Be Our Guest — Dr. Jeff Johnson: Israel Today Ministries and Feeding God’s People
Grant: Welcome to Torah Today Ministries and this episode of Be Our Guest. And today I’m in Arlington, Texas with my dear friend Jeff Johnson — Doctor Jeff Johnson — who is the founder and president, do I have the titles correct?
Jeff: That is correct.
Grant: Of Israel Today Ministries. Now, some of you will be familiar with it, but many of you will not. And though there are many ministries that reach out to the Jewish people and assist Israel, Israel Today Ministries is unique. And so, Jeff, thank you so much for hosting me here in your home and your office. I just want to ask you to tell us a little bit about yourself. We’re both Ohio boys.
Jeff: Yes we are, even though we’re in Texas right now.
Grant: Tell us a little bit of your story.
Jeff: Well, first of all, Grant, thank you for having me here. It’s an honor to be on your program. A little bit about myself. I came to know the Lord when I was 18 years old. A gentleman by the name of Hyman Appelman — he was one of the first Messianic believers in the 20th century. He was an attorney, became an evangelist, what they would call the sawdust trail, where he would have these revival meetings in tents. They would throw sawdust down, and they would have thousands — 15, 20,000 people attend these meetings. Anyway, I was invited to come to a Baptist church, and this is how it was introduced to me: “You’ve got to come and hear this guy. He’s a Jewish guy from Russia speaking in a Baptist church.” And, Grant, just for the sheer entertainment of that — it was intriguing to me. And I came and I listened to what he had to say and something happened. The Ruach HaKodesh (רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ), the Holy Spirit — I didn’t know what it was at the time — but the Holy Spirit of God just touched my heart deeply. Anyway, that evening I surrendered my life to the Lord and discovered there were schools that taught theology. Didn’t know that. I reached out to one, signed up, and to my surprise they accepted me. And I began this journey of studying theology. And in the midst of all of that study, I kept running up against this Jewishness of Christianity, which was not really discussed in the seminary classes.
To make a long story short, by the time I got to my doctoral studies, my doctoral thesis was on the Hebraic aspects of the Hebraic faith and spirituality of Christianity. And so it was originally an academic ascent to come to the conclusion that Christianity is Jewish. Obviously the Lord is Jewish. Everything about the Bible, everything about what we believe — it’s of a Jewish construct and background. And that led me to the opportunity. There were one or two Jewish organizations reaching out to me. And I was perplexed by that. By this time I was in the pastorate, and they basically said, “Doctor Jeff, we’ve not met an evangelical pastor that emphasizes the Jewish roots as you do. Would you consider becoming part of our organization?” There were a few, but one representative of an organization came and the Lord spoke to my heart regarding this organization in Chicago — only to discover that the founder and president of that particular organization was none other than Hyman Appelman. I’ve come full circle.
So in Chicago in the 90s, I’m working with this Jewish organization. Found myself back in the pastorate after several years — large church, large Christian school. Grant, I was miserable. It was a great ministry. They paid us well, all the above. And I asked Louise, my wife, “Do you miss working with Israel and with Jewish people? Arab people?” Yes. And so we reached out to some scholars and presented an idea — basically the idea of an organization that mirrored Hyman Appelman’s methodology, plus this humanitarian component, which is very unique. We’re not establishing congregations in Israel. As you know, it is against the law to be, quote, a missionary. And we are not that. We are humanitarians. And we have provided tens of thousands of meals for Jewish families, Arab families, Holocaust survivors, children — principally children. And that has opened the door for many conversations with hundreds, if not thousands of people. And they ask, “Why do you do this?” So it gives me the opportunity to share.
Basically everything that I do now — I travel, I’m an itinerant guest speaker. I speak in churches and congregations, Messianic congregations, colleges, universities, large and small — so that I can share with people what we do. We feed children and survivors. Yes. And that is my heartbeat. And it works.
And if I may add a caveat to this — we’ve been doing this for many years now. And in the Middle East, as you know, you’re not known by what you say so much as by what you do. If what you say matches what you do, all the better. But when we made these original connections in Israel — from congregations there in Israel to organizations, individuals — so we can facilitate: we feed kids and Holocaust survivors and families as far north as Haifa (חֵיפָה), down to Be’er Sheva (בְּאֵר שֶׁבַע), literally.
