Word From Jerusalem - September/October 2023

FROM JERUSALEM

FEAST DRAWING PILGRIMS FROM THE ENDS OF THE EARTH

The International Christian Embassy Jerusalem was established in 1980 in recognition of the biblical significance 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 recognise 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 to more than 170 countries, with branch offices in over 90 nations. Our vision is:

* To reach every segment of Israeli society with a Christian testimony of comfort and love, and

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

The Christian Embassy is a non-denominational faith-based ministry supported by the voluntary contributions of our 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

ICEJ President Dr. Jürgen Bühler

VP International Affairs 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

Staff Writers Jonathan Parsons

Graphic Design/Illustrator Ryan Tsuen

Administration Tobias H

Photography Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, Flash90, JAFI, AP Photo, Adena Stevens, Jaroslav Valach, Shomrim Al Hanetzach, Levi Dörflinger, Operation LifeShield, www.analyticsinsight.net 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. All gifts to this ministry are tax-deductible (in countries where this applies). For more information, visit us at www.icej.org

INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN EMBASSY JERUSALEM

P.O. Box 1192, Jerusalem • 9101002, ISRAEL

Support our ministry online at www.icej.org

FROM THE PRESIDENT’S DESK

Dear friends

This past month was again a reminder that Israel desperately needs our prayers. The situation on Israel’s northern border has become increasingly tense over recent weeks. The Iranian-backed Hizbullah terror militia has built up a powerful arsenal of over 200,000 missiles and rockets to threaten Israel. Amid the mass protests of judicial reforms within Israel, the terror group feels emboldened to provoke Israel into a military response. Hizbullah not only represents a threat to Israel, but it is a deadly scourge to Lebanon itself. They have a firm stranglehold over the country and are siphoning off its wealth.

In response, Lebanese church leaders are increasingly bold about publicly criticising Hizbullah. They call it a cancer spreading within their country. Let us stand with them in prayer, trusting God for a miracle. He can do the impossible!

Almost two years ago, my wife had two separate dreams that a spiritual battle is raging over Israel’s northern border and much prayer is needed. The Lebanese border also was a main focal point of this month’s Rosh Chodesh prayer chain, which continues to grow worldwide with over 70 nations now taking part in 12 straight days of prayer. Even after Covid-19, this prayer movement keeps growing, signalling that prayer is a mighty strategic tool which God wants us to employ in these last days.

In the epistle of James, the brother of Jesus, he encourages believers that, “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” (James 5:16 – ESV) Prayer indeed is working! I know it by very personal experience. When doctors in Israel had given up on me due to an inoperable type of cancer, it was the prayers of the saints which moved God to save my life. I know many of you stood with me in prayer during those difficult months. Then the miracle happened, as the Lord healed and restored me. Even my doctors here in Israel called it a “miracle”.

As you pray for Israel and Lebanon, please also be bold in faith to pray for your own nation. God can penetrate the darkest, most hopeless situations. Ask the Lord for a miracle for your nation and for a fresh outpouring of a Spirit of intercession upon you. It will have great reward!

As you read this magazine, I am trusting God will encourage you to pray and stand with Israel more than ever through our ministry. I also pray you will experience God’s promise in your life that he who blesses Israel will be blessed (Genesis 12:3).

Many blessings from Jerusalem!

Dr. Jürgen Bühler President

International Christian Embassy Jerusalem

COVER PHOTO: Feast pilgrims from Fiji join last year’s Jerusalem March. (ICEJ photo) FOR

ARCHIVES visit www.icej.org/media/word-jerusalem

ISRAEL’S HEATED DEBATE OVER JUDICIAL REFORMS

FEATURED SERIES BIBLICAL ARCHAEOLOGY

AN INCREDIBLE REUNION BRINGS TEARFUL CLOSURE TO HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR

MT. EBAL AMULET AFFIRMS ISRAELITE WORSHIP OF ‘YAHWEH’

HEAVEN REIGNS! THE LORD IS ‘KING OF ALL THE EARTH’

BY DR. JÜRGEN BÜHLER, ICEJ PRESIDENT

This year’s Feast theme is taken from the book of Psalms, where the sons of Korah declare: “For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with understanding” (Psalm 47:7) This bold proclamation is also found earlier in this so-called “enthronement psalm”, when the writer declares: “For the LORD, the Most High, is to be feared, a great king over all the earth.” (Psalm 47:2 – ESV throughout)

For both Jewish and Christian interpreters, verse 5 is a key to understanding the context of this royal Psalm. “God has gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet.” (Psalm 47:5) Jewish commentators consider the phrase “God has gone up” to be a reference to the story of King David bringing the Ark of the Covenant from Obed-Edom’s home in Kiriath-Jearim, a village close to today’s Abu Gosh on the western ascent to Jerusalem (see 1 Chronicles 15). The Lord is enthroned upon the cherubim covering the Ark (2 Samuel 6:2; Psalm 99:1; etc.), and made His way to Jerusalem, the place that He chose as a habitation out of all the tribes and where He put His name (Deuteronomy 12:5).

Jerusalem became the place which was not only the capital of David, King of Israel, but there also the Lord was enthroned as King of the whole earth. Therefore, the psalmist also commands: “Sing praises to the Lord, who sits enthroned in Zion.”

(Psalm 9:11)

Amazingly, it was especially during the time of Israel’s greatest king that God received the greatest worship as King of Israel and even to the ends of the earth. Unlike King Saul, David was fully aware that his own kingship was totally dependent of the Kingship of God. Therefore, some of the most beautiful Psalms declaring God as the sovereign King of Israel were written either by David or by worship leaders he appointed. David understood the greater he exalted the Kingship of God, the more he could expect God’s faithful hand during his own reign.

It is of no surprise then that some of the most powerful proclamations of God’s Kingship can be found in the book of Psalms. Some forty Psalms declare Him as the supreme ruler, fully enthroned, as King of the entire earth (Psalm 47), and in heaven (Psalm 11:4),

over Jacob (Psalm 59:13), and over the nations (Psalm 22:28). The Psalmists understood that this King, who is also exalted as Creator of heaven and earth, is in full control over the affairs of this world.

Even in hostile times, when the enemy seems to have gained full control over God’s people and come in like a flood, men of God understood that this would not change one bit the sovereign Kingship of God. That is why the prophet Daniel, even in the most hostile culture of Babylon and while serving in exile a king who had just destroyed the holy city and the Temple, could declare that his God “… changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding” (Daniel 2:21). Even in captivity and amidst the most adverse circumstances, it would not change the fact that God was fully enthroned and in control. Serving as prime minister to the Gentile ruler Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel announced judgement to this perceived ruler of the world. God would judge Nebuchadnezzar until he recognised that “Heaven rules!” (Daniel 4:26); and indeed, that “the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.” (Daniel 4:32)

This same Psalm 47 also has a rich Christian tradition. Since the time of the Reformation, the proclamation “God has gone up with a shout” is read on Ascension Day. Martin Luther titled this Psalm: “Christ ascended

I. King David escorting the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. (Illustration by Charles Delagrave)

to Heaven, of the sons of Korah.” The early Apostles also saw the risen Christ as seated at the right hand of the Father. In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he describes this concept in a most wonderful way, namely that God “… raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.”

(Ephesians 1:20-23)

adversities, including imprisonment. They could see, on the one hand, Christ the King sitting high and lifted up while in the cold prison cells of distant Roman provinces. Yet they also knew His rule when they witnessed the power of God at work as in Ephesus, where God’s Kingdom manifested with unusual miracles, healings, signs and wonders (Acts 19:11-12).

That means there is nothing left out that is not subject to Christ’s rule. His reign transcends above every poser that might manifest itself on earth. Christ is risen above all adversaries. And Paul affirms to the Ephesian church that this heavenly realm is exactly where the believer is seated already now in Christ (Ephesians 2:6).

