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Aaron Abramson is a chief operating officer with Jews for Jesus. He was raised in a Jewish family in Seattle before relocating to Israel as a teenager. He attended an Orthodox Jewish seminary and served in the Israeli military. Upon completion of his service, Aaron took a year to travel, which proved to be both a physical and spiritual journey. He was challenged to read the New Testament and had a life-changing encounter with God. Out of a passion to see others’ lives similarly transformed, he joined Jews for Jesus in 2000. During his time with Jews for Jesus, he’s served as a missionary, director of recruitment, launched Jews for Jesus’ Young Adult Ministry, launched Massah, our outreach to Israeli backpackers, as well as served as our New York mission’s director. He holds a BA in biblical and intercultural studies from All Nations Christian College in England and an MPA from New York University. Aaron and his wife, Victoria, have three children and currently reside in New York City.

I grew up in a family that had already accepted Yeshua as the Messiah. However, during my early teenage years, I went my own way and got involved in the punk movement for a short period of time. Eventually, through an encounter with the Holy Spirit, the LORD convicted my of my sin and showed me that I was wasting my life if I wasn’t living for Him. After spending four and a half years working with Jews for Jesus in Hungary, I am very excited to be able to start a new branch in Berlin. We want to share the life-giving message of the Messiah Yeshua with the thousands of Israeli, German and Russian Jews along with the thousands of tourists who travel there. Every prayer is so much appreciated!

Branch Leader, Berlin

Svetlana is a Missionary in our Tel Aviv Branch. She is married to Alexander who also serves with Jews for Jesus.

Alexander came to faith at the age of 20 during his military service and self-search. As a man who grew up most of his life in a secular home, he did not have much knowledge of religion, and so he wanted to learn about it. While acquainted with Judaism, he read the Bible and discovered that it is not just a historical book but a book full of life truths, facts, and prophecies. One promise caught his eye:
“31 Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah 32 not according to the covenant that I made with their … My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the LORD. 33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel … I will put My law in their minds and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” (Jer. 31:31-33)
Here the prophet speaks of an eternal covenant, God-made. The Lord Himself put it in the heart of man. The desire to live in this covenant with God, made Alexander continue to search, and at one point met Messianic Jews and discovered the New Testament book. There he found Yeshua - Jesus, who came out against the traditional religious hypocrisy and pointed to the need to love God with all the heart as he loves us. Yeshua promises peace and relationships with God through his sacrifice on the cross.  Alexander found a personal relationship with God through Yeshua. Today Alexander is a member of a local messianic community, continuing to learn about God and wanting to tell others about the way he did.
Since 2011, he has been serving with Jews for Jesus Israel as the missionary and leader of the missionary team in Tel Aviv. He is married to Svetlana, who serves next to him in Israel; they have two kids. During 2019 Alexander completed a BA in Theological studies.

Alexander Vasserman works for Jews for Jesus

Amer Olson is a senior missionary at the New York branch of Jews for Jesus. In addition to studying at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Amer received his theological training at All Nations Christian College. Amer’s wife, Paige, is also an artist. They have five children: Josiah, Abigail, Zechariah, Samantha and Benjamin.

Anatoly Emma was born Odessa, Ukraine, in 1976. Odessa is a large seaport city which at one time had a Jewish population of approximately 300,000. Anatoly came to believe in Jesus as his Messiah in 1993 and was actively involved in the church he began to attend. For two years he was part of a group that worked in the hospitals for drug addicts, alcoholics, TB and venereologic patients. In 1995, the Lord called him and another brother to start a new church in Odessa, and up to 1999, he was ministering in this new congregation. Then, in 1999, the Lord called Anatoly to start ministering to his Jewish people, and he joined the Jews for Jesus ministry. For the last two years, Anatoly has been the leader of the Kiev branch of Jews for Jesus. He and his wife Olga have two little children, Elizabeth and Christina.

Andrew Barron is the Director of Jews for Jesus Canada. He and his wife Laura live in Toronto with their children Rafael, Ketzia and Simona. Andrew first heard the Gospel while a science student at Florida Institute of Technology. A friend shared a Gideon’s New Testament with him and challenged him to read it. Andrew used to work as a crew activity planner and orbit designer on the early Space Shuttle Missions.

Annette grew up in Fresno, CA in a Jewish Christian home. Her grandparents were the first people in her family to come to faith in Jesus. Annette came to faith at a young age and was baptized at age 13. She graduated from Biola University with a bachelor's degree in music and a minor in Bible. After college she toured the U.S., parts of Europe and South Africa with Jews for Jesus' mobile evangelistic music team, the Liberated Wailing Wall. In 1993 she moved to New York City to begin training as a missionary with Jews for Jesus. It was there that she met and married, Josh, who was also a Jewish believer from California and was a Brooklyn College student at the time.

In their early married years Josh and Annette served as missionaries with Jews for Jesus in New York City, then for another five years in Los Angeles. They felt called to return to New York so that Josh could develop Jews for Jesus' youth and camp ministries on the East Coast, so Josh and Annette served in New York from 2000-2011, during which time their daughters Eliana and Taliah were born, and Josh became the branch director. During those years Annette was a full-time mom, with side duties such as leading a moms Bible study and helping wives of missionary trainees transition to life in ministry. In 2011, the Sofaer family moved to Portland, Oregon so that Josh could complete a master's degree at Western Seminary.

In August 2012 the Sofaer family moved back to Los Angeles so that Josh could begin directing the Jews for Jesus work in Southern California. Though the family is still very much in the midst of transitioning to a new area, Josh and Annette are excited to see what the Lord will be doing through Jews for Jesus there. In 2015, Annette returned to part-time staff with Jews for Jesus, first in the church relations department, and now as a missionary to the Jewish women in the Southern California area.

Arielle Randle was raised in a Messianic Jewish home. Originally from New York City, she studied theater and worked in that field before coming onto the missionary staff of Jews for Jesus along with her husband, David, in 2012. After serving as a missionary in the Chicago branch for five years, Arielle relocated to ministry headquarters in San Francisco to prepare for a role as Director of Communications, which she was formally appointed to in 2018. Arielle's husband David is the San Francisco Branch Leader, and they have a young daughter named Yael and a newborn son named Gideon.

Asher’s connection to Jews for Jesus goes all the way back to his mother, who was raised in a secular Jewish home and then came to faith through a Jews for Jesus Bible study. She eventually worked in our New York office. Asher grew up with parents who raised him to know it was okay to be Jewish and believe in Jesus. He accepted Jesus at a young age and while a student at Brooklyn College he connected with Jews for Jesus and after a number of internships and projects with the ministry decided to serve in the ministry full-time. Asher Korycka is serving in New York City. Part of his ministry will be using his experience and training in video production to create content that will point Jewish people to Yeshua.

Dinah is part of the direct evangelism team in Tel Aviv, Israel. She is passionate about studying the bible with others. Not only does she do one one-on-one Bible studies but she also hosts a weekly Hebrew speaking Bible study in her home. Dinah leads worship at her local congregation. She coordinates local events such as the ladies’ tea, clothing exchange, women’s Bible study and others! She is currently taking classes through Western Seminary for Masters of Arts with a focus on Pastoral Care for w/Women.

