20. 12 August 2022 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5782 Article from Israeli Ambassador Amir Maimon For the Love of Zion My paternal family is one of many Yemenite Jews who lived in Yemen for centuries. They lived in the Northern part of the country leading a fairly calm life and were mainly in good relations with their neighbours. They were artisans in various trades, jewellers, tailors, carpenters, builders, teachers and Torah scribes. In 1909 they decided to leave everything behind and with only modest belongings embark on a journey to return to the Holy Land. When I asked my father what made them chose to leave their birth place and immigrate to Israel, he replied “it was for the Love of Zion.” For decades they yearned to return to the Land of Israel, they prayed for it and engraved their longings in poems and scripts. Not a day went by without them wishing to return to a land that was largely unknown to them, but they knew, that there lie their deep and undeniable roots. When I started writing the book about my family’s history, I quickly realized that it was leading me on a journey into the incredible story and history of the Yemenite settlement in Rishon Lezion, my hometown. Located between Tel Aviv and Ashdod, today it is the fourth largest city in Israel, but back then, in the early 1900s, it was only a small village or Moshava, as we call it in Hebrew. My grandparents’ voyage to Zion commenced in the town of Haidan in Northern Yemen. They embarked by foot, through the desert over 100 kilometres, to Midi Port and arrived by boat to Jaffa during the Jewish Holiday of Succoth. They were immediately taken to Rishon Lezion, where veteran Jewish settlers were looking for labourers to work on the fields and vineyards. Their new home was a simple barrack and although it was meant to be just a temporary arrangement, it was only 14 years later, in 1923, when they moved into a permanent house. It was also a very modest dwelling, only two rooms, a cooking area and toilets in the garden. Their first years were extremely difficult, not only financially, but also socially. They were not always treated well by the early immigrants for whom they worked and fought hard to integrate. They lived on the most basic resources, my father shared a room with his 6 siblings, but they thought nothing of it. Their love for the land of Israel, Eretz Israel, the fact that they lived so close to Jerusalem, and when they were praying in the morning, they are literally looking at Jerusalem— which was more than enough for them. This small neighbourhood where my grandparents and several other families of Yemenite origin, made their home was named “Shivat Zion” meaning the Return to Zion in Hebrew. The first building built in that neighbourhood was the synagogue, which will mark its’ 100th anniversary this year. Once inaugurated, five Torah scrolls which my family brought with them from Yemen, were sacredly placed in the Holy Ark (Aron Hakodesh) of the synagogue. As I mentioned, my grandparents had seven boys and since they were very religious people, they chose Biblical names for their sons, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David (my late father), Solomon, Avshalom and Josef. They had only basic means, but raised their children with an abundance of love. When you are surrounded by so much love, you can happily live with the absence of so many other things. In January 1948, Jacob, my uncle, was killed while defending his home town of Rishon Lezion. This was the beginning of Israel’s war of independence. Despite this ultimate sacrifice, my grandparents and their sons, never gave up and continued doing their utmost to bring about the establishment of the State of Israel. They all joined the armed forces and took up combat positions. One was among the soldiers of the first navy seals unit, others joined the paratroopers, my father was an officer and years later retired at the rank of Major-General, the first ever Major- General of Yemenite origin. Of the 21 homes in this small neighbourhood, 5 have lost sons in the deadly battles for Israel’s independence. 5 families who not for a moment, after making this ultimate sacrifice, thought about leaving Israel, going back to Yemen or perhaps search for a more comfortable place. The children of these families grew up to be some of the most well-known names of the Israeli society. Avraham Tabib was a member of the First Knesset, the Israeli Parliament. Another was the singer Shoshana Damari, also known as First Lady of Hebrew Music, a cultural icon and laureate of the Israel Prize for her contribution to Israeli music. The famous author and poet Mordechai Tabib and many other prominent politicians, public figures and of course senior military officials, like my father, who served in the IDF for many years. The story of my family, my roots and my upbringing had a profound impact on shaping the person I am today and played a major role in instilling the love for my country. As it happens from time to time, some children chose to follow in their parents’ footsteps and I am one example of that. My father was and still is, my role model. My wish was always to be like him, even today. As a child, I didn’t get to spend much time with my father. As an officer, he was mostly stationed on the front and we didn’t get to see him very often. He never saw me play basketball, and I was a pretty good player and he never took me to the cinema, although I very much loved films (something I have inherited from my mother). But whenever he could, he made sure to take me out and tour the country, to see our land. This is how I got know and experience the beauty of our country, Amir Maimon Ambassador – Embassy Of Israel In Canberra In January 1948, Jacob, my uncle, was killed while defending his home town of Rishon Lezion. This was the beginning of Israel’s war of independence Ambassador Maimon visits the memorial of the Australian light horse at Semakh, Galilee in Northern israel . Amir’s late Father – David Maimon. Wikipedia.

22. 14 August 2022 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5782 Biblical Insights from Heartland of Judea & Samaria Best Ways to Travel to Israel in 2022 Volunteer or Tour? How to Travel to Israel in 2022 So you want to come to Israel, but you’re not sure what kind of trip is right for you? Maybe it’s your first time, and everyone says that you should come on a 10-day tour. Maybe you’ve been on a tour before, and you’re ready for something different. Either way, you want to experience Israel differently. You don’t just want to “run where Jesus walked”, and go home with a t-shirt that says, “My sister/brother went to Israel and all I got was this lousy t-shirt.” You want to go deeper. Meet the locals. Visit off-the-beaten track places. Experience your Bible come to life. After all, this is the Holy Land, and the birthplace of your faith! Most tours to Israel don’t provide an experience that takes you past the big cities or tourist sites. Don’t get me wrong. Tours can be amazing, and a great way to visit Israel, especially if it’s your first time. If you don’t consider yourself a tourist however, you might want to look deeper. How about a volunteer opportunity? This could be a great option, but it also comes with some questions. What kind of volunteer opportunities are there in Israel? How do I know if I’m choosing the right one? In this article, we’ll break down some of the best ways to sign up for a volunteer program in Israel, as well as how you can get involved with our work. DISCLAIMER: we’re definitely biased towards the volunteer programs that we offer. Why Volunteer? If you’ve ever volunteered for a charitable cause, you know the secret. There is great fulfilment and joy to be found while serving our fellow man. Oftentimes, we receive far more than what we could ever give. Jesus said that He came to serve and not to be served. As believers, we should strive to emulate our Messiah’s mission. There are many great causes that you can volunteer with in Israel. You can sign up to care for Holocaust survivors, help out in a soup kitchen, volunteer with the IDF, or even pick up garbage from Israel’s busy city streets! All of these are incredible causes, and I would recommend any one of them as a great volunteer opportunity. There are volunteer programs however, that provide something that none of the above experiences do. HaYovel has been bringing volunteers to serve small Jewish farmers in Israel’s biblical heartland (AKA—West Bank) for the past eighteen years. Not only does this give you a unique opportunity to get your hands dirty in Israel’s prophetic soil, but it also provides an experience like none other - meeting the local Israeli people and experiencing Israel’s Biblical heartland. Israel’s Biblical Heartland Most of the world has heard about the “West Bank” or the “Occupied Territories.” Mainstream media has been obsessed with demonizing the Jewish people who choose to live and settle in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria since the 1970s. The Israel-haters have run a very successful propaganda campaign and would love for you to believe things like: • Jews who live in the W est Bank have horns on their heads. • Jewish settlemen ts are an obstacle to peace in the middle east. • The IDF routinel y oppresses Palestinians who live in the West Bank. • Israel illegally occupi es Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria. • Settlements ar e illegal under international law. None of these bullet points are true, but we don’t have the time nor space to go into that in this article. If you’re interested in some hard-core proof that soundly debunks these myths, visit www.TheIsraelGuys.com The actual reality is that Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria make up a region of what the world likes to call the West Bank. Samaria is north of Jerusalem, and Judea is south of Jerusalem. Technically, East Jerusalem (including the Old City), is included in the “West Bank” because Jordan occupied it during their nineteen year illegal occupation from 1948-1967. The real name for this region is the “Biblical heartland.” That is because more than 80% of our Bible was either written, or occurred in these areas. It’s also Israel’s central mountain region, and home to some of the country’s most incredible agriculture and beautiful towns. Vineyards and olive orchards dot the mountainous landscape. Wineries, some of which have won awards in competitions that included the best of old world wine regions, are sprinkled throughout Judea and Samaria. Archaeology is here, the oldest of which is more than 4,000 years old, dating back to Abraham. The reality is that the real heartland of Israel is a vastly different place than what the media would have you believe. Instead of being a war-torn wild West Bank where crazy settlers live and Israel’s military oppresses the Palestinians, it is actually a hidden jewel in Israel’s landscape. And it is a place that you should most certainly visit or come to volunteer. The volunteer programs that we host in Israel’s heartland are based around helping small, Jewish farmers. What’s So Special About Farming? Our volunteer programs mostly serve small, Jewish farmers in Judea and Samaria, Israel’s heartland. We help vineyard owners prune, plant, and harvest their grapes. We also plant trees in partnership with farmers and Jewish communities to help restore Israel’s barren and rocky landscape. Over the years, we’ve planted nearly 40,000 trees and vines in Israel’s biblical heartland. Everyone who has come and put their fingers in Israel’s prophetic soil has experienced a life-changing The reality is that the real heartland of Israel is a vastly different place than what the media would have you believe Luke Hilton The Israel Guys

8. 8 C4I News Kenneth Khoo n Christians for Israel Singapore What a joy to be able to organise this very special event. The Israeli Embassy in Singapore has not been able to organise this celebration for the last three years due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This event was held at the YMCA Singapore on 14 May 2022 and we were privileged to have His Excellency, the Israeli Ambassador join us for this event. We were also blessed with the presence of the General Secretary and CEO of the YMCA, Ms. Wu Mei Ling. We had 120 brothers and sisters that joined us in this event and they all came from different churches in Singapore. We began the evening with showing the corporate video of Christians for Israel International. We then played the SOS Ukraine video showing what our brave heroes in Ukraine did to bring the Jews back to their homeland and fulfilling God’s prophecy that He will bring His people back home to the Holy Land. Ambassador Sagi Karni expressed his thanks to Christians for Israel for inviting him to attend this celebration. He invited all guests to Israel and ended by reading *JaCmJ
 in English and Hebrew. Singapore Celebrates 74th Anniversary Ambassador Sagi Karni with our VIP guests. | Photos: C4I Singapore August 2022 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5782 His Excellency Ambassador Sagi Karni and Kenneth Khoo of C4I Singapore cutting the birthday cake. Cornelis Kant n Executive Director | Christians for Israel International Over 300 Christians from 38 countries gathered in Jerusalem in June for the sixth annual Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast. The gathering follows the biblical command to pray for the Peace of Jerusalem as it says in *JaCm

Jewish rabbis and Israeli Members of the Knesset also attended this two-day Prayer event in Jerusalem. Every year this prayer event takes place upon invitation by Members of Knesset. This year Mrs Tatiana Mazarsky and Mrs Gila Gamliel were our guest hosts in the Knesset. Israeli President Isaac Herzog welcomed the audience with a video speech and expressed his gratitude to the Christian communities for standing with Israel. Several Christians for Israel leaders attended this prayer event. “Through prayer, we can change things,” Chiara Canciani from Christians for Israel, Italy, commented. She added: “We can change history and ask God to do His will on earth. Because it’s written in the Bible, we should pray for the peace of Israel and the peace of Jerusalem. So, this is an assignment that God gave us.” Former US Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann, and co- founder of this prayer event, said: “We are trying to be obedient to the Word of God, which is to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. We’ve seen miracles because of those prayers, and I have no doubt we will see further miracles this time as well,” A variety of speakers addressed the audience, including Albert Veksler, director of the Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast and Joel Rosenberg, writer. Former US Ambassador David Friedman thanked Christian Zionists for their role in prayer for Israel and standing with Israel. He highlighted the importance of the Christian community’s stand with the Jewish people and the State of Israel: “Israel now is a strong country. It’s a moral country. It is leading the world in so many ways. And much of that is because of the support it gets from the outside. And no one supports Israel like the Christian Zionists.” A special guest and speaker this year was Nick Vujicic of Life Without Limbs ministry: “We know how close Israel is to God’s heart and that all of us are praying. We’re here representing the Christian worldwide community to let our Israeli friends and brothers and sisters know that they are not alone, that we stand with them,” He added: “It’s a privilege and an honour to further the bridge between Christians and Jews because we all know that without the Jewish faith, the Christian faith is not there whatsoever.” As a complete surprise, former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the event for a short time and addressed the audience. Afterwards he asked Nick Vujicic to pray. An impressive moment for all of us. Rabbi Yehuda Glick told us that over the last decade an increasing number of Jews and Christians visit the Temple Mount to pray there, even though this is officially not allowed by the Muslim administration of the Temple Mount. He called upon all Christians worldwide to come to Jerusalem and to pray on the Temple Mount. Since its beginnings in 2017, the Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast has grown tremendously, and it’s been held in 15 nations including the US (in Dallas), Rome, The Hague and Tallin in Europe, and Kampala and Ghana in Africa. It is always encouraging to attend this prayer event, to join in prayers, to listen to good speeches and to meet many brothers and sisters worldwide. Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast 2022 The surprise visit of former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. | Photo: Christians for Israel International

15. 7 August 2022 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5782 18 new kibbutzim have joined the Program and about 100 new families will accommodate there by the end of the year. It is hard to imagine how but in this difficult situation around the world we have welcomed not only new olims but also our dear friends from C4I since the beginning of 2022. Recently we had the pleasant visit of Marie-Louise from Austria, Anemone from Germany, and Alina from Ukraine. These meetings give us the strength to go on. Despite our praying for peace, the conflict doesn’t stop. Many people from different countries of former Soviet Union are literally trying to “take the last train” and go to Israel leaving behind everything that was in their past life. Some of them contact us during a trip to Israel, sitting on a bus, train or plane, crossing the border, etc. Others call us from Israel in the nick of time, and we receive these calls daily. This is the unusual practice for us, because we are used to keeping eye on a family from the moment of its making decision about aliyah to the moment of its arrival in kibbutz. In April, we thought we managed with this challenge but the huge wave of olims is continuing to come. While families who joined “First Home in the Homeland” in early March are preparing for their final Hebrew exam, dozens of families are just waiting for their first meeting with kibbutz in July and August. By the way, we have already accepted about 100 families into our program. They will join us in 6 different regions from July to November 2022: Ramat HaNegev, Eshkol and Shaar HaNegev in the South, Jezreel Valley, Jordan Valley and Shomron in the North. Among them, we are expecting many families with 3 or 4 children, while usually we welcome families with one or two children. It is worth mentioning that one new kibbutz, Or HaNer, has recently got involved into the Program. There is all the necessary for newcomers in this kibbutz: light apartments, good infrastructure with a swimming pool, a canteen, a policlinic, sports and playgrounds, kindergartens, Hebrew class nearby etc. We plan to accommodate 8 families there in October. Against all odds we try to make the life of our participants as comfortable as possible. We celebrate all national, traditional holidays and birthdays together, we take them to important historical places, museums to show them the real Israel from inside and facilitate their integration into Israeli society, we help them with Hebrew, we stay next to them in every difficult situation they are faced with. As a result, many of them ask us for staying in kibbutz after the program is completed. For example, the Hutz family from the city of Shostka, the Kopitskii family from Kharkov, Ekaterina Kichko from Kyev, Lubov Yolkina with her mom from Odessa, the Aptekar family from Kyev, the Dumyak family from Lvov, the Semenchenko family from Kyev, the Dreiman family from Kharkov etc. However, many families are already committed to starting their life outside the kibbutz – Olga Gordienko from Dneprodzerzhinsk, Nelly Zubkova from Krivoi Rog. With your assistance, we have done more than usual – we have welcomed more families than usual, we have opened new places for our olims – 18 new kibbutzim have joined us, we have found the strength to help everyone who applied to us. Thank you for everything, we believe that better times will come soon! __________________________________________ Article provided from the Jewish Agency Report: Olim Making Aliyah and Their New Home in Israel The Jewish Agency Agency that supports First Home in the Homeland News from the fields: First Home in the Homeland The Semenchenko family in kibbutz Yotvata The Hutz family, kibbutz Beeri – Anemone, Marie-Louise and Alina in kibbutz Beeri Kibbutz Yehiam Hebrew class in the Eshkol regional council Kichko Ekaterina and her son Miron, kibbutz Galed kibbutz Or Haner The Aptekar family from Kyev in kibbutz Yehiam

1. Understanding Israel and world events from a Biblical perspective Israel & Christians Today is the premier publication of Christians for Israel 6-7 Update on Ukraine 3 Who Killed Abu Akleh? 9 “Every Day is a Reason to be Grateful” 16 Coming Home to Israel from Ethiopia Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid hold a joint press conference at the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem on 20 June 2022. | Photo: Flash90 Israel is heading again to elections – the fifth election in less than four years. On 30 June 2022, Israel’s 24th Knesset (Parliament) was disbanded. The Prime Minister for the past year, Naftali Bennett, stepped down as PM and was replaced by Yair Lapid, who will remain Prime Minister until the elections, which will be held in October. In an emotional speech, Bennett announced that he was withdrawing from politics. He handed over leadership of the Yamina party to Ayalet Shaked and will not run in the next elections. This was the most unusual government in Israel’s history. It comprised parties from across the political spectrum. Perhaps the most remarkable aspect was that the coalition government included the Ra’am Party (United Arab List), an Islamic/Arab party which is linked to the Muslim Brotherhood. Many predicted the coalition would not last long. It lasted a whole year. Some have praised the government as a unique attempt to bring unity across the political spectrum and for including an Arab party in the government. Others have criticized it as a dangerous experiment, unworkable and unable to make major decisions because of diverging interests. Former PM Benjamin Netanyahu, who has headed the opposition over the last year, has been a vicious critic of the government, which was formed on the platform of ousting Netanyahu. Netanyahu seems to be preparing to run again in the upcoming elections. The political landscape in Israel has become more splintered, and the culture more polarised and divisive. As this edition of Israel & Christians Today shows, Israel faces many threats, both internal and external. Perhaps most alarming is that it is believed that Iran is possibly now capable of producing nuclear weapons. Now, more than ever, Israel needs unity and a strong and stable government that can make the necessary decisions to remove the threats the nation faces. Israel’s Political Turmoil “But you, mountains of Israel, will produce branches and fruit for My people Israel, for they will soon come home. I am concerned for you and will look on you with favour; you will be ploughed and sown, and I will cause many people to live on you—yes, all of Israel. The towns will be inhabited and the ruins rebuilt. I will increase the number of people and animals living on you, and they will be fruitful and become numerous. I will settle people on you as in the past and will make you prosper more than before. Then you will know that I am the Lord. I will cause people, My people Israel, to live on you. They will possess you, and you will be their inheritance; you will never again deprive them of their children.” Ezekiel 36:8-12 August 2022 Av - Elul 5782 www.c4israel.com.au | info@c4israel.com.au AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIA

5. 5 News Andrew Tucker n International Editor | Christians for Israel President Biden’s long-awaited and much- discussed three-day visit to Israel in July, en route to attend a meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council in Saudi Arabia, served to highlight both the magnitude and imminence of the threats facing the West and the degree to which many (including, apparently the US Administration) are willing to believe that appeasement of terrorists has any chance of success. The first thing to note was Biden’s meeting with the PLO leader Mahmoud Abbas. President Biden stated on his arrival that US support for Israel is deep and unw avering. The US and Israel even announced a strategic alliance. But at the same time, Biden’s visit signalled support for the PLO’s zero-sum demands and unwillingness to confront the PLO’s continuing rejection of Israel’s right to exist. The US will provide over $500 million in aid to the Palestinian territories. Biden visited a Palestinian hospital in East Jerusalem and is planning to upgrade the status of the Palestinian Affairs Office at the US Embassy in Jerusalem and place it under the direct supervision of the US State Department. This signals that the Biden Admi nistration rejects Israel’s claim to sovereignty over the city of Jerusalem and is unwilling to confront Abbas’s ongoing payments to Palestinian terrorists for killing Jews (’pay-for-slay’). Next, there is the problem of Iran. In an interview on his first day in Israel, Biden stated that “[t]he only thing worse than the Iran that exists now is an Iran with nuclear weapons, and if we can return to the deal, we can hold them tight. I think it was a gigantic mistake for the last president to get out of the deal.” Biden’s statement that a military option “is not ruled out” seemed hardly credible, given that Iran is now capable of producing nuclear weapons. Moreover, as the US itself announced, it is well known that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) is deeply involved in supporting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Moreover, Iran, Russia and Turkey are boosting their alliance, which includes support for the Assad regime in Syria. In this context, it is hard to imagine that any “deal” with either Iran or the PLO is going to divert either of them from pursuing their declared aims of undermining and destroying Israel. As so often has been the case since its establishment in 1948, it is Israel that has to face reality and do the hard work of actually confronting those who threaten its existence. One commentator has noted: “The US president is coming to the Middle East because he is weak, so Israel should remember that it is strong.” It might be more appropriate to remark: the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is strong, and He has promised to look after His people in the land if they will trust in Him and look to Him for their safety and protection. Short News Dedication of Lion of Judah Bronze Sculpture Recently a special sculpture of the Lion of Judah was dedicated in Jerusalem after a 16-year journey from Texas to Jerusalem. The statue is located at Bloomfield Park just behind the King David Hotel, between the Old City and new Jerusalem. It was a gift of American Christian artist Max Greiner Jr. With this Lion, Greiner wanted to honour the God of Israel, and it was his dream to give it to Israel as a symbol of friendship and love between Christians and the People of Israel. “My goal with this realistic yet stylised lion composition was to visually communicate majesty, dignity, strength, and courage while also expressing shalom.” | Photo: Shutterstock Lebanese Journalist Speaks Out Journalist Nadim Koteich said in a TV interview that Lebanon should join the Abraham Accords and make peace with Israel. Since the Abraham Accords, more and more Arabs from countries surrounding Israel are speaking out in support of relations and peace with Israel. The fact that the journalist dared to express his opinion suggests that the desire for peace is perhaps more widespread among the Lebanese people than previously thought. Israel Envoy Elected Vice President of UN General Assembly In a significant achievement for Israeli diplomacy, Israel was elected vice president for the coming year’s UN General Assembly session. This means that the Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, will chair General Assembly meetings and take part in setting the agenda for its deliberations once he begins his role in September when the General Assembly convenes. “I will now be representing Israel in a position at the heart of the United Nations. Nothing will stop me—and I mean nothing—from fighting the discrimination against Israel,” said Erdan. | Photo: Flash90 US president Joe Biden, Prime Minister Yair Lapid and Israeli president Isaac Herzog at the welcoming ceremony at Ben Gurion Airport on 13 July 2022, for his first official visit to Israel. | Photo: Flash90 President Biden’s Israel Visit August 2022 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5782 Ben & Jerry’s ‘Victory’ is Hollow Naomi Grant n Director of Communications | Endowment for Middle East Truth (EMET) Now is no time to rejoice with ice cream but to continue holding Ben & Jerry’s accountable—this time, for indoctrination. Jewish organisations far and wide, the State of Israel and even American politicians have rejoiced over Unilever’s decision to sell Ben & Jerry’s to a local franchisee, thereby resuming the sale of its ice cream in the West Bank. While it is nice to see a major company standing up to BDS and indirectly contributing to the Israeli economy, this widely hailed ‘victory’ against the BDS movement and antisemitism comes with many caveats. American Quality Products owner Avi Zinger previously enjoyed exclusive rights to Ben & Jerry’s in Israel before his license was not renewed due to his continuing to sell in the West Bank. Following his win in an Israeli federal court, Zinger will resume sales in all of Israel in perpetuity in Hebrew and Arabic. But not in English. A lawsuit was also filed against Unilever this month in the United States, alleging that it had “concealed a boycott of Israel by its Ben & Jerry’s ice-cream brand that shaved billions off its stock market value,” reported JNS. Due to violations of state anti-boycott laws, Arizona, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, and Texas had divested a combined $1 billion in pension-fund investments from Unilever. However, Ben & Jerry’s founders said they still believe it is “inconsistent with Ben & Jerry’s values for our ice cream to be sold in the Occupied Palestinian Territory,” which is completely missing the point. Jews have lived in Judea and Samaria (what is today called the West Bank) for about 3,000 years; only in recent history—from 1948 to 1967—were Jews prohibited from living there, which was apparently long enough for antisemites to concoct a patently false narrative about the land belonging to ‘Palestinian’ Arabs. In other words, Unilever is off the hook in the eyes of Jewish organisations and Ben & Jerry’s boycotters for any controversy because they sold Israeli rights to the Ben & Jerry’s brand and put out a feel-good statement that doesn’t even directly condemn antisemitism; rather, it condemns “any form of discrimination or intolerance” and asserts that “antisemitism has no place in any society.” The statement doesn’t even stand against BDS; it says, almost as a disclaimer: “We have never expressed any support for the Boycott Divestment Sanctions (BDS) movement and have no intention of changing that position,” instead of actually taking a stand against BDS. Perhaps the worst is yet to come: Ben & Jerry’s apparently now requires new employees to watch videos on the Israeli- Palestinian conflict, at least one of which features Human Rights Watch Israel- Palestine Director Omar Shakir. Shakir was expelled from Israel and participated in a June 2021 conference that also hosted participants from the likes of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). Refusing to sell ice cream in certain areas (limiting options for the Arabs whom the company purports to champion, no less) was not enough; Ben & Jerry’s has now implemented an indoctrination system into new employee orientation. They somehow found a way to politicise something like ice cream, previously among the least politicised, least controversial industries on Earth. Jewish Insider reported on Ben & Jerry’s new system of indoctrination on 13 June; it seems likely that Ben & Jerry’s knew Unilever was about to sell brand rights in Israel, enabling the s ale of ice cream in the entirety of the country, and acted preemptively. Published by JNS on 1 July. Republished with permission.

12. 4 August 2022 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5782 Opinion Piece July 24 this year will mark the centenary of the ratification of the British Mandate over the territory then known as Palestine. While most people in the Jewish communities around the world know something about the British Mandate—especially in Israel—not many Christians know about it, and only a tiny percentage of people in the general public have any knowledge of it at all. So, what is the Mandate for Palestine and why is it so important? We will be examining this question in a series of six articles, beginning with this one. What led to the Mandate? The Mandate for Palestine was one of a number of Mandates that were formed after the First World War to enable people living in what would be perceived today as ‘Third World’ countries to prepare themselves for self- determination and independence. These were countries or territories in various parts of the world, mainly in Africa and Latin America, but also in the territory that had been under the control of the Turkish Ottoman Empire in the Middle East. Included in those Mandates was the Mandate for Palestine, which we will examine in detail in forthcoming articles. But first, we need to backtrack a bit and examine what led to the Mandate for Palestine. There were two major milestones preceding this particular Mandate. The first one was the vision encapsulated in the Balfour Declaration of 1917. The second one was the Resolution that came out of the San Remo Conference of 1920, which itself was an adjunct of the Paris Peace conference of 1919. From Vision to International Law Chaim Weizmann (then leader of the Zionist movement and who would later become the first President of the State of Israel), addressing the annual Zionist conference in July 1920, described the San Remo Resolution as “the most momentous political event in the whole history of our movement and it is perhaps no exaggeration to say in the whole history of our people since the exile.” Across the Atlantic, the Zionist Organisation of America declared: “that the decision of the Supreme Council of the Principal Allied Powers [in other words, the San Remo Resolution] crowned the British declaration [which was, of course, the Balfour Declaration] by enacting it as part of the Law of Nations of the world.” The San Remo Resolution of April 1920, in many respects, is even more significant to the Jewish people than the Balfour Declaration of November 1917. The Balfour Declaration, in legal terms, was nothing more than a statement of Government policy. The San Remo Resolution and the Mandate for Palestine that resulted from it, both of which encapsulated the Balfour Declaration, raised it to the legal status of an international treaty. The San Remo Resolution, and the Mandates that resulted from it, were not isolated events. There was a back-story— especially as far as the Mandate for Palestine is concerned—that continues to have both prophetic and spiritual ramifications to this day, both now and into the future. Biblical Title Deed to the Land Most Christians, who share God’s love for Israel and the Jewish people, know that the title deed to the land, originally known as the land of Canaan, as being the sole inheritance of the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob forever. It is referred to many times in the Hebrew Bible. The best example is found in Genesis 15, where the Lord entered into an unconditional covenant with Abraham, especially regarding the land that became known as Israel. Behind the scene at San Remo in 1920 the Lord did a remarkable thing. He enshrined that ancient ‘title deed’ into international law in the modern era. The ratification of the Mandate for Palestine in July 1922, and its subsequent implementation in 1923, was the blueprint for its realisation. Theodor Herzl’s Vision The Balfour Declaration was the vital stepping-stone to that happening. However, what became known as the Balfour Declaration was not an isolated event either. We need to rewind back even further to the 1890s, when there was a rise in anti-Semitism in Europe. This was epitomised by the Dreyfus Affair in France, when a Jewish army officer, Alfred Dreyfus, was falsely accused of treason because he was Jewish. Among those reporting on the trial was a Jewish Vienna-based journalist. His name was Theodor Herzl. Herzl came to realise that only persecution lay ahead for the Jewish people in Europe, and in 1896 he published a booklet entitled Der Judenstaat—The Jewish State. The following year, 1897, Herzl organised the First Zionist Congress in Basle, Switzerland, where he predicted there would be a Jewish State within 50 years. In 1900 the Zionist Congress was held in London, where Herzl said: “Zionism demands a publicly recognised and legally secured home in Palestine for the Jewish people. This platform, which we drew up three years ago, is unchangeable.” The Christian Vision Alongside Theodor Herzl in his quest to establish a Jewish state in the ancestral home of the Jewish people was a Christian Anglican minister who was Chaplain to the British Embassy in Vienna. His name was William Hechler, and in many respects he was as ‘Zionist’ as Herzl himself. Hechler was by no means the first ‘Christian Zionist’. In Britain the expectation of the restoration of the Jewish people to their ancient Promised Centenary of the Mandate for Palestine: Part 1 – The Balfour Declaration Hugh Kitson Writer, Director and Producer of the Whose Land? documentary. 1917-Balfour-declaration Arthur Balfour Theodor Herzl

11. 3 August 2022 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5782 Many states have recognized “Palestine” as a state, and some others (like Australia) are considering doing so. However, recognizing Palestine as a state is highly problematic under international law. Palestine is not a State under international law First of all, “Palestine” is not a state. While statehood recognition is primarily a political act, and states are free to recognize any territorial entity as a state, they should not do so if the entity in question does not, for some fundamental reason, qualify as a state under principles of international law. The test of statehood endorsed by customary international law is reflected in article 1 of the Montevideo Convention. A state consists of four elements: a permanent population; a defined territory; an effective government; and capacity to enter into foreign relations. While these conditions are not necessarily exhaustive in all circumstances, and while the balance between them may vary in particular instances, it is clear that these four Montevideo criteria constitute the presumptive paradigm. The key element is sovereignty or independence from the control of other states. It would take a formidable argument of exception, buttressed by clear proof, to displace the rule that the Montevideo criteria are required in order to display statehood in international law. This means that in order to be a state, an entity must be independent of other state legal orders. An entity that has consented to another State managing its foreign relations, or has granted extensive territorial governance rights to another State, may be said not to be ‘sovereign’—‘ a fortiori where the claimant in question never had those competences to grant to third States.’ “Palestine” is clearly not (yet) a State under these general principles of international law, as was recognized in 2021 even by the International Criminal Court. The main issue is that the Palestinian Authority (PA) lacks independence and sovereignty over territory. The Palestinian Authority was created under the Oslo Accords, which granted governance powers in Areas B and C to Israel. The PA has no control in Gaza, which is ruled by Hamas. Israel has full control over Area C in the West Bank. Even in Areas A and B of the West Bank, the PA’s jurisdiction is limited under the Oslo Accords. The Palestinians argue that the reason they do not enjoy such independence and sovereignty is because Israel is occupying their land. But that is a false and untrue position. The land does not belong to the Palestinians; its status is disputed, and can only be resolved by a negotiated agreement. In Area A of the West Bank, the Palestinian Authority has extensive powers, and the only reason Israel is maintaining a military administration in the other parts of the West Bank (Areas B and C) is because the PLO consistenty refuses every offer that is made to grant them more rights and freedoms. Ignoring the governing principles of statehood would pave the way to random acts of international recognition of States. There are many other examples of peoples or non-state actors claiming statehood or independence. For example: the Basque in Spain, Kurds in Iraq and Turkey, Pattani in Thailand, Uighur in China, Maoris in New Zealand, and Aboriginals in Australia. If Palestine is recognized as a state, why should these peoples and entities also not be recognized as states? The Palestinians do not have a right to statehood It is, of course, a principle of international law that peoples have political rights to independent self-government. However, that legal principle of self- determination does not prescribe the forms of specific its political outcomes. In the limited context of decolonization, colonized peoples have a right to statehood. However, the Palestinian Authority is not a colony, and Israel does not claim colonial sovereignty. Outside the decolonization context, peoples with a right to self-determination do not have an automatic legal right to statehood. Sometimes it is argued that peoples in circumstances of extreme repression should have a right to secession. However, this is not a right existing as a matter of international law. The Palestinian peoples’ right to self-determination is thus not a right to statehood under international law. Although Statehood is a political goal, it is not a legally prescribed requirement. This means that Israel is not obliged to achieve Palestinian statehood. Neither is Israel nor any other State obliged to recognize Palestine as a State under the current facts and laws. Recognition would undermine the Oslo Accords Recognizing Palestine as a state would also breach the Oslo Accords. These agreements created the Palestinian Authority and gave Palestinians significant autonomous governmental independence in Gaza and Areas A and B of the ‘West Bank’. The Oslo Accords are binding until either party abandons them (which is so far not the case). Israel and the PLO agreed in the Oslo Accords a pathway to achieve further Palestinian self-determination. The intention was (and remains) that negotiations will resolve outstanding issues in dispute (Jerusalem, settlements, borders, security etc.). The Oslo Accords do not specify what the end-result of negotiations will be. They do not ensure that the Palestinians will achieve statehood. The Accords do not even mention statehood. Treating Palestine as a State, or encouraging the PLO, Hamas or Palestinian Authority to act as a State beyond the limited jurisdiction the Palestinian Authority has under the Oslo Accords, would frustrate (render null) the Oslo Agreements and infringe Israel’s rights under them. Recognition would breach Israel’s rights Recognizing Palestinian sovereignty over the West Bank, Gaza or East Jerusalem would infringe Israel’s sovereignty. Israel has legitimate (and legally strong) claims to territorial sovereignty over these territories. It has agreed to negotiation with the PLO, with a view to possibly compromising its rights, but in the meantime it has never abandoned its rights. Uses and threats of Palestinian force undermine the rationale for recognition of statehood There is another, very fundamental problem with Palestinian statehood. States must be peace-loving to join the community of nations. They may not be admitted as members of the United Nations if they use force or threaten force against other States (UN Charter, Articles 2 and 4). The Palestinian Authority, Hamas and the PLO all promote “jihad” and the use of force (both armed attacks and terror) to destroy a neighboring state: the State of Israel. This is clearly illegal. Recognizing these entities as a “state” would undermine the premises of mutual respect and recognition, which was to achieve mutual peace, as originally conceived under the Treaty of Westphalia (1648). ——————-———————————————— Professor Gregory Rose and Andrew Tucker are affiliated with The Hague Initiative for International Cooperation (thinc.) —a global initiative to advance the fair and just application of international law in the middle east. For more information: www.thinc.info Something to thinc. about with our C4I strategic ministry partner Why “Palestine” Should Not Be Recognized As A State Prof Gregory Rose and Andrew Tucker Affiliates of thinc. Treating Palestine as a State... would frustrate the Oslo Agreements and infringe Israel’s rights under them.

3. Yochanan Visser n Correspondent in Israel Ballistics expert criticises US investigation: “To base a whole case on one bullet is completely wrong from an investigative point of view”. The death of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh on 11 May is front-page news again. In early July, media around the world reported the results of an American ballistic investigation that had taken place in the US Embassy in Jerusalem. However, the results of the US investigation seemed to be fuelled by political considerations, as we shall see. It has been almost two months since Al Jazeerah journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was killed in a gun battle between Palestinian terrorists and Israeli army (IDF) soldiers in the town of Jenin. And still, it remains unclear what exactly happened. The death of the Palestinian journalist led to serious violent riots in Arab towns in Israel and to new shootings in Jenin, which is known as a stronghold of terror. Unsubstantiated Conclusions The Palestinian Authority (PA) and Al Jazeerah were quick to accuse the IDF of deliberately killing Abu Akleh, an experienced journalist who often worked on the front lines. This conclusion was drawn despite the lack of a forensic crime scene investigation at the place where Abu Akleh was hit in the head and where she succumbed to her injuries. Such an investigation is standard procedure in the Netherlands, the United States and Israel. From the outset, the PA rejected an Israeli proposal to set up a joint forensic and ballistic investigation that would be attended by American experts. The PA also refused to release the ‘Israeli’ bullet it claimed had killed the Al Jazeerah journalist. Al Jazeerah later published a photograph of the bullet which, it claimed, had killed Abu Akleh. That was on 16 June, and they hastened to link it to the IDF again because it was a 5.56 calibre bullet. The IDF uses this ammunition for the M-16 rifle, with which many of its soldiers are equipped. However, this ‘observation’ by the PA and Al Jazeerah left out two things. First, the M-16 rifle is also massively used by the PA security service, but also by Palestinian terrorists who steal the weapons and then smuggle them into Judea and Samaria. Secondly, statements from the IDF and others have shown that the closest soldiers were snipers. However, these snipers do not use the M-16 rifle and always fire a single shot. During the firefight, however, multiple salvos were clearly audible. Media Investigation Several media outlets (official and alternative) have published investigations since the incident, providing evidence to either prove that the IDF was responsible for Abu Akleh’s death or not. Pro-Israel blogger ‘Elder of Ziyon’, for example, regularly wrote blog posts in which he provided new material which would prove the innocence of the IDF. The blogger focused on video recordings and forensic audio material, which showed that there were Palestinian gunmen on the rooftops close to where Abu Akleh died. American Conclusion This week it was definitively revealed that the Abu Akleh case is being misused for political purposes. The PA finally decided to release the bullet that “killed the martyr Abu Akleh” for investigation by American experts. That investigation was eventually conducted at the US Embassy in Jerusalem and was reportedly also attended by Israeli experts. The US State Department then issued a statement late on Monday saying that no definitive conclusion could be drawn on exactly where the bullet came from. This was due to the fact that the bullet was badly damaged. The same statement then said that the American investigators had also been given full access to the investigations that the IDF and the PA were carrying out and, in the case of the IDF, are still carrying out. According to the State Department, the US security coordinator in Israel had concluded that ‘it was plausible that gunfire coming from IDF positions was responsible for the death of Shireen Abu Akleh’. This part of the statement clearly showed that there was a political reason for the US security coordinator’s conclusions. Israeli Expert Lior Nadavi is an expert in the field of ballistic forensic crime investigation and previously worked for the Israeli police. He said the following about the ‘investigation’ in the US Embassy in Jerusalem: “To put a whole case on one bullet is wrong from the investigative point of view,” he said. “You need to start with the crime-scene investigation, and many details are missing, at least for us in the public. For example, what was Shireen’s position at the moment she was hit: Was she facing Israeli soldiers? Was her back facing them or her side? She was standing next to a wall; were there any bullets that hit the wall? That can be checked, and the bullet that hit her could have been a ricochet, and then the whole story takes a turn.” Nadavi also said that X-rays of the woman’s head and the autopsy report could have determined whether Shireen had been hit by this particular bullet or not. “They could have taken any bullet from the scene and said it came from the Israeli side,” Nadavi said, adding that “the bullet is supposed to break apart when it hits and cause greater damage. The fact that this didn’t happen means it could have hit something and then lowered its velocity... There are so many variables in this case that we just don’t know”, the Israeli expert said. Nadavi gave his explanation of the flawed US investigation during a Zoom conference organised by Media Central in Jerusalem. Politics Determines Investigation Result I attended this conference and heard from another expert that the American investigation gave him the impression of an attempt to save both the cabbage and the goat. The Americans wanted to take the sting out of the conflict between Israel and the PA over Abu Akleh’s death before President Joe Biden’s visit to Israel on 13 July, according to the expert. The claim that the IDF was presumably responsible for the gunfire was intended to appease the PA, while the first part of the statement showed that the Israelis were right about the bullet and the forensic investigation. The PA issued a statement on 3 July saying that the conclusions of the Americans were wrong, that the bullet that finally killed Abu Akleh was not damaged at all. In the same statement, the PA said they would go to the International Criminal Court in The Hague over the matter. They have said that before, but it will not surprise anyone if this time, too, the threat is not carried out. News 3 Short News Israel Offers Jordan Assistance After Aqaba Port Disaster Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz offered assistance to Jordan following a chlorine gas leak at the Aqaba Port on 27 June, which killed 13 people and injured 251. The yellowish gas was released when a tank filled with 25 tons of chlorine for export to Djibouti exploded after falling from a crane. Gantz also tweeted his condolences to Jordan, saying, “Our hearts and thoughts are with those killed, and we pray for the recovery of the injured.” When inhaled, chlorine turns into hydrochloric acid, which can lead to internal burns, as well as drowning through a reactionary release of water in the lungs. | Photo: Screenshot Twitter Polish Man who Rescued Jews From the Nazis Dies at 102 Jozef Walaszczyk, part of the Polish resistance during the Nazi German occupation of Poland during WWII, recently passed away at the age of 102. During the war, Walaszczyk had been staying in a hotel with a Jewish woman when the German Gestapo searched the premises. He only then discovered she was Jewish and helped her hide and distracted the Germans by playing sick. The Gestapo later arrested the woman, Irena Front, and another 20 Jews. Walasz czyk arranged to bribe the Germans to release the Jews; he was able to get a kilogram of gold in a number of hours and saved their lives, according to the Institute of National Remembrance, a Polish state historical body. He also hired 30 Jews to work at a potato-flour factory and kept them alive by bribing a German official. Most of the Jewish workers he employed survived World War II and the Holocaust. | Photo: YouTube More Female Authors The National Library of Israel released the figures for 2021. The figures show an upturn in the Israeli book market. It is noteworthy that, for the first time, female authors published more books than their male counterparts. Who Killed Abu Akleh? August 2022 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5782 Mural for Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh who was shot and killed on 11 May 2022. | Photo: Flash90