This kingdom reign of Christ, however, manifests itself in ways that contradict human expectations. It was not a ‘rule all’ and ‘claim all’ approach for the early Apostles. On the contrary! Yes, it was God who always led them to triumph in Christ (2 Corinthians 2:14). But at the same time, Peter and Paul and James could also rejoice in various

Being confined to a prison cell was no contradiction to them when they also saw the Kingdom of God in operation while preaching the pure Gospel of the Kingdom. Rather, it was part and parcel of Kingdom life. To the Thessalonian believers, Paul even declared their present time of suffering was proof that they had been found “worthy of the Kingdom” (2 Thessalonians 1:5).

In his introduction to the Book of Revelation, the Apostle John places this tension in full view: “I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.” (Revelation 1:9) His partnership was both in the Kingdom and in tribulation.

John further saw the Kingdom of God in full completion at the very end of his great vision. God is dwelling with men. The Bride of the

Lamb is a glorified city of Jerusalem coming down from heaven as the Lord wipes away every tear. The early Church fathers all hoped for this great future manifestation of God’s Kingdom. And what they experienced in their respective lives and times was a mere taste “of the powers of the age to come” (Hebrews 6:5). In their spirits they were already seated with Christ in heavenly places, yet at the same time they were still here in a troubled world full of trauma and drama.

And as they waited for the King to come, they also expected Jesus “to restore the kingdom to Israel” (Acts 1:6). The reason was simple, as they found countless passages which spoke of a restored Kingdom for Israel like that which they had under King David:

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness

Image generated by StarryAI

His reign transcends above every poser that might manifest itself on earth.

II. The Apostle Paul in Prison, sure of his hope. (Image © Lars Justinen)

“For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with understanding”

-PSALM 47:7-

in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’” ( Jeremiah 23:5-6)

Today’s restoration of the modern state of Israel is thus nothing less than God building His platform for a full restoration of His kingdom for Israel, to which the King of Kings will soon return. This is the restored Kingdom which the early disciples longed for. And it is why the annual Jerusalem March during the Feast of Tabernacles is not just a solidarity march for the State of Israel, but also a prophetic manifestation of the nations coming up to Jerusalem in recognition of the Lordship of the King of the Jews over their lives. This all means that God encourages us to hope for a great future Kingdom, the ultimate hope and goal of our faith.

Still, God expects us to live out the heavenly Kingdom reality in the here and now. The theologian George Eldon Ladd captured this reality in the title of his book, “The Presence of the Future.” The task at hand is for us to overcome the challenges of today, or to conquer today, as some translations put it. While we do not yet live in a perfect world, God expects us to live out his Kingdom reality in this present darkness, just as Daniel did in the midst of an evil Babylonian system. Daniel saw the King high and lifted up, and believed in Him even though he lived through some of the most difficult hours of Jewish history.

For this reason, the Feast theme this year sets our eyes on the eternal Kingship of Jesus. We are living in a world with unprecedented challenges. In many nations, the biblical values of family, gender and personal identity are under severe attack. The pressuriser of the global LGBTQ movement has already

been allowed to enter the gates of far too many churches.

In addition, we are facing an unparalleled effort by a global elite to control the world which made a quantum leap in that direction during the recent coronavirus pandemic. Even now, the World Health Organisation is passing new laws which seek to override the sovereignty of individual nation-states.

An even newer and rapidly growing threat is Artificial Intelligence. Man-made and even computer-generated algorithms will soon not only make critical decisions in hospital operating rooms, but they also will drive our cars. Ominously, in some war zones AI is already making life-and-death decisions over human lives. Sure, in many ways AI will improve the daily lives of many people and can possibly even save lives. But there already is a dark side to it. The Israeli philosopher Yuval Noah Harari recently suggested to have AI write a new holy book that will replace not only the Bible but the holy books of all world religions, to establish one truth accepted by all.

global challenges, such as growing inflation rates, are serious causes for concern even among many believers.

At the same time, antisemitism and antiIsraelism are on the rise in most post-Christian countries. Some are using the World Court of Justice to paint Israel as an Apartheid state, which will lead to more boycotts and saddle Israel with a pariah status. In addition, other

The message in the midst of this chaos is the same for us today as it was in the times of Korah the Psalm writer or Daniel in Babylon: The Lord reigns! Yes, Heaven reigns! Our Lord is a great King over all the earth!

God expects us to not just wait for the future glory of His coming, but to work in building His Kingdom until He comes to take up His earthly throne. That is why the Book of Revelation writes this about the future inhabitants of the New Jerusalem: “The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.” (Revelation 21:7) The question we all must ask ourselves is: How are we doing in overcoming and conquering in our dark times. God is looking for those who will stand in the gap in prayer for their chaotic nations. He wants to hear you ask Him and He will give you nations as an inheritance (Psalm 2:8). He wants us to push the battle back at the gate and conquer the land that He promised us as an inheritance.

As we do this, we can join in the praises of the great coronation. Psalms 93 to 99 were written in equally challenging times and still declared: “The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice!” (Psalm 97:1); “Say among the nations ‘The Lord reigns!’” (Psalm 96:10); “All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.” (Psalm 98:3)

This year, we will have in a very literal sense “all the ends of the earth” at the Feast of Tabernacles. They will come to Jerusalem and make a joyful noise before their God and King. They will come from the most northern parts of the earth, from the Arctic regions of Norway, Finland and Russia. They will come from the southern-most tips of the

The message in the midst of this chaos is the same for us today as it was in the times of Korah the Psalm writer or Daniel in Babylon: The Lord reigns! Yes, Heaven reigns! Our Lord is a great King over all the earth!

Worshipping our God and King at the Feast of Tabernacles 2008 (ICEJ photo).

continents in Argentina and South Africa. They will come from the most distant isles afar off, from Fiji, Tonga and the Solomon Islands. God’s Kingdom rule has extended to all these remote regions of the world and now they are coming to the city of the great King, to pledge afresh their devotion to the King of Kings, to Yeshua our Saviour.

No matter how great your challenges are in your nation, remember that Heaven rules! No matter how great the mountains of adversity or the impossibility of your situation, tell them “Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel [before Jesus] you shall become a plain.” (Zechariah 4:7).

Let us join together to conquer, to overcome together, and to live out together the purpose of Messiah in redeeming souls and destroying the works of the enemy. Let us carry out great exploits until He comes. May the Lord bless you from Zion as you do so! The Lord reigns!

BRING YOUR FEAST OFFERING TO JERUSALEM!

In ancient times, Gentiles were invited to ascend to Jerusalem with the Jewish people at the Feast of Tabernacles to worship the Lord and to keep this joyous festival. Feast pilgrims brought special offerings at Succot in gratitude for God’s provision, and they even were commanded not to show up “empty-handed” (Deuteronomy 16:16).

In modern times, the ICEJ has responded to the prophetic vision of Zechariah 14:16 that the nations would once again ascend to Jerusalem to “keep the Feast of Tabernacles”. Many of our Feast pilgrims arrive with offerings in hand, and they are greatly blessed as a result.

If you cannot attend the Feast in person this year, you can still ‘appear in Zion’ by giving a Feast offering online. Your Feast offering expresses thanks to God for His faithfulness over your life, and also will support the work of the Christian Embassy here in Jerusalem.

Give your best gift today at: give.icej.org/feastoffering

A worship and dance performance at the Feast 2004 (ICEJ photo).

JOIN US FOR THE FEAST 2023

We are excited about the upcoming Feast of Tabernacles, taking place this year from 29 September to 6 October 2023!

Whether you are able to join us in Jerusalem or via the online Feast, we know this will be an incredible, life-changing experience for you. The Lord will surely meet us at this appointed time of Succot, as He has faithfully done for over 40 years now.

Our Feast celebration begins with two worship services on the beautiful Sea of Galilee, and then ascends to Jerusalem for a week of powerful preaching, praising God and special times of prayer. The program features the Parade of Nations, the popular Jerusalem March, and sharing Communion at the Garden Tomb. The final days will include a solidarity gathering with Israelis in the western Negev, plus a special healing service, prayer vigil and closing worship concert back in Jerusalem.

