Word from Jerusalem - June 2023 - USA Edition

The International Christian Embassy Jerusalem was established in1980 in recognition of the biblical significance of all of Jerusalem and its unique connection to the Jewish people. Today the ICEJ represents millions of Christians, churches, and denominations to the nation and people of Israel. We recognize in the restoration of Israel the faithfulness of God to keep His ancient covenant with the Jewish people. Our main objectives are:

• To stand with Israel in support and friendship;

• To equip and teach the worldwide church regarding God’s purposes with Israel and the nations of the Middle East;

• To be an active voice of reconciliation between Jews, Christians, and Arabs, and to support the churches and congregations in the Holy Land.

From its head offices in Jerusalem, the ICEJ reaches out into more than 170 countries worldwide, with branch offices in over 90 nations.

Our vision is:

• To reach every segment of Israel’s society with a Christian testimony of comfort and love, and

• To reach and actively represent to Israel the support of denominations, churches, and believers from every nation on earth.

The Christian Embassy is a non-denominational faith-based ministry supported by the voluntary contributions of our partners and friends across the globe. We invite you to join with us as we minister to Israel and the Jewish people worldwide by donating to the ongoing work and witness of the ICEJ.

WORD

CREDITS

ICEJ President Dr. Jürgen Bühler

USA Director Susan Michael

VP International Affairs Dr. Mojmir Kallus

VP Finance David van der Walt

VP Operations Barry R. Denison

VP International Spokesman David Parsons

VP AID & Aliyah Nicole Yoder

Managing Editor/Publications Director Laurina Driesse

USA Managing Editor Karen Engle

Staff Writer Anastasiya Gooding

Graphic Design/Illustrators Ryan Tsuen, Peter Ecenroad, Nancy Schimp

Photography Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, AP, AFP, JAFI, Flash90, Haaretz, Reuters, IDF, businessweek.com, Netafim, newatlas, SanDisk, Watergen, Waze, Wikimedia Commons, Levi Dörflinger, ICEJ Staff and Branches

The New King James Bible is used for all Bible references unless otherwise noted.

Word From Jerusalem is published by the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Word From Jerusalem has no subscription price and is supported through contributions worldwide. The ICEJ USA Branch is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with offices in Tennessee, Florida, and Washington, DC. All gifts to this ministry are tax-deductible according to United States law.

INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN EMBASSY JERUSALEM - USA

Support our ministry online at: www.icejusa.org

FROM THE PRESIDENT'S DESK

Dear friends,

Israel just marked 75 years since David Ben-Gurion declared the independence of the State of Israel in Tel Aviv on May 14, 1948. I’m continually in awe of this tiny nation that started as a country based on agriculture and socialist ideals but has become a global, free-market hub of technology and research. You can read about the fascinating ways Israel is leading the world in advances in agriculture, the environment, science, technology, and medicine on pages 8–9 in this month’s Word From Jerusalem.

The day before Yom Hatzmaut (Israel’s Independence Day), I returned from the Fiji Islands from an exciting visit. The recently established government plans to open an embassy in Jerusalem. Senior government officials, church leaders, and tribal elders all believe that good relations with Israel will bless their island nation in many areas—spiritual and material. I was amazed to see that the reborn country of Israel, though still relatively young, has become the hope of the nations.

Once I was back in Jerusalem, I attended the President’s reception for Independence Day, where Israelis’ excitement and pride for their country and its impressive accomplishments over the past 75 years was almost palpable. President Isaac Herzog and Foreign Minister Eli Cohen spoke about these achievements and the current challenges that Israeli society is experiencing. Both came from different perspectives, yet each expressed that despite the recent mass demonstrations for and against judicial reforms, ample proof exists that Israel is a living, vibrant democracy where many voices are heard. President Herzog and Foreign Minister Cohen expressed confidence that a solution can and will be found to this hotly debated issue.

This is an exciting year to attend the Feast of Tabernacles, so please sign up now for the ICEJ USA tour to Israel for the Feast from September 26 to October 7, 2023. We hope you can join us! This year’s theme is “King of All the Earth.” Our key teaching article on pages 4–6 explores this topic of God as King and how Christians can bring His kingdom presence to Earth until Jesus returns to rule and reign from Jerusalem.

As you read through this issue, I pray you will be inspired by the many things God is doing here in Israel and throughout the world. May God bless you richly as you stand with Israel and our ministry in the exciting days ahead.

Many blessings from Jerusalem!

Dr. Juergen Buehler President

International Christian Embassy Jerusalem

COVER PHOTO: The 75th Anniversary Independence Day ceremony, held at Mount Herzl, Jerusalem, on April 25, 2023. Photo by Yonatan Sindel (Flash90)

FOR MAGAZINE ARCHIVES

visit www.icejusa.org/wfj

KING of HEAVEN EARTH

BY DR. JUERGEN BUEHLER, ICEJ PRESIDENT

“The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice!”

This declaration opens Psalm 97—one of the enthronement Psalms. For the people of ancient Israel, there was never any doubt that their God was King of all the earth. More than any other book of the Bible, the Psalms highlight God’s kingly rule.

The psalmists saw two main facets of His rule. First, Psalm 11:4 states: “The LORD’S throne is in heaven” (see also Psalm 103:19; 123:1). This is why in the Gospel of Matthew, the kingdom of God is also referred to as the kingdom of heaven. In rabbinic understanding, heaven is often a synonym for God Himself. While it indeed is a parallel concept to the “kingdom of God” as used in the other Gospels, it conveys an important aspect of God’s kingdom that was powerfully expressed by Daniel: “Heaven rules!” (4:26).

