Word from Jerusalem - May 2024 - US Edition

HOW GENTILES PARTICIPATE IN GOD’S PLAN (PAGES 6–7)

WORD FROM JERUSALEM

ICEJ HANDS-ON TOUR

Love for Israel in Action

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

• 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 FROM JERUSALEM

CREDITS

ICEJ President Dr. Juergen Buehler

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, Nancy Schimp

Photography Bill Fairs on Unsplash, Shutterstock, iStock, Adobe Stock, AP, AFP, JAFI, Flash90, Haaretz, Reuters, IDF, businessweek.com, Netafim, newatlas, SanDisk, Watergen, Waze, Wikimedia Commons, John Theodor, Adobe Firefly, AFP, AP, JAFI, KKL-JNF, Wikimedia, Flickr, 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,

It is now more than half a year into Israel’s war with Hamas. No one could have imagined so many of the hostages brutally taken from their homes and loved ones on October 7 would still be held captive in Gaza. We are praying daily for their release and for an outpouring of wisdom for all leaders involved—those in the Israel Defense Forces, Israel’s government, and the nations around the world. It is a spiritual battle rooted in the spirit of Amalek we must fight on our knees.

In my article, “Israel and the Battle of the Ages,” I address this evil spirit and how what happened on October 7 was the darkest manifestation of antisemitism since the Holocaust during World War II. In the article, I unpack where this spirit emerged the first time in the Bible and what it says about how it culminates in the End of Days.

At the same time, while such a darkness seems to be blanketing the world, something beautiful is happening before our very eyes: Aliyah is continuing to take place! This issue features the story of a group of South Africans who recently made Aliyah. They were motivated to do so because of the uptick in antisemitic rhetoric and incidents throughout the country spurred in part by the ANC-led government’s decision to charge Israel with genocide in the International Court of Justice in The Hague last fall. You’ll also read a brief history of Aliyah from the former Soviet republics.

Also, in response to the continued protests against Israel, our ICEJ USA Director, Dr. Susan Michael, responds to claims that Zionism is “settler colonialism.” I encourage you to read it.

With Iran’s recent and unprecedented attack on Israel, we’ve entered a new dimension of conflict, and we must be alert, know the Word of God, and be fully dedicated to our Lord and Savior. Join us daily for prayer focused on Israel, encouragement, and up-to-date briefings during our daily Global Prayer Gatherings. We meet every day at 9:00 a.m. (EST) (www.icejusa.org/globalprayer).

Many blessings from Jerusalem,

Dr. Juergen Buehler President International

Christian Embassy Jerusalem

COVER PHOTO: ICEJ staff and volunteers help Israeli farmers harvest clementines while on the ICEJ Hands-On Tour in March.

FOR MAGAZINE ARCHIVES visit www.icejusa.org/wfj

ISRAEL AND THE BATTLE OF THE AGES

BY DR. JUERGEN BUEHLER, ICEJ PRESIDENT

The current war in Israel is not just a war being fought in the physical realm. From early on, it was obvious we were dealing not just with a political conflict but primarily a conflict of tremendous spiritual dimensions. Last October 7 witnessed the darkest manifestation of antisemitism since the Holocaust during World War II. After visiting the Gaza border communities several times and seeing firsthand the results of the atrocities and barbarism committed that day, it felt like peering into the abyss of hell. Indeed, we witnessed a powerful demonic spirit at work.

Throughout the Bible, this spiritual principality is identified with Amalek, and it surely gripped the followers of Hamas in Gaza that day, just like it did the Nazis in Germany back in the 1930s and 40s.

The Spirit of Amalek

This spirit of Amalek emerges in Genesis, the first book of the Bible, with the story of the brotherly rivalry between Jacob and Esau. Although these twin brothers eventually reconciled, Esau had a grandson named

Amalek, who allowed his jealousy and hatred of Jacob’s descendants to grow, and his lineage inherited it down through the generations. The Bible warns of the dangers of such sibling rivalries, like what arose between Cain and Abel.

We even find it culminating in the End of Days, as set forth in Revelation 12. This intriguing chapter, found in the last book of the Bible, reveals certain aspects of the cosmic reality and the hidden roots of this ancient conflict in our times, particularly since October 7. In Revelation 12:1 the apostle John sees “a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars.” This woman is pregnant and about to give birth. Then another sign appears: a dragon is standing in front of the woman ready to devour the child being born.

The unique features of the dragon are that he has seven heads with ten horns and on each head a diadem, or crown. The word of God identifies this great dragon as “that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives

the whole world” (Revelation 12:9). Jesus calls him the “ruler of this world” (John 12:31), and Revelation 12:10 refers to him as the “accuser of our brethren.” The same envious spirit that was crouching at the door of Cain’s heart, urging him to lash out at his brother Abel, is still busy with the very same strategy in the heavenlies as well as on the earth.

But who is the woman? The references to the sun, moon, and 12 stars appear only one other time in a similar way, back in Genesis in one of Joseph’s dreams that caused great jealousy and even accusations among his brothers: “Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, ‘Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me’” (Genesis 37:9).

This image in his dream is a clear reference to Jacob, his wife Rachel, and Jacob’s 12 sons, the same Jacob who became Israel, patriarch of the Jewish nation and people. John saw the same imagery adorning the woman, depicting Israel, who was experiencing birth pangs and about to give birth to a male child. This child

An illustration based on Revelation 12 (generated using Adobe Firefly/Photoshop)

was the promised Messiah, Yeshua (Jesus), who was to rule the world with a rod of iron (Revelation 12:5; Psalm 2:9, 110:2; Isaiah 11:4; Revelation 2:27, 19:15). The dragon’s main target was not the woman but the male child. However, he was taken up to heaven (see Acts 1:9) and was thereby removed from Satan’s threat. So he then directed his attention and anger against the woman, Israel.

