Beyond sight

When you look at a Jewish prayer book, you'll find many prayers focused on returning to the land of Israel. These prayers were written centuries after the Jews were exiled, during a period when the possibility of returning seemed almost impossible!

Imagine a Jewish family during the Middle Ages gathered around the Passover table, ending their meal with the prayer: "Next year in Jerusalem." At that time, the city had recently been seized by the Crusaders and later by the Muslims. Although the likelihood of celebrating Passover in Jerusalem the following year was nonexistent, they held onto their belief because God had promised them, and so they prayed.

The paradox of these prayers is even more striking because most, if not all, of the authors likely never visited this land and had no chance to.

Nevertheless, they held deep-seated memories and dreams of this land within them!

They nurtured these memories whenever they celebrated a holiday, including the Sabbath.

In a sense, the authors of these prayers were familiar with its details, flavors, and aromas—even though they had never encountered them firsthand.

For a medieval Jew, to deeply yearn for something as distant as the Promised Land, it needed to be treasured; one had to love it profoundly and desire it with all their heart, so that this longing, these emotions arising from intense desire, became a true force propelling a person forward.

This shift takes us from mere interest to genuine engagement.

Engagement fundamentally changes life.

We can reflect on what makes our goal unique, turning our actions from simply passing time into activities that rejuvenate us and motivate us to stop idling and start moving forward with purpose.

Is there such a goal in our lives?

But we indeed proclaim, as it is written, what no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, are the great things God has prepared for those who love Him. (NIV: 1 Corinthians 2:9).

During the final days of last year and the initial week of 2026, I was in Budapest with Marta and our children. We co-organized a special conference for young adults of Jewish heritage from across the globe.

It's incredible to witness a new generation of young individuals participating in the oldest ministry of the New Covenant: "to The Jews first."

We thank God for the past year, which was full of breakthroughs. On one hand, we undertook several short missions to Israel, where God opened many new doors for ministry. On the other hand, our humanitarian aid for jewish people in Ukraine has entered another phase of pastoral care.

Never before has preaching to our elder brothers been so fruitful.

This year, our goal is to continue serving God and His people. In June, we will once again welcome a Jewish group from Ukraine, and we plan to maintain our outreach efforts to Holocaust survivors in Israel. Alongside our partners, we will also strive to organize an outreach for 5,000 to 6,000 young Israelis attending a music festival in Hungary.

Your partnership with the "Send Me" ministry enables us to deliver the message of the Messiah to the initial messengers, even in times of sorrow and uncertainty. Your prayers, support, and unwavering commitment are more crucial than ever.

May the God of all comfort draw near to each one of us, and may His light continue to shine through His people.

Pastor

Marek Pasnik