Shalom and greetings from Nazareth!
During this meaningful season, we find ourselves celebrating two important holidays that often fall during the same period — Christmas and Hanukkah. This timing is not accidental. When we look closely, we see that God is speaking a powerful message through these two celebrations, both centered on light.
For Christians around the world, Christmas is a sacred and joyful time. We celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. His coming was not only a historical event — it was a divine intervention. When Jesus was born, light entered a dark world, bringing hope, redemption, and salvation for all humanity.
Jesus Himself declared: “I am the light of the world.”
His birth changed everything. History is even divided around Him — before Christ and after Christ — because His life, His message, and His sacrifice stand at the very center of God’s plan for humanity. Christmas reminds us that God did not remain distant. He came near. He entered our world, our pain, and our struggles, bringing light where there was darkness.
At the same time, the Jewish people celebrate Hanukkah — the Festival of Lights. Hanukkah remembers a time when the Jewish people faced great oppression and spiritual darkness. Yet, God’s light did not go out. Even when the odds were against them, the light continued to shine.
The candles of Hanukkah carry a timeless message: God’s light cannot be extinguished.
When we place Christmas and Hanukkah side by side, we see a beautiful picture. Christmas proclaims that Jesus is the light of the world, and Hanukkah reminds us that light overcomes darkness, even when darkness seems strong.
Jesus did not stop with saying that He is the light. He also said to His followers: “You are the light of the world.”
This means that God is calling each of us to carry His light — not only in words, but in how we live, how we love, and how we treat one another.
Today, we are living in difficult and challenging times.
We see fear, conflict, and division increasing around us. We hear about hatred and the spread of antisemitism in many parts of the world. Darkness tries to convince people that there is no hope.
But the truth is simple: darkness has no power of its own. Darkness is only the absence of light. When light appears, darkness does not fight — it disappears.
This is the message we want to share from Nazareth.
Here, in the hometown of Jesus, we believe God is calling us to be a light and a bridge. We want to show what the world often says is impossible — that Jews and Arabs can walk together as one family in Yeshua, united by love, faith, and hope. While the world often promotes separation and fear, we want to demonstrate reconciliation, unity, and the transforming love of Jesus.
This is not just a message we speak — it is a life we are called to live.
We are deeply thankful to you who stand with us. Thank you for praying for Nazareth, for Galilee, and for all the people in this region. So many hearts are searching. So many lives are longing for truth, healing, and hope. Your prayers truly matter, and your partnership strengthens us more than you know.
May the light of Jesus shine brightly this Christmas and Hanukkah — in Nazareth, in Israel, and to the ends of the earth!