19/06/2026
Shabbat shalom!
Two weeks ago we met in Herrnhut, Germany, as the Europe Now Generation of TJCII. Around fifteen participants gathered from Austria, Germany, Ukraine, the Czech Republic, Poland, Ireland, and the Netherlands. We came from diverse backgrounds: Messianic Jews, Jewish believers within churches, and Christians from different church streams.
Once again, the gathering was still largely made up of the “Isaac generation”—people in their late 30s, 40s, and 50s—though we were grateful for a few younger participants and one clear sign of hope in his 20s 😊.
The heart of our meeting was shaped by Genesis 26:18–22, where Isaac reopens the wells that his father Abraham had dug and then goes on to dig new wells of his own. Together, we reflected on what it means for us to reopen spiritual wells that were dug before us, while also allowing God to lead us into new wells for the future. We spoke honestly about the obstacles that caused some of the old wells to be stopped up and about prayer and repentance as key tools for reopening them.
Meeting in Herrnhut carried special meaning for us. This is the place where Nikolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf led a community marked by covenant unity, continuous prayer, and missionary vision. Zinzendorf also had a remarkable understanding of the Jewish people and their role in God’s purposes. Inspired by Romans 1:16, he believed strongly that the gospel is “to the Jew first.” Under his leadership, prayers for the restoration of Israel became part of regular church life, alongside genuine efforts to see Jewish and Gentile believers walk together in faith. This legacy spoke deeply into our own calling.
Throughout our days together, we shared teaching, prayer, worship, and many good conversations. We listened to one another’s stories and experiences and also spent time praying specifically for Germany as our host country.
Thursday was our introduction day. On Friday, we began by learning more about the history of Herrnhut and taking a short walk (the weather limited us a bit). In the evening, we joined the local community at Jesus Haus for a Shabbat gathering. We
were also joined by two Lutheran pastors from the region who are connected with TJCII, along with their wives. Their presence was a great encouragement and a beautiful expression of fellowship across church traditions and generations.
On Saturday, we traveled together to Dresden, where Michael served as our guide. During our time there, we visited a Messianic Jewish congregation. This visit powerfully echoed both the theme of our meeting and Zinzendorf’s vision of Jewish and Gentile believers living out their faith together in Yeshua. The sermon there also touched deeply on themes God had already been speaking to us about forgiveness and reconciliation.
Our time in Herrnhut felt like standing at an old well one dug long ago, while sensing God inviting us to dig again. We left encouraged to carry forward what we have received. At the same time, we sensed that the time is coming for the Now Generation to move more independently from the Isaac Generation. We remain attentive and open, trusting God to show us where He will lead us next.
