2020 Q1 Jewish Voice Today Magazine by Jewish Voice Ministries International

1ST QUARTER 2020

JEWISH VOICE TODAY MAGAZINE

HOLY WORK IN THE HOLY LAND

WHY SHOULD WE CARE? WHAT CAN WE DO? (page 4)

PLUS

OUTREACH REPORT

Helping Holocaust Survivors in Israel (page 14) MAKING ALIYAH (page 26)

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Today!

Right now, Jewish people in Israel and across the globe are suffering and need to hear the Gospel.

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You Meet the Need: • Humanitarian Aid • Ministry in Israel • Sharing the Gospel with Jewish People and their Neighbors

SHALOM Dear Partner in Ministry, Shalom, my friend! In this edition of Jewish Voice Today, we want to help you see the very heartbeat behind Jewish Voice Ministries International – our work in Israel. In the Scriptures, we’ve been given an astonishing promise. Speaking to Abraham in Genesis 12:3, the Lord declares about the Jewish people, “My desire is to bless those who bless you, but whoever curses you I will curse” (TLV). That blessing from thousands of years ago still remains for you, me and anyone who commits their heart to standing and supporting Israel and the Jewish people. In this edition of Jewish Voice Today, we’ll unpack that promise for you in more detail – what it means and how you can experience it for yourself and your family. We also want to share with you about: • The work of Jewish Voice and our incredible partner ministries in Israel

•

The stories of lives touched and transformed in Israel by Yeshua ( Jesus) • The significance and difficulties of Ethiopian Jews in Israel • The importance of Jewish people worldwide who feel called back to the Land I hope the articles in this first issue of Jewish Voice Today for 2020 will help you better understand the need and blessing for standing with Israel and the Jewish people – both today and until Jesus’ return. As you read, please pray for Jewish Voice Ministries International and for our work of supporting Israel and Jewish people around the world. God bless you! To the Jew first and also to the Nations,

Jonathan Bernis

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The opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of Jewish Voice Ministries International. Any form of reproduction of any content in this publication without the express written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited. © 2020 Jewish Voice Ministries International. All rights reserved. All Bible references TLV, unless otherwise noted.

MAKE AN ETERNAL IMPACT Become a

SHALOM PARTNER

Today!

Right now, Jewish people in Israel and across the globe are suffering and need to hear the Gospel.

Your Monthly Gift Provides Immediate Care

You Meet the Need: • Humanitarian Aid • Ministry in Israel • Sharing the Gospel with Jewish People and their Neighbors

•

Jonathan Bernis

You Get a Monthly Update Showing Your Impact

Say “Yes!” to becoming a Shalom Partner! jewishvoice.org/shalompartnership • 800-299-9374

Jewish Voice Ministries International P.O. Box 31998 Phoenix, AZ 85046-1998 USA 602-971-8501 1-800-299-9374 www.jewishvoice.org

Jewish Voice Ministries Canada P.O. Box 476 Maple Ridge, BC V2X 3P2 1-855-793-7482 www.jewishvoice.ca

Jewish Voice Ministries UK Admail 4224 London W2 4UN 1-855-993-7482 www.jvmi.co.uk

/JewishVoice /jewishvoicetoday @jewish_voice

Magazine questions or comments: magazine@jewishvoice.org

Holy Work in the Holy Land

HOLY WORK IN THE HOLY LAND BY JONATHAN BERNIS

n my work as the President and CEO of Jewish Voice Ministries, I often get to teach and minister to people who have not yet had the privilege of traveling to the Holy Land. I love talking about Israel. It’s a beautiful place and holds so much meaning for the people of God. Every time I go, I feel the presence of the Lord even more deeply. One thing I’ve noticed over the years is that no matter who I’m talking to, people are always surprised by just how geographically small the country is. Israel is the epicenter of God’s redemption story, and yet the country is really not much bigger than the tiny state of New Jersey. I’m reminded of a parable that Yeshua ( Jesus) shared with His followers about the mustard seed. It’s a tiny seed that grows into a huge, sturdy plant. It can be the same with our faith. Jesus said, “Amen, I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move” (Matthew 17:20). Israel is like that mustard seed: it seems insignificant to the undiscerning eye. But in fact, I believe it is the most important sliver of land in the history of the world.

schools, hospitals and neighborhoods. Think about it like this: students inside American schools have fire drills. In Israel, students learn how to take shelter during a missile strike. It’s not just missiles, either. Palestinian terrorists from groups like the Palestinian Liberation Organization and the fundamentalist Islamic group Hamas have attacked Israelis with car bombs, guns and knives. Sometimes, terrorists ram cars into crowds. Time and time again, perpetrators testify afterwards that their aim was simple: they wanted to kill Jews. Not every Palestinian feels this way, and certainly not every Palestinian is a terrorist. But the strife has hardened an entire generation of politically-minded and often influential Palestinians against Israel. Even the Palestinian Authority – the internationally

One of the most rewarding parts of our ministry at Jewish Voice is that we get to serve the people of Israel, who need both physical protection from their enemies and the spiritual opportunity to hear the Good News that Jesus is their Messiah. But I believe that in order to effectively minister in Israel, we first have to understand what’s going on on the ground there. So I want to share with you some of the challenges Israel faces today – not to scare you, but to impress upon you just how important it is that we pray for and support God’s people there.

ISRAEL TODAY To live in Israel today is to live in a constant state of vigilance. Since it became a nation in 1948, leaders of several nearby nations have disputed not just Israel’s borders, but the country’s very right to exist. The conflict between Israel and Palestinian authorities in particular has led all too often to terrible bloodshed and tragedy. In fact, since 2001, more than 28,000 rockets have been fired into Israel from Palestinian territory. That works out to roughly four rockets every day for eighteen years. Terrorists often aim the rockets at military targets, but they also point them elsewhere:

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Due to the challenges Israel faces today, it is important that we pray for and support them in any way we can.

recognized government over the Palestinian territories – admitted last year that they pay financial rewards to the families of terrorists who target Israelis. These threats would be challenge enough for any nation, let alone one as small as Israel. But in fact it’s not just Palestinian terrorists who oppose Israel’s right to exist. Many other Middle Eastern nations harbor a supernatural hatred for the people of Israel, including dangerous regimes like those in Syria and Iran.

1st Quarter 2020

Holy Work in the Holy Land

HOLY WORK IN THE HOLY LAND BY JONATHAN BERNIS

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Due to the challenges Israel faces today, it is important that we pray for and support them in any way we can.