An Eternal Hatred

The important truth revealed here is the eternal hatred Satan has against the Jewish people. Israel was called to play a unique role in the world, to bring forth the salvation plan and purposes of God to humanity. From the beginning, God declared that through their seed, “all the families of the world shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:3). Israel was called to be “a light to the Gentiles” (Isaiah 42:6) and a priestly kingdom (Exodus 19:6), purposed by God to save the nations of the earth. Through Israel, the word of God was given (Romans 3:1). The Jewish people brought forth the Messiah in the flesh (Romans 9:5). All 12 original apostles who first preached the gospel to the gentiles were Jews.

The

This is undoubtedly a nation called like no other nation. In our day, the children of Israel have returned to their ancient homeland. The main purpose of this ingathering is to bring back the Messiah to our world; therefore, Satan knows “that he has a short time” (Revelation 12:12). And if he can destroy the “woman” (Israel and the Jews), he believes

he can frustrate God’s plan of redemption for mankind.

Demonic False Accusation

It is worth noting that Satan’s main tactic and weapon in the heavens is “accusation.” It was his main method throughout the centuries before Christ’s birth (see Job 1:6; Zechariah 3:1). And on the earth, the constant use of accusation remains his main strategy. The word translated as “accuser” in Revelation 12:10 is the Greek word kategoros, from which we derive the word “category.” The Oxford Dictionary defines category as a “division of people as having particular shared characteristics.”

In many ways, this “categorization” is at the root of all the world’s racism and xenophobia, and this is especially true regarding the Jewish people. We see it in the scroll of Esther when Haman appears as the main

This demonic force of false accusation is at the very root of antisemitism, both then and today.

accuser, or “categorizer,” of the Jews, telling King Ahasuerus: “There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of your kingdom; their laws are different from all other people’s, and they do not keep the king’s laws. Therefore, it is not fitting for the king to let them remain” (Esther 3:8)

This demonic force of false accusation is at the very root of antisemitism, both then and today. It is what drove Martin Luther to write his notorious pamphlet On the Jews and Their Lies. It made the Nazi officials at the Wannsee Conference, although many were raised in Christian homes, to agree to the “Final Solution”: the plan to murder 11 million Jews in Europe and North Africa. And it causes the writers of Palestinian schoolbooks to deny any Jewish history or right to live in the Land of Israel, thereby raising yet another generation of antisemitic Palestinian youth, including those who stormed the Israeli communities along the Gaza border on October 7.

It fuels the poisonous teachings in mosques and Koranic schools that made them believe Jews can be slaughtered like beasts. And this very same spirit recently led 15 out of 17 justices at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague to heed the voice of the “accuser of the brethren,” as they ignored the genocidal intentions and actions of Hamas and instead gave credence to the false charge that Israel is seeking to annihilate the Palestinians.

This demonic flood of lies from the mouth of the dragon rages today through all the streams of TV, print, and social media.

The power of such words, thoughts, and concepts should never be underestimated. They can be daunting demonic lies that are hard to resist. Revelation 12:15 says: “So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood.” Note how often the power of the mouth or voice is referenced in Revelation (for example, see 9:17, 13:5, and 16:13).

The Media and Antisemitism

It also is noteworthy that the lion’s share of the world’s media today is highly critical of Israel, if not outwardly antisemitic. This demonic flood of lies from the mouth of the dragon rages today through all the streams of TV, print, and social media. The US-based Combat Antisemitism Movement found that after October 7, the amount of antiIsrael and antisemitic posts on Tik-Tok alone outnumbered by far the number of comments on Israel’s war against Hamas in the top five English news sites, such as CNN and the Wall Street Journal.

main target of the dragon was not the woman but the male child.

Joseph’s Dream, Bible drawing by Otto Semler (Flickr)

Recent anti-Israel protest at Columbia University in New York (Credit: AFP)

Will Turn against Christians

One final characteristic of this dragon is that he was not able to destroy the male child, and he could not destroy the woman (Israel), so he became angry and “went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Revelation 12:17). That means the last line of attack or accusation will be against Christians. It is exactly this agenda that is preached in many mosques around the world today, under the slogan: “First the Saturday people, then the Sunday people.”

This warning needs to be taken seriously, as the Word of God warns us that a final, global campaign against the Christian faith is to be expected. On that note, I recently learned a new US Treasury Department program has

This warning needs to be taken seriously, as the Word of God warns us that a final, global campaign against the Christian faith is to be expected.

begun tracking some electronic purchases of religious books, particularly Bibles. As Christians we need to be As Christians, we need to be praying and alert concerning the challenges ahead. Several Christian ministries worldwide are already being specially

monitored by state authorities simply for standing with Israel.

Yet despite all this, there also is good news in the same chapter of Revelation 12, which provides believers with the weapons needed to overcome and be victorious in this great conflict of the last day: “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death” (Revelation 12:11).

HERE ARE THREE BASIC TRUTHS THAT WILL HELP US NOT JUST SURVIVE BUT OVERCOME!

1

The principal weapon God has given believers is the blood of Yeshua. The respected Bible teacher Derek Prince outlined seven powerful ways the blood of Jesus works on our behalf: It is the main source of our redemption (Ephesians 1:7); cleanses all our sins (1 John 1:7); justifies us (Romans 5:9); sanctifies us (Hebrews 13:12); gives life (John 6:53ff); speaks on our behalf (Hebrews 12:24); and gives access to the presence of God (Hebrews 10:19ff). These are critical points that deal with the main target of Satan’s accusations against us: our sins and failures. Every believer born from above can claim these powerful features of the blood of Yeshua.

2

It is obvious that the best antidote to Satan’s lies and accusations is truth itself. Jesus himself said the truth shall set you free (John 8:32). The Greek word for

“confession” literally means, “saying the same thing.” It means we say the same thing the Word of God declares about Israel, the Jews, our own lives, and the church. God’s Word and truth are powerful (Jeremiah 23:29; Hebrews 4:12).

3

We need a radical dedication to Jesus. It will mean not only a willingness to lose our lives for Jesus but a lifestyle of daily taking up our cross, dying to ourselves each day, and being willing to give up everything for the sake of that treasure in the field, the kingdom of God.

