APRIL 2025
YOU ARE STANDING WITH ISRAEL AND BLESSING HER PEOPLE IN NEED ISRAEL
NEW
In Ukraine, Ivan was only 6 months old when his mother, Olga, noticed a problem with his eyes. His family was devastated to learn he had retinal cancer in both eyes. “Chemo did not help,” Olga said sadly. “Doctors said it was necessary to remove both eyes to save his life.”
With so many medical challenges ahead, the family moved to Israel to give Ivan a better future. Olga shared, “Here in Israel, they made him prosthetic eyes, and I realized the miracle of God was that Ivan is alive. He is active and happy—like an ordinary child.
People often can’t believe that he can’t see.”
She added, “When we’d go to church, Ivan would really like to worship. He would hold on to the piano to feel the music. I understood that he needed to develop this gift, but we just couldn’t afford it.”
They also wanted to get special furniture to help with Ivan’s limitations—but living near the Lebanese border, their income was affected by the war. Olga said, “My husband doesn’t make a lot of money, but we needed furniture that wouldn’t hurt Ivan if he bumped into it.”
When Olga’s social worker contacted CBN Israel, you provided the family with safer furniture, food—and a piano! Today, Ivan enjoys practicing on it while coping without sight in a safely furnished home. “You made my son’s dream come true,” Olga exclaimed. “I have never seen him so happy. … This gift is a miracle—it is priceless!”
Your gifts to CBN Israel are giving hope to so many others living in hardship. Your ongoing support is crucial in bringing hot meals, shelter, and financial aid to those who are hurting. Thank you so much!
IMMIGRANT | IVAN’S STORY
THANK YOU FOR MAKING THE DIFFERENCE!
ISRAEL RELIEF
Your support provides food, clothing, housing, education, and hope to Israel’s most vulnerable people. You are blessing victims of war and terror, Holocaust survivors, widows, orphans, single moms, refugees, and others who desperately need our help.
ISRAEL NEWS
Your gifts make it possible to produce unbiased, independent journalism through broadcasts, podcasts, and online media dedicated to informing the world about what is happening in Israel and the Middle East through our news bureau in Jerusalem.
ISRAEL FILMS
Your funding helps produce groundbreaking films that tell the true story of Israel, its right to exist in the face of growing antisemitism, its extensive biblical history, its innovative and entrepreneurial culture, and its commitment to helping others—even its enemies.
ISRAEL INSTITUTE
Your partnership enables us to shape the future of Israel advocacy by training, educating, and equipping the next generation of Christian leaders to stand with the Jewish nation and counter anti-Israel propaganda, disinformation, and antisemitism.
GIVING HELP AND HOPE DURING PASSOVER
F
or over a decade, CBN Israel has hosted special Passover dinners for single-parent families, widows, and other Jewish people in crisis. These events are offered in locations all over the country.
Through these Passover gatherings, you provide a delicious dinner and a meaningful time of fellowship for those in need. At the culmination of the evening, you bless each family with a holiday package and food vouchers.
Thanks to your thoughtful generosity, they are reminded that they are not forgotten—and that they’re not alone. These holiday events also enable CBN Israel to maintain contact with each household in order to continually assess their needs and offer basic assistance.
so happy that you care about us—both during holidays like Passover and all throughout the year. I cannot thank you enough!”
Another woman shared, “I am a new immigrant in Israel without any family or relatives. I am so grateful that you invite us to come celebrate Passover and other holidays with CBN Israel. You not only welcome us with dinner and hospitality, but you also give me food vouchers so that I can afford to buy food and other
essentials for my kids. Thank you!”
And your support is blessing many others in need across the Holy Land—with food, shelter, financial assistance, job training, and more.
“CBN Israel has been giving me help and support for over a decade—since my two children were babies,” said one single mom. “It makes me
As the cries for help increase, your continued support is crucial. You can offer a lifeline to Holocaust survivors, immigrants, terror victims, and others in dire need. God bless you!
THE GARDEN TOMB: A SACRED SITE IN JERUSALEM
By Chris Mitchell
One of my favorite sites in all of Jerusalem is the Garden Tomb. Nestled just outside Jerusalem’s Old City walls, the Garden Tomb is a tranquil site of deep spiritual significance for many Christians around the world. Often considered an alternative location to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Garden Tomb is revered by many as the possible site of Jesus Christ’s burial and resurrection.
Historical Background
The Garden Tomb was first identified in the late 19th century by Gen. Charles Gordon, a British officer who believed this location better matched the biblical descriptions of Jesus’ burial site. According to the New Testament, Jesus was buried in a garden near the site of His crucifixion. The Garden Tomb is located adjacent to a rocky escarpment that many believe resembles the biblical description of Golgotha, also known as “the place of the skull” (Matthew 27:33; Mark 15:22; John 19:17).
Excavations and studies conducted over the years suggest the tomb dates back to the First Temple period, making it much older than the time of Christ. However, many Christian visitors focus less on absolute archaeological proof and more on the spiritual experience that the Garden Tomb provides as a place for prayer, meditation, and reflection on the resurrection of Jesus.
Biblical and Spiritual Significance
According to the Bible, after Jesus was crucified, His body was laid in a new tomb belonging to Joseph of Arimathea (Matthew 27:57-60). On the third day, women who came to anoint Jesus’ body found the tomb empty, and angels declared, “He is not here; he has risen!” (Luke 24:6 niv).
