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8. 18 December 2020 | Israel & Christians Today Kislev - Tevet 5781 Extinct The airport appears to be extinct. A couple of tired business travellers rush through the departure hall, with face masks and hand luggage. The car park near the departure hall is as good as empty. Until the moment at which three coaches stop. 140 Jewish youngsters get off the buses. For some, it is the first time they get a closer look at an airport. For everyone, it is the last day they call Ukraine their home country. One of the youngsters is Arthur. He is a sportsman. His parents, grandparents and two younger brothers stay behind in Ukraine. He had to travel for days to get to Kiev. It is difficult to cross the Russian- Ukrainian border. When he arrives in Israel, he will enrol in an educational programme. 6 Aliyah December 2020 | Israel & Christians Today Kislev - Tevet 5781 A Dream Come True They are the shoot I have planted, the work of my hands, for the display of my splendour. Isaiah 60:21 Sara van Oordt n Media & Communications Director | Christians for Israel Netherlands Kiev Boryspil Airport, Ukraine’s international airport. It is 3 November at three o’clock in the afternoon. In a few hours, the flight of eighteen-year-old Arthur from Donetsk will take off. He is one of the 140 Jewish youngsters who will arrive in the country he had been dreaming of for years. Code Red Entering Ukraine is not so difficult. A negative corona rapid screening test is enough to move around freely within the country. But that can change any day now: the number of contaminations in the country rises explosively. In some inland hospitals, corona patients are laid down in the corridors, because the ICUs (intensive care units) and also the other hospital departments are fully occupied. Any moment the Ukrainian Government can decide to change the travel restrictions to code red. And when that happens, all plans have to be changed again. Logistical Effort The logistical effort behind this group of Jews making Aliyah (immigrate to Israel) is a mammoth task. Seventeen employees from Christians for Israel coordinate the journey, in close cooperation with the Jewish Agency and Keren Hayesod from Israel. Passports, medical tests, luggage, airline tickets and of course face masks. Some of the Jewish youngsters fled from the war zone. From the eastern regions Donetsk and Mariupol, where there is still unrest between the Ukrainian army and the pro-Russian separatists. Dozens of minibuses left early in the morning from all over the country. A country, twenty times the size of Israel. On sometimes difficult roads, on their way to the Promised Land. But they are here now, all of them. They are ready to leave. From 27 villages and cities in Ukraine, now on their way to Israel Arthur from Donetsk.

16. 6 December 2020 | Israel & Christians Today Kislev - Tevet 5781 Modern Day Fulfillment of Prophecy! Miracle Grape Harvest 2020 The Word of the LORD says in Jeremiah 31 “Thus says the LORD, God of Israel: I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you....Again I will build you, and you shall be built, O virgin Israel!...Again you shall plant vineyards on the mountains of Samaria. The planters shall plant and shall enjoy their fruit” And in Ezekiel 36 we read that the LORD says to the mountains of Israel that they will shoot forth their branches and yield their fruit to His people Israel that will soon return. According to famous Jewish commentators like Rabbi Abba (who lived 150 years after Yeshua) and Rashi, this phenomenon is a sure sign of the soon coming of the Messiah. After abundant rain this past winter in Israel, the harvest on the mountains promised to be PLENTIFUL! The mountains were literally dripping with the juice from the abundant grapes growing on the mountains as declared in Amos 9:13. Through the prophet Isaiah the LORD declares in chapter 61:5 that foreigners (those from the Nations) will be ploughmen and vinedressers in Israel. Through the menial, simple task of harvesting grapes on the mountains of Samaria, Almighty God has opened a way for Christians to join in this glorious work of restoring the Land by physically fulfilling 3000 year old prophecies, thereby confirming His Word and glorifying His NAME. Through an organisation called HaYovel, Christians from over 28 countries have been able to join this prophetic grape harvest on the mountains of Judea and Samaria for the past 14 years. Because of the coronavirus and all the worldwide restrictions, the possibility of Christians from the Nations going to Israel to harvest these grapes seemed like an impossibility in mid-2020. With Israel’s borders fairly closed to tourism and flights severely restricted, there was great concern for the harvest being lost this year. Australia too has closed its borders, making leaving the country nearly impossible. BUT we know that the Hand of the LORD is not short to save. We know that He is Faithful and is restoring the people and the Land. He said that vineyards will be planted on the mountains of Samaria, that the mountains will drip with wine and that He has called the Nations to participate in this glorious work through being the vinedressers. His Word will stand. His NAME will be glorified in all the earth. HalleluYAH! For HaYovel and all those who stand on the promises of the LORD to restore His Land, 2020 will certainly go down in the books as the most miraculous season for harvesting these prophetic grapes. Israel miraculously granted HaYovel permission in late August to bring in a group of 70 volunteer harvesters from the nations. Miraculously these specially selected group of volunteers from 5 different nations decided on short notice (many within 24 hours) to accept the invitation to go up to Israel for three months to bring in the harvest. Miraculously, our family representing Australia, too decided within 24 hours to heed the call even though we had no finances to accomplish this call. Miraculously other believers from Australia were moved to support us to be their hands and feet on the mountains. Miraculously our family was granted permission by Australian Border Force to leave the country to participate in this essential work. Miraculously the grapes on the mountains of Israel ripened a month late (this has never happened before), on the day the volunteers from the nations came out of quarantine, enabling them to be on time for the harvest. Miraculously they harvest 20 tons of grapes on the first day! Miraculously no one got sick on the harvest trip, not even a runny nose. During this harvest season of 2020 the volunteers (and those they represent from their nations) have partnered with the LORD in restoring the Land by: • putting in over 11,000-man hours of vol unteer service • harvested over 350 tonnes of prop hetic grapes (about 251,400 bottles of wine) • saving farmers at least $80,000 A UD • and harvested appro ximately 2.3 tonnes of olives for an Aussie born Jewish farmer. In the greening Israel program that HaYovel started this year, the volunteers also commenced the planting of a new forest on the mountains of Ephraim that will consist of 21 different species of trees. During this trip 2,279 trees were planted in this new forest! We have experienced the LORD’s Faithfulness to fulfil His Word during this year’s grape harvest, in the midst of the disrupting Coronavirus crisis and other world events. The LORD in His mercy has given us His Word that reveals His heart and purposes for us to have a strong foundation in truth and to give us a clear purpose and focus for the future. His heart is zealous for Zion. ________________________________________________________ The harvest of 2021 will be the last harvest before the Shmita year, which means the harvest should be more abundant than the preceding years. We would need many volunteers in 2021! If you are encouraged to join HaYovel in this glorious work of restoring His Name as He restores the mountains of Israel, please email deon@hayovel.com We know that He is Faithful and is restoring the people and the Land. Leoni van Baalen Australian Advocate for HaYovel

26. 24 December 2020 | Israel & Christians Today Kislev - Tevet 5781 Archeology 12 Kay Wilson n Israeli Tour Guide | Author | Cartoonist In English, if someone is referred to as a Philistine, it describes someone with bad table manners or the lazy person who sits in front of the TV drinking beer who has never picked up a book in his or her life. There is a misnomer that Philistines were rude and uneducated. The Philistines first appear in Canaan about 3,200 years ago as part of a migration of Sea People coming from Crete. The Bible names five of their cities on or near the coast: Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Gath and Ekron. The Israelites, on the other hand, settled on the central mountain ridge that runs from north to south of the country. This explains the presence of fortresses Israelites built in the foothills protecting the likes of Jerusalem. There have been several excavations in Israel to uncover the culture of the Philistines. Among them is Beit Shemesh where an ancient iron factory was discovered. Archaeologists define ancient historical periods by the material used at that time, i.e. Stone Age, Bronze Age, etc. The Philistines dealt less in inferior bronze and focussed on developing the use of iron. Hence they ushered in what is known as the Iron Age. Iron was very advanced and new technology. Harder than bronze, it gave them the upper hand in warfare and life. About halfway between Jerusalem and Ashkelon - between the coast and the mountains - sits Gath, a Philistine city and one of the largest biblical sites ever discovered in Israel. The most famous person to come from Gath was Goliath. ‘Goliath’ is a derivative of ‘Gath.’ It was in Gath that an inscription was discovered. On it are two names that are reminiscent of the name Goliath. It is also dated from 950 BCE, which is when the giant Philistine fought the young and future King David. Initial finds at the site were monumental remains of fortifications and what could be two huge gates. In addition, a man-made trench was discovered. This goes around the whole city and bears witness to the eventual defeat of Gath. Eight meters wide and more than five meters deep, it was set up by a besieging army to stop the Philistines escaping. The trench has been accurately dated to the Aramean siege mentioned in II Kings. The discovery not only corroborates the Biblical record, but it is also the earliest siege system ever discovered, not to mention that it was the eventual destruction of Gath that enabled the Israelites to expand. There is also evidence of houses that collapsed when the city was set on fire. It was the fire, no less, that sealed and preserved some objects within the rubble. Archaeologists found pottery of all kinds of shapes and colours, which were vessels used for storage, cooking, serving, and cultic rituals. Because cultures tend to rub off on each other, these discoveries of Philistine culture not only shed light on the Philistine life, but; also show us what everyday life was like during the biblical period in Canaan, the Land of Israel. We still have so much to discover, but it is safe to say that, at the moment, the idea that the Philistines were simple riffraff, is as far from the truth as can be. They were so smart they e ven have a whole period of time named after them, in honour of their artisan achievements. Without a doubt, they were the high-tech of their times. Facts Speak December 2020 | Israel & Christians Today Kislev - Tevet 5781 One of the gates into the lower city of Gath, 11th to 9th centu ry B.C.E. | Photo: Prof. Aren Maeir, Tell es-Safi Archaeological Project, Bar-Ilan University Archaeologists define ancien t historical periods by the material used at that time... ... Litres of fuel and diesel Philistines and High-Tech Erez Crossing Border crossing at the Israel- Gaza border at the northern end of the Gaza Strip. Kerem Shalom Crossing Border crossing at the south of the Gaza strip at the junction of Gaza and Israel and the Gaza- Egypt border. Summary of activity at Erez and Kerem Shalom Crossings First week of October 2020

7. 17 December 2020 | Israel & Christians Today Kislev - Tevet 5781 Israel & the World 5 Short News Top 50 Allies Israel Recently the Israel Allies Foundation published a list with fifty names of persons from all over the world who are seen as Israeli allies. According to the drafters, the people on the list are ‘Christian leaders with a profound love for Israel and a strong desire to support Israel, as a result of their faith.’ On the 29th place, we find Roger van Oordt, who was director of the Christians for Israel in the Netherlands until July 1st of this year. The foundation is described as ‘the biggest pro-Israel organisation in Europe, that not only stimulates people to buy Israeli products instead of boycotting them, and supports many projects in Israel every year, but also restored the iconic Montefiore Windmill in Jerusalem.’ This is the first time that such a list is published. | Photo above: Christians for Israel | Photo right: Shutterstock December 2020 | Israel & Christians Today Kislev - Tevet 5781 Raphael Ahren n Times of Israel On 4 November, a UN committee passed with overwhelming majorities a series of resolutions criticising the Jewish state, among other things, for ostensible human rights violations against Palestinians and ‘repressive measures’ against Syrians in the Golan Heights. The three Arab countries with which Jerusalem recently signed normalisation agreements — the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Sudan — did not change their traditional voting pattern and supported all resolutions critical of Israel. The motions are passed annually by the UN’s Special Political and Decolonisation Committee, with minor adjustments, and ratified by member states in December. Nearly all European countries, including staunch allies of Israel such as Germany and the Czech Republic, traditionally support most of these resolutions. Israel’s new ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan made an impassioned but ultimately unsuccessful plea for countries to reject the motions: “What is the point of these resolutions? Just to pave the way for future resolutions?” he asked. “By supporting these resolutions, you are not only wasting UN resources, but you are also sabotaging any chances of future peace.” Erdan also took aim at UNRWA, the UN agency in charge of Palestinian refugees and their descendants. “One of the biggest reasons for the UN’s failure in ending the conflict is its continued support of UNRWA,” he said. “Simply put, UNRWA’s very existence makes the Israeli- Palestinian conflict unsolvable, and I don’t intend to allow business as usual anymore.” The resolution in support of UNRWA passed with 153 yes votes. Only two countries — Israel and the US — voted against, and 12 countries abstained. Erdan noted angrily that one of the resolutions passed annually, referred to the Temple Mount only by its Arabic name, Haram al-Sharif. Using only one term for Judaism’s holiest site was an “audacious attempt to rewrite history” and erase the centuries-old Jewish connection to Jerusalem, he said. “As minister of pub lic security, I ensured that all religions had access to Jerusalem’s holy sites,” he said. “During my term, the number of Jews visiting the Temple Mount each year more than tripled. No resolution passed here will stop that process. No resolution passed here will change the eternal connection between the Jewish people and the holiest site of our faith, Har Habayit, the Temple Mount.” UN Watch released a lengthy statement decrying the resolutions. “The UN’s assault on Israel with a torrent of one- sided resolutions is surreal,” said Hillel Neuer. “Just two weeks after the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist group assaulted Israeli civilians with a barrage of rockets from Gaza — while the UN’s General Assembly and Human Rights Council stayed silent — the world body now adds insult to injury by adopting seven lopsided resolutions, whose only purpose is to demonise the Jewish state.” “While France, Germany, Sweden and other EU states are expected to support most of the estimated 20 resolutions to be adopted against Israel by December, the same European nations have failed to introduce a single UNGA resolution on the human rights situation in China, Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, Cuba, Turkey, Pakistan, Vietnam, Algeria, or on 175 other countries,” said Neuer. “Where’s their supposed concern for international law and human rights?” Germany and the Netherlands, which supported the resolutions, broke their recent promises to oppose anti-Israel bias at the UN. “Last year, after 155 German MPs called on the German government to oppose ‘politically motivated initiatives and alliances of anti-Israeli Member States’ in the UN, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas called out UN bias against Israel and committed to oppose ‘any attempt to isolate or delegitimise Israel,’ in UN bodies,” the statement read. “Likewise, after the Dutch parliament resolved to ‘actively oppose UN organisations that devote disproportional attention to Israel,’ the Dutch foreign minister declared last year that the Netherlands would ‘make an active effort to combat disproportionate attention’ on Israel at the UN. Yet both countries today largely went along with the ritual singling out of the Jewish state, as did most other EU states.” UN Anti-Israel Resolutions Dr Galit Truman Zinman n Teacher | School of Political Science | University of Haifa Recent weeks have seen a wave of violence and terror in France and elsewhere sparked by the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo’s republication of the Muhammad cartoons. These acts of terrorism represent a direct attack on Western values, symbols, liberalism, and belief in individual rights and freedoms. After the murder of French history teacher Samuel Paty, President Macron expressed himself with unusual bluntness, calling it an “Islamist terrorist attack.” Indeed, the recent attacks in the suburbs of Paris as well as in Lyon, Nice, and Avignon reflect an intensification of anti- Western tendencies in France as the terrorists seek to alter the country’s sociopolitical agenda by force. Nor is France the only target. In early November, four Austrian citizens were murdered in an Islamist terror attack in the heart of Vienna. These events are the continuation of a string of attacks by Muslim terrorists in Western countries in recent years (often with ISIS’s support and inspiration) – from France and Belgium to Germany and Britain, to the US, Canada, and Australia. The attacks have been carried out in conspicuous public places like airports, entertainment and tourism venues, hotels, and nightclubs. The terrorists have employed hatchets, knives, guns, and vehicles, and have caused hundreds of deaths and injuries. These attacks are intended to sow fear among Western populations, undermine their sense of personal and public security, damage their economies and morale, and deter them from taking part in an international anti-terror coalition (especially one directed at ISIS). The perpetrators have mostly been young Muslim men—some of them immigrants, some second- or third-generation offspring of immigrants. In the case of the latter, the terrorists were born and educated in open and tolerant Western societies. Some had difficulty integrating into a liberal society, leading them to loathe and reject the democratic values of secularisation and individualism. A radical minority, exposed to preaching and incitement on the street, in mosques, on social networks and the internet, identifies with a puritanical Salafi-jihadist stream. This minority joins terror groups, mainly ISIS, or acts under their guidance and inspiration. A considerable portion of Muslim communities in the West are alienated from the genera l population and for the most part, stay separate and conduct an autonomous way of life. There is a debate on the origin of this development: some accuse the majority of discriminating against Muslims and forcing them into segregation, while others maintain that the Muslim communities have isolated themselves by choice. Many of these communities are indeed socially, culturally, and geographically isolated, existing at the margins of society and beset by poverty, lack of equal opportunity, unemployment, and economic deprivation. The Muslim minority is not only culturally and ethnically different from the local population but also distinct in terms of religious belief, which considerably influences its worldview and way of life. The Muslim communities diligently uphold their religious tradition. They speak the language of their country of origin and live in accordance with Islamic law ( sharia) and its customs. In many locations, formal education is separate and tailored to the community. This pattern of adhering to religious tradition and bequeathing it to the next generation contributes to the majority society’s perception of the Muslims’ ‘foreignness’ and, in turn, to their exclusion. These trends pose a serious problem for Western societies that advocate multiculturalism and tolerance toward the ‘other.’ That approach—conjoined with a relatively open and accommodating immigration policy—has led over the years to the cultural-religious segregation of the Muslim communities, accompanied by a distancing and lack of interaction with the non-Muslim majority. The prevailing multicultural approach has also cont ributed to religious radicalisation and the growth of terror, including the formation of terror cells and a substantial rise in the number of ‘lone wolves.’ Multiculturalism thus appears to have only a limited capacity to assimilate and fully integrate Muslims into Western countries. This is an abbreviated version of an article published 8 November 2020 by Begin-Sadat Centre for Strategic Studies. www.besacentre.org Western Multiculturalism & Islamic Terror

12. 2 December 2020 | Israel & Christians Today Kislev - Tevet 5781 Political Analysis Dr Ron Weiser AM Hon Life Pres of the Zionist Council of NSW President Rivlin and Prime Minister Netanyahu have both spoken with President-elect Joe Biden and for the first time have referred to him with that descriptor. That in and of itself is significant as President Trump has not yet ceded the election and there are still two months remaining of his current term. Prime Minister Netanyahu is walking a delicate line between trying to encourage President Trump to still deliver benefits to Israel, whilst keeping an eye on not alienating the next president of the United States. President Trump did many great things for Israel, including recognising Jerusalem as her capital. But perhaps of even more practical significance was that he changed the conversation about the Middle East in two main ways: • he removed the Pal estinian veto on peacemaking by Arab countries acting in their own interests • and for the first time in 100 years P alestinian intransigence was not rewarded with a better offer than the last one they had rejected, which till now only encouraged further rejection. In another sign of the new normal—Saab Erekat passed away, in an Israeli hospital (receiving treatment in an Israeli hospital speaking volumes about the hypocrisy of the BDS movement). Significantly, no-one I have seen, claiming he was killed by Israel. Which would have been the standard accusation of the past. And the Palestinian Authority, hoping for better days with a new president entering the White House, suddenly agrees to once again receive the taxes Israel collects on their behalf —whi ch they have refused to accept for the past six months and which therefore drove themselves into a fiscal crisis. These taxes by the way, account for about 60% of the PA’s entire budget. Included in their announcement is the full resumption of all ties with Israel including security co-operation. What changed? Nothing from the Israeli side and so the PA’s Civil Affairs Minister Hussein al- Sheikh had to go into PR spin mode to try and justify the zigzag in the PA’s position by stating: “Against the backdrop of the talks Mahmoud Abbas held about Israel’s commitment to signed agreements with us, and based on official written and oral messages we received, which prove Israel’s commitment, the ties with Israel will return to their previous state.” Status quo ante. Who suffered? Once again, the everyday Palestinians were victims of their own leadership’s actions. So, in these last 2 months of Trump’s Presidency we can look at just some of the areas that activity may or may not occur in—keeping in mind that Trump may be distracted with many other issues. And noting that in this period similar to some sort of twilight zone, much may happen, or nothing much may happen. 1 – Iran. This of course is the big issue and the most important immediate point of difference in approaches between Trump and Biden. Trump tore up the unsatisfactory JCPOA deal that Obama had made and enforced tough sanctions on Iran. Biden prefers to go for another agreement, one he recognises needs to be better than the Obama one. But can he do it? Trump has a little time to look at his possible choices on Iran. Rumors abound at the options he is considering and everything seems to be on the table. US Secretary of State Pompeo, is visiting Israel and other ME countries and said about the peace deals between Israel and the UAE and Bahrain whilst keeping the pressure on Iran: “These agreements also tell malign actors like the Islamic Republic of Iran that their influence in the region is waning, and that they are ever more isolated in this and shall forever be until they change their direction.” 2 – Further peace deals with additional Arab countries? Possibly, but the pace is likely to slow somewhat until Arab leaders ascertain what a Biden presidency might mean on Iran and how public Biden may be on such things as for example, criticising their human rights records—a particularly sensitive issue for Saudi Arabia. 3 – Extension of Israeli sovereignty? Unlikely on any grand scale as the non- extension was the public price paid for the deals with the UAE and Bahrain. Although Netanyahu, who is doing poorly in the polls and is regarded with quite some suspicion by the right wing, may take the opportunity to do something symbolic under Trump’s cover. Perhaps of an area that will remain in Israeli hands under any future agreement. 4 – Increased building of homes over the Green Line? It should be noted that whilst actual real settlement activity slowed dramatically during the Trump years, the Times of Israel reported on construction plans announced this week for over 1,200 homes in Givat Hamatos as follows: “If built, Givat Hamatos would become the first new Jewish neighborhood in East Jerusalem in two decades.” Netanyahu also intends to ask Pompeo to approve of a few thousand homes being built in a new neighborhood of Atarot (the old Jerusalem airport). These would be very large moves, again proceeding under the cover of the Trump presidency. Not an extension of sovereignty per se, but significant ‘facts on the ground’. 5 – Qualitative Military Edge. This is an area where Israel will be pushing Trump with determination, but perhaps not publicly. Defense Minister Gantz has been in the US twice in recent weeks as well as other high level discussions that are taking place. Trump and Biden have both reaffirmed America’s commitment to Israel’s QME. The question is what does that mean in real terms? Israel has been seeking some types of military equipment from the US over different administrations – without success. The Americans do not want Israel to be able to take certain actions independently and wish to keep these options under US control. Particularly in regards to Iran. Trump has the ability to be a gamechanger in this regard if he now so wishes. 6 – Israeli elections. The budget trigger for yet another election in Israel is always there. What will influence the decision to call one or not in the main, will be a consideration by the various leadership contenders as to their chances. There’s no doubt that a Trump presidency made Netanyahu stronger as he would point out, because of their special relationship and so on. But with Biden coming in, Netanyahu, Gantz, Lapid, Bennett et al will have to calculate whether that makes them more or less attractive to the electorate. In true Netanyahu style, he has already adapted. His line is that only he can say “no” to Biden, if needed, just as he did to Obama. Only time will tell if there is any movement on some or any of these areas, but we shall watch with concern and interest. Shalom, ________________________________________________________ Dr Ron Weiser AM is a Life Member of the ZFA Executive, Past President of the ZFA and Hon Life Pres of the Zionist Council of NSW. Concern Over Peace in the Middle East Post-Trump? Washington DC, USA - September 15, 2020: Benjamin Netanyahu, Donald Trump, Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, and Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan attend the Abraham Accords ceremony in The White House. Credit: noamgalai / Shutterstock.com

