The Toronto Hebrew Academy

The two years I spent at the Hebrew Academy were very enjoyable because the students there were highly motivated and worked hard at their studies. Besides my departmental work, I also coached the school soccer team to its first winning season in the local league. For the first time in my teaching experience, I was receiving a good salary (probably the best in all of Toronto since the Hebrew Academy was committed to paying its teachers 'at least' what the public schools were paying). Our daughters were talking about the new home we were going to buy - with a swimming pool, of course! There was only one thing wrong! In all my other schools, I had been free to take the initiative in speaking to my students of my faith. In each of them, I had been able to start a Christian Union or similar meetings for the students to which noted speakers would come or I would lead the discussion. Of course, this was not a possibility at the Hebrew Academy.

Thus, I approached the District Superintendent of the church my family attended, to seek an opportunity for lay preaching. He told me that it was not common in Canada for laymen to preach, but after hearing of my preaching experience in Wales asked me why I did not consider entering ministry.

I told him that I would like nothing better than to be a pastor, but I could not afford to spend three years attending seminary school; further, I would really need to have a clear call from the Lord before leaving teaching to be a full-time pastor. (I find that there are far too many men in ministry who display no evidence of an anointing from God; good men, but not called to be pastors.) His reply was that he would not require me to attend a seminary since he was aware of my work as an elder in the local church. Regarding ‘the call,’ he said that he would seek ‘the Witness of the Brethren.’

A few weeks later, our pastor resigned his position to take on an itinerant singing ministry, and as the only elder with preaching experience, I was invited to speak at his ‘farewell.’ After the service, two men of the congregation, both former pastors, approached me (without knowing of my meeting with the District Superintendent) telling me, “You shouldn’t be teaching: you should be in ministry!”

Was this ‘the Witness of the Brethren?’ That opened a whole new direction in my life. The outcome was that after two years of teaching at The Toronto Hebrew Academy, I gave my notice to leave the school since I was to become a pastor with the Christian and Missionary Alliance, but that's another story.

It was four weeks from the end of the spring term for our grade 13 students who would spend their final school term at a kibbutz in Israel. I was in the staff room when Ari Barchi approached me.

Ari was a graduate of the University of Jerusalem and in Toronto to teach Hebrew studies which included some teaching on comparative religions.

“Gareth,” he said, “I’m about to teach a lesson on Christianity and I thought it would be rather foolish for me to do that when you know so much more about Christianity than I do! Would you be willing to come into my lesson with me?”

Naturally, I said that I’d be delighted, so, the next morning I went with him to a grade 13 ‘religions’ class. The 25 students aged 17 to 19, showed little interest when we entered. After all, they knew who I was - they saw me every day in the physics lab. Ari spoke in Hebrew and then said, “Mr. Evans will now give you a lecture on Christianity!”

I gulped! I thought I was to be there simply as a resource person to answer any questions. I was not expecting to teach the lesson.

“Maybe I should tell you what Christianity isn’t all about.” I started, trying desperately to think of what to say. “It isn’t Northern Ireland with its sectarian war. It isn’t the Crusades with its bloodshed. And it isn’t the politics of much of the Western world. Rather, it’s acknowledging that Jesus is the Messiah of God, coming to take away the sins of men. Let me tell you how I became a Christian. Then I’ll tell you how I became a Jew!” Everybody woke up! “Then I’ll answer any questions.”

I gave my testimony briefly (as written in chapter two), and then I taught them how it made me a child of God. That by faith, just as Abraham’s faith made him righteous before God (Genesis 15) and the ‘father of the faithful,’ I now worshipped the Jewish God, having been ‘adopted’ into His family. I spoke for about ten minutes and then asked, “Any questions?”

Every hand in the room shot up. I remember starting with a boy in the back right-hand corner of the room. He asked how it was possible for Jesus to be the Messiah when everyone knew the Messiah would bring peace on Earth and only wars had followed the advent of Jesus. I answered by pointing out the Old Testament prophecies of a suffering Messiah as well as a victorious one. Wars are a result of man’s refusal to accept the efficacy of the sacrifice He made at Calvary; however, He will return, this time as King, to establish His “peace on Earth.”

Many questions followed, the students waving and shouting to get their questions heard.

“Please, sir! Please sir! I'm next, sir!”

One girl asked, “Do you believe the Messiah will come in our lifetime?” I answered in the affirmative, adding that I hoped we would be together when He came. When she asked me, “Why?” I answered, “Because then I’ll be able to point out to you the marks of nails in His hands and feet!”

The lesson continued like this for 40 minutes before the school bell signaled that it was time to leave for the next class; however, these students were not willing to let me go since they had so many unanswered questions that they were eager to ask. Soon I noticed that too much time had passed and that it would be pointless for me to leave for the next class. By now, the students would have left the physics lab and would be settling down to study in the library. This was the normal procedure if a teacher did not turn up on time for a lesson. So, I continued answering the questions until another period had passed. This time, I had to leave, but only after promising that I would come again if their teacher wished it.

As I drove home that evening, I was so excited at the privilege I had been able to speak of my faith with these special young people. I had never dreamed that this would be possible and could only marvel at God’s wonderful ways. I prayed that the words I had spoken would bear some fruit in the lives of those students, being confident that the Lord never sows His seeds in vain.

The next morning a note was waiting for me in my school letterbox. It read, “Mr. Evans, please come and see me in my office at 10:00 AM this morning. - Rabbi S.” My heart sank. Evidently, the senior Rabbi had heard about my time with the students in grade 13 and I was about to be reprimanded. Maybe I’d even be asked to leave the school!

I felt very vulnerable, but comforted myself by remembering that I had warned them at my interview, that this might happen. As I approached the glass-walled office, I could see Ari Barchi sitting inside, talking with the Rabbi.

“Ah, Gareth, come in!” said Rabbi S. “Ari and I have been discussing the lesson you had with the grade 13 students yesterday.” He continued, “As you know, this school was founded to give our Jewish children an excellent education, and a very important part of that is to instil in them a love for all things Jewish, so we teach them our history, our poetry, our culture, and our religion. I have taught here for several years and must admit that one of the biggest disappointments I have is that so few come to real faith in God; however, when I entered my class this morning, I found them all wanting to talk about faith and God. Gareth, I have never seen them so excited! The only problem is, it’s all in their heads and not in their hearts. We were wondering if you could help us get such faith into their hearts!”

“The only way I know is by acknowledging that Jesus is the Messiah,” I said, my head beginning to swim.

“I understand that,” said the Rabbi, “but you realize we will have to agree to differ, but… we were wondering if you would be willing to come into some more classes to teach our students.

They are amazed to find a man of science who is also a man of faith. Especially someone who knows their scriptures as well as you do. Please will you come?”

I quickly expressed my willingness, and arrangements were made for me to attend a grade 13 lesson the next day. I guess I could have sounded ‘spiritual’ and said, “Let me pray about this,” but I suspect the Lord forgave me for my impetuosity!