At the same time, this heavenly kingdom expresses itself on Earth. Most “kingdom”

references in the Psalms and elsewhere describe the earthly expanse and impact of God’s kingdom. The Lord is “the King of all the earth,” proclaimed the psalmist, and He “reigns over the nations” (Psalm 47:6–8). He also is the “King of kings,” meaning the supreme ruling power who appoints and dethrones rulers of this world (Daniel 2:21; 1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 17:14). Then He is the “great King above all gods,” defining Him as the supreme power over all religious systems of the world (Psalm 95:3). His rule is a mere consequence of God being the Creator and possessor of heaven and Earth. “The earth is the Lord’s and all its fullness,” declared King David (Psalm 24:1). God as King is thus the omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent ruler of the world.

The Revelation of God’s Kingdom

What puzzles people, however, is the age-old question, “Where is God?” It is a mystery as old as mankind that God’s kingdom so often can’t be clearly seen amid global or personal trauma. If God indeed rules, why do the wicked

“The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ For behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”

- LUKE 17:20–21(ESV) -

prosper and the righteous suffer? (Psalm 73:3; Jeremiah 12:1; 1 Peter 3:14).

God’s rule surely shows itself in often subtle and patient ways. As my late grandmother liked to say, “God’s mills are milling slowly.” Jesus Himself declared that His kingdom often can’t be seen: “The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you” (Luke 17:20–21 ESV).

Yet at the same time, His kingdom often breaks through in powerful ways visible to everyone. Moses saw it manifested when he confronted Pharaoh in Egypt; Daniel saw the rule of heaven at work even in pagan Babylon; and we see it today in the reestablishment of the nation of Israel.

The first revelation about the nature of God’s kingdom can be seen in the story of Abraham encountering Melchizedek. Here we have the appearance of this mysterious king-priest to Abraham, who was known as the King of Salem (later Jerusalem) and Priest of the Most High God. This combination of priest and king, of earthly rule executed under the authority of God, was always a hallmark of the kingdom of God. When God brought Israel out of Egypt, He gave this very calling to the Jewish people: “And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:6).

But how did this rule of heaven manifest itself? Deuteronomy 33:2–5 describes it in a surprising way:

The Lord came from Sinai, and dawned on them from Seir; He shone forth from Mount Paran, and He came with ten thousands of saints; from His right hand came a fiery law for them. Yes, He loves the people; all His saints are in Your hand; they sit down at Your feet; everyone receives Your words. Moses commanded a law for us, a heritage of the congregation of Jacob. And He was King in Jeshurun, when the leaders of the people were gathered, all the tribes of Israel together.

There is a remarkable sequence of events that conclude in the ESV with, “Thus the LORD became king in Jesurun” (v. 5).

When the Lord came down on Mount Sinai in fire, it was like a heavenly visitation. The people sat at the foot of the mountain and listened as God spoke. The Lord spoke to them with an audible voice but also through His servant Moses. They were sitting at His hand and at His feet, received direction from God, and followed the steps of the Lord.

The Kingdom Manifested God speaking and directing His people is right at the heart of the kingdom of God. His kingdom manifested as Israel heard and followed God’s instruction as a corporate body and as individuals. Jesus explained the importance of this personal intimacy with God to Martha, who was too busy focusing just on serving her master. But Mary sat at the feet of Jesus listening to His words, and thus she chose the better part. The kingdom of God manifests itself through a listening people of God who are ready to act upon the words received from Him.

God never intended Israel to have an earthly king. In the book of Samuel, we read about the great catastrophe when Israel wanted to be like the nations around them. Israel found it too burdensome to deal with an invisible God as King, who spoke to His people only through prophets and judges. They wanted a king who was one of them, who gave daily leadership to the tasks at hand, not needing to wait and trust in God. But His response was strong:

But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” So Samuel prayed to the LORD. And the LORD said to Samuel, “Heed

the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.”

(1 Samuel 8:6–7)

It is a character trait of humans that we all too often seek security and strength in human leadership. This is not only true on a political level but often in churches. There is a sense of security that comes from strong leaders, which allows man to hand over responsibility to other men. It is easier to hide behind a huge crowd than to take responsibility and be transparent in a smaller church setting. God’s kingdom means everyone sitting at the feet of Jesus and listening to His voice and acting upon what they hear.

Saul became Israel’s first king. He was busy following his own agenda and struggled in waiting on God. He only half-heartedly followed God’s instruction and was busy building memorials to himself. It was no longer God who ruled but a flawed man.

A Heart Like His

I have often wondered what quality made David “a man after God’s own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14). The original Hebrew words here (ish kelevavo) suggest that God is looking for a man whose heart is like His heart. The apostle Paul refers to this story in his sermon in Antioch: “[God] raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will’” (Acts 13:22).

David was a man who possessed an attitude that in many ways reflected God’s heart, and most importantly, he would lead Israel ready to do God’s will and not follow his own agenda. His rule reflected the reality of the prayer the Lord gave us: “Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). When David became king, the kingdom of God returned to Israel. God ruled once again over His people through David.

On a recent visit to Fiji, we paid a courtesy stopover to the president of this lovely island nation, Mr. Ratu Wiliame Maivalili Katonivere. While in his office, he made a profound statement: “Every day, I pray that this room is the footstool of God for the good of the people.” I was enormously touched to hear a modern-day national leader following

Image generated by Adobe Firefly beta

“The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice!”

- PSALM 97 -

David plays the harp before King Saul by Charles Foster, 1897, Philadelphia, PA.

(Source: Wikimedia)

the example of King David, desiring to direct his steps and that of his nation according to the will of God.

Pentecost

In May we celebrated the feast of Pentecost. According to Jewish tradition, this festival commemorates the days when the Israelites arrived at Mount Sinai, and God came down in fire on the mountain and gave His commandments to Israel. This was the day when “God became King in Yeshurun” (Deuteronomy 33:5). Israel was sitting at His hand, and God was directing their ways.

On the day of Pentecost in Acts 2, we read that something similar happened. In the Upper Room, God did not come down on a mountain

of stone, but tongues of fire settled on each of the 120 believers, and God gave every one of them utterance to speak and praise Him in other tongues. It was God Himself who, through His Spirit, settled upon them and filled each believer. The miracle that began that day was that God was writing His commandments on the hearts of the people of God, transforming them into people “after God’s own heart” whose hearts are like His.