Avi Snyder is a veteran missionary and director of the European work of Jews for Jesus. He pioneered Jews for Jesus’ ministry in the former Soviet Union, before launching works in both Germany and Hungary. He will share with you what is happening in Jewish evangelism in Russia and Eastern Europe. Avi received his theological training at Fuller Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Ruth, have three grown children, Leah, Joel and Liz.

Avigail was born in Israel. Her father is Israeli and her mother is Finnish (converted to Judaism). Avigail became a believer in Jesus in 2004. Soon Avigail was sharing her faith with others and she felt God calling her to reach her Jewish people. She left Finland and moved to Israel. Avigail participated in several of our outreach events before joining our missionary staff. Avigail is married to Markus and together they have a son.

Bob Mendelsohn is the director of Jews for Jesus in AustralAsia which covers Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. He grew up in an Orthodox Jewish family in Kansas City, but became a college drop-out when he decided to look for the meaning of life in the counterculture of the '60s. He found meaning and relevance in Jesus which caused him much trouble at home. But he says, "it was worth the cost." Bob has worked for Jews for Jesus since 1979, and served as the leader of our work in Washington DC and New York City before moving to Sydney in 1998. Bob and his wife Patty both graduated from the University of Kansas and Fuller Seminary. They have three adult children and four grandsons.

I grew up in a believing household; my parents came to faith when I was 6 years old. My step-dad started visiting a congregation in Beer Sheva (south of Israel) and accepted Yeshua as his savior. Not long afterwards my mum came to faith as well. I grew up in a congregation called ‘Grace and Truth’ and was part of the youth group, went to conferences in the summer and acted like a believer. Although I knew from an early age that God had His hand on my life, I was never willing to accept Christ into my heart. I felt that giving God my life was an irreversible step and I wasn’t ready to totally commit to Him. I was sitting on the fence trying to benefit from God and from the world.
At the age of 16 I started practicing music and at 17 formed a rock band. I loved being on a stage, playing and singing for my ego and my own “glory”. At the same time, I was also part of the worship team in church. I felt like I was serving two lords; God and myself, mainly myself. A time came when God touched my heart, I couldn’t do it any longer. I decided to put all my talents, all my capabilities, all that I am into God’s hands. I gave it all to Jesus, asking him to be my Lord, repenting of my pride and sin. I accepted Jesus as my Messiah giving him all that I am and decided to live my life building His kingdom – not mine.
I honorably discharged from the army in 2012 with a thirst for God’s word. There was a hunger to get to know Him more, spend time with Him and enjoy Him. I opted to serve and study at the “Shelter” Eilat, then did a 3-month discipleship program, where I met my beautiful future wife, Gefen who I married in 2014. Shortly afterwards I went on an outreach program with Jews for Jesus to India and started working with JFJ in the young adults ministry, evangelizing at cultural events and on the streets of Tel – Aviv, sharing the good news about Yeshua.

Chaim Birnbaum was raised in a Messianic home. His Family moved from the United States to Israel when Chaim was very young. While he received Jesus at an early age, as a teen he was the “wildest” of his siblings. At age eighteen, Chaim repented at an Israeli youth conference and became serious about serving the Lord. Chaim led several youth groups and was involved with ministry in Africa for two and a half months before beginning an internship with Jews for Jesus. He planned and organized a unique outreach from the Moishe Rosen Center in Tel Aviv, inviting graffiti artists to show their art! Chaim is serving with Jews for Jesus on Massah for four years, a discipleship/outreach journey that reaches Israeli trekkers around the world. Chaim’s older brother Eli leads the Jews for Jesus Tel Aviv branch. Chaim is currently serving in Tel-Aviv as a young adults ad youth leader.

Dan Sered was born in Israel to a secular Jewish family. While his parents might have been considered atheists, he always believed in God and the miracles that God does in the TaNaKh (Old Testament). In his teens, the Sered family relocated to New York, where Dan later attended Stony Brook University and met Dinah, a Jewish believer in Jesus. Dinah shared the Gospel with Dan and showed him how Yeshua (Jesus) fulfilled the prophecies of the Messiah. His eyes were opened and Dan committed his life to the Lord. In 1999, Dan &amp; Dinah were married and soon after began serving as missionaries, joining Jews for Jesus and later moving to Israel. In 2006, Dan was appointed as the Israel Director of Jews for Jesus; the organization's largest branch in the world today. As its director, Dan oversees Missionary Teams in both Hebrew and Russian, a Youth and Young Adult Team, and the Moishe Rosen Center located in the heart of Tel Aviv. In 2013, Dan received his M.A. in Ministry and Leadership from Western Seminary, and is currently a doctoral student and working on his D. Min. through Dallas Theological Seminary. Dan &amp; Dinah have 3 children; Yael, Eithan and Yoav.

Danielle Stavi was born in Israel to a believing family and grew up not far from Jerusalem. At the age of 16, she went through a trying time, and understood that she didn’t really know the Lord. Danielle knew about God and what He desired of her, yet followed her own path. In 2009, at an army preparation conference, organized by believers, Danielle realized that a life without God wasn’t worth living. She understood that He couldn’t be reached through her deeds, but only through the sacrifice made by Jesus. Suddenly, God filled her emptiness with joy, and even gave her boldness to share regularly about Him during her two years of army service. Danielle then participated in an intensive discipleship course before earning her B.A. in Social Work at Hebrew University. During the summer breaks, in the midst of her studies, she joined Jews for Jesus’ Massah (Journey) program where a team of young believers adventure to India and South America to meet with travelers and share their faith. In 2016, Danielle officially began working for our Youth and Young Adult ministry at the Moishe Rosen Center where she coordinates our Massah efforts, works with youth in Jerusalem, and assists with events at the center. No matter where she is serving, Danielle desires to help others have a deeper revelation of who God is and to be bold in proclaiming Him as Lord of their lives.

David grew up in the South San Francisco Bay Area, and graduated with a B.A. in Geography from UCLA. After a brief stint of serving with an East Coast church plant, David and his wife Giselle got married and are currently stationed at the New York City branch of Jews for Jesus, spending much of their time working with young adults in the area.

Array

David “Moose” Garrett and his wife, Kathleen, have been involved with Jews for Jesus since 1975 and have served on staff at the international headquarters in San Francisco since 1981. Currently, David is the Children and Youth Ministry Director and Kathleen serves in the Development Department. The Garretts have two married daughters, Virginia (Joshua) and Monica (Noah) and three little friends (grandsons): Simeon, Malachi and Eli.

David Liebman is the leader of the Jews for Jesus Washington, D.C. branch.  He is a second-generation Jewish believer in Yeshua (Jesus). David grew up attending the Jews for Jesus summer camp program, Camp Gilgal.  While serving with Jews For Jesus David has helped lead several short-term mission programs in NYC, Israel, and India. He is a graduate of Phoenix Seminary with a degree in Leadership Development.  He and his wife Rachel have two children, Micah and Eden.

David Randle is the leader of the San Francisco branch of Jews for Jesus. He was raised in a believing home by a African American father and Jewish mother. He has a bachelor degree in Business Administration from Point Loma Nazarene University, and served for five years as the Children and Youth Midwest Ministry Director for the Chicago Branch. He is married to Arielle, another Jewish believer, and they have one young daughter.

