19. 9 August 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5781 - Tishrei 5782 Upcoming SCAFI Virtual Event in 2021

13. 3 August 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5781 - Tishrei 5782 An Update from the Ministry of ICEJ

32. Marnix van Ede n Keshet Journeys Experience and learn about the land that Jesus called home through a 360 virtual technology. People can gain tremendous knowledge as a tour guide from the comfort of their own home along with international experts and scholars in Christianity, Hebraic roots and more. Keshet Journeys, a tour operator based in Israel, has released a new virtual course with content and biblical reflections with the latest 3D and 360 virtual technologies. The programme, ‘Tour Leaders Course’, consists of a variety of content and virtual tours of the biblical and modern sites in Israel, explained, preached and reflected like never before by well-known international Pastors and influencers, such as Nathaniel Buzzolic, Pastors Todd and Julie Mullins, Mark Varughese, and Glyn Barrett. “This is a great opportunity for leaders and people to develop and learn more about the Holy Land in a deeper way. We see the impact of our tours on people’s lives and how much it strengthens them in their walk of faith. The Holy Land is, in our perspective, the best educational tool to teach the Bible. The online course combines teachings of top-level Israeli educators and experts, virtual tours to Biblical sites with our best tour guides, and input from pastors from around the world who love to tour the Land.” says Moshe Gabay, host and moderator of the tour leaders’ course by Keshet Journeys. Before the pandemic, Israel broke records for the number of incoming tourists, expecting to double its visits within the next few years. The lack of Christian or Messianic tour guides was becoming complicated, as having a Christian group, one of the requests was to have a believer (Christian or Messianic) tour guide. Someone on the same spiritual level or at least understanding. This created the opportunity to develop this programme, giving the right tools t o lead a group through Israel, being equipped with the knowledge of a tour guide, and the capability to provide a spiritual message in the context of the Bible. The interactive content of the programme consists of over 20 live broadcast webinars on a weekly basis and on- demand teaching videos. Upon completion of this course, the user will be able to lead tours for Keshet Journeys or any other tour operator or travel agent. The course combines different fields of expertise, thus offering a far broader approach than traditional seminary training. The local educators in the curriculum are considered to be worldwide leading experts in their respective fields. Seasoned and skilled in the Land of the Bible, they are able to share unparalleled information and perspectives. In addition, leading pastors provide spiritual input and insights, bridging the past, the present, and the future. ‘Coming to Israel changed my life, I learned so much about this small area with endless history. My faith grew and helped me to get a deeper understanding in the Word of God. However, it is not easy to accumulate so much information in just a few days of trip in Israel, people need weeks to get to know and familiarize themselves with it. This course immerses you into a deeper understanding of the Bible in a 360 experience, which means you will be basically on the site where the events you are reading happened. Now is the time to bring the message to others, today is the day to engage more people for Him’ says the Christian influencer and teaches on the virtual programme of Caesarea Philippi, Nathaniel Buzolic @natebuzz. The course is a unique opportunity to gain tremendous knowledge of the homeland of Jesus from the comfort of your own home. Pastors, leaders, and anyone who would like to lead tours to Israel or wants to learn about the Land of the Bible are invited to take part in this mission. The course is available on www.israeltourleader.com. While the first limited amount of vaccinated tourists traveling in groups arrived a few weeks ago, further easing regulations will hopefully follow. We hope to welcome you in the Land that Jesus called home soon. 14 Column | News August 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5781 - Tishrei 5782 Carly Douglas n The Australian Jewish News Students at one of Australia’s top journalism schools are being taught not to be objective on the Israeli-Palestinian issue. Two Jewish students at the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) said they were left frustrated and upset after attending a Zoom panel event entitled ‘Palestine and the media’, presented by the UTS Centre for Social Justice & Inclusion and Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences in June 2021. Head of Journalism Professor Saba Bebawi began the panel noting that “what recording reality is, is not objective journalism, it is about offering a portrayal of what’s happening on the ground”. Palestinian writer Samah Sabawi questioned, “What is being objective when you’re dealing with an occupier and occupied, when you’re dealing with an oppressor and the oppressed?” while Jewish Israel critic Antony Loewenstein said, “Objectivity suggests there’s two equal sides.” Bebawi also alleged Israel’s bombing of a Gaza building that housed Hamas military technology alongside the offices of Al Jazeera and Associated Press “was in an attempt to silence them”. Students were also encouraged to look at a skewed petition the AJN reported on last month that calls on editors to “deliberately make space for Palestinian perspectives”, avoid “both-siderism” and respect the rights of journalists “to publicly and openly express personal solidarity with the Palestinian cause without penalty in their professional lives”. Student Pnina Hagege told the AJN, “Having a panel who are all pro-Palestine does not give a correct depiction of what is actually going on. We are given a lot of resources from the Arab-Palestinian perspective but we are given only Jewish perspectives that are anti-Israel ... They’re using the minority to represent our entire community and that’s a really scary thing.” Hagege said she and another Jewish student Rachel Palmer, along with other Jewish students, submitted questions to an active chat box but were ignored. Palmer said, “During my time at UTS, Jewish voices supporting Israel have never been heard. This has contributed to a sense of exclusion, marginalisation, discrimination and physical insecurity I feel as a Jewish student at UTS.” Bebawi did not respond to multiple requests for comment, however executive director of Social Justice at UTS, Verity Firth, who moderated the panel, said, “It is not always possible or even desirable to include representatives with every opposing view.” She added that a recent talk on cybercrime at the university was given by an Israeli speaker. Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Alex Ryvchin said UTS was drawing “a false equivalence between the mere holding of an event with an Israeli speaker and an event which sought to actively persuade journalism students to abandon basic journalist ethics and become activists for the Palestinian cause”. “Much has been said and written about declining faith in journalist standards and the spread of dubious alternative news sources as a result. This event is a perfect illustration of why that’s happening,” he said. Meanwhile at Macquarie University, a student told the AJN during the first lecture in her Indigenous studies class this year, her lecturer presented a map that replaced Israel with ‘Palestine’. Then recently, another Indigenous studies lecturer began a lecture with, “We want to express our solidarity with the Palestinian intifada currently unfolding, which seeks the abolition of the settler state and insists on the liberation of Indigenous land.” At Melbourne University, a Jewish student said a lecture compared “what has happened in Australia to other settler colonial movements, being Israel and Palestine”. A co-director of the ‘Indigenous Settler Relations Collaboration’ (ISRC) unit at Melbourne University also shared multiple Twitter posts encouraging students to attend pro-Palestine rallies and events, with hashtags like Decolonising PalestinianTerritory. The ISRC unit also released a statement saying it “stands in solidarity with Palestinians resisting settler colonial violence”. “We recognise the ongoing authority of Palestinian people over their lands and the legitimacy of their revolt against this dispossession,” it continued. Asked whether this was justification for Hamas violence, a university spokesperson said the statement “is not intended to be teaching and learning material”. Australasian Union of Jewish Students (AUJS) president Gabrielle Agosin said AUJS had been contacted by many students in both Sydney and Melbourne “deeply distressed by the heavily biased and one-sided accounts of the events in Israel on campus”. “Given that universities are supposed to be spaces that endorse freedom of thought and expression, the lack of balance is very troubling,” she added, “particularly when this veers into antisemitic tropes and outright racism. The AUJS team is here to assist students if they have any difficulties on campus.” Ryvchin said, “We will be liaising with our state c onstituent bodies in Victoria and New South Wales and universities to address these incidents as a matter of urgency.” Journalism Students Taught One Sided Learn about the Land Jesus Called Home

23. 13 August 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5781 - Tishrei 5782 Keith Buxton Former National Director of Bridges for Peace Australia Some Thoughts on Leadership Transition Much has been written and many opinions aired on Israel’s recent election and subsequent leadership transition, which prompts me to share some thoughts drawn from the upcoming Torah portion named Vayelech—Deuteronomy 31:1-30. The final chapters of Deuteronomy cover the end of the life of Moses and record the transfer of leadership of the Israelites to Joshua. In this chapter, Moses offers some final words of encouragement to the nation and to Joshua, his appointed and anointed successor, and it is on these encouragements that I would like to focus. This Torah passage is read regularly by Jewish people on a special Shabbat, the Shabbat that falls between Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, and Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement and the holiest day of the Jewish biblical calendar, and the culmination of what are often referred to as the Ten Days of Awe. Around 85% of Israel’s population fasts on Yom Kippur, which falls this year on 15-16 September. This fast is a total abstention from all food and liquids, brings to an end an annual time of prayer, self-examination and repentance, and is marked by a resolve to put right all wrong relationships and be reconciled with God, our fellow human beings, and with ourselves. We turn first to Deuteronomy 31:14: ‘Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, the days approach when you must die; call Joshua, and present yourselves in the tabernacle of meeting, that I may inaugurate him.”’ Earlier during the journey of the Israelites through the wilderness, the Israelites had yet again grumbled and complained because there was no water, and Moses expressed his frustration with them, striking the rock at Kadesh twice with his rod, instead of doing what the Lord had clearly commanded and just speaking to the rock. Moses was and had been for a long time the leader of all God’s people - but here he did not follow the Lord’s clear and unmistakable command, and in no uncertain terms he was told in Numbers 20:12: “Therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.” Here we see illustrated the important principle that those in positions of leadership need to be held accountable to especially high standards. As we follow the news today, it appears so often that few people want to be held accountable, at times including, sadly, spiritual leaders. This does not mean of course that everyone else can do what they want without accountability—far from it. The Bible is clear that all people of faith are called to reflect in their lives godly characteristics. Of course, we all fail. We all need daily the empowering of the Holy Spirit, undergirded by a lively awareness that God calls us to live in such a way that we represent Him effectively in an increasingly godless world. As Christian believers, we are reminded by Jesus in Matthew 5:14 that “You are the light of the world.” Jesus then goes on to say in verse 16: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Did you grasp the significance of Jesus’ words? Christian believers are the light of the world - not may be, or should be, or should try to be! We are light in an increasingly dark world. When we fail, or sin, when we disobey our Lord, we do not lose our inheritance as beloved children in our Father’s family. What we do lose is our effectiveness, and quite likely our peace and our joy. Our light is dim. And that breaks our Father’s heart, for He has not only called us to make a difference in this world, but has equipped us with the power of His Spirit to be obedient to His leading, and fruitful in our daily lives. Those in leadership, however, have a level of influence in the lives of others that justifies an especially high level of accountability. As I read Moses’ words to the people in this chapter, I do not sense that there is in his heart any bitterness regarding his inability to enter the Land. Moses shows that he accepts the profoundly serious consequences for his actions and the judgment he received from the Lord, hard though it must have been to do so. In today’s world, where so many in leadership seem to make excuses or blame others for their own actions, Moses’ example should be a powerful lesson to us all. In Deuteronomy 34:7 we read: “Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died. His eyes were not dim, nor his natural vigour diminished.” It was with vigour and resolve that Moses went about the task assigned to him by God to appoint his successor. Try and imagine for a moment how he feels. Moses knows now that his time on earth is up, and it is vital that the Israelites have confidence in their new leader. The Israelites are facing an immense challenge. They are near the end of their forty-year- long journey from Egypt to Israel, and before long their leader will no longer be with them. Effective leadership transition is vital in all kinds of situations, as we see elsewhere in the Scriptures in the case of Elijah and Elisha, and Paul and Timothy. Moses had been mightily used by God. But now it was time for a new leader. Whenever there is a transition from a seasoned and godly leader to his successor, a passing of the baton, questions inevitably arise in the minds of those who for so long have been used to a strong leader with his unique style, gifting and personality. How much this would apply in this instance! Moses would seem irreplaceable, despite all the complaining he had to deal with. He had challenged the all-powerful Pharaoh, led the Israelites out of slavery, and even spoken with God face to face— panim el panim. And now, importantly, Moses demonstrates unqualified support for and confidence in Joshua his successor. This is why Moses was one of the greatest leaders ever. Joshua we know had been Moses’ assistant for a long time. Joshua was instrumental in the defeat of the Amalekites early on in the wilderness years; he accompanied Moses on Mount Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments from God; when the Lord told Moses to send men to spy out the land of Canaan, Joshua proved himself to have courage despite the fears of the majority. Joshua was around Moses all the time— learning, watching, growing, and inevitably maturing. I’m reminded of a 5-step leadership development model popularized by Dave Ferguson in his leadership book “Exponential”: I do, you watch; I do, you help; you do, I help, we talk; you do, I watch, we talk; you do, someone else watches (where the process of reproducing comes full circle). We can be encouraged by the example of Joshua in countless situations, that those who would be godly leaders must stand for what is right even when everyone else wants to do wrong. Spiritual leaders must not be intimidated or allow fear to control them. Rabbi Ariel Yeshurun makes an important further point: “The Talmud explains that the greatness of Joshua was that he stayed by Moses’ side day-in, day-out. Joshua didn’t perform any incredible heroics that earned him front-page headlines. But in his own quiet and consistent way, Joshua made it his priority to emulate Moshe and learn the lessons of leadership. “He started from rock bottom as the Talmud says: Joshua came to the synagogue early each morning to help set up the chairs! Humble acts of dedication are valued more than dramatic demonstrations of bravery. Teachers, public servants, dedicated parents are true Jewish heroes and leaders.” There are some good lessons there! And so Joshua was ready, and he needed to be ready. Battles were ahead of him! The Israelites in the early part of this gathering to inaugurate Joshua as the new leader were told by Moses that God under Joshua would go before them and defeat their enemies, as we read in Deuteronomy 31:3-6. But alas it is not all good news! In verses 27 and 29 Moses tells the Israelites what the Lord has just told him, namely that once in the Land the people of Israel will turn away from their covenant with God, their rebellion, corruption and idolatry so deep that He will hide His face from them. More Pastoral Insights from Keith Buxton Joshua to Succeed Moses, Numbers 27:18-23 Article continued overleaf...

