Senate hopeful had a miracle

On May 11, 2022, the Madera County Farm Bureau held a candidates’ night in its sale barn. Contenders for several offices in the coming election took part by introducing themselves and answering questions about their candidacies. One of these was Amnon Shor, who is running for the State Senate District 14.

Shor introduced himself to the audience as a Messianic Rabbi and later confirmed that appellation with this reporter. It meant that he was a Rabbi who had come to believe in Yeshua Ha’Mashiach (Jesus Christ). He is the leader of Bet Shalom Messianic Congregation in Fresno.

This struck this writer as strange. He subsequently discovered that Shor’s family had immigrated to Israel from Yemen. He had been born in Israel and raised in an Orthodox Jewish home. He fought in the 1973 Yom Kippur War and later was employed by Israel’s El Al Airlines.

Shor met and married an American woman. They moved to California, and although he distanced himself from his Orthodox lifestyle, he was still firmly connected to his Jewish roots through his family. What could have moved him to embrace Jesus as his Messiah? The search for an answer to this question led to another miracle story.

In April 1988, Shor was visiting a friend on the California coast where one day he had a shocking experience. He happened to be by himself when he was enveloped by a bright light. Suddenly he was no longer on the coast; instead he was standing near Mt. Sinai. He recognized it immediately because that was where he fought in the Yom Kipper War. He knew every inch of that area. Then he heard the voice calling his name, “Amnon Judah; Amnon.”

“What?” he answered.

Again the voice called his name, and once more Shor answered “What?” At that point he began to suspect the voice to be that of God. Finally, the vision lifted and he was back on the California coast.

The next day it happened again. He was transported to the Mt. Sinai area, and he heard the voice calling his name. This time, however, he was in his car driving home. Shor says he was in that vision for more than two hours without being aware he was at the wheel of his automobile.

When he reached his home and walked in the house, his wife wondered at his appearance. His skin was a bright red. Shor couldn’t explain it, but he did remember he had seen a burning bush in his vision. The Shors sat up talking about his experience late into the night, but his adventure wasn’t over yet.

The next morning it happened again. He was in the bathroom when he heard the voice call his name. This time, however, Shor answered “Yes, Adonai (My Lord).

The voice told him to go to the fifth chapter in the book of Micah, which means “Who is like God?” When he did that, a powerful force swept over him telling him that only one name could answer that and his name was Yeshua.

At that point, Amnon Shor began to feel very unclean in his heart. He felt dirty; he longed to be cleansed. Falling to his knees, he prayed to Yeshua— “Be my Lord; be my King. You are the Messiah.” (Yeshua means salvation.) From that point, Rabbi Shor became a follower of Yeshua Ha’Mashiach (Jesus Christ).

Twelve years later, the Shor family experienced a second miracle. Judah Shor, Rabbi Shor’s father was critically ill and fell into a coma. The elder Shor was given a 20 percent chance to make it through the night.

Rabbi Shor knelt beside his father’s bed and whispered one word over and over: “Yeshua, Yeshua, Yeshua.” Then he kissed his father goodbye and left.

Judah Shor made it through that night (Tuesday) and three more. On Friday, the son went to the hospital only to get a huge surprise. His father wasn’t there. The nurse said it was a miracle. Judah Shor had climbed out of bed, got dressed, and left the hospital.

A few days later, the father told the son that he was “no longer opposed to believing in Yeshua as Messiah.”

Thus it was that Rabbi Amnon Judah Shor, born in Israel, raised in the orthodoxy of the Yehudim, veteran of the Yom Kipper War, experienced a miracle, heard a voice, and surrendered.

As noted above, Rabbi Shor is the leader of Bet Shalom Messianic Congregation in Fresno. They meet every Sabbath (Saturday), they do some dancing and enjoy a meal after service, all in the name of Yeshua.

It’s a miracle.