David Brickner is executive director of Jews for Jesus.  David oversees the world-wide ministry from its headquarters in San Francisco. David received his Master’s degree in Missiology with a concentration in Jewish Evangelism and Judaic Studies from the Fuller School of World Mission.  He has authored several books, and has been interviewed on national television shows such as Larry King Live.  David’s daughter Ilana is a graduate of Biola.  His son Isaac is on the missionary staff of Jews for Jesus. Isaac and his wife Shaina have one daughter, Nora, and a son, Levy, which makes David part of the grandparent club, a membership he is very proud of. <a href="/david-brickner-bio">See more here.</a>

I was born in Odessa, Ukraine, in 1951, but for the first 17 years of my life I lived in Magadan with my mother. Then we returned to Odessa. I studied music, technology, and clothing design. When the doors of the Soviet Union began to open, I tried to emigrate to Israel, but could not do so because my mother would not give me a written permission for the embassy. So I went back to my study and to my work. I got married but ten years later my husband died. God however blessed me with a wonderful son during that period. I came to know the Lord when my son was very young. I’d been seeking God for some time when I read a tract of Jews for Jesus and gave them my contact information because I wanted to learn more. Soon after that, I took my little son to Kiev for a complicated heart surgery, and in the hospital, the mother of another little patient shared the Gospel with me. When I saw how God spared my son, I returned to Odessa with my heart open to the Lord. When shortly after that a Jews for Jesus missionary called to meet with me, I was fully ready for that and prayed to receive Y’shua in that meeting.

In 1993, I began to help Jews for Jesus as a volunteer. In 1995, I joined the ministry and continue to serve with Jews for Jesus now, after my move to Germany.

Eli Birnbaum is the Israel Director. Eli Birnbaum has been leading our Children, Youth, and Young Adult team for the last six years and has been overseer of the Moishe Rosen Center since its conception. He is an astute and insightful thinker who has a heart to serve and strategically find ways to minister to people no matter where they spiritually stand in life. Eli came to believe in Yeshua at a very young age, as his father was a pastor. He was born in the U.S. and moved with his family to Israel at the age of seven. Although as a child Eli was indifferent toward his faith, his passion for God was rekindled while attending a summer camp as a teenager. He returned to school, started sharing about the Lord with his friends, and soon became known as the “missionary.” Eli joined Jews for Jesus in 2009, after completing his mandatory military service. He then developed the branch’s ministry to soldiers and youth and helped found our Israeli Massah program, which focuses on reaching young Israelis as they travel through India and South America. He showed great leadership ability early on and was tasked in the planning, designing, and renovating of the Moishe Rosen Center. Upon its completion, Eli was promoted in 2013 to oversee the center and the Children, Youth, and Young Adult department and those who serve there. Eli has his bachelor’s degree in Economics from the Open University and is currently in his second year of studies for his MA in Biblical &amp; Theological studies at Western Seminary. He has been married to his wife Shoshana, who also serves with our ministry, since 2011. They have one son and another child on the way.

Liz Goldstein is a missionary at the New York branch of Jews for Jesus. Liz also coordinates opportunities for Young Adults in North America. Liz received her bachelor’s degree in art history from Hunter College. Liz’s late father was one of the founders of Jews for Jesus in the early 1970s.

Elizabeth Black is a missionary at the New York branch of Jews for Jesus. Elizabeth grew up in Baltimore among a large Jewish community. At an early age, she felt a strong calling to share Jesus with the Jewish people, and attended Washington Bible College with the aspiration to serve in Jewish ministry. She has been working hard to reach out to Jewish young adults and young families in NYC. She serves alongside her husband Eryn, and is the proud mother of two sweet boys, Jude and Ezra.

Emmanuel was born in Tehran, Iran and is a 4th generation Jewish Believer in Jesus. He likes to say he is a descendant of Queen Esther, but he can’t back that up.  Emmanuel has innovated evangelism on JewsforJesus.org since 2007 and is now serving as a specialized online missionary.  He says, "We leverage the anonymity of the web to allow those, who might not otherwise be reached with the truth of Jesus, to get connected with a real person who can help!" <a href="https://jewsforjesus.org/publications/issues/issues-v22-n05/from-iran-to-tehrangeles-five-generations-of-jewish-faith-in-jesus/?utm_source=jewsforjesus&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_content=websitebio">Read more about his life story</a> and <a href="https://jforj.org/net/?utm_source=jewsforjesus&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_content=websitebio">how to take part in this flourishing online ministry</a>.

Eryn Black’s dad and Jewish mother both came to faith in high school. He grew up in a messianic home and made a profession of faith very early in his childhood. When he was 14 he realized that he needed to make a decision to either grow and mature in his Christian faith or be ok with where he was at. He chose to grow and have a deeper relationship with his Lord, Y’shua, Jesus.

During a mission trip to Israel with his future wife, Elizabeth, Eryn’s calling into Jewish missions was solidified. They were married after college and enjoy serving the Lord with Jews for Jesus and sharing the gospel with Jewish people. They also have a young son named Jude. They are currently working in our NYC branch.

I came from a Jewish family that for generations lived in Ukraine's Black Sea port, Odessa. By the age of 30, my life had become joyless and grey, even though I lived in a sunny and beautiful city. Why? Because I lived without God. In 1995, my husband Igor and I received Jesus as the Messiah of our Jewish people through the ministry of Jews for Jesus. We joined the First Baptist Church of Odessa and the staff of Jews for Jesus. For about three years, our family served in Odessa, then we moved to Dnepropetrovsk to open a branch of Jews for Jesus there. Two years later, we moved to serve in Moscow for three more years: Igor as the branch leader and I as an outreach worker. Today, we again bring the Good News of Jesus to our Jewish people in Odessa.

We have two adult daughters; our older daughter Olga is married. She and her husband Sergey attend the same church as I do. And our younger daughter Susanna is 20. She attends the First Baptist Church of Odessa. In 2004, my mother Rachel also received Jesus and was baptized at a Messianic congregation. I thank and praise the Lord that He in His love found me and my family, forgave our sins, gave us faith, salvation and the privilege of serving Him and the people of Israel. He kept His promise, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house" (Acts 16:31). I also thank and praise God for all believers, for my precious brothers and sisters, whose prayers and support help me carry the Good News to our people.

Please pray that the Lord would continue to lead me by His Holy Spirit to share the gospel tirelessly with those who aren't saved yet, in every place and at any time.

Gefen grew up in a believing home in Israel. When she was 14 years old, Gefen accepted Yeshua as her savior, but struggled with her faith during high school and military service. After finishing the army, she renewed her relationship with the Lord and participated in a 3 month discipleship program, where she also met her future husband Boris. In 2013, Gefen joined the staff of Jews for Jesus as part of the Youth and Young Adult Missionary team; helping to host events at the Moishe Rosen Center and to lead weekly meetings for women, youth, and soldiers. Over the last few summers, she has also been a part of training and sometimes leading our Massah teams, where groups of young messianic believers travel to India to share the gospel with Israeli backpackers. Because of her faith struggles as a young adolescent, Gefen truly has a heart to minister and disciple teenage girls, soldiers and young women.

