By Pastor Saleem Shalash
This week I had a really special opportunity to join my friends on The Jewish Road Podcast for an episode called “An Arab-Israeli Pastor Reaching Israel: The Gospel from Nazareth.”
I got to share a bit of my journey—how I grew up as a Catholic Arab in Israel, how bitterness once filled my heart, and how God completely turned that around. It all started after a tragedy in my life that drove me to open the Bible with fresh eyes. That’s when I began seeing Jesus not just in the New Testament, but all through the Old Testament—from Genesis to Malachi.
One of the most powerful moments in my life came during a simple time of prayer, when the Lord took away all the hatred I had toward the Jewish people and replaced it with deep love. That moment changed everything. Today, I see myself as a bridge between Arabs and Jews—someone who lives between two worlds but loves both with all my heart.
In the podcast, we talked about things like:
- What it’s like being an Arab Israeli believer in Jesus.
- Why we need to keep our hearts free from pride, even in church life.
- The joy of discovering Jesus in the Hebrew Scriptures.
- God’s unchanging promises to Israel.
- How our church is serving Arabs, Jews, Muslims, and refugees with love and practical help.
At Home of Jesus the King Church, our humanitarian work is just one way we show God’s love. Every food parcel, every blanket, every hug—it’s all about pointing people to Jesus.
If you have some time this week, I’d love for you to hear the full conversation. My hope is that it will encourage you and remind you that with God, even the biggest walls between people can come down.
Let’s keep walking together in love, unity, and faith.