Menorah Ministries - Epistles - Rabbi John Fischer's Menorah Ministries

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ARCHIVE: DECEMBER 2000

Kislav 5761

FROM HOLIDAY TO HOLIDAY:
A REPORT FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD

it was Sukkot when John left, the opening days of November when he returned, but the time sped by too quickly. The trip included three major centers of Jewish people historically - Moscow, Budapest, and Odessa - which have all become major centers of Messianic revival in the last five to ten years. Shortly after the fall of communism, God began to move in a very special and powerful way among the Jewish people of Eastern Europe and former Soviet Union. Hundreds and thousands of Jewish people were accepting Yeshua as Messiah; congregations were springing up almost overnight. There was a desperate need for leadership and for training. As a result, several Messianic schools were launched. Three of these are in Moscow, Budapest, and Odessa, sponsored by the MJBI. (Another is the one Patrice and John taught at 2 1/2 years ago in the Ukraine.) No one knows the exact number, but there are probably over 50 Messianic congregations in the former Soviet Union and Easter Europe - most of them less than five years old - with fellowships and groups just waiting for leadership in order to get started. The congregation in Kiev, the home of Patrice's grandparents has over 1500 members! On the way to the classes in Odessa, John passed the building that housed the Messianic synagogue of Odessa from 1904-1921, when the Communist revolution ended its existence. (Russia and Hungary both had Messianic synagogues in the 1800's!)

The twenty or so students in Moscow came not only from Russia, but also from Estonia, Siberia and Khazakstan. One girl even came from north Siberia and was called by the Russian word for Eskimo! The trip to Moscow climaxed with John preaching at Shomer Yisrael, the Moscow Messianic congregation, during Simhat Torah, the tremendous celebration that concludes the holiday of Sukkot (Tabernacles). [You can order John's booklet The Meaning and Importance of the Jewish Holidays in the LIBRARY AND SCRIPTORIUM.]

The rabbi apologized because there were only about 200 in attendance. The rest were at a conference. During the service, they commissioned about 20 people for a special mission to Finland. This was a congregation established by Mike Becker, a friend who had been a co-founder - along with John and Patrice and another couple - of the Messianic synagogue Eve attends in the Chicago suburbs. It was a special experience for both John and Eve (who had joined John for the last couple days in Moscow).

John and Eve then went to Budapest, where they were joined by John's Mom. But we'll tell you about this very special time in our next sletter. After a truly tremendous time in Budapest, it was back home for Eve and Mom, and off to Odessa for John to teach once more. There, 70 students greeted him. They were from a variety of places: Ukraine, Russia, Moldova, Amrenia, and Georgia (the "Russian" version). It was three very "packed" days of teaching, which also included one delightful afternoon. That afternoon was spent counseling and encouraging the representatives of 9 Messianic synagogues and fellowships in the Ukraine. These were peoples who had taken their lead and direction from John and Patrice's teaching in the Ukraine 2 1/2 years before! John felt like sort of a "Pappa" to them. These are the same people who have translated Menorah Ministries' materials into Russian.

The entire trip was a fantastic adventure made possible by your prayers and involvement. But, perhaps the various students best express the potential impact we all - you and we - have had in this part of the world where God is doing such wonderful, exciting things.

A Moscow student: "We really need your teaching. It was like a breath of fresh air, like a drink of cool water."

An Odessa student speaking for the rest: "Thank you for your profound and powerful teaching. It will last us a lifetime."

We all want to thank the people of MJBI (too many to name here) and thank you for making this trip possible by your faithful prayers and giving. We would ask your help in one further matter. The people of MJBI were very gracious hosts in housing and feeding us. However, being a faith-based ministry themselves, they were not able to cover the costs of our transportation and visas. These costs exceeded $3500, $500 of which a couple of you have already contributed. We would ask that you help us out with the rest. Thank you so much for being part of our Menorah Ministries team!

By the way, the course John taught in all three schools was apologetics, a course which goes through the historical and "scientific" evidences for a biblical faith. The point of the course is to be able to clearly demonstrate that the central reality of the Bible actually took place in human history. That core truth is that God himself tore open the heavens and personally invaded planet earth; he entered human history as a tiny baby in a Jewish village on the first night of Hunaukkah over 2000 years ago! Have a marvelous Hanukkah and Christmas!

Love in Yeshua our Messiah,

The Entire Fischer Family

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