Many visitors to the Garden Tomb find themselves deeply moved by the quiet, reverent atmosphere. Unlike the oftencrowded and elaborate Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Garden Tomb provides a
The Garden Tomb in Jerusalem is a place of deep spiritual significance, offering believers a unique opportunity to reflect on the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
setting that allows for personal moments of faith and reflection. The empty tomb itself, with its rolling stone doorway, serves as a visual representation of the resurrection, a core belief in Christian faith.
The Garden Tomb vs. the Church of the Holy Sepulchre
The debate over the true location of Jesus’ burial has been going on for centuries. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, traditionally recognized by Catholic and Orthodox Christians, has a long history dating back to Emperor Constantine’s mother, Helena, who identified it as the site of Jesus’ crucifixion and burial in the fourth century.
However, proponents of the Garden Tomb argue that its setting aligns more closely with the biblical accounts. The peaceful garden environment and the proximity to a potential crucifixion site (the skull-like escarpment) add to its credibility in the eyes of many Protestant and evangelical Christians.
While archaeology does not provide proof that the Garden Tomb is the burial site of Christ, it remains a compelling location for those seeking to connect with the events of the resurrection.
Visiting the Garden Tomb
For those traveling to Jerusalem, a visit to the Garden Tomb offers a serene and contemplative experience. The site is maintained by the Garden Tomb Association, a Christian organization that ensures its upkeep and welcomes visitors from around the world. Guided tours provide historical context, biblical insights, and opportunities for prayer and worship.
Many Christian groups hold Communion services at the Garden Tomb, and also celebrate Easter in a setting that recalls Christ’s victory over death.
CBN broadcasts the Easter Sunrise Service from the Garden Tomb each year. Please log on to CBN.com to watch the service on April 20 and join believers at the Garden and many others worldwide to declare, “He is risen!”
(Clockwise, starting from top left): Golgotha, or “the place of the skull,” aligns with the biblical description of the crucifixion site. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a magnificent basilica, is the traditional site of Jesus’ death and resurrection. For centuries, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre has been an important pilgrimage site to Christians worldwide. Participants join in joyous worship during the Easter sunrise service at the Garden Tomb.
THE LAMB OF GOD
The ancient Romans executed tens of thousands by crucifixion in their vast empire. By all accounts, crucifixion was a torturous means of death, intended to cause its victims maximum suffering and humiliation.
As Roman soldiers cruelly drove nails into Jesus’ body, Temple priests were slaughtering Bethlehem-born lambs in preparation of the Passover while chanting the Hallel —a recitation of Psalms 113 through 118.
Perhaps Jesus could hear snippets of the chants as He hung outside Jerusalem’s walls. Chants such as: Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants (Psalm 116:15 niv). Or Psalm 116:3—The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came over me; I was overcome by distress and sorrow (niv). Or Psalm 118:22—The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.
At the ninth hour, as Jesus took His last breath, many Temple lambs also would have died. God offered His only Son, the Perfect Lamb, for us: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life ” (John 3:16).
In this era of rising global antisemitism, it is critical that Christians understand the truth about who is responsible for killing
Jesus. Tragically, over the centuries, the Jewish people have wrongfully suffered the blame. There were many accomplices involved—Judas Iscariot, the chief priests, the Sadducees, Herod Antipas, Pontius Pilate, and Roman soldiers—and it is abhorrent to place the blame of Jesus’ death on an entire people, a people to whom Jesus Himself belonged.
In truth, we all bear the blame. As Isaiah 53:6-7 tells us, All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. … He was led as a lamb to the slaughter.
Jesus’ death and resurrection were part of an inexorable and inevitable redemption plan from the heart of God—a plan no one could stop. As Jesus declared in John 10:17-18, “I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”
Scripture is quoted from the NKJV except as noted.
PRAYER
Father, thank You for making a way for us to be redeemed through Your Son’s sacrificial death on the cross. We celebrate that the tomb is empty and our risen Lord will one day return!
PRAYER POINTS
Pray for the Jewish people in Israel and around the world as they celebrate the feast of Passover and God’s miraculous deliverance from Egypt and the hand of Pharaoh.
Pray for Christians in Israel and throughout the Middle East as they celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ on Easter.
Pray for persecuted Christians throughout the Middle East, that their faith will remain firm and strong. While Christians in Israel enjoy religious liberty, many other Christians in the Middle East do not.
Pray for Gordon Robertson on The 700 Club as he speaks out for Israel and the Jewish people daily.
Pray for CBN News as it reports on the ever-changing landscape of the Middle East and to be like the sons of Issachar, who “understood the times.”
Pray for CBN Israel as it continues to stand with Israel and bless her people in need—including victims of war and terror, Holocaust survivors, the elderly, new immigrants, refugees, single mothers, and more.
DO YOU HAVE A PRAYER NEED?
ISRAEL
Based on the New York Times bestseller by Dan Senor and Saul Singer, The Genius of Israel reveals why the Jewish state is largely immune to the social problems that plague many Western societies.
Filmed on location in Israel and hosted by Gordon Robertson, this new CBN Films documentary explores the unique religious and cultural traditions that make Israel one of the most innovative and resilient democracies on earth.
