Gates of Eden

Daniel Botkin became a disciple of Jesus Christ (Yeshua the Messiah) in 1972.

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     In 1975 he married his wife, Teresa, and they went to Israel, where they lived for over two years. Their time in Israel was spent working as house parents for Jewish Voice Broadcast's youth centers in Jerusalem and Nahariyah, attending intensive Hebrew classes, working on the archeological dig at the Temple Mount, and leading groups of young people from their home congregation to do volunteer work on a kibbutz.
        After returning to America, Daniel and his family eventually moved to El Paso, Texas, where they worked for about a year with a Christian organization that did missionary work on both sides of the border. After that, they returned to their home state of Illinois, where Daniel worked at a variety of jobs to support his growing family.
        Daniel eventually became a teacher of ESL (English as a Second Language) and taught ESL for seven years, five years at Western Illinois University and two-and-a-half years at several schools in New Jersey and New York, where the Botkin family lived in an Orthodox Jewish neighborhood. While living in New York, Daniel was ordained as an elder in a Messianic Jewish congregation.
        In 1995 Daniel moved his family back to Illinois and began publishing the Gates of Eden bimonthly and planted a Messianic congregation. Daniel led the congregation until 2012, when he turned the leadership over to Arthur Cox, who currently leads the congregation, which is now called Grace Messianic Fellowship. Daniel is still an active member in the congregation when he is not traveling to speak at other locations.

       Daniel's travels have taken him to Israel, Mexico, India, New Zealand, Canada, and many different places in the U.S. His writings and cartoons have been featured in several different Messianic, Christian, Jewish, and secular publications. Daniel's teaching can be viewed on Hebraic Roots Network (HRN).
        Daniel is also an award-winning artist and a songwriter. To view samples of his artwork, visit danielbotkin.com or follow him on Instagram @danielbotkin. To hear samples of his music, click here or go to his SHOP on this site.
        Daniel and Teresa have a multitude of grandchildren.