Hanukkah – A Window of Opportunity for the Gospel

Hanukkah and evangelism in the land of Israel

The whole nation of Israel celebrates Hanukkah, yet very few know that Yeshua himself also celebrated it.

This Hanukkah season we had the most wonderful opportunities to share the gospel of Yeshua with so many Israelis, showing them through the scriptures and history that Yeshua was one of them, celebrating the feasts of the Lord they themselves celebrate.

I open John 10:22 and show them what took place over two thousand years ago:

Then came the Festival of Dedication (Hanukkah) at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade.

John 10:22

In Hebrew, it is clearly written Yeshua was in Jerusalem on the occasion of Hanukkah, which surprises a lot of Israelis to learn Yeshua was indeed one of their own. He was no stranger to Hanukkah and celebrated it like the rest of his brethren of the people of Israel.

Their surprise opens a door of opportunity to share with them about Yeshua’s Jewishness, His roots and origin, as well as his 12 Jewish apostles.

Hanukkah is called a Festival of Light for a reason. It is additionally an amazing opportunity to share Yeshua’s light with the people of Israel.

In general, we have found that God is actually using His feasts, like Hanukkah, to reach people with the message of the Gospel and His love.

Please pray with us for the Israelis who had a chance to hear the gospel during this Hanukkah season, because revival is upon us here in Israel, and our prayer is that “…all Israel shall be saved.


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.