29. 13 Modern Israel | Archeology Short News New National Park Plans are being made for an enormous national park between Jerusalem and the Dead Sea. The aim is to attract tourists to the area, especially same-day visitors. The plans are aimed at Christians, Jews and Muslims. The area contains sites of interest to all three religions: the baptism site on the Jordan, the Mar Saba monastery (photo), the Nabi Musa mosque and various remains from the time of the Hasmoneans. The plan includes space for a mobile restaurant, a hotel on the northern side of the Dead Sea and a combined information and booking centre. | Photo: Flash90 Lebanese Journalist Speaks Out Journalist Nadim Koteich said in a TV interview that Lebanon should join the Abraham Accords and make peace with Israel. Since the Abraham Accords, more and more Arabs from countries surrounding Israel are speaking out in support of relations and peace with Israel. The fact that the journalist dared to express his opinion suggests that the desire for peace is perhaps more widespread among the Lebanese people than previously thought. Antisemitic Imagery at German Art Festival Antisemitic images at a leading art festival in Germany are being removed or covered up after German Jewish organisations and the Israeli embassy in Berlin came together to denounce a biased curation. The images appeared at Documenta 15, a leading arts festival that takes place every five years in the German city of Kassel. “Elements being portrayed in certain exhibits are reminiscent of propaganda used by chief propagandist of the Nazi Party Joseph Goebbels and his goons during darker times in German history,” said Shira Ben Tzion, spokesperson for the Israeli embassy in Berlin, in a tweet. “All red lines have not only been crossed; they have been shattered.” Prior to the event, the absence of Jewish artists and artists from Israel at the modern art exhibition had been criticised. August 2022 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5782 A Remarkable Journey Tal Hartuv n Israeli Tour Guide | Author | Cartoonist 35-year-old Hussein Aboubakr Mansour has already led a whirlwind of a life. Born to a Muslim banking family in Cairo, Hussain has depicted his journey in his breathtaking memoir, Minority of One: The Unchaining of an Arab Mind. In it, he depicts how and why he taught himself English and Hebrew, was thrown into the hell of an Egyptian prison, underwent torture, was granted political asylum in the United States, and ended up as a Zionist and advocate for Israel. Watching television one day with his family, Hussein saw the two planes crash into the Twin Towers in New York. His family believed this was God’s punishment for the ‘infidels.’ Hussein was also taught that Egypt was the best country in the world and anything not the product of Islam was inferior. He knew ‘Israel was behind’ the attack on the Twin Towers. To understand the evil plans of the Jewish enemy, he had to teach himself English and computer skills to learn Hebrew. The more he learned English, the more he learned about Israel. And the more he learned about Israel, the more he began questioning what he had been taught. For the first time, he saw that Jews did not focus on killing Arabs the way Arabs focus on killing Jews. Before long, he discovered an amazing resource just down the street - the Israeli Academic Center in Cairo – the fruit of the 1978 Camp David Accords. The Israeli security guard was the first Jew he had ever met. He began to learn Hebrew with him. Appetite unquenchable, the 19-year-old went on to devour Hebrew books and novels. He also broke the Islamic cultural taboo by visiting a place inhabited by Jews and Israelis, which soon came to the attention of an Egyptian state security officer. His family begged him to stop his studies of Hebrew, Israel and Judaism. But he couldn’t. He was compelled to understand. As a Muslim, he was becoming aware that Muslims were terribly persecuting the Egyptian Christians. Honest and fearless to the core, he decided to write a blog about antisemitism and the treatment of Christians and Muslim women. The reprisals were brutal. Without trial, he was thrown into a military prison for two months, stripped naked, hit with belts and called a Jew lover. Just before the Arab Spring of January 2011, he was released. Things looked better now that the President had been overthrown. But hope did not last. When the Muslim Brotherhood took over, attacks on Christians worsened. Hussein was arrested again for writing about peace with Israelis. But by diplomatic negotiations, he was later granted asylum in America. Despite all he has been through, he remains an energised and passionate educator and advocate for Israel. With outstanding courage and eloquence, Hussein sums up his mission in his memoir: “I was born an Arab; I know how violent, hateful, intolerant and aggressive Arabs are. So I support the right of the free people of Israel to have their own independent country. I support the civilised man against the savage; I support honesty over dishonesty, I support life over death, I support freedom against slavery, I support intelligence over stupidity, and I support rationalism over terrorism. Thus, my dear reader, I support Israel.” Hussein Aboubakr Mansour visiting the Israeli ambassador in the United Arab Emirates. | Photo: Twitter/Hussein Aboubakr Mansour | Photos: Per and Kirsten Nielsen Per Nielsen n Christians for Israel Denmark The alarm clock sounds at 3.30am. At 4am, the restaurant is open, where 70 archaeologists and volunteers - more or less awake - sit down and lay the groundwork for another busy day at the excavations in Shiloh. When the clock hits 4.59am, everyone is sitting on the bus that drives for forty-five minutes out of Jerusalem - past Ramallah - into the mountains of Samaria. Shiloh waits, and while the herd moves out of the bus in silence and walks up the mountain on foot, the sun is rising. Every morning! In small fields of 5 x 5 meters, we dig into millennia layers of rocks and soil. We dig into the Bronze Age. We dig into the time before Joshua! What made my wife Kirsten and I volunteer for a week of hard work on a mountaintop in Samaria? We have no particular interest in archaeology or excavation work, we do not dream of becoming Indiana Jones or finding the Ark of the Covenant, but our interest was aroused when we heard that in 2022 it would be a hundred years since the first modern archaeological expedition began... by a Dane in 1922. As Danes, we really wanted to mark this! And then the stories of the Bible are incredibly exciting to live in. Here in Shiloh, “the stones will cry” while you work hard! We worked under the leadership of ABR, Associates of Biblical Research, who have been digging in Shiloh for several years and will continue the work in 2023. The Shiloh Excavation is one of ABR’s most important research projects. The Tabernacle stood at Shiloh for more than 300 years, where the people of Israel gathered to worship year after year. All findings will be published via academic journals, not random Facebook pages. So we have to arm ourselves with patience and wait for the official channels to tell us what the findings in 2022 have revealed about Shiloh. You can find more information at: https://biblearchaeology.org/shiloh- excavations One Week in Shiloh

21. 13 August 2022 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5782 Article from Amir Maimon continued... Eretz Israel. He was so tired when he came home on the Fridays, but he always found time to take us around and tell us a story about the history and meaning of the various places we’d visit together. When I was 14 years old, I decided that as my father, I want to join the military academy. My mother refused, saying it’s enough having one full-time soldier at home. But then she heard that my cousin, who she considered to be a genius, didn’t pass the exams, she came to me with a big smile and said, Amir, you should go and try out, your cousin didn’t pass! So I did, and surprisingly, much to her disappointment, I was accepted and left home for the military academy’s boarding school. By doing so, I committed myself to 10 years of military service and embarked on a path that was not the easiest choice for a youngster. Life at the academy meant tough discipline, strict routine, including military exercises, with little time off. The academic studies took place in the Gymnasia Herzliya, the first Hebrew high school that was founded in 1905 in Tel Aviv and were also very demanding. At 18 I began my compulsory military service and as all academy graduates, I too became an officer. I started as a commander in the paratroopers’ special forces and held several positions, starting as a platoon commander and later on, served as a company commander during which I took part in the Litani Operation in 1978. I participated in many military operations behind enemy lines, including the First Lebanon War, leading a paratrooper battalion. In the following years I filled various non-combat positions and completed my Bachelor degree in General History. In 1989 I started contemplating my decision to pursue a military career and thought it might be time to explore other avenues. Was I destined to follow in my father’s footsteps or could I embark on a new path and fulfil a dream to become a lawyer. I went through the enrolment process and was accepted to Tel Aviv University, but my plans took an unexpected turn, when soon after I came across an ad by the Israeli Foreign Office calling for candidates to apply for their Cadet Course and become young diplomats. Now in Israel, when you are 30 years old, after a long military service, filling numerous commending positions, and participating in many combat operations, you don’t consider yourself young. You feel quite old and naturally someone who has already seen and knows everything. As the old Israeli joke goes, some young Israeli men can commit suicide by jumping from their ego to their IQ. Eventually I decided to give it a shot, and being humble as I am, I will avoid mentioning that I was one of 14 people chosen from over several thousands applicants, to join the Cadet course and work for Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This was a new beginning for me and as hard as it is to imagine, after serving in my last position as a Lieutenant-Colonel, I very willingly started a new career as a “private”. From being responsible for the lives of hundreds of soldiers and budgets of millions, I found myself in a position where in order to send an unclassified fax, I needed the supervision of a senior diplomat. What a dream job, no need to think! I was fortunate that the military had asked me not to retire and instead stay on active duty, while being seconded to the Foreign Service. That was a very good outcome for me as the income was much higher than for any other cadet. A win-win situation. After several months, I was called in for a meeting with the Director-General, Mr. Merchav. He frankly said it was not easy to figure out what to do with someone of my experience and military background, but eventually he found the perfect role for me, Deputy Head of Mission at the newly reopened Embassy in Ethiopia. As the political and security situation in the country was grown very unstable, the State of Israel has decided to aid thousands of Ethiopian Jews who wished to immigrate to Israel. The ministry was looking for a commander to lead the preparations for this covert operation, later known as Operation Solomon. It was not an easy decision, but I knew then and there that I cannot refuse. I have just recently married and promised my wife Tal, to travel together to Paris, Rome or Bangkok and instead I am taking her to Addis Ababa... When she heard that the mission was to bring home our brothers and sisters from Ethiopia, she immediately agreed. In December 1990, on the 8th candle of Hannukah, we arrived in Addis Ababa and I commenced my first posting. My main responsibility was to manage and tend to the great number of Ethiopian Jews, who arrived to the Embassy compound with one wish—take us to Israel. During Operation Solomon we airlifted almost 15,000 Ethiopian Jews in Israeli planes from Addis Ababa to Tel Aviv. In one’s life, there are some unique moments that you can never forget. This specific moment for me, is of particular relevance in light of recent global developments and the Israeli aid efforts in Ukraine. I clearly remember the exact time, the day was Friday, May the 24th at 10am. I was standing at the Addis Ababa International Airport, that back then had only one runway, and in the distance, two unmarked Boeing 707 were approaching for landing. It is impossible to describe exactly how I felt. Being an Israeli, I always had so many questions. About my country, my religion, and myself, but when I saw those two planes slowly descending, I only had answers. Because I knew, that there is only one country in the world, that will not spare any effort and do its utmost in order to bring its people home, to Israel. After my mission in Ethiopia, I was posted to many other places, London, Canada, Turkey and Washington and until 2019, my last post before coming here (Canberra, Australia), I served as the first resident Ambassador to Lithuania. The story of my experiences and my sentiments from serving in a country with over 200 sites of killing pits and other places where Jews were brutally murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators, is probably a story for another time. Publicity photo of Shoshana Damari for the “Grand Music Hall of Israel” performance. Wikipedia. Mordechai Tabib - Israeli author, editor and educator. Wikipedia. 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. DOWNLOAD TODAY! SEARCH: ‘C4I’ in your app store Inspiring and informative content, wherever you are.

7. 7 Emergency Campaign Ukraine August 2022 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5782 Anemone Rüger n Project Coordinator - Holocaust Survivors in Ukraine | Christians for Israel From devastated Mariupol to the Promised Land. Christians for Israel staff visit Jewish elderly who recently made Aliyah from war-torn Ukraine. In early July, Alina (team member of Christians for Israel Ukraine) and Anemone (C4I Coordinator – Holocaust Survivors & Elderly Sponsorship Programme Ukraine) visited Jewish refugees from Ukraine who we helped return home to Israel - with your support. We will share some of the beautiful encounters with you. “There is a God, and He does miracles” “There really is a God,” Svetlana exclaims when we visit her in her still sparsely furnished flat in Ramat Gan and ask how she escaped from Mariupol (Ukraine) with her husband, Boris. “There is a God, and He does miracles.” In mid-February, at the urging of her son, who lives in Kharkov, the two decided to join him for a few days for some medical examinations that had been due for some time. “And then suddenly it was war. My Boris is so ill; he couldn’t have run. And so we escaped the whole horror of Mariupol.” Via Dnepropetrovsk, the couple reached Romania, and from there, they flew on to Chisinau, the capital of Moldova. “We were on the road for five days,” Svetlana reports. Her daughter came to Israel with the youth Aliyah 30 years ago and now takes care of everything. At the thought of Mariupol, Svetlana quickly wipes away the tears that are welling up. “We had just received a food parcel from you. We told our neighbours where to find it. It kept half our apartment block alive when people had to hold out in the basement for weeks!” “For the rest of our lives we will be grateful for what you did” Galina speaks without even pausing about the events of her escape from Mariupol (Ukraine), so troubled are her memories. She fled with her brother Valentin, who C4I has supported for years - and with her two grandchildren. Alina knows their story. She brought the family safely across the border just a few weeks ago. The grandchildren, who were actually already living in Israel, were visiting their grandma in Mariupol when the war started. “I went to a basement, my brother was somewhere on the other side of the city, and my grandchildren were somewhere else at that moment in a third basement. It was terrible; we couldn’t get out. We didn’t have a connection for a long time. In the basement, there was no water, no light, and no toilet.” At a certain point, Galina dared to run outside; she managed to load her phone for a few minutes and received instructions from Valentin on where to go. “Then air raids started again. But I didn’t care about anything anymore. Thirty thousand perished in our city - it also doesn’t matter what happens to me, I thought. Only after I arrived at my brother’s I could tell him that my grandchildren were stuck in another basement.” “One of the most difficult things was that there was no fuel,” Valentin comments when he returns from the kitchen. All my friends chipped in; everyone donated a little for fuel. That’s how we got 20 litres - as much as was needed to get to town again.” With great difficulty, he managed to find someone who would go with him to the centre of the city once more - hoping for a lucky break to find Galina’s grandchildren. “The house was already destroyed. But the children were still holding out in the basement. We pulled them out in a flash,” Valentin recalls. “After driving a few meters, we came under fire. We had to jump out of the car and lie flat on the ground. They shot at the car, but we made it through unscathed. Miraculously, the car still worked when we jumped in during a pause in the fighting.” Via Zaporozhe, the family was eventually taken to C4I’s emergency shelter in western Ukraine with other refugees. On the C4I bus to the border, they were accompanied by Alina. “It was an incredible drama,” Alina recalls. “At the border, they wouldn’t let grandma out with the grandchildren because she didn’t have the children’s papers. These were with the mother. Standing there, in borrowed clothes which were much too big, like from the Leningrad blockade, the children couldn’t go any further! Even some border guards were in tears at the sight of them.” Begging did not help - Valentin had to travel on without his sister - first to Chisinau. Galina had to return to the C4I shelter with her grandchildren. Eventually, they were brought to the Polish border, where their mother picked them up on the other side of the border with the necessary papers. Today they live in Bat Yam. “I hardly recognise Galina and Valentin,” Alina tells me. “They’ve gone through a real transformation. Such a difference! They’ve gotten years younger!” “Alina, you were so helpful to us at the time!” Galina says when bidding farewell. “You encouraged us so much! We would have gone crazy otherwise! But you helped us. Thank you, and thanks to our Rabbi Mendel - we will be grateful for what you did for the rest of our lives!” The Joseph of Mariupol The Joseph of Mariupol To the Promised Land Koen Carlier n Aliyah Field Worker | Christians for Israel Ukraine The special military operation started by Russia on 24 February has been ongoing for over five months now. Although everyone thought that Ukraine would be overrun in one or two months, the reality is different on the ground. At the beginning of the war, thousands of Jews fled from the violence to neighbouring countries and from there to Israel! We were prepared for this months in advance. Therefore we were able to help many Jewish refugees with our large and smaller evacuation buses, shelters and transportation to neighbouring countries. In June, it was slightly calmer, but now that residential areas, shopping centres and office buildings are being targeted frequently, we once again see an increase of requests to help with evacuations, especially from y oung mothers with children and elderly people over 60 years old who are not required to stay in Ukraine under the mobilisation laws. On Thursday, 14 July, Vinnitsya in western Ukraine was hit by rocket attacks from the Black Sea, killing 25 people, including three small children who happened to be in the area. There are still more than 40 people missing and more than 90 seriously wounded. During our evacuation trips to the East, we regularly heard explosions but never imagined that rockets would land on Vinnitsya, which is very far from the front line. On that day, two minibuses were on their way with Jewish refugees from Mariupol and from towns near Donetsk to our shelter in western Ukraine. Among them was a young mother with two small children and Svetlana, a bedridden and weak old lady of 89 who had survived the Holocaust. Svetlana unfortunately had a heart attack and passed away in Moldova before she could fly to Israel. Her daughter and another family member, who was tra velling with Svetlana, stayed in Moldova for the funeral before continuing their journey to Israel. The war is far from over, and: ‘Come! Come! Flee from the land of the north and save yourself to Zion’ remains a reality for many. For as long as we can, we will continue to help in a practical way, knowing that the Almighty is our hiding place! The Almighty is our Hiding Place 89-year-old Svetlana with her daughter on her way to Moldova. | Photo: C4I Emergency Campaign Ukraine Continues Svetlana and Boris together with Anemone in Israel. | Photo: C4I The war is still a daily reality for our team in Ukraine. We continue our help to the Jewish communities in Ukraine and assist Jews that want to flee to the Promised Land. Your prayers and support are very much appreciated. Your support for our emergency campaign is still very important! Any amount is welcome! To donate, complete the coupon on page 16. Alina with Valentin and Galina during their encounter in Israel. | Photo: C4I Transport for a Jewish refugee Transport for a small family One bus $ 150 AUD $ 590 AUD $ 5855 AUD AUSTRALIA

18. 10 August 2022 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5782 Pastoral Insights There are seasons in life when God clearly calls us to make a specific change in our circumstances, to move to a new location, maybe to head in an altogether new direction, and at such times we will be helped by turning to His Word. This second part of a 3-part series on “lessons for life” continues our exploration of the Torah portion ‘Sh’lach’ or ‘Sh’lach Lecha’ , the familiar story in Numbers 13-15 of the mission of the spies sent by Moses to scout out the land of Canaan as a future home for the Israelite people. Big changes lay ahead! As the familiar saying goes, constant change is here to stay —we cannot avoid changes. And w hen we are faced with change we are invariably confronted with challenges. One of the particular challenges that this story presents us with is the need for us to deal personally with the fear that so often accompanies the inevitability of change. Fear can be a crippling thing. I am not talking about “the fear of the Lord” that is described in the Scriptures as “the beginning of wisdom.” That fear is related to the Hebrew word yirah and is usually understood to mean “awe.” The Biblical “fear of the Lord” , this “awe”, means that we can approach God’s throne with boldness and confidence, but with a trembling awareness of the power and majesty of the One who sits upon the throne. The fear that enveloped the Israelites in the wilderness on hearing the negative report of the 10 spies was fear of a totally different kind. This kind of fear could be defined as F.E.A.R.—False Evidence Appearing Real. It’s been described as the darkroom where the devil takes you to develop your negatives. Writes Christian author and speaker Danni Synot: “Do you make excuses out of fear? We all make excuses when we want to get out of something we don’t want to do, and our reasons for not wanting to do something vary. Sometimes it’s a good and valid excuse, for example, we feel like we’re being asked to compromise our values, but often it’s because we have an underlying fear.” The Israelites were gripped by a fear that emanated from a refusal to believe in the promises of a good and strong God. They chose instead to focus on the enormity of the very real obstacles before them. Fear itself isn’t necessarily wrong, especially when you’re faced with seemingly overwhelming challenges. But what is wrong is dealing with personal fears in a self-focused way. You can’t hide from your fears and simply hope they will go away. In an old Charlie Chaplin film there is a scene in which he is captured in battle, and attached to his leg is a ball and chain. The heavy ball keeps him from escaping and it is too securely fastened to be pried off. So with no one looking he digs a hole and buries the ball, covering it up so that it is no longer visible. With the ball completely covered, he turns to leave, only to fall flat on his face. The thing that contributes the most to fear in our Christian walk is that we are inclined to measure obstacles and challenges against our own strength and resources instead of focusing on God’s power, resources and promises. How many people do you know who have projected a strong and confident exterior, only to tremble inside with fear? We tackle our anxieties in countless different ways. We accumulate and seek to build our security on money and things. We want to be popular with others and for them to think well of us. Asks American author Max Lucado— “Can money, possessions or popularity really deliver us from our fears? “If power could, then Joseph Stalin should have been fearless. Instead, this notorious Soviet Russian leader was scared stiff to go to bed. He had seven different bedrooms. Each bedroom could be locked as tightly as a safe. In order to foil any would-be assassins, he slept in a different bedroom each night. “Five chauffeur-driven limousines transported him wherever he went, each with curtains closed so that no one would know which one contained Stalin. So deep were his fears that he employed a servant whose sole task was to monitor and protect his tea bags! “If having possessions could overcome fear, the late billionaire Howard Hughes would have been totally fearless. Maybe you know his story. His distrust of people and his paranoia of germs led this sad man to Mexico, where he died a lonely death as a miserably unhappy and haggard hermit with a waist-length beard and corkscrew fingernails. “What about popularity? Beatle John Lennon’s fame as a singer, songwriter, and music/pop idol made him a household word, but his fears brought him a pile of misery to add to his pile of money. His biographers describe him as a frightened man, unwilling to sleep with the lights off, and afraid to touch anything because of its filth.” Very recently Ukrainian psychiatrist Roman Kechur wrote about Russian president Vladimir Putin: “He sits at a long table, afraid that he will be poisoned, lives in a bunker, his food is prepared by special chefs. Putin shows obvious signs of paranoia. A person who is scared of everyone experiences a very strong fear. He is afraid of losing control. He is afraid that he will be dominated, that he will be irradiated or poisoned. He lives in fear.” Though Stalin, Hughes, Lennon and Putin are extreme cases, their examples make a powerful point. We cannot deal with our fears through paranoid behaviour, or by turning inward to our own invariably limited resources or to what the world so freely and seductively offers. For the Israelites, the fear of giants and fortified cities outweighed the blessing of the fruit that they saw. Numbers 13:32 says they began to see the land of milk and honey as “a land that devours its inhabitants.” Some turnaround! The Israelites saw themselves as grasshoppers in the eyes of the giants, where instead they should have seen the giants as grasshoppers in the eyes of God. The important question is not, “How big Keith Buxton Former National Director of Bridges for Peace Australia Lessons for Life Part 2: Facing Change, not with Fear but with Faith when fear keeps you away from God’s leading, put on that “sound mind” and remember that God is your refuge