Satan is powerless against people who are covered by the blood of Yeshua, who live in and speak God’s truth, and who are wholly sold out to Him. This means in the current conflict against Israel and any future conflict against the church, we need to appropriate the above attributes of the blood and God will give us the victory. For that reason, we are currently gathering every day on the Global Prayer Gathering (GPG) to confess and proclaim God’s truths about Israel. We are tremendously blessed to see many people incredibly dedicated to this prayer time, as many join daily or several times a week.

Let us all be alert as we enter a new dimension of conflict and fight this spirit of Amalek on our knees. And let us be a people washed in the blood of Yeshua, confessing (and knowing) the Word of God and being fully dedicated to our Lord and Savior. Together, we will overcome!

GENTILE PARTICIPATION IN GOD’S PLAN OF REDEMPTION

KAREN

ENGLE, ICEJ USA MANAGING EDITOR

The story of God’s plan for the Jewish people is laid out clearly in Scripture. He created the nation of Israel for many reasons, but ultimately, it was to bring glory (a good reputation) to His name. Through His activity with Israel, the godless, gentile nations would see He is a faithful, promisekeeping, just God—and they would be drawn to Him.

When His children’s disobedience brought shame, they would be exiled from their land. A quick look at biblical history reveals Israel chased after other gods and requested a human king like the nations, showing a lack of trust in God as her King who created the nation to begin with, thus tarnishing His name.

Though Israel was unfaithful, God was not. He remained true to His word: the children of Israel were exiled in 586 BC to one nation, Babylon, and again in AD 70 when Rome destroyed Jerusalem, scattering the Jewish people to the four corners of the earth—just as He said would happen. He was also faithful in bringing them back to Jerusalem after their captivity in Babylon, as He promised through Jeremiah:

You will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again. (29:10 NLT)

And He is now fulfilling His promise to draw them back to the land of their inheritance from the nations to which they were scattered after AD 70. Today, before our very eyes—as persecution of the Jews continues to intensify—we are watching this great ingathering from the nations as Jews realize that the only place in the world they are truly safe is in the Land of Israel. This increase in Jewish immigration to Israel hints at several biblical prophecies that one day, God will again bring them back into the land, but this time, as Amos says, “never to be uprooted again” (9:15).

Though that story is about God’s activity with Israel and her people’s role in His plan of redemption to draw nations “without God in the world” (Ephesians 2:12) near to Him, gentiles have a role in that plan too. However, that role hasn’t always been clear.

Gentile Responsibility in God’s EndTime Plan

Think of a jigsaw puzzle. Often, people find the corner pieces and then search for edge pieces to complete the picture frame. Slowly, as they search for and find middle pieces and connect them one to another, a more complete picture begins to come together. If a piece is missing, it affects the image of the picture.

The gentile piece, for centuries, has been the missing piece of the puzzle. As gentiles begin to understand how they fit into this puzzle and their responsibility in God’s end-time work related to the Jewish people, a glorious picture of His great mercy to all, Jew and gentile, comes into focus.

1. Gentiles are to bless the Jewish people.

The Lord had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Genesis 12:1–3)

In Genesis 12:1–3 God reveals how He is going to restore the breach in His relationship with His people—by creating a nation (the nation of Israel) that will be the vehicle He will use to bring about world redemption. But at the end of this passage in verse 3 is a call specific to gentiles who are not part of that Jewish nation: God will bless gentiles who bless Israel.

God’s design from the beginning was that we

would participate in the well-being and survival of His children. Indeed, we are blessed as we participate in His plan of redemption brought about through the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

2. Gentiles are to declare what God is doing today.

Hear the word of the Lord, O nations (gentiles), and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, “He who scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him as a shepherd does his flock.” (Jeremiah 31:10)

Tucked alongside Jeremiah’s prophecy of God regathering scattered Israel is a call to gentiles: they are to “hear” (understand) a prophecy of a work of the Lord so incredible that the nations cannot but take notice of it and “declare it in the isles afar off.”

The Hebrew word for “isles” appears 36 times in the Old Testament, and though it is most often translated as “islands” or “coastlands,” it can also mean “region” or even “countries.” Likely Jeremiah was referencing lands west of the Mediterranean, which could include Western Europe, Britain, and even America (had he known about them!).

Through Jeremiah, God called non-Jews who believe His Word and are ready to obey it to proclaim to countries beyond Israel that God is bringing His children back home—and when gathered into one fold, He will keep His flock from being scattered again.

3. Gentiles are to help bring God’s people home.

Behold, I will lift My hand in an oath (sign) to the nations (gentiles), and set up My standard for the peoples; they shall bring your sons in their arms, and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders.” (Isaiah 49:22)

Not only are gentiles commissioned to spread the news the world over about how God is regathering His people, but they are also

to play a part in that regathering. Gentiles are to carry Jewish people home “in their arms” and “on their shoulders.” But Isaiah uses interesting wording to describe the significance of what that means.

A “standard” was a banner erected high on a mountain in times of war to assemble soldiers in case of an invasion. Isaiah says a day is coming when God will summon gentiles as a military leader musters his forces for battle to help bring the Jewish people home—but with great care and tenderness, as a father carrying his children.

4. Gentiles are to remove obstacles.

Pass through, pass through the gates! Prepare the way for the people. Build up, build up the highway! Remove the stones. Raise a banner (standard) for the nations. (Isaiah 62:10)

God also calls the nations to help prepare the path for Israel’s homecoming by removing anything that might hinder their return. Notice Isaiah speaks of the construction of a highway where impediments are removed so the Jewish people’s physical passage is safe and easy and even escorted by gentile nations. Earlier in chapter 57:14, Isaiah issues a similar calling to build up, prepare the road, and “Remove obstacles out of the way of my people” (57:14 NIV).

5. Gentiles are to bring wealth to Israel and rebuild.

The sons of foreigners shall build up your walls, and their kings shall minister to you; for in My wrath I struck you, but in My favor I have had mercy on you. Therefore your gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day or night, that men may bring to you the wealth of the Gentiles, and their kings in procession. (Isaiah 60:10–11)

During the Holocaust, Jews were stripped of all their earthly belongings, down to the gold fillings in their teeth. Yet Isaiah repeatedly speaks of a day when the “sons of foreigners” (gentiles) will not only build up Israel’s walls but in a divine turn of events, bring “the wealth of the gentiles” to Israel, hinting at helping Israel through finances.