The prophet Jeremiah prophesied about this day in Jeremiah 31. It is the first time God speaks of making a new covenant (b’rit hadasha) with the people of Israel:

Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah—not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the Lord.  But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more. (vv. 31–34; see also Ezekiel 36:24ff)

God Himself will write His law on their hearts—that is, He will transform their hearts into hearts that desire to do the will of God

so they are a people like King David. And the result, since each individual believer will have their own flame, will be a personal Mount Sinai for everyone to receive the laws in their hearts. There will be no need for imposing leadership, but each one will know God “from the least one to the greatest” (Jeremiah 31:34).

In many ways, the giving of the Holy Spirit to the people of God—both Jew and gentile who experience this divine transforming power— would be like being born again. It is an exchange of hearts of stone for hearts of flesh, shaped and used by God.

This means that when people are transformed by God’s Spirit and come under the rule of His Spirit, they will bring with them God’s kingdom into any situation. And the rule of heaven can manifest itself here on earth now. It is Christ in

us, the hope of glory! This promise was given repeatedly to Israel, and it is indeed “the next great thing” to be expected in Israel. Paul says this will even be a release of God’s resurrection power in the earth.

And, of course, the day will come when the Lord Jesus, the King of kings Himself, will come judging the nations in righteousness: “‘Behold, the days are coming,’ says the LORD, ‘That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; a King shall reign and prosper, and execute judgment and righteousness in the earth’” (Jeremiah 23:5).

Until that day, we are called to live as people of the kingdom of God, bringing His kingdom presence into the world around us. May God help us in this great endeavor.

God Himself will write His law on their hearts.

“‘Behold, the days are coming,’ says the LORD, ‘That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; a King shall reign and prosper, and execute judgment and righteousness in the earth.’”

- JEREMIAH 23:5 -

...God did not come down on a mountain of stone, but tongues of fire...

IRAN WIDENS ITS “SHADOW WAR” WITH ISRAEL

BY DAVID PARSONS, ICEJ VICE PRESIDENT & SENIOR SPOKESMAN

During Passover in April, Hamas and Hezbollah launched rocket and terror attacks against Israel from multiple directions, including Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria. While the upsurge in attacks followed old patterns, they also signaled that Iran’s “shadow war” with Israel is slipping into open conflict.

Iranian leaders are under pressure to even the score but have largely failed in numerous attempts to target Israeli diplomats, businessmen, and tourists in foreign lands. Yet they have made substantial progress in their long-term strategy to encircle Israel with a ring of loyal proxy militias heavily armed with rockets and drones. Iran’s tentacles can now be found in Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Gaza, Hezbollah and Hamas in Lebanon, Iranian-led forces in Syria, various Islamist militias in Iraq, and the Houthi rebels in Yemen.

However, this Passover marked the first time Iran’s subsidiaries launched rockets at Israel from Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria over successive days, demonstrating that Israelis could soon face a dreaded multi-front rocket war. This coordinated message was intentional, given that Hamas leaders met with Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut the day before Hamas fired 34 rockets at Northern Israel from Tyre. The Palestinian refugee camps in south Lebanon were always considered Fatah-land, but now Hezbollah has permitted Hamas to recruit and arm these Palestinians to threaten Israel from the north while allowing Nasrallah to deny responsibility for their actions

Several factors loomed behind the recent tensions in Israel. First, the convergence of Passover and Ramadan this April made a confrontation almost inevitable. Both holidays have tended to stir religious passions in recent years, as radical Muslims have falsely accused Jews of endangering al-Aqsa as a pretext for Palestinian violence. This well-worn canard has been used for over a century now to incite Arab hostility against Jews and Israel.

Second, Israel looks increasingly vulnerable to its regional enemies due to the divisive national debate over judicial reforms and the West’s dislike for certain ultra-religious elements in Israel’s new government.

T hird, a prolonged spate of Palestinian terror attacks has existed for over a year now, claiming 33 Israeli lives in 2022 and 19 so far this year. This prompted the This prompted the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to launch “Operation Break the Wave” in the West Bank to root out new Palestinian terror cells called “Lion’s Den” that are funded and armed by Iran.

T his brings us to the real culprit behind the recent surge in rockets and terror: Iran aims to threaten Israel through proxy militias from multiple directions while avoiding direct confrontation with the IDF.

For over a decade now, Israel and Iran have been engaged in a “shadow war” over Tehran’s renegade nuclear program and its stated goal to wipe Israel from the map. Israel’s military and intelligence agencies have chalked up an impressive number of victories in this covert war, dating back to the Stuxnet computer virus in 2010. The ledger includes successful sabotage attacks on numerous nuclear and missile facilities in Iran, the Mossad’s theft of its nuclear archive from a Tehran warehouse, and the targeting of IRGC commanders and nuclear scientists. With Iran’s intervention in the Syrian civil war, Israel also started launching hundreds of Israeli air strikes across Syria to destroy Iranian forces and weaponry that could threaten Israel.

Iran also has launched a surprise diplomatic offensive to repair relations with Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Arab states, which threatens to derail the Abraham Accords right when Israel was seeking a historic breakthrough with the Saudis. The radical Shi’ite regime looked on as Israel was building a regional coalition against Iran, but now Tehran appears to have beaten Jerusalem to Riyadh.

With America preoccupied with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its global rivalry with China, Iran senses it can now isolate Israel in the region—and they tested the waters with the brazen multi-front assault at Passover.

Iran’s escalation of the conflict also stirred waves of anti-Israel incitement worldwide, especially on the web, further isolating Israel internationally. Chillingly, chants of “Death to Jews” were heard echoing off Brandenburg Gate in Berlin.

Until now, Iran was losing its shadow war with Israel. But the ayatollahs are now thinking they may fare better with open warfare.

Hamas rocket hits Shlomi in Northern Israel. (AFP photo)

Hamas and Hezbollah leaders meet in Beirut.

