Word from Jerusalem - December 2016 (USA Edition)

Word

INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN EMBASSY JERUSALEM // DECEMBER 2016 // USA Edition

from JERUSALEM

•••

Send a Bible to UNESCO The ICEJ reacts to UNESCO's attempts to rewrite history

TRUMP SIGNS on to the ICEJ's Five Guiding Principles for Israel

Letter from the

Director Dear Friends, My wife, Vesna, and I just returned from the United States where we had a great week with a number of pastors and organizations in California and Texas.

We just happened to be there during the week of the election and could not help but get caught up in the “election fever!”

Our Branch in the United States had strategically approached both candidates to take a stand for a strong US-Israel relationship. While Secretary Clinton’s campaign did not respond to the request, the Trump campaign affirmed his agreement. So we are hopeful that your great country will continue now in its strong support of Israel.

The International Christian Embassy Jerusalem was established in 1980 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 140 countries worldwide, with branch offices in over 80 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.

Another happening this fall was the arrival of the first delegation of Ethiopian Jews which was welcomed by the Jewish Agency and the ICEJ at the Ben Gurion Airport. It was an exciting experience to be part of what seems to be the beginning of the last chapter of Ethiopian Aliyah. Thank you so much to all of you who are taking part in this historic and prophetic project financially and in prayer. Thanks to your generous support, during the Feast we were already able to give a second generous gift to the Jewish Agency designated for Ethiopian Aliyah.

Please continue to pray and support this unique work of bringing the last Jews from Ethiopia back to their homeland!

I hope you enjoy reading this new issue of the magazine and are as excited as we are about what God is doing in our days in Israel!

May the Lord bless you richly from Zion,

The Christian Embassy is a non-denominational faith-based ministry supported by the voluntary contributions of our members 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 Executive Director Dr. Jürgen Bühler International Director Juha Ketola US Director Susan Michael Editor/Communications Director Estera Wieja Graphic Design/Illustrator Peter Ecenroad, Patricia Ecenroad Copy Editor Julaine Stark Administration David van der Walt, Wim van der Zande Photography ICEJ Staff & Branches, IStock, AP, Wikimedia, Getty Images, Reuters, Jani Salokangas 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 P.O. Box 332974, Murfreesboro. TN 37133 • (615) 895-9830

Support our ministry online at: www.icejusa.org

Dr. Jürgen Bühler ICEJ Executive Director

WORD

INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN EMBASSY JERUSALEM // DECEMBER 2016 // USA EDITION

COVER PHOTO: New York City - NY September 3 2015: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump waves to press after a press conference at Trump Tower. iStock photo

FROM JERUSALEM

For Magazine Archives visit www.icejusa.org/wfj •••

SEND A BIBLE TO UNESCO The ICEJ reacts to UNESCO attempts to rewrite history

TRUMP SIGNS on to the ICEJ's Five Guiding Principles for Israel

Contents

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A NEW CHAPTER IN THE HANUKKAH STORY

UNESCO: A Call to action

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D E C EM B E R 2 0 1 6 u sa Ed i t i o n

Ethiopian Aliyah

8 ICEJ YEAR IN REVIEW

18 ISRAEL ANSWERS

A NEW CHAPTER in the Hanukkah Story

By SUSAN MICHAEL, US Director

The story of Hanukkah is often told with an emphasis on the evil ruler, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, King of the Hellenistic Seleucid empire, who was bent on the Hellenization of the Jewish people. Had he succeeded it would have meant the demise of the Jewish faith and thereby, the Jewish people. God’s plan to bring salvation to the world through their Messiah would have died with them.

In his attempt to force the Jews into compliance, Antiochus IV slaughtered 40,000 inhabitants of Jerusalem; murdered the High Priest; and prohibited sacrifices, the service of the Temple, and the observance of the Sabbath and feast days. The Temple was dedicated to Zeus and then desecrated with the slaughter of a pig on the sacrificial altar.