1st Quarter 2020

Holy Work in the Holy Land

Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, speaks at United Nations Headquarters. Photo credit: Shutterstock.com

Modern Iranian leaders have been outspoken in their desire to see Israel destroyed. Still, Israel has remained patient and hesitant to respond with violence to Iran’s provocations. But tensions are rising even today as Iran seeks to expand its nuclear program. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had nothing but praise for President Donald Trump after he pulled out of the U.S.–Iranian Nuclear Deal last year. (Trump and many other U.S. leaders were concerned that despite U.S. sanctions, Iranian leaders couldn’t be trusted to keep its uranium enrichment under agreed-upon levels.) But that doesn’t mean Iran has stopped working toward building its own nuclear bomb. Netanyahu and the entire Israeli government must be vigilant against this terrifying effort. If a regime bent on violent anti-Semitism one day builds a weapon that could destroy Israel in one fell swoop, a human catastrophe could be right around the corner. All of Israel’s citizens are under threat – and that includes a small but important subset of the population from Ethiopia. Today there are roughly 140,000 Ethiopian Jewish people – members of the Beta Israel community – who have emigrated to Israel since the 1980s. In 2015, the Israeli government promised to bring the remaining 10,000 Ethiopian Jews to Israel by 2020. These Jewish brothers and

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Holy Work in the Holy Land

sisters are coming to Israel to escape anti-Semitism, violence and abject poverty; but uprooting and moving to a new country is still tremendously difficult. Israel welcomes these immigrants, but the Ethiopian Jews often face a language barrier and other difficulties that accompany adjusting to life in an entirely new place.

to some metaphorical “Jerusalem in the sky” – He is coming back to Jerusalem. The same beautiful, ancient city that weathers so many religious and cultural conflicts today will be the site of the final redemption of all those who call upon the name of Jesus! Just look at this incredible End Times prophecy we find in the book of Zechariah:

The plight of the Ethiopian Jewish people is painful to witness. The Palestinian and Iranian threats are terrifying. And the instability and antiSemitism found in many other of Israel’s neighbors – think Lebanon, Syria and others – make a lethal combination. But perhaps the most heart-breaking threat facing Israel today is not the threat of violence, but the hatred that comes from the rest of the world; even nations in the west.

On that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem . . . Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with Him.

There are 193 countries that belong to the United Nations. The UN is supposed to be an organization that seeks peace beyond borders, ethnicities or religions. Unfortunately, that has not been the case. Even in our age of evil North Korean dictatorships and extreme Islamic terror in countries like Iran, Nigeria and Syria, the UN has actually passed more resolutions condemning Israel than every other country in the world combined. It’s so absurd that it can only lead me to one conclusion: this is supernatural. This is intense spiritual warfare against Israel.

WHY SHOULD WE CARE? Given the huge odds stacked against Israel, it might be tempting to throw up our hands in despair. But my friends, to do that would be to miss God’s heart.

—Zechariah 14:4, 5 (NIV)

And it gets even better. Not only does the Bible teach that Jerusalem, God’s “holy hill,” will be the site of Jesus’ return, but it will also be from His throne in Jerusalem that Yeshua will establish His Kingdom over all the earth.

understand why it’s so important that we stay up-todate on what’s happening there and how we can be a part of caring for both the Land and the people.

WHAT CAN WE DO? “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem,” Psalm 122 says. “They shall prosper that love thee” (KJV). I close every episode of our television show with this beautiful promise from the Old Testament. I do that for a reason. I truly believe that praying, with fervor and faith, for the people of Israel is one of the most important ways we can love and minister to our brothers and sisters who live there. But there are other ways, too. I’m so excited to share the rest of this magazine issue with you, where you’ll be introduced to some of the truly thoughtful, creative and effective ministries that are working on the ground in Israel. These folks are blessing Holocaust survivors. They are blessing impoverished Ethiopian immigrants. They are sharing the Gospel with spiritually starving Jewish people. We are so blessed to work with fantastic partner ministries, and it is my sincere hope that you’ll be as inspired by their work as I am.

It is my sincere hope that this vision of Jerusalem – as the city where Jesus will return and reign over a world with no more pain – captures your heart as it has mine. Because when we know just how special the Land of Israel is to our own story – even if we live halfway around the world – then we can begin to

First and foremost, the people of Israel are fellow image-bearers of the God of Israel. They deserve our respect, care and support for that reason alone. But the Bible paints an even bigger picture. The story of the nation of Israel and the story of God’s people across the world are supernaturally intertwined. Not only is the Land of Israel the physical place God promised to give to Abraham’s descendants; not only is it where Jesus lived and sacrificed His life here on earth; but it’s also center stage for the next chapter in God’s redemption story. The Bible is clear: when Jesus returns, He is not coming back to New York. He’s not coming to London or Paris or Dubai. And He’s not coming back

Jonathan Bernis

1st Quarter 2020

Holy Work in the Holy Land

Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, speaks at United Nations Headquarters. Photo credit: Shutterstock.com

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Holy Work in the Holy Land

On that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem . . . Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with Him.

WHY SHOULD WE CARE? Given the huge odds stacked against Israel, it might be tempting to throw up our hands in despair. But my friends, to do that would be to miss God’s heart.

—Zechariah 14:4, 5 (NIV)

understand why it’s so important that we stay up-todate on what’s happening there and how we can be a part of caring for both the Land and the people.

Jonathan Bernis

1st Quarter 2020

Going Up to Israel: Why Aliyah?

Going Up to Israel:

rebirth of Israel, after millennia of expulsions and persecution, at last, the Jewish people had a homeland from which no one could kick them out. The fledgling country opened its doors to Jewish people the world over, and hundreds of thousands immigrated in the first three years.

Why Aliyah?

Though the Holocaust ended, antiSemitism has not. Jewish people are still discriminated against and persecuted in various ways. Aliyah offers them the hope of relief and the ability to defend themselves as Jewish people in a Jewish State and homeland.

JEWISH VOICE STAFF WRITER

New Jewish immigrants making aliyah in Ben Gurion Airport. Photo credit: Shutterstock.com

“A

s long as in the heart within, the Jewish soul yearns . . . our hope is not yet lost – the hope that is 2,000 years old, to be a free nation in our own land.”

These words from Israel’s national anthem express a longing in many Jewish people that causes them to miss a home where they’ve never lived – Israel. Thousands of Jewish people move to Israel each year. But why? The Hebrew word aliyah means “to go up, ascend or rise.” It is the term used for Jewish immigration to Israel, also known as “making aliyah.” Over the centuries, various factors have motivated Jewish people to move to Israel.

ZIONISM Several times in Israel’s history, her people were removed from the Land that God had promised to them. Then, in 70 A.D., Roman armies took over Jerusalem, destroying the Temple and scattering the Jewish people throughout the world into a “diaspora” (dispersion) that still exists today. The Jewish dream of returning has been alive ever since.

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Zionism – the pursuit of re-establishing Israel as a homeland for the Jewish people – inspired many to immigrate. As a movement, Zionism was officially born in 1897 with the First Zionist Congress in Basel, Switzerland. But the first Zionist writings were published some 50 years prior when more than 7,000 Jewish people lived in Israel, sustaining a foothold in the Land. Since 1948, when the State of Israel was reborn, Zionism continues as a movement to protect and secure Israel’s future. For some Jewish people today, supporting Zionism means making aliyah.