This year’s roster of Feast speakers includes Jürgen Bühler, Billy Wilson, Enoch Adeboye, Manasa Kolivuso, Peter Tsukahira, Lou Engle, Susan Michael, Stephen Mirpuri and many more.

The dynamic worship sessions will feature both Israeli and international musical teams, such as Joshua Aaron (Israel), Shilo Ben-Hod/SOLU (Israel), Sound of the Nations (Fiji), Filadelfia Lovsang (Norway), violinist Serguei Popov (Finland), and Persian singers Vahid & Peyman (Canada), plus dance troupes from the Philippines and Germany, among others.

If you are not able to make it in person, be sure to join us via the virtual Feast platform. There are several online packages to choose from, and each one covers the full 8-day gathering screened on our unique Feast streaming platform, plus VOD access until the end of January 2024.

This Succot is your opportunity to gather with fellow believers from around the globe to glorify the King of All the Earth! (Psalm 47:7)

So, register today at: feast.icej.org

JOSHUA AARON Israel SHILO BEN-HOD/SOLU Israel SOUNDS OF THE NATIONS Fiji VAHID & PEYMAN USA/Canada (Iran)

DR. JÜRGEN BÜHLER Israel DR. BILLY WILSON USA ENOCH ADEBOYE Nigeria

MANASA KOLIVUSO Fiji

PETER TSUKAHIRA Israel LOU ENGLE USA

DR. SUSAN MICHAEL USA STEPHEN MIRPURI Philippines

AN HISTORIC FLIGHT FROM ‘THE ENDS OF THE EARTH’

BY PASTOR MIKAELE MUDREILAGI, ICEJ-FIJI NATIONAL DIRECTOR

Let me tell you a little about Oceania, which includes Australasia, Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia. With some 3.3 million square miles, this region spans the Eastern and Western Hemispheres and covers one-fifth of the earth’s surface. It connects continents and has many islands and distinct languages and peoples. Thus, it is of global importance. Yet my region also has great spiritual significance, especially in relation to Jerusalem, which sits at the center of the earth. The Bible says the Gospel of the Kingdom would go forth from Jerusalem to Judea and Samaria, and even to “the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

Here in Fiji and all the surrounding island nations, it has been amazing to experience the impact of the Gospel which journeyed forth from Jerusalem and finally reached us in modern times. This journey has led us to the pages of Scripture, to discover the God of Israel and redemption through a Jewish Messiah named Yeshua. We now know the Creator of the whole universe. And indeed, God has watched over His word to perform it (Isaiah 55:11; Jeremiah 1:12).

Our faith in Messiah has now summoned our feet to journey back to the Land of Israel

where it all started, and to come stand beside Israel in challenging times, to reassure her people they are not alone (Isaiah 40:1, 62:1-2).

The Scriptures also invite the Gentiles to come celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles with His people in Jerusalem. Fiji has been attending the Feast since 1990, when a few individuals like the late Rev. Aisake Kunanitu made the journey to Jerusalem to celebrate with other Christians from around the world. As a result, the ICEJ-Fiji chapter was launched in March 1993, meaning we have now reached our 30th Anniversary.

To mark this occasion, as well as Israel’s 75th Anniversary, ICEJ-Fiji is organising an historic charter flight through our national airline. For the first time, a Fiji Airways plane will land

on Israeli soil at Ben-Gurion Airport, bringing over 250 Feast pilgrims to Jerusalem. This unprecedented journey is an expression of our love for the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and for the people of Israel.

This has truly come about by the hand of God. During the Feast of 2017, I received a clear vision while praying at the Western Wall. I saw a Fiji Airways plane carrying pilgrims to Israel for the Feast, and as it passed through the clouds to land, I heard the words of Isaiah 60:8-9, about doves that fly home to their nests. Yet I did not share this vision with anyone except my wife.

Then at last year’s Feast 2022, my fellow countryman, Pastor Manasa Kolivuso, spoke at an evening celebration on the Sea of Galilee, which happened to be on Fiji’s independence day. The next morning, he shared that the Lord laid upon his heart that Fiji was to bring a charter flight to the Feast 2023. My heart was filled with emotion! Grabbing the opportunity, I took a Fiji Airways model plane to the Feast prayer vigil at the Pavilion, during Oceania’s prayer time, and declared that this would come to pass.

We have been blessed by the awesome cooperation of our travel agents and Fiji Airways to make this historic flight happen. The “ends of the earth” are coming to Jerusalem for the Feast, to glorify the King of all the Earth (Psalm 47:2, 7), and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles (Zechariah 14:16).

Pastor Manasa Kolivuso speaks at the Feast 2022.

Delegation of Fiji soldiers sing at the Feast 2022.

Pastor Mikaele Mudreilagi, ICEJ-Fiji National Director at Feast 2022.

“And I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king over them all; they shall no longer be two nations, nor shall they ever be divided into two kingdoms again.” (Ezekiel 37:22)

ISRAEL’S HEATED DEBATE OVER JUDICIAL REFORMS

BY DR. JÜRGEN BÜHLER, ICEJ PRESIDENT

As has been all too evident over recent weeks, Israel is gripped in one of its worst crises since the nation’s rebirth in 1948. The previous dire threats which Israel faced all came from the outside – such as the War of Independence, the Six-Day War, and the Yom Kippur War. However, the current dispute over the coalition government’s judicial reforms is an internal threat. It is a crisis of brother set against brother. Some say it is the secular state of Tel Aviv versus the religious state of Jerusalem. But it is not that simple. In many ways, it is a question of whether a nationalist and religious governing coalition can impose its views on the entire public. This concerns not only secular Jews but also traditional Jews, as well as the Arab Christian and Muslim minorities, and the local Messianic Jewish community.

On both sides the lines are not as clear cut as they seem. Everyone knows there is a need for some measure of judicial reforms. Yet even among the more conservative and religious Jewish sectors, many feel that the State still needs a strong judiciary to provide checks and balances on government decisions, especially in a country where extremes exist in both camps.

Recently, an Israeli political cartoon played off the biblical story of Solomon counselling to divide a baby being fought over by two women, in order to determine the true mother. The cartoon showed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not just proposing but actually dividing the baby in half, which was meant to represent the nation of Israel. It appeared in the leftist newspaper Ha’aretz, which is known for its disdain for Netanyahu.

In truth, I sense that both sides in this debate are unwilling to compromise and both are threatening to divide the nation. While Israeli President Isaac Herzog showed great statesmanship in offering

a pathway to a workable compromise, both sides walked away from those talks, and the Opposition did so first.

Israel recently marked Tisha B’Av, the Jewish day of mourning over the destructions of the Temples in Jerusalem. The Talmudic sages claim that the reason for the sacking of the Second Temple and the resulting exile was sinat chinnam, or “baseless hatred”. Israel was too internally divided, and God judged them.

A recent opinion article also compared the current situation with the Yom Kippur War exactly 50 years ago, when modern Israel faced its greatest existential threat. The columnist, however, noted the difference this time is that it is not a sudden, surprise attack but that both sides are walking into a disaster with their eyes wide open.

This current crisis is indeed a real threat to the unity and social fabric of the nation. Yet I remain optimistic – not because I trust politicians but because the Bible clearly states that God has brought His people back “never to be uprooted again” (Amos 9:15). On the contrary, He vows that Israel’s return will result in them becoming “one nation” (Ezekiel 37:22), and it will end in a glorious spiritual restoration; for surely, “I am the LORD; I have spoken, and I will do it.” (Ezekiel 36:24-36).

Amid the dispute over judicial reforms, remember that the Lord promises: “I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city. Zion shall be redeemed with justice, and her penitents with righteousness.” (Isaiah 1:26-27)

Let us pray for a God-given unity in Israel, and for leaders with wisdom and humble hearts to bring peace to the nation. I know God will answer our prayers because that is what He already promised to do in His word.

