Testimonies

My parents both immigrated from Nicaragua, Central America, in the fifties. My mother is by bloodline of Sephardic Jewish descent. Her great-grandfather traces back to Spain, his surname being Guzman. Although my mother was not a practicing Jew, she did recognize her Jewish heritage. My father’s background is a little more muddled. His DNA traces to Eastern Europe, but he carried his mother’s maiden name, Fernandez, a name identified etymologically as Sephardic. He never knew his father. As for me, I was born in ’65 in California. My family and I moved to Alaska in the early ’70s, where I grew up until I moved to Arizona on my own in the mid-’80s.

My testimony: I am a walking miracle of transformation attesting to the power of HaShem through Yeshua. I started my young adulthood as a self-absorbed, partying playboy. I then became hopelessly addicted to drugs, alcohol, sex, and porn. I felt lost and hopeless. A Christian guy I met explained the message of salvation, to which I responded. I began walking with Messiah, but more from a Gentile Christian point of reference. After a few years, I began to hunger for deeper understanding and wrestled with my Jewishness and how this factored into my relationship with Christianity. I felt incomplete and that there had to be more than what the Christian world was teaching—all grace, no Torah, no room to be Jewish.

Then I started finding men like Michael Rood, Sid Roth, Jonathan Bernis, and others on the web. Then I understood how the Christian world was incomplete and confused, and I came to enthusiastically embrace Messianic Judaism. Now I see how the Holy One is restoring the Bride of Messiah to its proper place—back into the tent of David, back to its Hebrew foundation!

After a couple of stages into your program, I must tell you how delighted I am! I love the in-depth teaching about the letters and your commentary as well. Thank you so very much for the effort placed into the production of the program—it is nothing less than excellent! I feel every disciple of Messiah Yeshua should take your course.

I now work devotedly to proclaim the Jewish Messiah to both Jew and Gentile, and I encourage Gentile believers to come back to their Hebrew roots and the beauty of Torah. As you know, however, it is not easy persuading Gentiles who have been taught for hundreds of years that Torah is bondage and has been done away with. Well, we’ll keep after it!

Shalom! My name’s Sofia. I started following Yeshua around age 13 and for some reason have always taken my relationship with Him very seriously. It’s amazing that we can know a man who existed in the flesh over 2000 years ago, and is just as real to us through His Spirit. I remember thinking during a worship song at my aunt and uncle’s church when I was that young: “Yeah, I want to know Him.” That’s how it started.

About 9 years later, I went to Israel to study abroad for my university degree. I previously had no connection whatsoever to Israel. Judaism was far off my radar…except for one Jewish-Christian friend who tried to explain to me why he still celebrated the Jewish festivals and went to a Passover Seder at our university’s Hillel house. I never understood what he was talking about.

It was really the hand of the Lord that brought me to Haifa, Israel. I certainly had no personal link or desire to go other than I was studying Anthropology in the Middle East—but mostly Arab cultures—and that I was a believer and the Old Testament talked a lot about Israel…All that to say, not a real obvious personal pull to go, but I really felt like it was the Lord that took me there.

When I landed in Tel Aviv airport, I quickly realized I did not understand anything around me, and as I’d be spending half a year there… I decided to scrap Arabic and learn modern Hebrew. There I am, everything is new: the language, the people, my school… I’m sitting in my dorm room on the second day trying to figure out how life will be for the next few months and I open my Bible to Romans 9. I start reading and am BLOWN AWAY. The apostle Paul is talking about Israel, his own race, and I almost couldn’t believe the affection pouring out through his writing. Then I knew the Holy Spirit was still speaking to this day about God’s affection for Israel… I kept reading until chapter 11… Though I had read that passage many times before, it was like a new revelation to me, and it altered my views of the Jews… basically everyone I would meet from that point on.

I got in touch with a Danish Christian who was studying with me… He went to a Messianic synagogue in the outskirts of Haifa… and… the rest is history! Since then I’ve always felt more at home in the way they approach the Bible. Baruch Hashem!

As the months went on, I took classes in Jewish Ethnic Groups, the Social History of Israel, etc., which greatly enriched my study of the Hebrew language. I really appreciated learning them all at the same time.

I’ve told God many times how the gift of learning Hebrew (for it was truly His gift to me!) was one of the most special He has ever given me. Three years later, I’m living in France and have started with one other girl a small believing community celebrating Shabbats and the festivals together, learning Torah, and learning to follow the Messiah in our everyday lives. Hebrew has definitely deepened my understanding of Scriptures in ways I never thought possible—I think it is something both the American and the French body of Christ is missing.

Through a lot of divine connections, people with similar hearts have come together from different congregations… I am thankful the Lord set this all up! Now we are 7–8 people from several different churches (only one of which is of Jewish blood) rotating Shabbat dinners at our houses and studying the Torah on Monday nights.

I am looking to implement storytelling in our circles more… I would love that. Baruch Hashem that He gives us tangible ways to grow in His grace!

