Behind the bright smiles of many young Israelis often lies the hidden weight of grief, trauma and the relentless strain of life in a land under constant threat. After years of responsibility and pressure during mandatory military service, countless young adults long for escape. Their backpacks may be light, but their hearts often carry more than they can name.
For many, tiyul hagadol (Hebrew for the ‘big trip’) has become a rite of passage. They head to far‑flung places hoping for rest, adventure and a chance to breathe again. But beneath the desire to disconnect is a deep spiritual searching. In cafés tucked into the Himalayas or hostels scattered across Peru, Israelis look for peace and meaning – and even God. These journeys become modern-day wilderness wanderings, places of testing, reflection and unexpected openness.
That’s why Jews for Jesus sends out short-term missions teams, called Massah, to meet them. Meaning ‘journey’ in Hebrew, Massah begins with a team of young adults, who are Jewish believers, gathering in Israel for five weeks of community, prayer, worship, Hebrew study, evangelism training and preparing their hearts before they ever set foot abroad. And then comes the real adventure: travelling to India and Peru to meet Israeli backpackers along the Hummus Trail. Equipped with what they’ve learned, they step into conversations about faith, offering hope and truth in the very places where Israelis are searching for meaning.
Last summer, when war with Iran broke out, one of the teams had to postpone travel until September. That meant our teams would celebrate some of the High Holidays abroad, opening up an incredible opportunity for outreach.
In Manali, India, our team hosted a vibrant Rosh Hashanah celebration. Partnering with a local restaurant, we crafted a special holiday menu and spread the word through social media and personal invitations. But as registrations came in, so did hostility. We received many messages with insults aimed at us – and Yeshua. We wondered if anyone would show up.
In the end, about 50 people gathered, 40 of them Israelis! Our team mingled among the guests, sparking meaningful conversations about faith.
But just as dessert was served, some unexpected visitors arrived. A group that included the local ultra-Orthodox rabbi entered carrying flags and signs declaring their rabbi as Messiah. At first, we feared the evening might unravel. But God used the interruption for his glory. The Israelis present rallied to support us, asking if we needed help and urging us to continue. Their solidarity opened the door for even deeper conversations about Jesus. What seemed like a disruption became a divine opportunity. Praise God!
In Peru, one participant, Liron, shared this story:
‘The afternoon before Yom Kippur, I spoke with a young woman named Tikvah about faith. She was curious, but we had to leave before finishing our conversation. That evening, I returned, hoping to see her again, but God had a different plan. Instead, we met Maya, another Israeli, and as we talked about Yom Kippur, we opened the Bible together. Soon, four more Israelis joined in! The next day, we came back and found eight Israelis playing board games, including Tikvah. She immediately said, “I wanted to ask you a really big question about what we discussed.” Suddenly, the whole room fell silent as we shared about faith in the Messiah. By the end, thirteen people had heard about Jesus. I had hoped for just one conversation with Tikvah, but God gave us so much more!’
Thank you for blessing the people of Israel with the gospel and helping us bring it to them wherever they may be: Peru, India and the furthest corners of the earth. Please pray for all those we met and ministered to along the way that they would find real freedom in Yeshua.
To learn more about Massah, visit: https://jewsforjesus.org/massah