Israel’s ruling coalition celebrates passage of latest judicial reform. (Flash90)

Israelis march into Jerusalem to protest judicial reforms.

ISRAEL’S NORTH ON EDGE AND IN NEED OF SHELTERS

BY DAVID PARSONS, ICEJ VICE PRESIDENT & SENIOR SPOKESMAN

Israel’s sharp divide over judicial reforms has Iran and its regional proxy militias thinking the Jewish state is weak and exposed. This has led Hizbullah to stage a recent series of open provocations along the Lebanon border that were met with tepid responses by Jerusalem. While no one is seeking a major war right now, even the smallest misstep could easily trigger an escalation, prompting officials in northern Israel to rush to provide more bomb shelters for their vulnerable communities.

Israel’s sworn enemies have watched over recent months as thousands of IDF reservists protested the government’s proposed judicial reforms by refusing to serve their annual reserve duty. The protests could impact the Israeli army’s preparedness for a major conflict with Iran. In response, Iranian and Hizbullah leaders have openly taunted Israel as a nation on its way down.

This is a serious misread of Israel’s military strength and national resolve. Nonetheless, Hizbullah has felt emboldened to test Israel’s readiness for a fight by conducting provocative actions in plain sight along the UN-demarcated ‘Blue Line’ between Israel and Lebanon. First, Hizbullah set up tents on Israel’s side of the border but north of its security fence. A group of armed Hizbullah militiamen in combat uniform also marched right along the border fence. In addition,

Hizbullah operatives climbed a tower on the border fence and carted off Israeli surveillance equipment. Finally, the radical Shi’ite militia fired a tank shell into an open area in the disputed Mount Dov sector.

These actions mark a shift by Iran and Hizbullah in their “shadow war” with Israel. Until now, they mainly carried out covert operations along the border, such as digging terror tunnels under the security fence. In contrast, they are now openly baiting Israel to retaliate, leaving northern Israel on edge.

The IDF did send a strong signal that it is battle-ready by staging a major military exercise in the North which even simulated a large ground incursion deep into Lebanon to neutralise Hizbullah.

Meanwhile, towns and villages in northern Israel are rushing to bolster their civilian defenses by upgrading and adding bomb shelters. Recent studies show the North sorely lacks adequate shelters for its growing population, especially given Hizbullah’s arsenal of over 200,000 rockets and missiles.

The International Christian Embassy Jerusalem became aware of this need several years ago and has been working to supply portable bomb shelters to these vulnerable areas. Over the past decade, the ICEJ has donated nearly 200 mobile bomb shelters to

vulnerable Israeli communities, with most going to towns along the Gaza border facing frequent Hamas rocket attacks, but we have managed to place some 50 shelters in northern Israel already.

Thanks to the generosity of a Swiss Christian family, we are currently delivering six new bomb shelters to the town of Shlomi, which was struck by a rocket fired from southern Lebanon on the first day of Passover. The rocket landed in a busy intersection – with a bank, a synagogue, a store and a law firm on each corner.

A town of 9,000 residents which borders Lebanon, Shlomi has suffered its share of rocket attacks over recent decades. But city officials say the town is not prepared for what is likely to come in a future war with Hizbullah. Rocket alarms in Shlomi often give only 2-to-3 seconds of warning of incoming short-range mortars. Half the residents still live in the “old city” of Shlomi, which has no shelters. The government has promised hundreds of millions of shekels for shelters in the North, but very little has come so far.

The ICEJ’s newest shelters are being placed in public areas to serve the whole community, such as playgrounds, synagogues and at bus stops.

In addition, ICEJ-USA is providing funds to refurbish 53 existing underground shelters in Shlomi. The work will involve sealing water leaks, fixing faulty electrical networks, installing new lighting, water pumps, drainage systems, and fans for improved ventilation, applying fresh coats of paint, and much more.

The aftermath of a rocket strike in the town of Shlomi during Passover (AP photo)

Please help us provide more bomb shelters for communities in northern Israel through our Israel in Crisis fund.

A new ICEJ Bomb Shelter in the northern town of Shlomi.

Left to Right: Chair, 2023 Warburg Society Annual Celebration & Resource Development Committee, Les Bider, ICEJUSA national director Dr. Susan Michael, and a member of the ICEJ Association George Michael.

ICEJ RECEIVES PRESTIGIOUS WARBURG AWARD FROM JDC BY

LAURINA DRIESSE

The International Christian Embassy Jerusalem was recognised recently for its humanitarian work at a special celebration of the Joint Distribution Committee and the Felix M. Warburg Society. Dr. Susan Michael, ICEJ-USA national director, was on hand to receive the prestigious Warburg Award at the event held in New York City in June.

Founded in 1914, the JDC is a leading global Jewish humanitarian organisation that is best known for helping to rescue Jews during the Holocaust and for assisting Jews who were later trapped behind the Iron Curtain. Its work in providing social aid to Jewish communities in need continues to this day, and the JDC and Warburg Society wanted to honour the Christian Embassy for being a valued partner in supporting and improving the lives of Israelis through our various AID projects.

Thanks to our generous donors, the ICEJ’s various social aid projects have impacted all sectors of Israeli society, especially when urgent needs arise. The ICEJ has given hope to many by sponsoring coexistence projects, helping vulnerable sectors of society develop new marketable skills, bridging social gaps through educational programs, and so much more.

HERE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE MANY PROJECTS FOR WHICH THE ICEJ WAS RECOGNISED:

• The Starter Apprenticeship offers an innovative program of combined educational/practical training for in-demand technical careers. This ICEJ-sponsored program provides a win-win solution by connecting employers who need skilled workers with students seeking practical training to advance in technical areas. Employers hire the unskilled participants and train them to their own specifications, guaranteeing their future employment. The participants spend three days a week training on the job with a mentor, and two days a week studying at a vocational college. The apprenticeship program is completed within 6-8 months, earning a government certification in their profession and the opportunity to continue with the same employer who trained them. The program’s

initial trial period was a success and it was then handed over to the Israeli government for expansion to impact many more workers and their families.

• The Horizons program aims to help 18 to 25-year-olds from the periphery of Israel to pursue academic degrees or vocational studies that are specifically geared for in-demand professions. The ICEJsponsored program helps young adults qualify for post-secondary education, identify educational opportunities and financial aid options, and apply to academic programs. The program also provides participants with support, mentoring, career counselling and professional networking during their studies.

• The ICEJ helped sponsor a pioneering Jewish-Arab co-existence project after Israel was hit with daily barrages of rockets from Gaza in May 2021. The conflict sparked violent clashes in many of Israel’s mixed Jewish/Arab cities, such as Lod and Jaffa, undermining decades of co-existence efforts. For the Christian Embassy, this was a call to action. We quickly helped bring healing to Lod by refurbishing the local community center used by both Jews and Arabs. The ICEJ upgraded the outdoor bicycle area and provided new bikes for needy children, thereby turning it into a popular bike-club center. When asked about the impact these investments had in their community center, the staff replied: “You turned on a light in a dark place.”

• The ICEJ also joined a special initiative to place “Peace Rooms” in schools in Lod that offered trauma counselling for students, thereby creating a space for healing within the school framework. These Peace Rooms offer children a place to receive trauma therapy and treatment, while parents can also get advice from counsellors.

The Warburg Award shows the ICEJ is making a difference in Israeli lives, from caring for Jewish and Arab children in mixed neighbourhoods, to helping Israeli Arab job-seekers and supporting vocational training programs. If you want to help us continue bringing new hope and a brighter future to those who need it most, please donate today at: give.icej.org/givinghope

(Photo credit: Adena Stevens Photography, @adenastevensphoto)

OPENING NEW HORIZONS FOR YOUNG ISRAELIS

BY LAURINA DRIESSE

In only three short years, life drastically changed for Israeli Arab sisters Zara* (24) and Salma* (20). Still reeling from the loss of their mother, they found themselves coping with a dying father. Although they have an extended family, the sisters are not close to them, and they were suddenly left on their own, needing to rent an apartment and feed themselves.