10. 8 C4I Events August 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5781 - Tishrei 5782 Chiara Canciani n Christians for Israel Italy After a long period of worldwide lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic, a war against the terrorist organisation Hamas and a just-installed new Bennet- Lapid Government coalition, the Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast (JPB) was held in Jerusalem on 9-10 June 2021. First organised in 2017 on the occasion of the celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the unification of Jerusalem, the capital of the State of Israel, this year the Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast was in its fifth edition. Due to the corona restrictions that were still in effect, the Conference was partially held in person (around 70 people attended in person, of which approximately 25 came from abroad) and partially online (around 1.5 million people followed the event from over 100 different countries in the five continents). Miraculously, I was able to meet the Israeli Government’s conditions, travel to Israel, and be part of the Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast representing Christians for Israel. That was an immense privilege for me. For the first time in my life, I saw a Jerusalem without crowds of tourists, with many shops still with shutters down and the local population amazed to see people arriving from abroad. In my opinion, in this climate, it has been very significant that the doors of the Knesset were opened for the first time after the lockdown just for a delegation of Christian leaders who love and support Israel. Indeed the main concern expressed by all the speakers (MKs, Christian leaders and politicians) is the new wave of anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism that not only Israel is facing from terrorist organisations, supported by countries whose aim is to destroy the State of Israel, but that also Jews around the world (especially across Europe and the ‘western democratic nations’) in recent months. As never before, as Christians, we are called to be like Ruth in the Bible: “Your people will be my people and your God my God” (Ruth 1:16) Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast Participants at the 5th Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast in front of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 1. JPB booklet; 2: Chiara Canciani and Danila Pisani (C4I Italy) with Albert Veksler (JPB founder); 3: C4I Italy with Rabbi Yehudah Glick (former MK); 4: C4I Italy with Rabbi Tuly Weisz (Israel 365 founder). Chiara Canciani n Christians for Israel Italy “Till now the Lord has helped us”. Using the same words as the prophet Samuel, the Christians for Israel Italy team, thank the Lord for His faithfulness during the past 10 years. At our opening Marie-Louise Weissenböck said in her opening message: “we were full of plans and dreams”. We have realised many of those plans and dreams with God’s help and grace. Over the past 10 years we have seen the C4I-Italy team growing, especially with young people and students. On 3 July 2021, we celebrated the 10th anniversary of C4I Italy in Verona. After a long period of lockdown, it was the first event in person. The celebration started with music and songs including the national anthems of both Israel and Italy, to remind us that Italy should walk and stand with Israel. Then we had three sessions of teaching from Rev Willem JJ Glashouwer explaining in a profound and Bible-based way, “Why Israel?”, “Why Jerusalem?” and “Why end times?”. Violin’s music (by Maestro Gianni Cardillo) accompanied us during the celebrations which ended, like every birthday party, by cutting the cake and with a LeChaim toast. Christians for Israel Italy was founded ten years ago, by Edda Fogarollo, Chiara Canciani, Teresa Mollo with Rev Willem JJ Glashouwer as Honorary President. We worked in an uncultivated Italian land during these years, where there was no teaching, no knowledge of Israel, and nobody knew about the Christians for Israel movement. We have sown, irrigated the soil, travelled the length and breadth of Italy, touching almost all regions, teaching in schools, churches, and education institutes to bring the Bible’s message and to fight anti-Semitism in all forms. We believe that there is an excellent harvest after this time of sowing, and we believe that the Italian desert will flourish as we will continue what the prophet Isaiah said: “Comfort, comfort my people” (Isaiah 40:1) With our hearts full of gratitude and thankfulness, we thank God for what He has done, and we thank our precious Christians for Israel family who supported us. C4I Italy’s 10-Year Anniversary 1. 3. 2. 4. Participants at the 10th Anniversary of Christians for Israel Italy 1. Part of the C4I Italy team; 2: Rev Willem Glashouwer teaching with Chiara Canciani translating; 3-4: Participants 1. 3. 2. 4.

30. 12 Archeology Marie-Louise Weissenböck n Christians for Israel Austria Mazar was best known for her discovery of ‘King David’s palace’ in the City of David and biblically tied artefacts and constructions. The large structure she excavated in 2005 in the City of David that is ascribed as King David’s palace is one of her more controversial finds. Its location in the City of David National Park, she wrote in a 2006 Biblical Archaeological Review article, was based on the work of another female archaeologist, Kathleen Kenyon, who dug in the area in the 1960s. She led excavations in several sites, including most notably in two locations in the City of David ridge: above the Gihon spring and in the ‘Ophel’ on the lower slope of the Temple Mount or Al-Aqsa compound. Her finds include some of the earliest known artefacts in the ancient city, which, according to Mazar, date as far back as the 12th and 11th centuries BCE and thus provide scientifically excavated evidence of the biblical united monarchy. Eilat Mazar was a field archaeologist, a scholar and a lecturer at the Hebrew University’s Institute of Archaeology in Jerusalem, where she completed all her degrees. As a child, she often accompanied her grandfather, Professor Benjamin Mazar, in his excavations of ancient Jerusalem, particularly in the City of David and in the Robinson’s Arch area near the Western Wall, the findings she saw to publication. After earning her BA, she worked on Dr Yigal Shiloh’s excavation expedition from 1981-1985, which uncovered the Royal Quarter of ancient Jerusalem in the City of David. “One of the many things I learned from my grandfather was how to relate to the biblical text: Pore over it again and again, for it contains within it descriptions of genuine historical reality. It is not a simple matter to differentiate the layers of textual sources that have been piled one atop the other over generations; we do not always have the tools to do it. But it is clear that concealed within the biblical text are grains of detailed historical truth.” This was her general philosophy about the historicity of the biblical text as a blueprint for academic archaeological excavation. This idea of using the Bible as a source for historical truth has become increasingly controversial among Israeli academia. Mazar championed the need for archaeological supervision on the Temple Mount and Israeli sovereignty for the many tons of earth illegally excavated there. She also strongly expressed the need to preserve the archaeology in Robinson’s Arch archaeological park, which had been in danger during government talks over the construction of a pluralistic prayer platform. Another somewhat controversial step in Mazar’s career was her willingness to partner with Christian allies and financial supporters in continuing her work. Already her grandfather had had the support of and ties with the Christian community. According to Tel Aviv University Prof. Finkelstein, Mazar was “one of the most prominent and influential Israeli archaeologists, well-known and respected both at home and on the world stage. She contributed greatly to our understanding of the archaeology and history of Ancient Israel, especially regarding Jerusalem in biblical times. The results of these projects enabled reconstructing the city’s layout, its material culture and its impact on Judah and beyond.” Tourists visiting the Israel Museum can view one of Mazar’s stunning finds, a rare trove of Byzantine-era gold and silver artefacts, the most impressive of which is a 10- centimetre solid gold medallion emblazoned with a menorah and other Jewish iconography. Biblical Archaeologist Dies at 64 Israeli archaeologist Eilat Mazar shows an ancient medallion da ted to the late Byzantine period (early seventh century CE) with a shofar (ram’s horn) and a Torah scroll icon at the Hebrew University in 2013. | Photo Flash90 August 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5781 - Tishrei 5782 Facts Speak Jerusalem Tel Aviv Campaign Against the Jewish State is Intensifying Continued from page 2 Second, the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva has instituted an open-ended international investigation into Israel’s treatment of Palestinians. It says Israeli forces may have committed war crimes in the recent conflict with Hamas. The 24-9 vote, with 14 abstentions, took place in a meeting called by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which strongly supports the Palestinians. One of the OIC’s goals is to ‘liberate’ Jerusalem from non-Islamic control. The UNHRC’s permanent ‘Commission of Inquiry’ will monitor and report on rights violations in Israel, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. It would be the first such Commission with an ‘ongoing’ mandate. The UNHRC has become a weapon in the hands of Israel’s enemies. Third, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) based in New York decided on 20th May that it will establish a ‘Conciliation Commission’ to examine the Palestinians’ claims that Israel’s regime in the ‘occupied territories’ is discriminatory and breaches international law. Fourth, at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), based in The Hague, the PLO has launched proceedings alleging that Israel has no sovereignty at all in Jerusalem. The PLO even argues that the so-called ‘West Jerusalem’ does not belong to Israel. Their claims are inconsistent and incoherent, and it is unlikely the Court will entertain the case. But the mere fact that the PLO has been able to be such a prestigious institution – established to decide disputes between states - is cause for alarm. These legal/institutional developments are part of a wider picture of increasing hostility to the existence of the Jewish State of Israel. I sense that we have entered a new, more intense phase of the final struggle. It is our task as Christians to stay awake, to discern the signs of the times, to raise our voice, and to intercede on behalf of the Jewish people – as never before.