The Maccabean family, from the priestly line of Aaron, led a revolt and miraculously experienced victory after victory over the mighty Greek forces until, at last, the Temple could be purified and its services restored. Hanukkah is known as the Feast of Dedication because it commemorates the cleansing and rededication of the Temple to the God of Israel. Its symbol is the Temple Menorah which is said to have burned miraculously for eight days on just a small amount of oil.

ANCIENT MEANS OF CONTROL This story, however, is about more than an evil ruler. He was imposing the ruling culture and ideologies of the empire upon the Jews, including paganism and an immoral pagan society; as well as the Greek language; culture; and ruling philosophies of reason, humanism, and pursuit of knowledge. This is how kings subdued and controlled the people in their kingdoms.

In the ancient world, Jews often clashed with pagan rulers such as Antiochus Epiphanes, who demanded obedience to them and homage to their gods as a means of proving one’s

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loyalty. The Jewish people could not bow down to these pagan leaders, nor their gods, and were bound by the Mosaic Law to certain behaviors and observances that set them apart from other societies and brought upon them great persecution, exiles, and threats of extinction.

MODERN IMPOSITION OF IDEOLOGIES A new chapter in the Hanukkah story is being written today— godless world leaders are attempting to impose on all of us the ideologies of secularism, globalism, and moral relativism.

Once these ideologies take hold, the masses can then be easily controlled, because they will have no loyalty to a religious creed, national identity, or moral code.

Israel, a Jewish nation-state, is antithetical to all three of these modern ideologies. Therefore, its Jewish national identity is accused of being racist by secular globalists. The very nation that gave to the world the Ten Commandments, on which Western civilization bases its legal code and definition of morality, is hated by those attempting to impose their ideology of moral relativism: the belief that there is no objective right or wrong, truth or falsehood, nor good or evil.

The seemingly contradictory part of this secular movement is that its proponents are not just tolerating but are assisting in the global dominance of Islam—a religion with a very strict legal and moral code that it seeks to impose on the world, especially upon the secularist “infidels!” There is only one explanation for this strange alliance and that is deep down both movements share something in common: they are both anti-Christian and anti-Semitic at heart.

UNESCO IMPOSING ISLAMIC IDEOLOGY In this context, the recent attempt by the United Nations Educational, Science, and Cultural Committee (UNESCO) to deny the historical and biblical connection of the Jewish people to Jerusalem and, indeed, all the land of Israel begins to make sense. The Arab voting block and their secular, globalist cohorts in the UN, ignore what is a written and historical record of ownership by the Jews.

archaeological remains than allow them to prove a historical record that stands in their way.

This history, however, is not just found in the Bible, or in archaeological finds, but in historical Ottoman Empire decrees, and in many Muslim writings. The truth of the matter is, that to destroy all evidence of the existence of the Jewish Temple on the Temple Mount, they would also have to destroy Muslim artifacts such as the recently excavated central mosque in the village of Nuba near Hebron. Inside is a thousand-yearold Arabic inscription that calls the Dome of the Rock "Bait al-Maqdess," the Arabicized version of “Beit Hamikdash,” the Hebrew name for the Temple.

This is the new chapter in the Hanukkah story: leading world powers attempting to deny the Jewish people their Bible, history, faith, and holy sites. Because they won’t comply, they are demonized and threatened with extinction.

THE JEWISH BIBLE IS OUR BIBLE Christians need to stand up on behalf of Israel and the Jewish people because their Bible and history of faith is also ours. If we do not speak up and stop these attempts to rewrite biblical and historical fact, we will one day wake up to the reality that Evangelical Christians are next on the list of undesirables.

The Hanukkah story is a reminder that when we stand up against the mighty powers of our day, we do so not in our own strength, but with God’s help. No matter how hard it may look, we can expect to take back lost territory and rededicate ourselves and our nations to the God of the Bible. He will give us the power to become a light—like a Hanukkah Menorah— shining forth into a dark world, bringing hope and truth to those with hearts to receive it.