6. Gentiles are to speak words of comfort to Israel.

“Comfort, yes, comfort My people!’ says your God. “Speak comfort to Jerusalem and cry out to her, that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned; for

she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.” (Isaiah 40:1–2)

As Israel’s war with Hamas continues and tensions heighten in the north—not to mention Iran’s unprecedented attack on Israel in early April—an end to Israel’s warfare seems far off. Yet God has not forgotten His people. Elsewhere in Chapter 40 Isaiah speaks of a time of rest, peace, and coming redemption for Israel, and here in verses 1–2, commissions the gentiles to comfort and stand with them until that day comes.

7. Gentiles are to announce the coming Savior!

The disciples were commissioned to go into all the world and preach the message of a Jewish Savior and His life, death, and resurrection. For 2,000 years, the church has proclaimed this message to every nation on earth. Now the time is approaching for Israel’s Savior to return to Zion, and the prophet Isaiah says to: “Say to Daughter Zion, ‘See, your Savior comes!” (Isaiah 62:11 NIV).

ICEJ Director Juergen Buehler writes that no other nation has suffered more than the Jews, but now, God is asking the church “to proclaim in love that the greatest chapter in their entire history is about to unfold.” Israel’s physical return to the land points to something more profound: an Aliyah—the spiritual return of the children of Israel to their God.

8. Gentiles are to pray.

I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they shall never hold their peace day or night. You who make mention of the LORD, do not keep silent, and give Him no rest till He establishes and till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth. (Isaiah 62:6–7)

Though the Bible outlines several practical tasks for Christians related to His work with Israel, the call to pray undergirds everything. Ultimately, God will cause all He has spoken in His Word to come to pass. He will bring His people home from the nations to which they were scattered. But as ICEJ USA Director Susan Michael writes, we are responsible to pray those promises through.

A New Spirit and Changed Hearts

The idea of God regathering His people to the land promised to them through Abraham first shows up in Deuteronomy 30:4–6:

If any of you are driven out to the farthest parts under heaven, from there the Lord your God will gather you, and from there

He will bring you. Then the Lord your God will bring you to the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it. He will prosper you and multiply you more than your fathers. And the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.

Don’t miss that linked to Israel’s future regathering to a particular piece of real estate is God’s promise to put a new spirit in them and change their hearts. It’s a promise of eternal life, salvation, and restoration that ICEJ Aliyah Director Howard Flower says, “resonates well with the message of the gospel.” Except for a remnant, Flower writes, “the Jews are blind and deaf to the gospel until such time as the Lord touches their hearts and gives them new life.”

One way we can partner with God in this coming restoration of Israel is to help the Jewish people come home to the land He says is theirs to possess. According to Isaiah, doing so is more than a physical act of love: “Isaiah 66:20 describes the act of gentiles bringing His people home—the people He loves and will use to bless the whole earth—as so sacred it is likened to ‘bringing an offering to the Lord,’” writes Dr. Michael. “What a wonderful image depicting the biblical significance of the return of the Jews to their homeland.”

Conclusion

Gentile participation in God’s plan for the redemption of Israel has been the missing piece of the puzzle for centuries. But as Adam Berkowitz writes, “When the Jewish State rose up from the ashes of the Holocaust, it brought with it something entirely new and unexpected: a movement of Christian-funded organizations that see it as their God-given mission to bless the Jewish people and assist in their return to the Land while also helping to rebuild Zion.”

God is waking up Christians to an understanding of what their posture should be toward the Jews and their role in His endtime activity with them—and it is nothing short of a miracle. The full picture of what God intended for Jews and gentiles is beginning to take form. For Christians, there are two ways to respond: sit on the sidelines and watch the greatest story of all time play out, or be an active participant in that story.

I choose the latter.

Join the daily ICEJ Global Prayer Gathering at 9:00 a.m. (EST) and pray with others around the world for Israel and the nations at: on.icejusa. org/globalprayer

LOVE FOR ISRAEL IN ACTION DURING ICEJ HANDS-ON SERVING TOUR

NATIVIA SAMUELSEN, ICEJ AID ADMINISTRATOR

Drawn by their love for a nation still locked in a difficult war, 23 Christians from 12 nations came to show solidarity with Israel in March as part of a special ICEJ’s hands-on service tour.

The south of Israel is still marked by the devastating attacks of October 7, and farms still resonate with the sound of army helicopters hovering overhead and the distant thuds of artillery shells shaking the ground. Yet somehow, a sense of peace enveloped the fields and orchards on the first day, as our group of Christian volunteers navigated through thorny citrus trees to harvest baskets full of clementines and kohlrabi (a type of cabbage). The visitors sang and conversed with local volunteers. Their dedication touched the Israeli farmers, who marveled that so many came so far from home to help them despite the risks of war and difficulties of harvesting.

Another hands-on project took them to Ashkelon, a city heavily impacted by persistent rocket barrages from Gaza. Our volunteers spent the day renovating bomb shelters, an essential lifeline for a city whose residents must often seek refuge within their protective walls. Normally a two-day task for a crew of local workers, the ICEJ volunteers—through sheer dedication and hard work—completed the renovation of four bomb shelters in a single day. The swift work will enable more residents to reach safety in an instant and leaves behind a visible expression of the visitors’ heartfelt support for this nation.

Gabi Nachmani, overseer of the shelter renovation project, shared his heartfelt appreciation for the ICEJ team. “You have a special spark in your eyes,” Gabi told the Christian volunteers. “We, the Jewish people, are on the next page in the Bible. You came to Israel in this difficult time to tell us how important we are in this unfolding story. This gives us strength to continue.”

Later in the week, the volunteers met with Holocaust Survivor Eva Erben, a resident of Ashkelon, who added a poignant layer to the tour experience. “I never thought I would host the whole world in my garden,” Eva said with a smile.