My name's Alex and I came from Hong Kong. I became a disciple of Jesus Christ 5 years ago when I was studying in the UK. Yeshua found me when I found myself really broken in my life. I was a guy full of hurt, bitterness, unforgiveness, selfish, self pity and above all lack of love. In these 5 years, He just showed me how sinful and dirty I was as a corrupt sinner but at the same time he revealed to me what He accomplished for me on the cross. He shed His blood and became the lamb without blemish for the atonement of my sin. The Lord is truly awesome. I'm happy that the Lord put this hunger for His Word inside me and this somehow leads me to Holy Language Institute. 

What inspired me to start learning Hebrew in Holy Language Institute? Well, I came across a song called "Indescribable" by Beckah Shae and it included  beautiful Hebrew lyrics like "Baruch shem kivod leolam va'ed" and "Barukh attah Adonai, melekh m'hulal batishbachot." I personally found the Hebrew words beautiful and somehow found it intimate to praise the Lord with these words. Also, I really would like to understand the Word of God with a proper and better perspective as the whole Bible was written with heavy Jewish cultural and linguistic influence. Then, through the link included the interview with Beckhah Shae on 'Why I use Hebrew in my songs?" I found HLI and started the journey of learning Hebrew.   

All I can say in regards to my desire to learn the Hebrew language is that it is God-inspired. As I look back on my life, even in the very early years, I’ve had a deep empathy and love for the Jewish people. As a young child, I was deeply interested in the Holocaust, and the Jewish people have always been deeply ingrained in my heart. The Ruach was pulling me to know more, but I didn’t grasp it. I was taught a deep respect for God and knew that Yeshua was our Messiah, but I did not have any real knowledge about the land of Israel or its history. Then, having grown up in the “church culture,” I was taught all the typical misconceptions about God and Yeshua.

Years passed, and then a long-time friend began to share that God was revealing a need for her to observe the Sabbath on the correct day. She began studying Torah and Hebrew. For seven years she talked to me! Actually, she was making a “taught one”—I just didn’t realize it! I loved listening to her teachings, but I resisted the commitment to obeying God, thinking that it really didn’t matter because Jesus had paid for all that “law” stuff and we were free from it.

One day while we were talking, she looked at me and said, “But Yeshua said, ‘If you love Me, keep My commandments.’” The Ruach of God smote my heart and gave me eyes to see and ears to hear. I began to cry, confused but knowing I had to move forward in obedience. I went home, shared with my also-resistant husband about my encounter with Truth, and told him I needed to go with my friend to Torah study and at least see what this was about. Miraculously, my husband was all for it! He went with me on the next Shabbat, and the rest is great history!

My friend has been studying the language one-on-one with a Jewish friend fluent in Hebrew. She is currently teaching a beginning Hebrew class each Shabbat, and I am enrolled in that. So this is how it all came to be. I am convinced that the Lord is teaching me and wants me to know the language and also how to “walk out” the Way of God. I yearn to visit Israel and someday to see Yeshua HaMashiach return to His land and people! I know that I am grafted into the Covenant and am excited about the future!

The bald-headed me was the journey before the Lord brought my husband and me to “walk out our salvation” His Way. I was diagnosed in 2009 with breast cancer and faced with many questions. Why should I fight to live? I remember my brother taking me to Philippians 1:21, “For me to live is Yeshua and to die is gain.” I didn’t want to go through it. I questioned having treatment. Part of me didn’t want to fight. But reading this verse, I knew that I could endure much in order to live longer that I might proclaim Yeshua and promote the Kingdom of God to all!

Looking back, I really believe that we had to go through breast cancer in order to know that God is enough for us—that we could lose everything and still have everything we need, because we have God, and He had to be enough! Cancer taught me to love more, give more, show more compassion, trust more, help more, and grow more. So I tried not to waste my cancer, but to let God bloom even more! It brought me a sense of being born for the first time, as if I had just begun to live!

Throughout this time, my friend diligently shared Torah teachings that through the Ruach, we are empowered to joyfully obey without carrying the heavy burden of obeying. Cancer helped me to want more of God and less of Jeannie—His power, His holiness, His Word engraved on my heart. I believe the Lord has placed it in my heart to learn the Hebrew language, to be prepared to speak and read and share His truth in the days ahead! It will truly be a miracle in my life if God loosens my tongue and mind to comprehend! I believe God is reviving this beautiful language that has never ceased to exist and is giving it to many in these days!

Blessings from Tennessee,

Jeannie

Peace entered my heart, attending church and searching Scripture. There was a deep hunger to know how to apply verses to my life. One day in 2008, a rabbi friend of ours spoke about one verse—Matthew 23:39: “For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.’” This revitalized me to study Hebrew. I found a Hebrew teacher, but he passed away during our lessons. I became depressed. I enrolled in three classes but became dissatisfied and ran out of money. Then I found Izzy teaching Biblical Hebrew—thank you, God, for an answer to prayer. Thank you, Izzy, for answering your call. Rachel

Shalom, Izzy! I am grateful for the opportunity to tell you how the Lord is using your work in my life. Somehow, some months ago, I came upon your Hebrew language lessons on YouTube and threads on Facebook somewhat simultaneously. I immediately felt like a kid in a candy shop because, through your work, I have found inexhaustible access to knowledge of God that I have craved throughout my lifetime.

