FROM ISREAL TODAY

Israeli believers share the Gospel via the Internet
Israelis spend more time online than anyone else, so what better way to reach them?

The community of Messianic Jews (Jews who believe in Jesus) in Israel is becoming increasingly bold. Whereas past decades had seen the bulk of evangelical work in Israel done by foreign Christians, the breaking down of certain societal barriers in recent years has brought the local Body of Messiah to the forefront.

No longer are Israeli Messianic Jews seen as pariahs by the majority of average Israelis. Opposition to Messianic Jews by radical ultra-Orthodox elements has increased, and even reached violent levels, but that is only further evidence that Israeli believers are really coming into their own, a fact the enemy does not appreciate.

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On sale now at the Jerusalem Depot >> As part of that newfound boldness, a group of Israeli believers in Jesus are turning to the Internet to spread the Good News. The founders of the website One for Israel (who declined to reveal their personal identities for fear of attacks by anti-missionary groups) note that "Israelis spend 57.5 hours a month online, double the amount of time that Americans spend."

And many of those Israeli online surfers are looking for more than just entertainment. "The phrase 'messiah' in Hebrew is searched for 145,000 times a month," One for Israel explained.

In response to those numbers, One for Israel created a series of websites, including:

■iGod.co.il - Jewish, science and philosophical apologetics
■medabrim.org.il - video testimonials from Israeli believers
■xRabbi.co.il - testimonies of rabbis who have come to faith in Jesus
■newlife.org.il - an online film about Jesus
The sites are not yet pulling in any major traffic, but advertising campaigns on Facebook (an Israeli favorite) and other social media platforms is starting to bring in a trickle of those curious to find out more about faith in Jesus.

And, again, One for Israel is just one example of increased Messianic activity in Israel. We highlighted another example, the growth of Messianic education in Jerusalem, in our latest issue of Israel Today.

You can help support the Messianic community in Israel by visiting our Jerusalem Depot online store and purchasing items from our selection of Messianic art, jewelry and books - all made in Israel!