More Israelis than Ever Are Seeking Spiritual Answers

By God’s grace and with plenty of prayer and generous support from partners like you, we opened “Moshava Coffee” at our newly renovated center in Greenwich Village in December 2022. We specifically chose our location as a great way to connect, not only with Israelis, but with New York University students just down the street, as well as local Jewish people who are interested in the arts.

We’ve always had a small but steady trickle of Israelis coming in to chat with us. Moshava is the Hebrew synonym for “Village”—so our name lets people know that they are likely to meet fellow Hebrew speakers, and that includes me, an Israeli who moved here three years ago.

When Chaim and Vered left Israel and joined our New York team in July 2023, they began attending various gatherings in the city, meeting other Israelis living abroad.

But once October 7 happened, ministry changed drastically for all three of us.

Chaim, Vered, and I were brokenhearted and shocked for Israel, our homeland, and we knew that thousands of other Israelis living in NYC were feeling the same. While we have hope as believers, we still felt a strong need to connect with others who could identify with the feelings of pain and loss we too were experiencing. Two days after the war broke out, Chaim, Vered, Adina (who works part time at our gallery), and I simultaneously came up with the idea of offering a support group for Israelis to be held at Moshava Coffee.

Israelis are looking for places where they can feel a connection to Israel.

We posted it on a few Israeli WhatsApp groups, and not only did Israelis attend, but a group of Israeli therapists heard about it and offered to partner with us at our meetings. Since then, each week, anywhere from 5 to 15 Israelis attend two-hour sessions where we can talk through everything from pain, fear, loss, and anger. After the meeting, Chaim, Vered, and I have conversations with those who came.

Israelis are looking for places that are Israeli and/or Jewish owned, where they can feel a connection to Israel—and Moshava Coffee has become just such a place. Because people come looking for connection, comfort, and support, conversations have moved from “on the surface” chit-chat to deep, meaningful topics. It is natural for us to share about hope, restoration, and our faith in the Messiah Yeshua. We have received incredible feedback from everyone who has been to our meetings, and relationships are naturally growing.

During one session, I was asked about this space, and if I owned it. I explained that I manage the coffee shop, and that it’s owned by Jews for Jesus. After the session, a woman—I’ll call her Yael—asked what that means, and we had a long talk. When she asked how I can be Jewish and believe in a Christian faith, I explained that my faith is based in the Jewish Scriptures we were raised on, and in seeing how God’s promises found throughout our Scriptures were accomplished through Jesus. Yael told me that she was touched by what I shared during the session as well as our conversation afterward.

Sarah Levy behind the coffee bar at Moshava

Israeli Friends Are Now Recommending Our Coffee Shop to One Another

Israelis love to share “insider” things with each other, and Moshava is becoming one of those things. We’re thankful that our coffee shop has gained a reputation, not only as a place for good coffee, but as a place that has a big heart for the Jewish/Israeli people. One Israeli visitor reached out to ask me about a possible art therapy event for Israelis. When she checked with the Israeli community in NYC where to go for this kind of thing, numerous people told her to reach out to Sarah at Moshava Coffee.

We open our space because we have experienced God’s heart for people.

Once again, I explained that while I manage Moshava, it is owned by Jews for Jesus. I shared with her why I believe in Jesus and the New Testament as the continuation and completion of the Jewish Scriptures and how they connect us back to a relationship with God. We open our space to offer support where it’s needed because we have experienced God’s heart for people, and that’s given us a heart for others. She said it was beautiful and touching.

Chef Contacts Us from Israel About Our New York Coffee Shop!

I also got to share my faith with a chef who contacted me from Israel. He heard about us from an Israeli customer at Moshava Coffee who runs Israeli tours in the US. She wants Moshava to be one of her stops—and he wants to partner with us through food events!

I thank God for this amazing space and for the privilege to manage it and serve in and through it.  And I thank God for the many Christian brothers and sisters like you, whose prayers and support help make it possible for God to work through us, sometimes in the most unpredictable ways.

Whether you are a partner with us financially or just thinking about it, I hope you are encouraged to see how God is working among the Jewish people, including many Israelis, here in New York City. Thank you for sharing God’s heart for Jewish people to hear about the Messiah!

Names are changed to protect privacy.