* A man and woman stopped to look at our rings. I asked if they were Jewish. The woman said that she was “very Jewish.” The man said that he was not Jewish. He then asked me what I was. I said a "Messianic Jew". I explained what that meant. He then hinted to her to 'listen to him'. She indicated that she was not open as she browsed our items, but then surprisingly also asked a minute later if there was a messianic congregation in the area. I said "Yes!" I did offer her a book which she politely declined, but then said, “Happy to see you here” as they left.
* I met a Jewish believer who was dealing with anger because of the persecution and murder of Jewish people. She was looking at our earrings; but didn’t buy any and walked away. After she left, I felt that I should buy her a pair. I found a pair, walked, found her, and gave them to her. She began to cry, saying that she needed to know that God cared and that this showed her that He in fact did.
* A man stopped by and excitedly said, “I bought the best book here ever last week!” (Turns out it was our Messianic Jewish Study Bible, which is a Bible with Messianic Jewish notes.) He also said, “I can't put it down. I have been spending four hours a night in it.”
* I had a Jewish woman come to the booth asking if we had an evil eye protection necklace. She was confused when I explained that's not in the Bible. She was not a believer, but she said she was "one hundred percent Jewish". She did buy a ring, and she took a testimony book when we offered it to her.
* We had some major drama at our booth on Saturday night. A Palestinian man (loud and possibly drunk) came to our booth and said, “ **** your booth. **** you, free Palestine!” and strode away. We remained silent. A random person was standing nearby looking at our table and she called him a slur. Of course, what the woman said was wrong, but this happened near our booth and so it involved us. It all happened so fast. It was a crazy moment. He was screaming, shouting, swearing, and physically threatening the woman and her husband in front of our booth. The Palestinian guy was ready to hit the husband. I went out of the booth to protect our products and to encourage them to go outside. The woman was crying. It was a mess. Another vendor had called security for us. Security came with three policemen and escorted out the guy who initially cursed us. The police wanted us to explain the situation with their body cams on. A new age vendor near us said he felt that man had bad energy when he talked to him earlier.
* A Jewish lady bought two bracelets. She took a book we offered her on the Biblical prophecies. She said she was "all about the Old Testament." I told her, "Yes, this book points to the Jewish Messiah from the Old Testament."
* A Jewish guy read our 'Jesus Made Me Kosher" sign. Susan (Greg's wife) boldly asked him what he thought. He said he did not believe it was true so Susan asked him if he would be open to reading a sheet of Old Testament prophecies fulfilled by Jesus in the New Testament. He said yes and took the flier. He then shot back, "Why don't the rabbis believe" to which Susan responded, "Would you like a free book of 12 rabbis who have come to faith in Jesus?" He said he did not want the book on the rabbis but would check us out on the internet.
* This is a sweet story. One afternoon, an Orthodox family came by. I told the mom what we were about. She had an Orthodox Jewish look with three teenage girls, and they all took the bookmarks we offered and free ROI rubber bracelets. The mother smiled at me. The oldest teenager, very friendly, said to Susan and I, "Good Shabbos." (meaning Good Sabbath). I hope that this is a step forward. Since the October 7th attacks, we have been, in my opinion, more a part of the Jewish community, not the enemy anymore.
* A Jewish woman from New York (where I am from) bought an “I Love Israel” tee-shirt. I explained that I grew up in NY and am now a Messianic Jew. Then she leans in and whispers to me, “He went up on the cross as a Jew, and He came down as a Jew.” I replied, “That’s true.”
* A couple stopped at the booth and I asked if they were Jewish. He said only she was. I asked if she was from New York and she was (as I am). I told her what a Messianic Jew was and I asked if she would read a book of testimonies of Jewish people who came to faith in Jesus. She said sure. When she saw Sid Roth's name on the cover (the man who edited the stories) she said, "I've heard his name before!" I said he has been on TV for many years sharing the Messiah.
* A lady came by to tell us her daughter was in the military in Israel. Of course, she expressed concern for her, and she wanted to take a photo of our booth to encourage her daughter, seeing that there were people in the USA who supported Israel.
* A lady came by with her husband (they live in Michigan). I asked the husband if he was Jewish, and he said, “No, Baptist.” I asked the wife if she too was Baptist, and she said “No, Jewish.” I said, "Well, you can be both Jewish and a Christian at the same time.” She took a testimony book and promised to read the testimony of a Holocaust survivor who came to believe in Jesus. She said she had relatives who died in the Holocaust.
* A Jewish lady and her teenage daughter were looking at the star of David bracelets. She said, “I've never seen Jewish products at the fair.” I asked if she was Jewish, and she said, "Of course." She then told me that she did the DNA testing, and it found 99% Ashkenazi and 1% African. I asked if she had heard of Messianic Jews, and she said, "No." I told her what they are (believers in Jesus as Messiah), and she said, "Well, I'm not one of those." I told her I was and offered a free book about others who found their Messiah, Jesus. She thanked me for the book. Pray she and her daughter read the book.
* I talked to several Christian Palestinians (one at the fair and one at a local church) who say that the Muslim Palestinians persecute the Christian Palestinians. I know the number of Christian Palestinians has been greatly reduced.
* A Muslim man in his 20’s walks up and points to our display shirt, which says, ‘I love Israel’ and asks, “Do you have any that say, ‘I love Palestine?” Our staff member Pat replied, “I do love Palestine — the Palestinian people. I am a Christian who loves Jesus.” That seemed to disarm him. (Note: Pat is married to a Jewish believer.).
* A Jewish man who goes to Chabad (an ultra-Orthodox Jewish group) stopped with his fiancé. He said he was from Miami, and I mentioned that I was from New York. He asked me if I ever saw the Rebbe. (Their Rebbe is the late Rabbi Menachem Schneerson from Brooklyn.) He said, “All our teachings (in Chabad) are based upon his teachings. That he was a “Tzadik” (a righteous man). I said, “So was Yeshua! Except He rose from the dead.” He did take a testimony book for his fiancé (who, surprisingly, was not Jewish) and also bought some items.
* A spunky Jewish woman who was from NJ stopped with her gentile boyfriend. She wanted a mezuzah and asked if the scrolls were kosher (meaning handwritten by a scribe). I said for that price, nope, LOL. She said, “How can I put it up without a kosher scroll with the rabbi blessing it?” I explained that the rabbis made that kosher rule, not God, and no one needs to bless it. Then she said she has already been to a Messianic service and is going to a Bible study where they are trying to “convert” her, but she has a problem with the Trinity. I asked if she had ever been to a seder. She looked at her boyfriend and laughed. “Been to one? I’ve had many at my house!” So I asked, what was in the Maztah Tosh on the table? “Three matzahs,” she said. Then I said, “But one pouch. It is three and one both.” She said, “Okay, I never thought of it like that.” We laughed a lot more, and before she left, she took a testimony book.
* A Jewish man in his late 60’s, who said he was from Miami, asked, “If he is the Messiah, why isn’t there peace in the world?” I then explained the two roles of the Messiah, which most Jewish people do not know. He would not take a testimony book, but I got him to at least take a prophecy flyer.
* A Jewish couple in their 70s from New York stopped, and we had a good conversation. She knew exactly the high school I went to in New York, so that helped the conversation flow. She listened, but the husband was more interested and said, “Give me whatever literature you have,” and he took it all.
