Yoel Ben David came to faith in Jesus in 2001 while living as an Orthodox Jew in Jerusalem and serving in the Rabbinical Corps during his mandatory military service. His knowledge and experience in the Orthodox Jewish world have been important to his ministry.

Yoel was raised in Europe but was born in Israel. He speaks English, French, and Hebrew. Yoel has always had the heart of a teacher. After earning a master’s degree in theology and leadership from Western Seminary, he served as the Jews for Jesus head of training for our missionary staff in Israel. Yoel now leads our work in Jerusalem, bringing the gospel back to the city where he first believed.

Yoel is married to Adel, who is also on staff, and they have four children.

Adel Ben David was born in Germany and immigrated to Israel after finishing high school. Adel and her husband, Yoel, came to faith in Jesus in 2001 while living as Orthodox Jews. Yoel has worked with Jews for Jesus for nearly 20 years and currently leads the work in Jerusalem.

In January 2018, Adel joined the staff to contribute to our Behold Your God campaign with her artistic talent. She paints and creates glass mosaics, though her main passion and skill is pottery. In Jerusalem, Adel uses these talents to host workshops and events that help facilitate gospel ministry. She also meets one-on-one with ladies in the city for discipleship. Adel speaks four languages: German, Russian, English, and Hebrew. She and Yoel have four children: Noa, Boaz, Nati, and Naomi.

Liz Stout was raised in Rochester, New York in a Messianic-Jewish family. She always knew the Lord, but only dedicated her life to Him on her 18th birthday. She received her bachelor of arts in religion and philosophy from Roberts Wesleyan College. She moved to Israel in 2005 to study for an MA in education at Tel Aviv University, where she met her husband, Simon.

For much of the last decade, Liz has been an elementary school teacher at a private Christian school. However, in mid-2019, she joined the Jews for Jesus family and now serves as a missionary in Jerusalem. Liz has a heart to see children come to know the Lord in a deep way, and to see them actively serving in their community. Liz asks that you please pray with her for the children whom she serves, that they will “dedicate their lives to the Lord and know His voice!” Liz and Simon currently reside in Jerusalem and have two young children.

Simon was born in Indianapolis, Indiana to a secular Jewish family. He always believed in God but had no real relationship with Him. After receiving his BSc in education from Indiana University, Simon moved to Israel in 2005 to study for an MA in education from Tel Aviv University. Little did he know that within a year, he would come to believe in Jesus as Messiah, meet his future wife (Liz), and put down roots in the Holy Land.

Simon taught English Literature at a public school in Tel Aviv for several years and then joined the Jews for Jesus family in 2015. Four years later, Liz and Simon were officially accepted as missionaries with the organization, and soon after, moved to Jerusalem to join our team in the nation’s capital. They are blessed to be able to love and serve people in their community.