(AFP photo)

ISRAEL AT

As Israel marks 75 years since its modern rebirth in 1948, the whole world should join the celebrations. For centuries, the Jewish people were scattered among the nations. But the Lord promised that one day, He would regather them to their ancient homeland and use them to benefit the entire world: “And it shall come to pass that just as you were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you, and you shall be a blessing” (Zechariah 8:11).

That day has undoubtedly arrived! For over seven decades, Israel has overcome many challenges to become the Start-Up Nation, leading the world in important advances in agriculture, the environment, science, technology, and medicine.

Consider that the Jewish people came back to a barren land, yet they have brought the desert back to life. In the 1950s Israel built the National Water Carrier to bring fresh water to the Negev, making the desert bloom, just as the prophet Isaiah foresaw: “The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them, and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose” (35:1).

By the 1960s, Israel was a world leader in conserving and recycling water. Today, the nation reuses 85 percent of its water supply. Israelis also invented drip irrigation and water desalination methods that people use around the world. In addition, they have planted over 300 million trees that beautify the land and filter out carbon emissions from the air, as Ezekiel foretold: “This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden” (Ezekiel 36:35).

Israel also invented the long-shelf cherry tomato! Indeed, Israeli fruit and produce—such as Jaffa oranges and Medjool dates—are popular exports around the world: “Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit” (Isaiah 27:6).

Later, Israel emerged as one of the most innovative nations on Earth. Did you know Israelis developed the first microprocessor for personal computers? The first firewall to protect computers from data theft? And the world’s first USB memory stick? In medicine, Israeli researchers invented the PillCam—a little camera a person can swallow that allows doctors to detect diseases without invasive surgery. They also have come up with a phone that can diagnose diseases through smell. And then there is ReWalk—a battery-packed “exoskeleton” that allows the disabled to walk again. The list of Israeli innovations goes on and on. Israelis gave us WAZE, the first driver-assistance phone program with real-time traffic information, and the Watergen system that produces clean drinking water out of thin air. More recently, Israelis invented MobileEye, a leader in the race for self-driving cars. Plus, let’s not forget Israel’s pioneering work in the field of solar energy. And then there’s the Iron Dome, the world’s most effective anti-missile system to defend civilian populations from rocket attacks.

Israel has truly been blessing the whole world over its first 75 years as a nation restored to life. And God remains “zealous” to perform all His good promises and plans for Israel: “I am zealous for Zion with great zeal; with great fervor I am zealous for her” (Zechariah 8:2).

So we join with the Jewish people in celebrating 75 years of statehood—a restored nation and great blessing in the midst of the earth!

Digital revolution: Israeli researchers at the Intel lab in Haifa designed the world’s first microchips for the 386 Microprocessor, which powered the first PC built by IBM. This breakthrough led to even smaller computers.

Drip irrigation: In 1965 Israeli engineer Simcha Blass noticed that one of two adjacent trees was growing faster because of a leaking water pipe next to it. He launched Netafim, which today supplies drip irrigation systems in 112 countries worldwide.

Agri-tech: A special cherry tomato (tomaccio) that stays ripe for long periods was developed by two professors from Hebrew University.

Water conservation: Watergen is a pioneering Israeli company that has developed a portable generator that produces pure drinking water from humidity in the air.

Flash drive: In 1999 an Israeli techie introduced Disk-on-Key, the world’s first portable USB memory storage device, later bought by SanDisk. These small, handy devices are known today as flash drives or data sticks.

Medical marvel: An Israeli company developed the PillCam—a miniature camera that, when swallowed, sends images and detects health disorders as it traverses the digestive system, avoiding the need for invasive surgery for many patients.

Cyber-security: In 1993, the Israeli start-up Check Point developed the first information security software program, called Firewall-1, to protect computers from data theft.

Smart navigation: Developed in Israel, Waze was the first smartphone navigation app to provide real-time traffic updates to help people avoid congestion. It was bought by Google in 2013 for $1.1 billion, and today is used by millions of drivers worldwide.

Missile shield: The mobile Iron Dome missile battery, developed mostly in Israel with joint US funding, has quickly proven to be the world’s most effective short-range anti-rocket interceptor, with a shootdown rate of 95 percent.

Self-driving cars: The Israeli company Mobileye has partnered with leading car manufacturers to pioneer the safest, most reliable computer-assisted driving programs. Mobileeye cameras are already used in cars built by BMW, GM, Volvo, and more.

Christians Celebrate the 75th Anniversary of Israel’s Statehood in Grande Style

Over 600 Christians and 50 organizations joined in celebrating Israel’s 75th Diamond Anniversary with two gala dinners in May and the release of a new book.

The galas were held in Nashville, Tennessee, on May 7 at the Factory in Franklin and Washington, DC, on May 17 at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill. Organized by the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem, the sold-out events and a long list of cosponsors demonstrated the broad-based support for Israel in the Christian community.

Seventy-five years ago, on May 14, 1948, Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion read Israel’s Declaration of Independence at the Tel Aviv Museum. For the first time in more than 1,800 years, there was a Jewish nation in the Middle East. Israel had been reborn.

“We gather here tonight not just to celebrate something that happened 75 years ago and the many miracles resulting in the survival of the newborn Jewish State until now but the miraculous emergence of the tiny nation into a world leader,” said Dr. Susan Michael, director of ICEJ USA. “Israel’s thriving existence is evidence of God’s faithfulness to fulfill His promises to the Jewish people. He planted them in the Land of Promise, and they are becoming a light to the nations, leading the world in science, technology, innovation, and volunteerism. That is to be celebrated.”

Michael went on to describe how they were also celebrating 75 years of American Christian engagement with Israel with the release of ICEJ’s new book Every Generation’s Story: 75 Years of American Christian Engagement with Israel. The anthology, edited by Dr. Michael, is a unique collection of 18 stories that span multiple generations of Christians who have visited Israel and, as a result, had their lives changed.