Islam teaches that the Jewish and Christian Bibles are corrupted. Therefore, Muslims completely disregard biblical accounts proving Jewish ties to the land of Israel, including the city of Jerusalem, and most importantly, the Temple Mount.

This is in spite of the fact, the biblical record has been backed by one archaeological find after another proving not only the existence of the Jewish Temple on the Temple Mount, but a 3,000 year history of Jews in the city of Jerusalem. Islamic groups bent on taking over Israel, therefore, prefer to destroy

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ICEJ NEWS

UNESCO Islamizes Holy Sites While the ICEJ hosted another memorable Feast of Tabernacles celebration in Jerusalem, attended by thousands of Christians from all over the world, UNESCO – the United Nations forum entrusted with preserving world heritage and culture – passed a disgraceful resolution aimed at erasing the Jewish and Christian bonds to the Land of Israel. Holy sites in Israel including Hebron, the Temple Mount, Jerusalem, and Bethlehem, are referred to, by exclusively using Islamic names. Since UNESCO oversees all international heritage sites, this vote constitutes a rewriting of history, robbing all holy places in Israel of their Jewish and Christian identity thus Islamizing all the holy sites in Israel.

The ICEJ immediately denounced this outrageous decision. “We are utterly dismayed that UNESCO has adopted once again a scandalous resolution, rewriting history and stripping historical sites of their 4,000 years of Jewish and 2,000 years of Christian connection,” declared ICEJ Director, Dr. Jürgen Bühler, during the Feast. The resolution purposefully omits the biblical history that by far predates any Muslim tradition.

By David Parsons

The International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem reacts to UNESCO attempts to rewrite history.

This one-sided and biased document represents again a calculated insult against the Jewish people, as well as an affront to over two billion Christians worldwide who know that Jesus regularly visited the holy Jewish Temple, taught there, and was zealous for its calling as a “house of prayer for all nations.”

Additionally, the document blamed Israel for desecrating all holy sites and changing the character of Jerusalem. In truth, every visitor to Israel knows that the government of Israel has an exemplary record of protecting the holy sites of all faiths, and guarantees access to them. The only site in Israel that has a very restricted access for Christians and Jews is the Temple Mount which is under the control of the Islamic Waqf.

On behalf of Christians around the world we want to affirm that we respect the Jewish reverence for Jerusalem and all holy places. We will stand with Israel in confronting this devious assault on the historic sites in this land.

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We are calling Christians all over the globe to take a Bible in your native language, use a highlighter and mark some of the many passages which speak of locations like Jerusalem, Hebron, and Bethlehem, and especially the Holy Temple, and mail it to the UNESCO headquarters in Paris. Make sure to include a short letter expressing your disapproval of the recent vote.

We hope that the Bibles in many languages will reach UNESCO, sending a powerful message that Jews and Christians have a far longer and deeper-rooted connection to Jerusalem and the Temple Mount than Muslims. In fact, Jerusalem is not mentioned in the Koran even once, whereas Jerusalem and the Temple are referred to hundreds of times in the Bible, and are central to nearly every book in the Word of God. Please join us in demanding that UNESCO abandon, once and for all, these blatant attempts to rewrite history. This is the time when we cannot be silent! This is the time when we are not only standing with Israel, but are also defending the Christian sites within its borders!

Don’t wait! Send a Bible to the UNESCO offices today!

The address is: Ms. Irina Bokova Director General UNESCO 7 Place Fontenoy 75007 Paris, France Also, be sure to let us know at the ICEJ that you took action and sent a Bible to UNESCO. Email us at info@icejusa.org.

May the Lord bless you richly from Zion!

Dr. Jürgen Bühler Executive Director International Christian Embassy Jerusalem

Be sure to let us know at the ICEJ that you took action to send a Bible. Email us at info@icejusa.org

ICEJ Year End Overview

The World Standing Up As One For Israel The international work of the ICEJ impacts every continent, inspiring the nations of the world to support Israel in both word and deed.

