The December Dilemma

Last Saturday night Jews for Jesus Hosted a Public Event called; The December Dilemma.  Our guest speaker was Garrett Smith who has written a book titled: Comfortably Jewish.  The  topic was how mixed couples (Jewish and Non-Jewish) can navigate through the holidays.   Three unbelieving Jewish men did attend.  One of them with his non-Jewish finance. Garrett shared his personal testimony. Please pray these three men will consider Jesus for salvation and have the greatest holiday season ever!

Thanksgiving Day

This was a Thanksgiving like no other for the Weinisch Family. First of all our son Jonathan was not with us.  We sure did miss him.  He was in Charleston, SC working at Starbucks and then joined friends for Turkey dinner.  Melissa was able to take a week off from her work and school in San Francisco to be with us.  What joy!

Here in NYC Jews for Jesus held an event.  Volunteers came alongside our staff to distribute Broadsides (Gospel tracts) at the Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade.  We had 9 teens who came from NJ, NY and Washington DC  to participate in this outreach.  We are encouraged by the servant attitudes of these young men and women.  Imagine being 16 years old and going to NYC to put on a Jews for Jesus T-shirt to hand out tracts in public view.  We were blessed to see them press in and stand for the name of Jesus. And by the way...more than 13,500 Gospel Tracts were distributed along the parade route!

Meanwhile, Shosh and a team of wonderful ladies were busy in the kitchen preparing a turkey dinner for 53!  Isn't it a blessing to serve the Lord with our gifts, abilities and availability?  God is faithful to put to good use whatever we offer.  "Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship."  Rom. 12:1

Maybe next year you will join us!  We praise God for bringing us to NYC where we can be used to the Glory of God.  Thank you for your prayers and support.  We count it a privilege to be your ambassadors here in NYC to the Lost Sheep of the House of Israel.

The Mitzvah Tank on Park Avenue

Walking home from a visit today I spotted the "Mitzvah Tank".  Being curious I ventured to the other side of the street to see what was going on.  Four young Hassidic Men were asking people,  "are you Jewish?".  I now realize this happens every Friday (Shabbat).  I was approached and I stated, "Yes, I am Jewish, and I believe Jesus is the promised Messiah of Israel."  I continued, "Who do you think Jesus is?"  The young man replied, "a Jew".  We spoke for the next 45 minutes.  He tried to convince me to study Talmud (Jewish commentary on the Hebrew Scriptures) and I challenged him to read the Hebrew Scriptures to discover the criteria for the Messiah of Israel.  It was a good conversation.  We covered a lot of ground.  Please pray for this young man.  He is just 21 years old and has a zeal for God but without knowledge.  He said he would read Psalm 22.  He took my contact information to email me a verse from the Jewish Bible which tells us to follow the Rabbis.  I told him no such verse exist.  Please pray he does email me so that our dialog can continue.  And of course pray the eyes of his heart open to spiritual truth.

You Are Invited!

Thanksgiving Day Sortie (Outreach)

We will be standing for Jesus at the Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade.  Each year our Jews for Jesus staff along with a team of volunteers hands out Gospel Broadsides at this televised event.  If you want a real adventure this Thanksgiving consider joining us. After our "Sortie" we will return to the NYC Branch to share a Thanksgiving meal together.  If you are interested,  plan on attending the Jewish Evangelism Seminar.

Jewish Evangelism Seminar

On Saturday, Nov. 20th from 9am to 1pm we will have a Jewish Evangelism Seminar at our Branch on 31st Street.  Even if you can't join us for Thanksgiving Day you may want to attend so that you are better equipped to give an answer to Jewish people who ask, "How can you be Jewish and believe in Jesus".  If you would like to attend, please call Stewart at: 843-509-1482.

Reconciliation - Jewish Palestinian Reconciliation | The Lausanne Global Conversation

This is a conversation between A Palestinian Christian and A Messianic Jew who both live in Israel.
Very encouraging! Reconciliation - Jewish Palestinian Reconciliation | The Lausanne Global Conversation

An afternnon in The Diamond District

This past Wednesday, Stewart and I handed out broadsides in the Diamond District.  This is one long block on 47th Street between 5th and 6th Avenues in Midtown Manhattan.  The block is lined with high end jewelry stores owned and operated by religious Jews.  There is a constant  flurry of activity.  Men transacting business on the street with a lot of handshaking going on.  I (Shosh) admit to being nervous as we walked to the location. We were a team of four wearing Jews for Jesus garb.  No mistake about who we were!  Just walking the street caused a response.  People looked at me chin down, eyes up to read the words printed on my jacket and tract bag:  Jews for Jesus.  I heard a few mutter as they passed me, "Jews for Jesus", with disgust.  Most people would not take our broadsides (tracts) but I did manage to give out 150 pieces of literature titled:  "Jesus made me Kosher"  Check out this JFJ Animated Version of "Jesus Made Me Kosher"   Please pray for those we spoke with, gave broadsides too, and who saw the name of Jesus and muttered.

