CJF Ministries®PO Box 345 San Antonio, Texas 78292-0345 “God has not forgotten the Jewish people, and neither have we.”

Telephone (210) 226-0421

Fax (210) 226 - 2140

E-mail info@cjfm.org

OrderLine (800) 926 - 5397

Website www.cjfm.org

September 2015

Dear Haverim!

You’ve heard the expression, “Better to light one candle than to curse the darkness.” Well, these days it’s certainly tempting to curse the darkness, isn’t it? The evening news is full of murders, rioting, and moral depravity—evil of all kinds. While we may lament the growing evil in our world, we at CJF Ministries also see it as an opportunity. We choose to light a candle. Let me give you some examples:

The leaders of our Messianic assembly in Israel, Or Hagalil (Light of the Galilee), are partnering with Arab pastors to minister to some of the thousands of refugees fleeing the violence in Syria, which is further inflamed by ISIS. These mostly Muslim families are desperate for hope, and many are receptive to the message of God’s love. Along with the Gospel, we hope to provide basic humanitarian aid.

In Ukraine, we are partnering with local believers to help Christians impacted and displaced by the brutal fighting in Crimea and Eastern Ukraine. That ongoing war has affected more than 120,000 children alone.

Meanwhile, our field representatives around the world continue to carry out our primary mission: faithfully proclaiming the Gospel to the Jewish people. CJF Ministries also continues to conduct conferences in republics of the former Soviet Union, teaching their pastors about God’s plan for Israel and the Chosen People. These annual conferences not only promote Jewish evangelism but also help counter the latent anti-Semitism in that region. This year, at the invitation of local believers in Belarus, we will conduct another conference there.

Sadly, anti-Semitism is not just a problem in Europe and the former Soviet Union. Our university campuses are hotbeds of anti-Semitism and recently, even in our own city of San Antonio, two Jewish temples were tagged with hateful, anti-Semitic words and symbols. Satan is ramping up his efforts. And we are doing the same—thanks to your prayers and generous support. May God richly reward you for standing with us on behalf of the Jewish people. And may you shine the light of God’s love brightly wherever you go. Our dark world needs it!

In Messiah’s love,

Dr. Gary Hedrick

BE A LIGHT

London native Ruth Woods survived Hitler’s blitzkrieg, escaped a life of poverty punctuated by a violent and abusive father, studied to become a nurse/midwife, became fluent in several lan-guages, married, reared five children, published a number of books, and became a citizen of the newly reestablished nation of Israel. Oh, and along the way, this daughter of Abraham became a believer in Yeshua the Messiah. And for the last 25 years, she has been serving as a representa-tive of CJF Ministries.

Ruth tells the details of her amazing life in an autobiography penned for her daughter. She tells how, as a young child, she was sent into the English countryside to escape the German bombing of London. Before sending her off, Ruth’s mother had warned her, “Don’t tell anyone you’re Jew-ish.” And she didn’t. But her mother neglected to mention that Jewish children weren’t supposed to believe in Jesus. And so one day, when she was feeling very alone, Ruth found herself drawn to the beautiful music coming from a nearby Anglican church. The children of St. Gregory’s were singing sweet hymns about Heaven, and about Jesus and His love. Those believers at St. Gregory’s were the first to tell little Ruth about the Savior who loved her. Before long, she had accepted Ye-shua’s love and had begun to love Him in return.

After the war, Ruth returned to a terrifying life in her London home (for years, she and her siblings went to bed with rolling pins, butter knives, and glass milk bot-tles to protect themselves from their abusive father). Despite this environment, Ruth’s relationship with Yeshua grew, and she knew that she had been called to be a missionary to the Jewish people. Because of the family’s dire poverty, however, Ruth had to leave her promising academic life to help care for, and feed, her younger siblings.

photo by Georgia Heisler

Ruth periodically visits the House of Hope in Beth-lehem, a residential school run by Arab believers for blind and developmentally disabled children— mostly Muslim.

Eventually, Ruth was able to undergo training and preparation, including attending Bible college and nursing/midwife school. In 1965, she married Jewish believer Albert Nessim, and six years af-ter that, with three small children, emigrated to Israel. There, Ruth worked as a nurse/midwife and Albert found employment in the tax office. Initially, the Nessims had to be very discreet about their faith; the horrors of the Holocaust were still too fresh, and most Israelis blamed “Christians”—be-lievers in Yeshua—for the Shoah.