12. 2 August 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5781 - Tishrei 5782 Political Analysis Dr Ron Weiser AM Hon Life Pres of the Zionist Council of NSW This Israeli government coalition of eight different parties with a wide variety of ideologies, has already had to weather numerous challenges. Only having been brought in by a vote of 60 to 59 (with one abstention from within itself from Ra’am and one defection from Prime Minister Bennett’s own party), almost any individual can bring it down. However, this government’s actions are dominated by three people of its own and one other—Opposition Leader Netanyahu. The three inside the government are Prime Minster Bennett, Foreign Minister Lapid and Mansour Abbas who heads the largely Israeli Arab fundamentalist, conservative Ra’am party. Behind Bennett and Lapid are the coalition agreements between the governing parties. It should be noted that all seven parties have made coalition agreements with Lapid. Whilst Bennett who has also signed a coalition deal with Lapid, has none with any of the other members. So in any contentious coalition matter there will always be a question of who wins out—Bennett or Lapid—and on certain matters, Abbas. Let’s examine how precarious this coalition is and how it has to operate, by taking just two of the many possible case studies already, in such a short period of just six weeks. 1. The Citizenship and Entry Law was brought in during the 2nd Intifada in 2003 to prevent terrorists slipping into Israel under the guise of family reunification. It has been renewed and passed annually ever since. About 130,000 Palestinians entered Israel and received citizenship or residency via family reunification between 1993 and 2003. Since 2001, some 155 individuals involved in terrorist activities obtained entry to Israel under family reunification laws, according to the Shin Bet. It is expected that some 200,000 Palestinians would gain Israeli citizenship or residency each decade were it not for this legislation. Therefore, this family reunification presents both a security and a demographic challenge. As Lapid said on the 5th of July earlier this month: “This is one of the tools designed to ensure the Jewish majority of the State of Israel. Israel is the nation-state of the Jewish people, and our goal is that it should have a Jewish majority.” The legislation is one of the most contentious issues within the coalition itself, with both Ra’am and Meretz either opposing or not supporting the concept of Israel being a Jewish State. After amendments to try and assuage some of the government’s own members, the legislation went to a Knesset vote on the 6th of July. The result—59 to 59. The legislation did not pass. Two members of Ra’am abstained and one of Bennett’s own party also refused to vote for it. Ironically Meretz voted in favour of the legislation. But then expressed relief that the government they are part of, failed to pass its own motion, with some even questioning how they had supported it in the first place. Just as counterintuitively, the Likud, who had always supported this legislation and still believe in it, were willing to now oppose it in order to try and bring down the government—also a pointer to future voting trends. As Haviv Rettig Gur wrote, they did so “on the principle that denying the coalition successes is the priority.” In unlikely scenes, the Likud found itself celebrating the defeat of this legislation together with the other Israeli Arab party on the opposition bench, the Joint List. 2. Last week was Tisha B’Av (the 9th of Av), a very special day which commemorates amongst other tragedies, most importantly, the destruction of the First and Second Temples. Unfortunately the status quo agreement of longstanding, is that whilst Jews can ascend the Temple Mount they are not allowed to pray there. Moslems however, can. Prime Minister Bennett is keen to see a greater Jewish presence on the Temple Mount. In the last few years, some Jews have prayed discreetly on the Temple Mount, without fanfare or government declaration. This year however, Bennett as PM, issued a tweet hailing the “maintaining of Jewish worship” at the site. Soon after, Foreign Minister Lapid, after speaking with Bennett, told journalists that there was in fact no change to the status quo. Moreover, Lapid also spoke with the Jordanians and to representatives of the King, explaining that no changes had taken place on the Temple Mount. Bennett himself was silent. The Israeli press reported that then Bennett’s office issued a clarification stating saying that he had meant to say “freedom of visit for Jews and not freedom of worship” . Mansour Abbas, from within the coalition issued his own statement saying “Al-Aqsa Mosque is a pure right of Muslims, and others have no right to it.” One government, with on this issue—three very different views and polices. So what is the government’s actual policy? And who expresses it? Generally on issues of Jewish State and Jewish rights, Abbas is likely to be a thorn in his own government’s side. Notwithstanding all of this, to date, no party has left or even threatened to leave the coalition. It is also very interesting to note that Hamas who had begun the recent war in May with one of its false pretexts being to ‘defend Jerusalem’, did absolutely nothing in this case. ----- It is quite some achievement that under these circumstances this government is still in existence and indeed in some areas gives the appearance of competence and ability. A budget needs to be passed in early November. Israel has now not legislated one for some three years. The budget will be the real test of internal stresses and strains for this government, as each coalition member pushes for their own projects and desires to be included. There is indeed a rocky road ahead to deliver stable government. ________________________________________________________ Dr Ron Weiser AM is a Life Member of the ZFA Executive, Past President of the ZFA and Hon Life Pres of the Zionist Council of NSW. An Indecredibly Precarious Israeli Coalition Government Ministers of the Bennett–Lapid government with President Reuven Rivlin (The Thirty-sixth government of Israel), June 2021. Wikipedia.com One government, with on this issue— three very different views and polices.

3. Understanding Israel and world events from a Biblical perspective & Christians Today ISRAEL August 2021 Av - Elul 5781 - Tishrei 5782 Israel & Christians Today is the premier publication of Christians for Israel - 67 Past & Present Israeli Prime Ministers 3 A Central Asia Model for Israel and the Middle East 12 Biblical Archaeologist Dies at 64 15 Return of the Bnei Menashe Isaac Herzog, then Chairman of the Jewish Agency, welcomes members of the Falashmura community as they arrive at the Ben Gurion airport, outside Tel Aviv. | Photo: Flash90 In the space of only a few weeks, Israel has both a new government (including a new Prime Minister) and a new President. Early July, Isaac ‘Bougie’ Herzog became Israel’s 11th President. He took over the reins from Reuven (‘Ruvi’) Rivlin, who has been President since 2014. Rivlin was greatly loved and admired as an educator and for being a President of the Jewish people worldwide. An attorney by profession at one of the country’s top firms (which was founded by his father), Herzog has held a wide variety of public positions, including leader of the Labor Party and Chairman of the Jewish Agency (2018- 2021). He has a family history that is as close as one comes to Israeli royalty. He is the grandson of Israel’s first Ashkenazi chief rabbi, Isaac Herzog, after whom he is named, and the son of former IDF major general, Ambassador to the UN and later President Chaim Herzog. Christians for Israel has worked closely with Herzog and his staff during his chairmanship at the Jewish Agency. We have come to know him as a man of great talent and integrity who was a father figure for many new immigrants and inspired his staff to establish Israel as a safe haven for Jewish immigrants from around the world. The President is appointed for a seven-year term. While it is largely a ceremonial function, the President plays an important role. In his inauguration speech, Herzog pledged to serve as a ‘president for all’ and work to tone down the country’s divisive rhetoric. He warned that Israel’s ‘common ethos and shared values are more fragile than ever.’ “Baseless hatred, polarisation and division are exacting a very heavy price... the heaviest price is the erosion of our national resilience,” said Herzog. “My mission, the goal of my presidency, is to do everything to rebuild hope.” During his speech, Herzog also stressed the country’s obligation toward its minorities, urging the government to battle crime in Arab communities. He also vowed to staunchly defend Israel’s military record to the international community. In his final speech as President, Rivlin urged engagement with Israel’s regional partners on security, economic and political matters and finding solutions related to water, food and climate change. He argued that Jewish-Arab coexistence in Israel could pave the way for greater engagement in the region. “I believe that if we are able to live here together, Jews and Arabs, we will find the way to live together between the Jordan River and the sea and across the whole region.” Rivlin urged the next generation of Israelis to “continue to innovate. If something isn’t working – change it. Don’t take things for granted because of the simple fact that the State of Israel isn’t to be taken for granted. It is a miracle, and miracles must be jealously guarded.” The book of Proverbs in the Tanakh says: “For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity” (Proverbs 2: 6-7) We wish the incoming President and government God’s blessing and pray that the day will come soon when peace, truth, justice and mercy shall go forth from Zion into the whole earth. Pray for the Unity of Israel www.c4israel.com.au | info@c4israel.com.au AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIA

25. 15 August 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5781 - Tishrei 5782 from Queensland Jewish Board of Communities Media Release: Queensland Jewish Community Calls for Tougher Laws to Criminalise Hate Originally printed on 27 July 2021 Hatred against Jews in Queensland is increasing and the laws must change so those who incite animosity or engage in harassment or intimidation on the basis of someone’s race, religion, sexuality or gender are punished. The Queensland Jewish Board of Deputies (QJBD), the roof body of Queensland Jewry, is calling for change and has made its submission to the Queensland Government’s inquiry into vilification and hate crime laws. QJBD Vice President Jason Steinberg said research indicated that 6 in 10 members of the Jewish community—from Cairns to Coolangatta —had experienced an tisemitism and while the Queensland Police are very responsive, the current laws do not deter racists. “Of those Jews in Queensland who experienced antisemitism, half were either abused, harassed, intimidated or bullied simply because they are Jewish and, distressingly, many of these incidents occur in the workplace,” Mr Steinberg said. “Fifteen per cent of Queensland Jews also reported hate-fueled incidents that related to Israel and/or Zionism. We have also seen an increase in activity by white supremacist, neo-Nazi and other far-right extremist groups whose members seem to act with impunity, as well as anti-Israel activists targeting local Jews. “The time has come for Queensland to follow other jurisdictions, like Western Australia, which have more effective laws, and make it a criminal offence if someone’s conduct, or the material they publish, incites animosity or advocates violence on the basis of a person’s race, religion, sexuality or gender. “We also are calling on the State Government to ban the public display and sale of items that include Nazi symbols, such as the swastika, which are used by racists with impunity. This will empower the police to remove and confiscate these items and be a useful tool in countering the proliferation of extremist ideologies. “These reforms are needed to protect the basic right of all citizens, not just Jewish people, to go about their daily lives without fear of harassment, abuse and vilification, knowing that the relevant authorities will have the power to deal with such hate effectively. This will allow people to participate more freely and fully in our society, which will be of immense benefit to every Queenslander.” The QJBD’s research, as part of its submission, also found that of those Queenslanders who experienced hatred, 91.5 per cent remained silent rather than reporting the incident or attacker. “People said they were scared to report an antisemitic incident for a number of reasons, including fear of more racism, perceived or real inability of the police to act, and the general feeling that hatred against Jews and Israel is an acceptable sentiment and, finally, that the government doesn’t take the incidents seriously,” Mr Steinberg said. “The current law is 30 years old and is outdated. It has made it very difficult for the Queensland Police to lay charges and communities are left virtually defenceless against hate-motivated acts. “Now is the time for our legislators to stand up against hatred towards Jews, and other minority communities, to change the laws so that racist activity is dealt with through prosecution and deterrence. “We need our politicians to ensure that acts of hatred against Jews and other vulnerable communities will no longer be tolerated. Our community, along with all other communities, deserves to live without fear, and to be safe from harassment and incitement.” ________________________________________________________ A one-page fact sheet is provided above. For more information contact: advocacy@qjbd.org Fifteen per cent of Queensland Jews also reported hate-fueled incidents that related to Israel and/or Zionism.

