You Helped Yakov Start a New Life!

Yakov left his Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) community more than a decade ago. He had broken the Sabbath, his parents tried to discipline him by not speaking to him … and he just wasn’t satisfied with life at the yeshiva (Orthodox religious school). He was an 18-year-old in search of an alternative.

Eventually, Yakov turned up on the Jews for Jesus website and responded to our LiveChat invitation. He shared his journey with Tirzah Olson, from our chat team: “After I ran away, I was so lonely without any support or familiarity. It was a huge culture shock even to talk to girls. I ended up with a bad crowd and shooting dope. I wasted a decade of my life trying to fill the hole in my soul. I’m finally getting myself together now.”

Yakov went on to explain that he’d recently begun studying about Jesus and the New Testament on YouTube. He told Tirzah, “Finding Jesus is like coming home.” And now he had a question: “How do I become a Jew for Jesus? Is there a ceremony?” (In Orthodox Judaism there are ceremonies for all important life events.)

Tirzah explained that it’s a matter of repentance and receiving God’s forgiveness through Jesus’ sacrifice. She sent him Romans 10:9–10, and after reading the passage, Yakov said, “Thank you for helping me out today. You don’t understand how much this means to me. I am starting a new life!” Yakov and others are finding the support they need because God works through partners like you to help us connect with Jewish people, online and in person, all over the world!

Names are changed to protect privacy.