PERSECUTION and POVERTY Ever since the Jewish people were scattered, they have endured the weight of prejudice, superstitions and blame for “killing Jesus.” Throughout the centuries, this everyday discrimination gave rise to waves of violent persecution unlike anything consistently directed at any other people group. It is no surprise that such a history would stir up the longing for a homeland of their own. The Holocaust left hundreds of thousands of Jewish survivors without a home or citizenship. With the

Poverty in some Jewish communities around the world creates an added motivation. For many, Israel offers the hope of a better life in a firstworld country. But what about Jewish people who are neither Zionistic, nor persecuted nor impoverished?

ISRAEL is HOME On average, more than 6,000 people immigrate to Israel each year from the U.S., Canada, France and the United Kingdom. Why would they leave comfortable lives in prosperous countries to move to Israel? The simple reason is that Israel has always been “home” to the Jewish people. Passover Seders worldwide end with the saying, “Next year, in Jerusalem!” Many Jewish people long to live in a place where their faith and people are the norm rather than the exception. Despite never having lived in Israel, aliyah is like going home to where they don’t have to try to fit in amid a non-Jewish culture. Home to a place that, instead of challenging their Jewish identity, strengthens it. Home to a deep sense of belonging rather than irreconcilable difference.

ULTIMATELY, GOD is at WORK Why do people make aliyah? The ultimate answer is that God is working through many inspirations to bring His people back into the Land, just as He promised.

“Then say to them, thus says Adonai Elohim: ‘Behold, I will take Bnei-Yisrael from among the nations, where they have gone. I will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land.” ––Ezekiel 37:21 Above all motivations, God is fulfilling His promise by placing in Jewish hearts an inexplicable longing. One immigrant described it on the website of a radio program dedicated to aliyah: “Something inside is driving us. It’s almost [un] explainable, but it is real. I can tell you that it was an unstoppable feeling. It was a constant pull from the inside . . . . Every time I visited Israel, I felt at peace; when I left, I was in pain. I am not alone in the phenomenon. Others describe the same.”1 Yes, the Jewish heart still yearns with a longing to return to the Land of their fathers. It resides in Jewish hearts because God has planted it there. Jewish Voice supports aliyah efforts by providing financial support to ministries that provide practical aid to those seeking to emigrate. Services offered by our partner ministries include consultations and archive research and translation to help prove their Jewishness. Jewish Voice and our partner ministries also teach Jewish and Christian communities throughout the world to connect with each other and with God’s plan for the return of His Jewish people to the Land. 1 Arutz Sheva Radio, http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Radio/ News.aspx/4688

1st Quarter 2020

Going Up to Israel: Why Aliyah?

Going Up to Israel:

Why Aliyah?

JEWISH VOICE STAFF WRITER

New Jewish immigrants making aliyah in Ben Gurion Airport. Photo credit: Shutterstock.com

“A

s long as in the heart within, the Jewish soul yearns . . . our hope is not yet lost – the hope that is 2,000 years old, to be a free nation in our own land.”

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ULTIMATELY, GOD is at WORK Why do people make aliyah? The ultimate answer is that God is working through many inspirations to bring His people back into the Land, just as He promised.

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Hope for the Forgotten

HOPE FOR THE FORGOTTEN

Jonathan Bernis ministering to Holocaust survivors in Israel.

JEWISH VOICE STAFF WRITER

IT WAS UNIMAGINABLE FOR THEM. Today’s Holocaust survivors witnessed countless atrocities when they were children. They had parents, siblings and other family members wrenched from them to be executed as part of Hitler’s plan to exterminate God’s Chosen People. Holocaust survivors lived through one of the darkest times in modern history, making it all the more tragic that for some of them currently living in Israel their final years are filled with loneliness, poverty, disease and pain. Their suffering should have ended, but for many it has not.

Today’s Holocaust Survivor There are approximately 180,000 Holocaust survivors living in Israel, and that number is dwindling every day. Survivors are typically in worse physical, emotional and financial shape than other people their age. The effects of starvation, frostbite, torture, medical experimentation and lack of medical and dental

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care when they were children have only served to exacerbate the normal problems of aging. Many lost their entire family to the Holocaust and now have no one to care for them in their old age. Tens of thousands of them in Israel live below the poverty line, and as a result, these people – who suffered more intensely in their lives than we can imagine – find themselves once again enduring hardship, with incomes so meager they must often choose between the medications they need to survive and adequate food. Their meager incomes provide for the bare necessities, but don’t allow for a properly prescribed pair of glasses or extensive dental treatments that will help ease pain and bring comfort to their final years. Israel does provide special rights for Holocaust survivors, but Israel’s welfare minister has reported that thousands of survivors in Israel have never received the government assistance owed to them. Accessing that assistance is an often-overwhelming bureaucratic maze for these survivors to go through – especially since so much of it is online, and many of these people have no one to advocate for them.

No wonder so many of them feel forgotten and alone.

Changing the Outcome That’s why Jewish Voice Ministries is committed to serving them with vision and dental care. After all they’ve endured in their lives, it’s a joy to do what we can to bridge the gap of unmet needs for these fragile Jewish people in Israel, specifically in the areas of vision and dental care.

The reason for our work is simple: to help Holocaust survivors live out their final years with the dignity and comfort they deserve and to share the love of Jesus. Your support means so much to us, but it means even more to the Holocaust survivors we’re able to help because of your generosity. Thank you for your wonderful partnership.

When eyeglasses and dental care are beyond the reach of national aid and monthly income, Jewish Voice is providing free examinations, custom prescription eyeglasses and extensive dental work. Proper eye care will enhance their quality of life immeasurably, allowing them to read and write more easily, watch television or even navigate safely through their daily lives. If dental problems are left untreated, the pain can lead to malnutrition, and the infections stemming from poor oral hygiene can lead to heart disease. Our JVMI staff is currently working with dentists in Israel to provide much-needed dental work to Holocaust survivors all throughout the year.

1st Quarter 2020

Hope for the Forgotten

HOPE FOR THE FORGOTTEN

Jonathan Bernis ministering to Holocaust survivors in Israel.

JEWISH VOICE STAFF WRITER

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No wonder so many of them feel forgotten and alone.