30. 14 History A gripping story about a grandfather’s legacy. “There is NOTHING to tell,” Anemone Rüger’s grandpa had always maintained when asked about his rare last name, Mairants. Anemone’s book Grandpa’s Legacy lifts the well-camouflaged curtain and follows Grandpa’s trace – back through one generation of communist East Germany, through the tormenting years Opa spent on the Eastern Front, and further back to a surprising address – Poland. One of millions of German grandpas. One of millions of stories. One of millions of redemptions that are possible. A Rough Time Anemone grew up in Eastern Germany behind the Iron Curtain, yet with a great love for Israel, nourished by family and church. She also had a close relationship with her grandparents. Anemone: “Hardly ever did they talk about the past. All we knew was that Grandpa had been a soldier, and judging by his tears, it had been a rough time. Whenever my parents dared inquire into the origin of his last name, he would brush their questions off, saying there was nothing to tell.” Search for the Truth When Anemone was 15, the Communist system in East Germany came down and she was free to travel. After graduating from high school, she went to Israel as a volunteer in a seniors’ home for Holocaust survivors. “We would share life with the survivors there, celebrate Shabbat together and try to bring some love to their lonely hearts,” Anemone remembered. “I got e specially close to Zvi from Lodz; he had been hidden by catholic nuns. When I returned, I shared my impressions with Grandpa, or Opa, as we called him. When he saw my favourite picture – Israeli soldiers by the Western Wall – he broke out in tears. “He died age 80. Subsequently, my mother established closer relations with her relatives that Grandpa had largely excluded from his life. One of them was my mom’s last aunt. One day Mom was on the phone with her talking about their mysterious last name. Suddenly the aunt said, ‘Well, your grandfather comes from Poland, from a Jewish fabric maker’s family in Lodz.’ “We were shocked. We had been connected to the Jewish people for as long as we could think, and now there was supposed to be a family link? Why had Grandpa hidden this significant fact from us?” That’s where the feverish search for the rest of the story began for Anemone and her sister Cornelia. Their starting point was a conversion certificate from 1845, showing a certain Aron Mairants ‘of mosaic faith’ becoming Henryk Adolf Mairants. The document had been obtained by Gra ndpa’s sister, who had to prove her Arian descent back to 1800 to marry a higher-ranking officer in 1942. After weeks of night shifts on Google, the two sisters were on their way to Lodz, where they found ample documentation showing their great-grandparents’ origins. Heritage Eventually, the family had ended up in Germany. Anemone: “We discovered that Mom’s cousin ‘Auntie Christel’ was raised by her grandparents, so she was able to tell us most of what we know about them. My great-grandfather Oscar, third generation protestant then, grew up in the poverty of the Jewish worker’s nei ghbourhood of Baluty in Lodz. Having married into a German family, he was expelled from the country with his family as a ‘German’ when the First World War broke out. He ended up in the Lausitz region north of Dresden. Later on, during World War II, he didn’t raise any suspicion appearing to be an express anti- Semite. The heritage of the family seemed lost forever.” How Far Back? In Germany, the surname Mairants has virtually died out since Anemone’s mom gave up her maiden name. The same goes for Poland and neighbouring countries. Anemone: “Where we did find the name, in the end, was in the victims’ database of Jerusalem’s Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum. We found nearly two hundred entries of Mairants murdered in the Holocaust. After the first shock, we wondered if anyone might have survived from this large family. Nerve-wracking hours later, the Israeli phone book pulled up a handful of entries.” Exciting phone calls followed. It turned out that the Mairants living in Israel today all originated in the vicinity of Polish Lodz. Their parents came to Israel either as Zionists before the war or as Holocaust survivors after the war. The question ‘if’ was replaced by ‘how far back’ the German and the Israeli Mairants had been one family in pre-war Poland. Twelve Surviving Families Since 2011 Anemone has been making trips to Israel to meet the Mairants’ families living there. Many survivors had kept silent, but each family did recall some small pieces of information. Over the years, Anemone has been puzzling them together. Anemone: “Some changed their last name. I found them by divine ‘chance’. Initially, I had seven, later twelve families counted by survivors in Grandpa’s generation. Those who came after the Shoah were mostly the only ones saved from their entire family.” To find out if there were joint roots, Anemone had to search the Polish state archives. “I spent hours, weeks, months – finding hundreds of birth, marriage and death certificates containing the names of the parents, which enabled me to piece them together in family trees. What I discovered was that all the Israeli families go back to two ancestors, ours being the third. Back then, two hundred years ago, all lived at an hour from each other.” Diving Through the Archives and Finding Destiny “One question kept coming up throughout my research: What had happened to Grandpa that turned him silent? After I had finished compiling the survival stories of the Israeli Mairants, I knew it was time to tackle Grandpa’s war experiences,” Anemone said. “It turned out to be the most difficult part of the journey but also the most valuable. Based on the scarce information provided by the Germany army office, I descended into the archives and dug my way through piles of military records, survivor reports, photo documentaries and Grandpa’s personal photo album kept by my brother, who had been very close to him. For once, ever ything had to be put on the table – the guilt as well as the pain. It was a year of many tears for me and my sister – tears that Opa had never been able to cry, as my sister put it.” Little by little, an inheritance came to the light that had been completely buried under the debris of Grandpa’s war trauma – the piece of the puzzle that the family unwittingly had always been looking for. “At the end of this process, we were ready for an even deeper commitment to be tools of reconciliation and healing towards the Jewish people,” Anemone said. She has turned her discoveries into a gripping book about her grandfather’s legacy. Just a week after the English version of the book came off the press this spring, Anemone and Cornelia gathered the Israeli Mairants descendants for what they described as the first family reunion in 170 years – “an unforgettable time of celebration and restoration where many second- generation survivors realised they do have relatives in Israel they never met before.” For more information or to get the book, visit www.grandpas-legacy.de. Anemone Rüger coordinates C4I’s sponsorship programme for Holocaust Survivors and needy Jewish elderly in Ukraine. Based in Germany, she serves as a liaison and spokeswoman on C4I’s work in Ukraine. There is NOTHING to Tell August 2022 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5782 It’s possible again: enjoying the summer without corona restrictions. That is why Pastor Naim Khoury and his wife Elvira of the First Baptist Church in Bethlehem organise a Vacation Bible School for children and a family weekend. One of the messages they want to convey is that we may trust God in spite of difficulties and challenges. The children will experience this through games, days out, spending time together, singing and reading the Bible. The family weekend takes Arab Christian families out of their routine and offers parents who cannot give their children a holiday a few days of relaxation. Naim and Elvira offer a complete package because the people can't pay for anything themselves: there is transport, food, craft materials, and the weekend accommodation arranged. Naim and Elvira ask for your financial support (donations are welcome, see coupon ‘Arab Christians’), but above all, for your prayers: that these activities can take place and that they can testify of the faithfulness of the God of Israel. Summertime in Bethlehem Mairants family reunion in Israel. | Photo: Anemone Rüger Anemone pictured with her grandparents, 1975. | Photo: Anemone Rüger

16. 8 August 2022 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5782 The Polish Angel A must-read story in a day of rising antisemitism. We are seeing in these times an alarming rise of antisemitism and unfortunately many Christians by their indifference and silence, are complicit in this most ancient of hatreds. Christian heroes like Irena Sendler stir us to rise above our self-serving mediocracy. Irena as a young girl was greatly influenced by her father Stanislaw who was a compassionate Physician with many of his patients being poor Jews. One of his mottos was when you see someone who is drowning, reach out your hand to save them. Her father died from typhus contracted while treating patients whom his colleagues refused to treat for fear of contracting the disease, and among them many Jews. Irena with her father’s strong sense of social justice became a social worker, with the under privileged in Warsaw. Irena an opponent of the Nazi regime became a member of the Polish Zegota movement, and becoming alarmed with Hitler’s treatment of the Jews in Poland she got permission to work in the Warsaw ghetto along with several other women in the Zegota movement that shared her desire. They used a variety of ruses to help Jews, especially orphaned children escape the Nazis. The Ghetto housed close to a half a million Jews cramming in over nine Jews per room. One of Irena’s ploys was rather unique, she managed to be employed as a Plumbing/Sewer specialist. Irena smuggled Jewish infants out in the bottom of the tool box she carried, which was no small task for a woman. She also carried a burlap sack in the back of her truck for larger kids. To cover the noise of a crying child she had a dog with her that she had trained to bark when soldiers were around. During the war, she managed to smuggle out and save around 2,500 children. Unfortunately, the Nazis suspected her and in October 1943 she was ultimately caught by the Gestapo, tortured and sentenced to death. She was to be shot but unbeknown to her, Zegota had bribed the German executioner who helped her escape on the scheduled day of her execution. On the following day the Germans loudly proclaimed her execution. Posters were put up all over the city with the news that she was shot. Irena read the posters herself. Irena kept a hidden record of the names of all the children she had smuggled out and after the war, tried to reunite the children with their families. Sadly, almost all the parents of the children Irena saved, had died at the Treblinka death camp. So, she devoted her time to find families that would look after them. In 1965, she was recognised by the State of Israel as “Righteous Among the Nations”. Among the many decorations Sendler received, were the Gold Cross of Merit granted her in 1946 for the saving of Jews and the Order of the White Eagle, Poland’s highest honour, awarded late in Sendler’s life for her wartime humanitarian efforts. She passed at the age of 98 in May 2008. Forget about the Paris Hiltons and hedonistic sporting stars, we need to have heroes before us like Irena Sendler. —————————————————————— For more information on Beersheba Vision visit www.beershebavision.org Barry Rodgers OAM President of Beersheba Vision Opinion Piece from Beersheba Vision Irena Sendler Children in the Ghetto Sadly, almost all the parents of the children Irena saved, had died at the Treblinka death camp. Irena Sendler receiving certificate for ‘Most Distinguished Social Worker’ If you would like to get a copy of this book, it can be purchased from the author for $25 (postage included) —simply email barry@emugully.com.au Make sure you include your address. Social media and marketing adviser required for Beersheba Vision Inc. This a part time position requiring a few hours per week. For more details contact Barry Rodgers on 0428 662528 NEW! “Wow! what a book, much more than a story for the family, it will have much wider implications...” – Neville Clark MC. OAM

4. Akiva van Koningsveld n Editor | Honest Reporting The EU has recommenced funding to Al-Haq, a Palestinian NGO linked to terror organisation PFLP. Rather than calling for transparency in the use of public funds, Western journalists are promoting a narrative that perpetuates misleading claims made by the authoritarian rulers in Ramallah. On 1 July, the European Union stated it would release a grant to Al-Haq, a Palestinian NGO with long-standing links to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). Even though the PFLP is designated a terrorist organisation by the EU, the United States and Israel, Brussels’ decision barely made a ripple in the news cycle. The announcement came just weeks after the European Commission decided to renew funding to the terror- supporting Palestinian Authority government in the West Bank. Background: European Aid Delayed Over ‘Antisemitic and Violent’ Palestinian Textbooks The EU’s funding for the Palestinian Authority was held up for months while representatives from multiple European countries pushed to condition financial support on the PA, making changes to the ‘problematic and hateful’ books used in Palestinian schools. Part of the European aid goes towards the salaries of civil servants who create and teach the controversial curriculum. Following the publication of a 194-page study by the independent Georg Eckert Institute one year ago, which concluded that PA textbooks contain “antisemitic narratives and glorification of violence,” the European Commission (EC) assured members of the European Parliament that urgent discussions were taking place between EU representatives and the PA Ministry of Education. This is to ensure that the Palestinian leadership would act to remove ‘questionable content’ from books to be produced in 2021. Olivér Várhelyi, the EU Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, reportedly demanded: “clear process indicators” as to the PA’s commitment to ending incitement, which then triggered a drawn-out ‘consultative process’ in Brussels, delaying the approval of the entire aid package. PA Minister of Foreign Affairs Riyad Al-Malki subsequently called Várhelyi’s request ‘unacceptable’ to Palestinians since “...placing conditions on the funding embarrasses them internationally.” Meanwhile, a report analysing PA textbooks for the 2021-22 semester published in January this year by the Institute for Monitoring Peace and Tolerance in School Education (IMPACT-se) — a non-profit watchdog group that monitors educational resources for extremist materials — found that, in spite of Ramallah’s promises about curriculum reform and the ostensible implementation of ‘monitoring processes,’ the original problems identified still persist. Amongst other issues, IMPACT-se discovered that study materials present Jews as ‘devious, treacherous and hostile’ people who control ‘global events through financial power.’ Furthermore, students are taught that one of the ‘rules of jihad’ is to die as a martyr while killing infidels and that they should sacrifice themselves for their homeland and ‘redeem it with blood.’ Brussels Approves ‘Unconditional’ Support Package, Critical Journalists MIA Despite the lack of progress, on 13 June, the EC voted to authorise aid worth €224.8 million ($231.4 million). “I am very glad to announce that the EU funds for 2021 can be disbursed rapidly,” Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told a press conference in Ramallah, adding: “All the difficulties are gone.” The EU’s ‘Direct Financial Support to Recurrent Expenditures of the Palestinian Authority 2021’ includes some €55 million ($56.6 million) for salaries and pensions of PA civil servants — including those who write textbooks. On Facebook, PA Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh thanked Von der Leyen for the EC’s decision to resume ‘unconditional assistance.’ This is the same Palestinian leader who has gone on record saying that he would not allow “any concessions about the educational curriculum,” calling the textbooks “part of the dignity of the Palestinian.” Responding to questions from The Jerusalem Post , an EU official on 14 June also confirmed that the 27-country bloc does not “impose reforms on our partners.” However, Brussels’ pandering to Palestinian demands did not generate headlines in any of the major European publications, even as members of the European Parliament tabled questions to the Commission. Instead, journalists uncritically parroted Ramallah’s framing of the issue. For example, Euronews, on 14 June, published a piece titled, Brussels to ‘rapidly’ release delayed EU funds for Palestinian schools and hospitals.’ The article noted: “Even if the disagreement honed in on the specific issue of textbooks, it obstructed the release of the whole package of financial aid, including healthcare funds.” The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, described by some as Germany’s equivalent to The New York Times, on 15 June likewise asserted that Commissioner Várhelyi’s stance had ‘dramatic humanitarian consequences’ while noting that the Palestinian Authority has denied the allegations regarding its textbooks. Leading French newspaper Le Monde went a step further, claiming that only Israel and ‘Israeli pressure groups’ have ‘accused’ the PA of inciting hatred. According to the prominent daily, “120,000 poor families did not receive their quarterly allowance, Palestinian civil servants saw their salaries cut by 20%, and hospitals in East Jerusalem slowed down, forced to turn away some cancer patients for lack of funds.” Unreported: The Palestinian Authority’s $270.75 Million ‘Martyr’s Fund’. Indeed, the articles simply echoed claims by PA Prime Minister Shtayyeh, who in March said that the holdup had a “negative impact on the ability of his government to meet its obligations towards the underprivileged families that receive social benefits, as well as on the salaries of the public employees and the work of the various institutions.” As such, Euronews, The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and Le Monde failed in their journalistic duty to provide readers with the unvarnished facts. Specifically, it is the Palestinian Authority that is largely to blame for the ‘dire consequences’ facing its subjects. Just weeks ago, PA President Mahmoud Abbas vowed to maintain the so-called ‘Pay-for-Slay’ policy, a scheme that provides salaries to those who commit violence against Jews and Israelis, as well as their relatives. And there’s a built-in incentive plan: more money is doled out to the terrorists who cause the most bloodshed. As exposed by Palestinian Media Watch, in 2021 alone, Ramallah distributed 841 million shekels ($240.75 million) through its ‘Martyrs’ Fund’. The NGO calculated that the PA spends 33.34 times more per capita paying terror rewards than it spends on health services for the Palestinian population. Yet the media did not even broach the point that the delayed EU funding for hospitals in eastern Jerusalem amounts to €13 million ($13.2 million) and that — if the PA were to stop rewarding terrorism — the PA could match Brussels’ donation almost twenty times over, ensuring the continuation of cancer treatment for years to come. Alternatively, Abbas and Shtayyeh could support “the underprivileged families that receive social benefits” for five years. The botched reporting seemingly fits a pattern. News outlets also failed to speak truth to power in their reporting on the resumption of aid to Al-Haq on 1 July, with Politico Europe blatantly omitting readily available evidence of the organisation’s ties to terrorists. So, which European outlet will be the first to scrutinise the channelling of taxpayers’ euros to organisations that incentivise or have links to terrorism? To read the full article and for more information: https://honestreporting.com/journalists-lap-up-and-peddle-palestinian- propaganda-as-european-union-renews-unconditional-aid-to-pa/ Reproduced with permission. News 4 August 2022 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5782 Palestinian Propaganda A Palestinian class at the Salem School, East Jerusalem (illustrative). | Photo: Flash90 Furthermore, students are taught that one of the ‘rules of jihad’ is to die as a martyr while killing infidels and that they should sacrifice themselves for their homeland and ‘redeem it with blood.’

24. 16 August 2022 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5782 Biblical Commentary Through Jewish Eyes In recent years, Bob Cornuke and Dr Martin Young have proposed that the Temple was not actually located on what we today call the Temple Mount. While the idea certainly is novel, is it really plausible in the light of Biblical and archaeological evidence? DR MARTIN YOUNG’S TEMPLE THEORY In 1867, archaeologists made the stunning discovery that the original City of David was located to the south of—and outside of—the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem. Taking this research further, Dr Martin Young suggested that 1. The Templ e needed water to rinse away the sacrifices. It therefore had to be located close to Jerusalem’s only water source—the Gihon spring in the City of David. 2. Furthermore, Dr . Young pointed to Jesus’ prediction of ‘not one stone being left upon another’. He proclaimed that the massive stones left in the Western Wall contradict Jesus’ words if the Temple Mount was the site. 3. Therefor e, the Temple must have been located in the City of David and not on the Temple Mount 4. Finally , building on references from Josephus, Dr Young made the case that the massive structure today known as the ‘Temple Mount’ was rather the Roman Fortress of Antonia The implications of this theory when it comes to Bible Prophecy are dramatic. If this theory was true, it could open the way for the rebuilding of the Temple without sparking World War 3! While proponents of the theory are excited about this possibility, does it actually fit the Biblical and archaeological evidence? THE BIBLICAL EVIDENCE The Scriptures are very clear that the Temple of Solomon was built on Mount Moriah. 2 Chron. 3:1 tells us: “Now Solomon began to build the house of the Lord at Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the Lord had appeared to his father David, at the place that David had prepared on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite” Does Mount Moriah fit with Dr. Young’s theory? UK based Bible teacher Pastor Derek Walker points out that the City of David is hardly a mountain. It is surrounded by mountains but is situated lower down than the surrounding areas—and is therefore to start off with a poor fit for ‘Mount Moriah’ Furthermore, Mount Moriah is first mentioned in the story of Abraham going to sacrifice his son Isaac on this mountain. Derek Walker points out that if Mount Moriah was located inside the City of David—as necessitated by this theory—then at the time of Abraham, it would have been inside the city of Salem where Melchizedek was serving as priest. However, the Biblical account gives no indication that the sacrifice of Isaac was taking place inside a bustling city! Finally, the Scriptural account tells us that the Temple of Solomon was built on a threshing floor on Mount Moriah. Threshing floors were places where the wheat was threshed and separated from the chaff—and the worthless chaff would blow away in the wind. Therefore threshing floors were not generally located inside a city—as the chaff would go everywhere in town! Threshing floors would often be located on higher ground outside a city to facilitate for the wind to gently blow away the chaff, leaving only the precious grain behind. Further contradicting Dr. Young’s theory, 2 Chron 5:2 tells us that the Ark of the covenant was taken ‘out of the City of David’ to the Temple built by King Solomon. It would appear that the Scriptural account contradicts the view that the Temple was located in the City of David. ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE The Temple Mount is the fuse in the Israeli / Muslim conflict and due to its extreme sensitivity, archaeologists are unable to carry out archaeological digs at the site. Nevertheless, archaeologists have found compelling evidence linking the Temple Mount to the original Temple location. One of the most compelling pieces of evidence is known as the ‘Stone of Trumpeting’. This stone was inscribed in clear Hebrew with the words ‘to the place of trumpeting’ and was found among other stones that the Romans had thrown down from the Temple Mount to the pavement below. While Young and Cornuke assert that the Temple Mount was a Roman garrison, it is hard to see what a stone with this inscription would do in a Roman fortress! As Jesus was gazing at the magnificent Temple buildings (Matt 24:1-2), it is true that He said: ‘not one stone will remain upon another’. And while the Temple buildings were destroyed as foretold, the gigantic retaining wall that upheld the huge Temple Mount plaza remains standing to this day. While a completely destroyed Temple Mount as suggested by Young and Cornuke could fit Jesus’ prediction, the current Temple Mount with its retaining wall intact does not necessarily contradict Jesus’ words. Finally, Dr Young’s theory asserts that the Temple needed a source of water to wash away the sacrifices. However, the Jewish records tell of how the Temple was supplied independently with water via an aquaduct, overcoming the reliance on the Gihon spring. In addition, critics of Young and Cornuke have pointed out that building the Temple over Jerusalem’s only water source and polluting it with the blood and guts of thousands of sacrifices would hardly have been a good idea! In short, I believe that both the Scriptural and the archaeological records better support the traditional view of the Temple Mount rather than the more recent Young and Cornuke theory. X MARKS THE SPOT God decreed in the Scriptures that He would place His heart and His eyes at the site of the Temple forever (2 Chron. 7:16). I believe this explains why there is such an intense religious power struggle over this site and why Christians and Jews have been forbidden from praying at the site. Let us pray for God’s name once again to be glorified on the Temple Mount as we look forward to the day that our Messiah will return to His Temple. —————————————————————— Ps. Enoch Lavender is the director of Olive Tree Ministries (formerly known as Shalom Israel). Was the Temple really located on the Temple Mount? Enoch Lavender Director of Olive Tree Ministries (formerly known as Shalom Israel) The Temple Mount and Western Wall in the old town of Jerusalem, Israel. Photo by Botond Horvath | shutterstock.com Rebuilding the Temple: Preparing for the Lord’s Return examines the key role of the Temple in Bible Prophecy. May the Church heed the message of this important sign of the Times and prepare herself for Jesus’ coming in glory. Order your copy today for $20 —use the form on the back page or order online at www.c4israel.com.au/store UPDATED