“We are also celebrating the ability for Christians to travel to Israel and see the actual biblical sites that many spend their lives only reading about,” she said. “Israel changes lives, and these 18

stories are truly representative of millions more.”

Generation’s Story: 75 Years of American Christian Engagement with Israel is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Embassy Publishers, and many independent booksellers. Attendees of the Washington, DC, gala also participated in a Jerusalem Day reception on Capitol Hill organized by the Israel Allies Foundation. Jerusalem Day commemorates the reunification of Jerusalem under Israeli sovereignty in 1967. At the dinner later that day, the audience cheered when one speaker mentioned that May 14 was also the fifth anniversary of the move of the US Embassy to Jerusalem.

Speakers at the DC gala included Israel’s Ambassador to the United States Michael Herzog and former White House Envoy to the Middle East Jason Greenblatt, along with Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares and Israel’s Minister of Intelligence, Gila Gamliel. Speakers at the Nashville gala included a member of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s social media team, Hananya Naftali, and Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, as well as US Senator Marsha Blackburn, US Congressman John Rose, Tennessee State Senator Mark Pody, and Tennessee Congressman Ryan Williams.

Musical artists performing at the events included Nicole C. Mullen, Aaron Shust, Dumisani and Joshua Washington, and Vesna Buehler—attendees described the events as elegant, fun, inspiring, and encouraging.

ICEJ USA Director Susan Michael enjoys time before the Nashville gala with Bible Teacher and Cofounder of Precept Ministries International Kay Arthur.

Former White House Envoy to the Middle East Jason Greenblatt and Dr. Josh Rheinstien, Israel Allies Foundation, interviewing him during his keynote speech.

Hananya Naftali—a leading Israeli Jewish influencer who is part of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s social media team— gives a moving keynote message about the miracle of modern-day Israel.

Attorney General of Virginia Jason Miyares speaks to the DC gala attendees.

Kathie Lee Gifford shares the story behind the song she cowrote with Nicole C. Mullen, “The God Who Sees,” filmed onsite in Israel.

Shmuel Bowman with Operation Lifeshield speaks to the DC gala attendees.

Tennessee State Representative Ryan Williams speaks to Nashville gala attendees.

Vesna Buehler sings the Aaronic Blessing over Israel.

Israel Minister of Intelligience Gila Gamliel speaks to the DC gala attendees.

Tennessee State Senator Mark Pody addresses gala attendees at the Factory in Franklin, Tennessee.

Worship Artist Aaron Shust shared his song “Zion” about God’s eternal promises to Abraham and his descendants.

Musical Artist Dumisani Washington and his accompanying band perform during the evening.

Pastor Lyndon Allen addresses Israel’s Diamond Anniversary attendees in Nashville, TN.

Nashville Symphony Orchestra provided music for the Nashville gala.

ICEJ President Dr. Juergen Buehler gives a powerful address to Washington, DC, gala attendees.

US Congressman John Rose from Tennessee speaks to gala attendees in Nashville. Ambassador of Israel to the United States Michael Herzog addresses the DC gala attendees.

ISRAELIS UNDER ROCKET ATTACK

BY DAVID PARSONS, ICEJ VICE PRESIDENT & SENIOR SPOKESMAN

Operation Shield and Sword ended after five days on May 6, 2023, after Israel weathered several days of intense rocket barrages launched by Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) in Gaza, while dealing serious blows to the radical terror militia. Over 1,500 rockets and mortars rained down on Southern Israel, killing two civilians, including an 80-year-old Israeli woman, and injuring several others. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) used precision strikes to take out five senior commanders of the PIJ along with numerous rocket squads and launchers.

The escalation came after the Islamic militia fired over 100 rockets into Israel the week prior, right when children were heading home in the afternoon from school. The IDF waited several days before finally answering with pinpoint air strikes, which successfully targeted three of PIJ’s top commanders in Gaza.

Israelis then braced for the terror militia’s response, while also worrying if the larger terror militia Hamas, and even Hezbollah in Lebanon, would join the fray. So far only PIJ engaged in battle, stopping first to bury the three slain commanders before firing off an initial rocket volley on Wednesday afternoon. Soon after they lobbed hundreds of projectiles into Israel’s populated coastal region as far north as Tel Aviv.

Nonetheless, Israel quickly gained the upper hand, with Iron Dome batteries intercepting most of the rockets and the Israel Air Force (IAF) eliminating two more top PIJ commanders and several of their rocket squads. Still, several million Israeli civilians were stuck in their safe rooms hoping for the ceasefire to take hold.

Yoav Limor, a veteran Israeli military reporter, cautioned an ICEJ delegation that any resulting quiet from the ceasefire will likely be short-lived—Hamas had even threatened to fire its own rockets to pressure Israel into canceling the annual flag march into the walled Old City on Jerusalem Day, May 19.

“In these recurring rocket wars, the Palestinians are always trying to kill as many Israeli civilians as they can,” said Limor. “Meanwhile,

the IDF aims to take away as many assets of the enemy as it can, while buying as long a period of quiet as possible for Israeli civilians to go back to their normal lives until the next round of fighting erupts.”

While rockets started flying, the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem was still able to deliver a mobile bomb shelter to a youth center in the Hof Ashkelon region that afternoon. The shelter is the first of two being donated to the Youth Leadership Training Center in Bat Hadar, just north of Gaza. These particular shelters were funded by the ICEJ’s German and Canadian branches.

Over recent years, the ICEJ has donated more than 190 mobile bomb shelters to Israeli communities vulnerable to rocket attacks along the Gaza and Lebanon borders. Over 150 of these shelters have been placed in Israeli towns and villages near the Gaza border who have borne the brunt of the repeated rocket attacks. They have only 15 seconds to find safety, and the Iron Dome system does not protect them from shorter-range rockets.

The portable bomb shelters we have provided so far are saving lives, but more are urgently needed. Despite the existing ceasefire, we know Hamas is already preparing for what could be an even bigger escalation in coming weeks.