14. 4 December 2020 | Israel & Christians Today Kislev - Tevet 5781 Pastoral Insights: A Series on Tabernacling with God Keith Buxton Former National Director for Bridges for Peace Australia Second Encouragement: In our humanity and frailty we are reminded of God’s holiness and forgiveness A Bette Midler song became quite popular some 30 years ago. I cannot say that I remember much of the song, but the chorus that was repeated over and over had these words—“God is watching us, God is watching us, God is watching us from a distance”. But the Bible reveals to us not a distant God, but one who in Jesus, as we celebrate over Christmas, broke through time and space to become intimately close to us - Immanuel, which means “God with us”. This is in fact a thread running through the entire Old Testament as well. One of the clearest images we get in the Old Testament of the desire of God to be in close relationship with His people is the tabernacle. The word “tabernacle” basically means dwelling place, or habitation, and it was built after God brought Israel up out of Egypt. The tabernacle was a tent—an important point. Israel at the time was wandering through the desert living in tents. And so God, desiring to be present with His people, chose for His dwelling not a temple built of marble or stone, but a tent. But most importantly, the tabernacle was a place where people could meet with God. It was a place where they would go to pray, to ask forgiveness for their sin, and amazingly to communicate with the Creator of the world. Earlier in the Exodus account of their wilderness wanderings, we see how the Israelites got tired of waiting for Moses up on the mountain, so they decided, rather than waiting for God’s presence, to make a god of their own in the form of a golden calf. How often that happens with us! We do not see God responding quickly, or in the way we would like, so we turn our attention to other things. We as it were set up “dwelling places” for things besides God. Things such as careers, our children, money, possessions, fame, pleasure, take over the tabernacle made for God. But God is a forgiving God who wants His people to enjoy intimate relationship with Him—and He with us. We read of Israel in a positive light later in Exodus as the people brought their offerings for the tabernacle’s construction. Israel longed for God to come and dwell with them. And so they gave of their lives, their talents, their possessions. They brought so much that Moses had to tell them to stop! And God came down! The book of Exodus climaxes, not in the plagues, the parting of the Red Sea, or even in the Ten Commandments. All these are preliminary steps setting up the last chapter when: “...the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle..... So the cloud of the Lord was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel during all their travels” (Exodus 40:34,38). And so it was that the holy God brought His people out of Egypt - and the yearning of His heart was as ever to dwell with them. Grace and forgiveness are written all through this! The rest of the Old Testament is really a continuation of the themes seen in Exodus - God desiring to dwell with His people, to be their God; and the people’s response to this - their desire to have God dwelling with them. The story of the Israelites, whether in the wilderness or in the land of Canaan, is also our story. Their experience of God is echoed in our own experience of One who is altogether lovely and gracious and forgiving. And yet God is never less than altogether holy and just. As the Jewish people dwell for a week in their sukkot during the Feast of Tabernacles, they have plenty of opportunity to reflect on their own weaknesses and frailty, calling to mind as they do the disobedience and desert wanderings of their ancestors. And yet, as we have seen, God is full of compassion and mercy. Lamentations 3:22- 23 says it all: “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” I love the way this is put in Isaiah 57:15, conveying as it does both the holiness and the self-sacrificing love of the Lord: “For this is what the high and lofty One says—He who lives forever, whose name is holy: ‘I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.’” The heart of forgiveness, made possible through the cross of Jesus, is peace and reconciliation with God—relationship restored! As Paul puts it in Romans 5:1, “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Spending time in the sukkah is a reminder that God brought the Israelites out of the bondage of their Egyptian taskmasters into freedom. As Christians, we can celebrate how our holy God has rescued us from a life of slavery to sin and brought us into true freedom. And so this really is a joyful celebration. A devout Jew, on entering the sukkah on the first night of the feast, utters the following prayer: “May it be Your will, O my God and the God of my fathers, that You may cause Your divine presence to dwell amongst us and may You spread the Tabernacle of Your peace over us.” There is expressed here the sense among other things of a real dependence upon God. Our inclination to do wrong - our humanity and our frailty, both moral and physical— is symbolised by the construction around or adjoining Jewish homes of the sukkah, or booth, the most obvious visible sign of the Feast of Tabernacles. The sukkah is a deliberately temporary and somewhat flimsy structure, intentionally reminiscent of the booths or tents in which the Israelites lived during those long years in the desert. The Jewish people recall the daily dependence on the Lord of their forefathers in the wilderness, and like us are reminded only too well of their own human weakness. I am reminded of Isaiah 40:6-8, where we read: “All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the Lord blows on them. Surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.” Paul takes this further by referring to the body we have on earth as a “tent”—but we have something far more glorious to look forward to. In 2 Corinthians 5:1 he says: “Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.” As I think about this, it seems to me that we really have great cause to rejoice, for the seeming permanency of much in this world truly is an illusion. Whether it is the global devastation wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters, the senseless terrorism that so often fails to make the headlines because it has becoming so horrifyingly commonplace, or the sobering realities of living in a deeply broken world, we are constantly reminded that our comfortable lifestyles and even human life itself can be snuffed out in a flash. How much then we all need to look to the Lord for our security! He alone is our Rock, the unchanging God of all eternity. And more than anything else He wants to “tabernacle” with us His people. May we never put our hope in what the world has to offer. I encourage you to review your life in the light of the sukkah imagery. Know that God cares about every detail of your life and is aware of every need you have. Trust Him with those needs. Be careful that you do not sideline God in your life. The joy of this feast is the joy of knowing that we were created to live with God - and He with us—in the beauty of His presence and the favour of His many blessings. ________________________________________________________ Keith Buxton is the former National Director for Bridges for Peace Australia. He currently serves on the C4I Australia management committee and is a liason with C4I Oceania Island offiliates. www.bridgesforpeace.com Jewish couple building their family Sukkah for the Jewish festival of Sukkot. A sukkah is a temporary hut constructed for use during the week-long Jewish festival of Sukkot. The sukkah is a deliberately temporary and somewhat flimsy structure

6. 16 December 2020 | Israel & Christians Today Kislev - Tevet 5781 News 4 December 2020 | Israel & Christians Today Kislev - Tevet 5781 Dr Matthijs de Blois n Senior Fellow | The Hague Initiative for International Cooperation (thinc.) Like it or not, the USA plays an important role in shaping opinion on the way the world looks at Israel, the Jewish people, the Israel/Palestine conflict and the Middle East. President Trump’s unique approach has been to challenge existing legal and political paradigms. The most prominent example was the Secretary of State’s announcement a year ago (often referred to as ‘the Pompeo Doctrine’) that ‘[t]he establishment of Israeli civilian settlements in the West Bank is not per se inconsistent with international law’. This approach was reflected in the Peace to Prosperity plan revealed earlier this year, envisaging investment in Palestinian autonomy and an agreement in which Israel retains control and sovereignty over parts of the ‘West Bank’. Should Joe Biden become the next President, it is likely that he will return to the approach taken under the Obama/Kerry administration: that the 1949 Armistice Lines are borders, that all settlements are illegal, and that Israel must comply with its perceived obligations under international law before peace can be achieved in the region. These are the legal assumptions underlying UN Security Council Resolution 2334 (December 2016). In our view, this would be a tragic, missed opportunity. While Trump’s style has been abrasive and his administration may not have always clearly explained their legal reasoning, they have rightly challenged the world to re-examine the ‘consensus paradigm’ that Israel is no more than an (illegal) occupier of Palestinian territory. This paradigm is founded on an unbalanced account of history. It wrongly ignores the radical and violent rejectionism in Palestinian society, and it rides roughshod over Israel’s legitimate interests and rights. Wo rse, it has created perverse incentives. Basically, under the Obama/Kerry approach, negotiations on key issues like Jerusalem, borders and settlements are pointless as the PLO (which still advocates the destruction of the Jewish State of Israel) has no incentive to make any compromises whatsoever. If a breakthrough is to be achieved, these old assumptions must be reviewed. When we do so, we realise that they are based primarily on political positions taken by major powers in the 1960s-1980s - not sound legal analysis. One might consider the Obama/Kerry approach and UNSC Resolution 2334 in particular, as the climax of a failing ‘two-state’ policy. The US allowed this resolution to be adopted by the Security Council just before Christmas in late December 2016. In the final days of his Presidency, the resol ution was a nasty stab in Israel’s back, an expression of Obama’s frustration and anger at the way (in his view) the Israeli government had blocked his Administration’s efforts to broker a peace agreement. But those efforts were bound to fail, just as the EU’s insistence on a negotiated two-state solution is bound to fail. The other main aspect of the Obama/Kerry Middle East policy that Trump turned on its head was the approach towards Iran. Trump took America out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which he and his advisers described as one of the worst deals of the last century. Biden has made clear that he will re-enter this deal. For Israel, this is a nightmare scenario. Iran is Israel’s existential threat #1. The JCPOA releases Iran from the sanctions that have crippled its economy, thus enabling Iran to refill its coffers and speed up its production of nuclear weapons, which it has declared it will direct at both the Great Satan (USA) and Little Satan (Israel). Whoever wins the US elections, a change is occurring in the Middle East, and it is questionable whether a change in leadership in the USA will turn it back. Looking at the normalisation initiatives with Israel as currently being undertaken by Arabic/Islamic states such as Bahrain, Sudan and the UAE, and the increasing number of states that intend to move their embassies to Jerusalem, it is clear that there is a new wind in the air. Many sense that Israel is no longer the problem, but possibly even the solution to the problem. At thinc. we argue that it is time to go back to the basics. International la w should do what it is intended to do: respect the sovereign equality of states and advance cooperation and friendly relations between nations. This means: no longer just condemning Israel, but looking at where Israel can support and stimulate development, growth and prosperity in the region – for Jews, Arabs, Israelis, Christians, Muslims, Balloch, Kurds, Syriacs, Armenians and all the many other ethnic and religious groups in the region. For more information, visit www.thinc.info. Trump, Biden, International Law and Politics US flag and Trump campaign flag flying over the Old City of Jerusalem. | Photo: Flash90 Johannes de Jong n Director | Sallux - the think tank of the European Christian Political Movement As this is written, the electoral college in the US still needs to elect the next President of the US. In light of the information that is available at this moment (9 November), it is quite possible that Joe Biden will be sworn in on 20 January 2021. In my previous article in this publication (October 2020) I wrote as a conclusion, “If President Trump fails to win a second term, it is clear that pro-Israel advocacy will have to make an argument that reaches beyond the traditional constituency. Clarifying the position of Israel as an essential party in the global defence of freedom would communicate reality in a way that many more can relate with.” Very recently I discovered that this approach would resonate with Biden’s agenda as he spelt it out in the March/April 2020 edition of the ‘Foreign Affairs’ magazine. There are two points that are key in this regard. First of all, he states the following, “We need to sustain our ironclad commitment to Israel’s security”. This statement is even more interesting if it is read in its context, “Working cooperatively with other nations that share our values and goals does not make the United States a chump. It makes us more secure and more successful. (...) We need to fortify our collective capabilities with democratic friends beyond North America and Europe by reinvesting in our treaty alliances with Australia, Japan, and South Korea and deepening partnerships from India to Indonesia to advance shared values in a region that will determine the United States’ future. We need to sustain our ironclad commitment to Israel’s security. And we need to do more to integrate our friends in Latin America and Africa into the broader network of democracies and to seize opportunities for coop eration in those regions.” Time and again, Biden repeats his emphasis on the need for cooperation between democracies and all movements who share democratic values. He pits this cooperation against the authoritarian regimes of this world. So freedom is pitted against oppression. It is clear where Israel and those who advocate for Israel can find space to ensure that Israel remains a key ally of the free world. Moreover, it is important to emphasise in advocacy efforts that Iran is (just as China and Russia) part of the authoritarian block in this world and a threat to the first small steps to freedom we can see in the Arab world. For example, on Saturday 7 November, the UAE announced a major overhaul of the country’s Islamic personal laws, loosening alcohol restrictions and criminalising so-called ‘honour killings.’ The normalisation of the ties with Israel is also part of a process in which the Arab world itself becomes more in tune with the rest of the world. In that development, Israel is well placed now to become the hub between the West and the Arab world. The energy deals connecting the UAE, Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Cyprus and Greece as well as the whole EU, are an excellent example of that new reality. Israel and friends of Israel can build on the good things that have been achieved under Trump which put Israel in a strong position in the Biden Administration. Biden and Israel

13. 3 December 2020 | Israel & Christians Today Kislev - Tevet 5781 Unexpected COVID Outcome Tower of David: Giant Facelift The Old City of Jerusalem is using Covid 19 restrictions to have a multi-million dollar makeover. As Israel works through lockdowns and pandemic challenges a bold new $56,000,000 (AUD) plan is investing in a much brighter and prosperous future. Modernity is meeting ancient history. The Antiquities Authority is supervising the excavations and the important conservation aspects of the delicate work. In the lead will be the Core Israel Foundation along with the City of Jerusalem, the Jerusalem and Heritage Ministry and Tourism Ministry. The absence of tourists in Jerusalem is providing a window of opportunity for the upgrade. Archaeologists are feverishly studying the bountiful rich history, hoping to uncover more detail about the Crusades, in particular. Studies will assess evidence as far back as the Middle Ages. Among other discoveries it is hoped to find more details of ancient diet and disease. Archaeologists are particularly enthralled by the opportunity. They say there are secrets to uncover from Herod to the Jordanians. Conservation of the historic citadel is a priority and doubling the current area is intended to enhance tourist access. Seven new galleries, expanded exhibition space and cafes will add to the visitor experience. New cutting edge media is to be launched highlighting the history of Jerusalem. That task is scheduled to continue until 2022. Actually called the Jerusalem Citadel or the Citadel by King David, its popular name came from Song of Solomon 4:4 “Your neck is like the tower of David, built magnificently, on which hang a thousand bucklers, each one a brave warrior’s shield.” Opened in 1989 the Tower of David structure originally dates back to the 2nd century BC where it served as a stronghold for the city. Situated on the western side of the Old City, south of the Jaffa Gate, the site was chosen strategically and sits on the southwestern hill of Jerusalem, higher than any other point in the ancient city. Wisely located as a defensive fortification. 21st century expertise is building on remarkable construction from the past. We can only pause with admiration for the original structure that continues to serve today. It is with that thought in mind the workers today proceed with great care and pride. One section builds on a wall from King Hezekiah, 2,500 years ago. The foundations of the original structure was by Hasmonean (Maccabee) rulers of Israel over 2000 years ago. King David never set foot in the place. The construction came a millennia after him. However, another Biblical character, with a questionable CV, Herod the Great added three mighty towers (37- 34 BC). He named them Miriam (his Hasmonean wife, who Herod later had executed) Hippicus (his friend) and Phasaeius (his brother). In his book ‘War of the Jews’ Jozefus Flavious wrote: “Now as these towers were so very tall, they appeared much taller by the place on which they stood; for that very old wall wherein they were was built on a high hill, and was itself a kind of elevation that was still thirty cubits taller; over which were the towers situated, and thereby were made much higher to appearance. The largeness also of the stones was wonderful; for they were not made of common small stones, nor of such large ones only as men could carry, but they were of white marble, cut out of the rock; each stone was twenty cubits in length, and ten in breadth, and five in depth. They were so exactly united to one another, that each tower looked like one entire rock of stone.” ( War of the Jews , Book 5, Chapter 4. Note a cubit is 44cms). The Psalmist wrote: “Walk about Zion, go around her, count her towers, consider well her ramparts, view her citadels, that you may tell of them to the next generation.” (Psalm 48: 12,13) The Tower of David is located near the Jaffa Gate. All that remains of the original Jerusalem Palace is the wall and tower complex. Just one summary of activity says: “During the Great Revolt of 66 C.E., Jewish defenders holed up in the citadel when put to rout by the Romans. After the fall of Jerusalem in 70 C.E., Titus destroyed the towers and stationed the soldiers of the Tenth Roman Legion at the site. In the 14th century, the Mamelukes ruling Israel at the time built the contemporary fortress—adding a mosque so that the troops could worship without leaving the area unguarded.” (At the Tower of David, a glimpse into a citadel touched by everyone but the legendary king, Times of Israel , October 27, 2020) Sitting on the border between East and West Jerusalem, it was used by the Jordanians as a military position until it finally reverted to civilian and cultural use after the reunification of Jerusalem in 1967. It was Byzantine Christians who mistakenly attributed the ancient walls and towers to King David. chabad.org summed it up beautifully. “While he was not involved in building the Citadel, perhaps the name Tower of David is not completely mistaken. After all, it was none other than David who moved his capital to Jerusalem and built up the city. He wrote about Jerusalem, sang about Jerusalem, and has inspired Jews to focus on Jerusalem for almost three thousand years. Jerusalem is, in a sense, David’s city. Seeing as this fortress gloriously guards Jaffa Gate, the main entrance into the Old City, perhaps David had something to do with it after all.” (Tower of David - Jerusalem Citadel, chabad.org ) The coronavirus pandemic has had a devastating impact on the people of Israel, the Tower of David project indicates a powerful faith for the future. What a witness? “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29: 11) _______________________________________ Ron Ross worked as a newsman in Jerusalem, broadcasting Middle East reports internationally. He is the Middle East correspondent for Vision Christian Radio and a popular speaker. www.ronross.org | ronandyvonne@mac.com Ron Ross Author and Middle East correspondent and commentator David’s Tower in Old City of Jerusalem with view of the new Jerusalem in the distance. Shutterstock.com New cutting edge media is to be launched highlighting the history of Jerusalem. That task is scheduled to continue until 2022.

18. 8 December 2020 | Israel & Christians Today Kislev - Tevet 5781 Honoring Holocaust Heroes Mandy Worby Isreal Tour Host and Radio Announcer for Vision Christian Media ‘Righteous Among the Nations’ Ceremony in Brisbane One of the most vivid memories I have from my first visit to Israel, was walking through Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem. Every visit since has been impacting, but the first visit was heart-wrenching. One of the most shocking revelations was just how few non-Jewish people or nations around the world, were willing to help save the Jewish people from the murderous intentions of the Nazis. In fact, non-Jews helping save Jews is such a rare event, that when it does happen, the Jewish nation makes a really big deal about it. At Yad Vashem, they have a long walkway, lined by trees, and each tree has a plaque at it’s base with the names of non-Jewish people who risked their own lives to save Jews...even if it was just one. This walkway is called the Avenue of the Righteous Among the Nations . On October 22, Ian and I were extremely honoured to attend a ‘Righteous Among the Nations Ceremony’ in Brisbane to honour the memory of Jacob and Klaasje van der Haar, of Hoogeveen, Netherlands. I’d like to tell you their story. Jacob and Klaasje were just a young couple with three small children when Germany invaded their country in WWII and very shortly after they became part of the resistance. In 1942, they were asked to care for and hide a 2yr old Jewish boy named Joseph. His parents, along with all other Jews, were supposed to report for ‘work duty’, which meant deportation and most likely death in a concentration camp. They decided hiding would be better, but they couldn’t hide with a toddler and still remain safe. Jacob and Klaasje believed it was their duty to bring Joseph into their home and do their best to keep him safe. And they did. They called him Joop, and informed their friends and neighbours that little Joop was a child whose father was working in Germany and whose mother was too ill to care for him herself. They treated Joseph as one of their own children, he loved them like they were his real parents and even called them ‘mamma’ and ‘papa’ and he considered their three children his siblings. There were a few close calls when collaborators came to their home looking for little Joseph, but one of his ‘sisters’, Trudy, hid him in the attic until it was safe to come out. The war dragged on for far too many years, and a nosy neighbour made comment that it was strange Joop’s father had not returned for him, so they arranged for a ‘friend’ to pose as his father and come to visit him twice a year. In February 1945, a young Jewish girl from Amsterdam—Sonja Peters—also went to live with Jacob and Klaasje, and together with young Joseph, they stayed with their family until the liberation of the area in April 1945. After the war, young Joseph was reunited with his real parents and remained in close contact with the van der Haar family, even after Joseph immigrated to Israel and the van der Haar’s immigrated to Australia. Jacob and Klaasje had a fourth child in 1945, a son, and they named him Joop in honour of young Joseph. On May 7, 2001, Yad Vashem recognised Jacob and Klaasje van der Haar as Righteous Among the Nations , which is an official honourary title awarded on behalf of the State of Israel and the Jewish people, to non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust. Jacob and Klaasje have both passed away, and Joseph has also passed away, but Jacob and Klaasje’s family were in attendance at the ceremony in Brisbane, to see their parents and grandparents honoured for their willing sacrifice to save young Jospeh and also young Sonja. Also, Joseph’s granddaughter in Israel attend remotely via video link to share her thoughts on behalf of their entire family, their gratitude and love for what Jacob and Klaasje did in saving their father and grandfather from murder at the hands of the Nazis. WWII may have ended in 1945, but the memory of loss, murder, hatred and attempted genocide will never end for the Jewish people. The Jewish people have a mantra...”Never Again!” As a people they’ve lost so much, they’ve suffered so much and they’ve fought tenaciously for their right to have a place among the nations of the world. We who claim the name of Jesus Christ, the Jewish Messiah, have a duty, just as Jacob and Klaasje did, to stand in solidarity with the Jewish people as well. Jacob and Klaasje have their place now as Rightous Among the Nations , we honour their memory and their sacrifice and we thank God for their willingness to save young Jospeh, for his reunion with his parents, and that his family and future generations are thriving today in the reborn State of Israel. We often wonder how the most advanced, enlightened and educated nation in Europe could be so decieved and embrace such evil, that they willingly attempted the genocide of a specific ethnic group, considering them sub-human, and committing unspeakable atrocities against them? Shockingly, there are still people in the world today who dream of exterminating the Jewish people and who attack and persecute them wherever they find them. As Christians, it is our duty to stand with Israel, and even if we don’t have an official acknowledgement, we should take our own stand as the Rightous Among the Nations and do all we can for the Jewish people around the world, and for the nation of Israel. __________________________________ Mandy Worby is an experienced Israel Tour leader and also the popular radio host of ‘ Night Vision’ featured on Australia’s national Vision Christian Radio network Monday to Friday 7-12pm . Presentation of Righteous Among the Nations award to Klassje and grandughter Ingrid in Brisbane by ambassador Dr Tibor Shalev-Schlosser. jwire.com.au | Photo by Michael Arenson Joseph as a 2 year old being held Klassje, pictured with the rest of the van der Haar family. Grown-up Joseph returning to the hiding place when he was achild during the Holocaust. WWII may have ended in 1945, but the memory of loss, murder, hatred and attempted genocide will never end for the Jewish people.