Originally from New York City, when I was growing up in the 60’s, several of our neighbors in our apartment building had numbers tattooed on their arms. I’ll never forget the images of those Holocaust survivors who lived right next door to us, smiling in the elevator, chatting in the hallways. Although my family is not at all ethnically Jewish, I was impressed at an early age that these Jewish people had been the target of a horrible thing just a short time before my birth. Now, I think it a privilege to have grown up in a time and at a place when Jews and gentiles were truly elbow to elbow, close neighbors and friends, enjoying freedom and safety in New York City after the war. Growing up, I was far more closely connected with Jews than with Christians. Lots of my little friends went to Hebrew school and sometimes could not come out to play. “Why not?” “...cause I’m studying my Hebrew...” I could go on and on with fond remembrances of the music, art, humor, and faithful sayings of wonderful Jews throughout my youth, to say nothing of the fantastic kosher delis.

Anti-Semitism always seemed to me an insane aberration. Well, now it’s revealed to be nothing less than a transparent plan of Satan. Our amazing God knows how to defeat this plan and I want to be a part of it with all my heart. I feel like I am infiltrating territory and simply taking it back for Israel, for those who will be ruled by God, one heart at a time. I see people all around me responding to the beauty of the Hebrew that I’m learning and sharing. To me, this is the power from on high, the ruach ha’kodesh. This is even the ripping of the veil, to me, although I can’t quite explain that. Yeshua HaMashiach has let me in, to be a laborer together with Him.

And this is just because of the baby steps that I’ve been able to take, listening to your lessons over and over again before moving on to the next. Above all, prayerfully, I remember that though I have all knowledge, if I have not love, I am nothing. There are plenty of good, sweet people for whom obtaining a knowledge of Hebrew seems a Martian concept. I want to love them anyway. I consider it an act of the Lord’s mercy on me to have given me a love and faith in His eternal covenant with the Jewish people. I simply marvel that it was something that He began to confide in me when I first saw those tattooed arms. What a blessed and wonderful God.

Thank you for what you are doing.

Patty

My name is Alex. I am a Costarican. I am 34 years old and I started to know about Yeshua ten years ago when I accidentally started to study the Bible for the first time in my life and quickly I arrived to a small messianic group, there I could discover my original roots which are from Sefarad originally. So I discovered several things at the same time: I grew up believing false things, I started to know Yeshua as the revealed Adonai through the seven feasts (Leviticus 23), the truth of the Torah and the fulfillment of it through the Brit Hadasha… also I discovered something really meaningful, I wasn’t just a Latin American, a Costa Rican, I really am a Sephardic Jew, descendant from “marranos,” the Jews which were pursued by the Spanish Inquisition and that were forced to be converted into Catholics.

In 2007 I studied two years with a messianic Sephardic rabbi, who helped me to strengthen my knowledge about the Torah, Yeshua, Israel, the Hebrew, the holy feasts, the Shabbat, the Jewish music and the Sephardic history.

In 2009 me and my wife decided to establish a small Beit Midrash where every Shabbat we invite some friends (20 or 25 people) and we study the parasha, we celebrate the holy feasts (from Pesaj to Sukkot) and try to keep discovering our original Sephardic roots. At the same time we study who really Yeshua was, and how the whole Tanak talks about him, how he is the main character of the holy feasts, why he is the Mashiaj, the Savior, the Melej of Israel, and we also learn about his second coming, not as the lamb, but as the king who will fulfill the last three feasts in order to become our husband, and we will be his wife.

I really love the Ashkenazi legacy and culture, and how they have shaped current Israel. I admire and respect that, nevertheless during all these years I’ve been studying and discovering the very rich Sephardic culture and legacy which were almost destroyed with the inquisition and the assimilation in this side of the world.

Recently, my wife and I could visit Israel for the first time! We celebrated Sukkot there, and I could say that new feelings were awakened in my heart and in my spirit. When we went back home, we realized that it is extremely necessary to study even more and harder about Israel’s history and culture, about Yeshua, and about the galut, about the Holy Scriptures, and of course we need to learn even more about the holy language, the Hebrew.

We need to learn more about the Hebrew not only as a language, but as the language that we have very deep in our blood, discovering not only translation stuff, but also spiritual, numerical and prophetic meaning of this language.

With all these, my main goal is to be able to reach more and more people. In my country probably 80% of the inhabitants have Sephardic roots and most of them don’t even know about that. And they are suffering what is having a life far away from the Lord. As the prophet Oshea wrote: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you, that you shall be no priest to me: because you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your children.”

My wife and I just want to be humble servants of Yeshua, so that’s why we have been trying to get more information in order to train ourselves for this mission.

That’s how I realized about your website and your methodology which I think is great, and it has all we need to support our mission. I couldn’t find anything similar in Spanish, my English is not perfect, but I will try with your lessons, because I really want to learn the Hebrew language in the way you teach it.

