the Jewish nation was scattered all over the world without a homeland. During that period, and especially in Europe where 80 % of the world’s Jewish population lived, they were very poorly treated, rejected and were prohibited for centuries from owning their own businesses or executing commerce in any significant way, apart from lending money.[1] They were also forced to live in ghettos, separated from the Gentile neighborhoods. In the fifteenth century, they were tortured and executed in Spain and in 1492 were finally expelled from the country, ironically only a few days before Christopher Columbus was sent by Spain to discover the “New World.”[2] Their suffering, however, culminated in the Holocaust, which happened during the final eight to ten years of their exile.
The church in Europe and Eastern Europe for centuries practiced a “replacement theology,”[3] believing that God had rejected Israel because Israel’s national leaders had rejected Christ. Many thought that the Church had assumed Israel’s place and purpose both in history and on the earth therefore annihilating any purpose that Israel would otherwise have had. Unfortunately, much of that same mentality is still alive and well in the Western Church. I believe that part of the reason that the Jewish people suffered and were so terribly rejected for all those centuries was because the church did not really have a grasp of who Israel was, nor were they aware of the place that they have always had in the heart of the Father. Israel has had very few friends and in many instances has not been able to rely on the Church to champion them, to love them, or to embrace them. I feel that God is in the process of purifying our understanding about who the Nation of Israel is so that we can partner with them to fulfill their destiny as a nation and as a people.
2) I want to use it as a vehicle to help to open up the hearts of those belonging to Israel, so that they can receive the Father’s love for themselves through the death and resurrection of His son.
2000 years is a long time to suffer ongoing cultural rejection. When Israel was reestablished as a Jewish nation 60 years ago, many of the new immigrants who settled there were people who had survived the concentration camps. Those that emigrated did so to the tune of hostile threats from Israel’s powerful, oil-rich neighbors. Because of these neighbors, Israel has had to consistently fight to maintain its autonomy. In my opinion, the continual threat of war has not left them with much time to focus on healing their brokenness.
So, there still seems to be a lot of pain surrounding the Holocaust that lingers in the hearts of those belonging to the nation of Israel. As I listen to the dialogue of Holocaust survivors, I notice that there are still many unresolved questions as to why a loving God would permit them as a nation to have suffered centuries of rejection, genocide, and continued attempts by surrounding neighbors to exterminate them. I want to address some of these questions and to open up some dialogue that will hopefully help my audience to sort out some of the issues surrounding these questions. My hope is that this film will be a valuable tool in helping Israel to see that the Father’s love for them has not changed and that Jesus is available to them and still wants to be accepted as their Messiah and healer.
Maybe if the ancient Jews and their descendants did not kille the Messiah, this may have been different. My nation also went through a holocaust and we are already into a new one, both in just a hundred years. Unlike the Jews, we actually believe in Christ Jesus. Jesus did not see the need to smooth-talk Nicodemus, the Pharisees or any office=bearer.
He was rather forthright in just stating the truth. Why handle all with gloves to protect their feelings while the very same people oppress mine where we live?
Jesus did not go anywhere…He has been there for them all the while. Only 144,000 will make the grade – why not spend your money on His children as indicated in James?
The Jews did not kill Jesus. We could just as easily say that the Romans did since they were the ones who crucified him-literally. There were only a handful of Jews there at the site while most of the other jews were preparing for the passover elsewhere. It was the religious pharisees that manipulated the crowd that forced the government-so as to calm the crowd-to issue his death. So to say the “jews” killed Christ is wrong. Those present were blindly following their religious leaders as most-Christians included- still do today.
It is my understanding that the 144,000 represent the tribes of Israel. When Jesus returns, they will look upon him whom they have pierced. Jesus will spend time with them so that they can get to know their Saviour/messiah. To say that “only” 144,000 will go to heaven is taking the scriptures out of context and not giving an accurate statement.
we all killed Jesus.
wisdom of solomon….
What I find so interesting is that this sculptor and site is located where the Sanhedrin are set up and the persecution of Messianic Jews is the strongest.
http://www.thesanhedrin.org/en/index.php/Jerusalem_Court_for_Issues_of_Bnei_Noah
I came across these videos almost two years ago and the have been out for at least 4 years. So the persecution continues. It hasn’t let up, otherwise these videos would have been removed. They want people to know.
hi Kitti
Your quote said:
That is a huge understatement. In fact it is wrong.