By Rev. Juha Ketola, International Director

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We reach out to churches and various Christian communities, as well as private and public schools, governmental institutions, businesses, and more. Above all, we inspire the nations to pray fervently for Israel and the Jewish people, as we see biblical prophecies being fulfilled before our eyes.

Since our work began in the early 1980s, the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem has been actively involved in the nations, raising prayer in all corners of the world and inspiring churches to discover God’s heart for His people.

We bring awareness of what God is doing in Israel and encourage engagement on political, social, and educational levels globally.

With branches on every inhabitable continent, the ICEJ is bringing change for the sake of Jerusalem and God’s purposes for His people.

AFRICA A few years ago, the ICEJ received a prophetic word that new national branches would open in ten Muslim countries. Not long after, Pastor Abdou Maiga from Mali/Senegal joined the ICEJ family and through his sphere of influence, several new African countries opened their doors to the work of ICEJ. The most recent branch was inaugurated just this summer – in the country of Malawi.

The director of ICEJ-South Africa was joined by Israeli Ambassador Arthur Lenk and Director-General Dore Gold for a church visit in Soweto during Israeli Apartheid Week, to oppose the BDS movement and false accusations of Israel.

Earlier this year, thousands of men and women gathered together in Port Harcourt, Nigeria for the annual “Global Prayerquake” organized by the director of ICEJ Nigeria, Mosy Madugba.

} The ICEJ West Africa Conference brought together ICEJ representatives from several countries, many of which experience serious religious conflicts within their borders, including Togo and Ivory Coast.

}

The ICEJ and local leaders hosted an event in Durban, South Africa which focused on repentance for the infamous 2001 UN Durban Conference which equated Zionism with racism.

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ICEJ Year End Overview

ASIA With some of the most astounding revivals currently happening in Asia, the Gospel is touching souls across the continent while also drawing people’s attention to the nation chosen by God. The ICEJ is hard at work bringing awareness and support for Israel through the local ICEJ offices and representatives.

Churches in Taiwan regularly hold powerful prayer meetings for the people and the nation of Israel.

With 110 volunteers in 25 out of the 29 states in India, the ICEJ raised over 1 million prayer supporters for Israel in this highly populated country.

} EUROPE With an office in almost every European nation, the ICEJ connects with churches to unite Christians in prayer for the fulfillment of God’s promises to Israel and the Church. The ICEJ holds a strong and evident pro-Israel position in the political sphere of the continent, while also promoting Jewish-Christian reconciliation and raising support for Israel.

In Austria and Germany, reconciliation projects between Christians and Jews gather thousands to show solidarity and promote understanding.

Religious students from Israel meet with their Christian peers in Wigan, United Kingdom, to learn from each other and encourage dialogue.

} } The ICEJ Brussels Symposium addressed the dangers of the BDS movement at the European Parliament in Belgium.

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In Finland, the ICEJ hosted a business event to introduce Israel as a start-up nation. It was organized in partnership with the Israeli Embassy.

ICEJ Year End Overview

AUSTRALIA & OCEANIA “From Jerusalem to the ends of the Earth” is a commission we take very literally, teaching the Bible and encouraging Christians even from the farthest lands in the Pacific to stand with Israel.

Despite the geographical distance, Christians from Australia, New Zealand, and the surrounding islands have been regularly attending the Feast of Tabernacles in great numbers.

Some tribes in Papua New Guinea, a country where more than 20% of the population are bornagain believers, celebrate annually a “Thanksgiving for Israel Day.”

The ICEJ branch in Fiji organized a March called “Stand with Israel” at the National Stadium, to mobilize Christians on the island to support the Jewish people.

NORTH AMERICA

} The ICEJ partnered with the National Religious

Broadcasters (NRB) at their annual convention as well as in a petition campaign to both presidential candidates asking them to support Israel. The petitions were signed by some 40,000 people including 650 American Christian leaders representing tens of millions of Christians.

