Jewish Bulgaria and the Work of the Gospel there

By Rev. Stanislav Alexiev – CWI Bulgaria

Christian Witness to IsraelMyth & Reality in Bulgaria

SOFIA

Rousse

Varna

Plovdiv

Stara Zagora

Bourgas

Pazardzik

Jesus a priority for the Jewish people … Jewish mission a priority for the Church

Where is Bulgaria and what about the Jews there?

• My country is located on the Balkan Peninsula. It is between Romania in the North, Greece and Turkey in the South, Serbia and Macedonia in the South-east; and the Black See in the East. Bulgaria is more than 1300 years old. The Country went through several occupations – Byzantine; Ottoman, etc.

• With regard to faith, we have been enslaved by Paganism, Communist Atheism and today’s Post-Christianity Age.

• Due to our crossroad place, we have many people from different nationalities: Armenians, Tatars, Turks, Greeks, Gypsies, Pomaks, Romanians, Russians, Ukrainians, Hungarians, Serbians, Macedonians…and Jews.

• We have the Jews in our land years before the birth of Christ.• Today there are about 3000 Jewish people living in Bulgaria.

Sofia Synagogue

• Largest Sephardic Synagogue in Europe

• Dedicated 19.9.1909

• Bulgarian National Romantic style

• Seats 1170 people

Jesus a priority for the Jewish people … Jewish mission a priority for the Church

• Synagogue is the place that I meet some of my contacts.

• There are not many religious Jews left in my country.

• Due to the Communism those who left here are atheists and do not believe in God.

• During the WWII we saved our Jews and did not allow Hitler to take them to his concentration camps. We saved about 50 000 Jewish people.

Sofia

Jesus a priority for the Jewish people … Jewish mission a priority for the Church

• The Church during that time has been one of the key players of the salvation of the Jewish people.

• I firmly believe that the mission work should be done only through the church.

• Most of my activities are done with the help and the prayers of my church.

• I am a minister with the Evangelical Congregational Church in Bulgaria, planed as church in 1864.

The Alexievs

Jesus a priority for the Jewish people … Jewish mission a priority for the Church

• This is my family. • My wife Margarita is great help in the ministry.• We have two children – Tzveta is 13 now.• And Julian, who is 9 this year. • Without my family I cannot do ministry.

Mimi

Jesus a priority for the Jewish people … Jewish mission a priority for the Church

• Some of my contacts:• This is Mathilda – she participated in the final

stage of WWII. She is the only Jewish woman in Bulgaria with two bravery medals, one of which has been given to her personally from Marshal Tolbuhin.

• She professed faith in Jesus several years ago.• She is very sick now, and I will value your

prayers for her and her family.

Bitush

Jesus a priority for the Jewish people … Jewish mission a priority for the Church

• His name is Bitush, and he is a believer too. He comes regularly to the church. He likes to sing. He is a member of a Jewish choir and also sings in the church (next slide).

• Bitush is coming to my Sofia Messianic Bible Study Group. We meet every month in the church. There are two Jewish people in the group, one of them is Bitush.

Bitush

Jesus a priority for the Jewish people … Jewish mission a priority for the Church

• I meet my contacts not just in the Synagogue, but as I supply their needs with Humanitarian aids.

• This has been my approach just from the beginning when I started with CWI in 1997.

• The vehicle that I use is great help, because the Jews in my country are mostly old people that need to be driven to hospitals, different institutions and I use the time we spend in the car with the to talk about the Lord. As you may imagine, they do not have choice, but to listen me

Bertha Valyo

Jesus a priority for the Jewish people … Jewish mission a priority for the Church

• Bertha and Valyo are mother and son. They live vey poor life. But Bertha is a believer. Valyo is not yet.

• Here they are in the Hospital for some medical needs. I often drive them in different places in Sofia.

Moni

Jesus a priority for the Jewish people … Jewish mission a priority for the Church

• God has given me unique opportunity to work among Jewish people with mental illnesses.

• I have several contacts that are sick that way.• Moni is one of them. He has strong mental

disorder. • He does not go out of his house and it is difficult

to meet with him. • I buy his medications every month and meet with

him regularly. • Please pray for Moni.

• Please pray for my work in Bulgaria.• Pray for my other Jewish contacts: Dr. Oscar,

Dr. Beraha, Dr. Astrug, Tatiana, Stephan, Theodora, Violeta, Georgi, Bogdan, Mrs. Koen, Haim, Dr. Pinkas, Dr. Danon etc.

• May the work here grows and gives glory to God!