When Ruth and Albert’s faith became known, they were quickly targeted. Ruth was summoned and interrogated by the chief rabbi, and flyers were posted around town, warning others to stay far away from this “evil” woman and her husband. Despite this opposition, Ruth and Albert continued quietly sharing the Gospel with those who were interested. Their home in northern Israel became a meeting place, and a Messianic fellowship began to grow, with Ruth serving as a translator when necessary. Inquirers were always welcome, and even an Orthodox rabbi came to faith in their living room.

Over the years, Ruth has endured many and varied challenges. At times, she has been forced to take refuge in her home’s bomb shelter. Once, when rockets fired by Hezbollah rained down upon her city, one rocket struck and set fire to her oldest son’s apartment. By God’s grace, he was not badly injured.

In 2007, Ruth’s life and ministry changed dra-matically. Albert was hospitalized in Haifa for knee replacement surgery. In the hospital bed next to him was an unconscious and badly wounded Palestinian terrorist who had been caught in the crossfire between rival Hamas and Fatah factions. Keeping vigil at the man’s bedside was his younger brother, “ABDM,” also a hostile Palestinian.

photos courtesy of Ruth Nessim

Over the years, Ruth hosted many Passover Seders in her home. Those Seders drew both Jewish and Arab guests (saved and unsaved). Today, her Seders are more family oriented, while she shares in the con-gregation’s Seders conducted in their fellowship hall.

Whenever Ruth visited Albert, she looked for opportunities to share God’s love with this young Arabic-speaking man. With gestures, she asked if she could pray for his wounded brother. An-other time, she opened her purse and gave him money so that he could go home to the West Bank, change his clothes, see his family, and refresh himself. ABDM was stunned by Ruth’s kindness. He, along with most Palestinians, had been taught from childhood that all Jewish people hated him and would kill him—if given the chance. But Ruth’s love and acts of compassion completely melted his heart, and after Albert died unexpectedly, ABDM sought Ruth out so that he could offer his condolences. Since then, a deep and abiding friendship has existed between them. Their rela-tionship is an amazing example of the reconciliation possible only through Yeshua.

ABDM treats Ruth like his dearly beloved mother, and has written poems of great affection for her. He also began learning Hebrew! Unfortunately, his health today is not good; multiple strokes have severely affected his ability to speak and care for his wife and children. Miraculously, though, he and Ruth still manage to communicate by texting in Arabic. Although ABDM is receptive to the Gospel, he has never publicly proclaimed his faith. To do so as a Palestinian living in the West Bank might well mean his death, as well as that of his wife and children. Please pray for them and also for the widow and children of ABDM’s now deceased brother.

After Albert’s death in 2007, Ruth came to view Romans 1:16, “to the Jew first and also to the Greek,” as “to the Jew first, but also to the Arab and Palestinian.” She began studying Arabic, and reached out not only to Jewish people she met on the train, at the grocery store and the post office, but also to her Arab taxi drivers and repairmen. She began sharing her faith more freely with Muslims.

Today, the Messianic fellowship that began in the Nessim home meets in a separate building, but Ruth’s ministry continues. She visits elderly Jewish friends, and hosts a regular ladies’ Bible study, serving whenever and wherever she can. She also welcomes and hosts visiting missionaries, Bible professors, and even the occasional tourist.

In a region where hatred, suspicion, and violence are often a sad part of daily life, people of all backgrounds are hungry for real love and lasting peace. Today, they find it in the heart and life of a Jewish widow who, many decades ago, embraced Yeshua as her Messiah. May God continue to bless her work in the Land!

Note: Ruth (and Albert’s) journey of faith began when gentile believers in England shared the Gos-pel with them. Because of the faithfulness of those gentile Christians, the Gospel was eventually carried by the Nessims into Vancouver, Canada; the Land of Israel; and even to Palestinian Muslims in the West Bank. May this be an encouragement to us all!

R.A. Higbee

FUTURE ISRAEL—Why Christian Anti-Judaism Must Be Challengedby Barry E. Horner

Author Barry E. Horner writes to persuade readers concerning the divine validity of the Jew today (based on Romans 11:28) in the midst of this much-debated issue within Christendom. He examines the Bible’s teaching on the nation of Israel, the land of Palestine, and also its Judeo-centric eschatology—a unifying feature throughout Scripture.