Thanks Adonai Elohim of Israel, for you, your family and your website. I hope to have a good performance after completing your lessons.

And since Costa Rica I say Shalom huBrajah.

I am Julie, wife to Joel. We have four beautiful children. Our oldest daughter is 15, our sons are 14 and 12. Our youngest daughter is about to turn 10. We have been married for over 16 years and live on a little farm in rural Upstate NY. We are a homeschool family. Joel works from home building websites. The last seven years of our lives have been full of both sorrow and joy, division and restoration, lack and plenty but have proven to be such a blessing despite the ups and downs. Despite what circumstances fill our lives, the joy and shalom of YHVH fills our hearts daily.

We currently volunteer as the leaders of our little congregation in Wolcott, NY called Messianic Family Fellowship. Joel has been a gifted Bible teacher and worship leader for over 10 years. When we aren't working on local ministry things, we are producing Messianic teachings for all ages and for people all over the world through our web ministry called Restoring the Way Ministries. Additionally, we have a traveling Messianic worship band called Jacob Generation that we started with another family from our congregation (the Perkins family). I am the drummer, Joel sings and plays guitar. All of the kids are musical and love to join in playing music and Davidic dance.

As former children's pastors in mainstream Christianity, we used to produce materials for use every week in the Sunday school there. Every time we came to a passage about kosher or Sabbath or the holy days, we felt convicted. We felt as though we were leading the children in the Sunday school away from YHVH's word by telling them that "those things" were done away with. We began intense independent study about Sabbath, the holy days, and kosher. We began fellowshipping with folks outside of our church who believed what we believed about those topics. After leaving the church to congregate on the Sabbath, we wholeheartedly continued to follow YHVH's commands, began teaching them to others, began unraveling years of unscriptural teachings that had infiltrated our children's minds, threw out the Christmas stuff, and haven't stopped growing and learning since.

Our youngest daughter was diagnosed with a very rare and progressive form of MS when she was three. It was right around the time we started to follow Torah. She was in a coma, unresponsive, having dozens of seizures an hour. The doctors weren't sure she was going to pull through. It took months before she could walk again, talk again, and re-learn everything she needed to be an independent kid but PRAISE YAH she did pull through this troubled time.

Since then, she has had intermittent months of blindness, months-long hospital stays, invasive procedures and medical interventions, and other scattered issues. On last Purim, she went blind in her right eye without warning. After weeks of trying to get it back through different medicines, we were told it would never return. Nothing worked. We even did an aggressive five rounds of plasmapheresis which was heart-breakingly invasive and awful to watch her go through. Needless to say, her positive spirit at nine years old shined through the hospital. Our room was one of comfort and joy to others, even the nursing staff and cleaning crews. I found myself praising Yah in the middle of the night with the tech who takes blood pressure, ministering to the guy that changed the trash, and even felt Yah's peace in the midst of such a trial of my faith. Leaving the hospital was hard. It meant that the doctors were done trying to "fix" her. She would have one eye that works and one that doesn't. We were told that one more "episode" would leave her without the left eye as well, so the closet is stocked with Braille materials "just in case." This is a reminder of what the Lord and our family are fighting against. This was the second time in three years that she was in the hospital in the spring, and the second time that we were discharged on the eve of Pesach.

Soon after coming home, we noticed something on her hands. She noticed something on her hands too. The veins on her right hand had formed a shape. As had the veins on her left. Her right hand had clearly and without a doubt formed a paleo-Hebrew alef. This looks just like an ox head, complete with the "horns" and everything. Her veins make a perfect oval. Our friend who is a nurse thought this remarkable because veins don't "grow" in this shape. She gets IV infusions every month. Her hands are inspected and prodded each time. Never have they taken this shape before. The veins on her left hand form a perfect block modern Hebrew tav.

When she holds my hand, I am reminded of the grace of our Abba. Not only is she imprinted with the alef-tav on her hands, the beginning and the end, the one who sits between God and man, but His hands, too, are imprinted by the love He has for us. Miraculously, her vision has slowly been restored over the past several months. It hasn't been fast. It hasn't been easy. It isn't perfect yet but she can see. She is about 20/100 after being totally blind. This is a miracle, and there is no physical reason for it. In fact, the scarring is so bad on her optic nerves on both sides that the neurologist can't believe she has any functional vision at all in either eye. We definitely experienced the power of the Alpha and Omega, the Alef and Tav, the beginning and the end. We have a renewed interest in Hebrew as a result.

Our oldest two children were Bar/Bat Mitzvah'ed together two years ago but didn't learn Hebrew. As our youngest son prepares for his Bar Mitzvah, the desire and dedication to learn Hebrew has grown in his heart. He wants to cant his parsha, Parsha Noach, in Hebrew. I am so thankful for the Holy Language Institute's ministry. Izzy, you are such a wonderful teacher and have such a gift. Through this ministry, my son will be able to learn Hebrew at his own pace and from an amazing instructor. And I can learn right along with him!