As she told her story of surviving Auschwitz and a death march at the end of World War II, she mixed in her perspective on the current conflict: “You can suffer a lot, you can go through a lot, but what happened on October 7 was barbaric. The Nazis were gentle compared to Hamas. The world needs to know what happened. And, remember to tell our story to your nation,” Eva said.

Eva’s life story and her view of the current situation gave the team even more reason to speak the truth about Israel, to ensure that “never again” truly means never again!

The group’s journey across Israel was a physical and soul-stirring experience. Greeted by soldiers, social workers, and ordinary citizens,

Volunteers renovate a bomb shelter in southern Israel.

Eva Erben, Holocaust Survivor, talks with a tour volunteer.

the team encountered a still grieving nation. Yet the Israelis they met also were inspired by hope when discovering that Christians came to lend a helping hand. Israelis on the streets would stop to chat, and these encounters often ended with hugs and tears.

Beyond shelter renovations and harvesting, the volunteers extended their support by cooking meals for soldiers, the families of hostages in Gaza, and others. Working with chefs at culinary workshops such as Citrus & Salt in Tel Aviv, the group prepared the meals while dancing, singing, and cooking side by side Israeli volunteers.

The international guests’ passion resonated deeply with the locals. Several native volunteers were deeply moved, exclaiming: “I can’t believe you left everything in your home countries to come here, to a war!”

“I can’t believe you left everything in your home countries to come here, to a war!” —Israeli volunteers

During the journey, they also witnessed the horrific destruction that happened in places like Kibbutz Be’eri, the Nova Music Festival site, and a lot filled with 1,200 burned-out cars. Everyone was in tears upon seeing and hearing the stories of survivors firsthand.

The tour ended back in the fields, where the group planted melons in the Negev, a fitting metaphor of how over the 10-day tour, the group sowed seeds of hope and left an enduring mark on the land and people of Israel. As they were planting, Anne Marie from Switzerland shared how she felt as the tour was coming to an end: “Israel is like Naomi, in pain and grief,” she said. “But God brought us here as Ruths to bring His love and share and serve and say: ‘Your people are My people.’ God says this is His land, and we have the privilege to serve in it and work the soil.”

“My time here has been full,” said Warwick West from Australia. “I will take back with me all the conversations I had with the Jewish people I met on the tour, not articles or newspapers or broadcasts but the words of the farmers, soldiers, children, local volunteers, and workers.” These impressions resonated with the group throughout the tour, and each one returned home with new perspectives, ready to be ambassadors and witnesses to their communities of all they saw, heard, and touched with their own hands in Israel.

ONE AMERICAN TOUR PARTICIPANT’S STORY

ICEJ USA STAFF

Shawn Landis had been to Israel four times already, but his trip this past March on the ICEJ Hands-On Serving Tour was profoundly different. This time Landis journeyed from his home state of Pennsylvania to Israel with four others from the United States to not just visit key Bible sites but love and serve the Jewish nation as they continue to fight Hamas and heal from the horrors on October 7.

The group that included 23 Christians from 12 nations took part in relief projects, like harvesting farm produce and serving meals to security personnel and first responders. They received security briefings, prayed along Israel’s borders, and engaged with Holocaust Survivors at the Haifa Home. But possibly the most moving time was at the sites of the October 7 mass terror attacks in southern Israel where the true intentions of Hamas and the atrocities of what happened were evident. It was a visual the group will never forget.

Among many impactful conversations, Landis recalls one that happened the first day in the Land while picking oranges at Yad Mordecai with a young Jewish girl named Alison. She asked how he felt as a Christian coming to a predominantly Jewish nation, and Landis shared from his heart how it was the birthplace of his faith: “Being that Jesus was a Jew and many of His original followers were Jews and salvation is from the Jews, I am coming to where it all began.” The two had a wonderful conversation. “To see Israeli’s resilience and learn what was happening from their perspective was a great encouragement” he said.

“Scripture instructs us to support Israel, and sometimes the best time to support someone is when they’re grieving. Friendship is not just about being there for the good times; it’s also about [being there in] the rough times.”

Everyone came home transformed and better equipped to be a voice for Israel as they fight this existential battle for their right to live in the land promised to them through Abraham.

A volunteer helps assemble meals for Israelis impacted by the war

Shawn Landis (kneeling) from the United States with other Hands-On Serving Tour volunteers

Tour volunteer Peter Edwardsson plants melons in a Negev field.

ICEJ SPONSORS SCHOOLING FOR CHILDREN FROM SDEROT CONGREGATION

NATIVIA SAMUELSEN, ICEJ AID ADMINISTRATOR

The ongoing war with Hamas forced thousands of residents from Sderot, a town close to the Gaza border, to evacuate to temporary housing across Israel, and it is still uncertain when they can safely return home. While they wait, the Christian Embassy is assisting the members of a believing congregation from Sderot who are staying in a village near Jerusalem, including by sponsoring 13 of their children to attend classes this year at Makor Hatikvah (Hebrew for “Source of Hope”), a school run by local believers.

For these children whose town was overrun by terrorists on October 7, the school has provided a welcome refuge from the storm.

by using bright colors. Another student, initially sullen and detached, gradually started engaging more positively with both art and his peers.

Our ICEJ team also spoke with Mira, a 15-year-old evacuee from Sderot who encapsulates the benefits of this nurturing environment. “The last year has been challenging for me,” she said. “The war, the bombs, the casualties, the hiding—it was a lot to take in. My family and I were scared.” Her relocation to Jerusalem and attending Makor Hatikvah were turning points for Mira.

“Coming to Jerusalem and enrolling in a school I never dreamed of being able to go to, thanks to the ICEJ, and the supportive teachers and my new friends here have all given me hope. This is what I can hold on to.”

Arriving at the school, we were cheered to find the Sderot children happily playing football and hopscotch, crafting bracelets, and painting pictures. Several curious students came over to greet us and show off their soccer skills. This environment certainly seemed to be helping the children from the Sderot fellowship heal from what happened on October 7.

