* 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.
* A Jewish woman and her Catholic friend stopped. The Catholic woman asked, “So Jewish people look at Jesus as just a prophet?” I explained that He was more than a prophet, but the Messiah. All the while, the Jewish friend stood there, listening to our conversation.
* A Jewish woman being pushed in a wheelchair (stroke victim) by her daughter said, “I have a friend who is trying to tell me that Jesus is the Messiah.” I happily replied with a smile, “Listen to her.” And then I said that she could call out to Jesus at home and ask him if He is the Messiah. She said, “I may do that,” as she took a prophecy sheet I handed her.
* A Jewish grandmother (who became Mormon years ago) stopped and told me that she had five children and 36 grandchildren. She said, “If you want to be blessed, become a Mormon.” She also talked about the Angel Moroni (a Mormon false teaching) visiting New York years ago. I replied incredulously, “Mormonism is not true and that is not how we determine the truth of a matter, by counting grandchildren.”
* A young Jewish married couple was so excited to see the booth. They told me they met on Birthright (a Jewish youth trip to Israel). I explained that I was a Messianic Jew and explained it. He said he had never heard of that before but would go home and Google it. They even made a $5 donation to the booth.
* A whole flock of youth, many wearing Jewish necklaces, (about 16 to 19 year-olds... at least 12 of them) all stop and are excited to see Israeli things. I asked if they were Jewish, and they said, “All of us are!!” So, they are pouring over everything and being typical loud youth. Then one of them reads our signage, and she says, “I'm confused.” So that was my open door! They all listened as a group as I explained what a Messianic Jew was, and that Yeshua (Jesus) was Moshiach (Messiah). Of course, then they say, “How does that differ from being a Christian?” I explain the difference in terms. And one asked, "Why isn't there peace in the world if the Messiah has come?" (A typical Jewish objection.) I explained that too. (I also offered them our 'Pray for Israel' wristbands, which several of them happily took.) After they listened for a few minutes, I knew I only had a minute more, so I explained it all as best as I could and told them to Google “Messianic Jews” later. Then the flock all left as a group, and before I knew it, it was all over. Overall, it was exactly why we are here! Praise the Lord.
* About five Arabic-speaking people stopped and were looking at everything. (All family-related). They were asking me what the different items said in Hebrew and then translating it into Arabic for one another. I was a bit worried, but then I could see they were genuinely interested and started making a pile of things to purchase. I had to ask where they were from, and they said they were Christians from Iraq - and love Israel! What a blessing to hear! They ended up buying several hundred dollars worth of items (wanting a large discount, which I gave). I figured it was worth the discount to have Arabic-speaking people on Israel’s side.
* An older woman came to the booth and was struck by our “Robin Williams” small poster. (If you haven’t seen it, it is Robin in a standup comedy act talking about how Jesus is Jewish, in a way that only Williams could do.) She asked me if that was Robin Williams, to which I answered, “Yes, he is talking about Jesus being Jewish.” She said, “That is very strange because a few days ago I had a dream about him.” I read to her his spiel about Jesus. Then I said to her, “He is saying Jesus is Jewish” and I added, “We believe He also is the Messiah, God’s faithfulness to His people.” I also added that Moses and the prophets gave witness to Jesus’ life as well. Sadly, she didn’t react in any way to what I said, but just thought it was interesting.
* A Jewish man named Michael came to the booth and was surprised to see such things at a fair. We talked for a while, and in his own way, he told me that he was really lonely. Through our conversation, I would talk about Jesus and how He was the Messiah. Also, he shared how he has back problems too. I asked if I could pray with him, and he said yes. I said, “I am going to pray in Jesus’ name, ok?” He hesitated for a moment and said, “OK." Briefly, I prayed and thanked God for our meeting together, and that we have no coincidences, but our lives are divinely orchestrated by God, and our meeting wasn’t a happenstance. I prayed for his back, and for God to make Himself real to Michael. I finished, and we both said amen. He looked at me and said that prayer gave him goosebumps. I said, "The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is interested in you, and wants you to know who the Messiah is." He was quite thankful, and I bought him one of our books to read. Pray for Michael. We met for a reason.
UPDATE: About 10 days later, Michael returned to the booth and said to one of our workers that he was so moved when Pa (ROI staff member) blessed him; He said no one had ever done anything like that for him before and he got chills when Pat blessed him.