Sometimes life can become very challenging, to the extent that you start reassessing your situation in a new light, deciding on a new direction for your life entirely. Such was the case with Shoshana and her husband Dima when the war broke out in Ukraine. They came to the conclusion almost overnight that the time had come to make a change, and so one year ago they made arrangements to make aliyah (Jewish immigration to Israel) to start a brand-new life in the Holy Land.
Since Shoshana and her husband aren’t young anymore, it was quite a challenge to start rebuilding their lives in a new country, especially in a difficult nation like Israel. When they arrived in Israel, Shoshana and Dima stayed with friends in Ashdod until they found a place of their own.
These friends of theirs were already familiar with the compassionate care and support that Beit Hallel offered to refugees and immigrants in need, and subsequently referred them to our team at Beit Hallel. Tamara and her husband immediately began to communicate and joined us for a number of our events to connect with other new immigrants to make new friends and find acceptance. They particularly enjoyed our evangelism events and our Biblical tours to Jerusalem, as a hunger for God was awakened within them.
Shoshana and Dima had always struggled with the concept of a loving and good God, but yet, at our events they saw a different God revealed to them. They experienced the love of Yeshua firsthand and was deeply moved by it. As such, Shoshana and Dima scheduled a follow-up meeting with us to discuss some questions that were on their hearts. Our follow-up team members of Hanna and Eliezer sat down with them to answer their questions and to pray with them at Beit Hallel.
They asked about the path of salvation and of heaven, and what was required of them. We shared from the Word of God on all of their questions, and also shared our personal testimonies of salvation. What struck Shoshana and Dima the most, was the fact that redemption was a free gift, and that you only had to earnestly repent of your sins, and in faith receive Yeshua as your Lord and Savior. Shoshana and Dima responded that they were ready to make that decision, and that it was what they have been searching for all their lives. We all held hands and they prayer the prayer of repentance with us.
Their faces radiated peace after they accepted Yeshua, and they had big smiles on their faces. We encouraged them to regularly attend our Shabbat services to continue growing in the faith, and to study their new Bibles daily. Shoshana and Dima also found friends among the believers from our community and continue to build healthy and encouraging friendships. They’re a completely different couple then the ones we saw at our first meeting. Praise the Lord!
Beit Hallel is a Messianic Jewish congregation in Ashdod, led by pastor Israel Pochtar, serving holocaust survivors and the poor and needy locally and throughout the nation of Israel, while building up the body of Messiah in the promised land of Israel.