10. 20 December 2020 | Israel & Christians Today Kislev - Tevet 5781 Marie-Louise Weissenb öck n Chairperson | Christians for Israel Austria 28 ‘stumbling stones’ laid in memory of artists who were deported, murdered, or fled during the Nazi Regime. The Salzburg Festival (German: Salzburger Festspiele) is a prominent festival of music and drama established in 1920. It is held each summer (for five weeks starting in late July) in the Austrian town of Salzburg, the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. One highlight is the annual performance of the play Jedermann (Everyman) by Hugo von Hofmannsthal. On 17 August 2020, twenty-eight brass ‘stumbling stones’ were laid in the pavement in front of the Small Festival Hall on Max-Reinhardt-Platz in Salzburg. Whoever goes up the steps to attend a concert will from now on pass these and will be reminded of the great artists who played a decisive role in shaping the festival from its founding year in 1920 until 1938. The artists had been expelled, deported, or banned from their profession under the Nazi Regime. These ‘stumbling stones’ recall some of the most prominent names in the history of the Salzburg Festival, like the founder Max Reinhardt and his wife Helene Thimig, star conductors such as Bruno Walter, Erich Kleiber and Arturo Toscanini, to name a few. Since the Nazi regime immediately seized the Salzburg Festival and other cultural institutions in 1938, these artists were all either forced to flee abroad or were banned from performing. In addition, artists such as the Viennese violinist’s Alma Rosé and Julius Stwertka were deported to concentration camps and died there. The Salzburg Festival ‘was a decidedly Jewish-Austrian bulwark against German y, today it is an expression of the highest artistic creativity of the German people,’ was the résumé of the provincial governor and SS leader Albert Reitter - to be read in the ‘Salzburger Volksblatt’ of 31 December 1938. The eradication of this ‘Jewish-Austrian bulwark’ cost many artists their work, their home or even their lives. The Stumbling Stones as a Memorial On the stones are engraved the names of the artists, the year of birth, their profession, as well as the year and the destination of their deportation or escape. In between, there are also stones without brass plates. They are meant to remind us of the many artists, e.g. musicians of the orchestra, who are not included in this selection. The Stumbling Stones have been given a prominent place in Salzburg. “It was of great importance for us to place the stones here prominently and visibly on Max- Reinhardt-Platz. The Festival has always seen itself as an ambassador for peace and reconciliation,” commented Festival President Helga Rabl-Stadler. The memorial stones were funded by the ‘Association of Friends of the Salzburg Festival.’ “A person is only forgotten when his/her name is forgotten,” it says in the Talmud. The historian Kerschbaumer, who researched the biographies of the artists, emphasises the importance of commemoration 75 years after the end of the Nazi regime. For too long, the fate of the artists has been ignored: “What was expected of a displaced artist like Margarete Wallmann after liberation? Glamour and silence! No one was to know anything about the death of her parents in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. Decades later, a brass covered memorial stone at the entrance of the Festival Hall now commemorates the life of this artist”. Max Reinhardt Max Goldmann, who chose the stage name Max Reinhardt, was born in 1873 in the town of Baden near Vienna. He was the oldest of seven children of the Jewish couple Rosa and Wilhelm Goldmann. Max already made his debut as an actor in Vienna in 1890, at the tender age of 17. When he was 19 years old, he acted for the first time in Salzburg. In this city, where he founded the Salzburg Festival many years later, his actual stage career began. With the experience he had gained in Salzburg, Max Reinhardt went to Berlin. After a quarter of a century, towards the end of the First World War and during the collapse of the Austro- Hungarian monarchy in 1918, Max Reinhardt returned to Austria and acquired Castle Leopoldskron in Salzburg, which once had been the summer residence of the Salzburg prince bishops. Without Reinhardt’s Castle Leopoldskron the Salzburg Festival would probably never have be en founded. Reinhard enlivened the castle with theatre productions, the audience moving from one room to the next, and the magnificent rooms becoming the stage. Castle Leopoldskron became a meeting place for theatre producers, writers, composers, and actors from all over Europe, as well as leaders from politics, business, and society. The Salzburg Festival was officially born on 22 August 1 920, when the play ‘Jedermann’ (Everyman) was performed on the square in front of the Salzburg Cathedral, staged by Max Reinhardt and with Alexander Moissi in the leading role. ‘Everyman’ (The play of the rich man’s death) is a play by the Austrian playwright Hugo von Hofmannsthal. It is based on several medieval mystery plays, including the late 15th-century English morality play ‘Everyman’. From 1938 until 1946 the play was banned. Since 1946, the play has been performed at the Salzburg Festival every year and has become one of the highlights of the festival. In 1930, the year of the festival’s 10th anniversary, the city of Salzburg named the square in front of the old Festival hall (Festspielhaus) after its founder Max Reinhardt, despite furious protests from anti-Semitic crowds. Envy and hatred as well as great admiration, accompanied the life of this great Austrian stage and film director, artistic director, theatre producer and impresario. Reinhardt was closely connected to Salzburg from 1918 to the 1930s. Adolf Hitler’s seizure of power in the German Reich in 1933 and Austria’s ‘Anschluss’ (annexation) to Nazi Germany in 1938 caused Reinhardt to lose his cultural home and his property. By 1937, he had already emigrated to the USA, where he died in 1943. His grave is located in Westchester Hills Cemetery in New York, where famous artists such as George Gershwin have their gravesites. 8 Global News December 2020 | Israel & Christians Today Kislev - Tevet 5781 100th Anniversary of the Salzburg Festival (1920-2020) Three of the ‘stumbling stones’ including Max Reinhardt’s stone, founder of the Salzburg Festival. | Photo: M.L. Weissenböck Leopoldskron Castle, the cradle of the Salzburg Festival. | Photo: www.schloss-leopoldskron.com

21. 11 December 2020 | Israel & Christians Today Kislev - Tevet 5781 Stay Organised & Connected Throughout 2021 Filled with gorgeous portraits of the land where the many of the Biblical stories took place, this unique calendar shows Australians a sampling of Israel’s beauty, while also highlighting major feasts found in the Old Testament that Jews still celebrate today. Christian audiences will discover a new-found appreciation for the Old Testament and its connection to Jesus and His role as their Messiah. Jewish audiences will also discover the Christians perspective of the Old Testament’s connection to their religious convictions found in the New Testament and how it shapes their understanding of God’s redemptive plan for humanity. Unique Features of this 12 Month Calendar includes: • All major Biblical/Jewish (Lord’s appointed times) and Israeli holidays mark ed and explained in a special reference chart in back of calendar. • Western and Hebrew Dates. • Australian National Holidays. • Sabbath (Shabbat) beginning and ending times. • Suggested Feast Day Scripture readings for both the Old and New Testaments in back of calendar. A unique calendar for Australians that showcases the beauty of Israel and celebrates the Biblical feasts and Holidays of the Jewish people. $18 The Holy Land of Israel 2021 Calendar SKU: 13220GFT Free Delivery orders over $65 vision.org.au/store | 1800 00 50 11 ORDER ONLINE TODAY! There’s even more great Christmas gifts & resources on Israel from Vision Christian Store ! See our full range online: vision.org.au/store NEW! Have you downloaded the FREE C4I app yet? • Read the latest editions of Israel & Christians Today , plus past editions. • Easily access all current and past topical articles. • Listen and watch teaching resources about Israel and the Church from a Biblical perspective. • Access current and past prayer calenders , so you know what and how to pray for our ministry. • Make secure online donations towards Israeli Projects, C4I Australia and teaching resources. • You can also stay in touch by sending secure messages via a simple form. SEARCH: ‘C4I’ in your app store DOWNLOAD TODAY! Inspiring and informative content, wherever you are.

2. Informs • Inspires • Comforts / Other Easy Ways To Donate Name on card: My Donation Today: $ Exp Date The 3 digits of the reverse of your credit card. (4 digits if using Amex) Card No Visa Mastercard Amex (Payable to Christian’s for Israel Australia Inc) Cheque/Money Order Credit Card *CVC Cardholder’s signature: Over the Phone 07 3088 6900 (during office hours) Securely Online c4israel.com.au TEL. 07 3088 6900 EMAIL info@c4israel.com.au www.c4israel.com.au Visiting address: 3398 Pacific Highway Springwood QLD 4127 P.O. Box 1508 Springwood QLD 4127 Australia ABN: 79 941 819 693 Christians for Israel Australia Inc. Bank Transfer BSB: 014-279 ACC: 405318551 REF: Member Number generously sponsoring one of these remaining survivors of a very dark chapter of human history, and express the Love of God, as told by the Psalmist: “I once was young and now am old, yet never have I seen the righteous abandoned or their children begging for bread.” − Psalm 37:25 ESV For more details on this new project, please download and read our new brochure or page 12 of the Australian insert. Not all of you can make that monthly commitment, but some of you could consider donating a food parcel to feed a poor Jewish person for a week for only $15? It’s a bitterly freezing winter in the Northern Hemisphere, and many are cold and hungry in Ukraine and Israel, while we enjoy summer and prosperity here in Australia. Finally, I’d like to thank you all once again for your prayers and faithful generosity this year—we don’t take you for granted. I’d also like to pray a special blessing over you and your family for 2021— the Aaronic or Priestly Blessing from Numbers 6:24-26. It’s become a popular song on the radio and in many churches worldwide during the Covid lockdown. “The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you ; the LORD lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.” (ESV) Amen. Ian Worby, National Leader And the Christians for Israel Australia team. One food parcel contains: 1 kg of sugar 2 kg of flour 1 kg of rice 1 kg of grits 1 kg of bulgur 2 kg of macaroni 1-litre cooking oil 500 gm oats 1 tin of peas 1 tin of corn 1 tin of fish 1 tin of chicken 1 pack of coffee 1 pack of tea Ala Needs Your Help!

3. 13 December 2020 | Israel & Christians Today Kislev - Tevet 5781 A Dream Come True - 6 7 2 We Remember Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks Understanding Israel and world events from a Biblical perspective & Christians Today ISRAEL December 2020 Kislev - Tevet 5781 Israel & Christians Today is the premier publication of Christians for Israel 12 Philistines and High-Tech 15 Ingathering of the Exiles Continues On 3 November 2020, 140 young people from Ukraine and 46 from Brazil arrived in Israel as part of two special flights organised by The Jewish Agency for Israel. The flight from Ukraine was sponsored by Christians for Israel’s faithful donors around the world. Our dedicated team in Ukraine worked for months - in close cooperation with the Jewish Agency - to prepare these young Jewish olim for their journey. On the day of departure, they picked them up from their homes in many towns and villages in Ukraine, brought them to the airport, and waved them goodbye. It was a huge project, and it was our present to Israel, in celebration of Christians for Israel’s 40th Anniversary. Christians for Israel was established in 1980 to declare that the Lord is bringing the Jews home. It was a time when the oil-rich Arab world was boycotting Israel and its friends. Our message was and still is: “The Lord is unifying Jerusalem. The Lord, who is restoring all things. Wake up; He is preparing for the coming of Messiah!” The Jews are being re-established in their “...own land” (Ezekiel 36:24). Through the prophet Isaiah, he tells Israel: “...Do not be afraid, for I am with you. I will bring your children from the east, and gather them from the west. I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’ Bring My sons from afar and My daughters from the ends of the earth – everyone who is called by My Name, whom I created for My glory, whom I formed and made” (Isaiah 43:5-8). As Christians, we believe that the return of the Jews to the land of Israel, the restoration of the old ‘fig tree’ with new leaves, is new life (Luke 21:29-31). The restoration of Jerusalem, in particular, is a sign of the coming kingdom: “The nations will see your vindication, and all kings your glory; you will be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will bestow. You will be a crown of splendour in the Lord’s hand” (Isaiah 62:1-3). For the last 40 years, Christians for Israel has assisted over 150,000 Jews to return to Israel. God does not need us, but He will use us if we are available. As the Isaiah prophesied: “...This is what the Sovereign Lord says, ‘See, I will beckon to the Gentiles, I will lift My banner to the peoples; they will bring your sons in their arms and carry your daughters on their shoulders. Kings will be your foster fathers and their queens your nursing mothers. They will bow down before you with their faces to the ground’” (Isaiah 49:22). Read more about this project on pages 6 and 7. As Christians, we believe that the return of the Jews to the land of Israel, the restoration of the old ‘fig tree’ with new leaves, is new life (Luke 21:29-31). The Lord is Bringing His People Home | Photo: Sraya Diamant | Jewish Agency for Israel AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIA www.c4israel.com.au | info@c4israel.com.au

9. 19 December 2020 | Israel & Christians Today Kislev - Tevet 5781 Extinct The airport appears to be extinct. A couple of tired business travellers rush through the departure hall, with face masks and hand luggage. The car park near the departure hall is as good as empty. Until the moment at which three coaches stop. 140 Jewish youngsters get off the buses. For some, it is the first time they get a closer look at an airport. For everyone, it is the last day they call Ukraine their home country. One of the youngsters is Arthur. He is a sportsman. His parents, grandparents and two younger brothers stay behind in Ukraine. He had to travel for days to get to Kiev. It is difficult to cross the Russian- Ukrainian border. When he arrives in Israel, he will enrol in an educational programme. 6 Aliyah December 2020 | Israel & Christians Today Kislev - Tevet 5781 A Dream Come True They are the shoot I have planted, the work of my hands, for the display of my splendour. Isaiah 60:21 Sara van Oordt n Media & Communications Director | Christians for Israel Netherlands Kiev Boryspil Airport, Ukraine’s international airport. It is 3 November at three o’clock in the afternoon. In a few hours, the flight of eighteen-year-old Arthur from Donetsk will take off. He is one of the 140 Jewish youngsters who will arrive in the country he had been dreaming of for years. Code Red Entering Ukraine is not so difficult. A negative corona rapid screening test is enough to move around freely within the country. But that can change any day now: the number of contaminations in the country rises explosively. In some inland hospitals, corona patients are laid down in the corridors, because the ICUs (intensive care units) and also the other hospital departments are fully occupied. Any moment the Ukrainian Government can decide to change the travel restrictions to code red. And when that happens, all plans have to be changed again. Logistical Effort The logistical effort behind this group of Jews making Aliyah (immigrate to Israel) is a mammoth task. Seventeen employees from Christians for Israel coordinate the journey, in close cooperation with the Jewish Agency and Keren Hayesod from Israel. Passports, medical tests, luggage, airline tickets and of course face masks. Some of the Jewish youngsters fled from the war zone. From the eastern regions Donetsk and Mariupol, where there is still unrest between the Ukrainian army and the pro-Russian separatists. Dozens of minibuses left early in the morning from all over the country. A country, twenty times the size of Israel. On sometimes difficult roads, on their way to the Promised Land. But they are here now, all of them. They are ready to leave. From 27 villages and cities in Ukraine, now on their way to Israel Arthur from Donetsk. Sam Grundwerg, Keren Hayesod’s World Chairman, who assisted in the efforts to bring the young people to Israel, said, “Keren Hayesod and the State of Israel face a significant task of immigration and absorption of Jews, who come from all over the world to build a home in Israel. The flight joins the many efforts of Israel, together with Christians for Israel, our true friends, who repeatedly demonstrate solidarity with Israeli society.” 7 Aliyah December 2020 | Israel & Christians Today Kislev - Tevet 5781 Bringing Hope to Israel In June 2004, Nazar was born in Ukraine, as youngest of three children. He didn’t know his father, and his mother was an alcoholic, so she couldn’t take care of him. He ended up in an orphanage, and it was obvious for him: nobody wanted him! Until the Jewish school found out about Nazar and decided to take care of him. For the first time in his life, he was surrounded by care and love. Nazar now has one goal in life: to go and live in Israel and to help children who have gone through a similar experience in life. Ÿ Pray for Nazar and the 140 youngsters that went to Israel on November 3rd. Pray that they will feel at home quickly in Israel. Ÿ Praise God that He brings His people home, despite these practically impossible circumstances. Ÿ Photo credits for Ukraine: Svetlana Soroka Ÿ Photo credits for Israel: Sraya Diamant | Jewish Agency for Israel Flight In the meantime, it is seven o’clock in the evening. The airplane is taxiing away from the departure hall. In festive letters it is written on the plane: “40 years blessing the Jewish people”, referring to the 40th anniversary of Christians for Israel. From the centuries-long Diaspora, the Jewish people are returning to their ancient Home Land: the land of Israel, made possible with the aid of dedicated Christians. Koen Carlier, Aliyah Fieldworker in Ukraine: “A few days ago I read the whole chapter of Isaiah 60, which describes special events. That chapter describes how the Lord will plant His People in the land with His own hands. The Lord is planting them in Israel now, in our time!” Mission Accomplished A couple of hours later, late at night, the group safely lands in Israel. Mission accomplished! Another group of Jews coming home to the Promised Land. What will the future hold for these 140 youngsters who can call themselves Israeli citizens from now on? Arthur tells us: “I don’t know what to expect, but my dream is to make room in Israel for my whole family.” Starting today, his dream comes true. From the Corners of the Earth

15. 5 December 2020 | Israel & Christians Today Kislev - Tevet 5781 Christian Leader Honoured in Israel One of the lesser known dimensions of the “Great awakening” in the eighteenth century championed by men like the Wesley brothers, was a rebirthing of a desire to see the restoration of Israel and the return of the Jewish people to their ancient land. A verse from Charles Wesley’s Hymn, Almighty God of love , says it all: O that the chosen band Might now their brethren bring And gathered out of every land Present to Zion’s King. Of all the ancient race Not one be left behind But each impelled by secret grace His way to Canaan find! Christian Zionism, as this belief became known although not held by all, was furthered in various forms in the nineteenth century by the teaching of men like Charles Spurgeon, Bishop J.C Ryrie and John Darby. However, it was not until midway through WW1 that these Zionists aspirations began to be realised “on the ground” with the defeat of the Ottoman Empire, with Lt. Col John Patterson a great Christian Zionist playing no small part. Humble beginnings, the Zion Mule Corps Jewish young men, many of them refugees, volunteered to fight for the British to overthrow the Turks. At first the British didn’t know what to do with them but decided they could be useful carrying supplies to the troops at Gallipoli and bringing the wounded back, much the same as Simpson and his donkey did. There were over 700 mules and about 20 horses in the Corps, and it was effectively the first Jewish fighting force in 2,000 years. Patterson, a Christian, who amongst other things had been a student of Jewish history, was given command of this unique group. Patterson says in his book “With the Zionists at Gallipoli” , that “these Jews are among the bravest and finest men that have ever served under me”. Their noble service only furthered his Zionist aspirations and love for the Jewish people. With the Judeans in Palestine. After Gallipoli, Patterson fought hard to keep these men together as a Jewish fighting unit, threatening to resign his commission and return to England to tell all and sundry about the discrimination his Jewish band of brothers were experiencing. It was obvious the British Parliament were oblivious to the antisemitism that permeated much of the British military. His perseverance prevailed and the men were formed into a Jewish battalion and sent to Palestine. The Jews and the ANZACS Although great tension existed between British Troops and the Jewish battalion, no such feelings existed between the Jewish Battalion and the ANZACS. They struck up a friendship during the harsh conditions that they shared in the Jordan Valley Campaign . The Australians were having great difficulty crossing the River Jordan at the Umm esh-Shert Bridge. To their rescue came the Jewish battalion and at great cost they secured the bridge allowing the Australians to gallop across and finally take Es Salt. Later Patterson states in his book regarding the Judeans in Palestine, “When the battered remnants of our battalion were ordered to move to Lod, our feeling of being severed from the ANZACS was one of great regret. For every individual in our battalion had the utmost admiration and affection and a real feeling of comradeship for every officer and man in the ANZAC Mounted Division.” This unique bond of friendship was further deepened in WW2 and continues to this day. Bureaucratic spoiling During WW1 Zionist aspirations grew in the British parliament, due mainly to the lobbying of Christian and Jewish Zionists culminating in the famous “Balfour declaration.” However, in so far as the bureaucrats and senior military officers were concerned antisemitism was rife. The Jewish battalion were always last in the line to get supplies of even basic things like clothing, some of his men went without boots for weeks. When in Jerusalem during Passover they alone were forbidden to enter the Old City. At formal occasions when they sang the Hatikvah the British officers would sit down in a most pointed fashion. The list of wrong doing was long, Patterson alone stood against the prejudice of the military elite. In his book “With the Judeans in Palestine” , Patterson states that the British command in Palestine refused to implement the Balfour declaration and were determined to make it a “mere scrap of paper.” At the risk of a court marshal he defied the authorities by going over their heads to the war office. However, this brilliant and dedicated officer paid heavily for his strong pro-Zion posture, and to their eternal shame, Paterson was the only British officer to enter WW1 at the start and not to have been promoted or given a medal for his most meritorious service at wars end. After the war he went to America, rather than back to England, probably because of his disillusionment with the British reneging on their promises to the Jews. He struck up a friendship with Benzion Netanyahu whilst in America and was asked to be godfather to Jonathon Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s elder brother. Final honour His dying wish was that he could be buried in Israel. In 2014 at a ceremony attended by PM Netanyahu and many other dignitaries including Christian supporters of Israel, John Patterson and his beloved wife Francie were reinterred in an Israeli cemetery alongside many of his fallen mates of the Jewish 38th Fusilier Battalion he had commanded. He is revered in Israel and counted as one of the “righteous among the Gentiles” and regarded as the “godfather” of the Israel Defence Force. _________________________________ You can get in touch via our website or contact Barry at barry@emugully.com.au Lt. Col. John Patterson DSO, Christian Zionist and “Godfather” of the Israeli Army Barry Rodgers, OAM Beersheba Vision Inc John Henry Patterson—from the book With the Judaeans in the Palestine Campaign . Photo by Vandek | gutenberg.org this brilliant and dedicated officer paid heavily for his strong pro-Zion posture With the exception of the “rebirth of Israel” which is a marvellous portrait of the formation of the modern State of Israel in 1948, all merchandise items feature beautiful pictures of renowned Light Horse artists Jennifer and Ron Marshall. The A3 size calendar is a month by month calendar with a separate picture and description of Light Horse battles that took place in that month. To see the full range of Beersheba-Vision merchandise and to order online, go to: www.beershebavision.org NOTE: Minimum order of $20 plus postage ($7.95 or $12 with Mug). Orders over $100 postage free! Beersheba-themed Gift Ideas—Unique Christmas Pressies! 12 Month 2021 Calendar ($17) 6 x Neoprene Coasters ($10) Insulated Aluminium Mug ($16) Stubby Holder ($7) Mouse Pad ($7) 6 x Wooden Cork-backed Coasters ($20) Boxed