In 1996, when I got a new job as a salesman, I met a young couple that worked next to me, Yury and Natasha. Once, I learned that they never work on Sundays. I got very surprised at this because in sales one could earn a lot of money on a weekend. I asked them some questions, and Natasha began to tell me about Jesus. In about six months, they invited me to attend a church service with them. To be completely honest, I did not really like it in church. But when I looked at my new friends, I could not help noticing how everything seems to work out for them and how happy they are.
Seven or eight months later, I reconciled with God and invited Jesus into my life. This happened in 1996.
Soon, Yura was invited to join the Jews for Jesus ministry as an administrator, and he invited me to take part in the ministry as well. Periodically, I took part in outreaches of Jews for Jesus. Some more missionaries of Jews for Jesus were part of my church and shared a lot about this ministry with us. So, you could say that I grew up spiritually with Jews for Jesus.
In 2003, leader of the Odessa branch invited me to participate in the Behold Your God campaign in Odessa, Ukraine. I agreed. For a month, we all went out to the streets of Odessa, gave out tracts and shared the gospel message  with people. After this campaign, I felt a fire in my heart towards the Jews for Jesus ministry. So, in March 2004, I joined Jews for Jesus in Odessa as an outreach worker.
I have a wonderful wife named Lina and two  sons Alexander &amp; Mark.

Giselle Bruce is a missionary at the New York branch of Jews for Jesus. Giselle studied music performance in her native Australia, and has been involved in music ministry with Jews for Jesus, as well as in their summer missions program to Israel and India. Giselle is married to David Bruce.

Shalom, my name is Igor, and I'm glad you wanted to get to know who I am and what I do.

I was born and raised in a family of Jewish atheists in Odessa, Ukraine. I didn't believe in God although I realized that a Creator made me and gave me my mind. I lived for a little more than 30 years and understood that my life was senseless and joyless. It prompted me to learn more about God. I came to faith in Jesus through the Jews for Jesus ministry and accepted Him as the promised Messiah of Israel in the beginning of January 1995. I have two adult daughters. My elder daughter is married and has a son. Olga and her husband Sergey are believers. Olga serves as a part-time missionary in the Odessa branch. She plays the piano and leads worship for Sabbath meetings.

I now bring this B'Sorah Tova, this Good News, to Jews and Gentiles, telling them that Y'shua haMashiach died for the sins of all people and rose again from the dead. I received forgiveness of sins, found the meaning of life, hope, real joy, internal moral satisfaction, and the best gift of all; eternal life with my God.

I finished the Jews for Jesus' School of Messengers. I attend the Central Baptist Church in Odessa where I've been baptized. Since 1995, I had served as a volunteer of Jews for Jesus for two years. I took part in many evangelistic projects in the Crimea, Dnepropetrovsk, Kharkov, Kiev, Moscow. I also served as a full time missionary of Jews for Jesus in Odessa in 1997-1999.

Then my family and I moved to Dnepropetrovsk to establish a branch there. My wife Galina and I served there for two years. Then I was appointed leader of the Moscow branch and we moved to Moscow in the end of October 2000. There I served for three years. During that time I led several evangelistic campaigns in Moscow and St. Petersburg. In 2003, my family and I came back to my home city of Odessa in Ukraine.

In 2004-2005, I prepared and conducted a large outreach in Budapest, which was part of the BYG project. The Lord really blessed the outreach in Budapest and sent us a lot of people who were interested in knowing more about Jesus. Since 2007, I've been serving as deputy director of Jews for Jesus in Russia and Ukraine. Pray please that the Lord would give me strength, desire and boldness to share the Gospel with lost and unsaved people.

A Jewish follower of the Messiah Yeshua, I started volunteering with Jews for Jesus during our 2012 “Life from the Dead” Budapest campaign. A natural evangelist, it soon became clear that the Lord wanted me to be serving full-time. So, I took that step of faith of leaving the job I had for the past several years in order to devote all my efforts to proclaiming the Good News. “We Jews were called to be a light to the nations,” she says. “Budapest is such a key city for bringing the gospel to Jews and non-Jews alike.”

My name is Ilya Khaimovich. I serve as an outreach worker to my Jewish people with the Jews for Jesus ministry . I joined the ministry in 2000 in Moscow, and I can clearly see how the Lord supports me in this ministry, leading people to the Savior and granting them salvation.

Apart from direct evangelistic work, I am also part of the music team of the Moscow branch. We sing and play in the Shabbat meetings that we hold weekly and in the concerts that we organize on major Jewish holidays. I am also involved in leading special Bible studies for young Jewish adults, along with a missionary from the American Southern Baptist Convention. We want to draw the attention of these young people to the Messiah of Israel and the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ. In our meetings, we find unbelievers who would like to study the Scriptures and young Jewish believers who would like to learn to minister to their unbelieving peers.

I am married and have two daughters: Liza (7) and Leah (10 months). My wife is the Secretary of the Baptist Union of Moscow. She and I also serve at the Central Baptist Church as part of the Sunday choir worship.

Irina Volodarska was born in Kiev, Ukraine. Like most Jews in the Soviet Union, her parents were atheists. But, by God’s grace, Irina came to know Jesus as her Messiah at age fifteen. She served in several different ministries, focusing on translation of Christian literature and work with disabled children. For several years, Irina did translation work for Jews for Jesus. In 2000, she joined Jews for Jesus in Kiev as the publications director. Since then, Irina co-led many international outreaches and campaigns of Jews for Jesus. In 2019, she got married and moved to the USA to continue translating, working on publications and to be PA to Avi Snyder, the European Ambassador of Jews for Jesus.

Isaac Brickner is the branch leader of the Los Angeles branch of Jews for Jesus. He is a graduate of Biola University with a degree in Biblical &amp; Theological Studies. He is a sixth-generation Jewish believer in Yeshua (Jesus), and was raised in San Francisco. He attended the Jews for Jesus summer camp program, Camp Gilgal, since he was eight years old, returning at age fifteen to serve as a counselor. He participated in Massah in the summer of 2008 (a Jews for Jesus college-age mission trip to Israel and to Israeli hikers in India!), and he felt God calling him to ministry. He served as part of the Massah leadership from 2009-2011. In August 2010 he married his wife, Shaina, a second-generation Jewish believer in Yeshua and also a graduate of Biola University in the Nursing Program, currently working as a Labor and Delivery Nurse. They have a daughter named Norah and a son named Levy.

I was born and raised in a secular Jewish home. I loved the arts, athletics and became a personal fitness trainer. At the age of 24 I moved to Israel where I learned Hebrew and worked in a kibbutz in the southern Negev. I spent 13 years in Israel and there I met my wife Yael. We have 3 boys and are now living in the San Francisco Bay Area where I serve as a full time missionary with Jews for Jesus.

Jesse currently ministers with our Los Angeles team.

Josh Sofaer is a missionary and senior advisor with the Los Angeles branch of Jews for Jesus. He is one of four boys, but no one else in his immediate family have come to faith yet. Josh previously led the organization’s New York branch and pioneered their children’s program on the East Coast. He received his theological training at Western Seminary. He and his wife, Annette, have two children, Eliana and Taliah.

Joshua Turnil is the leader of the Paris branch of Jews for Jesus. Josh will fill you in on what is happening in Jewish evangelism in France. Joshua was born in New York and has a bachelors degree in French literature. His wife, Delphine, who is French, has a degree in American literature.  He has three children, Ilan, Lilya and Levia.  Josh has also produced a music album, “Praise and Glory,” and several evangelistic videos.

