MIMI FINESILVER

I was born in New York City in 1948.

My father was from New York City and my mother from Montgomery, Alabama. Both were first generation Americans.

By the time I was 4 years old, my parents moved to Ellenville, New York -- the Catskill Mountains – fondly known as the "Borscht Belt.” Not only did I grow up on beet soup - but also on all the jokes told by the Catskill Mountain comedians (Buddy Hacket, Joey Bishop, etc.).

My father, in fact, was fond of finishing the jokes with the punchlines before the comic could get it out of his mouth. “Sir, do you want to come up here and I can go back to my room?” they’d ask him, much to my chagrin!

We attended an orthodox synagogue where my mother and I sat in the “balcony.” Once in a while I’d peer over the ledge and see my father with all the other men and would wonder, “what are they doing?”

To the left is a picture of the actual synagogue I attended -- Ezrath Israel -- when I looked over the ledge.

I also attended JYO (Jewish Youth Organization), and remember during a Bible lesson having this image of God as this entity up in the clouds dressed in a judge’s robe with a big gavel, ready to slam it down on anyone who misbehaved!!

I also attended Girl Scout meetings. For a time these meetings were held in a Catholic church. I would stare at the depiction of this man nailed to a cross and wonder what it all meant. Truthfully, it all seemed so gory, but I knew to a lot of people this was important. But I’d feel so guilty even thinking about this Jesus ... somehow I seemed to understand we Jews were not to think about Him.

As a young adult, I went to New York City seeking a career in theatre. I began as an actress and eventually moved into playwriting.

Along the way, however, I became involved in some very self-destructive relationships. By the age of 38, I met Peter. He was the first person to ever confront me with my need for Christ. He was German and I explained to him that I did not need “some Nazi trying to convert me.” Yet God, through this man, did exactly that. Peter unfortunately was not a shining example of what it means to walk with the Messiah, but God chose this man to be my last self-destructive relationship, and in His amazing mercy used my very weakness to show me my need for Him. On March 19, 1989, I prayed with Peter, asking God to cleanse me of my sins through the blood of the ultimate Passover Lamb.

Very soon after that, I went to a Jewish Christian Bible study. “Hello, I just prayed with my boyfriend and now I believe in Jesus. What do I do now?” I was introduced to a couple who began discipling me and helping me to quickly end the relationship with Peter. 

In February of 1990, I left New York City for Chicago, to work for a Jewish Christian organization and to attend Moody Bible Institute. A year and a half later, I met the man who became my husband, Michael.

GOD IS SO GOOD!!

We married on March 9, 1991, and about one year later, Michael and I went to stay with my mother in Montgomery, Alabama.

In January of 2006, Michael and I founded Everlasting Life Outreach. This is an evangelical ministry answering the call of Romans 1:16: "For I am Not ashamed the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God . . . for the Jew first and also for the Greek."

We are now living in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, within a predominantly Jewish community (overwhelmingly!). We are most grateful for this opportunity to share the wonderful news about our Messiah with an "unreached people group -- right here in the United States!

“Behold, I lay in Zion, a chief cornerstone, elect, precious,

and he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.” 

1 Peter 2:6 and Isaiah 28:16