Raised in a Traditional Orthodox Israeli Jewish family, Tikvah’s parents divorced when she was 5 years old, after many years of strife in the marriage. The youngest of 11 children, Tikvah was always praying for peace between her parents, always searching for spiritual truth, for as long as she can remember. Tikvah’s name means “hope” in Hebrew.
After the army she started working for the government and became secular. Eventually she got caught up in the worldly lifestyle and immorality of Tel Aviv.
During her mid-twenties, things began to change when she walked into a Catholic church one day and was greatly touched to see the image of a man nailed to a cross. She was told by a Catholic, “The Jews crucified this Man Jesus.” Soon after, Tikvah was introduced to a Jewish believer in Messiah Yeshua through an Arab Christian friend, and invited to a “party” at a Christian outreach facility in an Israeli resort town. When she first heard that Jesus was the Jewish Messiah she argued that “Yeshu” is a curse, as most Jewish people have been taught. But the believers gave her a New Covenant book, and she saw the light and peace in their faces, which aroused her curiosity.
Approaching God
After reading Matthew she prayed, “If Yeshua is the Jewish Messiah I want to see Him!” That night she had a dream in which Yeshua appeared to her, waved for her and motioned for her to follow Him. After waking up from the dream, at the sound of speaking His name, she was instantly delivered from demonic inner voices that had tormented her each night since she was a child. She now knew the power of His Name!
In her excitement she told her family about her new faith. She was immediately declared insane and required to be confined to the family house for 6 months. During this wilderness experience she was able to read her Bible, pray, and be separated from her friends and the world. Even though it was a difficult and lonely time, she grew in spirit and strength of faith. The Holy Spirit was her only instructor. On a particular day she prayed and received deliverance from serious addictions of cigarettes and alcohol.
After being released from being under “house arrest” to live her life, Tikvah eventually moved to Jerusalem. She began attending a congregation, and eventually the Israel College of the Bible. For 4 years she worked in administration for a growing ministry. Over the last year she has worked only part-time in order to respond to a calling to be more available to worship and to be trained for full-time ministry. As one who worships and intercedes with abandonment, she has also served on a worship team at the local House of Prayer.