Christians have been persecuting Jews for 2000 years, which is why they feel so threatened by Messianic Jews.
There have been cases where Christians locked the Jews in the synagogue and set the place on fire. While the Jews were screaming inside fro pain, they were marching around the synagogue singing “onward christian soldiers.”
The Jews left Spain because of persecution by Christians.
During the Crusades, Jews either converted to Christianity under threat of death, or they died at the hands of Christians.
Lutherans in Germany put them in concentration camps.
Churches today condemn Israel and side with its enemies.
To the Jews, Christ and Christians are their enemies who want to do them harm. There is no reason for them to identify with people who have put them to death.
This is why the sculpture is so offensive to Israelis.
I cannot understand why misionary organisations can be so rude to call their outreaches “crusades.” That is outrageous.
It is just as outrageous that Jews after 2,000 years, still reject Jesus. They are not the only oppressed people in this world and the rest of us all have our difficulties. I grew up in a Jewish neighbourhood and all I can say is that the Bible teaches me that the “true Jew” is somebody with a circumcised heart.
Which I did not find amongst my neighbours. I am asking this question: isn’t Christianity making too much fuss over Israel and too little over the ones willing following in their Messiah’s footsteps?
Jews where I live now, just as forty years ago, are “better” than anybody else, while they complain about being oppressed, they are openly racist and very, very offensive in their conduct. To them, my language is “guttural” and they are very outspoken.
Yes, they need salvation but they have been willingly rejecting it all along. Isaiah 53 means nothing to them.
Yes, I share your concerns, maybe I have just seen too many times how well-meaning Christians waste time and money on them.
After all, there is a fiery hell prepared for those choosing to reject Jesus the Christ. It is their choice…….
Christians have to understand that Israel was reborn to be a place for the Jews to live. Messianic Jews do challenge the Jews over rights. They are considered traitors and hypocrites.
If they were just gentile Christians, you would not see this response.
An analogy: If some people moved into your house, claiming they had a right to be there because they were Christians also, but then practiced paganism, you would want them out of your house also.
http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/insideisrael/2009/June/Fountain-of-Tears/
ARAD, Israel – Sitting in front of a Holocaust survivor meeting face-to-face with Christ crucified in Rick Wienecke’s sculpture series “Fountain of Tears” is disquieting.
The sculptures are life-size, and this colossal stone and bronze monument invites solemn contemplation. View images of the sculptures here.
The crucifix is never an easy sight for Jewish eyes. Jews are vexed by the depiction of a crucified Messiah, which has more often than not symbolized the source of their own sufferings.
Kitti,
Why did you post this info on this page?
If there’s one thing I’ve learned about the Jews they don’t agree. Your response always surprises me. I always hope we will agree, but it never turns out that way. Sigh……………….
Often, within your posts, you give the impression/come across as being anti-jew. Your posts above come across as if you are implying that the Jewish people should be repentant…. and I am not going to go there…it is simply getting old. Have you overlooked or forgotten…”I will bless those who bless you and I will curse those who curse you”.
but Christ said the Jewish, Gentiles ,everyone would have to come to him first and accept him to get to the FAther…All people will… or did you forget?
and in my opinion, God is not talking about the Land of Israel but of Gods children ,which is anyone who lives for and believes in him, and worships Father ,Yeshua, and Holy Spirit…
Deb,
who are you directing the posts to?
In response to your above posts, G-d never forgot about Israel or Jerusalem. It IS all about Israel and Jerusalem. As gentiles, we are adopted and we are heirs, however, this does not mean that G-d has forgotten Israel-we would have to disregard about 90% of the scriptures if we ignored Israel!
In Genesis 12, G-d is talking to Abraham…his descendants and the LAND that G-d is going to give to Abraham…”and all peoples on earth
will be blessed THROUGH you.”
I am getting the impression that a lot of christians, think that they are THE ALL THAT ENDS ALL and FORGET that they are ADOPTED and if it weren’t for G-d’s chosen who denied his son which led to the crucifixion which led to salvation then we, as gentiles, would have never been given a chance, period. So the next time you see a Jewish person, you might want to say thank you! G-d will never forsake his FIRST LOVE-Israel.