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Seeing for Myself

Seeing for Myself JEWISH VOICE EMPLOYEE, LATRICIA HAVER

A FIRST-HAND ACCOUNT OF HOW JVMI’S SUPPORT OF ISRAEL MINISTRIES IS CHANGING LIVES

ast summer, I was blessed with the opportunity to go to Israel. First, I went on the JVMI Israel Tour, seeing the Holy Land for the first time. Afterward, I spent a week working with our Israel Program Manager. Together we visited several of the more than 70 local ministries that Jewish Voice supports in Israel. The ministries Jewish Voice supports throughout Israel range from services for the preborn to programs for the elderly. I visited a school for the arts, a drug rehabilitation facility and a pregnancy center. I met people running legal practices assisting clients in

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various capacities as well as an organization that connects ministries with sources of financial support. I also met with representatives of a ministry that operates largely underground by sharing the Gospel in a unique way. I hope this sampling of ministries shows you, our partners, just how extensively your support of Jewish Voice reaches into Israel. I think it also reveals why we partner with these other organizations: They can accomplish so much more than we could ever hope to do by ourselves because they have ground-level access to meeting the needs of their local communities with the Good News and practical aid. I spent one day with an organization that uses an unconventional way to spread the Gospel. Part of what they do is relational. Through their field of ministry, they build relationships with individuals in their program. All are welcome, which creates opportunities to minister to Orthodox Jews as well as

Arab Muslims in Israel. When a Jewish person comes to faith in Yeshua ( Jesus), the organization helps plug them into a local Messianic congregation. The group also has its own fellowship where new Believers can attend and continue to be discipled. Members of the organization told me how God called them to this work and the positive impact it has had on their lives. We also support several Messianic congregations in Israel and their affiliate ministries, such as the art center I visited. This ministry openly declares that they exist to help individuals develop their talents in order to bring glory to God. People of all ages and faiths come to study music and art there, but the center’s heart is for discipling Believers. They conduct free, live festivals and concerts in Israel so the Gospel can be shared. The program directs many children and adults alike to Jesus. I was particularly impressed with a set of twin girls I met at the art center, whose parents had made aliyah from Ethiopia. These first-generation Israelis are now preparing for their military service in the IDF, and they shared with me how much the art center had impacted their lives since they began participating at an early age. Through this art center, the girls had been given the opportunity to take lessons and perform with the group and had not only grown in musical skill over the years but also in their relationship with Yeshua. The rehab center I visited successfully helps people overcome alcohol and drug addiction. It goes even further by helping them find jobs, reintegrate into society, and eventually have homes of their own. The people who operate this ministry are quite possibly some of the most compassionate individuals I have ever met. They minister to drug addicts while they are still on the street, meeting their basic needs. Then, when individuals are ready to be free from addiction, they are invited into the center, which looks like a home. They receive the rehabilitation counseling they need to overcome their addiction – along with the love of Yeshua, the Gospel and discipleship. I attended a Bible study with the group, and the genuine worship that sprang from them was amazing. JVMI’s support helps pay part of the rent for this rehab center. The cost of living in Israel is extremely high. I could not imagine being unwed and pregnant in a place where a not-too-fancy meal can cost a day’s wage.

Approximately one in 10 pregnancies in Israel ends in abortion. Many occur because the mother is not in a financial position to care for a child. The pregnancy center I visited helps alleviate financial stress for the women so that they can keep their babies. When an expectant mother enters the program, she receives help during her pregnancy and through the entire first year of the baby’s life. This includes baby clothes, diapers, formula, strollers, cribs and other items. Jewish Voice is helping this pro-life pregnancy center fight for the preborn in Israel. My trip to Israel was a humbling experience. As a tourist, walking in the very places that Jesus walked brought a sense of closeness to Him that I can’t describe and hadn’t felt before. The Bible came alive to me – not just by seeing those sacred places, but by the heart of God that was incredibly evident in the ministries that took the time to share with me. These places offer so much hope and healing that I was overwhelmed. Meeting these wonderful people who share the Gospel and help Jewish Believers throughout Israel showed me how desperately their ministries need the partnership Jewish Voice provides. And how incredibly grateful they are for it. The ministries that JVMI partners with in Israel are doing amazing work. I will never forget how they opened their hearts and showed me how delicate and necessary our continued work in Israel is – because the harvest is ripe, and the workers are few. LaTricia Haver works as a Marketing Specialist at JVMI. She has worked at Jewish Voice Ministries International since 2018.

1st Quarter 2020

Seeing for Myself

Seeing for Myself JEWISH VOICE EMPLOYEE, LATRICIA HAVER

A FIRST-HAND ACCOUNT OF HOW JVMI’S SUPPORT OF ISRAEL MINISTRIES IS CHANGING LIVES

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1st Quarter 2020

What JVMI Is Doing In Israel

WHAT JVMI IS DOING IN

ISRAEL

Many Holocaust survivors live alone with no relatives nearby, and life can be lonely. JVMI partners with an organization that provides fellowship for Holocaust survivors through Bible studies, home visits and social events such as holiday meals. At a Passover Seder for Holocaust survivors, Jewish Voice put together 100 gift bags for the guests. The beautiful gift bags included a special sweet treat, an assortment of teas and a pair of mugs.

Before After

Before and after photos of a Holocaust survivor who received a full set of dentures sponsored by JVMI through our partnership with a local organization. Many Holocaust survivors develop severe dental problems because of the near starving conditions they endured as children during the Holocaust. Dentures restore the ability to enjoy and properly chew food and also return beautiful smiles to their faces.

Blurry vision can interfere with and limit one’s life. In Israel, eyeglasses are too expensive for many Holocaust survivors. Jewish Voice conducts Vision Clinics that provide them with prescription glasses at no cost. If we don’t have the right glasses on hand during a Vision Clinic, we prescribe custom lenses for Holocaust survivors, have them made in the U.S. and ship them back to Israel. (This is still less expensive than the cost of a pair of eyeglasses in Israel!)

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Guests of the Passover Seder heard a speaker explain the amazing symbolism of Yeshua (Jesus) as the Lamb of God represented in the various Seder elements. Everyone had a marvelous time at the event.

A ministry JVMI partners with provided a summer social event for Holocaust survivors who received dental care sponsored by Jewish Voice. Jewish Voice provided lunch for guests along with a beautiful cut-paper piece of artwork with uplifting Scriptures from the Old Testament, created by a local Messianic Believer. During the luncheon sponsored by JVMI, Holocaust survivors enjoyed a speaker who discussed Yeshua from a historical perspective. After the lecture, every guest asked to receive a Bible, a box of which the team happened to have in the car. Through the work JVMI conducts in Israel, this woman received a lovely set of teeth. At the summer luncheon, she spontaneously asked if she could speak at the microphone to share her story and how grateful she is for the difference it has made in her life. Guests and hosts of a summer luncheon for Holocaust survivors who received life-changing dental care through JVMI’s program in Israel.

1st Quarter 2020

What JVMI Is Doing In Israel

WHAT JVMI IS DOING IN

ISRAEL

Before After

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Guests of the Passover Seder heard a speaker explain the amazing symbolism of Yeshua (Jesus) as the Lamb of God represented in the various Seder elements. Everyone had a marvelous time at the event.

1st Quarter 2020

What JVMI Is Doing In Israel

Rehab centers partnering with Jewish Voice provide biblical programs that offer true freedom from addiction, through Yeshua â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the only One who can truly heal. Troubled lives experience restoration, reconciliation, a new start and new life in Yeshua. JVMI partners with ministries in Israel offering addiction rehabilitation. Residence facilities create a home-like atmosphere with as many as 15 residents at a time staying for a program that lasts about a year. Staff and workers at JVMI-partnered rehab centers truly love and care for those in their programs. This has a dramatic effect as so many of those they minister to have never known this kind of love. Through intensive, Yeshuacentered programs, residents heal and turn their lives around, often resulting in restored relationships with children and other family.