10. 2 August 2022 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5782 We’ve spent that last three articles looking are various aspects of the will of God, a very complex and multi- layered concept that is a little more understandable when you break it down. The four categories are: 1. God’s ‘decretive’ will 2. God’s ‘ preceptive’ will 3. God’s ‘ permissive’ will 4. God’s ‘ sovereign’ will which is by far the most complex and difficult to understand. This is by no means a declaration that I absolutely understand and can explain the sovereign will of God. I cannot make such a statement because God’s sovereign will remains a mystery to me even as I totally accept it as true because the Word of God declares it to be true. First of all we need to understand what the word ‘sovereign’ actually means. 1 Timothy 6:15-16, talks about the return of Christ and for us to keep His commandments up to that time and then says, ‘He will bring about at the proper time—He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of Lords, who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honour and eternal dominion! Amen.’ This is describing God who is above all others in power, might, dominion and authority. The word sovereign in this instance is the Greek word ‘dynastes’ (doo-nas’tace) which means , ‘mighty’, ‘of great authority’ a ‘Potentate’. The dictionary explains ‘Sovereign’ this way. ‘A person who has supreme power or authority. A characteristic of a sovereign authority, royal. Having supreme rank, power and authority. Supreme, preeminent, indisputable. Greatest in degree, utmost or extreme. Being above all others in character, importance and excellence. Efficacious (capable of having the desired result or effect, effective as a means, measure and remedy), potent.’ In the context of God and His sovereign will, this means that “nothing happens without God willing it to happen, willing it to happen before it happens and willing it to happen the way it happens.” * This is very, very close—some would say identical—to the decretive will of God in that God is the One who decrees how human history will unfold, what events will happen and how they will happen and it all happens according to His decrees. That’s very true. The reason I wanted to focus on God’s sovereign will some more is because it’s the focus of a great deal of angst and friction among many Christians, especially those who don’t believe God could ever sovereignly ordain something bad to happen, they believe it’s contrary to God’s nature. However, look at these verses. Psalm 135:6, ‘Whatever the Lord pleases, He does, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps.’ Psalm 115:3, ‘Our God is in the Heavens; He does whatever He pleases.’ Daniel 4:35, ‘All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, but He does according to His will in the host of Heaven and among the inhabitants of earth; and no one can ward off His hand or say to Him, “What have You done?”’ Job 37:2-13 is a description of God’s power in nature; it talks about unrestrained thunder and lightening, snow and torrential downpours; the animals and their behaviours, the wind, storms and the freezing of waters and heavy dense cloud formations with lightenings coming from them; storms being directed all over the place and in verse 13 it says, ‘Whether for correction, or for His world, or for lovingkindness, He causes it to happen.’ So Job is telling us that everything that happens in the natural world happens according to God’s design and purpose and sometimes He does these things to correct His human creations, sometimes for the benefit of the natural world, sometimes it’s because of His lovingkindness but whatever the reason, it’s God who does it all. What about this next verse. Amos 3:6, ‘If a trumpet is blown in a city will not the people tremble? (Trumpets used to be blown to warn the people that danger was imminent and to get prepared) If a calamity occurs in a city has not the Lord done it?’ This is hard for us to hear or consider because we like to think that God will only do good things, but sometimes, because the hearts of human beings are so hard and so wicked, hard things are required to get their attention and have them turn to Him. If you read through Amos 4, God lists all the calamities and hardships that He personally sent upon the people and each and every time, they refused to return to the Lord. God does use calamity to get the attention of His human creation because more often than not, comfort and ease and plenty make people think they don’t need Him at all. Following is a partial list of many more verses about the sovereignty of God that you can research later at your own leisure: Isa 40:22, 43:13, 45:9-10, 46:10; Rom 9:19-21; Job 42:2; 1 Sam 2:10; 2 Chron 20:6, 25:8, 29:11; Acts 5:39, 7:49; Psa 47:2, 93:1; Zech 14:9; Rev 15:3, 19:6; Deut 10:4; Josh 2:11; Neh 9:6; Lam 5:19; Dan 7:9; Ezek 1:26; Matt 10:29-30, 19:28; Heb 1:8; 1 Chron 23:12; Luke 29:6-7; Eph 1:11. Now we have to take all these verses and place them squarely within the whole counsel of God, not in isolation, but rather, placing them within the plan of redemption for all mankind. Recognising that God is holy, that man is sinful and deserving of judgment and sometimes, that’s what God sends. In fact, sending calamity is an act of mercy because sometimes, when men’s hearts soften in the face of said calamity, they call upon him and are saved. For example, the men on the boat that was carrying Jonah, experienced a divinely sent storm that would have killed them all, but after throwing Jonah overboard, at Jonah’s instructions because he recognised the storm was from God, they all acknowledged the might and power of God for themselves. Jonah 1:16, ‘Then the men feared the Lord greatly, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows.’ That calamity brought about repentance and the revelation of God as the true King of the universe, to men who were pagans. God knew this would happen because He’s sovereign and yet, Jonah made rebellious choices that he was accountable for and yet, God used them to reveal Himself to those men and still fulfil His will in Jonah’s life and later, the entire population of the city of Nineveh. God’s sovereign will is hard to reconcile with His permissive will and our capacity to choose and make decisions for ourselves but at the end of the day, God has revealed Himself as Sovereign in all His dealings, and He’s revealed that we’re accountable for our choices and actions so we simply have to accept both as being true, because He’s God and His Word is absolute. Shalom, Mandy. * www.ligonier.org/blog/gods-sovereignty-and-our-responsibility —————————————————————— Mandy Worby is an experienced Israel Tour leader and also the popular radio host of ‘Daytime’ featured on Australia’s national Vision Christian Radio network Monday to Friday 12am-3pm AEST . sometimes, because the hearts of human beings are so hard and so wicked, hard things are required to get their attention and have them turn to Him... Hebrew Foundations of Our Faith Mandy Worby Isreal Tour Host & Radio Announcer for Vision Christian Media The Will Of God Part 4: ‘Sovereign Will’

17. 9 August 2022 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5782 Christian Friends of Magen David Adom is a not for profit organization that fully supports MDA in Israel’s national emergency medical activities to help save lives. Working with Christians, Muslims and Jews, we serve all communities and peoples. CFMDA strives in various ways to build bridges of understanding and acceptance between the Jews and Christians in Israel. One way of doing this is to show Israelis that Christians support and love the Jewish people and that Israel is not alone. We also have the opportunity to show Christians in Israel and around the world, and that the Jewish people are grateful for their friendship. Here is one example. On a lovely evening in late spring, this year, a Palestinian Muslim terrorist entered a predominantly Orthodox Jewish neighbourhood of Tel Aviv, Bnei Brak. Bnei Brak is a very congested area of apartment buildings with large families and shops. Going on a shooting spree killing four people, the terrorist was quickly confronted by two policemen, one who was shot before his partner killed the terrorist. This young first responder policeman, who gave his life for Orthodox Jews, was First Sergeant Amir Khoury, a 32 year old Christian Arab, originally from a neighbourhood near Nazareth. He is survived by his parents, Gersi and Samia, and three siblings. Thousands attended Amir’s funeral with an outpouring of sorrow from the Jewish communities for this young man’s tragic death. Mourned as a hero of Israel by Jews and Christians alike, they praised him for his courage and love of Israel. As Amir was a police patroller on a motorcycle and a first responder to the scene, CFMDA felt he should be honored by dedicating a First Responder Medicycle inscribed with his name. CFMDA President, Anne Ayalon, visited the Khoury’s in their home in Hof Hagalil to ask if they would like MDA to honour Amir in this way, and they were very grateful and moved. “It was an honour to meet these parents that raised such a fine young man” , a tearful Ayalon said. “His name shall be blessed and commemorated in saving lives.” At CFMDA , we also want our Christian Arab brothers and sisters to know how grateful we are for their support and we want to lift them up. By honouring one of their own, we are honouring them, showing our love through action. It is so important to reach our arms out and embrace this minority group who are active members of Israeli society yet are less vocal and demanding of the government. There is incredible pressure from radical Muslim Arab neighbourhoods to propagandise the Christian Arabs to hate Israel. This is why Amir’s tragedy was turned into a miracle blessing Israel—that the Jewish people could show their love for their neighbour. CFMDA Australia gives you the opportunity to bless Israel in a meaningful way. You can be involved in many aspects of supporting Israel: not only to raise funds for ambulances and other equipment, but also to advocate on Israel’s behalf, visit the Holy Land, donate blood and even receive training in emergency response care. —————————————————————— If you would like to support your local CFMDA , please send a check or wire transfer to: Bank: CBA Account Name: Australian Friends of Magen David Adom Limited— Christian Friends BSB: 062124 | Account: 11389721 We look forward to seeing you here or in Israel and be part of this amazing blessing! Commentary Gersi and Samia Khoury, parents of Amir, and Anne Ayalon in between them. Police officer Amir Khouri who was killed in Tuesday’s terror attack in Bnei Brak (Photo: Courtesy of the family ) Israeli police officers carry the coffin of Israeli Arab policeman Amir Khoury, 32, one of the five people killed in a shooting attack in the religious town of Bnei Brak, during his funeral in Nazareth on March 31, 2022. (JALAA MAREY/AFP via Getty Images) Amir’s tragedy was turned into a miracle blessing Israel— that the Jewish people could show their love for their neighbour Anne Ayalon Christian Friends of Magen David Adom “Love Thy Neighbor” – A Hero of Israel

31. 15 From Our Projects 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.com.au Overview of our projects Marie-Louise Weissenböck n Christians for Israel Austria During a visit to Israel at the beginning of July, I had the opportunity to meet and interview two families from Ukraine who, with the help of C4I, had made Aliyah two months earlier. Although they had to leave behind some family members and nearly all their possessions, living in Israel has given them new hope for a better future and a happy life. Here are their stories: Valentin (24), Maya (23) and Mark (3) (pictured below) have been given a first home in Israel through the First Home in the Homeland programme, run by the Jewish Agency. They live in Kibbutz Beeri (pictured above), a beautifully maintained Kibbutz located in the south of Israel. The happiness beams from their faces as they show us their little house - equipped with all they need for living. “The neighbours gave us some electrical appliances such as a TV, a vacuum cleaner and other things. Everybody in Israel has been so good to us... When peo ple hear that we come from Ukraine, everybody wants to help”, exclaims Valentin. Escaping from Ukraine was quite traumatic. Until the war started, they lived in Shostka, a city in the north, about 25 km from the Russian border. Realising that the war would last longer than expected, they decided to flee to Kiev and were helped by a friend, a bus driver. The journey took them eight hours. In Kiev Valentin started looking for ways to reach a border and the possibility of getting to Israel. On a Jewish Agency website, he found information about C4I and contacted them. One of the drivers picked the small family up, which then spent one night in the little hotel rented by C4I. With a big C4I bus full of Jewish refugees, Victor, Maya, Mark, and their cat left for the Moldavian border the next morning. Maya and little Mark crossed the border on foot with Alina, one of C4I- Ukraine’s fieldworkers, while Valentin stayed behind with all the luggage for an interrogation by the border police. Although in a recruitable age group, Valentin had been issued a ‘White Ticket’ by the medical office in Shostka, exempting him from war service as he suffers from astigmatism. Maya and Mark waited together with Alina, who did all to calm them for 90 minutes until Valentin finally was allowed to join them on the bus to Kishinev, the capital of Moldova. There they waited for a week. The meeting with the consul, which took place on 24 April, will always remain a special memory for them. After looking carefully through their papers, he decided to phone Valentin’s grandmother in Kiev to ask some questions, which she answered in her best Yiddish. This opened the doors for them, and the young parents, their son and his cat arrived safely in Israel on 3 May. They had to stay in a hotel in Arad for the first five days and then were moved to Kibbutz Beeri, where their new life began. The Tabak Family from Odessa Vitalii, his wife Victoria, daughter Polina (11) and son David (5) (pictured above) came to Israel on 12 May. Before the war started, Vitalii worked as a salesman, trading toys from China. When the first rockets fell and the war was evident, he immediately fetched his family and drove to his sister’s home near Braclav. They stayed there in expectation that they would be able to return home soon. Vitalii’s father had been in the process of preparing to make Aliyah but died of cancer before he could leave the country. Now Vitalii decided to act quickly. He contacted C4I, was taken to the Moldovan border with his family in a bus driven by Koen Carlier, crossed the border with Alina, who had, amongst others, also accompanied the family of Valentin as described above, then immediately boarded the next bus prepared by C4I to Kishinev, saw the consul on the same day and boarded the plane to Israel. Within 24 hours of crossing the border, they were on their way to a new future. The family is still processing how amazingly blessed they were to have had such a smooth passage from their worn-torn country to their new home in Israel. Usually, men between 18 and 65 years of age cannot leave Ukraine easily, as they have the duty to serve in the army. There are a few exceptions, though. If the family has three children or more, or if a child has a serious health condition, as in family Tabak’s case, the father may leave with his family. Their first apartment was at the seaside in Bat Yam. Now they have moved to Rishon Le Zion, close to Tel Aviv. When asked what their happiest moment was, Vitalii answered, beaming: “To cross the Moldovan border and know that now we are all safe.” He continued: “The people in Israel are very friendly. You have an easy life here if you are open - people welcome spontaneity, and they all want to help. Our children are very happy and have made friends easily. Children of all ages play together – this is unique in this country. We love this place. Thank you to all from Christians for Israel for helping us come here!” Hope and a Future in Israel August 2022 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5782 Valentin, Maya and Mark in their new home in kibbutz Beeri. | Photo: Marie-Louise Weissenböck Vitalii and family on their way to Israel, 12 May 2022. | Phot o: V. Tabak Vitalii and his son David, who will receive the necessary health care in Israel. | Photo: Marie-Louise Weissenböck

6. 6 Marijke Terlouw n Christians for Israel Netherlands During Rabbi Mendel Cohen’s recent visit to the Netherlands, I had the opportunity to speak to him. His hometown Mariupol, the extremely besieged city in Ukraine, does not exist anymore. Some buildings are still there, but can one speak of a city? And its citizens? Perhaps the sight of the city provides the best representation of its population. Wiped out, damaged, desolate and without hope. Can you tell us what kind of city Mariupol was? Rabbi Mendel Cohen recounts with some melancholy: “It was the ninth-largest city in Ukraine, with a metal industry, located on the coast. As a Jewish community, we had a daycare centre, a school, a synagogue, and a mikveh; there were courses, and we gave a lot of help to the people. It was a city on the rise that welcomed you. The city no longer exists.” You were not in Mariupol when the war broke out. How did that happen? “I had had corona some time before - it was very serious. I was then treated in Israel. I was back in Mariupol, but to recover, I needed surgery in Israel, and I kept postponing it. Everybody knew about the threat, but nobody thought there would be a real war. So in February, I went to Israel to have surgery. A few days later, the war started.” What did you feel or think when you heard about it? “It was a torn feeling. On the one hand, I was happy and relieved for my family because they were with me in Israel and, therefore, not in danger. But my thoughts, my heart and soul were in Mariupol. It’s terrible to feel caught between two worlds. You keep thinking: are the people still alive? How are they coping? Do they have enough food? And because contact was impossible, the uncertainty remained. There was no water, no electricity, no natural gas, or internet. Very rarely we received a short text message. But basically, we knew nothing.” Yet you found a way to help? Chief Rabbi Jacobs of the Netherlands sat with us during the interview and said: “He was like a Joseph to the people. Sent ahead to care for the people of Mariupol from that very place.” Rabbi Cohen: “The question of the people was: how do I survive, and, how do I get out of here? I want to say something about both. Thanks to Christians for Israel, many have been able to survive. Because we have been receiving food parcels through Koen Carlier for years, we have an active community in Mariupol. Not just names on a list, but people who are part of the community. We had already received four extra deliveries food parcels ‘just in case’. Many were able to survive thanks to those parcels. Getting out of Mariupol was extremely difficult and dangerous. At the beginning of the war, I tried to arrange a bus. I didn’t care about the cost because a person’s life cannot be expressed in money. I offered $100,000 for anyone who wanted to drive, but nobody dared. Still, we managed to find a way. One by one, people came to a safer area, using all kinds of routes. So we started hearing more and more about the situation and what the options were. It was as if the ‘doors of grace’ were opening. As a result, hundreds of people were able to leave. Hundreds. Christians for Israel also helped the Jews of Mariupol. As soon as they were in a safer area, you helped with shelter and transportation, with the first steps to Israel.” Can you tell us more about the situation in Mariupol now that the city is no longer besieged, but the war is not yet over? “About fifty families have remained in Mariupol, for different reasons. But it is mainly elderly and sick people and their families. A small ray of hope is that you can now buy some supplies again at shops in the city. It’s not much, but it’s something. They try to live, but they depend on everything. The place is in ruins. I don’t see any future. So I really hope that these people will also decide to make aliyah (leave for Israel).” Is it still possible to help now that the area is occupied? “Yes, certainly! Actually, even more help is needed than before. There is nothing left. The people are totally dependent on aid, far more than before the war. But fortunately, they can withdraw money again and buy something. That’s how we can help people.” You are a man of faith. In what way have you seen God in these difficult times? “There were so many miracles”, and while Rabbi Cohen says these words, I see and hear that, beneath all the worries and sadness, the evidence of God at work in the chaos is a certainty for him that cannot be questioned. “A lot of people died in Mariupol. But then I also heard about the very old people, the survivors of the Holocaust who managed to escape, people who miraculously got away, and about the many people who assisted us. The miracles were many.” If you would like to view the livestream interview with Rabbi Mendel on YT, here is the link: www.c4israel.org/video/mendel- cohen/ or scan the QR code. Top left: Rabbi Mendel Cohen. Top right and bottom left: Destruction in the city of Mariupol. | Photos: Christians for Israel Rev Oscar Lohuis n Christians for Israel Netherlands “So then, the days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when people will no longer say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the Israelites up out of Egypt,’ but they will say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the descendants of Israel up out of the land of the north and out of all the countries where He had banished them.’ Then they will live in their own land.” Jeremiah 23:7-8 In the 1980s, some three million Jews still lived in the Soviet Union. For hundreds of years, they had been exposed to barely hidden antisemitism. In the 19th century, many Jews, therefore, left Eastern Russia for Ukraine. There was also a flood of Jews settling in Palestine. The Soviet Union almost never allowed Jewish citizens to emigrate to Israel. Those who applied were rejected, so they were called ‘refuseniks’. If a Jew did manage to leave the Soviet Union, it was world news. Exodus In Isaiah 43, we read that God says to the north: “Give!” and in the prophecy from Jeremiah 23 (see above), it is said that days will come when people will speak of an exodus from the land in the north. In addition to all the countries from which the Lord will bring His people back into the land, the ‘land of the north’ is mentioned here specifically and separately. Therefore, it is a particularly striking fulfilment of biblical prophecy that since the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1989 and the collapse of the Soviet Union, more than a million Russian Jews emigrated to Israel in just a few years. Since the exodus from Egypt (3,400 years ago), there has never been such a massive move of Jews to the Promised Land as this one. Therefore, this exodus from the land of the north is also compared to the exodus. War Since the beginning of the (new) war in Ukraine, there has also been a considerable flow of Jewish refugees from the north towards the Promised Land. Even at this moment, this prophecy is being fulfilled. Emergency Campaign Ukraine August 2022 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5782 Exodus from the North The $oseGh o= '8riLGol The $oseGh o= '8riLGol The $oseGh o= '8riLGol

