Twenty-year-old Shai has a very unusual and wistful sound. And the songs she writes are top of the line! Bottom line, she appeals to youth!
Last December she was a candidate on the popular show Kochav Haba (similar to American Idol), auditioning to be one of the contestants.
Her pre-audition interview on TV was widely watched in this country. She got right to the point when she told her two hosts, "I think I will reveal that I am a Messianic Jew."
The interviewers were confused and asked, "What does that mean?" Shai responded, "Jews who believe in the Tenach (Old Testament) and the New Testament... We believe in Yeshua..."
One of the hosts then encouraged her not to share her faith with the judges until after they judged her song. "Let them judge you according to your music." The male host, openly gay, told her that the culture of Israel has a very accepting side, but as someone who is part of a minority he said he knew that it also has an ugly side ...
However his female co-host interrupted and said, "This is who she is. If people don't receive her that's not her problem."
Israel Today's Ryan Jones wrote, "So intriguing was the revelation by 20-year-old contestant Shai Sol that she believes in Yeshua (Jesus) as Messiah that the top-rated Kochav Haba made her pre-audition interview the focus of its promotional commercials earlier in the week."
Messiah's Mandate's Ron Cantor, who watched the show with a team of Congregation Tiferet Yeshua's leaders, remarked, "Shai has a very unique style. The judges were enthralled by her—as were the interviewers backstage as they rooted for their new Messianic friend."
And she advanced over the next few weeks on the show. Facebook lit up with Messianic Jewish teens thrilled that one of their own was so bold on TV. Others came out in the open with their faith saying, "I too am a Messianic Jew!"
Cantor went on to say, "You have to understand the significance of this. If someone on American Idol in a country with millions of believers testifies to their faith, it is a big deal. I remember Colton Dixon singing a worship song on American Idol and it was amazing. Believers felt empowered to see someone take such a bold stand.
"But imagine doing that in a country where people are taught that you are an apostate; where your community of faith makes up less than one quarter of one percent of the population. And let's not forget the hostility, harassment and persecution from the ultra-Orthodox. No, this is a big deal!"
Messianic ministry Maoz Israel is producing a video of her song, At the Train Station, to reach Israel's youth and to encourage Messianic Jewish young people that the sky is the limit in opportunities to reach our people with the Good News of the gospel.
For the original article, visit maozisrael.org.
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