Abortion is legal in Israel up until birth. JVMI pro-life ministry partners offer education, counseling and practical support to help women keep their babies.

One of the womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s centers Jewish Voice partners with has saved 2,500 babies in 13 years. The organization sponsors mothers with practical resources through their pregnancy and the first year of the babiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; lives.

The Life Garden is a memorial to unborn children lost through abortion or miscarriage. A prayer host is available to pray with mourning women and men.

The peaceful Life Garden is a safe place for mothers and fathers to honor an unborn child and grieve their loss. Residents of the rehab center participate in the work of a communal lifestyle, which includes daily chores.

Rehab residents also attend morning prayer gatherings and Bible studies.

Planting a tree in the Life Garden in memory of an unborn child is often a significant part of post-abortion healing, which JVMI partner ministries in Israel help facilitate.

This beautiful woman is a graduate of one of the rehab programs and continues to volunteer at the center as a mentor. She attends the Bible studies and offers a helping hand when needed.

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1st Quarter 2020

What JVMI Is Doing In Israel

Abortion is legal in Israel up until birth. JVMI pro-life ministry partners offer education, counseling and practical support to help women keep their babies.

The Life Garden is a memorial to unborn children lost through abortion or miscarriage. A prayer host is available to pray with mourning women and men.

Rehab residents also attend morning prayer gatherings and Bible studies.

Planting a tree in the Life Garden in memory of an unborn child is often a significant part of post-abortion healing, which JVMI partner ministries in Israel help facilitate.

This beautiful woman is a graduate of one of the rehab programs and continues to volunteer at the center as a mentor. She attends the Bible studies and offers a helping hand when needed.

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1st Quarter 2020

Together, Blessing Israel with Help and Eternal Hope

YOU HELP SUPPORT OVER 70 MINISTRY PARTNERS!

TOGETHER, BLESSING ISRAEL WITH HELP AND

ETERNAL

HOPE

MORE THAN 50 YEARS AGO, JEWISH VOICE MINISTRIES BEGAN SHARING THE GOSPEL.

his truth is the basis of our vision to see all Israel saved and fuels our mission to proclaim the Gospel to the Jew first around the world, grow the Messianic Jewish community and engage the Church concerning Israel and the Jewish people. While our heart for Israel has afforded us opportunities to minister and provide desperately needed humanitarian aid to God’s Chosen People around the world, many of our most urgent efforts are focused on Israel. Today, Jewish Voice Ministries International ( JVMI) is honored to work with more than 70 ministry partners in Israel. These organizations have the ability to most effectively reach out into their communities with practical aid, spiritual guidance and the Good News that Jesus is the long-awaited Jewish Messiah.

Here are some of the ways your gifts to Jewish Voice are being put to use all across Israel through JVMI’s boots-on-the-ground partnerships to impact lives:

Transforming and Restoring Lives through Addiction Rehabilitation Israel is the ancient Holy Land, but it’s also a modern society facing contemporary issues. JVMI partners are coming alongside Israeli men, women and youth battling addiction and alcoholism. The counseling, rehabilitation and discipleship work they’re doing, and the Gospel message they’re sharing, are transforming and restoring lives.

Offering Aliyah and Immigrant Assistance Internationals living in Israel who want to immigrate and become official citizens of Israel through aliyah often need help navigating the difficult application process. Assimilation for a new

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immigrant can be challenging as well. Our partners come alongside individuals and families to help them through the various steps, including helping immigrants to learn the language, acquire job skills and find employment.

Imparting Education, Bible Teaching and Discipleship You’ve heard the saying, “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach him to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.” Similarly, ministry multiplies through education. Jewish Voice’s work with our partners to train Believers how to share the Gospel with Jewish people. They are being equipped to use their gifts to edify the body of Messiah. Not only is this bearing fruit today, it will multiply through future generations.

Caring for Holocaust Survivors JVMI’s outreach to Holocaust

survivors provides much-needed dental procedures and eyeglasses that are out of the reach of their meager, fixed incomes. In this way, we not only share the love of Jesus but also enable this dwindling generation to live more comfortably in their final years.

Providing Humanitarian Aid Jewish Voice ministry partners meet the basic needs of struggling Israelis through food distribution, hot meals, shelter and clothing. Some provide emergency aid to communities in crisis, such as southern towns enduring rocket fire from Gaza. These ministries meet people in their most desperate need and thereby open the door for the Gospel to bring true hope and transformation to these troubled lives.

Serving Israeli-Arab Reconciliation The pursuit of peace between Israelis and Arabs remains a critical matter in Israel today. JVMI partners with organizations in Israel working to improve relationships between Israelis and Arabs living in Israel. The healing and reconciliation they encourage is found in Jesus who is Himself our peace.

communities with practical programs to meet essential needs. They are growing the Messianic community in Israel, planting new congregations and extending the reach of the Gospel across the Land.

Delivering Pro-Life Services and Assistance Israel has some of the world’s most liberal abortion laws. Approximately 10 percent of pregnancies in Israel end in abortion. Several centers supported by Jewish Voice help women choose not to abort their babies and provide for the practical needs of those new mothers, from housing to medical care to diapers and baby food each month for a child’s first year of life. Many also offer post-abortion recovery programs to minister care to women burdened by past decisions.

Helping Women in Crisis

Supporting Messianic Congregations

Jewish Voice partners with ministries that help women in Israel during some of their darkest hours. These organizations help single women and mothers overcome such daunting obstacles as homelessness, abusive relationships, addictions and prostitution. Providing practical, emotional and spiritual assistance, we are helping women turn their lives around.

Jewish Voice is helping to raise the next generation of Messianic Jewish leaders in Israel by supporting congregations that are maturing and equipping the body of Messiah. These congregations share the Gospel and serve their

NONE OF THIS WOULD BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT YOUR FAITHFUL PRAYER AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT.

Please pray for: The ministries that Jewish Voice partners with and supports in Israel and around the world, to flourish and be effective in their Kingdom mandates. • The peace of Jerusalem, as we are commanded to do in Psalm 122:6. Pray for God’s peace plan to be accomplished through the Prince of Peace, Jesus. • The salvation of the Jewish people everywhere. This salvation can only be found in Jesus the Messiah, “for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). • The establishment of God’s Kingdom, which can only occur when Jesus, our Messiah, comes to reign and rule forever.

PLEASE CONSIDER GIVING NOW TO CONTINUE TO HELP MAKE THESE ESSENTIAL MINISTRIES AND OUTREACHES POSSIBLE. When you support Jewish Voice, you are linking hands and joining hearts with likeminded Believers all over the world to proclaim the Gospel, grow the Messianic Jewish community and engage the Church concerning Israel and the Jewish people. God hasn’t changed His mind about Israel, and neither have we. We are more committed than ever to follow the mandate and mission we have received.