The persistent anxiety caused by war can significantly disrupt the learning process for young people, especially when they have parents serving in the army. Yet within the walls of Makor Hatikvah, these students are finding refuge and hope.

Many arrived at the school still traumatized, just weeks after the war broke out. The scholarships provide them a quality educational opportunity and a caring environment among those of faith.

Bekka, the school’s art teacher, explained the challenges these kids faced from the constant rocket alerts in Sderot to arriving at a new school as evacuees trying to adjust to new teachers and classmates. Hoping it would serve as a therapeutic outlet for the children, her approach in art class was to focus on the vibrant, uplifting aspects of life and creation, . Bekka noted the significant changes for two students. One discovered his passion for art, allowing him to momentarily “forget” and refocus

“Coming to Jerusalem and enrolling in a school I never dreamed of being able to go to, thanks to the ICEJ, and the supportive teachers and my new friends here have all given me hope. This is what I can hold on to,” she assured.

Over recent months, the ICEJ has received “thank-you” letters from the Sderot families whose children received scholarships to Makor Hatikvah. All of them stated that their children were full of joy and did not want to leave the school due to the positive impact it had on them. One family with two sons sponsored by ICEJ wrote:

“On October 7, our day began with sirens and gunfire. From my window, I saw four armed individuals shoot a man and shoot at our house. Our children were petrified, fearing that the terrorists would break in. Amid constant shooting and missile alarms, we huddled together, praying for safety. After a rocket cut our electricity, we spent hours [experiencing] anxiety, particularly our youngest who was deeply affected. Escaping the city offered little relief from the fear of further attacks. It took weeks and the supportive community of the school to help my boys recover from the trauma. They are much calmer now and have made many new friends. I can’t say thank you enough.”

Through these scholarships, the ICEJ is not only opening educational doors for evacuee children but also investing in their healing. The families are grateful that committed Christians around the world are helping provide a sanctuary of learning and peace of mind for the children of this recuperating congregation.

—Mira, Makor Hatikvah student

ICEJ HELPS ABSORPTION CENTER PLANT JEWS IN HOMELAND

MARELINKE VAN DER RIET,

OPERATIONS EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT

Despite facing a multifront war since October 7, Israel is still welcoming a steady stream of Jews from around the world as they continue to immigrate to their biblical homeland. The ICEJ is part of this remarkable influx of Jews making Aliyah—we have sponsored flights for more than 80 Jews coming home from Ethiopia, France, and South Africa in early April alone.

The process of resettling in Israel is full of challenges in normal times but even more so in a time of war. Thus, the role of absorption centers for new immigrants run by The Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) is even more crucial than usual.

Yeelim Absorption Center

Recently, an ICEJ delegation visited new immigrants we are helping to sponsor at the Yeelim Absorption Center in Beer Sheva, which can house up to 500 Olim (“newcomers”) at a time. Yeelim offers more than a place to stay; it provides a sanctuary from the storm raging not far away in Gaza. Here, the staff is committed to helping newly arrived Jewish families make a seamless transition into Israeli life. Through a comprehensive, one-year program, these immigrants are equipped with the tools necessary for success, like job placement assistance, recertification opportunities, and Hebrew language instruction. For many immigrants, including a significant number of skilled doctors, these initiatives are lifelines, smoothing their path into the fabric of Israeli society.

Amid the current conflict, with many IDF reservists called up to active

duty, Israel is grappling with a scarcity of skilled labor, particularly in the spheres of medicine and high-tech. Recognizing this urgent need, the ICEJ stepped in to sponsor specialized programs for new immigrants tailored to address the critical manpower shortages in these fields.

Striving for a Better Future

Dmitri Rubanov’s journey epitomizes this convergence of skill and opportunity. Dmitri—a doctor who immigrated from Belarus with his family two years ago—seized the chance to pivot into the realm of high-tech. His decision to remain in Israel amid upheaval underscores not only his resilience but also the profound solidarity and unity that define Israeli society.

“People here stand together. They help each other. It’s a unity I have never seen or experienced before,” Dmitri said.

Alin Abouharon, director of the Yeelim Absorption Center, explained: “When new immigrants are questioned about their motivations for making Aliyah, the predominant response is, ‘We want a better future for our children.’”

Programs like this hold significance not only for individuals but also for the nation as a whole. They play a crucial role in fortifying the foundational pillars of this country for the benefit of future generations.

Our visit culminated in the distribution of special “Welcome Home” gift boxes to the newcomers. These thoughtful packages contained an array of sweet delicacies, from jam and date honey to wine and olive oil. Notably, these gift boxes were part of a generous donation of 120 packages from a Christian businessman from Singapore.

“We want to thank you for your support that will help us with our integration here in Israel,” responded Andrei Ulitin, a recent immigrant from Russia. Andrei’s heartfelt gratitude echoed the sentiments of countless other immigrants, acknowledging the indispensable role of Christian support in facilitating their integration into the promised land.

Indeed, the act of Aliyah is not just about a plane ride or a geographical relocation. It involves something much deeper: Jewish families being firmly planted back in their ancestral homeland, just as the Lord promised: “I will rejoice in doing them good and will assuredly plant them in this land with all my heart and soul” (Jeremiah 32:41 NIV).

ICEJ

Nicole Yoder hands a gift bag to Dmitri and his wife.

Yeelim Absorptoin Center

IICEJ HELPS SOUTH AFRICAN JEWS DEPART “RAINBOW NATION” FOR PROMISED LAND

ICEJ STAFF WRITERS

n March, seven Jews from South Africa changed their lives forever when they left the “Rainbow Nation” currently ruled by a government with a clear anti-Israel agenda and flew directly to the promised land on an ICEJ-sponsored Aliyah flight.

The group was filled with anticipation as they gathered in the Johannesburg departure hall and braced for the exciting next chapter in their lives, made possible thanks to the support of our Christian donors.

One Jewish family making Aliyah was Ariella and Kelly Strydom and their 10-month-old son, Wesley. They plan on settling in Herzliya, on Israel’s central coast.