Grant: And you’ve had some experiences in—
Jeff: Oh my, my, my. Yes, sir. Sderot (שְׂדֵרוֹת) — for those who don’t know — is the world’s most bombed city without an official declaration of war. Literally 15,000 or more rockets have hit there, and I’ve been there while the rockets were dropping. And there are a thousand stories there. And Adonai (אֲדֹנָי) watched over us. A rocket hit next to our van, knocked our van — we almost flipped. The skill of the driver kept the van from tipping over. And a lot of PTSD with the children and the families that lived there. But here’s what I want to say with regards to being known by what you do and what you say, and if it matches — all the better.
When we made these connections, I basically told them: through thick or thin, up or down, in or out, good or bad — we are with you. We will stand with you. We fight against anti-Semitism. We stand with you. I’m in their homes — religious people, dignitaries, civil leaders, political leaders — and I gave them my word. So the global pandemic hit. And you know, the Lord Yeshua (יֵשׁוּעַ) said, let your yes be yes and your no be no. Well, we had a problem — the world shut down. We figured out a way to continue to supply, from the financial resources to the accountability, to feed the children and survivors. We figured out a way and we were able to do that. And the response from the various individuals and organizations we partner with — their emails basically said, “Jeff, whereas others have stopped, you continued. And these children are eating because of what you are continuing to do. Thank you.” You could see the tears in their words of rejoicing. And when the pandemic lifted and we were able to go back — the doors that opened up to us, the street credibility, because our yes was yes, our word was true, our actions had been consistent. And in that we rejoice.
Grant: Amen to that. Now, some people might be surprised to hear that there’s hunger in Israel, because fruit and flowers are, you know—
Jeff: Yes, exports. Oh, my — great, great question. Listen, the statistics — all you have to do is Google this. 1.1 million children today in Israel are impoverished. And we’re talking about a nation of 9 million or so. Approximately 1 in 4 — 1 in 5 depending on who you read — Holocaust survivors are impoverished. Israel is a secular government. They dropped the ball with this infrastructure. They have a great military — they need it, they’re surrounded by enemies. The irony: they export food. But apart from Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Eilat, the rest of the country is hurting. Statistically, Jerusalem is the most impoverished city — and that’s surprising. You take tourism out of the equation and you have the folks that live there.
I always give this example. A family-size box of Cheerios can be purchased here in the United States for a couple of dollars, maybe five. In Israel it’s ten, twelve, fifteen dollars a box, depending on where. A can of tuna — maybe a couple of dollars here — six to eight dollars there, depending on. So the need is great. The food is very expensive. The taxes are just off the charts. The majority of Israel is struggling financially. Yes, they have a great military. Yes, technology — you’ll see it in Tel Aviv, Haifa. They export food. But the majority of people — 1 in 3 kids are not eating tonight. It’s just too expensive. And so we’re able to stand in the gap. And the model we follow is the Lord himself. What he would do: he would feed people and then he would teach. In this case, we feed people and they ask questions. It’s legal to respond to questions. And so that’s how we’re able to share our faith — only when they ask. But they ask. Oh, my.
Grant: Food and love and—
Jeff: Consistency. And our word is true. They know we’re there.
Grant: If I can just share a personal experience in Israel. I was just looking today — back in 2010, twelve years ago. My son Caleb and I came and visited you and Louise while you were staying in Jerusalem. And we took food along with you. We took food to the small Christian population still in Bethlehem. We took food to a Holocaust survivor in Jerusalem.
Jeff: Yes, sir.
Grant: Yossi. What a story.
Jeff: He was 75 years old when he came to faith in Yeshua. I remember that man. Yes.
Grant: He left an impact on all of us. He even took part — it was near the time of Passover and we took, I don’t know, 100 or 200 Passover kits to a retirement home in Meah Shearim (מֵאָה שְׁעָרִים) — the most Orthodox place on the planet.
Jeff: Yes.
Grant: And they were so grateful for these Passover kits. It was wonderful to be with you there and see boots on the ground.