6. News 4 Andrew Tucker n International Editor | Christians for Israel On 24 June 2021, I spoke with Dr Kobi Michael (Senior Research Fellow, Institute for National Security Studies, Israel) about the conflict between Hamas and Fatah – the two main groups within Palestinian society. What Does the Conflict Between Hamas and Fatah Mean? “Since 2007, Hamas is in control of the Gaza Strip. Hamas is not a member of the PLO. Hamas threw out the Palestinian Authority (PA) and is in conflict with Fatah – the largest political party in the PLO. But this is not an internal Palestinian conflict. It is part of a bitter and bloody regional struggle since the Arab Spring. Four axes are striving for influence and hegemony in the Middle East: Ÿ The Iranian axis – includes Syria and Iranian proxies such as Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, Houti’s in Yemen, Palestinian Islamic Jihad in the Palestinian territories, and, in a way, Hamas; Ÿ Salafia Jihadia – which is the most extreme and violent version of Islam, such as ISIS; Ÿ Political Islam (the Muslim Brotherhood) – supported by Turkey and Qatar. Hamas is the Palestinian branch of the Brotherhood, and Gaza Strip is the only place in the Middle East where the Brotherhood is the ruling power of territory; Ÿ Pragmatic Sunni Arab states – led by Saudi Arabia and Egypt, and includes Gulf states (excl. Qatar) and Jordan. The Palestinian Authority (PA) is part of this camp. Hamas is influenced and supported by Iran, Turkey and Qatar. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad, which operates from the Gaza Strip, is a full Iranian proxy. So in the small area 2 of the Gaza Strip (365 km ), we find Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), Fatah and Iran, Turkey, the UN and other players – all with competing agenda’s and interests. Israel has to be able to tackle the threats emanating from each of these fronts simultaneously. In all of this, the Palestinians are pawns on a chessboard.” Is There any Chance that Fatah and Hamas will Reconcile and Form a Unity Government? “The chance that Hamas and Fatah will reconcile is equal to the probability that President Sisi in Egypt will accept the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt. Zero. They are playing a zero-sum game. Even though the PLO is Israel’s preferred partner, the PA has become more important than the PLO. Mahmoud Abbas is the Chairman of the PLO and the PA, and he is also the leader of Fatah, the most important political movement within the PLO. But the PA has no say in the Gaza Strip, where Hamas is in control. But Israel cannot work with Hamas becaus e it is a terrorist organisation, and to legitimise Hamas would undermine the PA and Fatah. This means Israel has to use two internally contradictory strategies – one in Gaza Strip, one in the West Bank. All of this is further complicated by the fact that Abbas, the PLO, the PA and Fatah are rapidly losing legitimacy and credibility amongst the Palestinian constituency.” How is Palestinian Society Organised? What Does it Look Like on the Ground? “Palestinian society is deeply divided. You have those living in refugee camps; those who live in the villages; and those who live in the big cities. Even between the cities, there are big differences. Most Palestinians living in Hebron are Bedouins, whose natural affinity is with the Bedouin tribes in Jordan; their immediate loyalty is to their own tribes and clans, and only then to the PA in Ramallah. The Hebron Palestinians are very different from those in the northern cities like Jenin. Ramallah is the seat of the Palestinian Authority. Most Palestinian Christians live in Ramallah and Bethlehem. Ramallah is identified with the Palestinian elite, like Arafat and Abbas and their families, who came from abroad after the Oslo Agreements. Most Palestinians deeply mistrust the elite. Then there are the Palestinians in East Jerusalem who have a unique status because they are Israeli residents and have Israeli IDs, meaning they have all the rights of Israeli citizenship (excepting the right to hold an Israeli passport and the right to vote for the Israeli parliament (Knesset)). They can travel freely and hold properties within Israel and the Palestinian territories. The Jerusalemite Palestinians have their own leadership and are not easily affiliated with the PA. This tension was one of the triggers for the recent conflict with Hamas.” Can Negotiations Really Lead to a Peaceful Solution Between Israel and the PLO? “The parties governing the PLO are losing legitimacy. Abu Mazen (the familiar name of PA/PLO leader Mahmoud Abbas) has only 8% of support, while Hamas has 74% support in the Palestinian territories (including the West Bank). Remember that the people in the Gaza Strip are more moderate than those in the West Bank. Even if an agreement is reached with the PLO, who will support it? It is not realistic. The fact is that the current PLO leadership is unable to make the concessions required to reach an agreement. The gap between Israel and the PLO on the key issues are unbridgeable. The fundamental problem is not territories, borders, Jerusalem, water or similar issues. It is the historical refusal of the Palestinians to accept the right of the Jewish people for self-determination. They regard the creation of the Jewish State as an original sin. Even Abu Mazen refuses to recognise the existence of the Jewish people as a nation. If he reaches an agreement, it will be with the State of Israel, which he does not accept as being a Jewish State. The other side of this c oin is the right of return; they demand that Israel accept this Palestinian right and their right to implement that right.” Can the US or Other States Assist? “The EU, US and others should be more modest and sober. They need to recognise the difference between the parties, and also, the Palestinians hold to a ‘sacred principle’ that ‘nothing is agreed until everything is agreed’. So (putting aside Hamas – which is a separate issue and needs to be tackled separately), our only option is to work with the PA. We need to keep a final status agreement on the horizon, but in the meantime, we can reach and implement interim agreements on issues such as infrastructure, environment, economy, transportation. This will build trust and create a new atmosphere, which in turn will facilitate negotiation of the more difficult issues. All of this will take time. There is a very dramatic change in the Middle East following the consequences of the Arab upheaval. This is the new normalisation process between Israel and Arab countries in the region - a strategic alliance between Israel and Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, and the Gulf states and even the PA, reflecting the strategic threats facing all of them: Iran, which is undermining stability in the region, the Jihadic Salafia, the Muslim Brotherhood and Turkey. This may become a new regional framework, allowing thinking at a regional level but also European counties like Cyprus, Greece and Italy. We must think not just of the Middle East but of the Eastern Mediterranean basin. Such cooperation will provide more security, self- confidence and opportunities.” What Will Happen Next? “The PA is likely to collapse soon. Abu Mazen cannot continue much longer, and there are no agreed procedures for the succession. All we have are various factions, each with its own armed militia. So if and when Abu Mazen leaves or dies, this will lead to armed conflict, resulting in the collapse of the PA. Then, Israel will have no option but to re- install its military administration. There could be a possibility for some kind of coalition between the various Palestinian families and clans. But Israel should not try to engineer this in advance.” The PLO is on the Verge of Collapse August 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5781 - Tishrei 5782 Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas seen during a tour in the West Bank city of Ramallah in 2020. | Photo: Flash90 Ramallah is identified with the Palestinian elite, like Arafat and Abbas and their families, who came from abroad after the Oslo Agreements. Most Palestinians deeply mistrust the elite.

18. 8 August 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5781 - Tishrei 5782 New Australian-based Tour from Olive Tree Travel O L I V E T R E E F O R M E A N I N G F U L J O U R N E Y S O L I V E T R E E M E A N I N G F U L J O U R N E Y S O L I V E T R E E Y O U R S T O R Y | Y O U R J O U R N E Y JEWISH LIFE CYCLE TOUR: A DAY IN MELBOURNE ESCORTED BY RABBI RIESENBERG & FRIENDS PLACES ARE EXTREMELY LIMITED MORE INFORMATION: Steven Green Ph. 1300 550 830 or +61 3 8488 9696 info@olivetreetravel.com.au www.olivetreetravel.com.au This tour is designed for Christians to gain a better understanding of Judaism. You will enjoy a unique and insightful day with Rabbi Riesenberg & friends, visiting some of Melbourne Jewish Community's iconic institutions associated with the key Jewish life-cycle events. The tour will increase your knowledge of Jewish traditions as you will learn their origins and meanings, thus adding to your understanding of Judeo-Christian Biblical values. You will also get to meet other like-minded Christians and be part of this wonderful bridge-building opportunity between Gentile & Jew. OUR FULL DAY TOUR INCLUDES UNIQUE INSIGHTS, TOURING EXPERIENCES & DISCUSSIONS AT: • CENTRAL SHULE CHABAD (BIRTH, HEBREW NAMES & UPSHERENISH) • THE JEWISH MUSEUM • ST KILDA SYNAGOGUE (BAR/BAT MITZVAH & WEDDING • MAMA FALAFEL ISRAELI LUNCH • CHEVRA KADISHA (JEWISH BURIAL SOCIETY) • C CARE (PACKING FOOD PARCELS FOR ELDERLY, NEEDY, HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS) • COACH TRANSPORTATION THROUGHOUT THE DAY PLUS: MORE SURPRISE INCLUSIONS ALONG THE WAY TUESDAY 31 ST AUGUST 9:00AM - 5:30PM COST PER PERSON $ 129 * TOUR DEPARTS/RETURNS TO CENTRAL SHULE CHABAD, 4 MAPLE ST, SOUTH CAULFIELD * If Covid restrictions prevail, a postponed tour date will be offered. REGISTER AT www.trybooking.com/BSZYD A DETAILED ITINERARY WILL BE PROVIDED TO CONFIRMED DELEGATES

14. 4 August 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5781 - Tishrei 5782 The Story of International Christian Embassy Jerusalem The frail, temporary shelters that are seen on balconies, parking spaces, and even streets throughout Israel during the Festival of Tabernacles, Sukkot, have a powerful message. It is not circumstances, or material security that are our protection, but the God of Israel. He demonstrated His love and care for His people while they lived in temporary shelters during their sojourn in a harsh wilderness, to which the yearly sukkas [shelters], point back. He demonstrated it when against all odds, the restored, but tiny, fledgling nation survived the might of its neighbours and has since continued to experience Divine protection many times. As well as the reminder of where our security lies, Tabernacles is a glorious reminder of God dwelling with His people. “And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them,” God instructed Moses in Exodus 25:8, and despite their failings, His presence never left them. It was an impressive picture of what was to come. John 1:14 can be translated: “The Word became flesh and tabernacled among us.” And in Revelation 21:3-4, John records a wonderful promise that waits for the end of days, “And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell [tabernacle] with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God....” There are other aspects to this festival. It follows the Days of Awe, ten intense days of prayers for forgiveness which culminate in the Day of Atonement, so the seven days of Sukkot are joyful celebrations of trust in God. It coincides with the end of the agricultural cycle, the final harvest which in Biblical Israel was a cause of celebration, hence it is also known as the Festival of the Ingathering. No wonder the rabbis call it - ‘The Season of Our Rejoicing’ (in Hebrew, z’man simchateinu’). The Third Unknown Feast “And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.” – Zechariah 14:16. However, for most of its history, the church knew of Passover and Feast of Weeks (Pentecost), but Sukkot was largely ignored. A group of international Christians living in Jerusalem in the 70’s who met together to pray, wanted the Church to understand this third great feast. Among the group was a couple from Canada who were internationally acclaimed musicians with extraordinary talent and vision. Merv and Merla Watson were uncertain how Gentiles should celebrate this Biblical feast, so they asked the advice of a senior Rabbi in Israel. After receiving his guidance and were about to leave, he called them back. “Mr and Mrs Watson” , he said, “that you, as gentiles, came here to ask me how to celebrate Sukkot is quite unusual. Our prophets declare that in the Messianic times, all gentiles will come to Jerusalem to celebrate this feast with us. When you asked me today how to celebrate Sukkot, I am hearing the footsteps of Messiah, that he is coming.” While the Feast organizing committee was preparing for this historic celebration, a storm was brewing. The Israeli government declared Jerusalem as the eternal capital of the Jewish state. Threats were issued from the Arab oil producing countries. Withdraw your Embassies from Jerusalem or face an oil embargo. By the time 1,000 Christians from 22 countries showed up in Jerusalem for that first Feast, 13 national embassies had left the city for Tel Aviv. In response to the speedy abandonment by the nations, the Feast organizers decided to establish a permanent expression of Christian support for Israel and its claim to Jerusalem. History Made The Christian celebrations commenced in September 1980 in the Anglican International School in Jerusalem. By the third day of that week-long biblical festival, a building had been located to serve as the new “International Christian Embassy Jerusalem” . A dedication ceremony was presided over by Jerusalem’s venerable mayor Teddy Kollek who described it as one of the most moving experiences in his life. And Israel’s Chief Rabbi Shlomo Goren, blessed the Christian pilgrims with the traditional Feast greeting from Psalms 118:26— “Baruch ha’ba b’Shem Adonai / ’Blessed are those who come in the Name of the LORD.” Thus, the founding group, Merv and Merla Watson, Jan Willem van der Hoeven, Johann Luckhoff, Timothy King and others, established ICEJ with a clear calling from Scripture to be a ministry of comfort and blessing to the restored nation of Israel, based on the mandate of Isaiah 40:1-2. “’Comfort, yes, comfort My people’! says your God...” From its very beginnings, the ICEJ has lived out its mandate by bringing comfort to Israel through Aid and Aliyah programs. This journey has involved deeds of compassion impacting virtually every town, village, and city in some way, touching the lives of people from all walks Calling the Nations Maxine Carlill Team Member of ICEJ Australia www.icej.org.au Former Mayor of Jerusalem, Teddy Kollek, opens the Christian Embassy - still serving the people of Israel for over four decades. Jerusalem March.