}

The ICEJ branch is the only Christian organization invited to the Zakor Coalition in Canada. Pictured are the ICEJ supporters at the Canadian War Museum in the capital city of Ottawa for the annual candle lighting on the National Holocaust Memorial Day.

The deep concern for Israel and her safety is shared by many American and Canadian supporters of the ICEJ, who have been very active on the political scene in their countries and internationally.

The US petition entitled “Not One Bomb for Iran” petition was signed by more than 60,000 people, and tens of thousands more have joined the Isaiah 62 Prayer Initiative to regularly pray for Israel.

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ICEJ Year End Overview

SOUTH & CENTRAL AMERICA

} The ICEJ branch in Costa Rica, established in 1984, is involved in a broad spectrum of activities, including prayerful and financial support of Israel as well as teaching local believers about biblical festivals and Jewish culture.

} At ICEJ meetings and conferences in BRAZIL, The dynamic Christian communities of Latin America are becoming increasingly stronger in their interest in and support for Israel. The ICEJ has been very successful in building a strong network of support for the people of Israel, both in prayer as well as diplomatically.

FROM JERUSALEM

From our office in Jerusalem, we strive to teach, inspire, and connect churches and individuals with Israel. The ICEJ is your window into this land through the following media:

ICEJ TV Watch ICEJ Report every week on Israel Now News on Daystar Television Networks. The Word from Jerusalem program airs on the following networks: Alfa Omega (Romania), LMTV – Lumieredumonde TV (Ivory Coast), TV Genesis (Brazil), TBN Russia (Russia), IRR TV (Finland), Evangel TV (Nigeria), CMTV – Christian Missionary Television (Nigeria). For air times please check your network’s website. To learn more, visit www.icej.tv

tens of thousands of Christians gather at national stadiums to intercede for Israel and bless the Jewish people.

TO JERUSALEM

As we encourage and inform believers around the world regarding what God is doing in Israel, we invite pastors and Christian leaders to personally experience and gain prophetic insight into this biblical land, and return home better-equipped to further God’s work in their communities. The Envision Conference for Pastors and Leaders was birthed to provide opportunities to refresh their spirit and receive a new vision for their ministry.

To learn more, visit www.icejusa.org/envision-2017

Word From Jerusalem Magazine Available for free by mail and online, the flagship magazine of the ICEJ which you hold in your hands is your monthly source of information about ICEJ aid projects, special events, and advocacy campaigns. The in-depth Bible teachings, news commentaries, and special reports offer unparalleled insight into biblical and modern-day Israel.

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ICEJ-USA BRANCH

TRUMP SIGNS ON TO

ICEJ’S FIVE GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR ISRAEL

September 25, 2016 - Mr. Trump met with Israeli PM Netanyahu at Trump Tower, declaring, “If I’m president, I’ll recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s undivided capital.”

I

n the final days of his campaign, President-Elect Donald Trump, affirmed to the ICEJ his support for five principles guiding a strong US-Israel relationship. This came in response to a request made to Mr. Trump and Secretary Clinton to agree to the principles presented by the ICEJ and its network, American Christian Leaders for Israel (ACLI), which represents 60 million Evangelicals.

A petition addressed to the candidates signed by some 40,000 grassroots Americans, and the ACLI letter signed by 650 Christian leaders across America, emphasized locating the US Embassy to Jerusalem, supporting security aid to Israel, monitoring and acting on Iran’s terrorism and violations of the JCPOA Iran nuclear agreement,

rejecting third party solutions to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict forced on Israel, and opposing Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions efforts levied at Israel.

President-Family Talk Radio; Janet Parshall, nationally syndicated talk show host; and Jim Showers, Executive Director-The Friends of Israel.