London born and bred, Julia first worked with Jews for Jesus as a volunteer, playing her guitar at special events such as our annual Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) service. She joined our staff in 2004

Karol Joseph is part of the leadership team in New York City. She was also on the leadership team for the 2018 Behold Your God campaign in Jerusalem, Israel.
Karol holds a master’s of arts degree in missiology with a concentration in Jewish studies from the School of World Missions at Fuller Theological Seminary. Jews for Jesus is a missions organization on the forefront of Jewish evangelism. The ministry is reaching Jewish people for their Messiah in 13 countries and 18 cities.

Kata Tar was born in Hungary, Dunaújváros in the time of  Communism. She is single, yet she has a big family. She has got 3 brothers and one sister, 7 nephews and 5 nieces. Her mother is Jewish. Both she and her father are alive but do not know the Lord yet.

Kata got saved in 1988 through the witness of her Gentile friends. She was baptized in a Protestant church where she worshipped for 8 years. Then she became a missionary with a Scottish mission (Messianic Servant Ministries), and took part in founding a new Messianic Jewish congregation in Budapest called Menora. She served as an elder there for 7 years. (1996-2003)

She helped starting a new branch of the Holland based Christians for Israel in Hungary and served with them for 2 years (2008-2010)

Kata has got 17 years of teaching experience at elementary and high schools. She has taught English, Hungarian and Russian. Before she joined Jews for Jesus she taught English at the school of the Jewish community in Budapest.

While in Budapest she played the guitar in a Klezmer band called Klezmeresz. She also plays the recorder and enjoys glass painting and other crafts.

During the years of her teaching and playing in the Klezmer band she developed many friendships with Jewish people and shared the Gospel with a few of them. Her hope is that serving with Jews for Jesus will open a much wider door of opportunity for her to reach her fellow Hungarian Jews for Jesus.

My name is Larissa Savelieva. My husband's name is Valery. We live in Odessa, Ukraine. We have one daughter, Tatyana, who has a family of her own.

I used to work as a teacher of Russian to foreign students. In 1990, I received a tract from Jews for Jesus in the street and later, with the help of one Jew for Jesus, Avi Snyder, I came to faith in the Lord. Next summer, I was already giving out tracts myself as a member of the Jews for Jesus team.

Jesus Christ changed my life, while Jews for Jesus changed my profession: instead of being a Russian teacher, I became an outreach worker.

My heart's desire is to share the Good News with the Jewish people. I pray that the Lord would bring His people to faith in their Messiah.

Laura Barron is a missionary at the Toronto branch of Jews for Jesus. Along with her husband Andrew, who heads up the Jews for Jesus work in Canada, Laura pioneered the South African ministry of Jews for Jesus.  She is a fluent Hebrew speaker and regularly takes part in the organization’s outreach ministry in Israel.  Laura and Andrew have three children: Rafael, Ketzia and Simona.

Leonid is the leader of the Odessa branch of Jews for Jesus and a member of the CIS Jews for Jesus Committee. He received Y'shua as his Lord and Savior in 1995 through the witnessing of his wife Olga. In December 1995, he first met with Jews for Jesus and began to help them as a volunteer. And in November 1996, he joined the staff of Jews for Jesus as an outreach worker. Before leading the Odessa branch, Leonid has also led the ministry of Jews for Jesus in Kharkov. Leonid has organized dozens of outreaches and campaigns of Jews for Jesus in different countries: Ukraine, Russia, Uzbekistan, and Moldova.

Lionel was born in Lausanne, Switzerland to a multicultural family with his Jewish father being from Argentina and his mother from a Swiss/English background. He came to the Messiah in 2003 and began full time missionary work in Switzerland two years later. Lionel received a bachelor degree in theology in 2012. He continues to be passionate about mission work and is now serving in Paris. He is married to Valérie and they have three awesome boys.

Lisa Smolowitz Weisbaum is a missionary at the Florida branch of Jews for Jesus. After retiring from a 29-year career with the New York City Department of Education, Brooklyn-born Smolowitz joined the staff of Jews for Jesus in 2013.

Liz 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 B.A. in Religion &amp; Philosophy from Roberts Wesleyan College and also moved to Israel in 2005 to study for an M.A. in Education at Tel Aviv University – which is where she met her husband Simon. Simon and Liz currently reside in Jaffa and have two young children. 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 on our Children and Youth Team at the Moishe Rosen Center. Liz has a heart to see children 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 who she serves that they will “dedicate their lives to the Lord and know His voice!”

Growing up in Northern California, her next door neighbors where the first to introduce Lucy to Yeshua (Jesus). She first felt a calling to minister to her Jewish people while spending a summer in Israel during college. After graduating from Biola University in 2018 with a degree in Intercultural Studies, Lucy began working with Jews for Jesus as an intern. Her work and ministry focuses predominately on a community-oriented space called Upside Down?a coffee shop, art gallery, and event space?near the campus of UCLA. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Jesse, who also graduated from Biola University with a degree in Biblical &amp; Theological Studies.

My name is Maayan Shoshani and I am a missionary with Jews for Jesus in Tel Aviv. Born and raised in the area of Jerusalem to a messianic family. After my army service in the IDF, I decided that Jesus was the only one I want to live and dedicate my life to. I was part of a ministry in Africa for 8 months prior to serving with Jews for Jesus, where I became passionate for serving the weak and poor. I serve with the “Mekomi” team in south Tel Aviv, connecting volunteers who want to build relationships with the population struggling with homelessness, prostitution and drug addiction.

Born in Moscow, Ammosov is Jewish and has a PhD in optics and atomic physics. He received Jesus as his Savior in Quebec, Canada, in 1994 and joined our staff in 1998. Maxim's wife, Olga, came to faith at the same time. Maxim directs Jews for Jesus in Moscow, with Olga working part-time as an outreach worker. The Ammosovs have two daughters, Katya and Liza as well as a son-in-law and a precious grandson.

Melissa Moskowitz has been a part of Jews for Jesus since 1976. She was born and raised in the Bronx and came to believe in Jesus while in college. Throughout her 40 years of service with the ministry, she's had the opportunity to use her giftings in youth and young adult work; in publications; through photography; and for the past 16 years in young adult ministry. Currently living on the west side of Los Angeles (to be closer to her grandson), Melissa maintains a monthly Shabbat fellowship for young adults and other events for the LA young adult community. A new initiative for the LA branch that Melissa is spearheading is ArtShareCollective/LA, a visionary community of Jewish believing artists who desire to use their creativity for the Gospel.

Dr. Michael Sischy qualified as a General Medical Practitioner from the University of the Witwatersrand in 1993. He joined Jews for Jesus in January 1999 after being active in the state and private health care sectors for five years. Michael comes from a traditional Orthodox Jewish background. His mother's death from colon cancer in 1990 started him on a search for answers to life's tough questions, and in 1994 he found the answers in Y'shua. Michael is married to Teresa, and they have two sons, Eliyah and Ariel.