ICEJ South Africa National Director Vivienne Myburgh flew to Israel on the same flight that day and was thrilled to meet the Strydom family and the other Jewish immigrants her branch was sponsoring. “It was a privilege to be on one of the last flights of El Al from South Africa, which was carrying a group of South African Jews making Aliyah, and even more so due to the fact that their flights were funded by local Christians through the ICEJ,” said Vivienne.

Before they departed, a Jewish Agency representative met Vivienne and the immigrant families at the airport and offered a traditional prayer for the occasion in Hebrew, which stated in part: “I thank the Almighty and merciful God that He gave me the opportunity to live in His Holy Land that gives me the privilege to be pure and Jewish. Thank You, Lord, that out of all of the tribes of the earth, this land was given to our people, and that out of all the lands of the earth, this one was chosen. As the Lord has chosen this ground and has wedded Himself to it, so shall we dedicate ourselves to this land.”

Jews first started arriving in South Africa from across Europe

during the late seventeenth century. These pioneers established a thriving presence in their adopted land, contributing to its economic development and cultural richness. Today, the Jewish community numbers around 50,000 to 70,000 in South Africa, which is often referred to as the “Rainbow Nation” due to its diverse, multicultural society. But there has been an increase in Jews leaving the country for Israel and elsewhere over recent decades due to economic downturns and the high crime rates in the post-apartheid era.

In July 2021, 87 South African Jews moved to Israel on an Aliyah flight also sponsored by our ICEJ supporters in South Africa. Many had been planning to make Aliyah to Israel, but riots and ransacking of commercial centers caused some to speed up their plans. An emergency flight to bring them to Israel was scheduled, the largest Aliyah flight group from South Africa in over 25 years.

The most recent Aliyah flight from South Africa is the first of many expected over the coming months. The wave of antisemitism that has swept the globe since Israel’s war against Hamas started on October 7 has included South Africa, which has experienced an upswing in antisemitic rhetoric and incidents throughout the country spurred in part by the ANC-led government’s decision to charge Israel with genocide in the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

In November 2023, ICEJ South Africa organized a pro-Israel rally in Cape Town where 3,000 Christians were due to pray for Israel and the release of the Israeli hostages held in Gaza. However, the event had to be canceled due to a violent counterprotest by hundreds of pro-Palestinian supporters.

Faced with this sobering reality, many South African Jews have understandably been preparing for Aliyah. The Israeli government and the ICEJ stand ready to help them on this prophetic journey, providing support and resources to ease their transition.

ICEJ South African National Director Vivienne Myburgh (far left) with delegation of South African Jews making Aliyah

TTHE HISTORY OF ALIYAH FROM THE LAND OF THE NORTH

HOWARD FLOWER, ICEJ ALIYAH DIRECTOR

In those days, the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given as an inheritance to your fathers. (Jeremiah 3:18)

he earliest and most significant waves of Aliyah emerged from the Russian Empire, a direct consequence of the deep-seated antisemitic sentiments and violent pogroms that intensified following the assassination of Tsar Alexander II by anarchists in 1881. These pogroms, which were either perpetrated or condoned by the Russian authorities, led to widespread violence against Jewish communities, prompting a significant number of Jews to seek refuge and a new beginning in the Land of Israel.

According to the official census in the Russian Empire of 1887, there were 5,215,805 Jews living there at the time. Today the Jewish Agency estimates that about 600,000 are eligible for Aliyah to Israel.

The initial wave of Aliyah, often referred to as the “First Aliyah,” was followed by subsequent waves, each reflecting the changing tides of Jewish history and the geopolitical landscape of the time. The Second Aliyah (1904–1914) was fueled by further pogroms in the Russian Empire and the ideals of socialist Zionism, bringing a younger, more ideologically driven cohort of immigrants. These Olim (immigrants) were instrumental in the establishment of communal farms, known as kibbutzim, and the development of the Hebrew language and culture in what was then Ottoman Palestine.

The end of World War I and the Balfour Declaration in 1917, which supported the establishment of a “national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine, encouraged the Third Aliyah (1919–1923). This wave was characterized by the arrival of Eastern European Jews who, motivated by Zionist ideology, were fleeing the aftermath of the war and the subsequent pogroms in the region.

The rise of Nazism and the onset of World War II catalyzed the Fifth Aliyah (1929–1939), bringing a substantial influx of Jews seeking refuge from the horrors of the Holocaust. This period saw the British Mandate imposing restrictions on Jewish immigration, leading to the clandestine immigration efforts known as Aliyah Bet.

The establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 marked a new chapter in the history of Aliyah, with the Law of Return granting all Jews the

Kindergarten at Rishon-Le’zion, Education in Israel, one of the first settlements in Israel founded by Jewish immigrants from the Russian Empire, c. 1898 (source: commons.wikimedia.org)

Russian Aliyah workers eating lunch in the fields of Kibbutz Migdal, 1912 (source: commons.wikimedia.org)

Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin shakes hands with new Russian immigrants on their flight from Russia to Israel, 1994.

right to immigrate to Israel. This led to mass immigration from war-torn Europe and Jewish communities in Arab and Muslim countries, many of whom faced persecution and expulsion.

The collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s unleashed one of the largest waves of Aliyah, with over a million Jews from the former Soviet republics immigrating to Israel. This wave significantly altered the demographic and cultural fabric of Israeli society, bringing a diverse blend of cultural heritage, languages, and traditions.

Most recently, the invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has triggered yet another wave of Aliyah, as Jewish individuals and families seek safety and stability amid the turmoil. This ongoing movement underscores the enduring significance of Aliyah as a cornerstone of Jewish identity and the important nature of the relationship between the Jewish Diaspora and the State of Israel. Aliyah began to increase when the war broke out in 2014, and since then, the wave has brought nearly 240,000 Russian-speaking immigrants home to Israel, a huge Aliyah wave.

Through each wave, Aliyah has not only contributed to the growth and development of the State of Israel but has also reflected the persistent challenges and aspirations of the Jewish people. From fleeing persecution to seeking a shared homeland, the history of Aliyah from the Russian Empires to the present day encapsulates a profound narrative of resilience, unity, and hope—and the triumph of Aliyah.