31. 13 History Short News Hebrew University in Top 20 The Hebrew University in Jerusalem is in the top 20 of the worldwide top 200 best universities this year as well. Last year the university was on place 198; this year on the 177th place. The top 200 is drawn up by the British company QS, that specializes in the analysis of universities. | Photo: Flash90. COVID-19 Vaccine Boost The Israeli company Migvax has developed a boost for people who already received a COVID-19 vaccination. The laboratory tests are highly promising. The ‘boost’ is administered orally and not intravenously. The formula stays effective for a long period of time before a new ‘boost’ is needed. If the tests prove positive in the coming months, the drug could be on the market in a year's time. Old Egg In Javne, a village just below Tel Aviv, a one-thousand-year-old chicken egg was found. The egg came to light during archaeological excavations. The find is unique. From time-to-time egg shells are found but not a whole egg. And if they do find an egg, it is quite often an ostrich-egg, an egg with a thick shell. Unfortunately, the egg broke when the curator wanted to uncover it fully. | Photo: Flash90 Pilot Project in Hadera: Delivery by Drones The National Drone Initiative, which began its flights over urban areas in January 2021, entered a second phase in its pilot programme, which includes flights over residential areas in and around Hadera. This new phase is part of a series of eight demonstrations that are expected to take place during the coming two years, in which tens of thousands of sorties will take place in the skies above Hadera. The goal is to help fine-tune drone technology and ultimately help cut road congestion by creating a network of air corridors for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) deliveries of medicine, medical examinations and equipment and ecommerce. (timesofisrael). August 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5781 - Tishrei 5782 Bryce Turner n Christians for Israel New Zealand 11 September 2021 marks twenty years since the tragedy of what has come to be known simply as 9/11. It is hard to comprehend that the event that so radically changed the world took place before many of the current generation of university students were even born. This attack on America and the ideals of western democracy changed the world forever. A month after the attack a US-led military force entered Afghanistan, beginning a 20-year ‘war on terror’. The first target? The location and capture of Osama bin Laden – the crazed despot heading up al Qaeda, the organisation responsible for the 9/11 attacks. There is an infinite range of opinions as to the effectiveness of this ‘war on terror’, but if nothing else it has brought awareness directly to the minds of countries who would never have thought such an attack on US soil was even possible. Bin Laden had announced his war on the US in 1996, supposedly in retaliation for America’s support of Israel, its involvement in the Persian Gulf War, and its continued military presence in the Middle East. The 9/11 attacks struck a blow to the heart of populations far wider than the USA however. For billions, life changed forever. Emergency travel security restrictions became standard practice, an atmosphere of suspicion enveloped peaceful neighbourhoods, families who had lived next door to each other for decades suddenly looked through shaded windows for signs of terrorist activity. Whilst a gross over- simplification, it has often been suggested that 9/11 was really the price America paid for its support of Israel. If nothing else, this should serve as a warning to the world, undisputable proof of the insane level of anti-Israel hatred still being promulgated in many countries, and apparently escalating; bin Laden being just one of a long line of murdering haters of Israel and the Jews. The 9/11 attack has become one of the most significant events in history, one of the most studied, and one of the most contentious. At the time commentators were predicting a massive escalation of terrorism worldwide, a return to ‘cold war’ conditions, even the pending end of humanity itself. 20 years on, however, America has suffered many more tragedies. The current Covid19 pandemic has claimed some 150 times more lives in the US alone than the 9/11 attacks. Those who lost their lives in New York, at the Pentagon, or at the heroic demise of United Airlines flight 93 in a field in western Pennsylvania have become martyrs, however, their names carefully inscribed in the memorial at ‘Ground Zero’ forever. The predicted escalation into mass terrorism hasn’t eventuated, the world is (mostly) still alive and functioning. The violent, murderous Islamic jihadists are at least somewhat being managed, and many would argue that the next major Islamic threat to the western world is being waged through ‘wokeism’ – the manipulation of public opinion through the dogma of political correctness. Arguably those who would see the destruction of Israel and the genocide of the Jews as a part of their war on the infidels, haven’t given up their all- consuming goal. As we mark the passing of 20 years and pause to respect those who perished, it is essential that we take a moment to examine what we have learned. Just as important as the question “where were you at 9/11?”, is the next thought “where are we as a society 20 years later?”; closely followed by “where are we going to be in another 20 years?”. Watching the vile filth of anti-Semitism expanding throughout the western world, one wonders if we have learned anything at all. Twenty Years Since 9/11 9/11 memorial shot at night. | Photo: Shutterstock | Photos: Wikimedia Commons UA Flight 175 hits World Trade Centre south tower 9/11. Arlington National Cemetery - 9/11 Memorial to Pentagon Victims - NW side 12 Archeology Marie-Louise Weissenböck n Christians for Israel Austria Mazar was best known for her discovery of ‘King David’s palace’ in the City of David and biblically tied artefacts and constructions. The large structure she excavated in 2005 in the City of David that is ascribed as King David’s palace is one of her more controversial finds. Its location in the City of David National Park, she wrote in a 2006 Biblical Archaeological Review article, was based on the work of another female archaeologist, Kathleen Kenyon, who dug in the area in the 1960s. She led excavations in several sites, including most notably in two locations in the City of David ridge: above the Gihon spring and in the ‘Ophel’ on the lower slope of the Temple Mount or Al-Aqsa compound. Her finds include some of the earliest known artefacts in the ancient city, which, according to Mazar, date as far back as the 12th and 11th centuries BCE and thus provide scientifically excavated evidence of the biblical united monarchy. Eilat Mazar was a field archaeologist, a scholar and a lecturer at the Hebrew University’s Institute of Archaeology in Jerusalem, where she completed all her degrees. As a child, she often accompanied her grandfather, Professor Benjamin Mazar, in his excavations of ancient Jerusalem, particularly in the City of David and in the Robinson’s Arch area near the Western Wall, the findings she saw to publication. After earning her BA, she worked on Dr Yigal Shiloh’s excavation expedition from 1981-1985, which uncovered the Royal Quarter of ancient Jerusalem in the City of David. “One of the many things I learned from my grandfather was how to relate to the biblical text: Pore over it again and again, for it contains within it descriptions of genuine historical reality. It is not a simple matter to differentiate the layers of textual sources that have been piled one atop the other over generations; we do not always have the tools to do it. But it is clear that concealed within the biblical text are grains of detailed historical truth.” This was her general philosophy about the historicity of the biblical text as a blueprint for academic archaeological excavation. This idea of using the Bible as a source for historical truth has become increasingly controversial among Israeli academia. Mazar championed the need for archaeological supervision on the Temple Mount and Israeli sovereignty for the many tons of earth illegally excavated there. She also strongly expressed the need to preserve the archaeology in Robinson’s Arch archaeological park, which had been in danger during government talks over the construction of a pluralistic prayer platform. Another somewhat controversial step in Mazar’s career was her willingness to partner with Christian allies and financial supporters in continuing her work. Already her grandfather had had the support of and ties with the Christian community. According to Tel Aviv University Prof. Finkelstein, Mazar was “one of the most prominent and influential Israeli archaeologists, well-known and respected both at home and on the world stage. She contributed greatly to our understanding of the archaeology and history of Ancient Israel, especially regarding Jerusalem in biblical times. The results of these projects enabled reconstructing the city’s layout, its material culture and its impact on Judah and beyond.” Tourists visiting the Israel Museum can view one of Mazar’s stunning finds, a rare trove of Byzantine-era gold and silver artefacts, the most impressive of which is a 10- centimetre solid gold medallion emblazoned with a menorah and other Jewish iconography. Biblical Archaeologist Dies at 64 Israeli archaeologist Eilat Mazar shows an ancient medallion da ted to the late Byzantine period (early seventh century CE) with a shofar (ram’s horn) and a Torah scroll icon at the Hebrew University in 2013. | Photo Flash90 August 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5781 - Tishrei 5782 Facts Speak Jerusalem Tel Aviv Campaign Against the Jewish State is Intensifying Continued from page 2 Second, the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva has instituted an open-ended international investigation into Israel’s treatment of Palestinians. It says Israeli forces may have committed war crimes in the recent conflict with Hamas. The 24-9 vote, with 14 abstentions, took place in a meeting called by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which strongly supports the Palestinians. One of the OIC’s goals is to ‘liberate’ Jerusalem from non-Islamic control. The UNHRC’s permanent ‘Commission of Inquiry’ will monitor and report on rights violations in Israel, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. It would be the first such Commission with an ‘ongoing’ mandate. The UNHRC has become a weapon in the hands of Israel’s enemies. Third, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) based in New York decided on 20th May that it will establish a ‘Conciliation Commission’ to examine the Palestinians’ claims that Israel’s regime in the ‘occupied territories’ is discriminatory and breaches international law. Fourth, at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), based in The Hague, the PLO has launched proceedings alleging that Israel has no sovereignty at all in Jerusalem. The PLO even argues that the so-called ‘West Jerusalem’ does not belong to Israel. Their claims are inconsistent and incoherent, and it is unlikely the Court will entertain the case. But the mere fact that the PLO has been able to be such a prestigious institution – established to decide disputes between states - is cause for alarm. These legal/institutional developments are part of a wider picture of increasing hostility to the existence of the Jewish State of Israel. I sense that we have entered a new, more intense phase of the final struggle. It is our task as Christians to stay awake, to discern the signs of the times, to raise our voice, and to intercede on behalf of the Jewish people – as never before.

26. 16 August 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5781 - Tishrei 5782 Opinion Piece from the Jerusalem Watchman The Great Distraction (Note to Jewish readers: This is written by a Christian Zionist specifically for our Christian readership, using references that will resonate with them but not—necessarily—with you. Please bear with me.) Bible-centred Believers should not be overly diverted by Covid-19. Our attention should stay fixed on Israel, and on what God is doing there. Here’s a direct and, I grant, rather provocative question. What is more important to you right now, today; and what has been more important to you since March 2020? Covid-19, or Israel? =================================== How suddenly it has changed: the world we knew until just 18 months ago. It feels as if we have entered that period marked by the “distress of nations, with perplexity...men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth.” (Luke 21:25-26) Globally there is the inexorable rise of China; Russia’s blatant belligerency; the sudden floundering of the United States. There is a great deal that concerns us. But topping it all is Covid-19. Nothing has impacted our personal and national lives more immediately. And no other subject, by far, has so fixated Christians who post on the social media platforms I use. Clearly there exists within the Church a fear of being misled; an understandable wariness against being caught in a web of deception. We should surely take a prayerful stand against this. But an overriding preoccupation with Covid is indicative of the kind of distraction we are exhorted not to fall prey to. We must not let God’s Word be choked by “the cares of this world”. (Matthew 13:22); nor set our minds “on things on the earth”. (Colossians 3:2-3) Jesus, foretelling the “distress of nations” exhorts us to not be fearful but to “...look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.” Look up to where—to the sky? No, not to the sky, but to the Land where redemption is already underway. Not to the sky, but to the place where His feet will touch down— to Jerusalem! We are not Biblically commissioned—when God’s curse comes upon our nations in response to their abuse of Israel—to try and withstand those judgments. This is the time to move closer to Israel, to stand fearlessly alongside her against the raging antisemitism from the nations, to stand on the mountains of Judah and cry out, “Behold your God!” (Isaiah 40:9) Those standing with Israel—really standing, in a way that matters—are few. Following the swearing in of the new government this past June 13, we have dwindled. And our preoccupation with Covid is taking us further away when we really need to be drawing near. The “Bennett administration” is an incomprehensible amalgamate of purportedly God-fearing lovers of Israel’s heartland who have clambered into bed with those who wish Israel would jettison her Biblical calling, and with others who would see her destroyed. For many Israeli Jews and Israel-aware Christians, the formation of this coalition brought uncertainty, confusion, alarm. Even rage. A few Jewish groups—like the ‘Women for Israel’s Tomorrow’ ( www.womeningree.org ) and ‘ Regavim’ ( www.regavim.org ) kept focus: recognising that the road towards redemption has entered a difficult phase, and girding their loins accordingly. Girding for another phase in the fight, that is. The fight over the Land. It is here, I believe, that we Christians should be gathering: buckling on our armour, drawing the Sword and heading for the front. To do battle for Zion; to stand with the God of Israel against the alliance of nations (our nations) that have put their hands to reversing what He has accomplished by trying to rob the Jews of half of their homeland and scatter His people from there. Much of what renders us maladroit in this conflict stems from centuries of Bible teaching with a “Church” - centred standpoint instead of its clear, Israel-centred one. As a result, our understanding of events around us (including the significance of Covid-19 and our approach to it) and our End Times expectations are skewed. The Book we hold to be the unalterable Word of God centres almost exclusively on the People of Israel and their geographical homeland. Its high point is the regathering of the Jews, their irreversible replanting in the land, and their national restoration to their God. Today, as we see a de-facto leaderless Israel milling about like shepherd-less sheep surrounded by wolves; observe its secularisation and its pursuit of the immoral ways of the Gentiles—we must not lose focus. We do not need to be confused. And we must not be distracted. God’s Word speaks clearly to present-day Israel’s reality, and foretells the outcome: “For I will take you from among the gentiles, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God.” (Ezekiel 36:24-28, my emphasis). This is Israel’s future. And it is their often struggling journey towards it that should fuel our efforts and keep us on the ramparts. We are not called to the walls of Canberra or Cape Town or Washington DC, but “On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have set watchmen who shall never hold their peace, day or night. All you that make mention of the LORD, give yourselves no rest...” (Isaiah 62:6) Imagine if all the hours being spent by tens of thousands of Christians researching, writing, sharing, campaigning and warning about Covid-19 would instead be spent researching, writing, sharing, campaigning and warning for Israel? How much we could do! We have our King’s commission, and it is a full-time one. It is to comfort this hated nation (Isaiah 40:1-2), to take hold of her, cling to her and go with her into her destiny (Zechariah 8:23). Our directive is to declare to our nations that the Jews are forever home—that God has gathered them and will never scatter them again (Jeremiah 31:10). And as watchmen we are to warn our governments and our countrymen of the dire consequences our nations will face if they do not remove their hands from the effort to divvy up God’s Land (Joel 3). God says on more than one occasion that He looked in vain for someone to help, to uphold His people. (Isaiah 63:4-5) May we not be so distracted that, when He looks for someone to stand night and day with this nation, He finds we have been lured away. ________________________________________________________ Stan Goodenough is an Evangelical (Gentile) Israel-accredited tour guide who for 30 years called Jerusalem home. After Covid-19 collapsed tourism to Israel, he moved with his family to the Czech Republic from where he is closely following events tied to the unparalleled wonder of Israel’s unfolding rebirth. When the borders reopen, he plans to return to guiding God’s Land. www.jerusalemwatchman.org Stan Goodenough Journalist and an Israeli-accredited tour guide This is the time to move closer to Israel, to stand fearlessly alongside her against the raging antisemitism