South Africa Director

Miri Dolinsky was born in Russia and grew up in a believing family. Her parents came to faith when she was only a baby. At age 5, she immigrated to Israel with her family and moved to the small city of Nazareth Illit in the north of the country. Her family quickly joined a local Messianic congregation of which they are still a part. Being an immigrant wasn’t easy and often made her feel like an outsider. By age 15, she came to realize that the relationship her parents had with the Lord was not her own, and decided to seek after Yeshua for herself! After coming to faith, God restored her confidence and gave her a new identity in Him. She and her friends even began a prayer group at school. Towards the end of her mandatory military service, Miri heard about Jews for Jesus’ Massah (Journey) program where a team of young believers adventure to India and South America to meet with travelers and share their faith. That year, she was one of the first team member to sign up, and even helped lead a team the following year. Since 2016, Miri has served on our Youth and Young Adult Missionary team at the Moishe Rosen Center where she ministers at a weekly kids club, an inter-congregational youth group, and a Bible Study for soldiers. She loves building personal connections with those she serves and inspiring them in their walk of faith.

I was born in Kazan, Russia, in 1971. In 1993 I became a believer and met Jews for Jesus. In 1994 I participated in Moscow campaign. After my second campaign I joined the ministry, where I met my husband, Leonid. Together we were members of the music team called Messiah’s Shofar for a year and a half. Then, in 1998, we moved to Kiev, Ukraine. We have three children: Michael, Dina and Eugenia.

Ofer Levy is a missionary at the Tel Aviv branch of Jews for Jesus. A native Israeli, Ofer has lived and served in Israel, New York, and California.  He and his wife, Sarah, have two sons: Ely and Matthew.

I am Olga Emma. I was born in 1978 in a small village of Marianovka, Odessa region, Ukraine. I lost my parents when I was 4 and was sent to live in an orphanage. When I was 11, I met some believers from whom I learned that God loved me. When I was 13, these believers took me into their home, and at 16, I was baptized in the church. That year, I went to work at a Christian bookstore, where I first heard about Jews for Jesus and also met my future husband, Anatoli. I volunteered for Jews for Jesus since 1999, and then joined the staff as a missionary. I am very glad that both my husband and I work together with Jews for Jesus for the salvation of the Jewish people!

Rebekah Rood is the East Coast Director of Children and Youth ministry and the Director of Camp Gilgal East. Rebekah grew up in a Jewish believing home and personally placed her faith in Yeshua while preparing for her Bat Mitzvah. As a high schooler, she began attending Camp Gilgal East and has hardly missed a summer since. Rebekah met her husband Sam while serving with Jews for Jesus in New York City. They have been married since 2013 and make their home in Brooklyn.

Richard is a UK based-Jewish believer in Jesus (Yeshua) who has served with the Church's Ministry among the Jewish people (CMJ) and as UK Director of Jews for Jesus. He became a believer in Jesus in 1974 from a Liberal (Reform) Jewish background. He taught Hebrew Bible and Jewish Studies at All Nations Christian College, UK, and was Academic Dean and Director of Postgraduate Studies. He is a past President of the International Messianic Jewish Alliance (IMJA). His PhD was supervised by Rabbi Dan Cohn-Sherbok and is published as Mapping Messianic Jewish Theology: A Constructive Approach (2009). He is now Senior Researcher with Jews for Jesus, and spends his time writing, teaching, training, mentoring and drinking coffee in UK, Israel and around the world. His most recent book “Luther and the Jews: Putting Right the Lies” (Wipf and Stock, 2017) is a timely contribution to the celebration of the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. He is married to Monica, who is also a Jewish believer in Jesus, and has two children and three grandchildren. <a href="http://www.mappingmessianicjewishtheology.eu/">my story</a>

Rich has been on staff since 1978. He has served at several Jews for Jesus branches and was a pianist and songwriter with their music team, the Liberated Wailing Wall. He is now at the San Francisco headquarters, where he conducts research, writes and edits as the senior researcher. He is author of the books Christ in the Sabbath and The Day Jesus Did Tikkun Olam: Jewish Values and the New Testament, and co-author of Christ in the Feast of Pentecost. Rich received his M.Div. from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in 1978 and a Ph.D. in Biblical Studies and Hermeneutics from Westminster Theological Seminary in 1993.

Rob Wertheim is a senior missionary serving with the San Francisco branch of Jews for Jesus. He has been on staff since 1988 and has participated in and led several outreaches during that time. Rob’s father and mother are Holocaust survivors, originally from Germany and are also believers in Jesus. His wife, Sandy, is a Jewish believer as well. However, she is the only one in her family that knows the Lord. Rob and Sandy have three grown children, Saul, Rose and Josh.

Roei Stanley was born in Canada. His father is Canadian and his mother is Israeli. They moved to Israel when Roei was three years old. Growing up, he went to church but never understood what it meant to have a relationship with God. After his military service, he had a lot of doubts about God and came close to giving up his faith. At the age of 21, he attended a Messianic conference. During the worship time, God opened his eyes and his heart. Roie has been growing in his relationship with Him ever since and is learning what it means to be a son and a disciple. He and his wife Katie served with YWAM for a number of years. He’s been helping to run our soldiers’ meetings as well as helping us host local community events. It’s been great having him help Jews for Jesus initiate community dinners and other projects that bring people together to better our neighborhood.

Ruth Rosen, daughter of Jews for Jesus founder Moishe Rosen, is a staff writer and editor with Jews for Jesus. Her parents raised her with a sense of Jewishness as well as "Jesusness." Ruth has a degree in biblical studies from Biola College in Southern California and has been part of our full-time staff since 1979. She's toured with Jewish gospel drama teams and participated in many outreaches. She wrote and/or edited quite a few of our evangelistic resources. She has also helped other Jewish believers in Jesus tell their stories. That includes her father, whose biography she authored in what she says was "one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of my life." For details, or to order your copy of Called to Controversy: the Unlikely Story of Moishe Rosen and the Founding of Jews for Jesus, visit our online store. Ruth also edits the Jews for Jesus Newsletter for Christians to help those who want to pray for our ministry and our missionaries stay connected. In her spare time, Ruth enjoys her personal writing projects (fiction and non fiction) and hanging out with her dog, Carli Grace, whom she rescued. Ruth says, "Some people say that rescue dogs have issues, and that is probably true. If dogs could talk, they'd probably say that people have issues, and that is probably even more true. I'm glad that God is in the business of rescuing people, (and dogs) despite—or maybe because of—all our issues."

Sahar was born and raised in Tel Aviv, Israel. He was born into a traditional Jewish family, but he had a very low view of God. Events and hardships began to soften his heart, however, when, in his late teens, he was exposed to the New Testament and to Jesus. Sahar read about who Jesus was and what He did and could not stay indifferent to His wisdom, His compassion and His love. As a Jew, he never knew who Jesus really was and what God had done through His death and resurrection.  After few years, in 2014 Sahar joined a local church in Tel Aviv. Soon after, he realized and was bothered by the fact that there are millions of Jewish people who are exactly like he was, not knowing who Jesus really is because no one told them, neither at home nor in school. Therefore, God called Sahar to join a team of dedicated believers at Jews for Jesus who are eager to relentlessly pursue Jewish evangelism and make Jesus known to his Jewish brothers and sisters. In 2016, he began an internship with the ministry, and two years later, joined the staff. In 2018 Sahar married Maria and they welcomed their firstborn daughter, Thea.