1. Please send mail-in donations to: Christians for Israel Australia PO Box 1508 Springwood QLD 4127 AUSTRALIAN EDITION EMAIL: info@c4israel.com.a u PHONE: 07 3088 6900 ABN: 79 941 819 693 Thanks for your financial sup port See over for credit card and other giving options My Gift Your latest edition of Israel & Christian’s Today is enclosed. We hope you enjoy and are greatly encouraged by the latest News articles and stories. Simple. Just visit myaccount.c4israel.com.au and login with your username and password. Haven’t setup your online account? Go to myaccount.c4israel.com.au/page/ registeremail and follow the instructions. Need to change your address or Newspaper order? 9 December 2020 continued over... LeN1220 You Can Give Hope & Comfort to the Lord’s People this Christmas Season! Dear friends, I hope and pray this December edition finds you well and has also arrived on time. For those of you who received the previous October Edition late, I do apologise. There were unfortunate delays with Australia Post due in part to the Covid pandemic, however we have worked hard to make sure this edition arrives on time. As we approach the Christmas and New Year festive season, let me express my sincere appreciation for your ongoing prayers and generous support. The entire C4I team and I are also grateful when you speak well of the ministry and this newspaper and perhaps share copies with family, friends and church members. Without your support, we could not advance our mission. Inside this edition you’ll discover we have four new books to inform and inspire you—helping you grow in the knowledge and understanding of your faith as the Apostle Paul also encouraged young Timothy: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needet h not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” − 2 Tim 2:15 KJV We have also launched a new humanitarian project to ‘Adopt a Holocaust Survivor.’ For $45 a month you can bring practical comfort to the Lord’s poorest and most overlooked people in the former Soviet nation of Ukraine. I would ask in the true spirit of Christmas you consider $ ____________ MY TOTAL DONATION TO: Christians for Israel Australia Inc. <<Addressee>> or <<CompanyName>> Member Number: <<MemberNum>> Yes Ian, I’d like to give a special one-off donation towards... $__________ Aliyah: $350=1 person $1250=5 people $6250=25 people $__________ Food Parcels ($15 per parcel–see over for what’s included) $__________ for Newspaper Printing & Postage *please don’t use staples*

22. 12 December 2020 | Israel & Christians Today Kislev - Tevet 5781 New Sponsorship Program for Holocaust Survivors Adopt a Holocaust Survivor Ian Worby’s story of the lives he witnessed being healed & transformed: Bring hope! The ‘Adopt a Holocaust Survivor’ sponsorship programme matches Holocaust Survivors in Ukraine to a sponsor in from another part of the world, like Australia. As of today the program has 350 sponsors from around the world. Officials estimate that today there are about 500 Holocaust survivors in Ukraine who survived a concentration camp, and another 17,000 who escaped to the East under horrible circumstances. More than 500,000 Jewish people have made Aliyah from Ukraine to the land of Israel since the opening of the former Soviet Union in the early 1990s, fulfilling Biblical prophecy. But not all have the necessary documents, or the support of a family for such a step. Many have stayed behind. How the Program Works: $45 per month enables a Holocaust Survivor or needy Jewish pensioner in Ukraine meet their most urgent needs, such as: • medication • food • clothing or repairs • visitations All practical aid and support is coor dinated by our local team in Ukraine. What Each Sponsor Receives: When someone signs up as a sponsor, he/she receives a certificate/biography with a photo and the story of the sponsored person (see to the right for an example). With your help, we can let the survivors ‘taste and see’ that they are not forgotten, and bring hope to their hungry hearts. A few years ago My wife Mandy and I had the unique privilege of travelling to the former soviet country of Ukraine. Upon arrival in Kiev airport and after some difficulties clearing customs, we were finally greeted by Christians for Israel Ukraine national leader Koen Carlier, his team, and a number of other volunteers from C4I around the world. We stopped at an orphanage and met with C4I field workers who care for the Jewish orphans and children of Jewish families who have been displaced because of the civil war in the west along the border region of Russia. Tens of thousands of people have had their homes and livelihoods destroyed because of the war— many fleeing with just the clothes on their back. We learned that C4I is helping many with clothing, emergency shelter and providing assistance in helping families get new documentation to allow them to apply for Aliyah and make a new life for themselves in their ancient homeland of Israel. We then moved to Vinnytsia, a large regional city home to many thousands of displaced Russian speaking Jews and Holocaust Survivors. We visited the local synagog and a small holocaust museum to see and learn of the plight of over 2 million Jews who were ruthlessly rounded up, taken into the forests and forced to dig long open ditches, and shot and buried in unmarked mass graves. We visited a couple of these sites and learned first hand from survivors of their stories and how their families and entire villages were wiped out. We also participated in unveiling new memorials to help the locals mourn and remember their lost love ones. After seeing a number of these small impoverished communities we spent a day packing over 1,000 emergency food parcels into bags marked in Russian that were from Christians for Israel. Each parcel had a brochure telling them how Christians were praying for them and how they could make Aliyah to Israel. The next day we had the joy of handing out the parcels to families and single Enter Your Details Enter your name and login email address used to access your C4I Donor Portal Step 1. Step 3. Register your Credit/Debit card to generate a payment token (Note Card details NOT stored) Register Your Card Step 4. C4I will allocate your adoptee and setup a recurring payment as per Step 3. You will then be notified via email of the details. Await Advice Step 2. Select the length of your sponsorship • 1 Year (12 Pa yments of $45) • 2 Years (24 Pa yments of $45) Select Period Adopt a Holocaust Survivor today! Go to c4israel.com.au/adopt and follow these 4 easy steps*: Yevgeny was born in a Jewish family in Ukrainian Mogilov - Podolski on the Moldovan border in 1953 . His mother was from Kirovograd, his father from Khmelnitsky . At the end of the 19 th century, 12 , 000 Jewish residents lived in Mogilov , more than half of the town’s population . After the Bolshevist revolution toward the end of the First World War, all religious activity was forbidden . When the invasion of the German Wehrmacht took World War II to Ukraine, all men of military age, including Jewish men, were drafted into the Red Army and sent to the battle front . Yevgeny’s father was also among them . During the Second World War, Mogilov came under Rumanian occupation, closely coordinated with Nazi Germany, to form the region of Transnistria . 13 , 000 deported Jews arrived from the Rumanian regions of Bukovina and Bessarabia . Even though living conditions were inhumane and took many lives, a Jewish population of about 20 percent remained in Mogilov after the war . The last synagogue was closed by the authorities in 1960 . “Mom also went to the battle front,“ Yevgeny told us when we visited him in his run - down apartment in Mogilov - Podolski . “Mom worked as a nurse behind the front lines . That’s where she met my father, in Stalingrad .“ YegvenyWeytser widows and widowers and were treated to their singing and thanksgiving in Russian. The trip culminated with Mandy and I accompanying a busload of Ukrainian Jewish families and a lot of students on a special Aliyah flight. Each person had a bag of clothing and kissed and hugged and cried as they said farewell to family and friends remaining. We arrived a few hours later in Tel Aviv and were greeted by the Ministry of Absorption and the various Jewish agencies. Many in our group were taken to their new community homes in Kibutzim where the children were given free tuition while the parents learn Hebrew and are assisted in assimilating into a new Jewish life with work opportunities—knowing that Christians for Israel played a huge part in this journey. For the many elderly Holocaust survivors who can’t make the journey we have created a new adoption program to feed, cloth and give them medical aid and visitation to comfort these precious, but often forgotten, daughters and sons of Israel. Our hearts were breaking for them, but we knew there was hope and a future because God had given us this plan to ask supporters of Christian for Israel in Australia to Adopt a Holocaust Survivor and show God’s unconditional love for each and every one of them every month with your faithful gift of support. NOTE : You will eventually get a certificate, biography and photo of the person you adopt and support—so you can pray for them. Unfortunately due to privacy laws you aren’t able to contact them. Also, biographies are currently delayed due to Covid-19 but will be posted to each sponsor as soon as field workers return to the field offices. *If you don’t have an email address or if the online setup is not your preference you can call our team during office hours on 07 3088 6900 and they’ll assist you over the phone.

17. 7 December 2020 | Israel & Christians Today Kislev - Tevet 5781 First Time Ever: Tour Egypt, Jordan and Israel from $8990 * *Twin share. Includes return economy airfares+airport taxes, 4 star plus hotels, buffet breakfast and dinner each day and some lunches, site entry fees, luxury coaches and much more. Please contact us for all terms and conditions including details on refund. Sail the majestic Nile See the Pyramids ENQUIRE TODAY All fees are fully refundable if tour is cancelled due to COVID19 JOURNEY OF A LIFETIME TO THE PROMISED LAND 15 NIGHTS – DEPARTING 30 SEP 2021 Optional Extension 7 NIGHTS IN EGYPT (Pre-tour) See where God displayed His wonders through the patriarchs Joseph, Moses and Aaron— redeeming His people from bondage. FOR MORE DETAILS CALL 1300 550 830 ( Olive Tree Travel , our partner travel agency ) vision.org.au/tours “As a result of doing the tour I feel there is more of a richness to what I read in the Bible.” – Rosemary 2019 Tour Ride a camel at Petra Overlooking Magdala, Capernaum and the Galilee from Mt Arbel Visit the Garden Tomb Are you ready to travel?

19. 9 December 2020 | Israel & Christians Today Kislev - Tevet 5781 NEW : C4I Now Streaming Video Resources HOW TO WATCH To watch your On Demand purchases you will need to create a Vimeo account. Once created any videos you rent or buy can be viewed in your browser as well as on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, and Chromecast. There’s a helpful video on our website from Vimeo that explains the process. OF FURTHER INTEREST : We are currently in talks with a number of current and possible future contributors to expand our digital library with new and exciting teaching resources in the near future. This is just another way we are helping to better inform and inspire you, espcially in light of the current pandemic and greater difficulty we now face—more than ever before—to easily access quality teaching material—especially for those in isolation. CURRENT ON DEMAND FILM LIST Why Israel? by Rev. Willem Glashouwer Why Jerusalem? by Rev. Willem Glashouwer Why End Times? by Rev. Willem Glashouwer The Signs of the Times by Rev. Willem Glashouwer The Final Countdown by Ps Enoch Lavender The End Times Through Jewish Eyes by Ps Enoch Lavender Gallipoli: The Road to Jerusalm by Kelvin Crombie San Remo & Israel’s Restoration by Kelvin Crombie CHRISTIANS FOR ISRAEL OUR NEW DIGITAL CATALOGUE OF PREMIUM TEACHING RESOURCES WILL HELP INFORM AND INSPIRE YOU, WHEREVER YOU ARE. ON DEMAND C4ISRAEL.COM.AU/ONDEMAND

11. Dear Faithful readers and friends (Chavorim), Welcome to this last edition for 2020 as we look towards a new year of promise and potential in 2021. For many 2020 has been a very challenging year of disruption, uncertainty and the beginning of what many are calling “the new reality”, “the great reset” and some are even daring to call it “the beginning of sorrows” which Jesus spoke of in Matthew 24:6-13. “And you will hear of wars and rumours of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.   For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences (Pandemics!), and earthquakes in various places.   All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.   And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.  Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.   But he who endures to the end shall be saved.” Jesus, the long awaited Messiah and Holy One of Israel, also told His disciples not to be deceived and not to be worried or troubled, for He has already overcome the world and He has promised to take care of His own. (you can read about this in, Ps 16:10, Matt 24:10, Jhn 14:1,27 and 16:33.) As I write this we have seen the recent elections in America result in a predicted dispute and uncertainty over the winner. Yet despite Media claims we are waiting for the official results to be worked out according to their constitutional process which has served the American people for centuries. Even so, we know this is a very polarising and controversial topic. Christians for Israel is both non denominational and apolitical in our approach of informing and inspiring you as part of the ‘Church’ or universal body of believers to hold to a Biblical understanding of the times we are in and especially in regards to recognising our obligation to pray for, stand with and comfort the Lords people as instructed in Isaiah 40:1 and Matthew 25:40 In this edition we have some interesting opinion pieces and commentaries about what is unfolding around the world and how we should continue to watch and pray for the Lords will to be done according to His Sovereign plan. As we read concerning national leaders in Daniel 2:20-21 the Lord declares; “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to Him. He changes the times and seasons; He removes kings and establishes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.” New Books and Online Resources Also we’re pleased to present new and timely resources to encourage and inspire you during these times of testing, isolation and shaking. Four new books and a new on- demand video service for you to easily buy or rent current and new video resources— helping equip you in your faith. See page 9. Four New Books Our International President, Rev. Willem Glashouwer has just launched his very popular and unique daily devotional on the Book of Revelation in English. (with new updates and revisions from the original Dutch and German versions, which are now in their 4th printing.) The title is ‘Behold He Comes’ and rather than being a typical end-times teaching Rev. Willem J.J. Glashouwer has written it as a devotional—helping us as expectant believers to prepare ourselves for the coming of the King. Rev. Glashouwer presents the Book of Revelation in a new light—up-to-date with current affairs. It’s a book which gives hope and comfort for people living in the end times, and it’s not to theologically complex, so everyone can understand it! You only need a couple of minutes each day to study one or two verses of the Book of Revelation to grasp a clearer understanding. The Book of Revelation is the only book of the Bible with a promise of a blessing to those who read it. “Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear and obey what is written in it, because the time is near.” —Revelation 1:3 Rev. Glashouwer’s second book, ‘Living a Life in Victory’, is also very apt for these troubling times. In it he challenges the ideas of Athiesm and Deism, demonstrating with great clarity God is indeed alive and intimatley involved and concered with us and this world. He also highlights the reality of the claims of Christianity as a religion that promies deliverance, redemption and inner freedom—and how to get it—how you can personally participate in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, and be free, really free! Another new book we’re proudly promoting is from Edda Fogarollo—the National leader of Christians for Israel Italy. ‘Towards the Establishment of the State of Israel’ is a historical excursion, that retraces the principal events, emotions, efforts, adversities and the protagonists who enable the Jewish people to become a nation after a diaspora lasting for two hundred years. Starting with the destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem in 70 AD. passing through the process of emancipation, the pogrom in Eastern Europe and the principal phases of the Zionist movement and reliving the tragedy of the Shoah, the author arrives at 1967 when Jerusalem, the eternal city, once again becomes the capital of a united Israel. The fourth new book, ‘Bazyli & Anna Jocz—Jewish Christian Victims of the Holocaust’ is by well known Australian author and respected historian, and friend, Kelvin Crombie. His book is part of a larger research Study on the fate of the Jewish people who were associated with the Church in Europe during the period of the Holocaust. The Book was recently launched at Rev. Dr. Margaret Courts Victory Life Centre in Perth along with Rev. Peter Abetz. See details of all of these new publications on page 10 or go to c4israel.com.au/store (limited stock, so order now before Christmas to avoid disappointment) Adopt a Holocaust Survivor Program As part of our continued commitment to providing practical help in comforting Israel and her holocaust survivors we are excited to announce a new initiative of adopting a Holocaust survivor from the former Soviet nation of Ukraine. This new program will provide monthly support of food, clothing and personal visitation by our local field workers on the ground. See details on page 12 as well as the brochure included with your newspaper. You can also find out more by going online: c4israel.com.au/adopt This new monthly supporter program is in addition of our other very important humanitarian projects such as our ‘Food Parcels’ in the Ukraine, ‘Meals on Wheels ‘in Jerusalem, our ‘First Home in the Homeland’ and of course helping the Jews from around the diaspora to return home to Israel and make ‘Aliyah’. See details inside this newspaper, respond via our back page or online: c4israel.com.au/projects As we approach the end of year festivities— celebrating the birth of Messiah and Chanukah: the Festival of Lights—we are reminded God loves us and makes a way to bring hope and light for us all, even in these dark and desperate times. Let’s continue to watch, pray and be generous in showing God’s love for our neighbours. If you can send a donation to help feed, clothe and shelter “the least of these—My brethren” and help us continue print and post this ministry tool, I’m sure you will feel the Joy of giving as the father smiles on His children and says: “Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.” Thank you in the Strong and Mighty Name of Yeshua the coming King. _____________________________________ Ian Worby National Leader & Regional Director for Christians for Israel Australia & Oceania. PS. We’re getting closer to submitting our application for Charitable and Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status which will make all future donations tax-deductible. We’re still trusting for the $8,000 to cover our legal fees, so please prayerfully consider if you can help in this matter with a donation. Also our newspaper and mailing cost have increased so please consider helping there as well. December 2020 Report From Our National Leader Comforts Informs Inspires Ian Worby C4I Australia National Leader and Regional Director for Oceania Ian and Mandy Worby at Mt Nebo, Jordan, looking into the Promised Land.

28. 26 December 2020 | Israel & Christians Today Kislev - Tevet 5781 Walk through the Land 14 December 2020 | Israel & Christians Today Kislev - Tevet 5781 Kameel Majdali n Director | Teach All Nations Inc. Jesus was from the House of Judah and born in Bethlehem Judaea, but He lived His life in Galilee. It is where He conducted much of His ministry. For those who want to ‘walk where Jesus walked,’ a sojourn in Galilee is a must. In this article, we will learn about the region mentioned 72 times in the Bible (66 times in the New Testament). Galilee, which means ‘ring’ (of nations), stretches from the Sea of Galilee in the east to the Plain of Acre/Asher on the Mediterranean coast to the west. It can be divided into two parts: Upper Galilee in the north, much of it now in the southern part of Lebanon. The northern border is the Litani River. Upper Galilee elevation is high, the soil is fertile, the rain at 600-1,000mm a year adequate. Yet, it is scarcely mentioned in Scripture. Whenever you read the name ‘Galilee,’ in the New Testament, think ‘Lower Galilee.’ The hills are no higher than 610 meters, made of Cenomanian limestone, with East-West transversal valleys that collect rich alluvial soil. Its main cities include Nazareth, Cana, Sephhoris, Chorazin, Bethsaida, Capernaum, Safed. Contrast between Judah and Galilee Galilee in the Old Testament Judges 4: Deborah and Barak had a stunning victory over General Sisera, servant of Jabin King of Canaan, who dwelt at Hazor. The actual battle was in the Armageddon Valley, Mount Tabor and the Kishon River, all by the southern border of Galilee. Hazor is in the Huleh Basin by Upper Galilee. 1 Kings 15:20: Prodded by King Asa of Judah, Ben Hadad of Syria attacked the Northern Kingdom of Israel and smote the cities of Galilee. Syria and Israel tussled over Galilee more than once. 2 Kings 13:22-25: Joash recovered the cities of Galilee from Syria by defeating their king three times. 2 Kings 14:25: (Northern Kingdom of) Israel’s affliction was very great, so God raised Jeroboam II, who recovered the lost cities of Galilee. After the Babylonian exile, the name ‘Galilee’ was assigned to the entire northern third of Palestine. Galilee in the New Testament During the entire earthly life of Jesus of Nazareth, a ‘Herod’ would be ruling Israel in the background. The Herodian dynasty were Roman-appointed puppet kings who did Caesar’s bidding over their own people, Israel. The grand patriarch of the clan was Herod the Great, who ruled Israel from 37-4 BC. A ruthless tyrant and able administrator, Herod was denied by Rome of having a military of his own. So he ‘conquered by construction,’ building fine edifices and cities across the land. These included Caesarea, Maccherus, Sebastiyah, Herodian, the temple and temple mount in Jerusalem, unforgettable Masada, and more. Herod suffered from acute paranoia and tried to kill the toddler Jesus, as recorded in M atthew 2. Herod died in 4 BC, and the holy family returned shortly afterwards. The country was partitioned for his three sons: Archelaus ruled in Judea, Philip in Golan, and Antipas in Galilee. Antipas was only a tetrarch, not a king. The latter ruled from 4 BC - 39 AD, married his brother’s Philip’s wife Herodias, executed John the Baptist, and built the city of Tiberias on the Sea of Galilee. ‘And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people .’ Matthew 4:23 ‘And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the region round about (Lower) Galilee.’ Mark 1:28 ‘And he preached in their synagogues throughout all (Lower) Galilee and cast out devils. Mark 1:39. When it comes to the ministry of Jesus of Nazareth, Galilee was His home and stage. After His rejection in Nazareth, Jesus set up headquarters at Capernaum on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. This move literally fulfilled prophecy. Isaiah 9 speaks of the land of Zebulon and Naphtali, the way of the sea (Via Maris), Galilee of the Gentiles. These same people who lived in darkness (recall the verses in 1 and 2 Kings) have seen a great light. Beautiful, quiet Galilee, ringed by nations, could be the object of military conflict and occupation. Jesus’ coming heralded the start of a perfect kingdom of peace - Matthew 4:15-16. Galilee’s central and accessible location caused His fame to quickly spread through ‘all Syria’ (Matthew 4:24) and attracted people from the Decapolis (10 Greek cities, mostly east of the Jordan River), Jerusalem, Judaea, and beyond the Jordan River. Galilee was blessed to enjoy the ministry of Jesus; however, in the absence of repentance, it was severely rebuked. The cities of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum were condemned because they refused to repent. Tyre, Sidon and Sodom were promised an easier time in the day of judgement than for these three Galilean cities. - Matthew 11:21-24 Want to experience Jesus’ Galilee by foot? Consider hiking on the Jesus Trail from Nazareth to Capernaum, 68 km or 42 miles. It can be done in 2-4 days with a group of average fitness. You will be re-enforced in faith as you walk through His land. Introducing Jesus’ Land Keshet Cave (Rainbow Cave or Cave of the Arch), a natural arch on the ridge north of Nahal Betzet, Galilee. | Photo: Flickr Character Judah Galilee Accessibility Difficult to access, high mountains Readily accessible to Phoenicia, Mesopotamia, and Egypt Population Primarily Israelite Mixed ethnicities: Israelite, Arabian, Iturean, Phoenician, Greek. Hence ‘Galilee of the nations’ Centrality Judah & Jerusalem, epicentre of Jewry Galilee, the back bedroom Fertility Barren Fertile: Tyre and Sidon depended on its bounty (Acts 12:20; Ezekiel 27:17; Ezra 3:7; 1 Kings 5:9) Attitude to People Aloof, snobbish (John 1:46; 7:52) Down to earth Attitude in General Could be treacherous (Judges 15:9-13; Volcanic temper, loyal (Mark 14:31) Mark 3:19; 14:10) Stone Golden limestone Black volcanic basalt stone Panoramic view of the Sea of Galilee. | Photo: Flickr