Facing these challenges at only 18, Zara sought the help of an Israeli social worker. Soon she began counselling to deal with the emotional trauma and improve her economic situation. Seeing the value of the counselling, Zara referred her sister Salma for help as well.

“I was confused”, shared Salma. “My life is very complicated. However, together with my social worker, we built a plan. At the beginning, I wasn’t so independent. I lacked self-confidence, and the courses helped me to develop that.”

Salma received assistance through Horizons, a program that is transforming the lives of struggling Jewish and Arab young people in Israel’s periphery. It expands educational opportunities and provides essential tools and support to navigate the university system or complete vocational training and then enter the job market.

The Christian Embassy is sponsoring the Horizons program to help improve the lives of struggling young Israelis, especially in the Arab sector, where 40% of those aged 18-to-34 are living below the poverty line.

Horizons was launched in 2022 as a new and innovative pilot program, and it quickly mushroomed from 400 young adults to 1,334 participants, including 554 Israeli Arab women and men. These disadvantaged young people lack support in their home or community, and wrestle with self-doubt and lack knowledge about academic programs, the admissions process and financial assistance.

Horizons can remove barriers that keep young people in poverty. Each participant gets personal guidance from a counsellor to build a customised work plan and advance their education. They also receive help to find scholarships and student stipends, along with ongoing mentoring to ensure they stay the course.

With the ICEJ’s support for laptops, private tutoring, language courses, and study workshops, students can focus on their studies.

Having struggled with obesity throughout her life, Salma expressed a strong interest in embracing a healthier lifestyle. With great determination, she plunged into her fitness workouts and met her own weight goal. She then decided to become a fitness coach to inspire others, and even completed a specialised coaching course. Salma also received a laptop so she could take an online English course.

When Nicole Yoder, ICEJ’s VP for Aid & Aliyah, asked about her future dreams, Salma answered: “I have many dreams, and I want others to know and be inspired by my story!”

Meanwhile, Nadia* (20), saw her mother pass away and her father abandon the family. But Horizons has helped her gain confidence and clarify her career path.

Nadia always dreamed of becoming an engineer so she could earn a good living, but had no idea how to reach that goal.

“If you had asked me five years ago about my dreams, I wanted to be an engineer, but I didn’t know what kind” said Nadia. “Then my mother got sick and died from cancer a few years ago. Since then, I’ve wanted to find solutions for illnesses and genetic sensitivities.”

Nadia connected with a Horizons counsellor in her town in northern Israel. After an initial two-hour interview, Nadia felt comfortable enough to tell her whole story. Showing potential, Nadia received aid to take a psychometric course and excelled in it. Today she is enrolled to pursue a medical engineering degree at the Technion in Haifa and will begin studies in October.

After meeting these three students, Nicole said: “I came away with the deep conviction that the aid we provide here is life changing.”

Only with your vital support can we impact more Israeli lives and reverse the downward spiral of poverty. Help us give a future and a hope to those in need.

Please give your gift today to: give.icej.org/givinghope

*names changed to protect privacy.

HAIFA HOME WELCOMES NEWEST RESIDENT

The ICEJ’s Home for Holocaust survivors in Haifa remains a very interesting place to live and work, as was recently seen when welcoming our newest resident, Galina Voloshin.

Galina was born in 1936 in Ushomir, a small Jewish village near Kyiv. When the war broke out in Ukraine in June 1941, Galina’s father was mobilized. The family received only one letter from him, in which he urged Galina’s mother to take care of herself and their children.

BY YUDIT SETZ & SHAY DROR

Galina’s mother was a secretary of the local Communist party and knew all the communists in the area, so she had to be evacuated. Preparing to travel, Galina, her sister, and their grandmother sat together on an open cart, waiting for their mother. Harrowing sounds of sirens and howling dogs echoed all around. Due to this, she developed a life-long fear of dogs.

The family escaped to the Stalingrad region, where the summer was terribly hot. Galina recalls asking her mother: “If we take our skin off, will it be as hot as it is now or less?”

The family lived in Stalingrad for several months, during which time Galina’s grandmother and little sister died.

Everyone believed the Germans would not reach Stalingrad, however in 1942 the enemy laid siege to the city. The family, now consisting only of Galina and her mother, had to evacuate again, leaving by train.

Someone kindly gave Galina’s mother a kettle with tomato juice. With this, she was able to feed Galina and several other passengers in their wagon. During the journey, several air raids sounded, forcing the train to stop and everyone to hide in the woods.

Finally, they arrived in Ural at the end of August. The weather was now turning bitterly cold. Galina and her mother had to live in an old stable, which she recalls had lots of mice that also made her afraid!

Galina’s mother worked at a school and planted a vegetable garden with her pupils that saved their lives. Galina would sit in bed wrapped in a blanket trying to keep warm until her mother returned from work.

While living in Ural, Galina’s mother tried to find out what happened to her husband, but her efforts were in vain.

After the war, Galina and her mother went back to Ukraine, where Galina began attending school. She eventually studied at university to become an engineer, and worked in this field until retirement.

Antisemitism was still prevalent throughout those years. Galina edited a book about the war, but when it was printed the book made no mention of her due to her Jewish surname.

In 1997, at the age of 61, Galina made Aliyah to Israel with her 80-year-old mother. Galina took care of her aging mother, and volunteered to help other Soviet Jewish immigrants. Galina has received many certificates of recognition for her contributions.

Galina moved into the Haifa Home for Holocaust survivors in June, and is quite happy to live here.

“When I came to the dining room for the first time, I was warmly welcomed and greeted by residents and staff alike. Everyone was so friendly, and I immediately felt at home,” shared Galina.

GERMAN STUDENT HUMBLED BY SERVING SURVIVORS

Hannah, a German exchange student studying at Tel Aviv University had some time to spare and decided to volunteer for six weeks at the ICEJ’s Home for Holocaust survivors in Haifa. She considers it a great privilege to serve our residents.

“There is a deep sadness and feeling of faintness inside when I think about the

Holocaust, especially because Germany played such a horrific role in it. Therefore, volunteering at this Home is one of my heart’s deepest desires”, said Hannah. Hannah first heard about the Haifa Home from her grandmother, an ICEJ supporter.

“Thinking about the Second World War, I see black-and-white motion pictures in front of my eyes”, she explained. “Understanding history is difficult. What these people went through, I can only imagine. As it states in 1 Kings 8:39, only God can truly see their heart’s suffering.”

“Yet talking and laughing with the Haifa

Home residents, history becomes a name and a reality. Their love and openness towards me makes me very humble.”

“While I am here to serve these survivors, I receive so much love in return. They invite me to their homes, tell me their thoughts, and speak to me as only a grandparent can. I can see God’s compassion towards His people, and His compassion and grace towards my own life. He really knows every heart and every story, and nothing is too big or too small for Him to care about.”

Galina receives care by one of the Haifa Home staff caregivers.

AN INCREDIBLE REUNION BRINGS TEARFUL CLOSURE TO HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR

BY YUDIT SETZ & SHAY DROR

An unexpected visit to the Haifa Home recently brought a longawaited closure to 95-year-old resident Sarah Zamir. What follows is a story of kindness, survival, and an unlikely reunion.

Born as Ilse Böhm, Sarah grew up in a religious Jewish family near Breslau, in Silesia. In 1939, the family fled the Nazi regime for Belgium in hopes of a safer life; however, deportations of Belgium’s Jews soon began. Sarah’s family were sent to concentration camps, never to return. But 14-year-old Sarah was hidden by a kind Catholic couple from Antwerp.

“They were not just good people”, Sarah recalled, “they were like angels.”

Sarah’s incredible reunion came about due to the work of Charlie Knight, a British historian of German Jewish refugees of the 1930s and 40s. Through his research, Charlie found letters dated 1939-1940 hidden in an archive. These letters were sent back and forth from Sarah’s father, Ernst Böhm, and his cousin. Among them, Charlie found a postcard written by Ernst’s daughter, Ilse, whose fate was not initially clear. Further research revealed that she had survived, immigrated to Israel, and was now named Sarah Zamir.