Jeff: A precious time, a precious time. May I share with you how effective this model is? One story of a thousand stories. Bringing food to a woman and her husband — she had two children. Her husband was at the yeshiva (יְשִׁיבָה) studying Talmud (תַּלְמוּד) and all of this. But they had made Aliyah (עֲלִיָּה). They were from Brooklyn. We brought food. I had a lovely time communicating with them. There were some medical issues — we were able to connect them with people we knew who provided free medical care. It was a very productive time. And she says — she was in tears — and she put out her best because we were visiting. And she goes, “Why — why do you come all this way?” And I said, “Well, thank you for asking. We believe in the Messiah, that he would want us to do this.” She goes, “Well, I believe that the Messiah will come.” I said, “I bet you do. I know you do.” I said, “Do you have a Tanakh (תַּנַ”ךְ)? A Bible?” She says, “Well, yes.” I said, “Can I ask you to bring it over here? Can I have you read something for me?” She goes, “Sure.” So I turned to the Nevi’im (נְבִיאִים) — you know where I’m going. I turned to Isaiah. And I said, “If you can, at the end of chapter 52, begin here and just read.” And she read a few verses. And I said, “What are you thinking at this point, reading these verses?” This is what she said, Grant. She says, “This sounds like the church.” Her words blew me away. And I said, “Oh, my. Continue reading.” And she was reading — chapter 53 now — where this person was killed. Yes. And then in the Hebrew it says, “And he shall see the light of life.” Afterwards in English it says, “And his soul shall be satisfied” — depending on whatever translation you read. And I said, “Can I tell you a story?” She goes, “Please.”
I put on my rabbinical hat. And I wasn’t naming names or places. I just said, “You know, a long time ago there was a rabbi — a young rabbi. He was in his early 30s. He went about healing people, feeding people, helping people, loving on people, teaching people. And basically what I was telling her is what Christians refer to as the Passion Week story. I said, “There was a day he came into Jerusalem, and the people applauded him because he was doing all these good things. But the Roman soldiers — the authorities — did bad things to him.” So I described what happened. And she was physically shaken over the story because I went into great detail of what this young rabbi went through. And she was in tears. She says, “Why would they do this to this man — this good rabbi?” I mean, she was physically upset. And I said, “Oh, my dear friend. This rabbi had a name.” She goes, “What was his name?” I said, “Well, his name was Yeshua.” She goes, “Okay.” I said, “Do you know where all this happened?” Now we’re in Jerusalem where they killed him. “Where all this happened — he was executed, crucified — about two kilometers that way.” And she went, “Oh.” And she says, “I must tell my rabbi.”
And I said, “Please do. You won’t like his answers. You won’t like his response. But please do.” Now — what this woman did — she read from the Tanakh and the word of God. The Holy Spirit took the word of God and applied it to her heart, and it earned me the right to say what I was about to say next. And I said, “Can I ask you a question?” She said, “Yes.” I said, “I have friends here in Jerusalem — I’m about to go back to Texas — can my friends visit you and follow up, just to see how you’re doing?” And she said, “Oh, yes, please.” I earned the right to ask that question because we had done this deed. There were no strings attached, no agenda other than just love and respect. And our friends are following up. But you take that story times a thousand — that’s how this works. And it’s that profoundly simple.
Grant: What you just described is what I’ve seen that makes Israel Today Ministries really unique. We’re told about the Master — he went about doing good. And that’s what you’re doing. And that paves the way, that unlocks the door for people — as you said — to ask questions. “Why are you doing this?” And once they ask that, now you’re free to share the truth. And I’ve watched you share so many stories, and you have such a way — as you just described this encounter with this woman — of just asking the right questions, letting them invite you to go a little deeper. Not in your face. Just letting them take what they need from you. And it’s so effective.
Jeff: Oh, my. It’s with love. The methodology often used in terms of proselytizing or evangelism in America — you can’t do that there. It’s a lifestyle. It’s years of earning the respect. Because culturally — here in the States, we think in terms of a 30-minute program and it’s all resolved. We think, “Well, next month — oh my, that’s a long time.” No. In the Middle East, they think in terms of decades, centuries. There are a lot of wonderful organizations out there feeding people — yea and amen to that. But the difference here is that not all of those organizations present or communicate the hope that is found in Yeshua. As we just said, and as you so profoundly stated — there’s a way to do that. So as you look at these organizations, ask the question: are they presenting Yeshua in any fashion? And if they are not — respectfully, nice organization — let’s focus on another area, another possibility.
Grant: Why don’t you share with people who may want to help support your ministry how they can go about doing that? I see you’ve got one of your books here in front of you.
Jeff: Yes, sir.
Grant: Why don’t you just talk to the camera there and tell folks what they can do?