DREAM OF REACHING ISRAEL COMES TRUE FOR 61 ETHIOPIAN JEWS

LAURINA DRIESSE

ICEJ HEAD OF MEDIA AND PUBLICATIONS

For a group of 61 Ethiopian Jews, their long-awaited dreams of reaching the promised land finally came true recently, thanks to Aliyah flights sponsored by the ICEJ. They were doubly excited to be reunited with family members who had already made the journey home to Israel during earlier waves of Ethiopian Aliyah.

In August last year, there was a serious outbreak of violence and armed clashes among rival tribes in the Ethiopian region of Gondar, where many of the remaining Jews in the country still live. The situation quickly became critical, with streets blocked and necessities like food, water, and electricity in short supply.

In consultation with the Israeli government, the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) acted swiftly in arranging a rescue effort to bring 200 Jews out of Gondar and transport them to Addis Ababa, where JAFI could take care of them. At the time, 61 of these Ethiopian Jews had already been approved to make Aliyah to Israel, but they needed to wait for their necessary travel documents.

In the meantime, JAFI approached us with a request for assistance to support the 61 Jews with their Aliyah flights and integration costs once in Israel. The ICEJ quickly affirmed our commitment to help them, and on March 28, 2024, this special group of Ethiopian Jewish immigrants finally made their journey home.

The atmosphere in the arrival hall at Ben Gurion Airport was alive with excitement as loved ones wearing broad smiles and waving balloons waited to be reunited with their relatives and to welcome them to Israel!

Since the historic Ethiopian Aliyah was resumed by the Israeli government in 2015, the ICEJ has sponsored Aliyah flights for 3,286 out of the 7,948 Jewish immigrants who have arrived from Ethiopia. According to a recent Knesset press release, Immigration, Absorption, and Diaspora Affairs Committee Chair MK Forer said that an additional 1,226 Ethiopian Jews are eligible to make Aliyah and should be brought to Israel immediately. ICEJ stands ready to help with flights for this next group of Ethiopian Olim.

The ICEJ invites you to partner with us in fulfilling our prophetic mandate to support the Jewish people in returning to their biblical homeland of Israel. Your contribution toward ICEJ’s Aliyah efforts will help make dreams a reality for more Jewish families, especially during this time when antisemitism is sharply rising across the globe. Please consider giving your best gift today. Donate today at: www.icejusa.org/aliyah

Nicole Yoder with two new immigrants from Ukraine

Your Israel Answer

Is Zionism “Settler Colonialism”?

By Dr. Susan Michael, ICEJ USA Director

Israel’s critics and enemies often refer to Zionism as “settler colonialism.” This charge intensified after Hamas broke an existing ceasefire agreement, invaded southern Israel, and brutally murdered more than 1,200 people on October 7, prompting Israel’s declaration of war. Within weeks, rather than supporting Israel’s right to defend itself, pro-Palestinian protests erupted around the world, complete with signs using such phrases like “Zionism is Settler Colonialism” to describe the State of Israel.

Though Israel’s earliest Zionist settlers (those immigrating to Israel in the first and second waves of Aliyah from Europe in the late 1800s and early 1900s) referred to themselves as colonists, it was in the broad sense of establishing settlements in a territory they previously inhabited. Does that qualify as “settler colonialism”? And is that what Zionism is all about?

What Is Settler Colonialism?

Let’s first define colonialism. Colonialism is the process of a country taking full or partial political control of a more vulnerable country or territory by exploiting its people and natural resources. The colonizers, often by force, try and impose their language, culture, religion, and political practices on the indigenous population. With colonialism, the “mother country” of which the colonists are from advances its economic, cultural, or religious interests by implanting their own people on foreign soil.

Settler colonialism is a type of colonialism characterized by the replacement and elimination of indigenous populations with settlers who establish their own societies in the land to occupy it and establish sovereignty over it permanently.

Settler Colonization and Zionism

Those who say Zionism is settler colonialism tout Jewish immigration to and settlement of Israel as an attempt to push Arab inhabitants out of the land to create an exclusive ethno-state. However, Zionism—the belief that the Jewish people have a right to self-determination in the land to which they are indigenous to—does not fit the true definition of settler colonialism for several reasons.

1. Jewish settlers have never been an extension of any “mother country.” Rather, the early settlers met the definition of refugees escaping persecution. Those who call Israel a settler colonialist nation redefine the term “refugee” to mean “oppressor” and ignore the long history of the Jewish people’s connection to their ancestral land—as well as the continuous existence of a Jewish community whose ancestors never left. The first Olim (immigrants) who came to Israel in the late 1800s left Russia to build a new society based on their ancient roots in the land of Israel, not to represent Russian interests.

2. Early Jewish settlers legally purchased land across then Ottoman Palestine from absentee landowners, many of whom were Arabs. The settlers did not attempt to displace or push out Arabs living in the land; rather, Jewish settlers believed Arabs, many who were struggling to survive, would benefit from the wealth and progress Jews brought with them and welcomed Arabs to be a part of it.

3. Early Jewish settlers were not entering a land to which they had no historical connection but were attempting to reinhabit a piece of real estate and revive a culture, language, and religion that had prevailed there almost three millennia prior.

4. Arabs are not indigenous to Israel; the Jewish people are. Their continual presence in their promised land goes back 4,000 years to the time of Abraham, corroborated by archaeological, biblical, and extrabiblical evidence.

5. Much of the Jewish population in Israel today is not even from Europe but the Middle East, expelled from Arab countries upon the State of Israel’s birth in 1948.

Zionism, and thus Israel, is not a “settler colonial” establishment, and characterizing it as such is political, degrading, and highly contested. It is not an accurate description of Israel’s origin or current inhabitants.

The media and academia’s attempts to frame Zionism as settler colonialism reveals this generation’s elevation of political activism over critical inquiry. It is yet another smear campaign bent on undermining Israel by challenging its founding and disconnecting it from the family of nations.

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