The ACLI letter was signed by Evangelical leaders representing diverse groups and denominations including Hispanic and African American Christians; among them Dr. Jerry Johnson, CEO- National Religious Broadcasters; Roberta Combs, President-Christian Coalition; Rev. Dr. Sam Rodriguez, PresidentNational Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference; Penny Nance, CEO-Concerned Women for America; Rev. Harry Jackson, Presiding Bishop-International Communion of Evangelical Churches; Jane Hansen Hoyt, President-AGLOW International; Dr. James Dobson,

The policies Mr. Trump has agreed to will enhance Israel’s standing in the world and directly benefit the United States in security, innovation, technology, and intelligence.

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Secretary Clinton did not respond to the ICEJ’s request to agree to the five key principles guiding a strong USIsrael relationship.

Thanks to all of the ICEJ supporters who signed onto this important initiative and did their part to ensure the Israel-US relationship grows in strength during the next White House administration.

ICEJ-USA BRANCH

US Branch Support of CHRISTIAN REFUGEES During the ICEJ-USA 2016 Summer Conference a special offering was collected to help ease the suffering of Christian refugees from Iraq, Syria and other countries in the Middle East.

Christian refugee children ICEJ assisted.

The donation of some $16,000 was used to support Christian refugee families in Jordan; sponsor a children’s camp there; and pay the shipping costs to send 375,000 servings of food to them; as well as to purchase food for 1,000 Christian families now living in Turkey.

Refugee Children’s Camp in Amman, Jordan in August 2016.

2,445 buckets of dried food shipped to Jordan.

ICEJ EVENTS in California and Texas The US Branch of the ICEJ hosted over 80 pastors and Christian leaders at two lunches in November to hear from Dr. Jürgen Bühler, Executive Director of ICEJ. The Los Angeles pastors lunch was co-hosted by Dr. Jack W. Hayford as well as the Consul General of Israel in Los Angeles. The Pastors lunch held in Dallas was co-hosted by Lewis Hogan of United Cry as well as the Consul General of Israel in Houston.

Both events were very well received by the leaders in attendance. They expressed warm thanks for the opportunity to learn more about the ICEJ’s ministry.

Jürgen Bühler and Pastor Jim Garlow

While in the USA Dr. Buhler also spoke at Skyline Church with Pastor Jim Garlow in San Diego, CA; Christ for the Nations Institute in Dallas TX; and the annual conference of the International Coalition of Apostolic Leaders which was also held in Dallas. He was accompanied by his wife, Vesna, and joined by the ICEJ’s International Director, Rev. Juha Ketola, for the meetings in Texas.

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Jürgen Bühler, Susan Michael, and Pastor Jack Hayford

Give your pastor a gift that will change his life and impact his ministry.

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO REGISTER PLEASE CONTACT TOURS@ICEJUSA.ORG 1 4 | DECEMBER 2016

CALL 866-393-5890 WWW.ICEJUSA.ORG/TOURS 16 | OCTOBER 2016

ALIYAH UPDATE

Ethiopian Jews on the road to freedom In early October, just in time for the Feast of Sukkot, 63 Ethiopian Jews arrived in Israel as precursors of the latest wave of Aliyah from Ethiopia.

Thanks to the support of the ICEJ, they were finally reunited with relatives who previously came to Israel.

On the day the first Aliyah flight from Ethiopia arrived this year, a state of emergency was put in place in this struggling African country. The Jewish families from Gondar needed to be transported with great caution to Addis Ababa, the capital city 410 miles away, where they then boarded a flight to their Promised Land.

Dr. Jürgen Bühler, ICEJ Executive Director handing Eliezer “Moodi” Sandberg of Jewish Agency for Israel a check for 1.5 million Israeli Shekels towards Ethiopian Aliyah efforts.

So far, with your faithful support, the ICEJ is able to sponsor the journey for the first 523 Ethiopians intent on making Aliyah. However, more Ethiopian Jews still need our help!

You can be a part of this miracle – help bring the Jews back to their land!

