Daniel and Sara Solomon

Daniel Solomon’s early years were shaped by the forces of history. After Daniel’s birth in 1938 in Africa to a secular Jewish family, his family moved to Provence in the south of France before the Second World War. Trapped in Europe by the awful events of the war, the Solomons were later able to return to Africa. After the war, they returned to France, where Daniel grew up.

Longing For Connection

The cultural form of Jewishness in which Daniel had been raised was unsatisfying to him. In 1954, he went on a “Jewish awareness trip” to Israel. Also on the trip was a young woman named Sara who caught his interest. He discovered that she was from Roanne, France, and that the two of them had quite a bit in common.

Sara was also born in 1938, into a traditional, Conservative Jewish home. She too had memories of moving with her family from place to place during the War, hiding from the Nazis.

Daniel became a convinced Zionist and “made aliyah” (immigrated) to Israel the following year. He settled in a kibbutz (a communal settlement) and became immersed in the pioneering life of a young Zionist.

Changing Circumstances and Spiritual Upheaval

One day in 1956, Daniel spied a familiar face on the kibbutz. It was Sara, who had come to Israel to live! Their friendship was reestablished-that and more. They fell in love, were married, and in short order had the first of their four children.

Life on the kibbutz proved disillusioning for the Solomons. After six years, they moved to a small village near Tel-Aviv, where Daniel started to work for IBM. They stayed in Israel for another four years, but life there now seemed empty. They saw no other choice but to return to France, where Daniel continued to work for IBM in Paris.

Life in France proved a more difficult adjustment than they had anticipated. Lack of social contacts and frequent night shifts for Daniel at work added to their difficulties. For a time, things seemed no better. Then, Daniel met Hugh Wessel, a young American worker at IBM. Hugh was a believer and challenged Daniel to read the entire Bible. Daniel accepted the challenge. Through Bible study and further discussion, Daniel received Jesus as his Messiah in September of 1973. Impressed with the changes in Daniel’s life, Sara took the same step of faith in 1974.

Ministry in Messiah

The Solomons’ relationship with Chosen People Ministries began through their daughter, Jenny-Karen, who lives in Germany. Jenny-Karen had met Vladimir Pikman, who directs Chosen People Ministries’ work there. Vladimir encouraged the Solomons to pray about starting a branch of Chosen People Ministries in France. Now this vision is beginning to come to pass.

Daniel is now engaged in theological studies, and Sara is eagerly looking forward to retiring from her job, at which time she hopes to become more active in ministry as well.

Looking back over their shared life, Daniel rejoices at how wonderfully God has led them over the years. As he says, “Who else but our heavenly Father can arrange things in such a marvelous way?”

Seeds Planted in French Soil

Harvesting souls for the Kingdom in France most often requires careful cultivation. We pray that when watered by prayer, much fruit will come, according to God’s will. Here are some of the seeds Sara and Daniel Solomon have planted in recent weeks:

We are sharing our faith with our neighbors, the N. family and their three grown children, by way of friendship. The topics of Israel, politics or other issues are always welcome. They are not yet receptive to the Gospel, but we are praying that they will be one day.

Mrs. E. is a lonely elderly woman. We often talk to her and are attempting to get to know her better. She has accepted us and our faith in Yeshua, but is still wrestling with the idea of Israel’s Messiah.

Mr. B. is a patissier (French for Master Baker) in Paris. He is spiritually very sensitive and has a vague awareness of what Messianic Jews are. He is preparing to “make aliyah” (immigrate to Israel). He is quite open to us and has a genuine desire to discover more of our message.