So please consider donating toward more mobile bomb shelters to protect Israeli communities under intense rocket fire by contributing to our Israel in Crisis fund. Your donations will be used to rush more shelters to the most vulnerable communities along the Gaza border.

The ICEJ also is receiving requests to help take Israeli youths and the elderly away from the front lines of this conflict and give them a respite in safer parts of the country. In addition, we are looking to assist those who have been injured or suffered damage to their homes. And there is always a need to help support resilience centers and provide trauma counseling to those impacted mentally and emotionally by the raging battle.

NAHARA DEAD SEA PRODUCTS

1. Body Lotion (8.5 oz)• $13.00*

2. Body Scrub (8.5 oz) • $15.00*

3. Hand Cream (2.9 oz) • $9.00*

4. Hand Wash (11.8 oz) • $12.00*

5. Hand and Body Gift Set • $30.00*

6. Shower Gel (8.5 oz) • $11.00*

7. Body Mist (8.5 oz) • $15.00*

ANOINTING OILS

Cassia, Cinnamon, Frankincense

Henna, Holy Anointing Oil, Prince of Peace, Rose of Sharon

SPRING SALE!

A PEOPLE CHOSEN

God’s Purpose and Plan for Israel and the Nations

$20.00 $9.99

Is God finished with the Jewish people?Understanding Israel according to the Bible and not the media, political views, or personal opinion sheds incredible light on why Israel and the Jewish people exist today. God is not finished with the tiny nation, and has a great purpose and plan for Israel that will impact the world. A People Chosen: God’s Purpose and Plan for Israel and the Nations is a self-guided eight-lesson Bible study.

VISIT OUR ONLINE STORE AND RECEIVE A 25% DISCOUNT ON ALL PURCHASES

Go to: www.ICEJ.store and use the discount code: “ISRAEL75.”

ICEJ SUPPORT IS ‘Music to the Ears OF ISRAELI DRUZE SCHOOL

BY ICEJ STAFF WRITERS

An ICEJ delegation led by Nicole Yoder, Vice President for AID & Aliyah, recently visited the Druze village of Kfar Kisra in Northern Israel, where they saw how music can lift spirits.

The ICEJ team was welcomed at the local grade school by teachers and Druze community leaders, alongside smiling children waving Israeli flags and offering their visitors flowers and balloons. A sense of excitement filled the school on this special day: its first-ever music room would officially be opened.

Once the ribbon on the new music room was cut, everyone sat down for the dedication speeches. Yasser Gadban, the regional council head, first thanked the Christian Embassy for sponsoring this and many other school projects in the Druze community over recent decades.

School principal Sakar Shakur then shared his vision for the music room: “Our hope is to help our children to develop good music, to believe in themselves, to become leaders and innovators, and to realize their dreams. Music helps us to deal with life’s challenges and express our emotions. Learning music will help our children develop new skills and interact socially.”

Mr. Shakur continued, “Thank you for your generosity and good heart. You’ve put a lot of light and love into your gift, which brings real change.”

The room, full of new instruments, sound systems, storage cabinets, tables, and chairs, was ready and waiting for students to show their creativity. The music teacher performed a wonderful piece on the piano accompanied by schoolgirls who played a love ballad in Arabic. Meanwhile, a shy little second-grader mustered up the courage to give an amazing performance on an electric keyboard while his teacher accompanied him in song. Watching his small fingers dance across the keys was a delight!

Nicole Yoder next introduced the ICEJ delegates, which included representatives from Denmark, the Philippines, South Africa, Slovakia, Honduras, and the United States.

“Just as the Druze seek to protect their country and seek her good, so also do we, and that includes all the people groups that make up Israeli society,” said Nicole. “This music room should be an enriching place for the children to develop their creativity and confidence, have fun, and learn to innovate. And may it be a place from which music and gifted musicians will come out to bless families, the Druze community, and Israel.”

The grade school sits on a hilltop overlooking a lush valley and has 351 students from diverse backgrounds. Some classrooms are for children with special needs. Many students come from low-income families and would only be able to learn music in such a school setting. A school

tour showed how deeply the principal cares about the building, grounds, teachers, and students. From the scrupulously clean hallways right down to the children’s security needs and emotions, nothing escapes his sight.

“This music room is a place that will bring much light and joy to the school children, and in turn, this will overflow into our tight-knit community,” he said.

As we wrapped up our visit, the regional council head noted with a smile, “There is only one problem that I’m now presented with: what to do about the other two schools down the road who would also like to have a music room to help their children learn and grow!”

Thanks to the generous support of our Christian donors, the ICEJ is making a difference in the lives of these children in Israel. They now have an opportunity for their hidden talents to shine as they learn and develop their musical skills. Perhaps we will be able to help with more music rooms soon.

Through your giving, the ICEJ is able to give a future and hope to all sectors of Israeli society.

Please continue to support the work and witness of the ICEJ by giving at: www.icejusa.org/aid

ICEJ Homecare Shares Special Moments during Pesach

Everyone seems to be on the move in Israel as Passover (Pesach, in Hebrew) approaches! An enormous rush almost makes you believe everyone is on the same journey together. To prepare for Pesach, every family must thoroughly clean their house—not a crumb of bread may be left behind.

Every year, I am amazed at how it affects me, too, especially as the Seder meal nears on the eve of Passover. Daily life here is becoming more expensive, yet people still buy in abundance, packing their grocery store carts. What makes the Seder night so different?

Pesach is a time set aside to remember the miracles God has done. And even amid this busy holiday, the weekly visits by ICEJ Homecare continued as usual.

Rosa* had just come home from a visit to the doctor and received a troubling diagnosis. She was not ready to talk about it yet—the news was too heavy. She also still misses her sister, whom she had lived with until her sister’s death more than six years ago. Rosa was happy to see me—a welcomed distraction.

