Remembering Robin Aviel Hopper, February 14, 1946 - January 17, 2022

It is with profound sorrow and regret that I must announce the passing of my close friend, dear brother, and humble co-laborer in this ministry Robin Aviel Hopper. I first met Robin over a decade ago when he married Sue Legrand, both of whom went with me on seven Gospel outreaches to Israel.

I can tell you from first hand experience Robin was an effective soldier, evangelist, and faithful servant and brother in the Lord. Robin was a Jewish believer who came to faith in Yeshua the Messiah for salvation at the age of 57. Robin was committed to the advancement of the Gospel to his people in Israel. Never did I have to worry about his effectiveness and commitment to this ministry—it was unquestioned!

Robin and Sue attended Shalom, Shalom Congregation every Friday evening—the congregation Zola Levitt and I founded in September of 1999. Our readers will also recall that over the years Robin was a recurring guest columnist for this ministry newsletter, and also filled in from time to time teaching for me at the congregation. Avi was the epitome of a true friend and loving brother in the Lord. I could count on him to be there and to support me in my roughest times in life.

Knowing and proclaiming the truth of God’s Word and reaching the lost sheep of the House of Israel with the Gospel of Yeshua the Messiah was paramount in the life of Robin Aviel Hopper. Robin was a veritable man of God, and a faithful friend born for adversity you would want with you in the foxhole (Proverbs 17:17)!

The departure of this dear brother is a tremendous loss for me and this ministry. But what is a great loss for the Church here on earth is a great gain for heaven above with the passing of this irreplaceable brother! Robin loved people. He was gregarious and was sought by many in the Church for his wisdom and practical counseling.

Brother Robin, like Paul in Romans 9:1-2, had a continual sorrow in his heart for unbelieving Israel. He did something about it. He followed Romans 1:16 to the letter and faithfully brought Yeshua to the Jewish people in Israel and here in Dallas, Texas.

Robin boldly looked death in the face during the last week of his life and did not wince or shrink back in fear—for he knew that for the true, born again believer death grants immediate access to heaven and a triumphant entrance into the presence of the Lord (2Corinthians 5:8) and that his immovable trust in the Risen Savior, Who has conquered death for all time, was the only true, effective spiritual weapon against death. Knowing this by faith and fact, Robin passed peacefully from this world of woe to be with His Lord and Messiah Jesus he so passionately loved and served. Avi is now at rest and bliss in the heavenly Father’s house (John 14:1-4).

Robin Hopper next to a young Israeli lady he shared the Gospel with in Israel on the 2015 Gospel outreach of this ministry.

Robin was also a deep, American patriot who served his country in the navy during the Vietnam era of the 1960’s. He served most of his tour of duty in the Mediterranean, Spain, and Italy areas. He worked mostly on the ship around aircraft. Although trained as a Navy Seal, Robin was not deployed as such. He spent 6 to 7 months or so in Vietnam—and also trained with the IDF in Israel.

Our brother was rightfully very grieved at what he was seeing concerning the moral collapse of this country in our day. It really hurt him. Robin would be on the phone with me and he would weep as he recounted the terrible, ungodly direction this country was going in.

Ah, but Robin was a biblically trained disciple who also knew from there birth of Israel in 1948 and the decline of America and the West that Messiah Jesus’ coming is nearer than we think and the Rapture of the Church could occur at any moment.

Robin leaves a powerful, successful, and godly legacy behind for the Church and his beloved Israel for all to see. Robin believed in leaving a godly legacy for family, church, and humanity. In fact he wrote about the importance of leaving a godly legacy on October 18, 2003.

Here is the full quote from Robin on this important matter: “A good man… leaves an inheritance…(Proverbs 13:22). Each life touches other lives in seen and unseen ways. You don’t necessarily have to know somebody in order to experience the blessings of their legacy. Like walking into an empty room and catching a whiff of somebody’s perfume, your influence can continue long after you are gone.

“Usually, we don’t like to think about this, because: (1) We associate legacies with dying, and we don’t particularly enjoy thinking about this topic. (2) We assume that since our legacy won’t be revealed for years, we don’t need to start investing now. (3) We feel as if we’ve little or no control over what we leave behind anyhow.

“The Bible says ‘A good man…leaves an inheritance…’ So, what will be yours be? More important—what is it going to cost? If you just want to leave material things, that’s easy. Work hard, invest wisely and build your net worth. But since the best gifts are not always handed down in your will, why not leave something more meaningful—something that points to who you were?

It is one thing to measure your success by money in your bank account, the size of your estate holdings, or the value of your stock portfolio. It is entirely different to measure it by intangibles like being faithful, a loving spouse, raising godly children, being a spiritual mentor and leaving the lights on when you go! All great legacies come with a price tag. To move beyond mediocrity, you must invest every day in the invisible accounts of those who follow you!”

Robin left a spectacular legacy as father, spouse, and servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. He and his wife Sue would also add that one way to leave a legacy for the kingdom of God is to support ministries like this one—a ministry both Robin and Sue supported with their labor and money.

If you would like to emulate and honor God’s departed servant, Robin Hopper, please consider supporting our upcoming 50th Gospel outreach to Israel from March 13 to 25, 2022. I am dedicating this monumental outreach to the godly legacy of Robin Aviel Hopper.

Please join with us and support this end-time cause Robin and Sue were so crucially involved in with me. To that end, we need your financial help in bringing the Gospel of Jesus the Messiah back to the place and people from whence it came in these last days.

To donate online, you can go to the following secure link on our ministry web site: https://www.brit-hadashah.org/wp/donate/

You can also donate by mail to:Brit Hadashah Ministries, P.O. Box 796127, Dallas, Texas 75379-6127

Brit Hadashah Ministries is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit ministry, so your donation is tax deductible in the United States. Now is the accepted time, today is the day and year for the Gospel of salvation to be preached in Israel (2 Corinthians 6:2) Partner with us in this exciting End-Time effort.

Your servant in Messiah Jesus,

Dr. Todd Baker.

About the Author

Dr. Todd Baker is president of B’rit Hadashah Ministries and Pastor of Shalom, Shalom Messianic Congregation in Dallas, Texas. He was a chaplain at Medical City Hospital for 16 years. Todd holds a Bachelor of Science degree in biblical studies, a Master of Theology Degree from Dallas Theological Seminary, a Ph.D. in Philosophy and Apologetics from Trinity Seminary under the auspices of Liverpool University at Liverpool, England, is a Fellow of the International Academy of Apologetics, Evangelism & Human Rights in Strasbourg, France. He is a theological consultant and writer for Zola Levitt Ministries and has appeared on Zola Levitt Presents. With his extensive experience in Jewish evangelism, he has led many Gospel outreaches to Israel.