1st Quarter 2020

Together, Blessing Israel with Help and Eternal Hope

YOU HELP SUPPORT OVER 70 MINISTRY PARTNERS!

TOGETHER, BLESSING ISRAEL WITH HELP AND

ETERNAL

HOPE

MORE THAN 50 YEARS AGO, JEWISH VOICE MINISTRIES BEGAN SHARING THE GOSPEL.

Here are some of the ways your gifts to Jewish Voice are being put to use all across Israel through JVMI’s boots-on-the-ground partnerships to impact lives:

Jewish Voice Today 1-888-921-4582 jewishvoice.org/magazine

Caring for Holocaust Survivors JVMI’s outreach to Holocaust

communities with practical programs to meet essential needs. They are growing the Messianic community in Israel, planting new congregations and extending the reach of the Gospel across the Land.

Helping Women in Crisis

Supporting Messianic Congregations

NONE OF THIS WOULD BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT YOUR FAITHFUL PRAYER AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT.

1st Quarter 2020

HELPING A

WILL YOU PLAY A LARGER ROLE IN THIS IMPORTANT WORK? The need is urgent. The enemies of Israel aren’t stopping. Israel continues to face challenges to her existence every day. Now is the time to send a clear message that we stand with Israel and the Jewish people. We have the opportunity to provide major dental care to around 300 precious Holocaust

survivors in Israel this year. With approximate costs of $1,500 each, you play a vital role in this important outreach. You may be able to give to help one patient … or several. If you’re only able to give part of the need, joined with others, you will still make a huge difference. No matter how big or small your gift may seem, your generosity today can bless Israel

and touch the life of a Holocaust survivor in need. Perhaps you’ve heard it said, people don’t care what you know until they know that you care. Your gifts to Jewish Voice Ministries International demonstrate that you do care about Israel and God’s Chosen People – and your caring opens hearts to the Good News.

OUR THANK YOU GIFTS TO YOU As you give today, we want to thank you with these gifts of appreciation. It means so much to have you standing by our side as together we stand with Israel. Thank you for your faithful prayers and financial support.

For your gift of $20 or more: Israel Mezuzah A mezuzah is a small container placed on the doorposts of homes in accordance with the Torah’s command. Containing a scroll with the Shema from Deuteronomy chapter 6, this unique mezuzah is in the shape of the State of Israel. Placed on your doorpost, it will remind you of the Torah’s commandment to remember God’s Word, that He is one, and to pray for Israel.

For your gift of $70 or more:

3119

Israel Mezuzah NEW! Psalm 122:6 Hebrew Rustic Wall Art* PRE-ORDER TODAY! This solid wood wall art contains the words of Psalm 122:6 written in Hebrew script. The background is laser cut to leave the words “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem,” written in Hebrew letters, raised ¼” above the dark wood background. The wall piece measures 8” x 10” and includes a sawtooth hanger on the back.

For your gift of $145 or more: Israel Mezuzah Psalm 122:6 Hebrew Rustic Wall Art* Shalom Art** Shalom is the Hebrew word for “peace,” but it means much more than that. Shalom carries the additional meanings of completeness, wellbeing and NEW! wholeness. In Israel, shalom is used as a greeting and said when parting from PRE-ORDER friends or loved ones. And it is what God promises us throughout Scripture. TODAY! This lovely wall hanging of the written word Shalom resembles olivewood native to Israel. The piece measures 20” x 8” and includes a sawtooth hanger for displaying on your wall. * ** The Psalm 122:6 Hebrew Rustic Wall Art and the Shalom Art will be available in early Spring 2020. Pre-order yours now!

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR FAITHFUL SUPPORT. 20

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DWINDLING GENERATION

IN ISRAEL

he Holocaust ended 75 years ago, and remaining survivors are elderly. Thousands from this unique generation die each year. In Israel, about 25 percent of Holocaust survivors live below the poverty line. Many live alone without family nearby. Jewish Voice Ministries works through partner organizations in Israel to address unmet needs among this precious, historical population.

Serious Dental Problems After enduring near starving conditions as children during the Holocaust, survivors often experience serious tooth problems in their later years. Dentures and extensive dental work are far beyond the limited incomes of many of them. JVMI partners

with local dentists and sponsors lifechanging dental procedures to restore health and smiles.

Poor Eyesight We all know that vision fails with age. But without glasses, one lives in a blurry world, susceptible to injury and unable to read. Eyeglasses are especially expensive in Israel. There is no way that Holocaust survivors living in poverty can afford to keep up with their changing vision needs. Jewish Voice conducts vision Clinics offering clear vision at no charge. JVMI distributes hundreds of pairs of reading glasses, and for those whose vision needs are more complex, we fill custom prescriptions for them.

Food Assistance Many impoverished Holocaust survivors are forced to choose between groceries and medications or heating their homes in the winter. Jewish Voice partner ministries provide food boxes and hot meals to help sustain them each month.

A Holocaust survivor in Israel.

Loneliness and Isolation

JVMI partner ministries also build relationships with lonely Holocaust survivors through their practical aid projects, home visits and social events such as Passover Seders and special luncheons. Through this interaction, survivors meet others who endured the war and enjoy meaningful opportunities to share life together. The homebound learn they are not forgotten, and they receive the genuine love and care of people working in our partner ministries.

Salvation It is our joy and honor to meet the practical needs of Holocaust survivors. But of eternal importance is introducing them to Jesus, their Messiah. This is a slow and sensitive task in Israel. Yet it falls amid the urgency of quickly passing time for this generation. After all they’ve seen and lived through, many of them don’t believe in God at all. Please pray for these dear people to be open to hearing just how much the Lord loves them and that Jesus is the Messiah. Pray also for our ministry and partners in Israel.

1st Quarter 2020

HELPING A

For your gift of $70 or more:

3119

2206

2207

THANK YOU FOR YOUR FAITHFUL SUPPORT. 20

Jewish Voice Today 1-888-921-4582 jewishvoice.org/magazine

DWINDLING GENERATION

IN ISRAEL

with local dentists and sponsors lifechanging dental procedures to restore health and smiles.

A Holocaust survivor in Israel.

Loneliness and Isolation

1st Quarter 2020

They Found

JESUS

JEWISH VOICE EMPLOYEE, JUDI CLARKE Jewish Voice partners with a wide array of ministries in Israel. They focus on varying needs in their communities, but they all have one thing in common: a passion to help people find eternal life in Jesus. Here are a couple of their stories . . .

amuel* didn’t hear anything about God in his Israeli home – not with an atheist Jewish father and an unbelieving mother. At about 9 years old, his curiosity led him to attend synagogue services on his own. But he didn’t fit in and felt unaccepted because of his non-Jewish mother. He decided that he didn’t want any part of God and became an atheist for many years.

