Creatively Sharing the Gospel
- Leon Mazin
- Jun 1
- 2 min read
Shavei Tzyon | Return to Zion Congregation
Haifa, Israel
We are so grateful for your support! We continue to face difficult times, with “wars and rumors of war” constantly hovering over our heads, and ask you to pray for God’s protection.
Recently we observed the Passover commemorative festival as the Bible commands. It is the first of God’s three major feasts. To this day families gather and observe it together with a meal and a retelling of the Exodus story.
The heart of our ministry is to serve, not only our families and congregants, but also the needy in our city. God tells us: “…then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone…” Therefore, our congregation reached out to help Haifa residents experience the joy of the feast. We provided a total of 250 Passover food-packages to families, Holocaust Survivors and elderly, women subjected to domestic violence, and families of children with cancer. We were honored to work in cooperation with the local municipality welfare services supplying them with 100 bags at their request.
We also arranged special activities for children in our congregation who were on vacation from school during the holiday. Look at the joy on their faces!
We are also glad to report that our daughter congregation in the Nazareth area recently hosted an Aleph Course for nonbelievers (Aleph being the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet and representative of a beginning). This is based on the Alpha Course concept – a series of informal and interactive small group sessions that introduce people to the basics of faith. It was originally developed in the UK and then spread worldwide.
Our Branch of Galilee Congregation is located in the city of Nof ha-Galil, a Jewish town adjacent to Nazareth and its Arab satellite villages in the Galilee. It is an important and strategic place in Israel, and it’s not easy to be a believer in Yeshua there.
As believers, we ask ourselves: “How can I share my faith sincerely, effectively and accurately?” There are many ways to do this, and the Alpha Course appealed to us as a creative and feasible option. We used the existing concept and adapted it to suit our cultural and religious needs – preserving the Jewish nature of the Scripture and Messiah while embracing the open and welcoming atmosphere characteristic of Alpha courses.
The program includes from 5 to 7 gatherings and features games, music, and meaningful discussions. Designed for a relaxed setting with a small group of participants, the emphasis is on relationship over numbers. After all, even in Yeshua’s time, thousands came to listen, but only a few immediately chose to follow. We remind ourselves that we are called not to be harvest inspectors, but seed-sowers in God’s field.
The Aleph Course was hosted in the congregational meeting hall in a hospitable atmosphere with food and music. The participants explored the story of the Creator’s restored relationship with His creation. At the end of the program some of them bowed their heads in repentance and invited Yeshua the Messiah into their hearts. We pray that the Lord continues to guide each of them, and we’re deeply thankful to everyone who supports this ministry through prayer. Let’s serve together in the vineyards of the Lord!