I came to know Yeshua in 1981 when I was six years old. I was raised by parents who acknowledged Him but lived a secular lifestyle. I attended a Christian school where I learned Christian doctrine until my mid-teens. I then became quite rebellious and continued my education at Satan’s school of hard knocks. In my early twenties, I returned to church and became an active member involved in several ministries. My husband and I became foster parents to several children, through which we eventually adopted our son. In 2001, I enrolled in college and completed a bachelor’s degree in psychology with an emphasis in family studies, and then a master’s degree in human services with an emphasis in executive leadership from a prestigious Christian university, all while homeschooling my son and maintaining a solid 4.0 grade point average. I then applied this knowledge by working with children as a “teaching parent” with my husband, where we lived with and ministered to children who were unable to live with their families for one reason or another. Through this journey, some might think that I was quite the maturing Christian. The truth was that the more I learned from the teaching of men in this religious system, the greater a paradox grew. I became more arrogant and insecure at the same time. I was driven to become a respected worker in the eyes of God and man, yet I experienced thoughts of constant doubt and disillusionment. Not wanting to appear weak, I arrogantly kept these thoughts to myself while hiding behind work experience and college degrees to validate myself.

Then in 2009, Abba began to take away what I perceived were blessings at the time. I became angry with Him. I did not talk to Him for a while. I drowned out His voice with television and music entertainment. I was mad that after all I did for Him, He would treat me this way. Yes, picture a four-year-old girl having a temper tantrum because she can’t have her way—that basically summed me up at that point. In hindsight, what were actually being removed were material things that blocked my relationship with Him and held me in deception. By the end of 2010, I finally was humble and quiet enough to hear Yahweh speak clearly to me. He explained that the things taken away were for my own good because He loved me. He wanted me to come out of the system I was entangled in and be free. He wanted to have a relationship with me based on His atoning work, not my stressed-out work. My ministry work was just noisy rubbish because I wasn’t doing it in response to being in love with Him as an act of worship; rather, I worked to be “good enough” for Him.

He revealed to me this past spring that even the English translations of the Bible were missing depths that prevented me from knowing Him more intimately. I desired to read the Scriptures in the original language in which they were written to know for sure what they fully communicate. Yahweh began to show me that the New Testament did not replace the Old Testament in regards to the church body, and that I have a spiritual heritage from His chosen people, the Israelites, as a believer in Yeshua Hamashiach and as an adopted daughter of Yahweh. I want to understand Hebrew idioms, historical culture, symbolism, and word pictures to understand more deeply what the inspired authors of Scripture were communicating about my Savior. I believe this is so important pertaining to an accurate world view that my twelve-year-old son, Jared, is also learning Hebrew.

My son and I have been so blessed. Even learning just the Aleph Bet at this point has unlocked more understanding when I read the Scriptures. Numbers and pictures are beginning to jump out at me and connect dots I never noticed before. I can’t wait until I can read the Hebrew Bible for myself. I know that is quite a long response to your question, but I wanted to share because I hope it communicates my perspective on the importance of learning Yahweh’s truth, His holy language, Hebrew ancestry, as well as my gratefulness to engage in such an opportunity that has been provided to me.

Blessings to you and your family,

Dawn

I came to believe in the Messiah back in 1976 whilst reading the story of Samson in my bedroom. As I read I burst into tears and asked Jesus to be my Saviour. Immediately there was a strong holy presence in the room and I felt different. I next made a public commitment at a showing of the ‘Cross and the Switchblade’. Since then my journey in faith has been exciting and challenging. 

A few years ago my pastor started reading about Hebrew roots. I listened to him but held most of it in the back of my mind, after all I am a gentile. However several points did cause me to be concerned. What if he is right and the church has lost its roots? Shouldn’t I at least look into this? I tried to learn Hebrew but that lasted a few days and it was too hard. A few weeks ago however I began reading an end time novel and got a desire again to learn Hebrew. This time it is different - the desire has really grown and I feel as though I have a tutor in Izzy. When I came across Izzy’s site - Holy language institute - I looked at the site several times. You have to pay for it but it is not much and I was cautious. Thankfully Izzy offers three free lessons as a trial and I watched them, suprised by the fact that I devoured them! I normally struggle with people speaking on computer but I absolutely love these lessons and am learning a lot. I even find myself worrying over what I’m going to do once these lessons have finished. I took the plunge and ordered Hebrew Quest and have found it more and more intoxicating. Izzy said to pray before studies and this I try to do and I believe that is part of the success that I am having.

Yours in Yeshua,

Alex

I was raised Catholic and have always loved God as far back as I can remember. During worship at the age of thirteen, I had what would best be described as an intense moment of fellowship with the living God. It left me starving for more. In my search, I became more involved in religious activities—teaching catechism, attending stations of the cross, and more.

Somebody gave me an Authorized Bible, and as I read, I became aware of many religious practices that were unbiblical. But I was told to have the unquestioning faith of a child. Continuing my search, I attended a Catholic mission after school. There I met and worked with the most beautiful people who dedicated their whole lives to serving, but I perceived that they were as hungry and lost as I was. This experience left me so frustrated and angry that I rebelled against God and my parents for a few months.

