Bulgarian Jewish in Bulgaria
bul-GARE-ee-un joo

Bulgaria is a Slavic country that was settled by Bulgars in the Middle Ages. Historically, Jews have been there since Roman times. In 1339, Bulgarian King Johann Alexander married a Jewess, Sarah, who was known as Queen Theodora. A century later, in 1492, Spain expelled all Jews; some went to Bulgaria. Hence, Bulgaria's Jews are Sephardic, meaning Spanish Jews. As Sephardim, Bulgarian Jews may speak Ladino as well as Bulgarian. Most Bulgarian Jews are elderly. In 1997, the Jewish community sought to revitalize Judaism through education and the introduction of Hebrew into public schools as a foreign language. However, there are still only two synagogues.

Ministry Obstacles
Revitalization of Jewish communities may prove to be either an obstacle or a bridge of God for Bulgarian Jews. If the gospel is viewed as a threat to their “Jewishness,” it will be an obstacle. Traditional evangelism is usually viewed this way by Jewish populations.

Outreach Ideas
Christ followers can present Jesus to the Bulgarian Jews using Jewish cultural forms.

Scripture Focus
"Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow."  Psalm 51:7

Scripture Prayer
May members of this people group be broken, and willing to repent and follow the Lord.

Prayer Focus
Pray that the Bulgarian Orthodox Church would become mission-minded and experience a Holy Spirit revitalization. May they actively seek the salvation of Bulgarian Jews. Pray that Messianic Jews would seek out and witness to Bulgarian Jews.



Presented by Joshua Project
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