23. 21 December 2020 | Israel & Christians Today Kislev - Tevet 5781 Itamar Marcus n Director & Founder | Palestinian Media Watch (PMW) In June this year, in response to Israel’s planned extension of sovereignty to parts of the West Bank, six European members of the UN Security Council released a joint statement calling for “Sustainable peace and stability in the Middle East.” All countries have the right to have anti-Israel opinions and policies and express them publicly. But one would expect that democratic countries would be committed to the truth. Unfortunately, the joint statement by Belgium, Estonia, France, Germany, Ireland, and Norway, is a collection of hypocrisy, lies, and rewriting of history. The six states claim to “condemn all acts of violence against civilians, including acts of terror.” There is no greater duplicity than to ‘condemn’ terror against civilians, while at the same time being the leading international funders of terror against Israeli civilians. This writer has personally met with government officials in Germany, Norway and many other European countries and presented full documentation proving that the Palestinian Authority has spent billions o f euros to pay monthly salaries to terrorist prisoners, and to the families of the so-called Martyrs - including suicide bombers. They receive this money solely as a reward for their terrorism and murder of Israelis. These ‘terror reward’ payments could not continue if European countries would condition their funding on the cessation of the PA’s terror payments. The deceitful condemnation of the terror that they are knowingly facilitating, shows that the lives of Israeli civilians don’t have the same value to Europeans as other civilians. Indeed, by condemning te rror against civilians they are fundamentally condemning themselves. The joint statement hypocritically calls “on both sides to abstain from any unilateral actions which would be contrary to international law.” Yet both the EU and Norway are intentionally and knowingly taking ‘unilateral’ actions that ‘violate international law.’ According to the Oslo Accords, which are binding under international law, Area C of the West Bank is under complete Israeli jurisdiction and administration. Any act of building in these areas without an Israeli permit is a violation of international law. Yet the EU and Norway, as policy, unilaterally violate international law by building for the PA in a deceitful attempt to bypass the peace process. Hypocritically again, their joint statement asks that “meaningful negotiations on all final status issues resume.” Of course the status of Area C is something that must be negotiated. Yet the EU and Norway feel others must follow the law, while they themselves are free to do what they want. The joint statement further states that “we will not accept any changes to the 1967 borders.” But no ‘borders’ were established in 1967; there were only 1949 armistice lines, which have never constituted established borders. Finally, the joint declaration states: “The two-state solution, with Jerusalem as the future capital for both states, is the only way to ensure sustainable peace and stability in the region.” In fact, there is no greater way to ensure war and instability in the region than to force Israel back to those 1949 indefensible armistice lines, which would forever be an invitation for Palestinian terror. Were the thousands of rockets fired from the Gaza Strip to be fired in the future from the West Bank into Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and Israel’s airport, life in Israel would be untenable. Israel must follow UN resolution 242, which (under certain conditions) calls for Israeli withdrawal - not to the cease-fire lines but to ‘secure and recognised’ borders. With nearly 2000 Israelis murdered and tens of thousands injured since Israel started withdrawing from the West Bank after signing the Oslo Accords, it is clear that Israel has already withdrawn beyond secure borders. To receive PMW updates, go to www.palwatch.org 9 Analysis December 2020 | Israel & Christians Today Kislev - Tevet 5781 Mezuzah In this new series, ‘Signs of Faith’, objects that express Jewish faith will be explained and discussed. How do you recognise a Jewish house? The tour guide asked the question on a walk through the Old City of Jerusalem. A fellow traveller with a sharp eye soon noticed it: the mezuzah on the doorpost. The word mezuzah means doorpost. But it is also the word for the small box that is nailed on the doorpost. This box contains a small parchment scroll on which the text of Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and 11:13-21 is written. This passage opens with the famous words “Hear, o Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is one.” But the commandment the mezuzah is derived from also appears there: “You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and your gates.” The backside has the letters shin – dalet – yod: Shaddai – the Almighty One. But it is also read as an acronym of Shomer Daltot Yisrael: ‘Keeper of the Doors of Israel’. The parchment is rolled up and put in the holder in such a way, that the letter Shin is visible. The holder, therefore, has a small window. Sometimes the Shin is on the outside of the mezuzah. The mezuzah reminds you that the commandments of the Torah sanctify the house. Pious Jews kiss or touch the mezuzah whenever they pass the door. The holder can be made of all sorts of material. The scroll has to be parchment and handwritten. Otherwise, it is not kosher. It is the work of outstanding writers, soferim. They also have to check twice in seven years, if the mezuzah is not damaged and the text still readable. Obviously, there are specific rules for fixing the mezuzah. In Israel, it is done immediately when one moves into the house, outside Israel, it has to be done within thirty days. The mezuzah is nailed on the right doorpost, with the top slightly bending inside. For the fixing, a special berachah (blessing) is said. The mezuzah is put not just on the front door, but on every room in the house, except for the bathroom and the storage room. The commandment does not only apply to a house, but also the gates of a city. When Jerusalem was reunited in 1967, the first thing done was fixing mezuzahs to the old city gates. | Photo: Flickr Signs of Faith By Kees de Vreugd Prayer Points & Weekly Update Would you like to receive the Israel & Christians Today Weekly Update and/or the bi-monthly Prayer Points directly into your inbox? Email us on info@c4israel.com.au, include your full name and email address, and let us know which one (or both) you would like to subscribe to. AUSTRALIA www.c4israel.com.au info@c4israel.com.au Six Democratic European Countries Lie in Anti-Israel Declaration Aerial view of the Old City of Jerusalem. | Photo: Flash90 “According to the EU, the two-state solution, with Jerusalem as the future capita l for both states, is the only wa y to ensure sustainable peace and stability in the region.”

20. 10 December 2020 | Israel & Christians Today Kislev - Tevet 5781 New Books... Just In Time for Christmas! TO ORDER USE THE FORM ON THE BACK PAGE OR SECURELY ONLINE: C4ISRAEL.COM.AU/STORE B a s ic V esion CTZ Logo M in im u m V esion CTZ Logo Mens Watch SKU: 2092GFT Ladies Watch SKU: 173GFT A gift your loved ones will treasure for a lifetime! RRP $125ea $90 * our gift to you for your gift of: “...for such a time as this.” *Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer or general donation. While Stocks Last. SAVE $35 & FREE POSTAGE $20 (includes p+h) $15 (includes p+h) PAPERBACK | by Rev. William Glashouwer PAPERBACK | by Edda Fogarollo NEW! NEW! Edda retraces the principal events, emotions, efforts, adversities and the protagonists who enabled the Jewish people to become a nation after a diaspora lasting for two hundred years Page after page, one experiences the narration of the accomplishment of something that is much more than a collective dream: a miracle announced by the prophets and fulfilled before our very eyes. For many people today there is no certainty anymore God exists, or if He does, has anything to do with me or this world. Rev. Glashouwer demonstrates how the Christian claims of deliverance, redemption and spiritual freedom are real and that it’s possible to live a life of victory. The Holy Spirit empowers our new life to bring forth the nine-fold fruit of the Spirit. That’s not a fanciful dream—its’ a Biblical promise! $30 (includes p+h) $36 (includes p+h) PAPERBACK | by Kelvin Crombie PAPERBACK | by Rev. William Glashouwer NEW! NEW! Is the last book of the Bible—The Revelation of Jesus Christ to John—only understandable to theologically trained people? Rev. Glashouwer presents ‘Revelation’ in a new light. Study God’s roadmap for the future, step-by-step. You only need a couple of minutes each day to study one or two verses to better grasp its meaning. You will discover God is the beginning and the end—Who is and Who was and Who is to come. During 1933-1945 Jews throughout Europe were persecuted by the Nazi regime and some six million were murdered. What’s not so well known is the tens of thousands of Jewish Christians who also suffered. The Jocz family was typical of such treatment by the Nazis and their allies—some of whom survived. This book provides insight into the collective story of these over-looked Jewish victims of the Holocaust. Sign up a friend to ‘Israel & Christians Today’ Newspaper and receive the ‘ Israel 70 Years Magazine ’ or the new ‘ The Signs of the Times DVD ’ FREE * ! Your Full Name: ____________________________ Address: _________________________________ _________________________________________ State: ________________ P ostcode: __________ Friends Full Name: _________________________ Address: _________________________________ _________________________________________ State: ________________ P ostcode: __________ Number of Newspapers Bi-monthly: c 1 c 2 c 5 c Other: ______________________ *1 Magazine/DVD per person. limited offer. while stocks last. SEND DETAILS TO: Christians for Israel, Australia , PO Box 1508, Springwood, QLD, 4127 Israel 70 Years Commemorative Magazine Please choose ONE of the below gifts to receive upon successfully signing up a new friend to ‘ Israel & Christians Today’ Newspaper. The Signs of the Times DVD ( 7+ Hours Teaching) The friend/church you nominate to receive the Israel & Christians Today Bi-monthly Newspaper will also receive a complimentary copy of ‘The Signs of the Times’ DVD as well.

4. 14 December 2020 | Israel & Christians Today Kislev - Tevet 5781 December 2020 | Israel & Christians Today Kislev - Tevet 5781 Editorial 2 Colophon Israel & Christians Today is the premier publication of Christians for Israel Mission Our mission is to bring Biblical understanding in the Church and among the nations concerning God’s purposes for Israel and to promote comfort of Israel through prayer and action. Editorial Team Andrew Tucker International Editor-in-Chief atucker@c4israel.org Cathy Coldicutt Managing Editor newspaper@c4israel.org Marloes van Westing International Communications Manager international@c4israel.org Ian Worby, Bryce Turner, Rita Quartel, Marie-Louise Weissenböck and Marijke Terlouw Scripture references: THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. C4I Offices Christians for Israel International Leon Meijer, Chairman Rev Willem J.J. Glashouwer, President Rev Cornelis Kant, Executive Director P.O. Box 1100 | 3860 BC Nijkerk, The Netherlands | Tel: +31 33 422 0405 info@c4israel.org | www.c4israel.org The English Edition of Israel & Christians Today is published by the following English speaking branches: Christians for Israel - Australia Ian Worby, National Leader PO Box 1508, Springwood Queensland, Australia 4127 Tel: +61 (7) 3088 6900, info@c4israel.com.au www.c4israel.com.au Christians for Israel - New Zealand Bryce Turner, National Executive Director PO Box 12 006, Penrose, Auckland, New Zealand 1642 Tel: +64 9 525 7564, info@c4israel.org.nz www.c4israel.org.nz Christians for Israel - South Korea Tel: +61 410 430 677 email: wijung@gmail.com www.c4israel.org/korea Christians for Israel - USA Fred J van Westing, CEO PO Box 2589, Manteca, CA 95336, USA Tel/Fax: +1 209 665 4280 usa-info@c4israel.org www.c4israel.us DISCLAIMER - Articles printed in Israel & Christians Today express the views of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Editors or that of the Board of Christians for Israel. The printing of articles or advertising in Israel & Christians Today does not necessarily imply either endorsement or agreement. ©Christians for Israel International Reproduction, or storage in a retrieval system or in any other form, is prohibited without permission. Please contact the Managing Editor should you wish to syndicate or republish any articles or materials appearing in Israel & Christians Today. XXXfaceCooLcomcisraelAUS AnEreX TucLer n International &Eitor | $hristians for Israel On 7 November, the world lost one of its greatest leaders: Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks. Rabbi Sacks, former Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth, was a naturally shy person who grew to become an intellectual and moral giant - one of the most important Jewish thinkers of the past century. Rabbi Sacks was a scholar, but also a teacher and a leader. He took on the toughest moral issues of our era, such as anti-Semitism, moral relativism, individualism, multi-culturalism, and religious conflict. In his many books, lectures, broadcasts, and teachings, as well as speeches in the House of Lords, he confronted the spiritual and moral significance of these phenomena head-on, explored their meaning for us as individuals and society, and never avoided advice on the practical ways in which they can and should be addressed. For Rabbi Sacks, Judaism and the Jewish people were given to be a blessing to the world. He therefore constantly called on his Jewish brethren to return to the Bible and to live full and fruitful lives faithful to orthodox Jewish teaching. Just as important, he had a message for the whole world. His life of service was an example and challenge to all non-Jews – to discover and live lives of obedience to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who created the Jewish people as His instrument of blessing, and who created all things and loves all people equally regardless of faith, race or nationality. Sacks was as concerned about the persecution of Christians as he was about anti-Semitism because he understood their common root: hatred of the God of Israel. A few years ago, in a Lords debate on the treatment of Christians in the Middle East, Sacks reminded his peers of some famous words of Martin Luther King: “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies but the silence of our friends.” His book Lessons in Leadership should be read by all who aspire to become leaders – in whatever field of endeavour. These lessons are explored in his weekly Covenant & Conversation series so that (as his website tells us) “people from all over the world can continue to learn and be inspired by his Torah”. In a recent parsha (weekly teaching on the set portion of the Torah), Sacks wrote about how Abraham purchased the field of Machpelah in order to bury his wife Sarah (Genesis 23). Immediately afterwards, Abraham is blessed (Genesis 24:1). Then, unexpectedly – instead of resting on his laurels – at the ripe age of 137 - he engages in a new endeavour: to find a wife for his son Isaac. Why? Because “leaders take responsibility for creating the conditions through which God’s purposes can be fulfilled. They are not passive but active – even in old age, like Abraham. That is what leaders understand, and it is what made Abraham the first Jewish leader.” God promised Abraham two things: children and land. “Despite this, when Sarah dies, Abraham has not a single inch of land that he can call his own, and he has only one child who will c ontinue the covenant, Isaac, who is currently unmarried. Neither promise has been fulfilled. There is a moral here: G od promises, but we have to act. And despite all the promises, God does not and will not do it alone.” “Leaders begin with an envisioned future, but they also know that there is a long journey between here and there; we can only reach it one act at a time, one day at a time. There is no miraculous shortcut - and if there were, it would not help. Abraham acquired only a single field and had just one son who would continue the covenant. Yet he did not complain, and he died serene and satisfied because he had begun. Because he had left future generations something on which to build. All great change is the work of more than one generation, and none of us will live to see the full fruit of our endeavours. Leaders see the destination, begin the journey, and leave behind them those who will continue it. That is enough to endow life with immortality.” Rabbi Sacks followed Abraham’s example and led us all by his example of humility, courage, obedience, and love. Rabbi Sacks’ daughter Gila said at his funeral that her father taught her two things. First, that no problem is too difficult or too big to solve. “He taught us that we are called to be involved, to tackle big issues, and to change things - step by step”. Second, and most important, “he loved us so much, and never, ever missed an opportunity in recent years to tell us how proud he was of what each of us did, but mainly, for who we were”. Note: you can sign up to receive Rabbi Sacks’ teachings via his website www.rabbisacks.org. Prayer Points By Pieter Bénard Israel l Pray for all those in Israel who have a position at the national, regional or local government. Pray that they will receive wisdom to govern Israel well in this time of corona and that they can also face other challenges such as the threat of terrorism. Pray for unity in the different branches of the government, and they put their trust in God. l Pray for protection of Israel at its borders. Terrorist groups always surround Israel. In the south, Hamas, in the north, Hezbollah and in Judea and Samaria, Palestinian terrorists who often operate alone. Pray also that there will be rapprochement from the Palestinian side to make peace with Israel. l “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain.” 1 Corinthians 15:58. In November, 140 youngsters emigrated from Ukraine to Israel with the help of Christians for Israel, the Jewish Agency and Keren Hayesod. Pray that these young people will quickly settle in Israel and that they will be a blessing to the country. Israel & the Nations l Give thanks for the peace Israel has made with several Arab countries. Give thanks that two countries, Serbia and Malawi, recently promised to move their embassies from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Pray that more countries will follow. l “No weapon forged against you will prevail (...)” Isaiah 54:17a. Recently, the United Nations arms embargo on Iran expired. Iran can now enter the arms market and buy and sell arms. Pray for protection of Israel against aggression from Iran. Christians for Israel l Due to corona, it is not easy to plan conferences and other activities for next year. Pray for wisdom to make the right choices. l “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:14) Give thanks that so many around the world have heard about the Gospel and the Kingdom. Pray that Jesus will return quickly. For daily Prayer Points, go to our website www.c4israel.com.au Rabbi Jonathan Sacks. | Photo: Times of Israel We Remember a True Leader