Sam and Rebekah Rood are missionaries serving with the New York branch of Jews for Jesus. Sam leads the training of new missionaries and <a>Rebekah</a> directs Camp Gilgal east and the children's and youth discipleship ministry on the East Coast. Jews for Jesus is a missions organization on the forefront of Jewish evangelism.

Sheer was born in Canada to a Jewish mother and a Canadian father. Shortly after she was born her mom came to faith in Jesus and her family relocated to Israel. Growing up in a Messianic home she always believed in God but didn’t know what it means to have a personal relationship with Jesus. Eventually her family moved back to Canada. During this time and through the guidance of youth leaders, Sheer understood that God was her father and that she could have a personal relationship with him. This is when she accepted Jesus as her Savior. After high school Sheer moved back to Israel and joined the military. During her military service she faced challenges to her faith and almost left her faith. She knew she had to make a decision; either live for God or against Him. Deep in her heart Sheer knew God was real and made a final decision to follow him. A few months after finishing the military service Sheer became an intern with Jews for Jesus’s youth ministry. She knew she wanted to do something meaningful in her life and she really had a passion for youth and children. Sheer now leads weekly Children Bible clubs, summer vacation Bible schools for kids and serves in gospel based events. She loves building personal relationships with the kids she serves, answer questions they have about God and see them grow in their faith.

I am an Israeli-American who was born in Seattle to believing parents but grew up in Jerusalem. I moved back to the States when I was 19. While living in San Francisco in 2009, God saved me and I became involved with Jews for Jesus. In 2012 I moved to Chicago where I was pursuing a degree in Jewish Studies at Moody Bible Institute. I continued to work with Jews for Jesus during my studies. However, near the end of my time at Moody, I became very ill and underwent two serious surgeries. They say I was close to death. But God in His wisdom made me strong again. I began seeking the Lord’s will again and he led me to work with the mentally ill and destitute at Albany Care near Chicago. Many of the people I served were Jewish and I was able to minister to them with the tools I’d acquired with Jews for Jesus. After some time, the Lord led me back to Jews for Jesus to serve full time as a missionary. I have seen God’s hand clearly throughout my journey, and I am humbled by His love and sovereignty in our lives.

The Rosen Center is an amazing space that has enabled us to bless our neighborhood and live out our faith in public and as meaningful contributors to other people’s lives. We get to celebrate the creativity and freedom we have found in our relationship with God and make ourselves available to share the hope we have in Jesus. Our staff will continue to explore ways in which this space can be used to redeem and bring together, enrich and enable, spiritually and materially.

Shoshannah Weinisch is a missionary at the New York branch of Jews for Jesus. She came to faith through Jews for Jesus’ ministry in San Francisco many years ago. Her husband, Stewart, is also on the missionary staff as is her daughter, Melissa.

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 B.Sc. in Education from Indiana University, Simon moved to Israel in 2005 to teach and study for an M.A. in Education from Tel Aviv University. Little did he know that I 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. For much of his time in Israel, Simon taught English literature at a public-school and imparted upon his students what it means to walk in another’s footsteps and to learn to love their community. In 2015, Simon became the Executive Assistant to Dan Sered, who is now the Chief Operating Officer of Jews for Jesus, and also worked with the ministry’s English communications from Tel Aviv. In mid-2019, Liz and Simon were accepted as missionaries with the organization and are blessed to be able to serve people in Israel. They currently live in Jaffa and have two children.

Stephen's grandparents immigrated to America from Eastern Europe in the early 20th century, ultimately settling in the Chicago area. As a boy, Stephen enjoyed sports and excelled in school. In his high school years he began to question the values he had been raised with, and instead of focusing on academics, began to spend all his time playing guitar and harmonica. Over the next few years he searched for answers to his many questions about life, eventually becoming a follower of Yeshua.

Three weeks after receiving his bachelor's degree in social work from the University of Illinois, he got married and began to work with abused and neglected youth in a residential treatment center in Chicago, which he did for 10 years (taking one year out to live on a kibbutz in Israel). He received his master's degree in social work from the University of Illinois in 1984. He and his young family attended a messianic congregation for 13 years, where Stephen served as the worship leader. 

In 1989, Stephen began missionary training with Jews for Jesus and now serves as North American Director. For 12 years he oversaw our work in Israel and still continues to be involved with our work there. Laura and he have four children, three of whom are married. He received a master's degree in intercultural and Jewish studies from Fuller Theological Seminary in 1997.

Stephen is known to be a warm-hearted and engaging teacher and a good listener.

Stephen Pacht directs the work of Jews for Jesus in Switzerland. Stephen, who has previously been in charge of the UK and Paris work, lives in Switzerland with his wife Deborah and their four children.

Stewart Weinisch was born and raised in the Bronx, NY. It was during his bar-mitzvah in front of the torah ark (where the Torah Scrolls are kept in the synagogue) that Stewart made this promise to God. "Someday I'm going to find you". That promise was soon forgotten. When Stewart was 19 several of his non-Jewish friends "became Christians" and began sharing the Messiahship of Jesus with him. After a full year of searching the Scriptures and comparing his Tenach (the Jewish Scriptures) with the "Christian" Bible Stewart became convinced Jesus must be the Jewish Messiah. Then, Stewart remembered the promise he made to God at his bar-mitzvah, and received Y'shua as his Messiah. Soon after that, Stewart applied and was accepted to become a student at Moody Bible Institute.

In 1983, after completing his Bible education Stewart returned to New York City to bring the Gospel to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Since that time Stewart has been in Jewish ministry. He and his wife Shoshannah have served as missionaries and as messianic congregation planters in New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Florida and most recently in Charleston SC. Stewart and Shoshannah believe God has called them to return to New York City where there are approximately 2 million Jewish people. "We have a sense of urgency to proclaim the Gospel to our people".

Susan Perlman works with like-minded mission agencies, messianic congregations, churches, associations and theological institutions for purpose of establishing strategic partnerships so that they can do more to bless Jewish people with the good news of Yeshua than they can do alone. She also serves as First Assistant to executive director David Brickner. One of the co-founders of Jews for Jesus, Susan also serves on their Executive Leadership Team.

Svetlana Kotlomina grew up in an atheistic family. When her mother (a Jewish woman) came to believe in Jesus, Svetlana decided to find out who believers are. Svetlana says, ...And I also put my faith in Jesus. He gave me eternal life and the sense of unique purity that I never had before!"

Tamir Kugman is a missionary with Jews for Jesus in Israel, Tel-Aviv. He is working in the Media-Evangelism department. He was Born in Israel to a Jewish family of a secular-mesocratic background and came to faith in Yeshua at the age of 21, during his army service. He is a first-generation believer in his family. Tamir is married to Hadas and they have 5 children. Feeling drawn to work and serve in the community, he received a bachelor’s degree in Special Education and worked as a Special Ed. teacher in the public schools and in a Messianic school. He also earned his M.A in Learning Disabilities. Over the last two decades, Tamir has taught the Bible for kids, youth and adults, both in camps and in a congregational setting. Feeling drawn to evangelism, Tamir with his wife and family, changed course as he joined Jews for Jesus. Using his gifts in teaching and media, Tamir feels called to reach people with the gospel through their personal media consumption and draw them into discipleship. Tamir says: "Jesus used vivid parables and illustrations to communicate the message of the kingdom, we want to communicate the beautiful message of God to his people, and bring it as close as we can, to the palm of their hands.”

