A Rabbi’s Journey

I first met Attila at a Jewish youth camp 12 or 13 years ago; we were both teaching at Jewish schools back then. We next met in 2011; Attila had given up teaching to become a journalist, and I had begun working with Jews for Jesus. He asked me for an interview and wrote a very fair article, “Who is Jews for Jesus” that was published in a well-known newspaper.  In 2016, Jews for Jesus had a joint campaign with International Mission to Jewish People (IMJP, formerly CWI) and Attila stopped to chat with one of our volunteers, saying that he “believed in Jesus.” I heard about it and got back in touch with him; He explained that by “belief in Jesus” he meant “great respect.”

Currently Attila is about to graduate from a rabbinical academy—and is already serving as the spiritual leader of a congregation whose members include converts to Judaism, people with one Jewish parent, Jewish people who hint at believing in Jesus, and non-Jews who openly believe in Jesus and have a special love for Jewish people and want to learn more about the Jewish roots of their faith.  

I have a particular burden to witness to rabbis and have been praying for Attila all these years. In a recent meeting with him he described Jesus as his role model, and said, “I believe he should be the role model for all rabbis.”  Attila knows that Jesus claimed to be the Messiah, but he says, “I will only know for sure who Jesus is when I see him at his second coming.”

Please pray that God will reveal the truth about the Messiah to Attila before the second coming! And thank you for being part of his journey to faith through your partnership with Jews for Jesus!

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