9. Dear Faithful readers and friends (Chavorim), welcome to this August edition of Israel and Christians Today . I trust you are all feeling a little more encouraged and hopeful as we slowly emerge from the pandemic lock-downs and start to see the country opening back up again. We are also seeing a number of events and tours to Israel also starting up again, despite the persistent media scare tactics about every new variant and coming new pestilence that will threaten us. Then there’s the persistent fear mongering around the current war in Ukraine apparently causing all the present economic woes. And on top of that the media prophets of doom keep warning of the coming war with China and the new alliance being forged between Russia, Turkey and Iran—which some say is a fulfilment of Ezekiel 38. It reminds me a little of the warnings Jesus predicted would come upon the earth in the last days before His return: “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, and earthquakes in various places.  All these are the beginning of sorrows.” (Mattew 24:6-8, NKJV) So it’s true, we are seeing these things happening all around us—including the falling away of many like some of our institutional leaders from traditional Judeo-Christian values that once made our nations great. We sense our nation and our culture has changed, but not for the better. Sadly we are also seeing an increase in anti-Semitic and anti-Christian sentiment; not only in far away nations, but right here in the local streets and on main stream media platforms of Australia. Visit to Canberra to see the new Ambassador of Israel to Australia I was privileged to be part of a wonderful online zoom video conversation organised by Dr Ron Weiser AM—one of our regular contributors to this newspaper. The conversation included a number of our fellow Christian pro-Israel colleagues, as well as a few of our Jewish community leaders who were introduced to the New Israeli Ambassador of Israel to Australia— His Excellency Amir Maimon. Following that, a small delegation of four travelled to Canberra at the end of June for a personal face to face meeting with Ambassador Maimon who was a very warm and friendly host. We discussed a number of different things including: • our plans to help restart mor e face-to-face events with our Christian and Jewish brothers and sisters, • to find ways we can work together to stand in solidarity on our shar ed values in a spirit of friendship and mutual respect, • And to show the rest of the nation how we can stand up against hatr ed, and oppression from those who are trying to divide and weaken our culture. During our brief time in Canberra we stayed at the Canberra House of Prayer and our long term friend and host Dr Hilary Moroney organised a meeting with a number of supporters from Canberra and some traveling from Sydney and Melbourne for a wonderful Acts 2:46 pot luck dinner, and fellowship together. I invited the Ambassador to write an article to introduce himself and his family to you, our regular readers, to help us understand and appreciate some of his family’s journey from Yemen to Israel and how he came to serve as the ambassador of Israel in Australia. Please read his story “For the Love of Zion” on page 12. We’ll keep you posted of our continued initiatives working and supporting our Christian and Jewish communities to be more proactive and intentional in uniting in a spirit of friendship. For example, my wife Mandy and I, thanks to the introduction of our Sydney liaison for Christians for Israel —Mrs Jacqui Bakker—will be attending a Gala event in Sydney for Christian Friends of Magen David Adom . Jacqui wrote to us and said, “the President of Christians Friends of Magen David Adom, Mrs Anne Ayalon and her husband Danny will be visiting from Israel over the coming weeks. They will be here for the Magen David Adom Gala Event, at which time Danny will be the guest speaker and Anne as president of CFMDA will be here to demonstrate that Christians support this most valuable organisation. It is very special for us that as Christians we can support Anne in her endeavours in whatever way we can. This will provide a wonderful opportunity for our Christian communities to learn about CFMDA and give the support it needs.” For those who may not know, Danny Ayalon is the former Israeli Ambassador to the United States, Israel’s Deputy Foreign Minister, member of the Knesset, senior foreign policy advisor to Prime Ministers, Benjamin Netanyahu, Ehud Barak, and Ariel Sharon. Please read Anne’s article on page 9 . Because of your support another large amount has been raised to comfort God’s People. I’d like to give a huge thank you and blessing to all of our amazing, faithful and generous supporters. Despite the uncertainty of our economy, some of you have helped comfort many of the Lord’s brethren to make an emergency relocation from war torn Ukraine, and supplying them with food and shelter and medical support—especially the elderly and those families separated during this conflict. The Christians for Israel office was thrilled to send just over $140,000 in donations to the International office and the Jewish agencies who assist in providing humanitarian aid and loving care to those in need on our behalf. Please read on page 7 the wonderful report from First Home in the Homeland about one Ukrainian Jewish family you helped bring home, just as the Prophets said we’d accomplish with God’s help: “Thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders.” (Isaiah 49:22 KJV) Finally if you haven’t done so for a while, can I ask you to consider making a gift to bring comfort to the Lord’s people, and perhaps another gift to help us pay for the printing and postage of this newspaper. Recently paper and postage costs have escalated and we want to keep making these available to inform and inspire many more fellow believers to comfort the Lord’s people. See the back page for details on how to give. ____________________________________ Ian Worby National Leader & Regional Director for Christians for Israel Australia & Oceania. P.S. Our application for Tax Deductibility has been sent to the Australian Charities and Not-For-Profit Commission and we ask for you to pray that it will be successful this time. We have invested several thousand more dollars for legal advice in establishing the Christians for Israel Australia Foundation to meet the ACNC’s requirements to ensure this happens. Again my prayer for you as you pray, and give and support is from Hebrews 6:10 NIV “God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.” August 2022 Report From Our National Leader Comforts Informs Inspires Ian Worby C4I Australia National Leader and Regional Director for Oceania Ian Worby in front of Parliament House Canberra Photo L–R: Matthew Chivers—National Director of Bridges for Peace Australia, Keith Buxton—former National Director of BFP, Amir Maimon—Israeli Ambassador to Australia, Ian Worby—National leader for Christians for Israel, and Barry Rodgers OAM—representing the Southern Cross Alliance for Israel and the Australian Light Horse Association. Picture of Barry Rodgers OAM sharing about the regular meetings we have online with Southern Cross Alliance for Israel

14. 6 August 2022 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5782 On Tuesday morning the 26th April 2022, 60 ladies, who believe in prayer, came together for a special time of prayer and worship at Beit Neister located at Intenciti Church Wynnum. Prayer for Israel (PFI ) Australia hosted its first ever ladies luncheon event with the help of 9 volunteers. PFI believed it was time to come out of isolation and to come together to give God glory and to seek the Lord’s face with likeminded people. This was no ordinary lady’s luncheon. The tables were carefully and beautifully set with white tablecloths, China cups, saucers and plates, bunches of flowers and a special gift for each praying lady. This time together was to acknowledge the generations of praying women who have supported PFI for many years. Those present included women in their 80’s-90’s, and as well as a 11, 9 and 6 year old with all ages in between. The PFI team served the ladies morning tea on arrival and after worship, our guest speakers and prayer, a high tea was provided. Our keynote speaker for the event was Tikva Morrissey. Tikva is the adopted daughter of Derek and Lydia Prince, long time faithful missionaries in Jerusalem. Tikva is a living example of the goodness and kindness of God. She is a beautiful 94 year (young) Jewish woman—as she likes to call herself, whose love for her God is clearly evident the first time you meet her. Although today Tikva requires a wheelchair to help her access her life due to severe leg pain, she requires no help in sharing the good news of what her loving Heavenly Father is doing in her life. At 94 one wonders if God would allow her to retire and would He have anything important for her to do. Well Tikva is the example of a woman who never tires of blessing her God, sharing His love, and telling others of the goodness and kindness of a truly loving God. God has work for her to do and she is doing it daily. Tikva shared her testimony, the message of hope and love to the 60 ladies. She is often called the ‘baby in the wicker basket.’ She was born in Israel in 1927 as a twin. Her twin passed away very early and Tikva’s Israeli parents knew that she too would die if they did not find someone who could care for her and give her life. She was placed in the care of Lydia Prince as a tiny sick baby. Her miraculous story is found in the book “Appointment in Jerusalem” by Lydia Prince. Today Tikva is living in a care facility in Alexandra Hills, a bayside suburb of Brisbane. She is continuing to share with everyone she meets about her loving Heavenly Father. Tikva’s message to the ladies was one of hope and sharing of God’s great kindness to her. God will show His great kindness with all who love Him. We also had the honour of having Christine Amitai (who co-pastors with her husband Ofer from El Roii congregation in Jerusalem) join us via zoom. Ofer and Christine are long time friends of PFI . Peter and I had the privilege of having Ofer and Christine as our keynote speakers in our first Israel Conference in 2017. When considering who we could ask from Israel to share about WHAT to pray for and HOW to pray Christine was our immediate thought. She was happy to join us even though it was 4:30 am Israel time. Christine shared from her heart as only a true Israeli believer can. She stated that “God is desiring our involvement in what He is doing. He wants us to desire what He wants.” We must therefore read the word of God and seek first His kingdom. Christine reminded us of the Lord’s prayer and how He taught his disciples to pray. The opening lines capsulize the purpose and goal of God in the earth. All His specific promises, including those regarding Israel, are part of this: “Father, glorify Thy name” “Let your kingdom come” “Let your will be done in the earth, as it is done in heaven” These are the first petitions that the Son of God taught us to ask of our Father. He taught us what is the most important to pray for. Christine said “I am personally convinced that the prayer that Yeshua taught is powerful. It’s not weak because it is not specific. We don’t always know what God’s will is, or what the future holds, or how He will use human situations for His own purposes.” And so with these very thoughts in mind the 60 ladies present prayed the powerful prayer that the Lord taught us to pray ... Our Father Who art in Heaven... Christine gave us a challenge. “Do you know that God is not interested in preserving this world? Or its systems? Or its institutions of government? When Yeshua returns He is going to establish a Theocracy! He will set His King on His holy hill of Zion! So then do we really want in our praying to put the brakes on it all, so to speak? Or do we: look for and hasten the coming of the day of God? (2 Peter 3:12 “to expect and anticipate”, “to cause to happen soon”, “to hurry up”) Where is our treasure? On earth? Or in Heaven?” So we understand that we are to pray that God’s kingdom will come. We pray the Scriptures, we pray His words for they express the will of God, the things He has promised He will do. We believe Him and therefore speak out in agreement with what the Lord has said. __________________________________________ Do you wish to be a subscriber for Prayer for Israel ? For a small annual fee of $35 you get monthly prayer updates from Israel, in magazine form, plus a monthly Zoom meeting with Messianic Believers in Israel and access to seminars, conferences and assorted resources. Contact us today: prayer4israelaus@yahoo.com or 0431 324 123 __________________________________________ Sandra & Peter Schuptar is Brisbane based. Together they lead small and large groups to Israel on a yearly basis and hold regular Israel in Focus seminars in Brisbane. For more information email israelsrestoration@gmail.com or call 0412911383 . Commentary Sandra Schupter Administrator for (PFI) Prayer for Israel Australia Blessing the Women of Prayer for Israel – Australia Sandra Schuptar and Tikva Morrissey The beautiful lay out for the day Tikvah Morrissey receiving flowers from Hadassah (11Yrs), Bethany (9 yrs) and Aliyah (6 yrs) 3 mighty prayer warriors for PFI (left to right–Mary Craig, Margaret Maag & Tikvah Morrissey)

19. 11 August 2022 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5782 Keith Buxton Article continued... is the problem?” or “How big am I?”—but “How big is my God?” As David was being pursued by King Saul He cried out to God in Psalm 27:1—“ The Lord is my light and salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?” In vv. 4-5 he longs “that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life... for in the time of trouble, He shall hide me in His pavilion; in the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.” Paul wrote to a discouraged Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:7— “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” My friends, when fear keeps you away from God’s leading, put on that “sound mind” and remember that God is your refuge and you can do all things in Him who gives you strength. It’s all about how you see things. At one level, we need to give the ten spies credit. They told the truth. The land was wonderful, and the people were fierce and intimidating. The fortified cities were no doubt impressive. Caleb and Joshua didn’t discount what these men said. They were the facts! They just saw things differently; they saw things from a different perspective—they factored God into the equation! Jeremy Kagan in ‘The Jewish Self ’ has written— “A renowned genius once asked a student, ‘What are you watching when you sit on a hillside in the late afternoon as the colors turn from yellow to orange and red and finally darkness?’ He answered, ‘You are watching the sunset.’ The genius responded, “That is what is wrong with our age. You know full well you are not watching the sun set. You are watching the world turn.’” Two people can look at the same yard. One sees the beautiful colours of the leaves on the tree; the other sees all the leaves on the lawn that need to be raked up. Two people can watch it rain. One sees the dust being settled and the ground soaking up desperately needed moisture (something we know about in Australia), the other sees clouds and mud. Two people can face the same challenge. One sees an opportunity; the other sees a roadblock. Rabbi Yisroel Ciner tells about a certain Rabbi Silver who visited the Displaced Persons’ camps where Holocaust survivors were taken after the war. He was approached by a young man who defiantly announced, “Rabbi, I will never be a religious Jew!” “What makes you say that?” asked Rabbi Silver. “I saw something in the camp that I will never forget” , he explained. “There was a man who called himself religious who had smuggled a siddur (prayer book) into the camp. It was the only siddur in our group and a few people wanted to borrow it in order to pray. He agreed to lend it but only on one condition—in return for half a day’s bread! “And what happened?” asked Rabbi Silver curiously. “Many gave their bread so that they could use the siddur!” he answered angrily. “I want nothing to do with a religion where the people use the religion to rob starving people of their bread!” Rabbi Silver smiled at the young man and said: “Why do you concentrate on that one individual who had the siddur and made such a demand? Why don’t you instead look at the devotion of all of those people who gave up their bread just to pray in that siddur.” It’s not what happens but how we view it. The sin of the spies was the worship of self—believing that they saw all there was to see, and that their version of the truth was the only version that was true. The ten pessimistic spies “gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out” (Numbers 13:32). Writing in OzTorah, Rabbi Dr Raymond Apple, for many years one of Australia’s highest profile Orthodox rabbis and its leading rabbinic spokesman, gives this a very modern and pertinent twist. “What a shame it is that people are still doing the same thing these days,” he says. “There are more than enough negative and distorted reports of Israel in the world media, in the academic unions, among the general non-Jewish public. “Unfortunately there are also some Jews who cannot say a good word about Israel. Not just about the security dangers when bombs and missiles are constantly lobbed into Israeli homes and cities, not just when Israel is accused of denying fuel to the Gaza Strip and yet the Gazans who complain are the ones who disrupt the supplies,... “not just when Palestinians seem to prefer hurting their own people and not creating the infrastructure for independent living, but failing to see the quality of the nation and the culture that have been built in Zion and the inspiration they represent for Jews everywhere.” Faced with the challenges of change, the ten spies brought back a bad report and the people listened to them and were paralysed with fear. They trusted human eyes—the eyes of the ten spies—instead of trusting God. God did an incredible job at creating our eyes, but He never intended that we would trust our eyes more than we would trust our God. Maybe that’s why we can’t see around corners! You never know what may be around the corner—so (in the words of Proverbs 3:5-6), “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” —————————————————————— Keith Buxton is an ordained pastor. He currently serves on the C4I Australia management committee and is a liaison with C4I Oceania Island affiliates A Daily Devotional by Rev. Willem J.J. Glashouwer Get daily readings in your inbox Did you know the Book of Revelation is the only book of the Bible to give a special blessing to those who read, hear and apply its message? (Rev 1:3) 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 of the Book of Revelation to come to a clearer understanding of its major themes and messages. Subscribe Free Today at www.beholdhecomes.life

27. Kameel Majdali n Director | Teach All Nations Inc. “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before”. Jesus Christ in Matthew 24:24-25 Since we are in the last days (Hebrews 9:26; 1 John 2:18), prophetic awareness is a key to surviving and thriving. Study the pastoral epistles of 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus, and you will not only get great leadership tips but also principles of last-day living. While there are several key signs we can focus upon, there is one sign that has immediate and practical ramifications. It has to do with the war on truth. This war is real, and it is fierce. Israel, its place in the Bible, today’s world, and end-time prophecy also hang in the balance. Why the War on Truth? Warring against truth is nothing new... it has been happening since the days of Eden. Yet, prophetically, what we are seeing today is a frontal assault in overdrive! It is not just that people are lying more than ever. Or that they do so with a very straight face and without a pang of conscience. It is that there is a strong spirit of deception and delusion that must be proactively resisted. Let’s consider how the last days’ war against truth came into being: 1. Relativism: This is facilitated by postmodernism, which is the successor and critic of rational scientific modernism. It believes in ‘radical relativism,’ namely, you have ‘your truth,’ I have ‘my truth,’ and no one’s truth is more true than anyone else’s. The proliferation of postmodern relativism is a recipe for philosophical, semantical, and spiritual anarchy. 2. Low View of Truth: Postmodernism is only one of the reasons why many people, including some churchgoers, have a low view of truth. One popular group of churches in the West make themselves deliberately attractive to postmodern people, but it comes at the cost of truth. Go to their website, and you will struggle to find a ‘Statement of Faith’ or doctrine. Remember: no truth means no law, liberty, and/or justice. 3. Delusion: This is what makes the last days particularly dangerous. A spirit of deception and strong delusion will be so potent that the elect have to make a conscious effort to remain ‘in the truth.’ The devil knows his time is short and works overtime to deceive. Fortunately, our weapons are more powerful weapons than his. ‘Post-Truth Vocabulary’ The arsenal against truth is growing. Here is a sample vocabulary lesson on what constitutes the modern version of lies and mendacity: Spin: Takes the unsavoury issues of life (e.g. abortion), sugar coats and spins them like cotton candy. When signing a grizzly executive order expanding medical research on aborted foetuses, a former US President gave this spin: ‘America deserves the best health care system in the world.’ Spin creates euphemisms, takes sour lemons and makes ‘lemonade.’ Masters of spin-spin doctors - help public officials craft byte-size phrases to get their point across quickly and persuasively, even if it is not true. Post Truth: Instead of conveying objective, verifiable facts, post-truth seeks to shape public opinion by appealing to the narrative, personal beliefs, feelings and emotions. Double-speak: Speaking one way but deliberating meaning something else. Double-speak seeks to obscure, disguise, distort, and divert real meaning by fostering great ambiguity. Political rhetoric can fall under the heading of double-speak. Smoke and mirrors: An attempt to make you believe something to be true when it is not. Like a tax-and-spend parliament telling the population that the big-spending bill will not add a penny to the national debt or ‘the war to end all wars.’ Gaslighting: This is particularly insidious. It is a form of manipulation, often incessant, to cause a person to doubt their sanity, memory, perception and judgement. The gaslighting person tries to convince the other party that they really did not see what they clearly saw or hear what they clearly heard. Misinformation: Misleading or incorrect information is treated as fact. Less menacing than disinformation but still problematic because it is not truth. We must get our facts right! Disinformation: A subset of propaganda, false information deliberately and quickly spread with the express purpose to deceive. This is a problematic and evil thing. Irrational, unproven, preposterous ideas and policies, void of empirical evidence, are enacted by governments, media and academics. Intimate sexual issues are taught from kindergarteners to university by those who have no Biblical worldview. This practice is backed up by government, big business, and popular culture. War on Truth - The Bible Says Let’s face it; we have never seen such a concerted attack on truth - absolute truth - God’s truth as we do now. This includes the Bible and what it teaches about Israel. Yet it should not be a surprise to students of the Scriptures. As we have learned, one of the most fundamental signs of the last days is that deception will be manufactured and disseminated on an industrial scale. When Jesus’ inner circle asked Him the direct question of what will be the sign of His coming and of the end of the age, His very first words were, “Take heed that no man deceive you” (Matthew 24:4). This is not just a polite suggestion; it is a divine command. Deception does not merely distract and divert people from the right path - it can hijack and destroy. That’s why it should be recognised, repudiated and avoided. Under this banner of deception, Christ goes on to say that many shall come in His name, proclaiming themselves to be the Messiah and shall deceive many. If ever there was a good reason to “follow the cloud (of God’s glory), not the crowd,” this is it. To be continued. Isreality Paola (25) n Isreality Netherlands Jews worldwide recite this phrase during Passover and on the Great Day of Atonement when resolutions are made for the new year. This statement reveals something of the centuries-long desire of Jews to make aliyah: to emigrate to Israel, to the Promised Land. But why is Jerusalem so important? Dwelling Place Jerusalem is the most important, holiest place in the world for Jews. This is not surprising because if you read the Bible, you will see that God chose Jerusalem as His dwelling place: For the Lord has chosen Zion, He has desired it for His dwelling, saying, “This is My resting place forever and ever; here I will sit enthroned, for I have desired it.” (Psalm 132:13-14) There have been battles over Jerusalem for centuries. The city has been in the hands of the Romans, Crusaders, Muslims, the British, and others. Even today, there are struggles over this special city. For example, many countries do not recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. In addition, Palestinian leaders want their own state, with its capital, as you probably guessed, Jerusalem. Every decision surrounding Jerusalem seems controversial and is hotly debated around the world. Does this fit with what the Bible tells us? “I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling. (...) On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations.” (Zechariah 12:2a,3a) Yearning Jews have lived scattered around the world for centuries. All that time, there was a longing for Jerusalem. This yearning is also beautifully described in Psalm 137: If I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its skill. May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, if I do not consider Jerusalem my highest joy. (Psalm 137:5-6) Return Since the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, Jews again have had the opportunity to live in their land and city. God gives numerous promises of this return in the Bible. We see this promise fulfilled before our eyes! Amazing that God has been faithful to His people throughout the centuries. Jerusalem is and remains God’s dwelling place, and He is bringing His people home. In spite of all the struggles around Israel and Jerusalem, we can be certain that Almighty God is a protective wall. Will you join us in prayer for the peace of Jerusalem? Next Year in Jerusalem! 11 Theology August 2022 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5782 Winning the War on Truth - Part 1 | Photo: Shutterstock

