In a world where people of ethnic Arabic and Jewish heritage routinely are at odds, sometimes lethally, an exception is in the U.S. Assemblies of God.

George A. Rafidi, president of the Arabic Assemblies of God Fellowship, USA, and Michael Calise, president of the National Jewish Fellowship of the AG, are friends.

“The same Messiah rules in the hearts of George Rafidi and me,” says Calise, who since 2013 has led the Jewish Fellowship, one of 24 ethnic and language groups in the AG. “This picture of unity and love is a spiritual happening between two people who ordinarily wouldn’t be at peace with each other.”

Conflict between the ethnicities accelerated with the nation of Israel’s formation in 1948. Over the past year, tensions have heightened since the onset of war between Israel and Hamas-led Palestinian militant groups in the Gaza Strip.

“While Michael and I may have different points of view, the bottom line is both of our people need Jesus,” says Rafidi, who has led the Arabic Fellowship since its 2005 formation.

The son of a Greek Orthodox pastor, Rafidi was born and raised in Jerusalem. He attended a private Christian high school outside Bethlehem and accepted Christ at a church in Jerusalem.

Rafidi matriculated at Jerusalem International Bible College, an AG school. He married American missionary Jessica Masarik, who taught at the college.

The couple moved to Jacksonville, Florida, where in 1996 they pioneered Arab Outreach Ministries (AG), with George serving as senior pastor.

For the past 18 years, the Rafidis have lived in Orlando, Florida. An AG U.S. missionary with Intercultural Ministries since 2000, Rafidi oversees churches in Jacksonville and Tampa. He works with 30 pastors and missionaries.

Calise grew up in a Long Island, New York, family with a Jewish mother. He came to faith in Jesus after a Christian brother-in-law evangelized him for four years.

During his last semester of Bible college, Calise attended Beth Emanuel Messianic Synagogue (AG) in Holbrook, New York, where he met staff member Carol Casebolt. Upon graduation, Calise joined the staff. He married Casebolt, and since 1994 the couple has led the congregation.

Despite their different backgrounds, Calise and Rafidi share common obstacles in reaching their ethnic groups. Only 5% of Palestinians and 1% of the Jewish population are Christians.

Most ethnic Arabs and Jews traditionally have eschewed Christianity.

Calise explains that Jews hear from early childhood that Jesus is not for them. They learn that Jewish persecution throughout history has happened at the hands of, or at least with tacit approval from, Christians.

“This picture of unity and love is a spiritual happening between
two people who ordinarily wouldn’t
be at peace with
each other.”
— Michael Calise

“We must get Jewish people to look at Scriptures for themselves, to think for themselves, and to allow the Holy Spirit to show that Jesus is a safe place for them,” Calise says. “In our interactions, instead of walls to the gospel going up, we want walls to come down.”

Rather than encountering stained-glass windows or crosses, visitors to Beth Emanuel see the Torah, listen to Hebrew, observe Jewish holy days such as Yom Kippur, and experience a presentation of the Messiah from a Jewish perspective.

“We preach the truth of Yeshua boldly,” Calise says. “Calling Him the Messiah in a Jewish context speaks to them in a powerful way.”

Meanwhile, Rafidi reaches Arabs for Christ through friendship evangelism and compassionate sincerity. Arabic Christians work with refugees from countries like Iraq, Sudan, Afghanistan, and Syria, providing assistance with job applications, transportation to medical appointments, and driving instruction.

The main obstacle to conversion among Arabic people is fear of severing family ties, according to Rafidi. Many Arabs worry that following Jesus will result in loved ones disowning them.

Both Rafidi and Calise deal with misperceptions and stereotypes from fellow believers.

“One of the main misunderstandings Christians have about Muslims is that the majority are terrorists or suicide bombers,” Rafidi says. “But 99% are just people who go to work or school. They are people who want peace. They are tired of fighting.”

Calise says many Christians don’t realize that the majority of Jews aren’t religious.

“Often Christians assume Jewish people know the Bible well, but for the most part, that’s not true,” Calise says. “Most Jewish people are secular.”

Calise also notes that antisemitism is at its highest level in decades.

In November 2022, the AG Executive Presbytery issued a statement recognizing that “recent social, political, and economic upheaval has led to increased targeting of the Jewish world.”

The statement reiterated the AG’s sense of urgency “to show unequivocal support of the Jewish people by repudiating every source, vehicle, or channel of antisemitism” and “to confront hatred, verbal abuse, negative stereotypes, conspiracy theories, propaganda, and attacks on the lives of Jewish people.”

Rafidi says he still talks with Christian leaders who are afraid to pray for Arabs.

“Churches need to pray with an open mind for all people,” Rafidi says. “Believe it or not, Jesus died for the Arabs. Nobody chose to be born into an Arab Muslim family.”

Both Rafidi and Calise pray daily for an end to conflict in the Middle East.

“My biggest concern is for innocent people on both sides, the women and children being killed and going to an eternity without Jesus,” Rafidi says.

Calise views the war as an extension of the threat to exterminate Jews, starting with the biblical account in Esther and continuing through the Spanish Inquisition, pogroms in Russia and Eastern Europe, and the Holocaust.

“There has always been a Haman ready to annihilate the Jewish people,” Calise says.

Still, the two leaders are optimistic about the future.

“There is always hope in Christ,” Rafidi says. “Despite people dying in the conflict, we must daily keep our eyes focused on Jesus. Blessed are the peacemakers.”

Calise adds, “God can miraculously change hearts, lives, dispositions, and affections.”

This article appears in the Fall 2024 issue of Influence magazine.