Growing Up Between Two Faiths
Growing up in an interfaith home with both Jewish and Catholic influences, Aaron Abramson thought he had life figured out.
“I just got presents twice, so I’m good,” he joked about celebrating both Christmas and Hanukkah.
But when his family moved from the United States to Israel when he was just 15, everything changed. Life in a new country — with new expectations and questions about faith and identity — would eventually lead him to a discovery that changed everything.
“God weaves all of our traditions and experiences together into a beautiful tapestry,” Aaron says. “That’s His story.”
Listen to Aaron’s Full Story with Crystal Thornton in the podcast below
The Breaking Point
During his mandatory service in the Israeli army, Aaron faced devastating loss when a close friend was captured, tortured, and killed by a Hamas group.
“Where do you put those feelings? When you’re 18 or 19 years old, you don’t even know exactly what you think about God,” he reflects.
The tragedy sent him spiraling and running from anything related to faith.
“I didn’t want to talk about religion. I didn’t want to talk about faith. I didn’t want to talk about Judaism — about anything. But it drove me away,” he remembers.
Searching for peace, he hit the road hoping distance might dull the pain — but instead, God began closing the distance between them.
An Unexpected Encounter
After his military service, Aaron went traveling across North America in a camper van, trying to escape his pain. But God had other plans.
“I kept encountering these people who loved Jesus,” Aaron recalls.
“They would just kind of talk to me about Jesus, and I would run the other way. But at some point somebody challenged me to read the New Testament.”
Discouraged and desperate, he thought, What do I have to lose?
“I opened up the New Testament and began to see the love and reconciling power of Jesus,” Aaron says. “It just transformed me. I knew Jesus was the true Messiah.”
As he read through the Gospels, one verse stopped him cold — Jesus’ promise in Matthew:
“I am with you always, even to the very end of the age.”
“It gave me confidence,” Aaron explains. “You’re not perfect, but His power shines through you. You can’t lose.”
That realization became his turning point.
“I thought, how come other Jewish people don’t know about this?” Aaron remembers. “That question ultimately led me to join Jews for Jesus — and it’s still what drives me today.”
Finding True Identity
Aaron discovered that following Jesus didn’t mean giving up his Jewish identity — it actually fulfilled it.
“I found that it’s enhanced and brought my Jewishness to life in a way that I never experienced before,” he says.
Though some friends stopped talking to him, thinking he was crazy, Aaron gained something far greater:
“I’ve gained a whole family of Jewish believers and Christians who love Jesus — brothers and sisters in faith. Even though you sacrifice something, you gain so much.”
Stories of Transformation
Years later, while leading outreach in London for Jews for Jesus, Aaron met a young Israeli student who had never been allowed to read the New Testament.
“He walked in and said, ‘I’ve never seen this book before. What is it?’” Aaron recalls. “We opened it together, prayed, and he’s been walking with his Jewish Messiah ever since.”
Moments like that remind Aaron that the same power that changed him is still changing lives today.
“Just last week, I heard about five ultra-Orthodox Hasidic people coming to believe in Jesus,” he says.
“The same power at work in the first century is still alive today.”
Faith and Leadership
Now serving as CEO of Jews for Jesus, a global ministry helping people explore the Jewish roots of faith in Jesus, Aaron draws on his own experiences to guide others through change — both spiritually and organizationally.
In his new book, Mission Design (releasing October 14), Aaron equips church and ministry leaders to navigate cultural shifts with courage and faith.
“Start by clarifying where you’re trying to go,” he advises. “Ask, ‘Why are we here? What does God have for us?’ Clarity guides everything.”
“If we could do it, you can too,” he adds. “Everyone has something creative to contribute… just trust God and start today.”
Hope for Today
In a world filled with noise, conflict and confusion, Aaron’s message is simple — and timely.
“This world right now is disorienting,” he says. “But even when everything seems uncertain, there’s hope underneath it all. If you feel broken, you’re in the perfect place for God to do mighty things.”
His journey reminds us that God can take our deepest questions and hardest moments and weave them into a beautiful story of redemption — one that brings hope not just to us, but to countless others along the way.
“When we let Jesus define who we are,” Aaron says, “we find not just identity — but peace, purpose, and the courage to share it with the world.”
Share Your Story
If Aaron’s journey encouraged you, visit klove.com/godstories to share how God has worked in your life.
“I’m Crystal Thornton, National News and Public Affairs Anchor with K-LOVE News—where every story points back to the One who changes everything.”