Tuvya Zaretsky is one of the founders of the Jews for Jesus ministry. He was the first field missionary beginning his service in February 1974. Tuvya continues to serve the Lord, now as the Director of Staff Development internationally, based out of the Los Angeles office. He also chairs the Board for the Jews for Jesus branch in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Tuvya was raised in Northern California in the institutions of American Judaism. During his bar mitzvah at age thirteen, Tuvya read from Isaiah 6:1-8 and declared with the prophet, Hineni-Here I am, send me!" However, his search for God and spiritual truth didn't come into focus until ten years later, when a Christian colleague encouraged him to seek God in the pursuit of truth. Tuvya came to believe in Y'shua (Jesus) on December 7, 1970. Ever since, he has been joyfully saying to God, "Hineni-Here am I." The full story is available by that title, in a booklet form here.

Tuvya has provided the leadership of Jews for Jesus branches and evangelistic campaigns in major cities of the US and in Israel. He headed up the Las Vegas Behold Your God (BYG) campaign in 2005 and co-led the 2006 BYG outreach in New Jersey. He is now also an administrator for the website www.JewishGentileCouples.com.

In April, 1989, Zaretsky was present at the Willowbank Consultation on the Christian Gospel and the Jewish people, that produced the watershed Willowbank Declaration. Tuvya has presented missiology papers at the Evangelical Theological Society, the Lausanne Consultation on Jewish Evangelism (LCJE) and at the Global Diaspora Missiology Consultation in 2006. He currently serves as president for the International Coordinating Committee of the Lausanne Consultation on Jewish Evangelism, a networking body of Jewish mission agencies. He was editor of the Lausanne Occasional Paper 60, Jewish Evangelism" A Call to the Church in 2004. He was a contributing author of Israel the Land and People edited by H. Wayne House (Kregel Publishers, 1998). His doctoral dissertation, co-authored with Dr. Enoch Wan, was published as Jewish-Gentile Couples: Trends, Challenges and Hopes (William Carey Library Publishers, 2004). He authored or edited articles for the June 2006 issue of MISHKAN themed, "The Gospel and Jewish-Gentile Couples" (Jerusalem) . And in 2008 he was coordinator and contributor for the World Evangelical Alliance Consultation that produced "The Berlin Declaration on the Uniqueness of Christ and Jewish Evangelism in Europe Today". In 2013 Zaretsky was appointed to serve as the Senior Associate for Jewish Evangelism by the International Lausanne Movement.

Tuvya has an M.A. in Missiology concentrating in Judaic Studies from Fuller Seminary's School of Intercultural Studies and the Doctor of Missiology degree from the Division of Intercultural Studies at Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon. He is married to Ellen, who is also a Jewish Believer in Jesus. They have three young adult children: Jesse, Abbie and Kaile.

Valeriy grew up in a small mining town in the USSR (now Ukraine).  The Citizens of the town knew him as an ill-behaved and quite unpredictable person. He had burnt many bridges even with his family. During a time of prayer in a small Evangelic community, where he thought he had come by chance, Valeriy suddenly saw the Calvary and crucified Jesus Christ. The eyes of the Lord were full of suffering and endless love. He decided then to follow Jesus and to turn away from the life he had lived before. He began serving in church, hosting a home group, and reading the Bible at the mine where he worked. Valeriy also had a longing to know about the Jewish roots of his faith, which eventually led him to Jews for Jesus and his heart to share the Gospel. He became a missionary in 1999, and met his wife Tatiana at a Shabbat meeting two years later. In 2015, they moved to Israel where Valeriy continues to serve as the leader of the Russian-Speaking General Missionary Team.

My name is Victoria Negrimovskaya. I was born in Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine, in a Jewish family. In our family, nobody talked about God. I graduated from a technical school that prepared me for no job at all. I went from job to job seeking a higher salary. My marriage failed. I survived on 5 grivnas ($1) a week.

I received Jesus at a Bible study home group where I was invited by a friend and later I began to attend a church.

I met Jews for Jesus at a presentation in my church. But I had my doubts about this way of serving the Lord. When a year later I attended a Shabbat meeting of Jews for Jesus, my doubts disappeared. During the Behold Your God campaign in Dnepropetrovsk, I watched the Survivors Stories video, and it confirmed my thoughts and feelings. In 2003, I took part in the Odessa Behold Your God campaign and in 2004, the Kharkov BYG campaign, following which I joined the staff of Jews for Jesus as an outreach worker of the Dnepropetrovsk branch.

Vladimir Mitnitsky was born in Ukraine. At the age of fifteen, he made aliyah to Israel without his parents (his father is Jewish). Although he knew about Jesus, he didn't believe in him as in the promised Messiah. He studied in Yeshiva (religious high school) for three years. There he was challenged by the rabbis to think about the Jewish Messiah who would bring redemption and peace to his people. Although he was taught to do good deeds (mitzvahs), Mitnitsky didn't have peace in his heart.

He came to faith in Jesus at the age of twenty after he read prophecies about the Messiah in the Old Testament. He graduated from college with a professional diploma in engineering. But when he volunteered with Jews for Jesus on the streets of New York City and Israel, he felt God's calling to do evangelism to his Jewish people. After participating in four Jews for Jesus witnessing campaigns, three in Israel, Mitnitsky joined the Jews for Jesus staff as a full-time missionary in 2009. He met his wife Yulia during a New York City Summer Witnessing Campaign and they were married in 2010. They welcomed the birth of their first child, Natanel in early 2013.

William Rosenberg is a missionary with Jews for Jesus in Los Angeles California. He is a passionate follower of Jesus and pursuer of life to the full. William has a BA from Vanguard University in Religion (with an emphasis in Youth Leadership) and a minor in business. Upon graduation he spent nearly a decade traveling the world with Youth With A Mission (YWAM), Jews for Jesus, and other ministries - traveling to nearly 50 countries sharing the love of Jesus with the Nations. He went on to share a message of creativity in the business world for 6 years and returned to full time ministry with Jews for Jesus in June 2019. His main role is helping lead Camp Gilgal, our summer camp program for youth. He was actually a camper during the camp’s first year in 1991! William’s heart is to disciple young and old alike, pointing them to deeper intimacy with Jesus. William is an artist, with a passion for coffee, and great love for his wife and daughter.

Yoel Ben David has believed in Jesus since July, 2001. Yoel was born in Israel although he was raised in Europe. His mother is Jewish and is from Morocco; his father, who is not Jewish, hails from Scotland. Yoel speaks, reads and writes English, French and Hebrew fluently.

After Ziggy completed his post-doctoral studies in mathematics, a friend invited him to church, where he completed a course called Christianity Explored." Ziggy then read Mark's gospel and wondered: "Have I found the Messiah?" But he reasoned, "How can I accept Jesus as the Messiah when the rabbis have been rejecting him for the last two thousand years?" After reading the life story of Stan Telchin, Betrayed, Ziggy realized it was possible to be Jewish and believe in Jesus! When he pored over the prophesies in the Hebrew Scriptures, he became convinced that Jesus was indeed Israel's promised Messiah. Ziggy joined Jews for Jesus as a full-time missionary in 2009.