1. Please send mail-in donations to: Christians for Israel Australia PO Box 1508 Springwood QLD 4127 AUSTRALIAN EDITION EMAIL: info@c4israel.com.a u PHONE: 07 3088 6900 ABN: 79 941 819 693 Thanks for your financial support See over for credit card and other giving options My Gift Your latest edition of Israel & Christian’s Today is enclosed. We hope you enjoy and are greatly encouraged by the latest News articles and stories. Simple. Just visit myaccount.c4israel.com.au and login with your username and password. Haven’t setup your online account? Go to myaccount.c4israel.com.au/ web/signup and follow the instructions. Need to change your address or Newspaper order? 18 August 2021 continued over... LeN0821 You Can Give Lasting Hope to God’s People in Their Time of Need Dear friend, For $45 a month you can adopt a holocaust survivor and ensure they fave good food, warm Clothing And Are visited and given medical assistance When needed. You will receive a picture and a biography of the person you are sponsoring so you can pray for them (unfortunately due to privacy issues we can’t communicate with them directly). For those who are unable to commit to an on going monthly program for 12 months or 2 years you can give a one time donation of $30-$50 or you best gift and the C4I Ukraine team will use where best needed. This will also comfort an elderly jewish holocaust survivor by giving them a meal, or warm clothing or a caring visit on your behalf. When we do either of these things we become the hands and feet of Yeshua the Messiah to comfort His people in His name as we read in Matthew 22:34-40: “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ‘For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ $ ____________ MY TOTAL DONATION TO: Christians for Israel Australia Inc. Name: ___________________________________________________ Member Number: ______________________________________ Yes Ian, I’d like to give a special one-off donation towards... $__________ Aliyah: $350=1 person $1250=5 people $6250=25 people $__________ One-off Holocaust Survivor Donation ($30-$50 or your best gift) $__________ for Newspaper Printing & Postage *please don’t use staples*

24. 14 August 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5781 - Tishrei 5782 Pastoral Insights from Keith Buxton continued... God has made a covenant promise that He will bring His people back from the ends of the earth to their ancestral homeland and re-plant them in their land again. “If any of your scattered countrymen are at the ends of the earth, from there the Lord your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you back. The Lord your God will bring you into the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it; and He will be good to you and make you more numerous than your fathers.” – Deut 30:4-5 The COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent border restrictions over the past year and a half have made world travel extremely difficult. When the recent Gaza conflict began, anti-Semitic incidents soared in many countries. Aliya has slowed significantly as Israel has grappled with the pandemic and more elections. The 1950 Law of Return ( knesset.gov.il/ laws/special/eng/return.htm ) states that: 1. Every J ew has the right to come to this country as an ‘oleh’ (immigrant). 2. An oleh ’s visa shall be granted to every Jew who has expressed his desire to settle in Israel, unless the Minister of Immigration is satisfied that the applicant: i) is engaged in an activity directed against the Jewish people; or ii) is likely to endanger public health or the security of the State Danny Danon (former Likud MP who served as Israel’s 17th UN representative) in his article in the Jerusalem Post on July 16, 2021, jpost.com/opinion/israel-a-homeland-for- world-jewry-opinion-671227 states that: “We are proud of the Law of Return, the focus of which is to unite and connect the Jewish people with their homeland.” But it appears that in fact NOT all Jews are welcome in Israel. Journalist Steve Rodan in a blog article on May 28 on the Times of Israel website ( blogs. timeofisrael.com/israels-white-paper- us-jews-find-locked-doors ), tells another story. He points out that despite interest for aliya applications to Nefesh b’Neshesh, (which handles applications for the Israeli government in the US) being at a record high, successful applications are at an all time low. He cites an example of a traditional Jewish lady who went to the Nefesh b’Nefesh office, being put through layers of bureaucracy for over a year and even requiring fingerprints submitted to the FBI! Formerly it was sufficient to just prove you had Jewish parents or at least one grandparent. This is nothing new to Messianic Jews. Despite believing in the God of Israel, the Hebrew Bible and keeping the Biblical Feasts, they have been rejected for the last 15 years or so, if they are known to believe that Yeshua is the Jewish Messiah. The Ministry for the Interior was controlled by the ultra- orthodox parties who consider they are no longer Jews. Some have been thrown out of the country for being believers, others are currently fighting to gain citizenship that should be their right, and still others have to constantly renew temporary visas. The former Ministry for the Interior has been very selective as to who they consider to be Jewish. There is however, now a new opportunity. The Jewish Agency has estimated that 250,000 Jews could make aliyah if Israel would allow it. Let us pray for the new government to reassess the criteria and open their arms to Jews across the broader spectrum of Jewish belief and pray that the Jews in the diaspora will be ready and willing to move to Israel when the doors open. ________________________________________________________ Jill Curry is author of ‘The Anzac Call.’ Jill Curry Jewish & Israel Prayer Focus Cooordinator Let My People Go [Messianic Jews] have been rejected for the last 15 years or so, if they are known to believe that Yeshua is the Jewish Messiah. Not exactly encouraging words for Joshua, let alone the people themselves, to hear! Sadly, we know that this is just what happened. But in our text there is—perhaps a little hidden—a promise that should be an encouragement to us all when we have failed, or lost our way spiritually, or in any number of ways seemingly caused God to hide His face from us. God has given to us His written Word, that we may never be without a witness to His love and faithfulness. Here in Deuteronomy 31:18 the Lord said to Moses, speaking of the predicted rebellion of the Israelites once in the Land, “And I will surely hide My face in that day because of all the evil which they have done, in that they have turned to other gods.” But almost as it were in the same breath He immediately says to Moses (verses 19-21): “Now therefore, write down this song for yourselves, and teach it to the children of Israel; put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for Me against the children of Israel. When I have brought them to the land flowing with milk and honey, of which I swore to their fathers, and they have eaten and filled themselves and grown fat, then they will turn to other gods and serve them; and they will provoke Me and break My covenant. “Then it shall be, when many evils and troubles have come upon them, that this song will testify against them as a witness; for it will not be forgotten in the mouths of their descendants, for I know the inclination of their behavior today, even before I have brought them to the land of which I swore to give them.” God knows what the people’s hearts are like, even as he can discern the heart of each one of us. I am reminded of the words of Jesus in John 2:24-25: “He knew all men, and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.” I am old enough to remember the days of “Scripture in Song”—a time when countless songs and choruses were written consisting usually of well-known biblical verses. And folk certainly found them so helpful not only in singing but also in memorizing the Word of God.... and maybe even restoring their flagging faith. Songs are remembered. This song that Moses wrote, no doubt under divine inspiration, was to be taught to the children of Israel in every age, and would be a constant reminder to God’s people of their need of Him when they strayed far from Him and turned to other gods. How gracious is God to provide for His rebellious people a precious means of remembering Him, and so of turning back to Him! But there’s more! Moses wrote down the Law—consisting possibly of chapters 12-26, or 27-30 of Deuteronomy, or perhaps the entire book, we do not know for sure—and told the Levites and elders to read it before all of Israel every seven years at the Feast of Tabernacles, so that every generation would know and remember what God had done for them and what God required of them (verse 26). The instruction to place the Book of the Law as close as possible to the Ark of the Covenant— again, “as a witness against” God’s people— brings into focus the importance placed by God on our hearing and knowing His Word. Since the Ark served as the only physical manifestation of God on earth, this action—for me—seems to symbolize intimacy with God through His Word. Wrote Rabbi Jonathan Sacks: “The whole of Judaism is an extended love story between a people and a book—between Jews and the Torah. Never has a people loved and honoured a book more. They read it, studied it, argued with it, lived it... It was God’s love letter to the Jewish people, the gift of His word, the pledge of their betrothal, the marriage contract between heaven and the Jewish people, the bond that God would never break or rescind.” Commenting on the song written down by Moses, he added an important reminder: “There is immense power in the idea that, as Moses reached the end of his life, and the Torah the end of its narrative, the final imperative should be a command to continue to write and study the Torah, teaching it to the people and ‘putting it in their mouths’ so that it would not abandon them, nor they, it. God’s word would live within them, giving them life.” May God’s Word live afresh in each of us in this approaching season of prayer, repentance and self-examination—the Ten Days of Awe. God graciously calls us to embrace His Word and so draw close to Him. He provides for us in His Word the means whereby we can be restored to intimacy with Him when we have fallen away. And who knows?—we may even find ourselves singing a long-forgotten song. ________________________________________________________ Keith Buxton is an ordained pastor. He currently serves on the C4I Australia management committee and is a liaison with C4I Oceania Island affiliates God has given to us His written Word, that we may never be without a witness to His love and faithfulness.

21. 11 August 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5781 - Tishrei 5782 See also: www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7335447/graphic-scare-and-care-in-public-covid-19-campaign Opinion Piece from Beersheba Vision We are facing our most dangerous threat since WW2, and it is not Covid 1930’s revisited History has a habit of repeating itself, a century ago, in the mid 1930’s, Germany was facing an enormous crisis, unemployment was around 30%, the country was experiencing hyperinflation and major political unrest. This crisis produced a political climate ripe for revolution. Democratic Germany was about to become a dictatorship. The unthinkable happened How could Germany, arguably the most advanced country in the world in terms of education, culture, and the home of the great Christian Reformation, end up embracing the Nazi doctrine? Antisemitism had also begun beating a path to the extermination camps. When Goring, a leader in the Nazi party was asked how could this happen, he replied, “all you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger.” (Source; The Nuremberg diaries.) Where was the church, purportedly following in the footsteps of the great champion of justice, we can only conclude that it had lost its way and as a consequence its voice fell silent. When cattle wagons rattled past the churches on their way to Auschwitz with their pitiful cargo, the church organs played a little louder. And not just Germany The 1930’s was a decade of global economic and political ruin. To add to the turmoil, the Spanish war had erupted, Japan had invaded China, Italy was at war with Ethiopia and the list goes on. America in turmoil and lacking direction, was wracked with fear, prompting President Roosevelt to give a national exhortation, declaring “The only thing we need to fear is fear itself, nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyses the efforts to convert retreat Into advance.” Is the unthinkable about to happen again? The International Monetary Fund said in its half yearly forecast in 2020, that the ”great lockdowns will rival the Great Depression of the 1930’s.” The Anti-defamation League in America reported that antisemitism is now as bad as it was in the 1930’s and this time around Christians are also under attack. There are differences today to the challenges of the 1930’s, but there are some striking commonalities and one important constant is the use of the “politics of fear.” The recent Government vaccination promotional video of an actor posing as a stricken young woman struggling to breathe, was like a scene out of a horror movie, and the intent is clear, create fear. A certain amount of fear is often healthy, but there is no doubt that the level of fear in our nation whether Covid or climate change related is growing to an almost palpable level. Political leaders and mainstream media are crushing dissuading voices, even those from the most elevated of sources. Martin Iles from the Australian Christian Lobby , one of the few dissenting Christian voices, had his well-attended, ‘The truth of it” WA tour stalled when his Albany and Perth venues were cancelled by the WA Government. Western democracy with its freedoms and justice system built on Judaeo-Christian foundations, is decaying from within, the trend is serious and if not stopped, the tyranny of Socialist-Marxism looms large on the horizon. It seems to me the “Bonhoeffers” of today are folks like Craig Kelly, Mark Latham, Alan Jones, Rowan Dean, and Jacinta Price and the like, but main stream church leaders remain conspicuous by their absence. A call to action! The symbol of the Australian Light Horse is the Emu, a unique bird that it is not able walk backwards. If ever the spirit of the Light Horse is needed, it is needed now. Write to your local politicians, fill out the relevant petitions that come your way, get onto social media, persevere to make your voice heard. The danger is like the “frog in boiling water” we get conditioned to the increased heat, and soon it becomes too late. We can all do something, as someone once said, “it is better to light one candle than to curse the darkness”. The “Early warning cartoon” supposedly from the 1930’s is a hoax, but I think it is still a fascinating parody. It went viral, so YouTube canned it, but if you want some comic light relief it can be found by googling “Early warning cartoon 1930’s.” It can be seen on Vimeo. ________________________________________________________ Barry Rodgers OAM, President of Beersheba Vision . Website: www.beershebavision.org Email: admin@beershebavision.org Barry Rodgers OAM President of Beersheba Vision Political leaders and mainstream media are crushing dissuading voices, even those from the most elevated of sources.

