Introduction / History

There have been many German-speaking Jews who have made history through their amazing accomplishments. Those include Sigmund Freud and Albert Einstein among others. The Jewish people were a blessing to Germany for hundreds of years. They were rewarded with persecution, and today there are very few left in Germany. Those who could emigrated to Israel in the 1940s and 50s.

What Are Their Lives Like?

German-speaking Jews in Israel report being caught between two cultures. They don't feel at home in Germany where they are sometimes treated like a novelty. Nor do they feel comfortable in Israel where some Israelis associate them with the Holocaust. Some have had the windows of their businesses smashed. In both places, they feel hostility and resentment from some. Many are in search of an identity. Who am I? is a question they ask themselves.

What Are Their Beliefs?

For religious Jews, God is the Supreme Being, the Creator of the universe, and the ultimate judge of human affairs. Beyond this, the religious beliefs of the Jewish communities vary greatly. Orthodox Jews generally follow the traditional religious beliefs and practices found in the Jewish literature that interprets Scripture regarding ethical, religious, civil, and criminal matters.


Reform Jews do not believe that the Jewish Law is divinely revealed. They are not restricted to kosher foods. They neither wear the skullcap (yarmulke) when praying nor use Hebrew in prayer. All religious Jews believe in the coming of a Messianic Age, but only the Orthodox Jews look for a personal Messiah.


Many Jewish people today retain cultural Judaism, but they have rejected the spiritual elements taught in the Old Testament. They might participate in cultural events and even religious ceremonies, but they are either secular or New Age in their spiritual lives.

What Are Their Needs?

German-speaking Jews in Israel need a sense of identity that is grounded and stable. They want to be part of a group, but they often don't feel like they fit in with others.

Prayer Points

Pray for the Lord to give the German-speaking Jewish people in Israel hearts that will want to please him. May they look to the Lord for guidance and truth, and not be satisfied with cultural traditions.


Pray for Jewish people in Israel to begin a movement to Jesus Christ, finding ways to exalt him while honoring their culture.


Pray for the Lord to move among Jewish leaders in Israel to open the doors to Christ's ambassadors.

Scripture Prayers for the Jewish, German in Israel.