Give at www.icejusa.org/aliyah

Thanks to generous gifts from Norway, Finland, USA, Taiwan and Germany, the ICEJ could donate another 1 million Shekels for Ethiopian Aliyah during the Feast of Tabernacles.

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ALIYAH UPDATE

Settling in the Promised Land In addition to helping with flights, the ICEJ will also help with absorption of Ethiopian Jews. In a way, their journey from poor villages in Ethiopia to the very developed country of Israel is like being transported 400 years into the future.

The new immigrants need a lot of help in understanding this new culture, so they are welcomed to absorption centers in various parts of the country where they learn the Hebrew language and Jewish history, such as the Holocaust and Israeli fight for independence. They also learn more about the Biblical holidays – Hanukkah, Passover, and more – which many of them have celebrated in Ethiopia, thanks to oral traditions, but without understanding their history and significance.

Many Ethiopian Jews still wait to be reunited with their families in Israel

Thanks to Christian support, Ethiopian Jews are able to study and prepare for their future in the land of Israel. You can make a difference in their lives!

Send your gift to www.icejusa.org/absorption 16 | DECEMBER 2016

ALIYAH UPDATE

Journey to the Promised Land

Ukraine, and Belarus are no longer safe and they are slowly realizing there is only one home – the land of Israel. They need assistance to return to their Promised Land, and the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ) recognizes this opportunity for Christians to participate in the fulfillment of prophecy, helping Jews return home!

The sudden decline of world oil prices caused the Russian and Belarusian currencies to lose more than half of their value and, following serious economic difficulties, Ukraine became entangled in a civil war. All three countries are stricken with capital flight, corruption, kleptocracy, mafia-like oligarchy, and suppression of personal freedoms; all of which are influencing Jewish families to move to Israel.

In 2008, about 2,983 people made Aliyah to Israel from Russia and Belarus alone. By 2014 the number increased to 5,041 and in 2015 it was 7,124. The statistics show these numbers are still on the rise this year.

Thanks to Christian support this Jewish family from Belarus was able to make their journey home – to Israel.

By Howard Flower, ICEJ Aliyah Director

Jews from Belarus, Ukraine, and Russia take a step of faith to return home.

Throughout the centuries of living in the diaspora, Jewish communities around the world invested their all to create safe homes for their children in the countries in which they lived. When the modern state of Israel was established in the twentieth century, many Jewish families were afraid to risk what they had, and move to the land they knew only from the Bible.

Today, the remaining Jewish communities in the former Soviet Union countries of Russia,

Since the early 1990s, the ICEJ has been assisting Jewish people make Aliyah from Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine. Today we help more than 2,000 people each year collect all necessary documents, and we extend hospitality and humanitarian help.

The ICEJ even helps the immigrants travel to the airport if necessary, as many direct flights to Israel depart from Finland.

Please join us in assisting this sudden and remarkable surge in Aliyah from the former Soviet states! Help us bring these Jewish families home by sending your gift today: www.icejusa.org/aliyah

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YOUR ISRAEL ANSWER: Why is UNESCO trying to erase Jerusalem’s Jewish and Christian History?

By Susan Michael The integrity and balance of power among the United Nations 190 members has shifted since the establishment of the United Nations in 1945. Now, Arab nations and their allies outnumber Israel and its allies. Stark differences have intensified since Palestinians have made significant inroads into the UN decades after Arabs rejected the UN’s 1947 Partition Plan-UN Resolution 181- which designated a state for both Jews and Arabs. Before and since then, Arab opposition to Israel rests in their unyielding position that all of Israel belongs to the Arab peoples.

A recent example clearly demonstrates the Arab bloc’s anti-Israel stance in the UN. The United Nations Educational, Science, and Cultural Committee (UNESCO) ‘s 56-member World Heritage Executive Board voted on two resolutions in 2016 which produced an outcry from Jews and Christians alike. Seven Arab nations presented “Occupied Palestine,” a resolution calling for the erasure of any Jewish presence in Jerusalem. It specifically named the Temple Mount and other related Jewish holy sites exclusively in Muslim nomenclature. The resolution passed 24-6 with 26 abstentions.