Samuel’s interest in God grew when he was a student living away from home. He got involved in some unrelated extracurricular studies at an organization supported by Jewish Voice. He connected instantly with the leader and felt safe asking him questions about God. “How can I know God will listen to my prayers?” he asked one night. His teacher encouraged him to find a quiet place and pray and see if God answered. Alone in a dark and intimidating forest, Samuel prayed, “God, if you exist, I just want to feel You.” Immediately, he felt a sense of safety in the foreboding woods. He felt God’s love as he told Him everything in his heart. He couldn’t wait to tell his teacher. When he did, the leader revealed that he believes in Jesus. “I want to know more!” Samuel said. When he began reading the New Testament, he had so many more questions that he asked to meet with his leader before classes to talk about the Bible.

But he felt an emptiness. “Every time I tried to fill it, it leaked out,” Samuel said. Something was missing, and he eventually concluded, “There has to be a God.”

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After several months, Samuel knew that he needed to accept Jesus as Messiah. He went to the Western Wall and said a prayer of faith in Jesus. When he walked away, he felt it: no more emptiness!

Fayza* made aliyah from Gondar, Ethiopia, as a young girl. A difficult upbringing caused her to leave home at just 17 years old. She went on to finish high school and her mandatory military service, after which, she began working. She also began drinking. Fayza is the single mother of two small children. As her alcoholism grew worse, the state took her children and was prepared to force her into a staterun rehabilitation program. Someone told her about a different center, one of Jewish Voice’s ministry partners, and she called them. That same day, the director picked her up and brought her to the center.

way to come out of such a deep condition is through connection to God,” Fayza said. “He is the only one who can pull you out.” These are just two of the many stories of changed lives that happen every day because of the ministries Jewish Voice partners with. They are working on the ground in Israel to share the Gospel by extending His love in practical ways that reach the very hearts of God’s Chosen People. *Names have been changed to protect their identities.

“He took care of me like he would his youngest daughter,” Fayza said. “I experienced a warmth and love that I never knew from my parents.” The center provided meals and a home as the staff led Fayza though recovery. They also taught her about Yeshua, and she gave her life to Him. Fayza has been sober for two years. “By the grace of God, and the help of the director, his wife and the helpers, I have also gotten my children back.” Fayza is so grateful for what she gained at the rehab center. “First of all, is getting to know Jesus!” she said. She knows she would not have gotten the help she needed at the other facility. “The only

1st Quarter 2020

They Found

JESUS

But he felt an emptiness. “Every time I tried to fill it, it leaked out,” Samuel said. Something was missing, and he eventually concluded, “There has to be a God.”

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After several months, Samuel knew that he needed to accept Jesus as Messiah. He went to the Western Wall and said a prayer of faith in Jesus. When he walked away, he felt it: no more emptiness!

1st Quarter 2020

Ministering Full-Circle to the Ethiopian Jewish Community

MINISTERING Full-Circle to the ETHIOPIAN JEWISH COMMUNITY JEWISH VOICE EMPLOYEE, LATRICIA HAVER

hough I knew that thousands of Ethiopians immigrated to Israel through these operations, I was surprised by how many Ethiopian Israelis I ran into when I was in Israel last summer. In Old Town Jerusalem, two young ladies visiting from Ethiopia asked me for directions. As they walked away, I thought of our Medical Outreaches and how so many of the people we serve in Ethiopia don’t have the resources to care for their own basic needs, let alone relocate to Israel. I thought of the thousands left behind when the airlift operations were discovered and forced to stop. The Ethiopians had left everything to travel to pickup locations, and many were left stranded, living in poverty and still longing to go “home” to Israel. These and others are the Jewish people that JVMI cares for when we bring Medical Outreach Clinics to Ethiopia.

Ethiopian Jewish woman prays, facing the old city, at the Sigd. Photo credit: Shutterstock.com

West of Jerusalem is a memorial site on Mount Herzl. Among its remembrances is an Ethiopian Memorial commemorating some 4,000 Ethiopian Jewish people who died en route to Israel. During the violent years of Ethiopia’s civil war, Israel made secret plans to rescue as many Ethiopian Jewish people as possible by airlift from Sudan. The project took years, and thousands of Ethiopia’s Jews set out walking to Sudan. In the early 1980s, Israel rescued 8,000 Ethiopian Jewish people before the covert mission was exposed. But 4,000 perished on the journey to Sudan or while waiting in camps there. Israel conducted other rescue operations through 1991.

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Ethiopian immigrants streaming out of the aircraft Hercules. Photo credit: wikimedia.org

The largest was called Operation Solomon, during which more than 14,000 Ethiopian Jews immigrated to Israel by secret, emergency airlifts. Jerusalem Ethiopian Jews Memorial. Photo credit: wikipedia.org

During my time visiting with our partner ministries in Israel, I met even more Ethiopian Israelis. I spoke with a woman at an Israeli pregnancy center that Jewish Voice partners with, who was an Ethiopian immigrant. She was receiving care for her young child and was expecting another. She spoke of the difficulty that some Ethiopian immigrants have in securing adequate pay in Israel. She shared that though the living conditions in Israel are better than she experienced in Ethiopia, many Ethiopian Israelis are still very, very poor, and not widely accepted by their Jewish brothers and sisters. It is often difficult for Ethiopians to find jobs and even places to live. Regardless of the difficulty, this woman’s desire to remain in Israel is strong. For her, Israel is home. Another Ethiopian woman was receiving care at a rehabilitation center Jewish Voice partners with. Her parents made aliyah before she was born, and she completed her schooling and IDF service as any other Israeli would.

After falling on hard times, she came to know Yeshua ( Jesus) through the rehab center. She was grateful that God provided for her through JVMI’s partnership with this ministry, noting what a difference that knowing Jesus has made in her life. I also met two very beautiful young Ethiopian-Israeli women who study music at an arts center that is a partner of Jewish Voice. You may recall I mentioned these young ladies in an earlier article in this issue. They shared with me how their parents had made aliyah from Ethiopia and were now thriving in Israel. These young ladies were active in their Messianic congregation, had just finished their formal schooling and were getting ready to go into the IDF this fall. They asked me many questions about our Medical Outreaches in Ethiopia and expressed a strong desire to return and help their people. That is what I love most about the Ethiopian people. They are kind, happy, thankful people. They are eager to help where needed in whatever capacity they can. After my visit to Israel, I participated in our Medical Outreach in the Kechene neighborhood of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. I found that the Messianic community in Ethiopia is thriving, and not only do they feel the call to care for their own people in Ethiopia, they feel the call to return to Israel and share the Gospel with the Jewish community there. I also recognized how broad Jewish Voice’s work with Ethiopian Jewish people is. In Ethiopia, we care for their healthcare needs through our Medical Outreaches. We share the Gospel with them, and our Congregation and Leadership Development team nurtures Messianic congregations that disciple new Believers and share Yeshua. Through JVMI’s Israeli ministry partners, we care for Ethiopians who have made it “home” as immigrants to Israel. I saw that our Outreaches are not something that we do simply to give humanitarian aid to impoverished people, though we love doing that. They are an extension of what we are doing in Israel, caring for the Jew first – that ALL Israel may be saved, whether they are home yet or not. Our ministry to Ethiopian Jewish people comes full circle.