Upon seeing Sarah featured in an ICEJ-Germany video posted on social media, Charlie contacted the Christian Embassy, and soon enough the two met at the Home in Haifa, where Sarah told Charlie in detail about her rescuers. The information Sarah provided prompted new research by Charlie – finding the Catholic couple that saved Sarah’s life.

The couple’s great-grandson Vince heard about Ilse from his grandfather, who was her age and lived alongside her in his parents’ home. As he grew older, the grandfather expressed hope that Ilse had lived a long, healthy life. Upon hearing about Sarah, Vince decided to come to Israel to meet her!

Sarah could hardly believe it was happening! Her own granddaughter was there for the reunion and said: “It was touching beyond words and an honour to meet the family that saved my grandma.”

“We were overcome by emotion”, recounted Vince. “The first thing we did when we met was just cry. But then it became natural, and we talked as if we had known each other forever.”

Vince and Sarah promised to write to one another. He would send photos of the house where she was hidden as a girl, sheltered from the fate that met millions of Jews less fortunate than her. It was a completely heart-warming encounter that proves compassion conquers fear.

From left to right: Vince, the great-grandson from Belgium, Sarah’s daughter, Sarah and her two grandchildren.

ICEJ HELPS SPONSOR LAST FLIGHT OF ETHIOPIAN AIRLIFT–PHASE II

BY DAVID PARSONS, VICE PRESIDENT & SENIOR SPOKESMAN

Israel declared an end to Phase II of the “Operation Tzur Israel” airlift in July when a group of 130 Ethiopian Jewish immigrants landed at Ben-Gurion Airport on an ICEJsponsored Aliyah flight.

The “Rock of Israel” airlift was launched in December 2020 to speed up the Ethiopian Aliyah, as many families have been separated from close relatives in Israel for over two decades. In two phases so far, the operation has managed to bring over 5,000 Ethiopian Jewish immigrants to reunite with close family already in Israel.

Ever since the Israeli government resumed the historic Ethiopian Aliyah in 2015, the Jewish Agency For Israel has brought a total of 7,514 Jewish immigrants from the East African country home to the Promised Land, with the ICEJ sponsoring flights for 3,225 of these new arrivals, including 375 this year.

Besides wanting to reunite these Ethiopian families, JAFI officials also made sure most of the immigrants who arrived on the latest flight were from Gondar, a region battered in recent months by widespread Muslim rioting.

One immigrant family we met embodied the long, painful separation these Ethiopian Jewish families have endured over recent

decades. Their little two year-old daughter Miriam first captured my attention as I waited on the hot tarmac while they descended the stairs leading down from the plane. She was half asleep in her father’s arms, no doubt exhausted from the long bus ride from Gondar to Addis Ababa and then a four-hour flight to Tel Aviv. But when I offered her an Israeli flag, she perked up with a smile and we became instant buddies.

Inside the welcome center where new immigrants are processed, the family were the first ones called to meet with a clerk to sort out their immigration papers. I happened to be standing next to the door as they entered the clerk’s office and I felt a tug on my hand. Miriam was looking up with that same captivating smile, happy to see me again.

After processing their entry documents, I spoke to the father, Ajik Tzera, through a translator. He was only twelve years old when his mother left Gondar for Israel some 20 years ago. He stayed behind with close relatives who all expected to be making the same journey to Israel soon after. But now, here he was arriving in the Land a grown man at 32, with a wife and young daughter in tow.

When I asked about his hopes for his daughter Miriam now that they had reached

the Promised Land, the father lowered his head and began weeping, too overcome with emotions to answer.

An hour later, we watched as the group of new Ethiopian immigrants emerged into the Arrivals Hall, where family and friends were eagerly waiting with decades of pent-up tears and emotions.

The family will now settle into an absorption center for more Hebrew and Judaism classes. Thankfully, with so many relatives already accustomed to life in Israel, their landing will be softer than those who came in the mass Ethiopian airlifts of the 1980s and 90s.

Meanwhile, there are many more Jewish families still waiting in Ethiopia to be reunited with relatives in Israel. Israeli authorities hope to resume the Ethiopian Aliyah flights soon.

So far this year, the ICEJ has sponsored Aliyah flights for over 1,000 Jewish olim from Ethiopia, Russia, Ukraine and the Baltic states. Adding in our support for other Jews making the move to Israel this year, we have currently helped over 4,000 Jews with Aliyah assistance in 2023, and many more are still to come.

Donate today at:

give.icej.org/aliyah

Please consider being a part of this prophetic Ingathering of the Jewish people to the Land of Israel.

Ethiopian families wait for relatives in the Ben Gurion Arrivals Hall.

ICEJ greets an Ethiopian family arriving in Israel.

BALTIC SUMMER CAMPS PREPARING JEWISH YOUTHS FOR LIFE IN ISRAEL

BY ESTER HEINZMANN, ICEJ-GERMANY

As the war in Ukraine rages on, the ICEJ is helping several hundred Russian-speaking Jewish youths prepare to move to Israel by sponsoring Aliyah summer camps in the nearby Baltic states.

The summer camps are run by the Jewish Agency For Israel with ICEJ support. One Aliyah camp opened in late June in Latvia with 101 Jewish participants from ages 7 to 17. Among them were 30 young Ukrainian Jews dislocated by the war, with the rest coming from the Baltic states.

Another summer camp convened in Vilnius, Lithuania, with 141 Jewish youths taking part, including 133 Ukrainian Jews. A third camp was held back in Latvia in August.

In these summer camps, the youngsters are not only learning more about Israel and the Aliyah process, they also are reconnecting to their Jewish faith, which was supressed in Soviet times.

There also is a lot of fun for the children and teenagers, including swimming, volleyball, folk dances and foam parties. This all produces lots of smiles and laughter. In addition, the children take part in traditional Shabbat observances on Friday evenings, like candle lighting and kiddush.

At the recent Aliyah camp in the Latvia, the Jewish youngsters stayed in an idyllic vacation complex and everyone quickly made new friends. Located at the edge of an impressive nature reserve, the camp offered a variety of outdoor programs, including a refreshing dip in the Baltic Sea.

The camp counsellors shared insights about Israel, the Start-Up Nation and haven of refuge for the Jewish people. As the Russia-Ukraine war drags on not so far away, the youngsters had ample reason to consider what a move to Israel will mean for them.

The young campers also learn about Aliyah youth programs run by JAFI which allow them to complete their high school or university educations in Israel. JAFI’s investment in these SELA and NAALE programs has borne great fruit, as more than 30,000 Jewish teenagers have graduated from these programs over the past 30 years. Most then choose to remain in Israel for good, with their parents and siblings soon to follow.

Currently, there are 1400 Jewish youths expected to enter either the SELA or NAALE programs over the coming year. Many make the decision to join at these Aliyah summer camps, proving how valuable they are.

The Christian Embassy also is currently sponsoring Aliyah flights from the Baltic states and the numbers along this route are strong at 178 Jewish newcomers so far this year. This includes not only Jews from Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, but also Russian and Ukrainian Jews using this route to reach Israel.

Overall, more than 86,000 Jewish immigrants from the former Soviet republics have arrived in Israel since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and the ICEJ is sponsoring Aliyah flights along these additional routes as well.

Every one of these newcomers bring huge potential to the nation of Israel. And God has not lost sight of a single one: “Then they shall know that I am the Lord their God, who sent them into captivity among the nations, but also brought them back to their land, and left none of them captive any longer.” (Ezekiel 39:28)

So, please help support these Aliyah youth camps and all our other efforts to bring Jews home to Israel. Donate today at: give.icej.org/aliyah

PUTTING COLOUR BACK INTO TANYA’S LIFE

BY MAXINE CARLLIL

Avisitor to the hostel for elderly citizens where Tanya lives is treated to a display of her beautiful paintings along the hallways. The subjects and textures by this talented artist are amazingly varied. Tanya lived in the same town in Belarus as the famous Marc Chagall, and her skills allow her to follow different techniques and styles, in particular Chagall’s love and use of bright colours. Inside her small apartment, besides the walls adorned with more paintings, she has a collection of her ceramic sculptures. Truly a gifted artist!