Book (BB-168) 394 pages, $20

COMPLETE JEWISH BIBLEtranslated by David H. Stern

This Bible is the only English version of the Bible that is fully Jewish in style and presentation, and that includes both the Tanakh (Old Testament) and the B’rit Hadashah (New Testament).

Book (BB-67) 1,631 pages, $28

LIVING ON BORROWED TIME— The Imminent Return of Jesusby Dr. David R. Reagan

Can we know the date when Jesus will return? Can we know the season of His return? What are the key biblical signs of His return? What signs, if any, have already been fulfilled? Are there any signs that are unique to our day and time? What is the most convincing sign of the Lord’s soon return? Dr. Reagan answers all these questions and many more.

Book (BB-179) 310 pages, $14

BROADCASTS

September 2015

Resources

The Fall Feasts of Israel(September 9-29)by Dr. Gary Hedrick

This prophetic study shows how Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot are yet to be fulfilled as part of God’s promise to national Israel. CDs on the spring feasts are also available.

CD (GT-59CD) $18

Our Covenant-Keeping God(September 30—October 6)by Pastor Al Runge

The Bible describes several covenants that God has initiated with man, but what is a covenant? How do we keep our side of a covenant? Are all of God’s covenants conditional on how we respond? Pastor Runge answers these and other questions on this subject.

CD (ART-12CD) $6

Our relationship with believers in Belarus has grown steadily over the past several years—ever since a Baptist congregation in Minsk offered our Messianic Jewish fellowship a place to meet. Technically, the Belarusian constitution guarantees religious freedom, but the reality is much different. Religious minorities (including evangelicals and other protestants) suffer significant persecution. Their activities are limited, and all religious groups must register with the government (not an easy task). Many groups not already owning property find it virtually impossible to obtain permission to buy or rent a suitable place to meet.

Since we began partnering with the Baptist Union, a number of their pastors have not only joined us on tours to Israel, but also have undertaken outreach ministries to Jewish communities in Belarus, Ukraine, and Russia. At their invitation, we have conducted several conferences to educate their pastors on God’s plan for the Jewish people. As we teach from the Scriptures, we also strive to counter lingering anti-Semitism and the errors of replacement theology. These conferences draw an average of 200 pastors and some wives.

This month, we will conduct our fifth such conference—our second in Belarus (we have met previously in Russia, and twice in Ukraine). These conferences are quite expensive, but we believe the cost is worth it. And from the strong response we receive from local pastors each year, they seem to feel it is worth it, too. These conferences wouldn’t be possible, of course, without your help and financial partnership. We look forward to giving you a full report of this year’s conference in our next newsletter. God always does amazing things. We still marvel at our “chance” encounter in Russia with a dear 100-year-old sister who had come to faith listening to our shortwave radio broadcasts back in the 1960s. And she was not alone. We learned that many others were listening, too. You just never know what will grow from the seeds you plant.

• There are now 500 Arab (Aramean) Christian volunteers serving in Israel’s military. Military service is not mandatory for Arab citizens, but more and more Christian Arameans are stepping forward to defend their country along with their Jewish counterparts. Pray for them and for the Messianic Jewish believers who also serve in the IDF. May they prove to be good soldiers and a light wherever they go.

• New technology has enabled scholars to read a charred fragment of a scroll found 45 years ago among the ruins of a burned-out, sixth-century synagogue at Ein Gedi. Although the fragment is much too charred to be unrolled or read, 3D scanning technology by Merkel Technologies Company Ltd. in Israel and digital imaging software developed by Professor Brent Seales from the University of Kentucky have recently allowed scholars to digitally “unroll” and read the 1500-year-old scroll. What does it say? The scroll’s text is an exact, word-for-word rendition of Leviticus 1:1-8 as found in the Hebrew Bible today! It is yet another proof that God’s Word is living and active. It is interesting that this section of scroll talks about the sacrifice that provides atonement! (Taken from a story reported by oneforisrael.org.)

Other NewsBELARUS CONFERENCE

DID YOU KNOW?

Venue for September 2015 conference in Minsk.courtesy of Gennady Brutsky