Some time after I got married, I gave up attending the Catholic Church, read my Bible, believed what I read, and called out to God the Father in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord answered my call and fellowship was restored.

We attended several churches as a family. We found so many unbiblical practices in the churches, even participating in some of them for a season—from New Age influences to traditional beliefs. The church leaders were never open to having anything questioned, even when it was blatantly unbiblical. It was quite heartbreaking.

For the past seven years, we have been having fellowship and Bible study at home. About five years ago, the Lord led us to start keeping the Sabbath—what a blessing.

My daughter and I started learning Hebrew from the site Hebrew 4 Christians. We stumbled across your site while web browsing and listened to you on YouTube. We bought your course and found it to be so balanced and filled with wisdom. It is so wonderful to learn from a Hebrew perspective instead of a pagan one. We have so much to learn! The Yeshua Tribe is amazing. I praise and thank God the Father through Yeshua for you and the Tribe.

Blessings,

Kim

My name is Nora. I am currently living in Brazil with my husband and six of our ten children. We came here in October of 2007 as missionaries with Ywam. We love this country and have no doubt that this is where Abba has called us to shine our light. Since December 2011, we have been living in the most northern state of the country called Amapá. We are beginning a work with river dwellers along the Pantanarri River (may or may not show up on the map). We are still in what we call the “bridge building” phase. We are getting to know the people from the community and are in the process of preparing our property so we can move there by the end of December. Traveling back and forth is very difficult because the only access is by the Pantanarri River, which is only full enough to travel by boat during the rainy season. Right now is the beginning of the planting season here and we need to get our garden and fields in, but the river is only 4 cm deep at this time, and it is very difficult to pull the canoe over the water and sand as well as the four waterfalls on the way. This of course will change once the rainy season really begins in December, when the river gets to a depth of 1.5 to 3 meters. This year the dry season is the worst the locals can remember. We believe that we need to become as self-sufficient as possible so that we do not need to come to the city of Oiapoque that often.

Our work here has been very interesting. Most of those we have met who own properties on the Pantanarri have heard the gospel, but are very disappointed with “the church” because of the corruption that runs rampant in the country and is no different in “the church.” This is a frustration that we ourselves have encountered. We are often criticized for being too “right” and are told that we are no longer “under the law, but under grace.” In other words, it is implied that God will understand that we just can’t live a righteous life here on earth.

We believe that Messiah is the greatest example of how to do missions: (a) leaving His glorious home to (b) live with those He ministered to and (c) then teach them the Truth in word and in action. We have left our home in Canada behind and are going to move into this community to live as they do. Then we plan on starting Bible studies in homes to present the Gospel line upon line and chronologically as the Scriptures themselves do.

Although I grew up here in Brazil as a missionary’s kid and in a way have always “known” Jesus, I only developed my own firm relationship with Him in my early 20s when I went through a divorce and became a single mother of four children. For three years (back in Canada) I was overwhelmed, and during that time developed my own relationship and deepened my own beliefs. Then I met my current husband, and as we merged our two families (four of mine with four of his) and our lives finally got “stable,” YHWH called us to the mission field, where we added two more to the family.

After arriving here, we had difficulties with the leadership of the local Ywam base due to the reasoning that we do not have to be “righteous” while here on earth because it is impossible. At the time we were trying to work through this issue, we found that we did not have the support of the two sending churches in Canada, and most of our financial and prayer supporters just did not understand what we were going through, so it was easier for them to just continue living their own lives. After five months of talks and lots of prayer, we understood that we could no longer be part of that team, but choosing to break away from Ywam was not accepted by the two sending churches. Around that same time, we “bumped into” some videos questioning the Christmas celebrations, etc. The more we studied, the more we realized that there was WAY more to the gospel we had been presented and that Torah keeping is and will always be the fruit of repentance. Our greatest challenge right now is the lack of internet, and there are no other similar believing communities in this area. In many ways, we feel isolated and misunderstood. However, we firmly believe that this is where we are supposed to be at this time.

Because of this change in our theological beliefs, we have lost the financial support from the two sending churches. Now, with our pastor retiring and the church taking us off their list of missionaries, we also lose our deemed resident status and will lose our Child Tax benefit, which is the greatest source of income for us at this time. We are looking into other options, maybe starting a business, to supplement our income without taking us off track from what we believe we are here to do for the Kingdom.

Although the last three years have been challenging for us, YHWH has been SO faithful, and even with the least income we have ever had, we have our basic needs met and are carrying out what we were called to do.

Our family of eight (still at home) would like to learn Hebrew for two reasons: first, because we believe it is the language in which the Scriptures were originally written, so the more we understand the language the more we understand the Scriptures, and second, because we believe Hebrew is the holy language and that when Israel is restored it will be the language that all believers will speak, and we would like to get a head start.