1st Quarter 2020

Ministering Full-Circle to the Ethiopian Jewish Community

MINISTERING Full-Circle to the ETHIOPIAN JEWISH COMMUNITY JEWISH VOICE EMPLOYEE, LATRICIA HAVER

Ethiopian Jewish woman prays, facing the old city, at the Sigd. Photo credit: Shutterstock.com

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Ethiopian immigrants streaming out of the aircraft Hercules. Photo credit: wikimedia.org

1st Quarter 2020

WHAT IT TAKES TO MAKE

ALIYAH

Hebrew School WITH

RABBI JACK ZIMMERMAN

ou’ve no doubt heard repeatedly that God refers to the Jewish people as His Chosen People. But what exactly does that word, “chosen” actually mean? In this installment of Hebrew School, we take a closer look. In Hebrew, the word for “chosen” is pronounced, “baCHAR” and looks like this:

New Jewish immigrants making aliyah in Ben Gurion Airport.

JEWISH VOICE STAFF WRITER

Photo credit: Shutterstock.com

In 1950,

just two years after the State of Israel formed, Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion signed The Law of Return. It states that “Every Jew has the right to come to this country as an oleh,” a Jewish immigrant to Israel (plural: olim). It goes on to say that permission shall be granted to every Jewish person wanting to settle in Israel unless the Minister of Immigration finds them to be “engaged in an activity directed against the Jewish people or is likely to endanger public health or the security of the State.”

PAPERWORK Making aliyah is a process. The first wave of paperwork involves an Aliyah Questionnaire, Health Declaration and other forms.

PROOFS A prospective oleh must provide

proof of identity and Jewishness and have no criminal record. Acceptable religious documents include a Jewish marriage certificate, bar/bat mitzvah certificate and evidence of synagogue membership or Jewish burial of parents or grandparents. Civil documents required are a passport, birth certificate and marriage license as well as a “No Criminal Record” certificate. If these documents are not original, they must be authenticated by the international equivalent of a notary.

INTERVIEW Every oleh also goes through a personal interview and is asked questions about their family, Jewish background, employment history and why they want to make aliyah. Olim must also discuss how they plan to settle and assimilate into Israeli society, a process called “absorption.”

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ABSORPTION Absorption requires much forethought. One must research communities, housing, employment, schools and the possibility of mandatory military service. An international move from the West often also means paring down and planning to ship possessions. Once in Israel, absorption involves a myriad of details related to settling into a new country: learning the language, acquiring a driver’s license, ID, bank account and car, registering children for school, health insurance and more. An Absorption Coordinator helps olim for their first year, and the State of Israel provides limited financial support to ease the transition. Additional assistance is potentially available, by application, through a few nonprofit organizations. 1 The law of Return can be found on the Israeli Knesset website, www.Knesset.gov.il.

One of the most common definitions of “chosen” is “having been selected as the best or most appropriate.” But ba-CHAR goes much deeper than that. For example, remember the story in Matthew 23 where Yeshua issues His woes against the Pharisees? Among other things, He accuses them of presenting themselves as holy and pious people on the outside, yet on the inside, they’re nothing of the sort. Well, in Isaiah 48, we read of a similar story. That’s where God exposes the sins of Israel. Outwardly they call on His name, claiming to be His children and speaking of their devotion to Jerusalem, but inwardly, they really don’t mean what they say. This familiar pattern is followed by God forgiving and redeeming His people, as evidenced in verse 10 where it says in the Jewish Voice Bible (Tree of Life Version), “Behold, I have refined you, though not as silver. I tested you in the furnace of affliction.” Believe it or not, the word, “ba-CHAR” is in that verse. But you don’t see the word, “chosen” in there at all, do you? That’s because ba-CHAR doesn’t simply refer to one who is chosen. It speaks of the entire process that one goes through to make their choice. In our Isaiah verse, “ba-CHAR” refers to being tested. Thus, before someone is chosen, they must first be tested or examined. So, they have to prove themselves worthy of being chosen in the first place. That being the case, we are presented with quite a dilemma: What did Israel do to prove herself worthy of being called, “God’s Chosen People”? And the truth is….uh…nothing much, actually.

Because if you read Deuteronomy 7, we see that

R A B B I JAC K

Israel’s chosen status had nothing to do with any merit or righteousness of her own, and everything to do with God upholding His covenant promises.

It is not because you are more numerous than all the peoples that Adonai set His love on you and chose you – for you are the least of all peoples. Rather, because of His love for you and His keeping the oath He swore to your fathers, Adonai brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. —Deuteronomy 7:7-8

And that oath God swore to their fathers – that their father Abraham would become a powerful and great nation, and all nations would be blessed through him? What a profound thought! That, as a result of Israel’s chosen status, anyone and everyone who blesses her, would benefit as well! But this still doesn’t answer the most important question of all: “chosen for what?”

The answer is that they are chosen to be an example to the world to reveal the grace and mercy of a God of unfailing love...a God who did not abandon Israel when they obviously couldn’t keep the commandments He’d set forth before them, and a God who does not abandon us when we do the same.

The “testing” to be “chosen” happened when God held the principle of that covenant intact (but thankfully not the penalty) even through Israel’s failure to keep many of the laws of the Old Covenant. He tells us in Jeremiah 31:31-33 that He would extend a new covenant where the commandments now would be upon our hearts. And through our dedication and devotion to Yeshua – the goal that all the written commandments point to – we can claim righteousness and holiness and have the promise of eternal life. And it all started with His oath to Abraham and a chosen calling to His people Israel.

1st Quarter 2020

WHAT IT TAKES TO MAKE

ALIYAH

Hebrew School WITH

RABBI JACK ZIMMERMAN

New Jewish immigrants making aliyah in Ben Gurion Airport.

JEWISH VOICE STAFF WRITER

Photo credit: Shutterstock.com

In 1950,

PAPERWORK Making aliyah is a process. The first wave of paperwork involves an Aliyah Questionnaire, Health Declaration and other forms.

PROOFS A prospective oleh must provide

Jewish Voice Today 1-888-921-4582 jewishvoice.org/magazine

Because if you read Deuteronomy 7, we see that

R A B B I JAC K

Israel’s chosen status had nothing to do with any merit or righteousness of her own, and everything to do with God upholding His covenant promises.

1st Quarter 2020

2020 OUTREACH SCHEDULE Enewari, Ethiopia March 5-15 Southern Africa July 16-26 Zimbabwe September 3-13 Ethiopia October 22-November 1 **Outreach dates and locations subject to change