Sidney Robboy was born in Russia during the cruel anti-Semitic pogroms of the Czars. When Sidney was a young boy, his family escaped from Russia by walking all night and hiding under barns during the day. Eventually Sidney moved to the United States, married, had children, and started his own business, but he never forgot the faithfulness of his parents. He and his wife retired in a community in Florida where his wife passed away. A few years later he met a widow named Ginney from the same development at community pool.
A few years later they decided to date and get married, but who could perform the wedding and where would they worship? Sidney was Jewish and Ginney was Christian. They decided to visit the Beth-El Shalom Congregation in St. Petersburg, Florida. Sidney enjoyed the Friday night Shabbat services, being called up to the bimah, and chanting the Torah blessing. Ginney was thankful for the congregation’s faith in Y’shua as the Messiah. Sidney and Ginney began studying the Jewish Heritage Scripture Studies with a Bible instructor from the congregation. Sidney enjoyed and looked forward to the studies each week even though he struggled with the thought of accepting Y’shua as his Messiah.
One day Sidney became very ill and had to be hospitalized for a couple of months. It did not look like Sidney was going to recover, and his daughter began making arrangements for him to come live by her in a nursing home. Sidney did not want to move back north. He did not want to leave Ginney. And he did not want to live in a nursing home. Ginney, her friends, and the entire Beth-El Shalom congregation began to pray earnestly for God to work a miracle on Sidney’s behalf.
The Bible teacher visited Sidney in the hospital several times to comfort and pray with him. He asked Sidney if he had any questions regarding the topics they had studied together. Sidney responded by saying everything was very clear, but that he couldn’t accept Y’shua as the Messiah. The teacher asked a few more questions. “Were your parents religious?” “Yes,” Sidney replied. “Did they love God?” “Yes, very much so.” “If they had had the opportunity to study these lessons like you have, and they saw all of the Bible texts that point to Y’shua as the Messiah as you have seen, do you think they would have accepted Him as their Messiah?” Sidney paused, “Yes, I think they would.” The teacher continued, “Since they would have accepted Y’shua as the Messiah if they knew what you know, do you think you should accept Him as well?” Sidney answered, “Yes, I think I should.” They prayed together and Sidney invited Y’shua into his heart.
Sidney’s recovery was remarkable and shocked his doctors and daughter. Sidney and Ginney married and lived happily ever after until Sidney’s death several years later.
Originally from: Jewish Discoveries by Jeff Zaremsky, pages 177-178, which contains a total of 22 fascinating chapters of biblical history and lessons plus 25 rich Jewish tradition sections, and 27 powerful testimonies, with over 40 beautifully rendered professional works of art all on over 300 jam packed pages. You can own this treasure by visiting Jewish Discoveries.
