20 The Chosen People | JULY 2019
11 NEW ZEALAND
Our Messiah commanded His disciples to bring the good
news “to the Jew first” (Romans 1:16) and “to the remotest
part of the earth” (Acts 1:8). There you have it: Jewish
evangelism in New Zealand!
Amidst intense natural beauty at one of the remotest parts
of the earth, we backpack alongside Israelis and share
Messiah in relevant and relational ways. The ministry team
experience is drawn from young people coming from Israel,
the United States, Australia, and beyond. Each year, between
eight thousand and fifteen thousand Israelis travel to New
Zealand. As these young Israelis desire to see the world and
contemplate the answers to life’s questions, we want to be
there to give them THE answer: Jesus.
The team stays at one of our three facilities, like the Zula
Lodge, a very comfortable youth hostel our staff in New
Zealand purchased in 2016 in the center of the tourist area
on the South Island. The Zula Lodge enables many Israelis to
live in a believing environment for a few days without cost.
More than one thousand Israeli travelers stay at our various
facilities over the course of the summer season.
One of the outreach events during the week is a corporate
Sabbath dinner where between fifty and sixty Israelis gather
to celebrate the Sabbath. The young Israelis help cook the
meal and contribute to the service as well. These evenings last
well into the night as conversations about life, travel, and the
gospel happen naturally between the travelers and staff.
During the week, the team has countless opportunities to
relate with Israeli travelers on New Zealand’s magnificent
hiking trails or just hanging out at the Zula Lodge. Most
importantly, the relationships that are begun in New Zealand
continue when the travelers return home to Israel. Our Israel
staff is following up on the travelers we meet in New Zealand
and other regions where we have short-term outreach among
Israelis.
12 SOUTH AFRICA
The history of the Jewish people in South Africa essentially
began with the general European settlement in the 19th
century. It is estimated that around 80 percent of South
African Jewish people are descendants from Lithuania.
Jewish people played a prominent role in the development
of the diamond and gold fields, and many were involved in
the anti-apartheid movement. South African Jewry differs
significantly from those in other developing countries in that
the majority of them still remain in South Africa.
This Jewish community, mostly nominally Orthodox, peaked
in the 1970’s. Today, the community has become more
observant. In Johannesburg, the largest center of Jewish life
with 66,000 Jewish men and women, there is a high number
and density of Kosher restaurants and religious centers.
In 2011, Manfred and Isit Nochomowitz (Emet Ministries
South Africa) attended the Chosen People Ministries Global
Conference in London and became a partner.