May YHWH continue to bless your ministry,

Nora

My journey began in 1977. I had a spiritual experience and found that what the church taught as doctrine wasn’t quite right. I began searching, and the Holy Spirit has led me ever since. By the late ’80s I began searching the Hebraic roots, celebrating the Sabbath and keeping the Feasts, letting the Holy Spirit lead me into all truths. The Church’s doctrines and the traditions of men have been shown to not match exactly with the Word, and my family and I have laid them aside and picked up the teachings of the Word.

I took a course in learning Hebrew, and that has sprung me into the next quest of my life: learning to pray in the lashon hakodesh, learning the importance of speaking life into our lives, and knowing the authority and power that our Savior gave us before He left this earth, taking the authority to speak life and not death with our words.

I came upon Hebrew Quest and signed up on January 12. I work, so my time is limited to study. I take the Sabbath day to study and visit the different sites, but sometimes the time is limited. I have attached a picture of most of our family. I am the one on the left as you look at the picture. I am just expecting to learn the correct pronunciation of the Hebrew words as well as to learn more of my Hebraic faith.

Shalom!

Cathy

Yeshua found me 8 years ago under the name of Jesus, having been introduced to Him by two lovely people (now brother and sister in Meshiach). I was reading about the Crusades when I met them, and through our chats they told me about Jesus and I told them about the Crusades. I did not know at the time our Lord was calling me, but it did feel right.

I went on the charismatic route, and then about two years ago I felt all was not well. I seemed to be going round in circles with faith and grace teaching. The Ruach Hakodesh led me to a messianic site here in the UK, I started going to their meetings and began a journey with Someone whom I thought I knew… Yeshua jumped right out at me! I felt the need to learn Hebrew, so I started to learn by myself (not easy) and used a couple of sites which are helpful. Then I found Hebrew Quest—amazing language, don’t think I will ever know it all. You give a clear and very interesting lesson; this has helped me with reading my Tanakh and understanding my Hebrew roots. Great lessons, Izzy, thanks.

May Av bless you and your family.

John Michael

My journey is long and twisty. I was raised Catholic. My mother was devout and moral, and my father went along with her and was a very hard worker. I eventually fell away and wandered into a mix of eastern and western religions, philosophies, mysticism, and astrological avenues—I was a mess.

I came to Alberta for a job, which I ended up leaving right away. I then ended up in Nelson, sleeping in my Jeep in winter for only two weeks before being taken in by some very kind people. I had six months off and began researching and reading. I came to an Adventist church where the Bible and the commandments are very important. I started a ministry and eventually found you online, which was very exciting.

I didn’t have any real faith in God anymore, but I could see unkindness in the world toward believers in Christ, and I wanted to be around people who do the right thing even when it’s difficult, even if it means giving up material things or comfort. I also noticed historically that the world seemed kinder when the Ten Commandments were more widely followed.

At one point, I thought—because I am so smart—that God and Satan didn’t really exist. I am a little in shock to discover that much of what I believed was based on clever yet unsound theories presented as truth. To my surprise, as I researched and read the Bible, I found that many things I thought were untrue or mythical were indeed real.

I tend to read many sides of an issue, and through investigation, I found a Kabbalistic Rabbi teaching the aleph-bet on YouTube. On the sidebar was Jim Staley preaching online, and when I clicked on him, you popped up. You were thorough in your teaching, so I visited your site.

Honestly, while I’ve only been a church member for six months, learning just a few Hebrew words and letters has deepened my belief and begun a passion for YHWH. I now find myself wanting to study even when I should be working on grant writing. Being unmarried and without children gives me the luxury of studying in my free time.

Hello, my name is Carol. I recently was introduced to the Hebrew Roots way of looking at things. I soon found the value of looking at the Word of God from the Hebraic mindset, rather than the way I was traditionally taught. I, with four other friends, started this journey over a year ago; we have been studying Torah for Christians for over a year now. I found your site and decided to try to learn some Hebrew, as one of my friends has really gotten ahead of me and sometimes loses me. I wanted to know and understand more so I could learn the heart of my Heavenly Father. I am very new and have been trying to draw close to God through the study of Torah.

So as I journey on in my Hebrew Quest, I hope to meet others who, like myself, want to draw near—others who are wanting to find the heart of the Father and learn to walk in the ancient paths, the paths of our forefathers who knew the heart of God.

Though I have not completed your Hebrew Quest yet, I am making steps toward learning the Hebrew language and culture more and more. Your videos are put together really well. I recommend them to others I come across that express any kind of interest. I have a personal Jewish tutor at the moment through Skype. Though he isn't a believer in Yeshua, he also admits that Judaism has its issues too. That's rather brave to admit, I assume, being a traditional Jew. He told me once, “I don't usually talk about this with my students, but if you want to put me in a box, you could call me a Karaite Jew.” He is close to our age and so intelligent—29 years old, married with two children. His name is Yoel. He even commented on the Hebrew teaching I posted of you breaking down “The Lord's Prayer.” He doesn't applaud many in the Hebrew Roots movement, but he did say you were good.