Praising God for you.

A Walk in the Park

One of the things we love about living in NYC is that we can walk just about everywhere. And, we have subways, buses and Cabs for back up!   Today I took a walk through Central Park just in time to catch a performance by "Breeze"  a 10 member Break Dance Troupe. 

 This Orthodox Family was watching the performance.  God is giving us a love and burden for the Orthodox people.  Will you pray that we have more opportunity to speak with these precious lost sheep of the house of Israel about their Messiah?

And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: Deut. 6:6

Friday I (Shosh) was on my way home from a visit with a Jewish Believer when I noticed two Ultra Religious young men working the corner of Lexington and 50th Street.  I stopped to see what they were doing and this is what I heard,  "Are you Jewish?"  "Are you Jewish?"  they asked every man who passed.  One man replied,  "Do I look Jewish?"  I wanted to get a photo of them interacting with the public so I grabbed my camera and tried to be discreet.  Well that didn't work. They struck a pose.


We all smiled and they continued to ask the men passing by if they were Jewish. I just couldn't get myself to leave the corner so continued to take photos.  Then the young man (on the right) approached me,  "are you Jewish""  "Yes, I am" I replied.  "I am Jewish, and I believe Jesus is the promised Messiah of our People".  "Who do you think Jesus is?" I asked.   He replied, " A Jew".  "You are correct, and he met the criteria outlined in the Tenach (Hebrew Scriptures) which describes the Messiah".  Our conversation lasted about 15 minutes.  I asked him if he was familiar with Psalm 22. He wasn't. He told me I needed to study the oral law and Ram Baam (a Rabbi of great influence in Orthodox Judaism) to understand Messiah.  I told him everything I needed to know about G-d I could learn from the Hebrew Scriptures.  It was a great conversation.  I will not recount all the details.  I did challenge him to think for himself.  I said, "you believe all you have been taught by men".   If you study the Hebrews Scriptures and ask G-d to teach you the truth about Messiah, he will "  Please pray this young man will consider real truth. 

These men were asking Jewish men to "lay tefillin".  If you want know more about that check out this link:
http://www.Why Jewish men lay tefillin

An Unavoidable Issue

Jews for Jesus Mission Statement 

We exist to make the messiahship of Jesus an 

unavoidable issue to our Jewish people worldwide.

As missionaries with Jews for Jesus in New York City we do a lot of seed sowing.  Each week Stewart and I (Shosh) stand on street corners or in subway stations offering broadsides to everyone willing to receive them.  We don't always see results from our labor. But we press on believing God is at work.  

This evening we got together with Jeff and Maureen.  Fifteen  years ago Jeff and Maureen walked into Beth Messiah Messianic Congregation in New Jersey where we served.  They were looking for those "Jews for Jesus". At that time Jeff was not a believer.  It wasn't long before Jeff prayed with Stewart to receive Jesus. Since that day Jeff and Maureen have faithfully attended and served at Beth Messiah.

Maureen and Jeff  heard of Jews for Jesus for years before they went to Beth Messiah.  Jeff told us he had been at an art show exhibiting his work when a "Jews for Jesus" woman engaged him in a conversation.  Maureen doesn't remember exactly how she first heard of Jews for Jesus.  She may have received a broadside.  However it happened the issue had been raised.  And in God's perfect time salvation came. 

"Moreover it is required in stewards, 

that a man be found faithful."  1 Corin. 4:2

 Maureen, Stewart and Jeff 

 Jews for Jesus Branch in NYC     

Take Me Out To The Ball Game

When we go to Yankee Stadium it is not always to attend the game.  Rather, we stand outside the gates and offer the Gospel to all who will receive.   NYC is buzzing with baseball fever!  We take every opportunity to be where the masses are to hand out Gospel broadsides.  This week the place to be was Yankee Stadium On Monday the crowds were excited. (Texas Rangers won 8 to 0). On Tuesday the fans were a bit somber and the Yankees lost again.  On Wednesday the crowd was determined and so were the Yankees.   We handed out a Broadside titled:  NY Baseball Trivia.  "Oh yeah give me one of those!" is what many said to me as I offered the Good News.  One thing we have noticed while on "Sorties", more young Orthodox men are asking for our Broadsides (literature).  We have a sense there is a supernatural movement of God upon the young Orthodox community.  This may be next window of opportunity of Salvation for our people. 

 Praying before we begin our Sortie

  Shosh

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. 

For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:17-18