Aharon Levarko: Conversation with an Israeli Believer


Aharon Levarko grew up in a traditional Jewish home in New Zealand, but is a believer in Jesus our Messiah and has lived for over 30 years in Israel. He works as a tour guide, and sat down to talk about his testimony and life in the Holy Land.


An Outline of the Discussion

This discussion is hard to outline/bullet-point. Here are some of the highlights.

  • Aharon grew up in New Zealand, in a traditional Hebrew family.
  • A serious car accident at the age of 16, in which a friend was killed, changed the direction of this life, leading to his eventually coming to know Christ.
  • His newfound faith came with a price. His family didn't speak to him for five years.
  • Aharon had great support from his local church in New Zealand.
  • Aharon attended Bible college, and immigrated to Israel in this third year of Bible college.
  • Israel gives believing Christians, as well as many unbelieving (or Messiah-rejecting) Jews, a sense of “home.”
  • Aharon immigrated to Israel at the same time Russian Jews were immigrating in large numbers, following the fall of the iron curtain.
  • As do most Israelis, Aharon spent time in the army, followed by several years in the reserves.
  • Aharon worked for many years in a Christian bookshop in the Old City of Jerusalem, and really valued his time there.
  • As book stores began to wane in popularity, Aharon's wife saw an advertisement for tour guide school. He didn't think it interested him, but checked it out anyway.
  • Upon deeper inspection, he was excited by the topics taught, and applied to the school.
  • Passing the final exams to become a tour guide was a defining moment in his life.
Scriptures Referenced
  • John 9:1-34