The return of the Israelites: The History of Return to Zion, a Messianic Congregation & Ministry in northern Israel

Year 2000. Return to Zion Congregation.

The Formation of the Congregation

A group of believers from the Tents of Mercy Congregation, located in the suburbs of Haifa (where Eitan Shishkoff was the Senior Pastor at that time), with the leadership of Leon and Nina Mazin, started to hold meetings with a small number of people in Haifa City. But from the very beginning, it was clear that Haifa is considerably larger and more intense than the Krayot (Haifa suburbs) in the dynamics of its life, and it could be quite possible to start a congregation of Messianic Jews and not just a home group movement.

The Name "Return to Zion - Shavei Tzion"

David Silver, a friend of mine, asked me what name I would like to give to the congregation, and my answer was "Return to Zion – Shavei Tzion in Haifa". There is a small settlement with the same title in the north of Israel, between the cities of Akko and Nahariya. The main point of this name emphasizes the fact that "our people are immigrants from various countries who decided to reconnect their lives with Israel/Zion".

The Beginning of the Congregation

During the Feast of Hanukkah in 2001, the Congregation began its life with this particular name "Return to Zion/Shavei Tzion". Today, members of our Congregation are not only those who have returned to Zion but also the second and third generations born in Zion.

Hanukkah is the name of the feast associated with the Temple sanctification. So, the images and analogies are working today because any congregation is a mini-temple. And by the grace of God, on the day of Hanukkah, we started our mini-temple with a poetic and even slightly prophetic name "Shavei Tzion" (meaning "return to Zion") in Haifa City.

The Origin of the Phrase "Return to Zion"

And yet, what is the origin of the phrase "Return to Zion" or "Return to Zion"? The story goes back to ancient times when the captivity of the Jewish people by the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar ended. Jeremiah's prophecy about the seventy-year Babylonian captivity was coming to an end. We remember how large and significant the Jewish Diaspora in the Kingdom of Babylon was.

Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were members of the Diaspora. Their positions in Babylon can be compared to those of the prime ministers or governors. We also read about Mordecai who sat by the King's gates (he was not the last person in the "security service" of the King's Army); Queen Esther herself protected the Jewish people from Haman's intrigues. Nehemiah took the position of a "regent," which is equivalent to the position of the finance minister or something similar.

The Babylonian Captivity and the Return to Zion

The Jewish Diaspora had achieved significant success in Babylon in 70 years, and then the voice of the prophets sounded, and the people had to go home to reconstruct the destroyed Zion. Only 42,000 people out of 2.5 – 3.0 million responded to King Cyrus's call. The rest did not want to return as their comfortable and prosperous life in Babylon was preferable. But still, there were settlers. Their arrival in Eretz Israel (the Land of Israel) was called the period of "Shivat Tzion."

The Meaning of "Return to Zion"

So, the main point of this phrase is expressed not only in the physical return of the exiled Israelites but also in the reconstruction, renewal, rehabilitation, and restoration of the things which were in disastrous condition.

The Concept of Restoration in the Bible

The concept of the restoration of the whole world is the fundamental concept in the Bible, where the Lord allows people to "bring the Creation to restructuring," but at a certain stage, God activates healing from "the entire Babylon – confusion." Those things that the Lord prayed about with the words: "… may Your will be done on earth as in heaven" are getting in order. Acts 3:21 says: "He has to remain in heaven until the time comes for RESTORING everything, as God said long ago, when he spoke through the holy prophets."

The Historical Period of Shivat Tzion

Thus, the historical period of Shivat Tzion (Return to Zion) is tied up with the 42,000 migrants from ancient Babylon. The leaders such as Zerubbabel, Ezra, Nehemiah, Zechariah, and Joshua the High Priest and others did not get intimidated; their hearts were full of faith and understanding of the responsibility they were charged with, and under the "gun barrel" of the danger coming from ancient and permanent enemies of Israel, they persevered! They restored the Land, the Temple, and the faith among the nation and built the foundation to which the Messiah and Redeemer of all people came. He is Yeshua from Nazareth.

The Restoration of the Land, Temple, and Faith

Thus, the historical period of Shivat Tzion (Return to Zion) is tied up with the 42,000 migrants from ancient Babylon. The leaders such as Zerubbabel, Ezra, Nehemiah, Zechariah, and Joshua the High Priest and others did not get intimidated; their hearts were full of faith and understanding of the responsibility they were charged with, and under the "gun barrel" of the danger coming from ancient and permanent enemies of Israel, they persevered! They restored the Land, the Temple, and the faith among the nation and built the foundation to which the Messiah and Redeemer of all people came. He is Yeshua from Nazareth.

The Messianic Congregation Today

Today, the Lord gives the privilege to Messianic congregations of Israel to preach the Good News. One of them is our Congregation with a strange and a bit prophetic name Shavei Tzion, having a desire "to rehabilitate Yeshua's name in Israel and to proclaim God's mercy during these days."

Sincerely, 

Leon Mazin