22. 12 August 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5781 - Tishrei 5782 Pastoral Insights: A Series on Tabernacling with God Keith Buxton Fifth Encouragement: The Sacrifices , Lulav and Citron Speak of Sweet Lives of Compassion An interesting and powerfully symbolic aspect of the celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles— Sukkot —which will be celebrated this year from the evening of 20 September to the evening of 27 September, relates to the lulav. The Jew is commanded to take four plants and wave them before the Lord. Leviticus 23:40 says: “On the first day you are to take choice fruit from the trees, and palm fronds, leafy branches and poplars, and rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days.” The four plants in question are the citron, or etrog , a citrus fruit native to Israel that smells like a lemon, and the branches of three other plants—the palm, the willow and the myrtle—which are tied together and known as the lulav. It is interesting to note that the colours of the feast are green and gold, the colours of the palm fronds and the citron. Something to think about as Australians! With these four plants, or “species”, in hand, the lulav is waved in every direction (up and down, and north, east, south and west)—a reminder to the worshipper that God is everywhere. There are times in our lives when we really do need the reassurance that God is there for us, and there is no better way to reaffirm that than in offering up praise to the Lord. Sometimes—let us be honest!—we don’t feel like praising the Lord. Circumstances overwhelm us. Life seems unfair. At such times, we need to be intentional and choose to praise the Lord, simply because He is who He is—and Tabernacles, as we are seeing, is a wonderful reminder of His awesome character. Choose to praise the Lord, too, because you were created to praise Him. Psalm 103 is a well-known example of a call to praise, the psalmist addressing himself and as it were telling himself to “Praise the Lord!” All because of who God is and what He has done. Listen to the opening verses: “Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise His holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits— who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” Actually, I discovered that one of the times when the lulav is waved is during the singing of Psalm 118, one of the “Hallel Psalms” sung at all the great Jewish feasts. That is quite something, really, because the central chapter in the Bible is Psalm 118, found between the shortest chapter (Psalm 117) and the longest (Psalm 119). I haven’t finished yet! There are 594 chapters before Psalm 118 and 594 chapters after it. Add these up and you get.... 1188. Now the centre verse in the whole Bible is.... Psalm 118:8! What does that verse say?— “It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.” You want to be in the centre of God’s will? Go to the centre of His Word! Personally I am not much into Bible numerics, but all that is pretty amazing! Someone once sent me a beautiful PowerPoint presentation of this with some absolutely delightful photographs of the awesomeness of God’s creation. In that presentation were the following words, and the Feast of Tabernacles brings out the truth of these words: When things get tough, always remember— faith doesn’t get you around trouble, it gets you through it! When you relinquish the desire to control your future, you obtain happiness. Think about it! Now Jewish tradition offers us some interesting insights into the lulav and citron, in effect challenging us as Christians to honour the Lord with our lives and to give back to Him out of His blessing and provision to us. And an important way we do that is by giving ourselves in sacrificial service to others, something I have referred to earlier in this Tabernacles series. Let us look for a moment at these four plants. As we do so, think of “fruit” as deeds of love and service to others, that which flows from our lives to others. In John 15:8 Jesus said to His disciples: “This is to My Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be My disciples.” A challenging definition of a disciple! And then think of sweet “fragrance” as representative of our spiritual lives— getting into God’s Word, knowing how to use it, praying, and having a sweetness that comes from spending time in the presence of the Lord. Now the palm has no fragrance but bears a sweet fruit, the date. It speaks to us of someone who is keen to do what is right, to help others, to living according to the dictates of the Word of God, but sadly there is somehow little of the sweet spirit that comes from spending time with the Lord. Before long legalism takes root. The myrtle is the complete reverse— beautifully fragrant but no fruit. It has been said by many that this speaks to us of those who are “so heavenly minded that they are no earthly good.” They do the “right” spiritual things, but somehow have left compassion and practical love and Christian care gathering dust on the shelf. “That’s for the Marthas of this world,” they think... and sometimes say. Now to the willow, which may look attractive (I guess that depends upon your taste in trees!) but sadly it has neither fruit nor fragrance. Such people have little spiritual depth, only a nodding acquaintance with the Bible, and are what some have described as a pastor’s nightmare! They are “high maintenance, low impact” people who have no real foundation as Christians and produce no fruit in their lives. The citron represents—I hope!—everyone reading this. It is a sweet-smelling fruit that is said to represent the heart—because of its shape—and speaks of a balanced and wise life that is grounded in God’s Word and characterised by an intimate relationship with the Lord. The fruit and outflow of such a life is that of compassionate service to others. Is that you? Now this picks up the important aspect of the sacrifices laid down as an integral part of the Feast of Tabernacles. We find in Numbers 29:12-40 a full description of these sacrifices. It is pretty clear from this description that bringing many sacrifices every day during Sukkot was for the Israelites a costly, time-consuming and even messy business. Praise God that Jesus has fulfilled all of the many sacrificial requirements of the Old Testament! Hebrews 9:28 makes this abundantly clear. After making mention of the blood of bulls and goats, the writer goes on to declare, “How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!” Then in Hebrews 9:25,26,28 the writer as it were rams home the contrast: “Nor did He enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own... Christ.... has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself... Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people.” We are once and for all cleansed from our sin through the blood of Jesus! Christian believer—never forget that! But just as the Old Testament worshipper of God was required to show obedience and faith in bringing the sacrifices required, Christian believers, for whom the ultimate sacrifice has once and for all been paid, dare not ignore the New Testament call to sacrificial living. Says Paul in Romans 12:1— “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.” This means offering our very lives back to God in obedient and self-sacrificing service. For our lives are no longer our own—we belong to the Lord! Quite simply, if our faith does not result in fruit, in deeds of faith, then it is not true, biblical, saving faith. Jesus by His Spirit dwells within the heart of every true believer, and though changes may come slowly in some of us, come they do! Remember how Paul puts it in Ephesians 2:8-10— “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works [fruit], which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Are you bearing fruit that pleases and honours the Lord? Can others tell that you are a true disciple of Jesus? Is your worship characterised by a practical remembrance of those who are struggling in life? These are important, relevant and very biblically based questions for us all, if we want our faith to be real. Remember the words of James 2:14-16— “What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” It is interesting to note that those who participated in the celebration of Tabernacles would bring an offering of fruit from their harvest to share with the less fortunate. This feast is more than just celebrating the goodness and faithfulness of God. The sacrifices, lulav and citron speak of sweet lives of compassion. Fruitful faith! Even as we rejoice in the blessings of our God towards us, may we as biblical Christian believers receive afresh the reminder from Archbishop William Temple that “the Christian church is the one organisation in the world that exists purely for the benefit of non-members.” Think about it! ________________________________________________________ Keith Buxton is an ordained pastor. He currently serves on the C4I Australia management committee and is a liaison with C4I Oceania Island affiliates Former National Director of Bridges for Peace Australia The Feast of Tabernacles at the Western Wall in Jerusalem

17. 7 August 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5781 - Tishrei 5782 A grid for Israel dawned slowly for Karen and Tim Wilson as they developed in their walk with the Lord. Input from the wonderful Bible teacher Billye Brim who studied in Israel after her husband’s death helped increase their understanding. In September 2015 Karen and Tim Wilson travelled to the UK and during a stay at the prayer retreat of Ffald-y-Brenin in Wales, Karen was given a simple dream where she recognised a house of prayer with Tim praying in it. They continued on to Israel to travel with a small team headed by Glenn and Coralie Rowbotham, to seek the Lord and also input from Messianic believers in the land about Glenn and Coralie’s vision for an Australian House of Prayer in Israel. The first stop was the Father’s House of Prayer on the Mount of Olives, overlooking the Old City and the Temple Mount. Whilst in the prayer room Karen received a vision of a large house with bay windows and in one of those rooms she was shown that each section of the window represented prayer for a different group, one for the nations, one for the islands and one for Australia, in the next room all the bay window was designated to prayer for Israel and she was shown a further room which was similar to a lecture theatre with desks and a screen, which was for the education component. She was then given a view from above and recognised that the place of the building was at Cape Schanck on the Mornington Peninsula, overlooking Bass straight and the Southern Ocean. Later the Lord revealed that the house was to not only be a place of prayer and education but it was to be a place of encounter, healing and rest. Coralie was particularly excited when Karen shared the vision, as Cape Schanck was the place God told her to go when she asked him about hearing the wind of the Holy Spirit. Perez was highlighted as the name of the land and building for the PRAISE HOP in a dream of a mother about to give birth with the membranes being very thick and it became apparent in the dream that Karen needed to commission an angel to break the membranes. The next day, prior to a trip to the Daylesford HOP Karen was seeking the Lord regarding breakthrough, both with respect to the dream and the PRAISE HOP and she was led to the meaning of breakthrough in Hebrew which is Perez and to look at the verses in Ruth 4:12 “may your house be like that of Perez” , and in Genesis 38: 29 ... “So this is how you have broken out!” And he was named Perez. On that day our daughter-in-law’s water’s broke, although their first grandchild was not born until the next day. Karen’s middle name is Ruth and in the year where Australia celebrated 100 years since the breakthrough with the charge at Beersheva, the theme of breakthrough is clearly something God has called them to. Recently a property “Views” at Cape Schanck was put on the market, and although since withdrawn, they are believing for the finances to purchase and renovate the buildings which are ideal for God’s purpose. The PRAISE ( Pacific Region Australia Israel Education ) HOP is a house of prayer which has been established for the people of the “Southlands of the Holy Spirit” (the islands of the South Pacific, New Zealand and Australia), called to pray for the nations of the Pacific region and Israel in particular, as well as more broadly for all the nations of the world It is also called to educate the body of Jesus in the Southlands about the importance of praying for Israel and the place of Israel in God’s heart. Gatherings for prayer occur on the second and forth Monday evenings of the month, to pray for the local Jewish community in the Eruv of Melbourne and to pray from the locality of Cape Schanck. Various tools and speakers for education around God’s heart for Israel and have been utilised and the HOP has been blessed to host Carolyn and Richard Hyde, Marianna Gol and Sondra Baras, as well as studying Arnie Klein’s “Israel Revealed”. Recently, after listening to Ian Worby speak the HOP purchased the ‘Why Israel?’ trilogy (Why Israel?, Why Jerusalem? and Why End Times?) and the associated study guides as further tools for education. Needless to say the study of God’s outlook on Israel can provoke varied responses from his people. PRAISE HOP is one part of the wonderful tapestry of the Ecclesia that God has called to pray and intercede for Israel and the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They are blessed to be part of that tapestry with increasing relationships with HOPs and believers around the Southlands of the Holy Spirit and invite your prayer and fellowship as they partner with our Lord to ensure that our homelands are sheep nations, that we bless the brethren of Jesus in word and deed, and that we behold the world through the eyes of the lover of Israel. PRAISE! House of Prayer for Israel and the Pacific region—from the ends of the earth. Tim and Karen Wilson Proud Suppoters of C4I Australia from Melbourne, Victoria. Positive Response from Supporters using C4I Teaching Materials SEARCH: ‘C4I’ in your app store 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 A ustralia and teaching resources. • You can also stay in touch by sending secure messages via a simple form. DOWNLOAD TODAY! Inspiring and informative content, wherever you are. PRAISE HOP is called to pray for the nations of the Pacific region and Israel in particular...