….so much so that only 144,000 will be in heaven…..
It wasn’t God whom called us gentiles, it were the Jews! I honestly think that too much is being made of the physical Israel. Do you know how many today CLAIM to be Jews but got citizenship through other means?
I have been in mission work for 25 years and I grew up in a Jewish suburb, and now also live in one. All I can say: it takes two to tango.
I have “adopted” heart children whom I have excellent relationships with, very loving at that. I also have an own runaway child, whom went after those DENYING Christ jesus, whom had CHOSEN to go against her own salvation.
That is her choice……after too much pain, I now do as God did – just moved on and get over it.
Lyndsey;
I’m consistent and I want to know the truth. I can be trusted. I believe in confronting in love. You can interrupt it anyway you want. I’ve been interested in Israel and the Jews since I got saved in 1972. They are very central to the Bible. That’s why I study them. I’m watching and they know it. I’m tell them that all the time. Just like right now. God’s watching too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I don’t use that term: “Anti-semitism” anymore, because Arabs are semites. “I bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you” “With the Gospel of Jesus Christ” not American dollars and arms to kill other people. That is where I have changed. Israel will come to stand on it’s own with God’s help. Not on the almighty, corrupted United States. Gideon went from tens of thousands down to 300 righteous men.
We all get to heaven the same way. We all need repentance, including “The Jews”. I’m not going to be a wave of the sea tossed to and fro in my theology.
I was telling you how you come across, not just here but on other posts-anti-jew. This is the impression you have given of yourself. For you to post what you did on this particular subject of repentance combined with the holocaust and “vexed by the cross” sounded as if you were saying the Jews deserved the holocaust for their rejection of Jesus! This is wrong (to say it nicely) no matter how “consistent” you wanna be! Where we clash is that “I say it like it is” whereas you dance around and speak in “code”…..well, this is how your above posts were “decoded”. If this was indeed NOT your intent, you may want to step back and and evaluate your future posts.
Lyndsey;
It sounds like you are getting tired of me talking about the Jews all the time. You sound like my family.
Your perception of them is questionable.
Lyndsey;
You’re the only one saying these things. Otherwise I might take it a little more seriously.
There are a few Messianic Jews I’ve ran across on this blog. I believe their names are: madjewess (I think that’s her name) Lone eagle, Ruth and Gavriel. There might be others, that I’m not aware of. You have a right to your perception. I’ve gotten no correction from any of them. I really was expecting Gavriel to be a lot harsher on his reply to my posts on:
YOu can’t catergorize people. It’s a real education, separating all the groups. They can dress the same and be in totally different groups. Marianne doesn’t address this on any of the posts she does.
That’s actually what I’m trying to do, educate. You’re the only one objecting to it.
I would think you and Marianne would be interested in Pesecuted Messianic Jews or any people who are perscuted for their beliefs. These Messianic Jews have every right to live in Israel. That one woman in the video is from the “Haredi” community. She was in a previous video on https://heavenawaits.wordpress.com/fire-in-my-bones/
I don’t think all the “Jews” need to go through the Tribulation to fulfill my eschatology. I care about them just like anyone else. That’s “Anti-semitism” to leave them out. Michael L. Brown said that to Schmuley Boteach. Did you catch that in their debate. Have you watched it? Are you interested?
You have to be able to relate to them. If you don’t know what group they are from you will hit your head up against the side of the wall, like I do with Marianne all the time. Jews are being reached. That’s why they are being persecuted. To stop them. You Can’t stop God.
I’m not dancing around speaking in code. I’m just using someone else’s words to express my opinion.
I’m more interested in reaching the people viewing this blog than arguing with you.
Is that plain enough for you?????????????????????
kitti
I am interested in any person who is persecuted. But there are degrees of “persecution” as well.
The Messianic Jews cannot compare themselves to the Traditional Jews, who have been slaughtered and brutally mistreated for their beliefs. The Messianics, for the most part, just have to put up with some heckling, and maybe someone throwing something at them.
They still live there in Israel, can shop, live, get a job, and go to school, and serve in the military. No one is throwing them in concentration camps.
Also, the irritation goes both ways there in Israel. The Messianic Jews annoy the other Jews, and the other Jews annoy them.