27. 25 December 2020 | Israel & Christians Today Kislev - Tevet 5781 Archeology 12 Kay Wilson n Israeli Tour Guide | Author | Cartoonist In English, if someone is referred to as a Philistine, it describes someone with bad table manners or the lazy person who sits in front of the TV drinking beer who has never picked up a book in his or her life. There is a misnomer that Philistines were rude and uneducated. The Philistines first appear in Canaan about 3,200 years ago as part of a migration of Sea People coming from Crete. The Bible names five of their cities on or near the coast: Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Gath and Ekron. The Israelites, on the other hand, settled on the central mountain ridge that runs from north to south of the country. This explains the presence of fortresses Israelites built in the foothills protecting the likes of Jerusalem. There have been several excavations in Israel to uncover the culture of the Philistines. Among them is Beit Shemesh where an ancient iron factory was discovered. Archaeologists define ancient historical periods by the material used at that time, i.e. Stone Age, Bronze Age, etc. The Philistines dealt less in inferior bronze and focussed on developing the use of iron. Hence they ushered in what is known as the Iron Age. Iron was very advanced and new technology. Harder than bronze, it gave them the upper hand in warfare and life. About halfway between Jerusalem and Ashkelon - between the coast and the mountains - sits Gath, a Philistine city and one of the largest biblical sites ever discovered in Israel. The most famous person to come from Gath was Goliath. ‘Goliath’ is a derivative of ‘Gath.’ It was in Gath that an inscription was discovered. On it are two names that are reminiscent of the name Goliath. It is also dated from 950 BCE, which is when the giant Philistine fought the young and future King David. Initial finds at the site were monumental remains of fortifications and what could be two huge gates. In addition, a man-made trench was discovered. This goes around the whole city and bears witness to the eventual defeat of Gath. Eight meters wide and more than five meters deep, it was set up by a besieging army to stop the Philistines escaping. The trench has been accurately dated to the Aramean siege mentioned in II Kings. The discovery not only corroborates the Biblical record, but it is also the earliest siege system ever discovered, not to mention that it was the eventual destruction of Gath that enabled the Israelites to expand. There is also evidence of houses that collapsed when the city was set on fire. It was the fire, no less, that sealed and preserved some objects within the rubble. Archaeologists found pottery of all kinds of shapes and colours, which were vessels used for storage, cooking, serving, and cultic rituals. Because cultures tend to rub off on each other, these discoveries of Philistine culture not only shed light on the Philistine life, but; also show us what everyday life was like during the biblical period in Canaan, the Land of Israel. We still have so much to discover, but it is safe to say that, at the moment, the idea that the Philistines were simple riffraff, is as far from the truth as can be. They were so smart they e ven have a whole period of time named after them, in honour of their artisan achievements. Without a doubt, they were the high-tech of their times. Facts Speak December 2020 | Israel & Christians Today Kislev - Tevet 5781 One of the gates into the lower city of Gath, 11th to 9th centu ry B.C.E. | Photo: Prof. Aren Maeir, Tell es-Safi Archaeological Project, Bar-Ilan University Archaeologists define ancient historical periods by the material used at that time... ... Litres of fuel and diesel Philistines and High-Tech Erez Crossing Border crossing at the Israel- Gaza border at the northern end of the Gaza Strip. Kerem Shalom Crossing Border crossing at the south of the Gaza strip at the junction of Gaza and Israel and the Gaza- Egypt border. Summary of activity at Erez and Kerem Shalom Crossings First week of October 2020 Modern Israel 13 Johannes Gerloff n Theologian, Journalist, Lecturer & Author With enigmatic staccato, Psalm 87 throws assertions at its readers that at first glance seem incoherent. This Psalm seems like a bundle of fragments of thoughts that confuses rather than provides orientation. Interpreters who have studied Psalm 87 admit a prophetic quality to it. It is claimed that this Psalm explains interrelations from a perspective that is not visible to the natural eye. Psalm 87 provides a revelation, an apocalypse; it discloses a secret. The seven verses can be divided into two sections: The first section (verses 2-3) describes ‘the beloved, holy and highly revered Zion’. The second section (verses 4- 6) underlines the statement that “all men have a right to be considered children of Zion”. These two main parts are framed by a heading (verse 1) and a conclusion (verse 7) . The last verse resounds the words of the singers and dancers going up to Zion. What is ‘Zion’? According to the Midrash, the ‘holy mountains’ are Mt Sinai and Mt Moriah. “It was upon Mt Moriah that there stood the Temple in which reposed the Law that came from Sinai. Therefore Moriah can be regarded as a continuation of Sinai”. If this Psalm has its ‘foundation in the holy mountains,’ that is, in Zion, then it consequently originates in and is based upon the will, the word and the dealings of the one, true and living God – like everything ‘founded in Zion’. The Lord is the One who ‘chooses Jerusalem’. He says (Isaiah 28:16): “Behold, I found a stone in Zion, an even bochan - a stone that puts on the test, a testing stone, a generally applicable standard – a precious cornerstone as a foundation, which is firmly established.” The Lord Loves the Gates of Zion This is the simple, sufficient and inscrutable reason for the Lord’s choosing of Israel. Love is neither questionable nor rationally comprehensible. Until the last book of the New Testament, Jerusalem is simply ‘the beloved city’ (Revelation 20:9). The choice of words here in Psalm 87 emphasises “the continuing love relationship” (ohev, not ahav!) of God with the gates of Zion, marked by faithfulness. The gates represent the whole of the city. Those who love a city often enter and leave through its gates. But perhaps the gates are mentioned here already in the hopeful prospect of the abundance of people who will enter Zion through them. The Pearls of the City In Revelation 21, the seer John (Hebrew ‘Jochanan’) describes the New Jerusalem coming down ‘from God out of heaven’, ‘like a bride adorned for her husband’ (verse 2). “It pertains the glorious presence of the [one, true, living] God” (verse 11), the ‘shekhinah’. To describe this phenomenon, the New Testament seer uses comparisons with precious stones (verses 11b,18-20). He sees ‘twelve gates’ as ‘twelve pearls. Each of the gates is made of a single pearl’ (verse 21). The penultimate chapter of the ‘Christian Bible’ sees ‘the names of the twelve tribes of Israel’ engraved on the gates of Jerusalem (Revelation 21:12). ‘The splendour and wealth of the gentile nations’ are brought into the spiritual centre of Israel (verse 26). From there, the nations will finally experience healing (Revelation 22:2). Every love is always ‘more than’ and distinguishes between ‘all the others’ and the beloved. Love is exclusive by definition. An attitude which does not distinguish, emphasise, choose, and consequently in some way exclude everything else, is ‘objectivity,’ ‘neutrality,’ which treats, all the same, is ‘indifference’ – i.e., the exact opposite of love. In the end, there is no way out but to stand before the mystery of God’s love, to accept it as inexplicable. ‘Aliyah’ is God’s Will There is another aspect that is important for the course of the content of Psalm 87: The overwhelming majority of the people of Israel, here referred to as ‘Ya’akov’, have lived outside the land of Israel ever since the beginning of the Babylonian captivity in the 6th century BC. Since then, they never returned to the land, as Ezekiel (39:28) prophesied: “I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them any more there.” This is true even today, though in recent years, for the first time in more than two and a half millennia, the largest Jewish community worldwide has been living in the land of Israel. Today the majority of the Jewish people still live outside the Promised Land. Jews felt and still feel so comfortable in the diaspora that in the vast majority of cases, they only emigrated to the land of Israel when they had no other option. A crucial aspect of Psalm 87 is the return of the people of Israel to the land of Israel. With this in mind, the Psalmist makes it fundamentally clear at this point: ‘The Lord loves the gates of Zion’ as a dwelling for His people ‘more than all the dwellings of Jacob’ in the whole world. In plain language: ‘Aliyah’, the going up to Zion, the immigration of the Jewish people into Israel, corresponds to the will of God. www.gerloff.co.il Lights projected on Damascus Gate in the Old City of Jerusalem. | Photo: Flash90 December 2020 | Israel & Christians Today Kislev - Tevet 5781 The Lord Loves Zion This is the simple, sufficient and inscrutabl e reason for the Lord’s choosing of Israel. Love is neither questionable nor rationally comprehensible. Until the last book of the New Testament, Jerusalem is simply ‘the beloved city’ (Revelation 20:9). Short News Israeli Wines Win Medals The ‘Oscars’ of wine awards, Decanter World Wine Awards, has, in this year’s awards, acknowledged the high quality of products from 18 Israeli wineries, by bestowing six gold medals, 31 silvers and 28 bronzes on Israeli produced wines. The Israeli winery garnering the most Decanter awards this year was Shiloh, with two golds, seven silvers and four bronzes. The highest-scoring Israeli wine was Psagot’s Peak. | Photo: Flash90 Capsule Discovered During renovations to the former synagogue of Manchester (presently the Jewish Museum), a glass jar was discovered in the wall. It contained newspapers, data about the synagogue and old coins from the period around 1870. The jar was most likely put there during the original construction. Sugar-Sweet Wrapping All those plastic wrappings are not good for the environment. But what is the alternative? An Israeli start-up in the Gan Shmuel kibbutz might have found the solution with SupraPulp wrappings of sugar cane waste. You can wrap fat, wet and hot food in it. You can freeze and heat it, and still, it can be disposed of via the organic wastes. A ‘Travelution’ Israeli travel-tech startup ‘As You Stay’ offers flexible online booking arrangements that match your schedule. Like any online travel site, As You Stay’s website and mobile app ask you to input your destination and dates. But it also allows you to specify the hours you’ll be arriving and departing. The site then displays hotels that have availability matching your requirements and displays the price. | Photo: Flash90 Predicting Seizures Researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev developed a device that predicts epileptic seizures. The user receives a warning of an upcoming seizure an hour before the seizure. As up to 30 per cent of epilepsy patients don’t respond adequately to drugs, they live in fear of impending seizures. This new prediction device will allow patients and their caretakers to take precautions and prevent injuries.

29. 27 December 2020 | Israel & Christians Today Kislev - Tevet 5781 Walk through the Land 14 December 2020 | Israel & Christians Today Kislev - Tevet 5781 Kameel Majdali n Director | Teach All Nations Inc. Jesus was from the House of Judah and born in Bethlehem Judaea, but He lived His life in Galilee. It is where He conducted much of His ministry. For those who want to ‘walk where Jesus walked,’ a sojourn in Galilee is a must. In this article, we will learn about the region mentioned 72 times in the Bible (66 times in the New Testament). Galilee, which means ‘ring’ (of nations), stretches from the Sea of Galilee in the east to the Plain of Acre/Asher on the Mediterranean coast to the west. It can be divided into two parts: Upper Galilee in the north, much of it now in the southern part of Lebanon. The northern border is the Litani River. Upper Galilee elevation is high, the soil is fertile, the rain at 600-1,000mm a year adequate. Yet, it is scarcely mentioned in Scripture. Whenever you read the name ‘Galilee,’ in the New Testament, think ‘Lower Galilee.’ The hills are no higher than 610 meters, made of Cenomanian limestone, with East-West transversal valleys that collect rich alluvial soil. Its main cities include Nazareth, Cana, Sephhoris, Chorazin, Bethsaida, Capernaum, Safed. Contrast between Judah and Galilee Galilee in the Old Testament Judges 4: Deborah and Barak had a stunning victory over General Sisera, servant of Jabin King of Canaan, who dwelt at Hazor. The actual battle was in the Armageddon Valley, Mount Tabor and the Kishon River, all by the southern border of Galilee. Hazor is in the Huleh Basin by Upper Galilee. 1 Kings 15:20: Prodded by King Asa of Judah, Ben Hadad of Syria attacked the Northern Kingdom of Israel and smote the cities of Galilee. Syria and Israel tussled over Galilee more than once. 2 Kings 13:22-25: Joash recovered the cities of Galilee from Syria by defeating their king three times. 2 Kings 14:25: (Northern Kingdom of) Israel’s affliction was very great, so God raised Jeroboam II, who recovered the lost cities of Galilee. After the Babylonian exile, the name ‘Galilee’ was assigned to the entire northern third of Palestine. Galilee in the New Testament During the entire earthly life of Jesus of Nazareth, a ‘Herod’ would be ruling Israel in the background. The Herodian dynasty were Roman-appointed puppet kings who did Caesar’s bidding over their own people, Israel. The grand patriarch of the clan was Herod the Great, who ruled Israel from 37-4 BC. A ruthless tyrant and able administrator, Herod was denied by Rome of having a military of his own. So he ‘conquered by construction,’ building fine edifices and cities across the land. These included Caesarea, Maccherus, Sebastiyah, Herodian, the temple and temple mount in Jerusalem, unforgettable Masada, and more. Herod suffered from acute paranoia and tried to kill the toddler Jesus, as recorded in M atthew 2. Herod died in 4 BC, and the holy family returned shortly afterwards. The country was partitioned for his three sons: Archelaus ruled in Judea, Philip in Golan, and Antipas in Galilee. Antipas was only a tetrarch, not a king. The latter ruled from 4 BC - 39 AD, married his brother’s Philip’s wife Herodias, executed John the Baptist, and built the city of Tiberias on the Sea of Galilee. ‘And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people .’ Matthew 4:23 ‘And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the region round about (Lower) Galilee.’ Mark 1:28 ‘And he preached in their synagogues throughout all (Lower) Galilee and cast out devils. Mark 1:39. When it comes to the ministry of Jesus of Nazareth, Galilee was His home and stage. After His rejection in Nazareth, Jesus set up headquarters at Capernaum on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. This move literally fulfilled prophecy. Isaiah 9 speaks of the land of Zebulon and Naphtali, the way of the sea (Via Maris), Galilee of the Gentiles. These same people who lived in darkness (recall the verses in 1 and 2 Kings) have seen a great light. Beautiful, quiet Galilee, ringed by nations, could be the object of military conflict and occupation. Jesus’ coming heralded the start of a perfect kingdom of peace - Matthew 4:15-16. Galilee’s central and accessible location caused His fame to quickly spread through ‘all Syria’ (Matthew 4:24) and attracted people from the Decapolis (10 Greek cities, mostly east of the Jordan River), Jerusalem, Judaea, and beyond the Jordan River. Galilee was blessed to enjoy the ministry of Jesus; however, in the absence of repentance, it was severely rebuked. The cities of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum were condemned because they refused to repent. Tyre, Sidon and Sodom were promised an easier time in the day of judgement than for these three Galilean cities. - Matthew 11:21-24 Want to experience Jesus’ Galilee by foot? Consider hiking on the Jesus Trail from Nazareth to Capernaum, 68 km or 42 miles. It can be done in 2-4 days with a group of average fitness. You will be re-enforced in faith as you walk through His land. Introducing Jesus’ Land Keshet Cave (Rainbow Cave or Cave of the Arch), a natural arch on the ridge north of Nahal Betzet, Galilee. | Photo: Flickr Character Judah Galilee Accessibility Difficult to access, high mountains Readily accessible to Phoenicia, Mesopotamia, and Egypt Population Primarily Israelite Mixed ethnicities: Israelite, Arabian, Iturean, Phoenician, Greek. Hence ‘Galilee of the nations’ Centrality Judah & Jerusalem, epicentre of Jewry Galilee, the back bedroom Fertility Barren Fertile: Tyre and Sidon depended on its bounty (Acts 12:20; Ezekiel 27:17; Ezra 3:7; 1 Kings 5:9) Attitude to People Aloof, snobbish (John 1:46; 7:52) Down to earth Attitude in General Could be treacherous (Judges 15:9-13; Volcanic temper, loyal (Mark 14:31) Mark 3:19; 14:10) Stone Golden limestone Black volcanic basalt stone Panoramic view of the Sea of Galilee. | Photo: Flickr From Our Projects 15 Part of our mission is to comfort Israel and the Jewish people through prayer and action. If you would like to support one of our projects you can complete the coupon on page 16 or make an online donation. Thank you very much for your support! Aliyah Aliyah is the Hebrew word for the return of the Jewish people to Israel. We support Aliyah mainly from Ukraine (and the former Soviet Union), but also from India and France. Furthermore, we help new immigrants (in Hebrew: olim ) to integrate into Israeli society. Hineni Soup Kitchen We help the poor of Israel, by providing them with food. We do this in partnership with the Hineni Center in Jerusalem, headed by Benjamin Philip. Your gift for the soup kitchen goes directly to the purchase of food. Holocaust Survivors We support impoverished Holocaust survivors in Israel and Ukraine through various projects which provide assistance to survivors of the Holocaust. Those survivors are elderly and will not be among us for long, and there is a growing demand for practical assistance. Christian Friends of Israeli Communities (CFOIC) You can support the Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria, the heart of Biblical Israel. The main purpose is to encourage the people in the Biblical Heartland and to show them that there are Christians throughout the world who support them and share the belief that the areas of Judea and Samaria are part of Israel’s inheritance. Food Parcel Campaign Ukraine We distribute food parcels amongst Jewish people in Ukraine. These parcels are handed out to Holocaust survivors, needy families, and the sick. Those food parcels are a sign of friendship that demonstrates your support for our Jewish brothers and sisters and that they are not alone. Arab Christians Life for Christians in Bethlehem is often not easy. Christians for Israel supports the First Baptist Church of Rev Naim Khoury in Bethlehem and Jerusalem. The members of this church spread the gospel among Arabs and share their love and heart for Israel and the Jewish people. For country-specific or further information on our projects, go to our website, www.c4israel.org.nz Overview of our projects December 2020 | Israel & Christians Today Kislev - Tevet 5781 In December, 250 Bnei Menashe will come to Israel. Over the years, more than 4,000 Bnei Menashe were brought on Aliyah to Israel. There are still another 6,500 Bnei Menashe in northeastern India who are waiting to come. Full of excitement, they look forward to the day they can leave. Our partner, Shavei Israel, has permission to bring 722 Bnei Menashe on Aliyah over the coming year. The first group of 250 will be coming in December. Originally they were supposed to come in November, but the Coronavirus delayed things. As in the past, Shavei Israel is partnering with the Israeli Government to facilitate the Aliyah of Jews from India. Shavei Israel is responsible for the cost of the airfare and transportation for the immigrants from northeastern India to Israel, and the Government will cover most of the costs of their absorption in the Jewish state once they arrive here. Founder and Chairman of Shavei Israel explains: “The cost per person to arrange the transport to Israel is US $1,000, so we need to raise $250,000 to bring the entire group here in December. For ever y $1,000 we raise, another Bnei Menashe can return to Zion. Hence, if we raise $223,000, then we can bring 223 people. If we raise $250,000, then we can bring all 250. It is the ‘arithmetic of Aliyah’.” Instrument to Bring His People Home Freund shares: “For the first time since 2018, we will bring a large group of Bnei Menashe (sons of Menashe) on Aliyah from India. The return of this lost tribe of Israel back to Zion after 2700 years of exile is a miracle of Biblical proportions. Who else but the Lord could take a tribe that was lost for so long and restore them to their ancestral Land? We at Shavei Israel feel blessed that the Lord is using us as His instrument to bring His people home. And we are immensely grateful to Christians for Israel for all of their support of the Bnei Menashe Aliyah throughout the years. Whenever the Government has permitted us to bring Bnei Menashe to Israel, one of my first calls has always been to Christians for Israel because I know they have a heart for Aliyah and for the Jewish people.” Trusting God The work of Jewish organisation Shavei Israel trusts in God and the promises in His Word. Freund: “In Isaiah 49:22, the Lord says that the nations of the world will ‘carry’ our sons and daughters back to the Land. Christians for Israel has consistently carried us with their prayers, their love and their financial support. The world right now is grappling with many difficult challenges, particularly the Coronavirus. But as people of faith, we know that nothing can stand in the way of God’s plan (Proverbs 19:21). Not even a global pandemic! The Ingathering of the Exiles continues to move forward, as does the Redemptive process. Please join us - not only in hoping and praying for the redemption but in helping to bring it c loser! It costs US $1,000 (€900 | AUD $1,350 | NZ $1,460) to help one member of the Bnei Menashe community home to Israel. This pays for their transportation costs to the airport in northeastern India and their airfare to Israel. Arriving in Israel is very special and emotional for the Bnei Menashe. They are received with joy by family and members of the Bnei Menashe who are already in Israel. | Photo: Shavei Israel Ingathering of the Exiles Continues Shalom! My name is Hanniel. I am 26 years old currently living in Imphal, Manipur in northeastern India. I got married in July 2013, and my wife is Eliana. God has blessed us with two beautiful sons (Eldad 6, and Yedidya 3). My father was a devoted Jew, and as a result, I was born and raised in a Jewish Family, and my Brit Milah (circumcision) was performed on the 8th day. Raised by a devoted father and a caring mother, my parents would always tell me that we are one of the ten lost tribes of Israel and someday we’re going home to Zion. And from my early life as a kid, I had this dream about someday returning to Israel, our homeland. Whenever I saw a plane fly over me, Israel was always the first thing that came to my mind. That was my dream since my childhood! Aliyah —the act of ‘going up’ – that is – towards Jerusalem, or Israel is one of the most basic tenets of Zionism. Today, Aliyah is considered as a national aspiration for the Jewish people around the world, which obviously includes the Bnei Menashe here in India. In 2012, I saw my fellow community members making Aliyah to Eretz Israel in large numbers thanks to Shavei Israel and its founder, Rabbi Michael Freund. That’s when I realized that the dream I had a s a kid had slowly turned into hope, and that hope turned into reality because Aliyah to Israel was a real possibility! From that day onwards, my mind, heart and body were set for one goal – ALIYAH!! I started to devote all my free time to learning Torah and keeping the Mitzvot (commandments). I knew that there are no coincidences in this world, that everything was meant to be in God’s way. So I thought to myself, “I’m going to do everything I can as a man, and, for the rest, I rely on God’s Almighty Hand. I never forgot the one goal that was set on my heart and mind. Barukh Hashem (Praise the Lord) my prayers we re answered. My wife and i and our kids have been selected to make Aliyah and will be doing so soon. Aliyah means everything to my family and me because Eretz Israel is much more than a tiny piece of land in the Middle East. It is the land given to our forefathers by the Holy One, Blessed be He. Israel is living proof that the Jewish people have survived against all odds and will continue to survive and thrive. It is the land the God of Israel blessed. And we can’t wait to make Aliyah and serve our Creator, the God of all gods and King of all kings. Israel: My Dream Since Childhood