Her life, however, has not always been so colourful. Yet it was during the difficult periods that she learned to pray and see her prayers answered. ICEJ Homecare came into her life during one of those down times and she says: “I will be always thankful for all the help you have been.”

Tanya came from a poor but close-knit family of five. Her father, like his dad before him, was a cobbler who worked day and night to provide for his family. The children had to travel a long way by bus each day to take their father a hot home-cooked meal. Despite the antisemitism he suffered, people liked his work and were always lined up at his door, even just to have their shoes cleaned. Tanya found it fascinating to watch him and at age seven she began to help clean shoes.

She still retains a sweet memory of Papa’s homecoming each night when he gave each

child a kiss and laid his hands on each head as he said something which Tanya now realises was probably a Jewish blessing. Although the family did not observe the Jewish holidays, like so many other Jews under the Soviet regime, her father was quite open about his Jewishness. To honour his memory, Tanya recently designed a beautiful Passover Haggadah (Passover Seder guide) for children which traces her father’s story.

Tanya married at 20 years old and it lasted for a very difficult 17 years. Away from her family and friends and without much money for food for their two sons, Tanya made a vegetable garden and reared rabbits and other small animals. She made warm hats from animal skins for her family for winter. She then became a widow when her husband died from an alcohol-related disease. So, Tanya returned to her hometown with little means of support.

Tanya eventually made Aliyah to Israel in 1999 with her younger son, then 13. The older son had encouraged her to go to Israel and wanted to come himself, but was made to stay behind in Belarus due to mandatory army service.

“I prayed to God a lot”, Tanya says of that time.

Amazingly, the son received an exemption from the army to take part in a special monthlong Israeli program. He quickly applied for Israeli citizenship and received it shortly after. He studied Hebrew, found some work, and did his Israeli army service. His work helped Tanya, who was struggling financially until she could earn a small income as an art teacher.

“How does it feel to be in Israel?” we asked Tanya. “This is my home. I visited Belarus twice with my son to look back to our memories, but I did not enjoy being there”, she replied.

As an artist, Tanya feels right at home in Israel due to the many talented artists here. She also has been especially delighted to learn about Judaism and keep Shabbat and all the Jewish holidays.

Life on a small income has still been challenging, and a serious illness brought anxiety and physical debilitation. It was during this time she urgently needed to find new housing and feared she may become homeless. But like others under the watchful eye of ICEJ Homecare, Tanya has not walked alone. In partnership with an Israeli social worker, Homecare assisted her financially, and helped her search for the subsidised apartment where she now lives. Most importantly, Homecare has provided encouragement and friendship amid her continuing weakness and necessary medication.

Tanya expressed her gratitude, saying: “I don’t know what I would have done without your support, thanks to all the Christians who care.”

Tanya with her paintings in her new home.

Tanya stands alongside her double painting. One side depicting her life in Belarus. It is colourless symbolising the drudgery and struggles. The other side depicts the colour and vibrancy that life in Israel has brought her.

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FRESH SOUNDS FROM THAILAND

In June, a new National Director of ICEJ-Thailand was officially appointed during a conference in Bangkok, with Dr. Mojmir Kallus representing the Jerusalem headquarters, Jehu Chan as the regional coordinator from Singapore, an ICEJ delegation from Malaysia, and hundreds of church and community leaders from all over Thailand. Pastor of Bangkok Praise Church, Poomwanetr Meteakrakul, now succeeds the former Thai national director, Pastor Krisada. The Board decided unanimously about the change of leadership and their presence at the event confirmed a good sense of unity. Worship teams from different churches blessed the audience with anointed worship times that drew a strong presence of God, while ICEJ-Thailand administrator

Nuanlaor actively promoted the Feast of Tabernacles. Thailand brought the largest Asian delegation to the Feast last year and we are looking forward to welcoming them again for Feast 2023. The Christian population in Thailand is small, amounting to less than 2%, but the potential is huge. Please pray for the work of our new leader and his team, which have set as their main goal reaching and equipping the young generation.

CZECH, SLOVAK BRANCHES HOST MEMORIAL WALK TO HONOUR AUSCHWITZ ESCAPEES

The ICEJ’s Czech and Slovakian branches recently held their annual memorial walk from Auschwitz to Zilina to retrace the journey of Rudolf Vrba and Alfred Wetzler, two Slovak Jews who escaped from the notorious Auschwitz concentration camp in April 1944 and gave eyewitness testimony for a report warning the Allies about the Nazis’ mass

GABON HUNGRY TO BLESS ISRAEL

In June, ICEJ Vice President of Operations

Barry Denison travelled to central Africa to speak at an ICEJ Regional Conference held in Gabon that was organised and co-hosted by our national director Judicaël Mounguengui and the president of the Christian Missionary Alliance. More than 500 delegates attended the three-day gathering, including many pastors from some 20 denominations. During his visit, Barry also ministered in two churches, participated in a press conference, and was

interviewed by the Gabon National News channel, as well as a national online news service. Barry was especially encouraged by the excellent teachings by local speakers and the tender hearts of the people shown towards Israel. A Messianic pastor with a network of churches in the region urged other pastors to join him in committing their fellowships to holding monthly prayer meetings for Israel and taking up separate weekly offerings to bless Israel.

ICEJ-RUSSIA CELEBRATES ISRAEL’S 75TH

ICEJ-Russia national director Howard Flower, who also serves as our Director of Aliyah, was a key organiser of a gala event to celebrate Israel’s 75th Anniversary held recently in the Hermitage Museum and Concert Hall in St. Petersburg. The celebration drew some 200 top Jewish community leaders as well as the Ambassador of Israel, the General Consul of St. Petersburg, Jewish Agency representatives, and the Chief Rabbi of the Grand Choral Synagogue. An earlier 75th anniversary event in St. Petersburg also featured the opening of an art show of paintings by Russian Jewish artists celebrating Israel’s diamond anniversary.

extermination of Jews. Several members of the ICEJ’s staff in Jerusalem joined dozens of other participants from Slovakia, Czech Republic, Poland, Zimbabwe, Germany and Holland for the week-long, 110-kilometer march through the fields and forests of eastern Europe.

JERUSALEM COMES TO THE GOLD COAST!

Recently, ICEJ-Australia and other regional ICEJ representatives joined together in supporting and attending the Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast held in the city of the Gold Coast. The event was hosted by the Mayor of the Gold Coast, Tom Tate, who welcomed Israel’s Ambassador to Australia and other dignitaries from Israel’s Knesset, the Pacific Islands nations, parliamentarians from across Australia, visitors from the USA, and the JPB’s international team. Representatives from 16 nations prayed for the peace of Jerusalem in English, Hebrew and several Pacific languages, while Bible portions also were read throughout the event. Inspiring messages also were brought by various speakers, including ICEJ-Australia’s Youth Director, Pastor Moises Vasquez, and indigenous leader Pastor Tim Edwards. Among the other highlights, ICEJ-Fiji national director Pastor Mikaele Mudreilagi blew the shofar as a call to the Pacific nations to join their voices in support of Israel. And Fiji’s Deputy Prime Minister Viliame Gavoka declared: “I stand here today knowing a new dawn is happening for Israel in the Pacific… We all want to be there in support of Israel as a unit.”

Meanwhile, ICEJ-Fiji and our other national branches in the Australasia and Pacific regions are gearing up for their third Oceania Conference which is expected to draw hundreds of Christians together from throughout the region to the Fijian city of Suva in mid-November. The Conference will be held in Suva’s Civic Centre, a premium venue overlooking beautiful Suva Bay. Besides regional speakers and worship teams, the Oceania Conference will host three of the ICEJ’s senior leaders from the Jerusalem headquarters, Mojmir Kallus, Barry Denison and David Parsons.

