The Feast of Hoshana Rabbah and Simchat Torah: The Joy of the Covenant in Jerusalem
On the evening of October 3, the Jerusalem congregation “King of Glory Jerusalem” and the congregations of the “Katzir Rav” Movement gathered for a special holiday service that brought together several major events: Hoshana Rabbah, Simchat Torah, and the conclusion of the Days of Sukkot. Joining the local congregants were international guests from Poland, Germany and China. The hall was filled with an atmosphere of joy, prayerful awe, and deep gratitude to the Creator for His faithfulness and granted salvation. For all who attended, the evening was a time of spiritual renewal, as ancient biblical traditions came alive in the light of faith in Yeshua the Messiah.
The service opened with inspiring worship and the ceremonial procession of the Torah scroll amidst the joyful singing of the congregation. Addressing the assembly, Pastor Oren Lev Ari highlighted the significance of the holiday of Simchat Torah and the final weekly portion of the Pentateuch, V’Zot HaBerachah. The Law of God was given as a source of life and blessing for the people, and in Yeshua the Messiah, all the promises and the fullness of the Covenant found their true fulfillment, uniting believers into one body. The devotional portion continued with an encouraging message on cheerful giving, followed by heartfelt prayer for Israel, the nation’s government, its soldiers, and the outpouring of God’s mercy upon the entire land.
The central message of the evening was a profound teaching by Pastor Ari Sorko-Ram on the essence of the Gospel and its prophetic roots. He reminded the congregation that during the first decades of the early Church, the apostles had no written New Testament and preached the message of salvation relying exclusively on the Tanakh—the Torah, the Prophets, and the Writings. Step by step, the biblical narrative unveils the Creator’s unified and perfect plan: the Mosaic Covenant was given as a spiritual test to reveal sin and to demonstrate humanity’s inability to attain righteousness before God through their own strength and works. From the Passover Lamb and the brazen serpent in the wilderness to the prophecies of Isaiah and Jeremiah, the entire Old Testament prophetically points to the necessity of redemption. Yeshua the Messiah came as the Last Adam, Who by His holy life and shed blood paid the debt of the first Adam, bestowing upon believers a new heart and the power of the Holy Spirit. A living testament to the message was the speaker’s personal story of how, in his youth, realizing his inadequacy before the Law and subsequently receiving the revelation of the Messiah in the Scriptures brought true rebirth and hope into his life.
The second half of the evening unfolded in a warm, family atmosphere dedicated to the 50th birthday jubilee of Pastor Oren Lev Ari. Visiting pastors from other cities across Israel, friends of the ministry, and leaders shared words of exhortation and congratulations. Prophetic messages were delivered regarding the significance of the eighth day—Shemini Atzeret—as a time of special standing before God and the beginning of a new spiritual season. Greetings from guests, prayerful well-wishes, poetic lines, and musical selections performed by the pastor’s family underscored the deep unity and love binding the community together.
Closing the festive gathering, Pastor Oren Lev Ari called those present to a fresh renewal in the Holy Spirit, recalling the miracle of turning water into wine as a symbol of divine joy available to every believer. The service concluded with a prayer of repentance and a shared transition to a festive banquet, where members of the congregation and international guests continued in joyful brotherly fellowship.