13. 5 August 2022 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5782 Hugh Kitson Article continued... Land had started with the Puritans in the 17th Century, followed by the evangelical revivalists of the 18th and 19th Centuries. Almost every Christian leader one could name from that era—among them the Wesley brothers, William Wilberforce, Charles Simeon, Robert Murray McCheyne, Lord Shaftesbury, Bishop J C Ryle and C H Spurgeon—held this belief. Christians in those days were looking to and longing for the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with a passion that is rarely seen in the Church today. They also understood from the Bible that before the Lord could return, the Jewish people had to return to the land of Israel, and they began to pray for that restoration in anticipation of the Lord’s return. I believe that the Balfour Declaration was God’s answer to those prayers, which were entirely in line with His purposes. The Balfour Declaration These days, most non-Christians (and, sadly, many who call themselves Christians too) would describe such belief as fanaticism, even criminal. They would blame the Balfour Declaration on nothing more than British imperialism. To be sure, British geo-political interests did play a part in the issuing of the Balfour Declaration. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob used that too! At the time, the members of the War Cabinet sat down in Whitehall on 31 October 1917 to determine the final wording of the statement of policy that became known as the Balfour Declaration, the British Government was in no position to implement it. All of Palestine—as the area was then known— and beyond was firmly in the control of the Ottoman Turkish empire, which was fiercely opposed to the idea of Jewish self- determination, let alone the restoration of their national home. Unknown to the War Cabinet, at the very time they were meeting in Whitehall, the Allied forces had captured Beersheba. This first crucial victory on the Eastern front opened the way for the conquest of Jerusalem and eventually the collapse of the Ottoman Turkish Empire. Was the timing of this decisive victory on the battlefield mere coincidence, or was it the sovereign hand of God? Two days after the War Cabinet meeting, a letter from Foreign Secretary Arthur James Balfour was conveyed to Lord Rothschild. Simultaneously, news of the victory at Beersheba reached London. The date was 2 November 1917. A Positive Response and a Pledge A number of church leaders responded favourably to the Balfour Declaration, including three Roman Catholic bishops and fourteen Anglican bishops. The then- Bishop of Lincoln wrote: “What lover of Holy Scripture and what friend of freedom can help rejoicing at the prospect of the Hebrew people returning to their own land again? God speed them!” Jan Christian Smuts was one of the ten men at that momentous War Cabinet meeting on 31 October 1917. He was also one of the authors of the Covenant of the League of Nations at the Paris Peace Conference in 1919. He said of the Balfour Declaration: “Christians who had received the leadership of the Prince of Peace from the Jewish nation were now in a position to make some small return for those priceless blessings, and to restore Israel to the ancient glorious homeland.” He went on to say that it was “A debt of honour which must be discharged in full at all costs and in all circumstances.” References 1. Opening address by Chaim Weizmann to the Z ionist Congress, London, 7 July 1920 2. Intervi ew with Dr Cynthia Day Wallace, Whose Land? Part 1, produced by Hugh Kitson 3. Address to the Zi onist Congress, London, July 1920. 4. Quoted from an inter view with the late Right Reverend John Taylor, former Bishop of St Albans, reading from A Survey of Christian Opinion published by the Zionist Organisation in 1918. ‘The Destiny of Britain’, produced by Hugh Kitson. 5. Quoted from an inter view with Dr Paul R Wilkinson (author ‘Understanding Christian Zionism’) in ‘The Destiny of Britain’, produced by Hugh Kitson. 6. Ibid —————————————————————— Hugh Kitson is a documentary filmmaker who has made many films about Israel. His films about the British Mandate for Palestine include “ The Forsaken Promise” —a three-part series (Hatikvah Film Trust 2006) and “Whose Land?” Part One , presented by Colonel Richard Kemp (Title Deed Media 2017)—see www.whoseland.tv . Part Two is still in production. This article is the first in a six-part series exploring the significance of the British Mandate for Palestine for today. Part 2, ‘The Paris Peace Conference of 1919, ’ will follow. To contact Hugh Kitson please email him: hugh.kitson@titledeedmedia.com ...in 1920 the Lord did a remarkable thing. He enshrined that ancient ‘title deed’ into international law in the modern era Sign up a friend to ‘Israel & Christians Today’ Newspaper and receive the ‘Israel: Covenants and Kingdom book’ or the ‘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 Book or DVD per person. limited offer. while stocks last. SEND DETAILS TO: Christians for Israel, Australia , PO Box 1508, Springwood, QLD, 4127 Israel: Covenants & Kingdom Book by Willem J.J. 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25. 9 Interview “Every Day is a Reason to be Grateful” The Mayor of Jerusalem opened the exhibition ‘Destination Jerusalem’ by attaching a mezuzah at the entrance of the exhibition. On the left, HE Modi Ephraim, Israeli Ambassador to the Netherlands. | Photo: Jacco Klamer August 2022 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5782 Signs of Faith By Kees de Vreugd Shofar In this series, ‘Signs of Faith’, objects that express Jewish faith are explained and discussed. Everyone knows the shofar, the ram’s horn. It is blown in small or large sizes during the services on Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year), on Yom Kippur (Great Day of Atonement), and in the morning services in the month of Elul (preceding Rosh Hashanah). The original Biblical name of Rosh Hashanah is even a reference to it: the ‘day of blowing [of trumpets]’ (Leviticus 23:24). In Biblical times the shofar also announced the Sabbath, the new moon, the feasts and the year of jubilee. Most translations add the word ‘trumpets’ as a clarification. However, this translation actually creates a wrong association. It makes you think of a wind instrument made of copper or another metal. But the shofar is a horn of an animal. By the way, silver trumpets were used, too, in the Temple service. The shofar is mentioned even before Leviticus 23, namely at the revelation on Sinai (Exodus 19: 16 and 19). The appearance of God at Sinai is announced by an ever-louder sounding of the shofar. The shofar was used in the Bible and in later times as an alarm instrument. The piercing sound called to battle or sounded when there was an emergency. The Talmud (Jewish oral tradition), for example, speaks of blowing on the shofar during prolonged drought as a call to fast and pray. In the liturgy of Rosh Hashanah, the sound of the shofar has three functions: it proclaims God’s kingship, calls people to repentance and calls for God’s mercy. It is a combination of three sounds: one elongated tone, three wailing tones, and nine staccato tones. The shofar is made from the horn of a kosher animal. Most often, the horn of a ram is used. This recalls the ram at the binding of Isaac (Genesis 22). This story is also read on Rosh Hashanah. The Yemenite Jews traditionally use the long, curl ed horn of a certain African antelope, although the scholars of the Talmud generally preferred the horn of a goat. A cow’s horn does not qualify, as it evokes the association with the golden calf. Sara van Oordt n Christians for Israel Netherlands On 1 June, Moshe Lion, the Mayor of Jerusalem, visited the Netherlands for 24 hours. He opened the exhibition ‘Destination Jerusalem’ at Christians for Israel’s headquarters in Nijkerk and made a tour of the beautiful fishing village of Urk, where he met hundreds of friends from Israel. In between activities, he made time for an exclusive interview for our newspaper. This morning you opened the exhibition ‘Destination: Jerusalem’ at our headquarters in Nijkerk. Can you tell us what you enjoyed most about it? “It was a wonderful experience to be able to see and open the Jerusalem exhibition. I thought it looked like the original; it reminded me of my city, Jerusalem. You have done a tremendous job in building this exhibition. There is no doubt that I recommend everyone to go and see this exhibition.” What do you consider the most beautiful place in Jerusalem? “The Mahane Yehuda market. That’s really the heart of the city, almost 24 hours a day. I also really like Mishkenot Sha’ananim and the Western Wall.” What is it like to be Mayor of the most controversial city in the world? “That is a big and important question. It is a big responsibility. In Jerusalem, Jews, Muslims and Christians live together. Ultimately, we want to live together. As Mayor, I am responsible for ensuring that every resident of the city feels at home in our city and understands that we as a municipality are there for them.” Do you think all residents experience it this way, or is there still work to be done? “I admit that not everyone feels the way I would like them to feel. But we are improving the situation in the city. I feel responsible for all residents. We are building a lot of new classrooms: in the Orthodox Jewish neighbourhoods but also in the eastern part of the city. Unfortunately, there is a big gap between the east and the west of Jerusalem when it comes to education levels. Four years ago, we started to improve this.” Do you believe education is the key to improving the situation? “Education is one of the important keys to closing the gap. We have made a start. It is a long process, but we are up to the challenge.” You are religious. Both Jews and Christians pray for the coming of Messiah. Suppose He comes tomorrow. Have you prepared your speech already? “I am not sure if He will come tomorrow, but you have to pray for it. I think that when He comes, it will be a big miracle. We will welcome Him whenever He comes.” As a religious Jew, does it have a special meaning for you that you are the Mayor of Jerusalem and not of, say, Tel Aviv? Moshe Lion laughs: “Yes, it is part of my job that I get to welcome Messiah!” The Mayor’s advisor, Eliran Baruch, joins the conversation: “In the Jewish prayer book, the Siddur, it says that we must build Jerusalem, and this is what we are doing”. Shai Doron, director of the Jerusalem Foundation, jokingly adds: “The Mayor of Tel Aviv can lie on the beach every day. He does not have to prepare for the coming of Messiah.” When you retire, how would you like people to remember Moshe Lion, the Mayor of Jerusalem? “That I built up Jerusalem. That I was able to forge links between the different population groups of Jerusalem. Because we all have to live together in this city.” As Mayor of Jerusalem, what was your most difficult moment, and what was your most joyful moment? Moshe Lion pauses to think. “If I say that there are no difficult moments, it is not true. Every day is difficult in my position as Ma yor. Because you never know what is going to happen and what problems will come your way. I would say the most difficult moment for me was the disaster in Meron (where 45 people died on 30 April last year). Twenty families from Jerusalem had lost their lives. That was incredibly sad. And if you ask me about my highlight: every day is a highlight. My ultimate dream was to be the Mayor of Jerusalem. So every day is a reason to be grateful.” What is a Mezuzah? The Hebrew word mezuzah means ‘doorpost’. According to tradition, the mezuzah is affixed to the doorpost at the entrance to a Jewish home as well as at the entrance to each of the interior rooms except for bathrooms. The mezuzah itself consists of a small scroll of parchment (k’laf ) on which are written two biblical passages. The first is Deuteronomy 6:4–9, the second passage is Deuteronomy 11:13–21.

2. August 2022 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5782 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 JJ Glashouwer, President Rev Cornelis Kant, Executive Director PO 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 - Korea Rev Paul Wonil Jung, Director Suite 3, 37 Railway Parade, Eastwood NSW, Australia 2122 Tel: +61 410 430 677 email: c4israelkorea@gmail.com www.c4israelkorea.org Christians for Israel - USA David Sudlow, Chairman PO Box 400, Front Royal, VA 22630, USA 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. Funding the PA is Hypocritical Andrew Tucker n International Editor | Christians for Israel The world needs Israel in many ways. But are we willing to recognise this? When Israel was established in 1948, it was very weak. Emerging after the horrors of the Shoah and facing massive Arab opposition, the State of Israel was created through the sheer will of the Jewish people to fight for their national existence. Europe, as usual, sat on the fence and watched as the miracle unfolded. The Arab states tried to destroy the Jewish people, but miraculously Israel was established and survived. The Arab states grew richer through their massive oil and gas discoveries. They kept attacking Israel. After the last major attempt to destroy Israel failed in the 1973 ‘Yom Kippur’ war, the Arabs used their dominance in oil, plus the threats of Palestinian terror, to blackmail the West into complying with their demands. Europe succumbed. Thus began Europe’s policy of appeasing the Arab world and pressuring Israel to give in to Palestinian demands for statehood in the territory that had been promised as a Jewish National home. Today, the tables are turning. Israel is becoming a major global player. Europe, in contrast, is in dire straits – economically, politically, and spiritually. Gradually, Europe is discovering that it needs Israel more than Israel needs Europe. The latest example of this is the Memorandum of Understanding signed by Israel, Egypt and the European Union on 15 June that will see Israel export its natural gas to the EU. Following Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, Europe is suddenly faced with a massive problem of finding alternative energy supplies. The Eastern Mediterranean, as a whole, including Israel, has immense gas reserves that have been estimated to reach 10.8 trillion cubic meters of gas or roughly 5 per cent of the world’s gas reserves. This amount of gas has been estimated to be roughly equivalent to 76 years of gas consumption by the EU. Israel has already signed gas export agreements with Egypt and Jordan. The latest deal with the EU envisages Israel sending gas via pipe line to Egypt, which has facilities to liquify it for export to Greece, Italy and other EU countries by tankers. The EU and Israel are exploring further possibilities of cooperation. Two ways in which Europe plans to work with Israel, EU President von der Leyen said, is to lay the EuroAsia Interconnector, the world’s longest and deepest underwater power cable, connecting Israel to the EU electric grid via Cyprus and Greece. The other is the EastMed Pipeline, the world’s longest, also from Israel to Cyprus and Greece. Von der Leyen was recently in Israel. Receiving an honorary doctorate from Ben Gurion University, she spoke nice words about EU-Israeli cooperation and the need to confront antisemitism. “Europe and Israel are bound to be friends and allies... the history of Europe is the history of the Jewish people,” said von der Leyen. But the same day, von der Leyen visited Palestinian Authority leader Mohammed Shtayyeh in Ramallah, promising to renew EU funding (240 million euros per annum) to the PA after funding had been ceased due to concerns about Palestinian incitement to terror. This just shows that the EU wants to have it both ways. Renewing funding of the PA is outrageous when the PA continues to incite Palestinians to kill Jews. In 2021 alone, Ramallah distributed 841 million shekels ($240.75 million) through its ‘Martyrs’ Fund.’ Palestinian Media Watch has calculated that the PA spends 33.34 times more per capita paying terror rewards than it spends on health services for the Palestinian population. In other words, the EU’s financial support to the PA is being re-channelled euro-for- euro to reward Palestinians for killing Jews. The EU is also continuing efforts to renew an agreement with Iran, which is on a fast track to achieving nuclear capabilities and has sworn to wipe out the State of Israel. In this light, von der Leyen’s condemnation of antisemitism is thus hypocritical. Suppose the international community really wants to confront antisemitism. In that case, it must stop funding the PA and its related institutions until they terminate their ‘pay-for-slay’ policy and show they accept and support the existence of the Jewish State of Israel. Prayer Points By C4I Prayer Team Israel l Pray for a blessed summer for Israel. Pray for the protection of Israel against attacks from Gaza with fire balloons. Pray for protection against forest fires. Pray that many tourists will come to Israel and be impressed by the land and God’s chosen people. l Give thanks that God is bringing His people home to the land of Israel and that God’s faithfulness to Israel is eternal. Pray that the Jews who have returned to Israel from Ukraine will soon feel at home and that they will receive good help when they are struggling with traumas. l ‘On that day, I will set out to destroy all the nations that attack Jerusalem. And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication’ (Zechariah 12:9-10a). Pray for this outpouring of the Spirit of grace over Israel. Israel & the Nations l Recently, a high-ranking general was assassinated in Iran. Iran assumes that Israel is responsible and is seeking revenge. I ran released a list of names and photos of five Israelis who could be potential targets of an attack by the Iranian regime. Pray for the protection of Israel against Iran’s revenge. l ‘The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?’ (Psalm 118:6). l Pray for all Jews living outside Israel. Often they have to deal with antisemitism and do not feel safe in their country. Pray for the protection of these Jews and pray that they may be a blessing to the people around them. Christians for Israel l Even though we may not hear as much in the news about the war in Ukraine at the moment, the battle for the country continues, and the work of Koen and Ira Carlier and their team is still very important. Pray for a blessing on their work and pray that they will be able to provide food for the Jewish communities and help many Jews return to Israel. For daily Prayer Points, go to our website www.c4israel.com.au Israeli PM Naftali Bennett meets with European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem, on 14 June 2022. | Photo: Haim Zach/GPO. www.facebook.com/c4israelAUS

26.  5IePMPHZ Recommended Reading Johannes Gerloff n Theologian, Journalist, Lecturer & Author This is part six in a series of articles based on the book Rejoice, You Nations, with His People, by Johannes Gerloff (due for release in 2022). Paul says in Romans 9:3-4: “For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race, the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises.” In the Bible, a covenant confers a special status on a person or guarantees peace, success, salvation, atonement, or reconciliation. In contrast to some translations of this passage, Paul explicitly speaks in the plural of ‘covenants’ that belong to Israel. Let’s look at the following covenants mentioned in the Hebrew Bible: a) God’s Covenant with Abraham includes the following promises: Firstly, “you will be the father of a multitude of nations” (Genesis 17:4); and secondly, “to your seed I will give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates” (Genesis 15:18; compare Genesis 17:5-8; Exodus 6:4-5). In Abraham’s time, God made this covenant exclusively with the line of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (renamed Israel by God himself) and not with Abraham’s first-born son Ishmael. From the very beginning, this covenant has belonged to the ‘Israelites’ and cannot be transferred to anyone else (Genesis 17:18-21). b) God’s Covenant with Israel at Mount Sinai, in contrast to the covenant with Abraham, is conditional: “Now, if you will indeed listen to my voice and preserve my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession before all [other] nations” (Exodus 19:5). Israel’s covenantal obligations are best summarised in the ‘Ten Commandments’ (Exodus 20:1-17; Deuteronomy 5:5-22). Moses says; “not with our fathers did the Lord cut this covenant, but with us. We are the ones who stand here today all [together] alive” (Deuteronomy 5:3). The covenant of Mt Sinai had to be renewed over and over again in the course of Israel’s history: in the plains of Moab, before the Israelites entered t he land of Canaan (Deuteronomy 28:69; 29:8 14, 20); through Joshua in Shekhem (Joshua 24:25); through king Asa from Judah (2 Chronicles 15:12-15); at the coronation of Joash from Judah through the high priest Jehoiada (2 Chronicles 23:16); likewise through the kings Hezekiah (2 Chronicles 29:10), Josiah (2 Kings 23:2 3, 21; 2 Chronicles 34:30-33) and Zedekiah (Jeremiah 34:8, 10, 13, 15, 18); and finally, through the scribe Ezra after the return from the Babylonian captivity (Ezra 10:3). A further difference between these two covenants is that the covenant of Mt Sinai is never called an ‘eternal covenant’. Whenever Israel broke this covenant through her disobedience, God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Exodus 2:24; Leviticus 26:42,44-45; 2 Kings 13:23; Psalm 106:44-45; Luke 1:72), which is called an ‘eternal covenant’ more than once (Exodus 2:24; Leviticus 26:42,44-45; 2 Kings 13:23; Psalm 106:44-45; Luke 1:72; compare further Deuteronomy 4:31). c) The Sabbath Covenant could be seen as part of the covenant of Sinai. However, it is explicitly described as a ‘brit olam’ (‘eternal covenant’) in its own right. Furthermore, the connection of the Shabbat to God’s order of creation distinguishes it from the covenant of Mt Sinai. Finally, the Shabbat covenant has a special future significance for ‘eunuchs’ and ‘foreigners’ that is not found in the covenant of Mt Sinai (Exodus 31:12-17; Leviticus 24:8; Isaiah 56:4-7). d) God’s Covenant with Pinehas is: “my covenant of peace” and “the covenant of an everlasting priesthood” for Pinehas and his descendants. The priest Pinehas was distinguished by God “because he was zealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel” (See Numbers 25:10-13; this covenant is further mentioned in Nehemiah 13:29; Jeremiah 33:20-22 and Malachi 2:4-9). e) God’s Covenant with David is a ‘brit olam’ , an eternal covenant of an extraordinary quality, like the covenant with Pinehas. God’s covenant with David is as firm and unchanging as the order of His created universe (2 Samuel 23:5; Psalm 89:28-38; 132:11-13 and then especially also Jeremiah 33:20-22, 25-26). The prophet Nathan promises to this king of Israel and “man after God’s own heart,” a son who “shall build a house for my name. And I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever” (2 Samuel 7:13; compare Psalms 89:4-5). f) The New Covenant is called a ‘brit olam’ more often than any other covenant of the Bible (Isaiah 61:8; Jeremiah 32:40; 50:5; Ezekiel 16:59-62; 37:26). Of a totally different nature, it explicitly replaces the covenant of Mt Sinai. The covenant mediated by Moses had been broken so often that the Lord prophecies a new covenant which he intends to make “with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah”. This covenant includes not only complete forgiveness of all sins but also the placing of God’s instruction into their minds. The Torah will be written on their hearts. “No longer will they teach their neighbour, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord’, because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest” (Jeremiah 31:33-34). All these covenants define a special, exclusive and binding relationship between God and Israel. Behold, He Comes - the Book of Revelation By Rev. Willem J.J. Glashouwer Akitiara, 2020 This 572-page daily devotional contains short reflections on the Book of Revelation. Starting at the first verse of the first chapter of this last (and perhaps most difficult) book of the Bible – the revelation of Jesus Christ to His church - the author takes the reader day-by-day, step-by-step through the book. Every day, more of God’s treasures are shared. In this way, Jesus’ revelation of the purposes of God, which were gradually opened up to the Apostle John so that he could share it with the church, is revealed day-by-day to the reader in the 21st century. Each daily reflection is written in a very accessible style, with many Bible references to other books of the Bible. In this way, the reader gains a much more comprehensive and coherent perspective on the prophetic character of the Bible as a whole. By being immersed in God’s word, the reader is made more deeply aware of God’s sovereignty and the magnitude of His loving purposes of redemption for this broken world and fallen humanity through his only Son, Jesus Christ, who alone is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. Each daily portion gives a one-page explanation of the day’s verse, putting it into the context of the Bible as a whole. In addition, the author provides a few remarks that provoke the reader to further reflect on the significance of the portion. As such, the book encourages the reader to draw closer to God, trust Him, and draw comfort from the knowledge that God is in control of history. Jesus Christ will soon appear in great power and majesty. He calls us to a living, loving relationship with Him, our graceful Lord and Saviour. The author, Rev Willem JJ Glashouwer, is President of Christians for Israel International. He is an ordained minister of the Dutch Reformed Church and has written many Bible study books, including Why Israel? Why Jerusalem? and Why End Times? .?eirs are t?e oMenants Panoramic view from Mt Sinai, Israel. | Photo: Shutterstock August 2022 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5782 Stained glass image of Moses and the Ten Commandments. | Photo: Shutterstock .00 $ 36 If you would like to purchase this book, either complete the coupon on the back page of this newspaper, or purchase it through our website: c4israel.com.au/store or follow the link: https://myaccount.c4israel.com.au/shop/product/c4 ioz043bk-behold-he-comes-186?category=4