PRAYER MOUNTAINS IN THE PHILIPPINES

BY DR. MOJMIR KALLUS

Masbate is an island in the Philippines mostly known for its gold mines. However, less known to the general public, a true spiritual treasure is being developed there. Mercy Cabiles, a Board member of ICEJ-Philippines, has invested in a piece of land and established a unique prayer center there. On the 12-hectar property, seven houses of prayer on seven hills are planned. The size of the project is impressive, and it is successfully moving forward. The first mountain was inaugurated in 2017, and I came for the dedication of the second prayer house. Atop each mountain will be a house of prayer, with accommodations and conference facilities which can welcome up to one thousand people. The vision is to build a center where people can come to pray, and churches can book their retreats. The prayer complex is called Mt. Moriah and Israel has been part of its DNA from the very beginning. It is evident that God is calling the Church to prayer, and this project could play a role in bringing various prayer movements together, even beyond the Philippines. Once completed, it could also host international prayer gatherings.

ICEJ OCEANIA CONFERENCE

16-18 NOVEMBER 2023

SUVA FIJI

Steve Mirpuri, Mojmir Kallus, Mercy Cabiles and Sally Maddatu (left to right) at the second Mt. Moriah prayer house.

EXCITEMENT IN THE PHILIPPINES

BY DR. MOJMIR KALLUS, ICEJ VICE PRESIDENT FOR INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Ivisited the Philippines in June to encourage our local ICEJ office, which is one of the oldest in our global network. It began back in the 1990s and Sally Maddatu, the organisational spirit behind its development, is a walking encyclopedia on its history and growth over the decades. She remembers not only the late Dr. Johan Luckhoff who inaugurated the branch, but all the Israeli ambassadors to the Philippines for the last 25 years. Good relations with the Israel Embassy always result in a courtesy visit by guests from Jerusalem, and so it was this time.

The Philippines is considered the friendliest country to Israel in Asia. It was the only Asian country which voted for the establishment of Israel in the UN partition resolution in November 1947, and even before, in the 1930s, President Manuel Quezon distinguished himself by opening the country to over 1200 Jewish refugees, saving them from the Holocaust.

Sally Maddatu also was instrumental in organizing a Christian celebration of Israel’s 75th anniversary in Manila in July. The successful evening was held under the umbrella of the Bless Israel Movement, a new alliance composed of ICEJ-Philippines and several other nationwide church and prayer groups. The gala celebration was attended by over

1,200 Christians, including many church and ministry leaders. Israeli Ambassador Ilan Fluss was guest of honour and was joined by two other Israeli diplomats and four bishops of large denominations in the Philippines, among other dignitaries. The event included numerous speakers, worship and dance teams, and prayers of blessing for Israel by 12 national Christian leaders.

ICEJ-Philippines has been especially successful in raising awareness of Israel among churches nationwide. One of the key tools for this has been the monthly Rosh Chodesh prayer chains. The country keeps adding hours dedicated to prayer for Israel every month and has become a clear leader among all our national offices. I witnessed the dynamics behind this growth when I attended a meeting with key Rosh Chodesh panelists

organised by our National Director, Pastor Steve Mirpuri. It was an impressive, diverse group of about 30 people, some pastors, some business professionals, young and old, representing several streams and ministries. They are all excited to participate in Rosh Chodesh, consider it a privilege, and are inviting their own friends into the prayer chain. This natural growth is the secret behind their high number of over 70 prayer slots, and it is evident they will keep growing.

Different churches are also getting ready for the Feast of Tabernacles, and indications are that they will bring a record group this year, including the Raise the Banner team, which also served at last year’s Feast.

The Raise the Banner dance troupe from the Jesus Loves You City Church will serve again at this year’s Feast of Tabernacles.

Israeli ambassador Ilan Fluss addresses the 75th Anniversary celebration in Manila in July.

Lucy Peralta from Friends of Jesus Christ church has been bringing groups to the Feast for years. Everyone in this photo has either been to Israel or will travel this year.

MT. EBAL AMULET AFFIRMS ISRAELITE WORSHIP OF ‘YAHWEH’

BY JONATHAN PARSONS

“That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth.” (Psalm 83:18 - KJV)

Recent test results on a small lead amulet found in a sifting project linked to Joshua’s Altar on Mount Ebal, in northern Samaria, has confirmed that it contains the oldest known proto-Hebraic inscription of the divine name “Yahweh” (in Hebrew הָוהְי). T his pre-dates by some 600 years the “priestly blessing” silver amulets from the time of King Hezekiah found on Bible Hill in Jerusalem. Along with an ancient engraving of the name “Yahweh” in Egyptian hieroglyphics found decades ago in northern Sudan (then Upper Egypt), the lead pendant provides further evidence that Israelite worship of this Creator God has been around for a long time, just as the Bible says.

The small, folded amulet was found in 2019 among spoil material taken from a dig many years earlier at Joshua’s Altar on Mount Ebal, but its two leaves were too brittle to open and read. So, the find was transferred to the Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics in Czech Republic, where extensive X-ray imaging was used to decipher the etched words inside and outside of the locket. The results indicated proto-Hebraic lettering, which is considered by some scholars to be the world’s earliest alphabet.

The amulet contained 40 proto-alphabetic letters reading: “You are cursed by the god yhw—cursed. You will die, cursed, you will surely die.”

This correlates with the events recorded in Deuteronomy 27:11-13, when the twelve

tribes of Israel were commanded to divide in half and stand on two opposite hillsides –Mount Gerizim (the Mountain of Blessing) and Mount Ebal (the Mountain of Cursing) –and recite aloud divine blessings and curses to each other.

instead of steps, all fit the biblical instructions for building the altar of the Lord in Exodus 20:25-26 and Joshua 8:31. The original dig also turned up charred bones of only kosher animals, as was required in Israelite sacrifices to Yahweh.

The now-deciphered “curse” amulet with the name “Yahweh” predates by six centuries the two silver leaves found in a burial cave in the Hinnom valley in Jerusalem in 1979 by noted archaeologist Prof. Gabi Barkay. These finds recited the Priestly Blessing of Numbers 6:24-26, including the name “Yahweh”.

Interestingly, the name “Yahweh” also is inscribed in Egyptian hieroglyphics on a pillar of the temple of Soleb, located today in northern Sudan. This temple and inscription date to the late 14th century BC, when Pharaoh Amenhotep III recorded in stone a list of his foreign enemies, among them “the land of the nomads of Yahweh.”

The late Israeli archaeologist Adam Zertal excavated a large stone platform on Mount Ebal in 1980 and identified it as Joshua’s Altar. Zertal’s discoveries have often stirred controversy in academic circles, because he preferred to publish his findings in books rather than in peer-reviewed journals where scholars could critique his work. However, the recent test results on the “curse” amulet have only added to the evidence that the location is indeed the authentic site of Joshua’s Altar.

The site on Mount Ebal also contained pottery shards and scarab seals of Pharoh Ramesses II, dating back to circa 1200 BC – around the time of Israel’s entry into the Land of Canaan under Joshua. The un-hewn stones that make up the altar and the ramp leading up to it,

The divine name “Yahweh” is used thousands of times in the Hebrew Bible, and is usually translated as LORD, Adonai or Jehovah, but the text indicates it was first revealed to Moses in the burning bush experience, specifically in Exodus 3:15. Since then, God’s ineffable name has been written and inscribed on many pages, walls and amulets. The recent deciphering of the “curse” amulet from Mount Ebal provides further evidence that the Jewish people have worshipped Yahweh for some four thousand years, while also affirming the accuracy of the Bible and Jewish claims to the Land of Israel.

Curse amulet from Mt Ebal (Jaroslav Valach)

Joshua’s Altar on Mount Ebal (Shomrim Al Hanetzach)

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