Jeff: Yes, sir. Okay. Well, thank you for that — that was a smooth segue. This is just hot off the press — my latest book, Hope Rising: Messianic Promise. The gentleman who wrote the foreword is a brilliant Messianic rabbi by the name of Eric Walker from Birmingham — he’s down in Florida now — he has a ministry called Igniting the Nations. He wrote the foreword here. And it’s a compilation of teachings from Genesis through Revelation — certain highlights of the Messianic promise, from the creation of man in Genesis 1 and 2 to the hope we have in terms of heaven, eternal life. And we’ve gotten a great response from this book.
Grant: I’ve read it.
Jeff: Have you read it? Oh, well, thank you. I’m honored that you did. Yes, sir. And you can — if you are interested in receiving the book or any other information about our ministry — go to our website at IsraelTodayMinistries.org. Or you can snail mail us at P.O. Box 150288, Arlington, Texas 76015. Or the fastest way to connect is through email — ITMDJeff@gmail.com — just say Grant sent me. Let us know where you want us to send it. We’ll send it to you — our gift to you. If you want other information, ask us anything. We’ll send it to you. And thank you for this opportunity, sir.
Grant: Thank you. This has been a blessing to be here. Do you have a final word of encouragement or challenge?
Jeff: Sure. Absolutely. Listen — above all, I always tell people at the end of our lectures: I ask three things of you. Number one: if you think of us at all, we covet your prayers. As we go about doing what we do, sometimes we’re in precarious situations — most of the time it’s safe, some of the time it’s not. But just pray for us if the Lord brings us to your heart. Number two — above all: Shalom, Shalom, Yerushalayim (שָׁלוֹם שָׁלוֹם יְרוּשָׁלַיִם). Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. The enemies of Israel still want to destroy her. The danger is very real — a real and present danger. So pray for Israel. There is a mini revival going on in Israel right now. It’s amazing. And number three: if God touches your heart to help us feed the kids, just be obedient to that. But folks — always remember, if you remember anything else — remember that time is short, life is precious, and Yeshua is coming soon. And until he comes, we are together under his wings.
Grant: Thank you, Doctor Jeff. What a good time to spend with you. I’ve really enjoyed this. And so I invite all of our listeners to support Israel Today Ministries and Torah Today Ministries alike. We’ll be sure to put the ministry’s website and email address in our video description on YouTube and on our website as well. So thank you for joining us for this episode of Be Our Guest. And thank you again, Doctor Jeff.
Jeff: Appreciate it. Shalom (שָׁלוֹם) and blessings, my friend.
Dr. Jeff Johnson is the founder and president of Israel Today Ministries, based in Arlington, Texas. A native of Ohio, Jeff came to faith at 18 through the ministry of Hyman Appelman — one of the earliest Messianic believers of the 20th century — and went on to earn his doctorate with a thesis on the Hebraic aspects of Christian faith and spirituality. He served in the pastorate and with Jewish outreach organizations in Chicago before founding Israel Today Ministries with his wife Louise. He is an itinerant speaker to churches, Messianic congregations, colleges, and universities, and the author of Hope Rising: Messianic Promise (foreword by Rabbi Eric Walker, Igniting the Nations).
Israel Today Ministries operates as a humanitarian organization — feeding Jewish families, Arab families, Holocaust survivors, and children throughout Israel, from Haifa to Be’er Sheva. By meeting physical needs first and responding to questions about faith only when asked, the ministry has built decades of trust and street credibility throughout Israel. The ministry continued operations through the Covid-19 pandemic without interruption, earning deep respect from partner organizations in Israel.
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Dr. Jeff Johnson is the founder and president of Israel Today Ministries, which began operations in 2002. Over the years, Jeff has made countless trips to Israel, providing tens of thousands of meals to Jewish children and Holocaust survivors, as well as Palestinians needing assistance. In 2010, my son Caleb and I spent time with Jeff and Louise in Israel, getting a firsthand experience of seeing people being richly blessed as a fruit of this ministry. So join us in Dr. Jeff’s office as he shares some beautiful stories about his work among God’s chosen people.
(Hailing from Canton, Ohio, Dr. Jeff and his wife Louise now make their home in Arlington, Texas. In December ’22, Robin and I had the privilege to visit Jeff and Louise in their home and, thus, this interview.)
To learn more about the work of Israel Today Ministries, just CLICK HERE.