ISRAEL | APR. 5, 2021 — Tough Times for Ethiopian Believers
ISRAEL — Tough Times for Ethiopian Believers
Ethiopian believers in Israel experience double persecution.
The extreme circumstances of the coronavirus pandemic have led to great highs as well as difficult valleys for Messianic members of the Ethiopian expatriate community in Israel.
Many Ethiopian Jews have immigrated to Israel, and some of those have embraced Jesus as Messiah. However, Ethiopians often experience discrimination in Israel, and choosing to follow Jesus only adds to these barriers. Recently, a VOM partner wrote that many young people from the Ethiopian community came to faith in Jesus during the pandemic, and many of these new believers are already facing persecution for their faith. Additionally, a group of activists has decided to campaign for a law against evangelism, further adding to the pressure.
The partner says some of these activists have gone on the radio encouraging people to harm any believer they meet. “I would like to pray that God will destroy the plans of the enemy,” the partner wrote.