I put my Pesach present on the kitchen table—a supermarket coupon for something extra and a nice card I had written that said: “To celebrate Passover is to remember the joy of the redemption that the God of Israel gave in a dark time of Jewish history. May it give us faith to trust Him in our situation.” The card could serve as a bookmark. Rosa immediately picked up her book of Psalms and said, “This bookmark must go with my favorite Psalm.”

BY CORRIE VAN MAANEN

Her book of Psalms was full of notes. Rosa stopped at Psalm 23. She read it in Russian, put the bookmark between the pages, closed the book, kissed the cover, and was visibly happy with the small gift.

We sat together at the kitchen table, and when I asked Rosa if she used to celebrate Passover with her parents, it was as if the sun had started to shine.

“We lived in Belarus,” she began. “We celebrated the Seder in secret, with six people around the table. Not only Jews, but we also had a friendship with Christians.”

She emphasized again, with great seriousness, that it was all in secrecy as if she still felt the tension that came with it.

“But before that, our house was thoroughly cleaned,” Rosa continued. “The cutlery and crockery went to the shed in the garden, and the Pesach crockery appeared. No yeast was allowed to remain in the house. On the day Pesach started, our grandfather came, and he baked the matzot himself—a lot—and he distributed it.”

I asked Rosa who made the holes in the matzah.

“It was me,” she beamed, proudly patting her chest. “I had to shower and put on a clean dress, and then Grandpa gave me the wheel. He had taken the wheel from an old clock and cleaned it, put a stick through it, and I used it to drive

the holes in the matzah,” she said with passion as she made a rolling motion.

“Father went to the synagogue before Seder night. No one knew it was a synagogue, but there was a minyan who gathered and recited the prayers. He had to walk several miles to get there. We were all together, an evening full of stories.”

For a moment, Rosa completely forgot about the difficult doctor’s visit. When I asked her where she would celebrate this year’s Seder, she replied, “With my brother and his wife,” she answered.

A shadow suddenly fell over her happy face. Her thoughts were with the past when she was still a young girl, six or seven years old. She misses that time so much when family and friends with big hearts would sit around the Seder table, share their love, and experience joy in being together. For a moment, I was allowed close to her heart. Sharing her memories helped Rosa temporarily escape the loneliness that surrounds her daily. We moved on, continued to talk over a cup of tea, and focused again on life today. Support

* Name has been changed

ICEJ SPONSORS ALIYAH FLIGHTS, SEMINARS, AND MEDICAL RESCUES FROM THE NORTH

BY ICEJ STAFF WRITERS

The astonishing influx of Jewish people making Aliyah to Israel is nearing levels we haven’t seen since the Soviet Union collapsed in 1989. Most of these new immigrants are Russian-speaking Jews from the Former Soviet Republic (FSU). Economic hardships and war-related issues have prompted thousands of Jewish families to plan their move to Israel— and the ICEJ is supporting the Jewish Agency’s initiatives in those regions most affected by the ongoing war in Ukraine.

In the first quarter of 2023, more than 16,000 Russian-speaking Jews from former Soviet lands made Aliyah, a similar rate to the more than 62,000 who came last year. This means over 250,000 Russian-speaking Jews have made Aliyah since the Ukraine conflict began in 2014, making it a historic Aliyah wave from the North. Here are ways the Christian Embassy has been helping with this mass Aliyah.

Aliyah Seminar in Lithuania

After the fall of the Soviet Union, many Russianspeaking Jews moved to the Baltic states of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia hoping to find peace, safety, and economic opportunities for their children. These hopes began to fade when Russia invaded Ukraine last year, and concerns grew about possible problems spreading to the Baltics. Lithuania also took in thousands of Ukrainian war refugees, and overall, Aliyah has since more than tripled from the Baltic region.

In April 2023 the ICEJ supported a weekend Aliyah seminar for young families in the Baltic states held in Vilnius, Lithuania. This city is a former Soviet republic that is now part of the European Union. It shares borders with Russia, Belarus, and the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad.

The Aliyah seminar hosted 52 potential Olim at a hotel where they enjoyed Shabbat together, a good meal, and the hotel’s amenities. Teachers from Israel spoke about Passover and Shavuot, as well what to look forward to and plan for in their new life in Israel—the main theme for the weekend.

Summer Camps

Last year the ICEJ helped the Jewish Agency coordinate a special summer camp in September and later a winter camp in December for Jewish children from both the Baltic states and Ukraine. Additionally, pre-Aliyah events were held during Hanukkah and Purim. These special events were supervised by Ilze Saulite, our Latvian national director and regional Aliyah coordinator, who has been active in this work since the 1990s.

Flights and Expenses

Aliyah from the Baltic states has surged since February 2022 when the war started, and the

Jewish Agency has asked ICEJ to help with Aliyah flights and preparation expenses. The ICEJ has responded by sponsoring 200 Aliyah flights from the Baltic region. Adding in other former Soviet republics and Ethiopia, the Christian Embassy has already sponsored nearly 1,000 Aliyah flights so far this year.

Vilnius was once known as the “Jerusalem of the North”—a name given by Napoleon on his way to Moscow in 1812. The region became a relatively safe haven for Ashkenazi Jews fleeing western Europe during times of severe persecution, such as from Germany in the First Crusade (1096–1099) and in the expulsions from England (1290), France (1306 and 1394), and Spain (1492).

Life was not completely without problems; there were pogroms and restrictions following the order of Catherine the Great to establish the Pale of Settlement, a large Jewish ghetto

Participants of the ICEJ assisted weekend aliyah seminar enjoy a walking tour of the Vilnius, Lithuania Jewish quarter.

stretching from today’s Ukraine into Poland and Lithuania. At the height of the Russian Empire, some 5 million Jews lived in Russian lands, including 3 million who lived in the Pale of Settlement (as depicted in the movie “Fiddler on the Roof”).

During World War II, these Jewish communities endured the worst persecution in their history at the hands of Nazi Germany—most of the 6 million Jews killed in the Holocaust were from this area. After the war, many Holocaust Survivors fled to Israel. Now, many of the remaining Jews are preparing to finally follow them home to the Jewish State, and the Christian Embassy stands ready to help.