I think what annoys the regular Jews is that the Messianics will not call themselves Christians. They claim they are still Jews. And Jews do not – by definition there – believe in Jesus. If the Messianics just called themselves Christians, I think there would be less trouble.
What about this Messianic Jew? He can’t compare himself to Traditional Jews who have been slaughtered and brutally mistreated for their beliefs. Obviously you don’t know about him at all.
http://www.foigm.org/zviimg596
Zvi In Israel
Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt; How he met thee by the way, and smote those behind thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God.
Deuteronomy 25:17–18
World War II is over. But I will never forget the terrible years I lived through the Holocaust. Many times I longed to die and envied those who went to their graves. Yes, I remember “Amalek.”
Then I came to this Promised Land, Eretz Yisrael, which God gave to Abraham (Gen. 13:14–17) and his descendants forever (Gen. 26:3–4; 28:13). He gave this land to my people, the Jewish people; but as soon as I arrived in 1947, “Amalek” was here and gave us no rest. Still, the Lord told us not to be afraid of our enemies: “For the Lord thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp, to deliver thee, and to give up thine enemies before thee” (Dt. 23:14).
I fought in all of Israel’s wars. And our enemies tried to butcher us and destroy us and cast us into the sea. We were so few, and they were so many. But still we are here. Why? Because the Lord fought on our side (Ex. 14:14; Ps. 124; Isa. 49:25). I have seen with my own eyes what great miracles God has done for us.
But few of the people who endured the Holocaust want to hear about God and His miracles. I speak to many who suffered in the death camps of Europe. Today they still suffer, but in a different way. When I began to talk to them recently about the Lord and the wonderful things He has done for us in Israel, several Holocaust survivors said to me, “You are one of those Christians, and you are trying to make us Christians.” They understand so little about true faith in the living God and are so afraid of Christians and Christian books.
So I showed them my Bible and began to read from Psalm 96:2–3: “Sing unto the Lord, bless his name; show forth his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his wonders among all peoples.” I told them it is our obligation as Jews to praise the Lord and speak of His miracles.
They said the Bible speaks about God, not about “this man,” meaning Jesus. I always wait for them to mention Christ, so they cannot accuse me of trying to make them Christians. They like so much to hear God’s Word from the book of Zechariah, but they cannot see the truth about whom the prophet speaks.
So I read to them Zechariah 12:10, which says that they will “look upon me whom they have pierced.”
“Please,” I said, “tell me about whom this is written.”
They looked at one another, and one replied, “Tomorrow, when we go to the synagogue in the morning to pray, we will ask our rabbi. He will give us the right answer.”
Several of their friends arrived, giving them more courage to argue with me. “Here is the Bible,” I said, opening to Isaiah 53. “About whom is this written” And I read,
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all (vv. 5–6).
They began eyeing me suspiciously, and one asked, “Which priest wrote this?”
“I am so glad you asked me this,” I replied. “Here is the Bible. You can see who wrote this and about whom it is written.” They continued to look at me, but no one said anything.
Finally someone broke the silence. “If you knew what we went through in the Holocaust, you would not try to come and speak to us about ‘this man.’”
“You think I do not know?” I asked. So God gave me an opportunity to tell them about myself and what I endured. I told them how I was orphaned at age 10 when the Nazis overran Poland; how I ran for my life for six long years, surviving only by the grace of God. I had no parents. I had no family. I was in the Warsaw Ghetto for a time and longed for death.
“Even with all this,” I said, “I have believed in Christ because He alone gave me peace in my heart. And I can stand here today and tell you that faith in Jesus is the only way to have true joy and be happy. It is only through Him that you can know God personally and be free from all types of superstitions that bring only hatred and fear, not joy or love.”
Then they asked me if I would give them my Bible. I did so with gladness. I pray that God will speak to their hearts as He spoke to mine about 50 years ago when I gave my life to Jesus Christ my Savior—my people’s only hope—though they do not understand that yet.
This man suffered as a Jew, not a Christian. There were no “messianic jews” in Poland. There were christians, and jews, that is it.
He did not suffer because he was a “messianic jew,” he suffered because he was a traditional jew. he must have converted later.
The Nazis were not targeting Christians unless they were helping the Jews.
“They still live there in Israel, can shop, live, get a job, and go to school, and serve in the military. No one is throwing them in concentration camps.”
They fire bombed that building in the video above and they also sent a bomb to another Messianic Family. Want me to post the video?
