Tents of Mercy Congregation
Kiryat Yam, Israel

Thirty years ago we had no idea that this publication would endure, expand, and extend our words across the globe. I’m amazed and humbled to reflect on what God has done by bringing us together – using the simplicity of a “newsletter” – to create entire congregations, ministries to the poor, and raising up disciples of Yeshua in His land, Israel. So, I thought it would encourage our faith for the significant days ahead, to reflect on the privilege you’ve given us. Spanning thirty years and well over 1000 articles, we have expressed our hopes and dreams for Israel’s end-time awakening to Yeshua as our Messiah. You have allowed us to share our lives with you and God has joined our hearts in His prophesied plans at the climax of history!
How It Began
In 1993, my family and I had just made aliyah. We settled in Haifa, on Israel’s northern coast, from all the way across the world – Maryland, USA. Only a few short months after our arrival, I accompanied my wife Connie to the maternity ward on Mt. Carmel for the birth of our youngest child – the first native Israeli “sabra” in the family.
Just a half year earlier, Asher Intrater and his wife Betty had likewise moved here from abroad, bringing their four young children to live in Jerusalem. Our families joined millions on the epic journey of return prophesied by Moses, Isaiah and God’s prophets through the ages.
The Intraters and Shishkoffs had been sent out from the US by the “Tikkun” family of congregations. We were “returning from the diaspora” with our families. Our prayerful longing was to play whatever part God would put before us in the broader saga of restoration and redemption here in Israel, prophesied repeatedly in the Hebrew scriptures.
“For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God. I will save you from all your uncleanness.” (Ezekiel 36:24-29 NIV)
From our Messianic roots in the States, the “Tikkun Israel” contingent grew to include the Morrisons, Chopinskys, Santoros, Justers, Cantors and many others. In full partnership with you, over ten Tikkun-associated congregations and ministries have been planted and/or fostered during the ensuing years in the Galilee as well as the JerusalemTel Aviv corridor, impacting literally thousands of lives.
Joining in Mutual Faith for Restoration Both in Israel and in All Nations
Asher and I, together with Dan Juster, began serving you on the pages of this publication, a year before our move. We wanted to be a joint voice, lifted up from Israel. Already, we had been long-time partners in Messianic Jewish ministry in the greater Washington DC area. With fellow teammates, we adopted the name “Tikkun.” In Hebrew, the word means repairing or restoring. Hence, the title of this publication became “Israel’s Restoration.”
The concept of tikkun-restoration extends even beyond the miracle of rehabilitation for this specific stiff-necked people Israel, to include restoring the world and mankind, “tikkun olam.” This is a biblically-inspired concept going back in Judaism that points to the prophetic realization that God is in the process of restoring and redeeming humanity and even creation itself (Romans 8). Tikkun aims to cooperate with God in His restoration of the children of Jacob and of all nations. That’s why you also see the term Tikkun Global – whether it be for mutual faith-filled intercession between Israel and the nations, or balanced Hebraic teaching, personal relationships, live broadcasts, etc. By God’s grace alone, we seek to be “a global family contending for revival and restoration – from Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria to the ends of the earth and back again.”
“Ancient” History – Just Before the Internet
It’s hard to imagine, but three decades ago email was a brand new concept. The first major search engines such as Google had yet to be launched. Facebook and YouTube were still a decade away, and smartphones were not even a distant dream. So, we started with snail mail, and many of you have indicated that you still enjoy the token of physical connection between us that the printed pages provide. In this cyber era, the “magazine” also goes out via email and websites. The initial team of writers has grown to include the second generation of leaders who are now directly responsible in a day-to-day manner for all the Tikkun-related initiatives and ministries here in Israel. Our original aim was to inform, instruct, inspire, and involve you. These goals continue to motivate all of us, month after month, to share what God has placed on our hearts.

As founding editor, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to the vast number of contributing writers (whom I shall not even attempt to name) as well as editorial and graphic layout staff that worked at one time or another behind the scenes. These include: Susan Tolkein (z”l), Hannah Weiss, Michele Clark, Lynn Frederick, Lisa Hutcheson, Marty Shoub, David Coddington, Jose Lopez, Diego Polly, Joanna, Avichai, Leora, David S., and Orit.
I conclude by thanking you for your connection with Israel in general and with the Tikkun-related ministries specifically. You are all deeply appreciated! Here in Israel we are aware that the progress being made is due in large part to the partnership we so enjoy with you, in financial support and prayerful intercession.
With warm affection,
Eitan Shishkoff
On behalf of Tents of Mercy as well as all the Tikkun-related Israel ministries and congregations.