The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Serbia has celebrated a special week of "Adventist-Jewish Relationships". Pastor Richard Elofer, president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Israel and a Jew by birth, was invited by the Serbian Adventists as guest speaker for the celebration week from September 26 to October 2. Travelling throughout the country Elofer lectured, ran courses and demonstrated Jewish style worship.

Eight hundred people attended lectures and a special worship in Belgrade, capital of Serbia. This was followed by an extensive 15 hour course presented at the Belgrade Adventist Theological Seminary where 30 students learned about the faith connection and relationships between Jews and Adventists. "You have challenged my thinking and given me a new and fresh understanding of my Christian faith. You have answered some of my questions; thank you very much" said one student.

Pastor Elofer made a presentation on September 30 to about 250 members in the Hajdukovo Seventh-day Adventist Church on the border between Serbia and Hungary. The following day approximately 1.000 members and a delegation from the Jewish community gathered in the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Novi Sad for a special Sabbath day’s blessing. Greetings were given by Stevan Bodonji, president of the northern conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Serbia.

"I have visited many Christian communities but this is the first in which I feel so at home" said Ljiljana Gajinov, president of the Commission for Culture of the Jewish Community in the city of Novi Sad, who has promised a future visit.

Richard Elofer shared a new approach to evangelism. "Not only for interaction with Jews but to reach everyone" said Bodonji. Paraphrasing the words of Paul, he continued, "We have to be Serb for the Serbians and Jew for the Jews… Acceptance of other cultures is vital to making the gospel real to the people whose lives we want to touch."

Due to the immanency of the Jewish New Year, Izak Asiel, Chief Rabbi of Serbia was invited to meet with `Richard Elofer and attend a special ceremony at the Seventh-day Adventist Church headquarters in Belgrade, Serbia. The Rabbi then addressed the public on the topics of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. He was happy to practice the Hebrew that he learnt during his rabbinical studies in Israel as he has few occasions to speak Hebrew in Belgrade.

A few Protestant churches, most notably the Seventh-day Adventists, observe the Sabbath on the seventh-day of the week, as do Jews. But because most Christians celebrate their Sabbath, or weekly day of worship, on Sunday, they often do not recognize or explore the theological resources within Judaism for depending Christianity’s appreciation of the weekly Sabbath, the heart of Jewish unity.