Gavriel is in the closet because he runs the risk of being persecuted. I haven’t heard him at all say he’s connected with any believers.
An Israeli told me you will always be a Jew no matter what you believe. He learned this from Rabbi Schneerson. The video has been removed from You Tube where the Rabbi makes the statement. So Brother Nathaniel is a Jew even if he’s a practicing Catholic. It’s only American Jews that have Identity Crisis when it comes to what they believe. Israelis don’t. It really touched my heart that he saw Jesus as a Jew. He claimed him as part of their community. The person they revile is “Paul”.
The argument here is valid. Jews are told by Messianics that they are incomplete, and not real Jews because they don’t believe in Jesus.
Judaism teaches that a man cannot be god. This is a violation of the faith.
So it is obvious that someone is either Jew or Christian. Not an in-between.
It tears apart the faith of Judaism, it is divisive, it is a belittlement, an intrusion, an insult to what Jews have believed for 4000 years.
Messianic have to admit they are really Christians, rather than misrepresenting Judaism. Most see them as deceptive, with an ulterior motive to convert by deceit.
It is hampering the cause of Christ to trick people into conversions, or to misrepresent the faith to “hook” people.
They should just be honest and say they are Christians.
http://www.canadianchristianity.com/cgi-bin/na.cgi?nationalupdates/030220survivor
IN MY recent trip to Israel, I met a remarkable and inspiring man named Zvi Kalisher. His life story is told in a book, simply named Zvi, which has been Friends of Israel’s best-selling book for more than 50 years. Zvi has gone through a number of publications, each adding another chapter of Kalisher’s life as he has lived it.
Zvi’s parents were rich Jews in Warsaw. When Hitler’s final solution became clear, and the Polish Jews were being rounded up and taken to death camps, Zvi’s parents put their pre-teen son into an orphanage — hiding his identity, and the fact he was Jewish.
The orphanage was used to recruit Polish children into the Hitler Youth. At first, Zvi was intrigued and wanted nothing more that to serve his new ‘Fatherland.’ He was thrilled to be given the opportunity to go with a large group to Germany. When they arrived, the bigger and stronger children were sent to forced labour camps. The smaller ones, like Zvi, were sent back to Poland; rumours quickly circulated that they were being sent to death camps — and the moment Zvi saw the opportunity, he escaped.
He survived the next several years by his daring and wits. Much of his time was spent smuggling food and weapons into the Warsaw ghetto, through the sewers. In some cases, these supplies were given to him through the Polish underground, but often, the brash, undersized lad stole them directly from the Germans — who never suspected this tiny waif.
‘Zvi Kalisher (7th from left) with several generations of his Messianic Jewish family.’
Once the war was over, and he confirmed that his family had been killed in the Holocaust, Zvi managed to get to a kibbutz in Northern Israel. He felt that he had nothing to live for — and volunteered for the most dangerous job in the army. He became an expert in dismantling bombs, land mines and booby traps. This became his occupation for the next 40 years, as Israel faced numerous wars and waves of terrorism. As Zvi wryly puts it, his job was one where you couldn’t make the same mistake once.
During the 1948 war, a tiny, ill-equipped Israeli army faced the combined force of highly trained, modern armies from many Arab countries — and the Israelis won. Zvi believed this was a miracle from God, and he wanted to know this God. Through a Christian witness, he met God — in the form of Jesus Christ. Zvi became a follower of the true Jewish Messiah — known in Hebrew as Yeshua.
And what a follower he became! Today, all of his children are in the Messianic movement — and have all risen to high ranks in the Israeli army. His son Menno leads the largest Messianic fellowship in Jerusalem; now his grandchildren are following his footsteps.
Zvi now spends his time encouraging Messianic Jews; building links with Christian Arabs; and continually witnessing to Orthodox Jews, secular Jews and to Muslim Arabs. It would be safe to say that literally thousands have been challenged by the gospel of Jesus Christ, through this one remarkable servant of Christ.
It was a miracle that Zvi survived World War Two, and that he survived 40 years in the most dangerous job in the world; but the greatest miracle of all are the many, many souls who have been won to Christ — and are still being won — through this one faithful believer.
I think they call themselves “Messianic” here.
Lai la Tov Mariane
inspiring story. 🙂
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