Medical Rescue Flight for Ukrainian Jewish Family

During Passover in April, the ICEJ also helped a family of five from eastern Ukraine fly to Israel. The grandfather, Boris, is in his mid-60s and needs regular dialysis treatment, which required special help on his flight. The family had just traveled from their home in occupied eastern Ukraine through two former Soviet republics in a difficult and harrowing journey that included border interrogations and cell phone checks. The ICEJ covered the flights for all five family members and the urgent medical care needed upon arrival.

Because they landed in Israel during Passover

when the airport immigration desk is usually unstaffed, the Jewish Agency took extra steps to ensure that the family was well received and taken to where they would lodge—and that Boris received his dialysis treatments throughout the Passover holidays, which the ICEJ also covered.

The family was so glad to be free after more than a year of life under occupation. This was truly a Passover story, which the ICEJ was thrilled to be a part of.

“Finally, our dream came true,” said Boris after landing in Israel. “Thanks a lot to the Jewish Agency and also the ICEJ, who supported us and helped us regain our freedom!”

The history of the Jewish people is not just one of persecution and exile but also resilience in the face of adversity. These Jewish newcomers from Ukraine, the Baltic States, and other former Soviet republics will help build Israel and fulfill the destiny of the Jewish people.

Please help us with this massive wave of Aliyah now underway from the land of the North. Send your best gift today to bring more Jews home from exile.

DONATE AT: WWW.ICEJUSA.ORG/ALIYAH

Boris and his family waiting to board their ICEJ-sponsored flight home to Israel

Your Israel Answer Proof God Is King over All

By Dr. Susan Michael, ICEJ USA Director

There is a famous story that is often told but can be attributed to different personalities from the nineteenth century. One version is that the German Kaiser asked Otto von Bismarck, a man well known for his wise and insightful quotes, “Can you prove the existence of God?” Bismarck is said to have replied, “The Jews, your majesty. The Jews.”

Whether the conversation is fact or fable in no way diminishes its profundity. The journey of the Jewish people on this earth is astounding proof of the existence of God for several reasons.

Their Story Foretold

The story of the Jewish people is, in fact, the story of the Bible, so their journey not only proves the existence of God but the accuracy of Bible. Promises God made thousands of years ago are being fulfilled today—exactly as the Hebrew prophets said they would.

This year we are celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the founding of Israel, which took place on May 14, 1948. The Hebrew prophet Isaiah described that event perfectly when speaking of a restored Jerusalem: “Shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion was in labor, she gave birth to her children.” We are in effect celebrating a day Isaiah foretold over 2,500 years ago.

God told the children of Israel through Moses that blessing and prosperity were theirs in the promised land if they walked uprightly with Him. He also told them of the many difficulties that would befall them should they reject Him and follow other gods. Hundreds of years later, the Hebrew prophets began to warn the wayward people of Israel that judgment was around the corner, and when it arrived, they would be scattered and the land made desolate. Judgment arrived just as they predicted.

But the Hebrew prophets knew this devastation was not forever. God had also promised through Moses that even if His children were scattered to all the nations, He would one day bring them back. Many prophets described and longed for that future return, and we are the privileged generation to witness it. Current events are playing out exactly as Isaiah and Jeremiah, amongst others, described them.

The Bible’s accuracy is a testament to the all-powerful God who wrote the script and is fulfilling it. His Word is true because He stands behind it. What He said He will and can do because He is the King over all the Earth.

Their Survival Guaranteed

Because of the special calling of the Jewish people—to be the vehicle of God’s magnificent plan of redemption—they would suffer much opposition and even threats of annihilation. For this reason, God promised they would always be a nation before Him, thereby guaranteeing their survival. Jeremiah said that even if all other nations are destroyed, they would remain (Jeremiah 30:10), and Isaiah said that their existence will be for as long as that of the eternal new heaven and new earth that He will create (Isaiah 66:22).

Their survival through centuries of exile, persecution, and threats of annihilation is a testimony to the power of God. No better example of this is found than in the 1948 War of Independence when the largely untrained and ill-equipped Jewish fighters defeated the invading armies of five Arab countries. Another example is the Yom Kippur War when the Jewish State suffered a surprise attack on their most holy day on which they fast and pray all day. One of the most dangerous fighting arenas was in the Golan Heights where a handful of Israeli tanks miraculously defeated hundreds of Syrian tanks. Had they not maintained control of the Golan Heights, the little nation would not have survived.

Their Miraculous Return from Obscurity

We are the privileged generation to witness Israel’s survival and triumph in the face of great opposition. But let’s be honest and ask ourselves: If we were reading the Bible 200 years ago when the land of Israel was a desolate, forsaken region that had been in the heart of Islamic empires for over 1,000 years—empires that had extended all the way from India in the East to Spain in the West and even into eastern Europe—would we have believed the rule of Islamic empires over those lands would come to an end?

We must admit that to any casual observer of history, it looked like it was all over for the Jewish people. They were in exile, often reviled and persecuted. All of the promises God had made to them in the Hebrew Bible looked to be impossible to realize—promises of a restored Jerusalem that would become the leader of the nations and from where the glory of the Lord would shine forth throughout the world.

Today we celebrate their miraculous return and the emergence of Israel as a world leader in many fields. The tiny, forsaken land is blooming and prospering. Jerusalem is becoming center on the world stage, and while much of the attention today seems to be negative, we know that it is only because Jerusalem is moving toward her prophetic destiny—from obscurity to center stage, just as God had promised. What more proof of the existence and power of God, King over all, does anyone need?

September 26 — october 7, 2023

Tour Israel and Celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles

Two days in the Dead Sea Region • Three Days in Galilee Five days in Jerusalem • Parade of Nations Communion at Garden Tomb Jerusalem March Worship, Praise, & Prayer in Israel

“For

Psalm 47:7