ICEJ USA wrote Ambassador Crystal Nix-Hines, United States representative to UNESCO, asking her to cast a

vote against the resolution. The United States, one of only 6 other nations, voted against the “Occupied Palestine” resolution. The fact remains that the Jewish history of Jerusalem is also Christian history. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the decision a “theater of the absurd.”

UNESCO, created in 1945, is known as the "intellectual” agency at the UN. In the Executive Board’s attempts to rewrite Israel’s ancient history, it has lost its intellectual and moral compass. In her attempt to restore its purpose, Irina Bokova, UNESCO’s Director General stated, “Nowhere more than in Jerusalem do Jewish, Christian and Muslim heritage and traditions share space.…

These cultural and spiritual traditions build on texts and references, known by all, that are an intrinsic part of the identities and history of peoples.”

Ms. Bokova also reassured Israeli leaders, “Allow me to reassure you of my absolute commitment to continue all efforts in countering all forms of anti-Semitism, including those drawing on partial or distorted visions of culture and history, as well as those that seek to challenge the existence of Israel.” She has received death threats for her stance.

Visit us at www.IsraelAnswers.com and get your questions answered!

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PARTNER WITH

ICEJ

Be a part of that future generation spoken of in Psalm 102, and know that you are partnering with the Lord in His work to restore Zion, for the set time has come!

BUILDER OF ZION PARTNER

Join the growing number of Christians worldwide who are partnering with the ICEJ to help Israelis in need and who understand the biblical significance of the modern ingathering of the Jews to the land of their forefathers.

COVENANT PARTNER Show your love and support for Israel by partnering with the ICEJ in ministry. Become a Covenant Partner at a giving level of at least $30 a month. Supporting Israel and the Jewish people through your Embassy in Jerusalem, will provide Christian love and comfort to His people. In return we would like to encourage you with the following ICEJ resources: • A beautiful partnership certificate • Receive the Word from Jerusalem magazine • Online access to free teaching from the ICEJ’s annual Feast of Tabernacles celebration in Jerusalem • A special year-end gift of appreciation

AMBASSADORIAL PARTNER Partnership in ministry is a gift God gives to strengthen and undergird His work. Become an Ambassadorial Partner with the ICEJ with support at a giving level of at least $100 a month. Together, we will defend and support Israel and comfort His people. In return we would like to encourage you with the following ICEJ resources: • A beautiful partnership certificate • Receive the Word from Jerusalem magazine • Online access to free teaching from the ICEJ’s annual Feast of Tabernacles celebration in Jerusalem • A special year-end gift of appreciation • Exclusive access to the ICEJ’s quarterly Mid-East Update conference call from Jerusalem • An invitation to attend our annual ICEJ-USA Leadership Briefing

The Lord will call her walls Salvation and her gates Praise. As we walk together side by side, the ICEJ would be honored if you would become a Builder of Zion Partner at a giving level of $2,500 a year or more.

Together, He is increasing our efforts to restore His people, and bless the nation of Israel. In appreciation, you will receive from the ICEJ the following resources: • A beautiful partnership certificate • Receive the Word from Jerusalem magazine • Online access to free teaching from the ICEJ’s annual Feast of Tabernacles celebration in Jerusalem • A special year-end gift of appreciation • Exclusive access to the ICEJ’s quarterly Mid-East Update conference call from Jerusalem • An invitation to attend our annual ICEJ-USA Leadership Briefing • Special invitations to meet with ICEJ Leadership or receive personal briefings on ICEJ projects.

• Personal news updates during times of escalating news from the region • An additional gift acknowledging you as a Builder of Zion Partner

Send in your commitment today to icejusa@icejusa.org or go to www.icejusa.org/partner or call us at (615) 895-9830. You will receive a beautiful partnership certificate.

WWW.ICEJUSA.ORG/HOLIDAYS