In the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, multitudes of Ukrainian Jews have been embarking on a second exodus to Israel, to launch down new roots in the land of their forefathers.
Yulia is one such lady who made aliyah to Israel a few months ago from the war-torn region of Kherson in Ukraine. Yulia, along with her daughter and son, had opted to settle in Ashdod and was in dire need of emotional and spiritual support as they acclimatized to Israeli culture and sought to find their place in this new land.
One of Yulia’s friends, who had been living in Ashdod for several years, referred Yulia to Beit Hallel as a place where she would be received with open arms and welcomed as a member of the Beit Hallel family.
After our outreach team had spoken to Yulia over the phone, they invited her to visit us as Beit Hallel, to meet our team and to discuss in more detail how we could be of help to her and her family. The next week when Yulia arrived at Beit Hallel, she was warmly received by Chaim and Miriam who sat down with her over a cup of coffee.
They talked about Yulia’s experience living life in Israel and they shared their own experiences getting used to life in Israel, as they had also been new immigrants many years ago. Yulia was feeling very discouraged and felt that she sorely lacked direction and hope in her life. Miriam and Chaim shared their testimonies of salvation with Yulia, how they had found hope eternal through faith in Yeshua, the Jewish Messiah of Israel. Yulia listened with interest and was visibly touched by their testimonies. Yulia admitted that she had always searched for God and the promise of life that He offered, but she had never really known how to approach Him.
Chaim and Miriam then spoke with Yulia about the repentance of sin, and accepting Yeshua as Lord and Savior through faith and the words of her mouth. They spoke about how Yeshua had come as the spotless Lamb of God to take out sins upon Himself, and to take our punishment upon Himself, opening the way to Father for us. It is a free gift and we are to just accept it by faith!
For Yulia the “lights went on” and she knew that this was what she had been searching for her whole life.
She understood that she needed Yeshua, and as this realization hit her, she was flooded with peace. Yulia then prayed along with Chaim and Miriam and repented of her sins and accepted the Lord into her heart. Yulia had come home to Yeshua, and she felt as if a fountain of joy had sprung up within her. She received her very first Bible from them, and they invited her to attend one of our home groups, as well as our Shabbat services, for which she was very grateful.
We praise God for another child of the King who has come home to Him, being redeemed in the land of Israel!
