Summer in the Cities

Summer is heating up – in more ways than one! Thousands of people are converging in New York City to see the many sites and wonders of this incredible place. In Los Angeles, the weather is getting warmer and people are seeking the beaches, cafes, and outdoor activities. These two cities have the highest Jewish populations in the United States: New York City has two million Jewish people and Southern California has over one million. Summer, when people are out and about, is the perfect time to share the message of Messiah as described in Isaiah chapter 53 with people all over the country.

Last summer, Chosen People Ministries initiated our Isaiah 53 campaign in New York. We plastered the city with bus ads, billboards, postcards, phone calls, invitations to events, book tables and more. The intent was to raise awareness within the Jewish community of the prophecy of Yeshua (Jesus) in Isaiah chapter 53. Contrary to common belief, most Jewish people do not have a working knowledge of the Bible for the simple reason that they don’t read it. Thus, many people have never heard of or read the prophecy in Isaiah 53. This prophecy is incredibly important because it describes someone who would die for the sins of Israel. If you were to show the passage to a Jewish person and not tell them where it came from, they would think it was from the New Testament because the “suffering servant” in the passage sounds so much like Yeshua. Many are surprised to find out that the Jewish prophet Isaiah wrote it.

We are continuing our campaign in New York City this summer. Many volunteers from all over the world are coming to New York to do outreach on the streets and through events. We will be setting up book tables in Central Park, Grand Central, Queens, Brooklyn, and many other locations, with signs that talk about Isaiah 53. The intent is to give curious passers-by a free evangelistic book called Isaiah 53 Explained, then follow up with then personally after they have read it. We are also producing videos for our website about how Isaiah 53 has influenced the life of Jewish believers.

Last year, we did a special Hebrew-speaking outreach to Israelis in New York City – and now we are taking it on the road to the city with the most Israelis outside of Israel – Los Angeles. There is said to be almost 100,000 Jewish people from Israel in Southern California. They usually congregate together, so it will be easy to go and speak with them. From the beaches of Santa Monica to West L.A. and the Valley, many believers will be part of our team visiting cafes and setting up book tables. L.A. is a perfect place to reach Israelis, because the pace of life in California is not as fast as in New York. This means that we can really talk with people in cafes and take our time as we share with them.

This summer is a wonderful time to do ministry! Please pray for us and the volunteers while we are seeking to share the Messiah with Jewish people all over the country. If you have a Jewish friend or relative who needs to hear about Messiah in a Jewish way from the Hebrew Scriptures, please visit www.Isaiah53.com. You can submit their name and Chosen People Ministries will send them a free copy of Isaiah 53 Explained.