24. 22 December 2020 | Israel & Christians Today Kislev - Tevet 5781 Theology 10 Jewish Festivals Chanukah Festival of Lights 11-18 December 2020 Chanukah (Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of rededication) (Hebrew: xanu’ka in Modern Hebrew, also romanised as Chanukah or Chanuka), also known as the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple (the Second Temple) in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt of the 2nd century BCE. Hanukkah is observed for eight nights and days, starting on the 25th day of Kislev according to the Hebrew calendar, which may occur at any time from late November to late December in the Gregorian calendar. Chanukah begins at sundown on Thursday, 10 December 2020 and ends at nightfall on Friday, 18 December 2020. Asara B’Tevet Fast commemorating the siege of Jerusalem) 25 December 2020 Tenth of Tevet (Hebrew: Asarah BeTevet), the tenth day of the Hebrew month of Tevet, is a minor fast day in Judaism. The fast commemorates the siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylonia. Like other minor fasts, Asara B’Tevet begins at dawn (first light) and ends at nightfall (full dark). Asara B’Tevet occurs at dawn on Friday, 25 December 2020. Rosh Chodesh Tevet Beginning of new Hebrew month of Tevet 16 December 2020 Tevet is the 10th month of the Hebrew year. Corresponds to December or January on the Gregorian calendar. Rosh Chodesh Tevet begins at sundown on Tuesday, 15 December 2020 and ends at nightfall on Wednesday, 16 December 2020. Rosh Chodesh Sh’vat Beginning of new Hebrew month of Sh’vat 14 January 2021 Sh’vat (sometimes transliterated Shevat ) is the 11th month of the Hebrew year. Corresponds to January or February on the Gregorian calendar. Rosh Chodesh Sh’vat for Hebrew Year 5781 begins at sundown on Wednesday, 13 January 2021 and ends at nightfall on Thursday, 14 January 2021. Tu BiShvat New Year for Trees 28 January 2021 Tu BiShvat or Tu B’Shevat or Tu B’Shvat is a minor Jewish holiday, occurring on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Shevat. It is also called The New Year of the Trees or (Hebrew: Rosh HaShanah La’Ilanot ). Tu BiShvat is one of four ‘New Years’ mentioned in the Mishnah. Tu BiShvat begins at sundown on Wednesday, 27 January 2021 and ends at nightfall on Thursday, 28 January 2021. ,ees Ee 7reuHE n TheoloHian | $hristians for Israel International  &Eitor | Israel  the $hurch “And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise.” Galatians 3:29 It is often said: this verse proves that the people and the land of Israel have become obsolete. What matters is, whether you belong to Christ. That makes you a true heir of the promise. Which promise does Paul mean, though? In Galatians 3, Paul speaks two times about ‘promises’ in the plural (verses 16 and 21). In these contexts, you could think of the promises concerning the offspring, the land, and the blessing for the nations. Apart from this, Paul also talks in this chapter about the promise, singular. The content of that promise (singular) is, according to Paul, the gift of the Holy Spirit (verse 14). That is the key to this chapter. The decisive question is: Did the genti les receive the Spirit through faith, or through ‘works of the Law’? The answer is, obviously, through faith. By the way, that does not only apply to gentiles. Also “We, Jews by nature and not sinners from among the Gentiles” ( Galatians 2:15) have received the promised Spirit through faith, Paul says. In the letter to the Galatians Paul is fighting the false brothers who want to force new gentile believers to be circumcised and to observe the rules of Judaism (Galatians 2:3, 12 and 14). Their teaching obscures the distinction between Israel and the nations, and so endan gers the calling of Israel. Moreover, it goes against the gospel and against the practice of the brothers and sisters in Jerusalem ( Acts 15). In Galatians 3:16, Paul uses midrash, a Jewish way of expositing Scripture, to make his argument. The Hebrew word rendered with ‘descendants’ is, in fact, ‘seed’. In the original language, it is singular. This, Paul, argues, in fact, points at the Messiah. Christ is, therefore, the heir to the promises. From the beginning, however, God’s purpose with the election of Abraham has been to bring salvation to the gentile nations. That is intended in the promise of blessing, that the gentiles, too, may receive the Spirit. Now, who is Abraham’s seed? That is, and remains, Israel, first and foremost. That is clear from Romans 9. But here, in the situation of the Galatians, the second aspect of meaning is highlighted. God has promised to Abraham that all nations would be blessed in him through the faith. All those who are in Christ, are heirs of this promise, for, through Christ, they are the seed of Abraham – eve n the Greeks. All the promises (plural) made to Abraham remain valid for Israel. But the gentile nations may share in that one great blessing: the promise (singular) of the Spirit. December 2020 | Israel & Christians Today Kislev - Tevet 5781 Promise and Promises ToCias ,raemer n TheoloHian 7ice$hairman | $hristians for Israel Germany How is God’s ‘Inheritance’ arranged? “And if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ.” (Romans 8:17) Christians are children of God. They have God as their Father. So, they are heirs of God. At the same time, that makes them fellow heirs with Christ. Together with Jesus, they inherit what God the Father has to pass. What do you, dear reader, imagine this inheritance to be? The Inheritance of the Community of Jesus In the New Testament, there is much to inherit of God: eternal life, the Holy Spirit, redemption, several different blessings. The real inheritance, in fact, is the Kingdom of God. God has prepared it for the righteous, but they will receive it only in the end of days: “Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world!” (Matthew 25:34) But as a ‘down payment’ for the inheritance, God has given His children the Holy Spirit. Through the Holy Spirit, God is already establishing His rule – and He will complete it in the end of days. So, Christians already have a foretaste of how it will be one day in God’s kingdom. Israel’s Inheritance - God’s Inheritance In the Old Testament, the word ‘inheritance’ appears in two connotations: 1. God promised the land of Israel (Canaan/Palestine) to the people of Israel. That is the land, which is today again the homeland of the State of Israel. This land is Israel’s inheritance. That is not to say that the other nations are not important to God. On the contrary. While God limits the land for His people Israel, this leaves room for other nations, who also receive their inheritance. In this way, all nations can live together in peace. 2. God sees Israel – nation and land (!) – as His personal inheritance. Jeremiah 10:16 says: “For the Maker of all is He, And Israel is the tribe of His inheritance.” Israel is God’s possession. In other places, sometimes the people, and sometimes the land is presented as God’s ‘inheritance’. That is why the nations of the world are punished when they attack Israel; God’s inheritan ce ( Joel 4:1-3). Nobody should dare touch it! Israel’s Inheritance in the New Testament God has promised his people a new covenant, which implies, that God one day will forgive the sins of His people, and will inscribe the Torah in the heart of Israel. The judgment will end, Israel will return to its land and forever be God’s nation (Jeremiah 30-33). Israel reaches its destiny! The author of the Letter to the Hebrews stresses that the new covenant has come into existence through Jesus, the Messiah of Israel: “Christ, the mediator of a new covenant”. What for? That “those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance”. For Israel, the eternal inheritance promised is the land, that God had promised already to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. That means: through Jesus, Israel enters the new covenant and is as a nation restored to the promised land. That is Israel’s inheritance, as the prophets have always told. In Romans 15:8, Paul has affirmed the connection between Israel’s inheritance and her Messiah: “Christ has become a servant to Israel to make God’s promises true. This proves that God is faithful to the promises that He has given to the fathers” (translation T.K.). This means: Jesus is the way for Israel to finally take the land (the inheritance of Israel) in possession. This thought is not new. Because every Jewish child knows that the Messiah has the task to gather and restore Israel. Paul only says here what is obvious. The Kingdom of God as Heritage of Messiah: Global Dimensions The Messiah Jesus, however, is not only the king of I srael but also the king of the world. His inheritance is not just Israel, but all nations of this earth. This universal understanding of the inheritance is already in view in the Old Testament. In Psalm 2, God says to His Messiah: “Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, and the very ends of the earth as Your possession” (verse 8). The Messiah will establish his rule not only in Israel, but extend it over all the earth. For the world is his inheritance (Daniel 2 and 7). When will this be? The answer is simple: when Jesus comes again. Then, He will restore the kingdom for Israel (Acts 1:6!). And He will extend the kingdom of God over all the earth. This is described in detail in 1 Corinthians 15:20-28. The Messiah Jesus will first do a thorough ‘clean up’. He will deliver the earth from sin, devil, death and transience and so put the world in order. After that, Jesus will turn over the kingdom to God. Then, God will be ‘all in all’ (1 Corinthians 15:28). Then, everybody will have his inheritance and everything will be good. For Israel and for the nations. For all people who are in God’s kingdom. Forever. The Heritage of God | Photo: Flickr

5. 15 December 2020 | Israel & Christians Today Kislev - Tevet 5781 December 2020 | Israel & Christians Today Kislev - Tevet 5781 Editorial 2 Colophon Israel & Christians Today is the premier publication of Christians for Israel Mission Our mission is to bring Biblical understanding in the Church and among the nations concerning God’s purposes for Israel and to promote comfort of Israel through prayer and action. Editorial Team Andrew Tucker International Editor-in-Chief atucker@c4israel.org Cathy Coldicutt Managing Editor newspaper@c4israel.org Marloes van Westing International Communications Manager international@c4israel.org Ian Worby, Bryce Turner, Rita Quartel, Marie-Louise Weissenböck and Marijke Terlouw Scripture references: THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. C4I Offices Christians for Israel International Leon Meijer, Chairman Rev Willem J.J. Glashouwer, President Rev Cornelis Kant, Executive Director P.O. Box 1100 | 3860 BC Nijkerk, The Netherlands | Tel: +31 33 422 0405 info@c4israel.org | www.c4israel.org The English Edition of Israel & Christians Today is published by the following English speaking branches: Christians for Israel - Australia Ian Worby, National Leader PO Box 1508, Springwood Queensland, Australia 4127 Tel: +61 (7) 3088 6900, info@c4israel.com.au www.c4israel.com.au Christians for Israel - New Zealand Bryce Turner, National Executive Director PO Box 12 006, Penrose, Auckland, New Zealand 1642 Tel: +64 9 525 7564, info@c4israel.org.nz www.c4israel.org.nz Christians for Israel - South Korea Tel: +61 410 430 677 email: wijung@gmail.com www.c4israel.org/korea Christians for Israel - USA Fred J van Westing, CEO PO Box 2589, Manteca, CA 95336, USA Tel/Fax: +1 209 665 4280 usa-info@c4israel.org www.c4israel.us DISCLAIMER - Articles printed in Israel & Christians Today express the views of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Editors or that of the Board of Christians for Israel. The printing of articles or advertising in Israel & Christians Today does not necessarily imply either endorsement or agreement. ©Christians for Israel International Reproduction, or storage in a retrieval system or in any other form, is prohibited without permission. Please contact the Managing Editor should you wish to syndicate or republish any articles or materials appearing in Israel & Christians Today. XXXfaceCooLcomcisraelAUS AnEreX TucLer n International &Eitor | $hristians for Israel On 7 November, the world lost one of its greatest leaders: Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks. Rabbi Sacks, former Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth, was a naturally shy person who grew to become an intellectual and moral giant - one of the most important Jewish thinkers of the past century. Rabbi Sacks was a scholar, but also a teacher and a leader. He took on the toughest moral issues of our era, such as anti-Semitism, moral relativism, individualism, multi-culturalism, and religious conflict. In his many books, lectures, broadcasts, and teachings, as well as speeches in the House of Lords, he confronted the spiritual and moral significance of these phenomena head-on, explored their meaning for us as individuals and society, and never avoided advice on the practical ways in which they can and should be addressed. For Rabbi Sacks, Judaism and the Jewish people were given to be a blessing to the world. He therefore constantly called on his Jewish brethren to return to the Bible and to live full and fruitful lives faithful to orthodox Jewish teaching. Just as important, he had a message for the whole world. His life of service was an example and challenge to all non-Jews – to discover and live lives of obedience to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who created the Jewish people as His instrument of blessing, and who created all things and loves all people equally regardless of faith, race or nationality. Sacks was as concerned about the persecution of Christians as he was about anti-Semitism because he understood their common root: hatred of the God of Israel. A few years ago, in a Lords debate on the treatment of Christians in the Middle East, Sacks reminded his peers of some famous words of Martin Luther King: “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies but the silence of our friends.” His book Lessons in Leadership should be read by all who aspire to become leaders – in whatever field of endeavour. These lessons are explored in his weekly Covenant & Conversation series so that (as his website tells us) “people from all over the world can continue to learn and be inspired by his Torah”. In a recent parsha (weekly teaching on the set portion of the Torah), Sacks wrote about how Abraham purchased the field of Machpelah in order to bury his wife Sarah (Genesis 23). Immediately afterwards, Abraham is blessed (Genesis 24:1). Then, unexpectedly – instead of resting on his laurels – at the ripe age of 137 - he engages in a new endeavour: to find a wife for his son Isaac. Why? Because “leaders take responsibility for creating the conditions through which God’s purposes can be fulfilled. They are not passive but active – even in old age, like Abraham. That is what leaders understand, and it is what made Abraham the first Jewish leader.” God promised Abraham two things: children and land. “Despite this, when Sarah dies, Abraham has not a single inch of land that he can call his own, and he has only one child who will c ontinue the covenant, Isaac, who is currently unmarried. Neither promise has been fulfilled. There is a moral here: G od promises, but we have to act. And despite all the promises, God does not and will not do it alone.” “Leaders begin with an envisioned future, but they also know that there is a long journey between here and there; we can only reach it one act at a time, one day at a time. There is no miraculous shortcut - and if there were, it would not help. Abraham acquired only a single field and had just one son who would continue the covenant. Yet he did not complain, and he died serene and satisfied because he had begun. Because he had left future generations something on which to build. All great change is the work of more than one generation, and none of us will live to see the full fruit of our endeavours. Leaders see the destination, begin the journey, and leave behind them those who will continue it. That is enough to endow life with immortality.” Rabbi Sacks followed Abraham’s example and led us all by his example of humility, courage, obedience, and love. Rabbi Sacks’ daughter Gila said at his funeral that her father taught her two things. First, that no problem is too difficult or too big to solve. “He taught us that we are called to be involved, to tackle big issues, and to change things - step by step”. Second, and most important, “he loved us so much, and never, ever missed an opportunity in recent years to tell us how proud he was of what each of us did, but mainly, for who we were”. Note: you can sign up to receive Rabbi Sacks’ teachings via his website www.rabbisacks.org. Prayer Points By Pieter Bénard Israel l Pray for all those in Israel who have a position at the national, regional or local government. Pray that they will receive wisdom to govern Israel well in this time of corona and that they can also face other challenges such as the threat of terrorism. Pray for unity in the different branches of the government, and they put their trust in God. l Pray for protection of Israel at its borders. Terrorist groups always surround Israel. In the south, Hamas, in the north, Hezbollah and in Judea and Samaria, Palestinian terrorists who often operate alone. Pray also that there will be rapprochement from the Palestinian side to make peace with Israel. l “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain.” 1 Corinthians 15:58. In November, 140 youngsters emigrated from Ukraine to Israel with the help of Christians for Israel, the Jewish Agency and Keren Hayesod. Pray that these young people will quickly settle in Israel and that they will be a blessing to the country. Israel & the Nations l Give thanks for the peace Israel has made with several Arab countries. Give thanks that two countries, Serbia and Malawi, recently promised to move their embassies from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Pray that more countries will follow. l “No weapon forged against you will prevail (...)” Isaiah 54:17a. Recently, the United Nations arms embargo on Iran expired. Iran can now enter the arms market and buy and sell arms. Pray for protection of Israel against aggression from Iran. Christians for Israel l Due to corona, it is not easy to plan conferences and other activities for next year. Pray for wisdom to make the right choices. l “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:14) Give thanks that so many around the world have heard about the Gospel and the Kingdom. Pray that Jesus will return quickly. For daily Prayer Points, go to our website www.c4israel.com.au Rabbi Jonathan Sacks. | Photo: Times of Israel We Remember a True Leader News 3 December 2020 | Israel & Christians Today Kislev - Tevet 5781 Short News Fruitful Collaboration The signed Israel–United Arab Emirates normalisation agreement, officially the ‘Abraham Accords Peace Agreement: Treaty of Peace, Diplomatic Relations and Full Normalisation Between the United Arab Emirates and the State of Israel’ is immediately paying off. There are now several initiatives for cooperation. An online platform for contacts between businessmen from Israel and the UAE has, within a short time, already attracted two thousand participants. Recently also, the first ship carrying goods from the UAE has arrived at the port of Haifa. One ship from the UAE every week from now on is expected to moor in Israel. Israel will, for her part, ship goods into the UAE regularly as well. The Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) has committed itself to support the Jewish community in the UAE. | Photo: Flash90 Shekel Weight During excavations by the Israel Antiquities Authority, an old limestone weight was found. The weight dates from the era of the First Temple and was, of course, found near the Western Wall (Kotel) on the Temple Mount. The weight corresponds with the two-shekel standard of that time. | Photo: Israel Antiquities Authority “Jerusalem, Our City” In his speech to the Turkish Parliament, President Erdogan talked about “Jerusalem is our city”. His speech was about the meaning of Jerusalem. “In this city [Jerusalem], that we had to abandon under tears during the First World War, people can still find the remnants of the Ottoman resistance. So, Jerusalem is our city too, one of our cities.” President Erdogan also spoke of: “The oppression of the Palestinians by Israel [...] is a crisis.” | Photo: Flash 90 Aviel Schneider n Chief Editor | Israel Today My Arab friends have told me a number of times in recent weeks that the Jewish population has absolutely no idea to what extent the normalisation of relations with the Persian Gulf states has caused political upheaval in Israel’s Arab community. Without giving up even a single centimetre of land in Judea and Samaria, Israel’s new peace treaties have had exactly the same effect among the Arabs as the failed Camp David discussions had among the Jewish population. Both sides understand that a Palestinian state by mutual agreement is impossible. For the Joint List, a coalition of Arab parties that holds 15 seats in Knesset, Benjamin Netanyahu’s new Middle East peace doctrine is a confirmation that the idea of a Palestinian state is dead. On the other hand, the Arab voters regard Israel’s new alliances as a sensational development that will bring about a financial boom. Arab friends from Jaffa and Haifa, as well as Bedouins from Rahat and Segev Shalom, emphasised to me that every new peace between Israel and another Arab country is a blessing for both nations. For Suliman Asasme, a Bedouin from southern Israel, it’s like a dream come true. “We are all sons of Abraham and have to find a way to live together in peace. The Emirates were the first to have the courage and the money for this.” Amer from Jaffa shared with me that he has already booked flights to Abu Dhabi in December. “We plan to establish new business connections,” Amer stressed. He and his family have a business selling souvenirs. An Arab bus driver from Haifa by the name of Ahmed told me that he is surprised by Netanyahu. “I know many people in my neighbourhood who will secretly vote for Likud. Bibi, although he and the Likud are right-wing, is carrying out Israel’s left-wing policies. He is the only one who is capable of doing so.” Similar views can be heard from many Arabs. Of course, one can also hear criticism, but it does not make any sense, as this criticism is only being expressed because it was Bibi who succeeded in making peace with the Arabs. “That is nonsense. After all, it doesn’t make any difference who makes the peace,” Amer added. “Even if I didn’t vote for Bibi, he has to be praised for what he’s done.” One thing people need to understand, and which we’ve stressed numerous times, is that in Israel the Left is more capable when it comes to taking the nation to war, while the Right is more able to conclude genuine peace deals. In such matters, both automatically enjoy the support of the other side. Arab statistician and researcher Yosef Miklada stated on Israeli media that the Arab population have a different opinion to that of their representatives in the Knesset, and they welcome the peace treaties. Not only that, according to his research, in the next elections, fewer Arab citizens will vote for the Joint List. Miklada reports that some 100,000 Israeli Arab voters are disappointed with their representatives and will vote differently in the next election. He confirms what we have heard from numerous Arab citizens in the Land, or have read in the Israeli media. In addition, according to Miklada, these Arabs will still vote, but will instead choose Zionist parties, and in particular the Likud. This trend explains, among other things, why we recently saw one of the co-leaders of the Joint Arab List, Mansour Abbas, voting with Likud in the Knesset, and thus angering the other members of his own faction. Israeli commentator Amit Segal noted that Mansour’s partners in the Joint List now suspect him of being in a secret partnership with Netanyahu. But he’s likely just responding to the will of his constituency. And really, this is nothing new. Arab voters have for years been grumbling about their representatives in Knesset, accusing them of being more concerned with Palestinian nationalism than with the interests of Israel’s Arab citizens. For many of Israel’s Arabs, it was the final straw when their own Arab politicians voted recently against the new normalisation agreements with Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. “By doing so they voted against their own principles, which simply doesn’t make any sense,” the young Yussef told me. He works in a bar in Tel Aviv and calls himself Yossi. Published by Israel Today on 6th November 2020 Republished with permission. https://www.israeltoday.co.il Arab women enjoy the Tel Aviv Beach. | Photo: Flash90 Arab Voters Praise Bibi for Bringing Peace | Photo: Flash90

