Answering God’s Call to Jewish Missions: Meet Your New Jewish Missionaries

As part of our five-year global vision, The Nets Are Breaking, we are trusting God to help us train and deploy 50 new missionaries around the world by 2030. And thanks to the prayers and support of partners like you, we are already over a third of the way towards that goal!

This year’s cohort of missionary trainees includes passionate evangelists from different countries and backgrounds. Many are first-generation Jewish believers in Jesus. Each has a unique story of how God revealed the Messiah to them, transformed their life, and called them to make him known.

Jewish evangelism requires patience, sensitivity, biblical knowledge, and an understanding of Jewish culture and community. That is why missionary training with Jews for Jesus is rigorous, intensive, and usually takes 12–18 months to complete. Trainees study Jewish culture, thought, and history; Messianic prophecy; evangelism; and other subjects that prepare them for ministry.

And their learning isn’t limited to lectures and textbooks. Trainees typically devote about half their working hours to coursework and half to hands-on ministry with Jewish people. Each of our trainees is already active on the mission field proclaiming the Messiahship of Yeshua around the world.

Here are just a few of the missionaries currently preparing for ministry life:

Daniel McIlhiney

Daniel grew up in a Jewish family in London and attended a Reform synagogue. When he was 15, a chance encounter with missionaries prompted him to investigate the historical evidence for the resurrection of Jesus. Through that search, Daniel became convinced that Yeshua is the Jewish Messiah.

After studying theology at the University of Oxford, Daniel worked in politics as a consultant, spokesperson, and lobbyist. He also wrote extensively about theology and freedom of religion or belief.

Daniel previously served with Jews for Jesus in Budapest and now ministers in London. His focus includes building community among young Jewish professionals and introducing them to the love of Jesus. He and his wife, Kylie, live in London.

Abigail Hammond

Abigail grew up in Illinois in a Messianic Jewish family where Shabbat and Jewish holidays were celebrated with Jesus at the center. From a young age, Abigail understood that she could not save herself from sin and placed her faith in Jesus.

After graduating from Florida College in 2023, Abigail spent a gap year pursuing ministry opportunities. These included an internship and a mission trip to Israel and India with the Jews for Jesus Massah program. Through those experiences, she sensed God calling her to serve with us full time.

Today, Abigail serves in Los Angeles, where she focuses on reaching Jewish students at UCLA and engaging with the surrounding community.

Roman Beloglazov

Roman was born in Uzbekistan and grew up in northern Israel in a secular Russian-Jewish home. After moving to Canada at 16 in 2010, he began a years-long search for truth through science, philosophy, and personal achievement. None of it satisfied his deeper questions.

Eventually, Roman opened the New Testament for the first time and recognized its message as true. A few months later, he placed his faith in Jesus. Two weeks later, his girlfriend at the time (and now wife), Kendal, did the same.

A visit to Israel in 2023 stirred Roman’s desire to bring the gospel to his Jewish people. Today, he serves with Jews for Jesus Canada in Toronto, building relationships, co-leading Bible studies, and supporting local ministry.

Roman speaks Hebrew, Russian, and English and brings a wealth of experience to ministry. This summer, Roman and Kendal also welcomed their first child, Lillian.

Jonathan Arnold

Jonathan grew up in a secular Jewish family in Israel and spent years searching for spiritual answers. In 2002, at age 21, Jonathan found what he was seeking in Yeshua the Messiah, revealed through the Hebrew Bible and New Testament.

He went on to earn a degree in biblical studies and spent 11 years teaching hermeneutics at an Israeli Bible college. He also served for 10 years as a pastor in northern Israel and is now pursuing a master’s degree in Old Testament studies at Bar-Ilan University.

Because of his extensive pastoral and theological background, his focus in training with Jews for Jesus is on our evangelism approach and methods.

Jonathan has a particular desire to equip Israelis called to ministry to teach God’s Word with passion and clarity. We are thrilled that he will bring that passion and experience to his role leading our church planting network.

 

These four new missionaries represent just a small part of a growing generation of evangelists preparing to proclaim the gospel to Jewish people.

Please pray for Daniel, Abigail, Roman, Jonathan, and our other missionary trainees. Pray that God will strengthen them as they complete their training, deepen their love for his Word, and prepare them for fruitful ministry. And pray that through them, many Jewish people will hear the good news of Jesus and put their trust in him.