23. 15 August 2022 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5782 Article continued + New Australia Speaking Tour phenomenon. Those who have harvested grapes, pruned branches from vines, or placed a new sapling in Israel’s rocky soil have come away with an unforgettable story. Instead of only coming to Israel to observe what God is doing here, they have become a partner in God’s beautiful story of redemption. Instead of just seeing it with their eyes, they have gotten involved. I’ve heard it likened to giving up your seat in the audience to take your place on the main stage. It may seem simple. Come to Israel and participate in a volunteer program where you harvest grapes, plant trees, or prune vineyards. The reality of what is taking place, however, is deeper and more significant than any of us could ever imagine. Hundreds of prophecies that were written thousands of years ago in the Bible are now coming to pass right before our very eyes. And do you know what many of those prophecies speak about? They speak about agriculture, the mountains of Israel (Judea and Samaria), and the nations coming to participate. “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings glad tidings of good things, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!” (Isaiah 52:7) That means that the prophets of old literally predicted that people just like you would come and stand with the Jewish people in the Biblical heartland. They also predicted that Israel’s mountains would one day burst back to life after a period of desolation. “But you, O mountains of Israel, you shall shoot forth your branches and yield your fruit to My people Israel, for they are about to come.” (Ezekiel 36:8) Ready for a Life-Changing Trip to Israel? Tours are great. Personal trips to Israel can be great. We believe the secret ingredients for a truly life-changing experience when traveling to Israel, however, are these: • Serve the land and peopl e through a volunteer program. • Make sure to incl ude Israel’s biblical heartland (where more than 80% of our Bible was written or took place). • Be a part of biblical pr ophecy coming to life in Israel today. If this sounds like something you’d like to be a part of, check out the programs that we offer at www.ServeIsrael.com/ Volunteer . You can come for 2 weeks, 3 weeks, 6 weeks or even longer! Our volunteer programs are for everyone: men, women, young and old. Families are especially welcome! Since 2004, we’ve hosted more than 3,000 Christian volunteers from more than 30 countries to serve more than 50 small farmers all throughout Judea and Samaria. Most of them have gone home to report life-changing experiences. You don’t have to take our word for it though. Make sure to read and watch their real stories on our website. You too can go past the typical tour bus experience, get off the beaten track, and watch your faith come alive as you join a volunteer program in Israel’s Biblical heartland. Visit www.ServeIsrael.com/ Volunteer to learn more today. Sondra Oster Baras Sondra Oster Baras Sondra Oster Baras Sondra Oster Baras A resident of Samaria, a former attorney and studen t of the Bible, will share inspiring Biblical teachin gs while updating audiences on the unique challenges facing Israel today and especially as they impact t he brave pioneers who have settled in the Heartland of Biblical Israel. A Meeting You Won A Meeting You Won A Meeting You Won A Meeting You Won’ ’’ ’t Want to Miss! t Want to Miss! t Want to Miss! t Want to Miss!  Monday 5th September 12 Noon. NSW Parliament House, Macquarie Street, The McKell Room, Sydney NSW . Hosted by: Judy Russell. RSVP Tel: 0410 403 616 . Email: judy.russell@iinet.net.au.  Tuesday 6th September 7:30 PM. Vision Church, 1 Lithgow St, Fyshwick, Canberra, ACT . Contact: Jane O’Neill. Email: janeoneill@iinet.net.au.  Wednesday 7th September 7 for 7:30 PM. Home of Fay and Tom Ganly . 2 Queen St . Surrey Hills VIC 3127 RSVP: austerbow2004@yahoo.com.au. Tel: 0398 363 201 (h) Mobile: 0409 836 757  Thursday 8th September 2 PM . Sunbury Bapst Church. 207 Gap Rd., Sunbury, VIC 3127. Contact: Lois Gallus. Email: lggallus@icloud.com. Tel: 0417 252 726  Thursday 8th September 7 PM Prayer Centre Unit 8, 1154 Burwood Highway, Upper Ferntree Gully VIC 3156 Contact: Mariana Jack. Tel: 0402 723 330  Sunday 11th September Millaa Millaa Fellowship . Details TBA. Millaa Millaa, QLD . Contact: Lyndon Hockey Email: lyndon@hockeymachinery.com  Monday 12th September 7 PM Neil St Centre, 10 Neil St., Toowoomba, QLD . Contact: Barry Rodgers OAM. Email: barry@emugully.com.au. Tel: 0 428 662 528.  Tuesday 13th September 7 PM Home of Brigie and Henry Reich, 34-36 Clithero Avenue, Buderim, QLD . Tel: 0754 766 070 (h), 0431 215 657 (mob). Email: reichs285@me.com .  Wednesday 14th September 6:30 for 7 PM. Home of Lyn and George Pleasance . 21 Trafford Street, Chermside West, Brisbane QLD. Tel: 0733 504 169 (h), 0434 516 727 (mob). Email : georgepleasance7@gmail.com . A light supper will be served. A free will love offering will be received to help the ongoing work of CFOIC Heartland in Isra el. Israeli Elections: Judea and Samaria in the Face of Ongoing Stalemate

28. n Rev Henk Poot Christians for Israel Netherlands Rosh Hashanah is the beginning of the year in the seventh month, the month of Tishri. It is called this way because the Sabbath and Jubilee years are counted from this day. The Bible calls it the Feast of Trumpets or rather of blowing the shofar (Leviticus 23:23). Rosh Hashanah is the first of ten days ending with the Day of Atonement. These days are also called the Days of Awe. Rosh Hashanah recalls the very first days of the world, ending with the day of the creation of man. The time of creation must correspond to the autumn, the time of Rosh Hashanah, for when the trees were created on the third day, they bore ripe fruit (Genesis 2:8-9). In Israel, it is the time of the late harvest. On Rosh Hashanah and on the Day of Atonement, the shofar is blown a hundred times as a call for repentance and self-examination. That is how the year begins! According to tradition, the Shofarot (blasts on the shofar ) call to mind as many as ten things: 1. You are a creature of God 2. Your destination, your vocation, is life with God. 3. You have received God’s word, His instruction. The gift of the Torah at Sinai was also accompanied by the sound of the shofar (Exodus 19:19). 4. The destruction of the temple because of sin. 5. The danger that surrounds Israel in this broken and disconnected world. In this sense, the blowing of the shofar on New Year’s Day is also an alarm (Joel 2:15). 6. The day of judgment. This is only a rehearsal of the day of the final judgment. 7. The sacrifice of Isaac and the complete dedication of the fathers to God. Their merits. 8. God remembers His covenant with Israel. 9. God’s love is greater than His wrath. 10. And finally, the redemption of Israel and the gathering of all God’s people is remembered (Isaiah 27:12-13). Prayers On New Year’s Eve, special prayers are said, consisting of verses from the Bible: a. The Malchuyot (‘Kingships’), proclaiming God’s Kingship; b. The Zichronot (remembrances), calling to mind the faithfulness of God; c. and the Shofarot, verses that speak of blowing the trumpet. Sermon on the Mount I am convinced that it was during this period that Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount with the answer to the question of how to pray and teach about fasting, about prayer in the inner chamber, about almsgiving and about forgiving each other as a prerequisite of receiving forgiveness from God. These are the themes of the Days of Awe still considered in Judaism. I believe that the Gospels and the Apostolic letters are full of references to the Ten Days of Awe! To give just one example: Maimonides, the great medieval Jewish lawgiver and philosopher, writes concerning Rosh Hashanah: “Awake, ye who are in a daze and ye who are in a deep sleep: who in the unreality of this age have forgotten the truth and run after the trifles, look within yourselves.” Then Paul in Romans 13:8, “Owe no one anything but to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.” Romans 13:11, “And do this, understanding the present time, the hour has already come for you to wake from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here!” The New Testament proclaims that the Lord Jesus is the one to whom God has given the judgement. John 5:28: “Do not be amazed at this, for time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice, and will come out—those who have done what is good, will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned.” And Christ will gather the nations and judge them on how they have treated his own brothers and sisters (Matthew 25). And now? I am alive, I am a creature of God, I am walking around, and the time is near, the summer, the heat is over. How do we prepare ourselves? What did Jesus say? By fasting, prayer, mercy and love. Prayer: Our Father, your Kingdom come, but also pray for peace for Jerusalem. Mercy: We also hear God say (Isaiah 40:1): “Comfort, comfort my people. Tell her that her suffering is over.” A cup of water, a garment to wrap oneself in against the cold, as a symbol of the love for God’s people after all the hardships after all the guilt also of the church. Summer is over, a new season is about to begin, we say, and in the synagogue, we hear the shofar sounding, not once, not twice, as many as a hundred times, and we are searching for our destination. How radiant the church will be when Christ will come and find His church at the side of the children of His people. 12 Biblical Reflection August 2022 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5782 Did You Know? Rosh Hashanah - 5783 The name Rosh Hashanah translates into ‘head of the year’ or ‘first of the year’. It signifies the beginning of the Jewish high holidays. It is also called the Jewish New Year. Special Greeting People wish each other a Shana tovah umetukah , meaning a good and sweet year. Food During Rosh Hashanah, people eat sweet foods, including: Ÿ a round of challah bread - symbolising fullness and completion; Ÿ apples dipped in honey - symbolising their prayer for a sweet new year. Shofar The shofar is a curved ram’s horn. It’s a 3000 year-old musical instrument that is blown like a trumpet. The blasts of the shofar revitalise the soul and intelligence of all who hear it during the holiday. The Numbers 2 days and nights. 1st of the month of Tishrei. 10 days of repentance begin on Rosh Hashannah and end on Yom Kippur. 23rd chapter of Levitcus (verse 23-25): Rosh Hashanah, or the Feast of Trumpets is mentioned. 100 blast are blown on the shofar on both days of Rosh Hashanah in most communities. 613 seeds of a pomegranate symbolise mitzvot or commandments of the Torah. It is customary to eat the first pomegranates of the new harvest on Rosh Hashanah. Rosh Hashanah Orthodox Jew blows a long Yemenite shofar for Rosh Hashanah. | Photo: Shutterstock

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(BOOK) by Willem Glashouwer $25 each ____________ Understanding Israel and world events from a Biblical perspective Israel & Christians Today is the premier publication of Christians for Israel 6-7 Update on Ukraine 3 Who Killed Abu Akleh? 9 “Every Day is a Reason to be Grateful” 16 Coming Home to Israel from Ethiopia Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid hold a joint press conference at the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem on 20 June 2022. | Photo: Flash90 Israel is heading again to elections – the fifth election in less than four years. On 30 June 2022, Israel’s 24th Knesset (Parliament) was disbanded. The Prime Minister for the past year, Naftali Bennett, stepped down as PM and was replaced by Yair Lapid, who will remain Prime Minister until the elections, which will be held in October. In an emotional speech, Bennett announced that he was withdrawing from politics. He handed over leadership of the Yamina party to Ayalet Shaked and will not run in the next elections. This was the most unusual government in Israel’s history. It comprised parties from across the political spectrum. Perhaps the most remarkable aspect was that the coalition government included the Ra’am Party (United Arab List), an Islamic/Arab party which is linked to the Muslim Brotherhood. Many predicted the coalition would not last long. It lasted a whole year. Some have praised the government as a unique attempt to bring unity across the political spectrum and for including an Arab party in the government. Others have criticized it as a dangerous experiment, unworkable and unable to make major decisions because of diverging interests. Former PM Benjamin Netanyahu, who has headed the opposition over the last year, has been a vicious critic of the government, which was formed on the platform of ousting Netanyahu. Netanyahu seems to be preparing to run again in the upcoming elections. The political landscape in Israel has become more splintered, and the culture more polarised and divisive. As this edition of Israel & Christians Today shows, Israel faces many threats, both internal and external. Perhaps most alarming is that it is believed that Iran is possibly now capable of producing nuclear weapons. Now, more than ever, Israel needs unity and a strong and stable government that can make the necessary decisions to remove the threats the nation faces. Israel’s Political Turmoil “But you, mountains of Israel, will produce branches and fruit for My people Israel, for they will soon come home. I am concerned for you and will look on you with favour; you will be ploughed and sown, and I will cause many people to live on you—yes, all of Israel. The towns will be inhabited and the ruins rebuilt. I will increase the number of people and animals living on you, and they will be fruitful and become n umerous. I will settle people on you as in the past and will make you prosper more than before. Then you will know tha t I am the Lord. I will cause people, My people Israel, to live on you. They will possess you, and you will be their inheritance; you will never again deprive them of their children.” Ezekiel 36:8-12 August 2022 Av - Elul 5782 www.c4israel.com.au | info@c4israel.com.au AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIA Understanding Israel and world events from a Biblical perspective Israel & Christians Today is the premier publication of Christians for Israel 6-7 Update on Ukraine 3 Who Killed Abu Akleh? 9 “Every Day is a Reason to be Grateful” 16 Coming Home to Israel from Ethiopia Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid hold a joint press conference at the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem on 20 June 2022. | Photo: Flash90 Israel is heading again to elections – the fifth election in less than four years. On 30 June 2022, Israel’s 24th Knesset (Parliament) was disbanded. The Prime Minister for the past year, Naftali Bennett, stepped down as PM and was replaced by Yair Lapid, who will remain Prime Minister until the elections, which will be held in October. In an emotional speech, Bennett announced that he was withdrawing from politics. He handed over leadership of the Yamina party to Ayalet Shaked and will not run in the next elections. This was the most unusual government in Israel’s history. It comprised parties from across the political spectrum. Perhaps the most remarkable aspect was that the coalition government included the Ra’am Party (United Arab List), an Islamic/Arab party which is linked to the Muslim Brotherhood. Many predicted the coalition would not last long. It lasted a whole year. Some have praised the government as a unique attempt to bring unity across the political spectrum and for including an Arab party in the government. Others have criticized it as a dangerous experiment, unworkable and unable to make major decisions because of diverging interests. Former PM Benjamin Netanyahu, who has headed the opposition over the last year, has been a vicious critic of the government, which was formed on the platform of ousting Netanyahu. Netanyahu seems to be preparing to run again in the upcoming elections. The political landscape in Israel has become more splintered, and the culture more polarised and divisive. As this edition of Israel & Christians Today shows, Israel faces many threats, both internal and external. Perhaps most alarming is that it is believed that Iran is possibly now capable of producing nuclear weapons. Now, more than ever, Israel needs unity and a strong and stable government that can make the necessary decisions to remove the threats the nation faces. Israel’s Political Turmoil “But you, mountains of Israel, will produce branches and fruit for My people Israel, for they will soon come home. I am concerned for you and will look on you with favour; you will be ploughed and sown, and I will cause many people to live on you—yes, all of Israel. The towns will be inhabited and the ruins rebuilt. I will increase the number of people and animals living on you, and they will be fruitful and become numerous. I will settle people on you as in the past and will make you prosper more than before. Then you will know that I am the Lord. I will cause people, My people Israel, to live on you. They will possess you, and you will be their inheritance; you will never again deprive them of their children.” Ezekiel 36:8-12 August 2022 Av - Elul 5782 www.c4israel.com.au | info@c4israel.com.au AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIA Understanding Israel and world events from a Biblical perspective Israel & Christians Today is the premier publication of Christians for Israel 6-7 Update on Ukraine 3 Who Killed Abu Akleh? 9 “Every Day is a Reason to be Grateful” 16 Coming Home to Israel from Ethiopia Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid hold a joint press conference at the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem on 20 June 2022. | Photo: Flash90 Israel is heading again to elections – the fifth election in less than four years. On 30 June 2022, Israel’s 24th Knesset (Parliament) was disbanded. The Prime Minister for the past year, Naftali Bennett, stepped down as PM and was replaced by Yair Lapid, who will remain Prime Minister until the elections, which will be held in October. In an emotional speech, Bennett announced that he was withdrawing from politics. He handed over leadership of the Yamina party to Ayalet Shaked and will not run in the next elections. This was the most unusual government in Israel’s history. It comprised parties from across the political spectrum. Perhaps the most remarkable aspect was that the coalition government included the Ra’am Party (United Arab List), an Islamic/Arab party which is linked to the Muslim Brotherhood. Many predicted the coalition would not last long. It lasted a whole year. Some have praised the government as a unique attempt to bring unity across the political spectrum and for including an Arab party in the government. Others have criticized it as a dangerous experiment, unworkable and unable to make major decisions because of diverging interests. Former PM Benjamin Netanyahu, who has headed the opposition over the last year, has been a vicious critic of the government, which was formed on the platform of ousting Netanyahu. Netanyahu seems to be preparing to run again in the upcoming elections. The political landscape in Israel has become more splintered, and the culture more polarised and divisive. As this edition of Israel & Christians Today shows, Israel faces many threats, both internal and external. Perhaps most alarming is that it is believed that Iran is possibly now capable of producing nuclear weapons. Now, more than ever, Israel needs unity and a strong and stable government that can make the necessary decisions to remove the threats the nation faces. Israel’s Political Turmoil “But you, mountains of Israel, will produce branches and fruit for My people Israel, for they will soon come home. I am concerned for you and will look on you with favour; you will be ploughed and sown, and I will cause many people to live on you—yes, all of Israel. The towns will be inhabited and the ruins rebuilt. I will increase the number of people and animals living on you, and they will be fruitful and become numerous. I will settle people on you as in the past and will make you prosper more than before. Then you will know that I am the Lord. I will cause people, My people Israel, to live on you. They will possess you, and you will be their inheritance; you will never again deprive them of their children.” Ezekiel 36:8-12 August 2022 Av - Elul 5782 www.c4israel.com.au | info@c4israel.com.au AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIA Please post cheque or money order to: Christians for Israel Australia Inc (don’t use staples) 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 ICT0822 4 3 SOCIAL WELFARE PROJECTS $ ___________ $ ___________ Hineni soup kitchen Jerusalem ($10 per cooked meal) SOS Ukraine: Emergency Aid Appeal $ ___________ Holocaust Survivor Comfort Ukraine ($50 or best gift) $ ___________ Meals on Wheels Ukraine ($10 per cooked meal) $ ___________ $ ___________ Help Ethiopian Jews make Aliyah ($875 per person) First Home in the Homeland in Israel ($350 pp) $ ___________ $ ___________ Food Parcels Ukraine ($15 per parcel for 1 month/pp) ADI (for children with disabilities) $30 or your best gift $ ___________ CFOIC (Judea and Samaria) Heartland ($30 or your best gift) 2 ALIYAH—BRING THE JEWS HOME $350 One Person from Ukraine* $6250 One Busload from Ukraine (25 persons)* $1460 Bnei Menashe—Asian exiles (1 person) $1250 One Family from Ukraine (5 persons)* *NOTE: Certificates for individuals and families from Ukraine only. Office Phone Number: 07 3088 6900 MEMBER ID (IF KNOWN) : C4IA + while stocks last 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 16 From Our Projects Marie-Louise Weissenböck n Christians for Israel Austria As the rescue mission in Ukraine continues, another wave of immigration is taking place from Ethiopia. Families that have long been separated are being reunited. Israel has committed to bring home up to 3,000 Ethiopian Jews before the end of 2022 as part of its ongoing emergency airlift known as Operation Tzur Yisrael (‘Rock of Israel’). Here are some interesting facts given by Danielle Mor, Vice President, Israel and Global Philanthropy and Director of Christian Friends of The Jewish Agency: How many Ethiopian Jews have come to Israel in the past years? Since the establishment of the State, 95,000 Ethiopians have emigrated to Israel with the help of the Israeli government and The Jewish Agency. In the mid-1980s, approximately 8,000 immigrants arrived through Operation Moses through Sudan. In 1991, 14,000 immigrants arrived as part of Operation Solomon. In the summer of 2013, The Jewish Agency completed its leadership of Operation Dove’s Wings, which brought 7,000 immigrants from Ethiopia. To date, more than 2,000 new migrants have arrived during the ongoing Operation Tzur Israel. In November 2021, the Government of Israel renewed Operation Tzur Israel, enabling an additional 3,000 immigrants to unite with their first-degree relatives in Israel. The flights are planned to take place during the next few months. Why does it take so long for some Ethiopian families to be reunited? The reality is that persecution, communism, and the history of the Jews in Ethiopia created a base for life unique in the world. The Government of Israel has had to make difficult decisions in light of this reality. Beta Israel (Ethiopian Jews) appear to have been isolated from mainstream Jewish communities for at least a millennium. They suffered religious persecution, and a significant portion of the community were forced into Christianity during the 19th and 20th centuries; those converted to Christianity came to be known as the Falash Mura. This Christian name given to Ethiopian Jews is derogatory, ‘Falash’ meaning intruder, landless, wanderer. They were not allowed to own land or turn over land to the next generation. Many converted in the hope that they would be accepted by Christians, which did not happen. Some converted under pressure, others voluntarily. But they continue to identify with the Jewish people and faith, and they have close relatives already living in Israel. Therefore, in 2015 the Israeli government approved the resumption of the Ethiopian Aliyah to reunite these separated families. The condition is for applicants to complete a successful Jewish conversion process. Can you tell us something about the yearning of Ethiopian Jews to come to Israel? In Ethiopia, all Jews want to make Aliyah. Beit ha Israel (Beta Israel) is a community that has been praying for this all their lives and believe that it can happen at any moment. The worst threat a parent can give their child is, “if you are naughty, we will not take you to Jerusalem.” It is not only about preparing to come to Israel, but to come to Zion, to Jerusalem. In the fall of 2022 a plane with Ethiopian Olim, sponsored wholly by Christians for Israel will land at Ben Gurion Airport. Together, we can help these Ethiopian Jews reach their dream of returning to Zion! Please help the Ethiopian Jews who are eligible to make Aliyah and reunite them with their families! To donate, complete the coupon below. Coming Home to Israel from Ethiopia August 2022 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5782 Ethiopian young woman especially dressed in blue and white for her Aliyah. | Photo: Marie-Louise Weissenböck Ethiopian Olim after arriving in Israel. | Photo: Marie-Louise Weissenböck