25. 23 December 2020 | Israel & Christians Today Kislev - Tevet 5781 Theology 10 Jewish Festivals Chanukah Festival of Lights 11-18 December 2020 Chanukah (Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of rededication) (Hebrew: xanu’ka in Modern Hebrew, also romanised as Chanukah or Chanuka), also known as the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple (the Second Temple) in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt of the 2nd century BCE. Hanukkah is observed for eight nights and days, starting on the 25th day of Kislev according to the Hebrew calendar, which may occur at any time from late November to late December in the Gregorian calendar. Chanukah begins at sundown on Thursday, 10 December 2020 and ends at nightfall on Friday, 18 December 2020. Asara B’Tevet Fast commemorating the siege of Jerusalem) 25 December 2020 Tenth of Tevet (Hebrew: Asarah BeTevet), the tenth day of the Hebrew month of Tevet, is a minor fast day in Judaism. The fast commemorates the siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylonia. Like other minor fasts, Asara B’Tevet begins at dawn (first light) and ends at nightfall (full dark). Asara B’Tevet occurs at dawn on Friday, 25 December 2020. Rosh Chodesh Tevet Beginning of new Hebrew month of Tevet 16 December 2020 Tevet is the 10th month of the Hebrew year. Corresponds to December or January on the Gregorian calendar. Rosh Chodesh Tevet begins at sundown on Tuesday, 15 December 2020 and ends at nightfall on Wednesday, 16 December 2020. Rosh Chodesh Sh’vat Beginning of new Hebrew month of Sh’vat 14 January 2021 Sh’vat (sometimes transliterated Shevat ) is the 11th month of the Hebrew year. Corresponds to January or February on the Gregorian calendar. Rosh Chodesh Sh’vat for Hebrew Year 5781 begins at sundown on Wednesday, 13 January 2021 and ends at nightfall on Thursday, 14 January 2021. Tu BiShvat New Year for Trees 28 January 2021 Tu BiShvat or Tu B’Shevat or Tu B’Shvat is a minor Jewish holiday, occurring on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Shevat. It is also called The New Year of the Trees or (Hebrew: Rosh HaShanah La’Ilanot ). Tu BiShvat is one of four ‘New Years’ mentioned in the Mishnah. Tu BiShvat begins at sundown on Wednesday, 27 January 2021 and ends at nightfall on Thursday, 28 January 2021. ,ees Ee 7reuHE n TheoloHian | $hristians for Israel International  &Eitor | Israel  the $hurch “And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise.” Galatians 3:29 It is often said: this verse proves that the people and the land of Israel have become obsolete. What matters is, whether you belong to Christ. That makes you a true heir of the promise. Which promise does Paul mean, though? In Galatians 3, Paul speaks two times about ‘promises’ in the plural (verses 16 and 21). In these contexts, you could think of the promises concerning the offspring, the land, and the blessing for the nations. Apart from this, Paul also talks in this chapter about the promise, singular. The content of that promise (singular) is, according to Paul, the gift of the Holy Spirit (verse 14). That is the key to this chapter. The decisive question is: Did the genti les receive the Spirit through faith, or through ‘works of the Law’? The answer is, obviously, through faith. By the way, that does not only apply to gentiles. Also “We, Jews by nature and not sinners from among the Gentiles” ( Galatians 2:15) have received the promised Spirit through faith, Paul says. In the letter to the Galatians Paul is fighting the false brothers who want to force new gentile believers to be circumcised and to observe the rules of Judaism (Galatians 2:3, 12 and 14). Their teaching obscures the distinction between Israel and the nations, and so endan gers the calling of Israel. Moreover, it goes against the gospel and against the practice of the brothers and sisters in Jerusalem ( Acts 15). In Galatians 3:16, Paul uses midrash, a Jewish way of expositing Scripture, to make his argument. The Hebrew word rendered with ‘descendants’ is, in fact, ‘seed’. In the original language, it is singular. This, Paul, argues, in fact, points at the Messiah. Christ is, therefore, the heir to the promises. From the beginning, however, God’s purpose with the election of Abraham has been to bring salvation to the gentile nations. That is intended in the promise of blessing, that the gentiles, too, may receive the Spirit. Now, who is Abraham’s seed? That is, and remains, Israel, first and foremost. That is clear from Romans 9. But here, in the situation of the Galatians, the second aspect of meaning is highlighted. God has promised to Abraham that all nations would be blessed in him through the faith. All those who are in Christ, are heirs of this promise, for, through Christ, they are the seed of Abraham – eve n the Greeks. All the promises (plural) made to Abraham remain valid for Israel. But the gentile nations may share in that one great blessing: the promise (singular) of the Spirit. December 2020 | Israel & Christians Today Kislev - Tevet 5781 Promise and Promises ToCias ,raemer n TheoloHian 7ice$hairman | $hristians for Israel Germany How is God’s ‘Inheritance’ arranged? “And if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ.” (Romans 8:17) Christians are children of God. They have God as their Father. So, they are heirs of God. At the same time, that makes them fellow heirs with Christ. Together with Jesus, they inherit what God the Father has to pass. What do you, dear reader, imagine this inheritance to be? The Inheritance of the Community of Jesus In the New Testament, there is much to inherit of God: eternal life, the Holy Spirit, redemption, several different blessings. The real inheritance, in fact, is the Kingdom of God. God has prepared it for the righteous, but they will receive it only in the end of days: “Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world!” (Matthew 25:34) But as a ‘down payment’ for the inheritance, God has given His children the Holy Spirit. Through the Holy Spirit, God is already establishing His rule – and He will complete it in the end of days. So, Christians already have a foretaste of how it will be one day in God’s kingdom. Israel’s Inheritance - God’s Inheritance In the Old Testament, the word ‘inheritance’ appears in two connotations: 1. God promised the land of Israel (Canaan/Palestine) to the people of Israel. That is the land, which is today again the homeland of the State of Israel. This land is Israel’s inheritance. That is not to say that the other nations are not important to God. On the contrary. While God limits the land for His people Israel, this leaves room for other nations, who also receive their inheritance. In this way, all nations can live together in peace. 2. God sees Israel – nation and land (!) – as His personal inheritance. Jeremiah 10:16 says: “For the Maker of all is He, And Israel is the tribe of His inheritance.” Israel is God’s possession. In other places, sometimes the people, and sometimes the land is presented as God’s ‘inheritance’. That is why the nations of the world are punished when they attack Israel; God’s inheritan ce ( Joel 4:1-3). Nobody should dare touch it! Israel’s Inheritance in the New Testament God has promised his people a new covenant, which implies, that God one day will forgive the sins of His people, and will inscribe the Torah in the heart of Israel. The judgment will end, Israel will return to its land and forever be God’s nation (Jeremiah 30-33). Israel reaches its destiny! The author of the Letter to the Hebrews stresses that the new covenant has come into existence through Jesus, the Messiah of Israel: “Christ, the mediator of a new covenant”. What for? That “those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance”. For Israel, the eternal inheritance promised is the land, that God had promised already to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. That means: through Jesus, Israel enters the new covenant and is as a nation restored to the promised land. That is Israel’s inheritance, as the prophets have always told. In Romans 15:8, Paul has affirmed the connection between Israel’s inheritance and her Messiah: “Christ has become a servant to Israel to make God’s promises true. This proves that God is faithful to the promises that He has given to the fathers” (translation T.K.). This means: Jesus is the way for Israel to finally take the land (the inheritance of Israel) in possession. This thought is not new. Because every Jewish child knows that the Messiah has the task to gather and restore Israel. Paul only says here what is obvious. The Kingdom of God as Heritage of Messiah: Global Dimensions The Messiah Jesus, however, is not only the king of I srael but also the king of the world. His inheritance is not just Israel, but all nations of this earth. This universal understanding of the inheritance is already in view in the Old Testament. In Psalm 2, God says to His Messiah: “Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, and the very ends of the earth as Your possession” (verse 8). The Messiah will establish his rule not only in Israel, but extend it over all the earth. For the world is his inheritance (Daniel 2 and 7). When will this be? The answer is simple: when Jesus comes again. Then, He will restore the kingdom for Israel (Acts 1:6!). And He will extend the kingdom of God over all the earth. This is described in detail in 1 Corinthians 15:20-28. The Messiah Jesus will first do a thorough ‘clean up’. He will deliver the earth from sin, devil, death and transience and so put the world in order. After that, Jesus will turn over the kingdom to God. Then, God will be ‘all in all’ (1 Corinthians 15:28). Then, everybody will have his inheritance and everything will be good. For Israel and for the nations. For all people who are in God’s kingdom. Forever. The Heritage of God | Photo: Flickr Rev Cornelis Kant n Executive Director | Christians for Israel International As Christians, we are soon going to celebrate Christmas, the coming of Jesus to this world through His Jewish mother, Mary. John teaches us that “the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” And that “all things came into being through Him.” At His birth he received His name, Jesus. Before His coming to our world, He was with the Father in heaven forever as the Son of God, the Word of God, and even involved in creation. He was also deeply connected with His people Israel. Long before His coming to this world. The Old Testament often speaks about the ‘Angel of the Lord’. Sometimes an angel is just a messenger of God. The ‘Angel of the Lord’ however can also be identified as the Son of God, the Messiah. We all know that Jesus told us: “I and the Father are one” (John. 10:30). When Jakob’s nears the end of his life, he desires to bless his sons: “The angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; ” (Gen. 48:16). The angel of the Lord is not just a messenger here, but he also has authority to redeem and to bless. After the people of Israel had entered the promised land, the Bible says: “Now the angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to Bochim. I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land which I have sworn to your fathers; I will never break My covenant with you” (Judges 2:1). The angel is apparently deeply connected with God’s covenant with Israel. This reminds us of the book of Isaiah, where God says to the coming Servant of the Lord: “And I will keep You and give You for a covenant of the people, to restore the land, to make them inherit the desolate heritages” (Isaiah 49:8). We know that the Servant of the Lord is the Messiah, the Redeemer of Israel. He is also the founder of the new covenant. So even before His coming as Jesus the Son of Mary, He was present among His people as the angel of the Lord, the Son of God. This is so wonderful. The prophet Zechariah says: ‘Then the angel of the Lord said, “O Lord of hosts, how long will You have no compassion for Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, with which You have been indignant these seventy years?” The Lord answered the angel who was speaking with me with gracious words, comforting words’ (Zechariah 1:12-14). Isn’t this wonderful? Here the angel of the Lord even intercedes for his people Israel before God. This reminds me of what Paul says about Jesus Christ the Messiah: ‘who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us’ (Romans 8:34). It is apparent that we may identify the angel of the Lord with the Son of God, the Messiah. This reflects a wonderful and everlasting deep connection between the Son of God and His people Israel. Let’s consider this and amaze ourselves when we celebrate Christmas. Theology 11 Mandy Worby n Christians for Israel Australia This article is the second instalment of the four-part series. The first article was published in the October 2020 issue. The Hebrew view of the orphan then was one of care, compassion and protection. There was no 'social security' during the Biblical era in any nation or region of the world but in Israel, under God’s instruction, widows, orphans and foreigners (aliens) were to be treated with respect, their rights and physical wellbeing was to be protected, defended and championed and anyone taking advantage of them would in fact be ‘cursed’ as Deut 27:19 states. N ot only that, but when harvest time came, God instructed His people to only make their way through their crops once...any produce missed the first time around had to be left behind and made available for widows, orphans and foreigners to access so they would have food and provisions enough to survive. No other society that I know of has ever had such a system or law in place to protect the weak, poor and vulnerable in their societies. Only Ancient Israel, or those who implemented their ways. If you read the book of Ruth, you see this law of provision, known as the ‘law of gleaning’ come into play when Ruth went into the fields of Boaz to glean after the harvest had taken place. (Ruth 2) Psalm 68:5, God is... ‘ A Father to the fatherless and a Judge for the widows, is God in His holy habitation.’ Psalm 146:9, ‘The Lord protects the strangers; He supports the fatherless and the widow, but He thwarts the way of the wicked.’ When Adam and Eve sinned, we know that the relationship, the fellowship between them and God was broken. No longer could they be in God’s presence the way they originally did, only through sacrifice and death could they hear from Him and always at a distance. As the centuries progressed, God revealed more and more detail about the processes of sacrifice and ritual that were required for man to gain right standing before Him and always, those processes and rituals were only temporary fixes. They were constant and ongoing, and innocent animal was always offered up as the sacrifice to bring about cleansing. The arrival of sin brought with it the fatherlessness of the human race. God was now distant and unapproachable without a priestly mediator and the shedding of innocent blood. Not because He wanted distance and separation, rather it was our sin that brought the separation. Then came Jesus Jesus became our Prophet declaring truth and the coming of the Kingdom of God. (Deut 18:14-22). Jesus became our King, the Son of David, the promised Mashiach/Messiah who would set all things right and rule over us, and eventually, one day the entire world. ( Psalm 2) Jesus became our Great High Priest, who would not only become our Mediator bridging the gap between us and God which was a result of our sin, but offering Himself as the sacrifice that would once and for all, permanently cleanse us of our sin and wash it away forever. (Psalm 110) In the February 2021 issue we’ll look some more at the issue of adoption in a New Covenant context within the Roman Empire. | Photo: Flickr December 2020 | Israel & Christians Today Kislev - Tevet 5781 Jesus and Israel View of Israel from space. | Photo: Shutterstock Orphans Part 2

30. 28 December 2020 | Israel & Christians Today Kislev - Tevet 5781 Food Parcels 16 December 2020 | Israel & Christians Today Kislev - Tevet 5781 As the days in the northern hemisphere are getting shorter, winter is not very far away in Ukraine. That means that temperatures will drop and roads and streets become impassable. For the poor Jewish population, amongst whom a large number of Holocaust survivors, winter is always a lonely and challenging period. A positive note in their existence are the food parcels they receive. These parcels are much needed to survive. According to Koen Carlier, Ukraine will almost certainly get a second lockdown. The number of COVID-19 contaminations increases daily with at least ten thousand, causing many elderly people waiting anxiously at home in isolation of what is to come. Koen: “We get a lot of telephone calls from Jewish elderly people with pneumonia from their homes. They ask us if we can bring the food parcels to the doorsteps of their small flats. We will have to deliver more food parcels in people’s homes anyway because the elderly people rarely go out. Our visits, while delivering the parcels, will be even more important. And we always give a testimony of God’s faithfulness to His people Israel and about the promises He makes in His Word about the return of the Jewish people to Israel!” 40,000 Food Parcels Needed In the coming months, our team will visit 150 towns to deliver 40,000 food parcels. Each food parcel weighs some eleven kilos. Koen: “We are going to deploy more local volunteers, and we already have a list with fifty of them who can be deployed in different areas. It is a plus too that we can have deliveries made and pack food parcels in five different places so that the handing out of the parcels will take less time. However, we think that we will receive more requests. It is a huge job, but if many do their bit, we can achieve this goal.” Will You Help? Will you help to feed the poor Jewish community in Ukraine? Donate one or more food parcels. A food parcel costs US $11 | € 10 | AUD $15 | NZ $17. Fill in the coupon at the bottom of this page. Thank you in advance on their behalf! Help Ukranian Jews Survive the Winter Donate for food parcels Koen Carlier Aliyah Fieldworker Christians for Israel Ukraine Ala needs your help! One of the persons we will help this winter is Ala (80-years old). She grew up as an orphan after the Nazis murdered her parents. Later in life, she lost her husband and five children; four of them passed away at a very young age. “I trust in God, it is good to be near Him”, says Ala. Her hands feel ice cold, but she says she’s doing fine. The food parcels we bring her help her get through the cold winter. 1 kg of sugar 2 kg of flour 1 kg of rice 1 kg of grits 1 kg of bulgur 2 kg of macaroni 1-litre cooking oil 500 gm oats 1 tin of peas 1 tin of corn 1 tin of fish 1 tin of chicken 1 pack of coffee 1 pack of tea One food parcel contains: PLEASE COMPLETE FORM & RETURN TO: Christians for Israel Australia, PO Box 1508, Springwood, QLD 4127 or you can donate securely online c4israel.com.au/donate Yes, I would like to make a donation towards... C4I MINISTRY 1 TEACHING RESOURCES & PREMIUM GIFTS DONATION DONATION SEE OUR FULL RANGE AT: C4ISRAEL.COM.AU/STORE QUANTITY SUB TOTAL $___________ SUB TOTAL $__________ MY TOTAL DONATION $___________ $___________ My donation for general admin costs (inc print & post) $______ ___________ Israel and Christians Today Paper (free or by donation) $15 each ___________ ___________ ___________ $36 each ___________ SPECIAL! Adi Watch (Made In Israel, Hebrew Numbers) Mens SPECIAL! Adi Watch (Made In Israel, Hebrew Numbers) Ladies NEW! All Israel Shall Be Saved (BOOK) by Jill Curry NEW! Living A Life In Victory (BOOK) by Willem Glashouwer NEW! Behold He Comes (BOOK: 800 pages) by Willem Glashouwer NEW! Towards The Establishment of the State of Israel (BOOK) NEW! Bazyli & Anna Jocz (BOOK) by Kelvin Crombie $20 each ___________ $30 each ___________ $30 each $90 each $90 each ___________ A Dream Come True - 67 2 We Remember Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks Understanding Israel and world events from a Biblical perspective & Christians Today ISRAEL December 2020 Kislev - Tevet 5781 Israel & Christians Today is the premier publication of Christians for Israel 12 Philistines and High-T ech 15 Ingathering of the Exiles Continues On 3 November 2020, 140 young people from Ukraine and 46 from Brazil arrived in Israel as part of two special flights organised by The Jewish Agency for Israel. The flight from Ukraine was sponsored by Christians for Israel’s faithful donors around the world. Our dedicated team in Ukraine worked for months - in close cooperation with the Jewish Agency - to prepare these young Jewish olim for their journey. On the day of departure, they picked them up from their homes in many towns and villages in Ukraine, brought them to the airport, and waved them goodbye. It was a huge project, and it was our present to Israel, in celebration of Christians for Israel’s 40th Anniversary. Christians for Israel was established in 1980 to declare that the Lord is bringing the Jews home. It was a time when the oil-rich Arab world was boycotting Israel and its friends. Our message was and still is: “The Lord is unifying Jerusalem. The Lord, who is restoring all things. Wake up; He is preparing for the coming of Messiah!” The Jews are being re-established in their “...own land” (Ezekiel 36:24). Through the prophet Isaiah, he tells Israel: “...Do not be afraid, for I am with you. I will bring your children from the east, and gather them from the west. I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’ Bring My sons from afar and My daughters from the ends of the earth – everyone who is called by My Name, whom I created for My glory, whom I formed and made” (Isaiah 43:5-8). As Christians, we believe that the return of the Jews to the land of Israel, the restoration of the old ‘fig tree’ with new leaves, is new life (Luke 21:29-31). The restoration of Jerusalem, in particular, is a sign of the coming kingdom: “The nations will see your vindication, and all kings your glory; you will be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will bestow. You will be a crown of splendour in the Lord’s hand” (Isaiah 62:1-3). For the last 40 years, Christians for Israel has assisted over 150,000 Jews to return to Israel. God does not need us, but He will use us if we are available. As the Isaiah prophesied: “...This is what the Sovereign Lord says, ‘See, I will beckon to the Gentiles, I will lift My banner to the peoples; they will bring your sons in their arms and carry your daughters on their shoulders. Kings will be your foster fathers and their queens your nursing mothers. They will bow down before you with their faces to the ground’” (Isaiah 49:22). Read more about this project on pages 6 and 7. As Christians, we believe that the return of the Jews to the land of Israel, the restoration of the old ‘fig tree’ with new leaves, is new life (Luke 21:29-31). The Lord is Bringing His People Home | Photo: Sraya Diamant | Jewish Agency for Israel AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIA www.c4israel.com.au | info@c4israel.com.au A Dream Come True - 67 2 We Remember Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks Understanding Israel and world events from a Biblical perspective & Christians Today ISRAEL December 2020 Kislev - Tevet 5781 Israel & Christians Today is the premier publication of Christians for Israel 12 Philistines and High-Tech 15 Ingathering of the Exiles Continues On 3 November 2020, 140 young people from Ukraine and 46 from Brazil arrived in Israel as part of two special flights organised by The Jewish Agency for Israel. The flight from Ukraine was sponsored by Christians for Israel’s faithful donors around the world. Our dedicated team in Ukraine worked for months - in close cooperation with the Jewish Agency - to prepare these young Jewish olim for their journey. On the day of departure, they picked them up from their homes in many towns and villages in Ukraine, brought them to the airport, and waved them goodbye. It was a huge project, and it was our present to Israel, in celebration of Christians for Israel’s 40th Anniversary. Christians for Israel was established in 1980 to declare that the Lord is bringing the Jews home. It was a time when the oil-rich Arab world was boycotting Israel and its friends. Our message was and still is: “The Lord is unifying Jerusalem. The Lord, who is restoring all things. Wake up; He is preparing for the coming of Messiah!” The Jews are being re-established in their “...own land” (Ezekiel 36:24). Through the prophet Isaiah, he tells Israel: “...Do not be afraid, for I am with you. I will bring your children from the east, and gather them from the west. I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’ Bring My sons from afar and My daughters from the ends of the earth – everyone who is called by My Name, whom I created for My glory, whom I formed and made” (Isaiah 43:5-8). As Christians, we believe that the return of the Jews to the land of Israel, the restoration of the old ‘fig tree’ with new leaves, is new life (Luke 21:29-31). The restoration of Jerusalem, in particular, is a sign of the coming kingdom: “The nations will see your vindication, and all kings your glory; you will be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will bestow. You will be a crown of splendour in the Lord’s hand” (Isaiah 62:1-3). For the last 40 years, Christians for Israel has assisted over 150,000 Jews to return to Israel. God does not need us, but He will use us if we are available. As the Isaiah prophesied: “...This is what the Sovereign Lord says, ‘See, I will beckon to the Gentiles, I will lift My banner to the peoples; they will bring your sons in their arms and carry your daughters on their shoulders. Kings will be your foster fathers and their queens your nursing mothers. They will bow down before you with their faces to the ground’” (Isaiah 49:22). Read more about this project on pages 6 and 7. As Christians, we believe that the return of the Jews to the land of Israel, the restoration of the old ‘fig tree’ with new leaves, is new life (Luke 21:29-31). The Lord is Bringing His People Home | Photo: Sraya Diamant | Jewish Agency for Israel AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIA www.c4israel.com.au | info@c4israel.com.au A Dream Come True - 67 2 We Remember Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks Understanding Israel and world events from a Biblical perspective & Christians Today ISRAEL December 2020 Kislev - Tevet 5781 Israel & Christians Today is the premier publication of Christians for Israel 12 Philistines and High-Tech 15 Ingathering of the Exiles Continues On 3 November 2020, 140 young people from Ukraine and 46 from Brazil arrived in Israel as part of two special flights organised by The Jewish Agency for Israel. The flight from Ukraine was sponsored by Christians for Israel’s faithful donors around the world. Our dedicated team in Ukraine worked for months - in close cooperation with the Jewish Agency - to prepare these young Jewish olim for their journey. On the day of departure, they picked them up from their homes in many towns and villages in Ukraine, brought them to the airport, and waved them goodbye. It was a huge project, and it was our present to Israel, in celebration of Christians for Israel’s 40th Anniversary. Christians for Israel was established in 1980 to declare that the Lord is bringing the Jews home. It was a time when the oil-rich Arab world was boycotting Israel and its friends. Our message was and still is: “The Lord is unifying Jerusalem. The Lord, who is restoring all things. Wake up; He is preparing for the coming of Messiah!” The Jews are being re-established in their “...own land” (Ezekiel 36:24). Through the prophet Isaiah, he tells Israel: “...Do not be afraid, for I am with you. I will bring your children from the east, and gather them from the west. I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’ Bring My sons from afar and My daughters from the ends of the earth – everyone who is called by My Name, whom I created for My glory, whom I formed and made” (Isaiah 43:5-8). As Christians, we believe that the return of the Jews to the land of Israel, the restoration of the old ‘fig tree’ with new leaves, is new life (Luke 21:29-31). The restoration of Jerusalem, in particular, is a sign of the coming kingdom: “The nations will see your vindication, and all kings your glory; you will be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will bestow. You will be a crown of splendour in the Lord’s hand” (Isaiah 62:1-3). For the last 40 years, Christians for Israel has assisted over 150,000 Jews to return to Israel. God does not need us, but He will use us if we are available. As the Isaiah prophesied: “...This is what the Sovereign Lord says, ‘See, I will beckon to the Gentiles, I will lift My banner to the peoples; they will bring your sons in their arms and carry your daughters on their shoulders. Kings will be your foster fathers and their queens your nursing mothers. They will bow down before you with their faces to the ground’” (Isaiah 49:22). Read more about this project on pages 6 and 7. As Christians, we believe that the return of the Jews to the land of Israel, the restoration of the old ‘fig tree’ with new leaves, is new life (Luke 21:29-31). The Lord is Bringing His People Home | Photo: Sraya Diamant | Jewish Agency for Israel AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIA www.c4israel.com.au | info@c4israel.com.au Please post cheque or money order to: Christians for Israel Australia Inc (don’t use staples) NEW INTERNET BANKING DETAILS: BSB: ANZ BANK – 014-279 Account No: 405318551 Ref: Your name & donation purpose. Please confirm by emailing info@c4israel.com.au MY DETAILS Name: _________________________________________ If you don ’t know or have your Member ID please include: Address: ________________________________________ Phone: _________________________________________ Email: __________________________________________ Christians for Israel Australia ABN: 79 941 819 693 ICT1220 4 3 SOCIAL WELFARE PROJECTS $___________ Hineni soup kitchen ($10 per meal) $___________ First Baptist Church Bethlehem ($10 or your best gift) $___________ Meals on Wheels Ukraine ($15 per meal) $___________ First Home in the Homeland ($350 pp) $___________ Food Parcels ($15 per parcel) $___________ CFOIC (Judea and Samaria) Heartland ($30 or your best gift) 2 ALIYAH - BRING THE JEWS HOME $350 One Person* $6250 One Busload (25 persons)* $1460 Bnei Menashe - Asian Jews (1 person) $1250 One Family (5 persons)* *NOTE: Certificates for individuals and families from the Ukraine only. NOTE: NEW DONATION AMOUNTS DUE TO $ US EXCHANGE New Phone Number: 07 3088 6900 Member ID (If Known) : C4IA

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