So brother, you along with other precious, precious pieces Abba has used, are helping me understand more and more the difference between what my Christian culture has made the Scriptures into compared to what they are in the Hebrew culture and context of the language. Thank you very much for your diligent labors as well as for being available to be personal at times with your students. This means a lot to me personally, as many Christian friends think I have gone off the deep end in this journey. I love them. I'm not offended and I fellowship with them as I am able, but where they don't focus on this important foundation to all Scripture, I must mature in it. I can't ignore the desire in me to mature in this. Thank you for being an important and vital piece of this work of Abba in me. Much love.

Sincerely,

Anthony

Mine is a story of life! Since I was young, I felt myself absolutely attracted to Jews and all that it meant. I was born Christian Catholic, and my family was the same. I studied with nuns in a Christian Catholic school—not only academics but religion. My first impression of a Jew was Jesus himself! From that moment, I felt aligned with him, but not only in what the Gospels say. I felt he was much more than the Gospels stated, and I started my journey searching through history.

All the time I felt the connection with Jews. One time I saw the magazine named LIFE, and I learned about the Holocaust, and my heart, my soul, my mind were in commotion! I felt that pain inside of me and cried and cried; my soul was leading me to my reality. I learned about Mexican history and the Inquisition, and once again I felt deep pain for the Jews who were executed in that time. One day I asked myself, “Who really was Jesus?” And the answer came soon with no doubts—the voice shouted to me, “A Jew!” In that very moment I decided to align myself with the Jewish people.

I lived in a neighborhood full of Jewish families, but they were so hidden in every sense. My dad was an American citizen who was born and studied in the USA. He had many Jewish friends and showed me they were such good people—at least the ones he knew. I was a single mother, and during the time I was pregnant I read the book “Exodus” by Leon Uris, and that was amazing for me! It gave me the strength to go forward and overcome the challenges of single motherhood.

After some years I found another great book, “Wheels of a Soul.” I discovered the beautiful spirituality of the Jewish religion—the true spirituality of the universe—and I felt my soul, my heart, and my mind were aligned with it. So I started to study, and now my soul, my heart, and my mind are in such a wonderful effort!

My name is Rajel. It was the perfect one that Rav Berg found for me. Since the very first moment I started to study, and in my first Rosh Hashaná, I felt the change in my life—in my DNA, both spiritual and physical. Now I am Rajel, and I love my people. I have returned to the reality of my soul. Rajel

Shalom!

My name is Aleksandra, but I go by Al. 

I'm a Russian. I'm very into motion graphic design, film-editing, visual effects and animation. That's my hobby. My occupation is different from that. It's systems analysis and math modeling. I'm a master of applied mathematics and physics, studying for PhD now. This year my monograph on systems analysis was published. I've always had some aptitude for math and for art, but I've always had huge difficulties with languages. My school teachers used to say that I was hopeless.  That I'll never learn English and that I should never even try to study other languages. However, I've always dreamed to be able to speak the two languages: English and Hebrew. English, for it is the language of my favorite movies  and Hebrew for it is the language of my God! I'm a Christian, an Orthodox Christian. (That's the traditional Russian Christianity. Nearly every Russian Christian is an Orthodox Christian. We call it "Православный Христианин" - "Христианин" is "Christian" in Russian and "Православие" is the traditional Russian Christianity.)

For me the main thing about my spiritual journey is to hear the Voice of God in my heart. By this I mean to study the word of God and to have enough experience to be able to understand the word of God, to feel it from the inside, to understand it by heart, to bring it to my heart. When I took the stage three of Hebrew Quest and learned about the spiritual meaning of the structure of the letter Gimel, I was impressed that it was exactly like I've been feeling inside about my way to spirituality.

I'm always in search of the Light of God. The Light that cleans and warms our hearts, and brings us calmness and peace, and makes us feel an ultimate compassion and love towards everyone and every living thing, towards all of God's creations.

When I saw the Hebrew letters and Hebrew texts, I felt this Light. I felt the Power of God in these letters. I felt that it is the path to the deeper understanding of the Word of God, the way to truly feel the word of God and bring it to my heart fully. This is why it's been my dream to study the Hebrew language.

I've bought some handbooks and tried to study the Hebrew language by the books, but it was difficult and it was rather spiritless. I mean I felt there was something more, there was something great in each Hebrew letter and in each Hebrew word, but the handbooks didn't tell anything about it.

Then I thought to try to learn at least how to write each letter. How to write it the right way with power and beauty. I looked for videos on how to write Hebrew letters. That's when I was blessed to find the Classical Hebrew Channel. After I watched about 10 minutes of a video, I was deeply impressed. It was terrific. I felt it was right what I was in search of for years. I took the first lesson and the second lesson next day, and it lifted my spirit and gave me a true inspiration. I went to the Holy Language website and applied for the course, and I must say it is the best course I've ever taken in my life. It gives me much more than a knowledge. It truly takes me to the deeper understanding of the Word of God, and it fills me with the Light of God.

Also it appeared to be that it's surprisingly easy for me to follow this course, even though I don't have any talent for languages. However I don't have any difficulties with these lessons. It's all about inspiration and joy!

Thank you very much for giving me this chance and for bringing this Light into my life. My most sincere wishes and blessings to you.

Thank you! Shalom!