20. 10 August 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5781 - Tishrei 5782 Update on the New Holocaust Survivor Programme We have now constantly 2 people visiting cities and villages where elderly Jewish people in need and Holocaust survivors live who are on the program. People get different help according to their needs but in general we help the elderly in need with medicines, extra food and hot meals. Also in the conflict zone in the east of Ukraine we help elderly Jewish people in need through the sponserplan. In each place the coordinator or responsible person keeps us updated and of course when the team visits the people from the sponserplan is like a celebration, feast, joyful happening for them. A general update from Alina after visiting places in the south of Ukraine like Kherson and Nicolaev: So far, I am happy with the many visits. As I have told to Anemone, nobody lives in slums, it might even seem people are not needy, but, as you know, the flats they got for free—in most cases during the Soviet times—all the furniture, carpets, refrigerators, TV sets, and other things were purchased while they were still working, younger, had stability in their lives, husbands were alive, bills were not so high and their health was good. However, all they have now are small retirement payments (average of 100 US dollars) poor health, debts for heating, medical bills they cannot pay, children some far away, some barely making both ends meet themselves...and no hope. This fall the prices for heating and electricity will go up again and it is making everybody stressed already now. Every other one has big debts for heating from the last season, but choosing between paying for medical needs and heating they decide the bills can wait, though the government does not play this game— they come and cut off the line or fine the debtors. It is heartbreaking to realize that those who worked all their life are at the point when they have to be dependent on somebody’s help. It is very humiliating for them, many are too shy even to mention about their needs. ________________________________________________________ Because of generous supporters who give to causes like Aliyah and First Home in the Homeland, olim can find safety and security within their true homeland. If you’d like to participate in what God is doing around the world—bringing comfort to His people and returning them safely to the Holy Land—please prayerfully consider giving today! See the back page or donate online at myaccount.c4israel.com.au Koen Carlier Christian’s for Israel Ukraine You Can Give Lasting Hope to God’s People in Their Time of Need... Pictures: visiting Jewish people from the Holocaust Survivor sponsorship programme. Enter Your Details Enter your name and login email address used to access your C4I Donor Portal Step 1. Step 3. Register your Credit/Debit card to generate a payment token (Note Card details NOT stored) Register Your Card Step 4. C4I will allocate your adoptee and setup a recurring payment as per Step 3. You will then be notified via email of the details. Await Advice Step 2. Select the length of your sponsorship • 1 Year (12 Pa yments of $45) • 2 Years (24 Pa yments of $45) Select Period Adopt a Holocaust Survivor today! Go to c4israel.com.au/adopt and follow these 4 easy steps*: *If you don’t have an email address or if the online setup is not your preference you can call our team during office hours on 07 3088 6900 and they’ll assist you over the phone.

2. Informs • Inspires • Comforts / Other Easy Ways To Donate Name on card: My Donation Today: $ Exp Date The 3 digits of the reverse of your credit card. (4 digits if using Amex) Card No Visa Mastercard Amex (Payable to Christian’s for Israel Australia Inc) Cheque/Money Order Credit Card *CVC Cardholder’s signature: Over the Phone 07 3088 6900 (during office hours) Securely Online c4israel.com.au TEL. 07 3088 6900 EMAIL info@c4israel.com.au www.c4israel.com.au Visiting address: 3398 Pacific Highway Springwood QLD 4127 P.O. Box 1508 Springwood QLD 4127 Australia ABN: 79 941 819 693 Christians for Israel Australia Inc. Bank Transfer BSB: 014-279 ACC: 405318551 REF: Member Number “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” For those wishing to do the $45 a month adoption, please refer to the 4-step instructions to the right of this page. For those who want to make a one-time gift please use the form on the back page of the newspaper or the response mechanism at the bottom of this letter. In His strong and mighty name. Ian Worby, National Leader And the Christians for Israel Australia team. P.S. Please also consider giving a one-off donation to cover print and distribution costs of this newspaper or even by ordering more copies to give to friends. Your support of the ministry in anyway is greatly appreciated. Enter Your Details Enter your name and login email address used to access your C4I Donor Portal Step 1. Step 3. Register your Credit/Debit card to generate a payment token (Note Card details NOT stored) Register Your Card Step 4. C4I will allocate your adoptee and setup a recurring payment as per Step 3. You will then be notified via email of the details. Await Advice Step 2. Select the length of your sponsorship • 1 Year (12 Pa yments of $45) • 2 Years (24 Pa yments of $45) Select Period Adopt a Holocaust Survivor today! Go to c4israel.com.au/adopt and follow these 4 easy steps*: *If you don’t have an email address or if the online setup is not your preference you can call our team during office hours on 07 3088 6900 and they’ll assist you over the phone. Pictures: visiting Jewish people from the Holocaust Survivor sponsorship programme.

7. 5 News Short News Young Musicians for Holocaust Survivors and the Elderly In June, the Jerusalem Music Centre and the Jerusalem Foundation organised a special concert with ensembles of the David Goldman Programme for Outstanding Young Musicians of the Jerusalem Music Centre. Over 100 Holocaust survivors attended this concert, and the Jerusalem Foundation organized five minibuses for transportation. It was an unforgettable and moving event after so many months of Covid restrictions. The Café Europa network offers social interaction and supports opportunities for the city’s Holocau st survivors. Hundreds of Jerusalem’s Holocaust survivors visit the six Cafés Europa held weekly in Hebrew, Russian, English, and Yiddish. In addition, ‘Café Europa on Wheels’ visits those that cannot leave their homes. Photo: Yael Ilan Student from the United Arab Emirates Recently the IDC-campus in Herzliya welcomed the first student from the United Arab Emirates. A unique event for Israel and a result of the Abraham Accords. Uriel Reichman, president and founder of IDC Herzliya said: “We are proud to be the first academic institution in Israel to welcome a student from the United Arab Emirates.” The nineteen-year-old student studies Public Administration and lives in one of the dormitories on campus. Honduras Opens Embassy in Jerusalem Honduras officially moved its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem on 24 June 2021 in the presence of Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and visiting Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández. Honduras is the fourth country to open its embassy in Jerusalem. President Hernández arrived in Israel with 20 pastors who brought thousands of signatures of Christians who love Israel. Herández pointed out that after he took office in 2014, Honduras became ‘one of the two countries in Latin America, and one of the five in the world, that most often abstains from the resolutions that Israel opposes.’ He expressed the hope to continue to build a solid relationship between Israel and Honduras. August 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5781 - Tishrei 5782 Marilyn Stern n Amit Barak, co-founder of the Jerusalemite Initiative, spoke to participants in a Middle East Forum webinar about historic change occurring among the roughly 175,000 Arabic- speaking Israeli Christians and their growing identification with and integration into Israeli society as a whole. For many years, Arabic-speaking Christians in Israel were commonly known as Christian Arabs, reflecting the fact that they shared much the same solidarity with the outside Arab world as Israel’s 1.3 million Muslim Arab citizens. Living primarily in Arab Muslim towns and villages, they were considered part of the undifferentiated Arab sector. Like Muslim Arabs, they are exempt from obligatory military service. This perspective about the place of Arabic- speaking C hristians in Israeli society began to shift around 2012, as they witnessed the growing persecution of Christians throughout the Middle East, most notably those in Syria, Iraq, Egypt, Libya, and the Palestinian Authority self-rule areas. In response, Father Gabriel Naddaf of Nazareth, a Greek Orthodox priest who had established the Christian Empowerment Council, has called upon the Christian community to embrace Israel as its home and ‘safe haven.’ Moreover, he publicly urged Christian youth to ‘defend our home’ by serving in the Israel Defense Force s (IDF) and the Israeli National Service (Sherut Leumi). While Israeli law obliges only Jews, Druze, and Circassians to serve in the IDF, Arabic-speaking Christians (and Muslims) may volunteer. Father Naddaf’s call for Christians to fully integrate into Israeli society and become partners in ‘building the state’ broke a long-standing taboo. While Arabic- speaking Christians serve as judges in Israel’s Supreme Court, hospital directors, and other high-profile positions, Barak explained that their participation until now has been as individuals, not as representatives of a community acting on behalf of Israel. Evidence of Father Naddaf’s success can be seen in the increasing number of Arabic- speaking Christians volunteering to serve in the IDF, from 30-35 before 2012 to around 100 by 2014. Arabic-speaking Christian volunteers in the National Service (which serves as an alternative to obligatory military service for ultra- orthodox Jew s and conscientious objectors) rose from around a dozen to 500. Father Naddaf’s wake-up call to his fellow Christians has been challenged by Muslim and leftist organisations in Israel. Arabic- speaking Christians who embrace his call have suffered boycotts against their businesses and even difficulties seeking marital partners. The threat of violence against Arabic-speaking Christians in the IDF has led them to receive special permission to remove their uniforms when travelling to and from their homes. Father Naddaf has emphasised the need for education about the origins of Arabic- speaking Christians to bolster their integration in Israel. Arabic-speaking Christians date back to the 7th and 8th centuries when Arab Muslims conquered the area and transformed the culture. Among the imposed changes, Aramaic, the spoken language shared by Jews, Greeks, and Christians, was replaced by Arabic. Christians speak Arabic as their ‘mother language’ because of the cultural environment where they live, but “they are not Arabs,” said Barak. They are being awakened to their true origins as “descendants of the first Jews who followed Jesus ... [and] ... descendants of Aramean tribes, north-of-Israel Assyrian tribes, and other tribes.” At Father Naddaf’s urging, in 2016, Israel’s Interior Ministry enacted a major change by recognising Aramean as a nationality in Israel. Although the registry process involves a lengthy bureaucratic one, the ministry’s recognition enables Arabic- speaking Christians to formally change their identity ‘from Arab to Aramean.’ Barak said the next step in the ‘ongoing process’ of Christian integration is to gain the support of Israel’s Ministry of Education. Providing crucial knowledge in the education system about the origins of Arabic-speaking Christians will help bring about ‘a real change’ by nurturing their identities as Israeli civilians who are fully vested in safeguarding their homeland. Originally published by Middle East Forum. www.meforum.org The Changing Identity of Israel’s Arabs Father Gabriel Naddaf (left) with former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. | Photo: Flash90/GPO Arabic-speaking Christians in Israel “are not Arabs.” News 4 Andrew Tucker n International Editor | Christians for Israel On 24 June 2021, I spoke with Dr Kobi Michael (Senior Research Fellow, Institute for National Security Studies, Israel) about the conflict between Hamas and Fatah – the two main groups within Palestinian society. What Does the Conflict Between Hamas and Fatah Mean? “Since 2007, Hamas is in control of the Gaza Strip. Hamas is not a member of the PLO. Hamas threw out the Palestinian Authority (PA) and is in conflict with Fatah – the largest political party in the PLO. But this is not an internal Palestinian conflict. It is part of a bitter and bloody regional struggle since the Arab Spring. Four axes are striving for influence and hegemony in the Middle East: Ÿ The Iranian axis – includes Syria and Iranian proxies such as Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, Houti’s in Yemen, Palestinian Islamic Jihad in the Palestinian territories, and, in a way, Hamas; Ÿ Salafia Jihadia – which is the most extreme and violent version of Islam, such as ISIS; Ÿ Political Islam (the Muslim Brotherhood) – supported by Turkey and Qatar. Hamas is the Palestinian branch of the Brotherhood, and Gaza Strip is the only place in the Middle East where the Brotherhood is the ruling power of territory; Ÿ Pragmatic Sunni Arab states – led by Saudi Arabia and Egypt, and includes Gulf states (excl. Qatar) and Jordan. The Palestinian Authority (PA) is part of this camp. Hamas is influenced and supported by Iran, Turkey and Qatar. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad, which operates from the Gaza Strip, is a full Iranian proxy. So in the small area 2 of the Gaza Strip (365 km ), we find Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), Fatah and Iran, Turkey, the UN and other players – all with competing agenda’s and interests. Israel has to be able to tackle the threats emanating from each of these fronts simultaneously. In all of this, the Palestinians are pawns on a chessboard.” Is There any Chance that Fatah and Hamas will Reconcile and Form a Unity Government? “The chance that Hamas and Fatah will reconcile is equal to the probability that President Sisi in Egypt will accept the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt. Zero. They are playing a zero-sum game. Even though the PLO is Israel’s preferred partner, the PA has become more important than the PLO. Mahmoud Abbas is the Chairman of the PLO and the PA, and he is also the leader of Fatah, the most important political movement within the PLO. But the PA has no say in the Gaza Strip, where Hamas is in control. But Israel cannot work with Hamas becaus e it is a terrorist organisation, and to legitimise Hamas would undermine the PA and Fatah. This means Israel has to use two internally contradictory strategies – one in Gaza Strip, one in the West Bank. All of this is further complicated by the fact that Abbas, the PLO, the PA and Fatah are rapidly losing legitimacy and credibility amongst the Palestinian constituency.” How is Palestinian Society Organised? What Does it Look Like on the Ground? “Palestinian society is deeply divided. You have those living in refugee camps; those who live in the villages; and those who live in the big cities. Even between the cities, there are big differences. Most Palestinians living in Hebron are Bedouins, whose natural affinity is with the Bedouin tribes in Jordan; their immediate loyalty is to their own tribes and clans, and only then to the PA in Ramallah. The Hebron Palestinians are very different from those in the northern cities like Jenin. Ramallah is the seat of the Palestinian Authority. Most Palestinian Christians live in Ramallah and Bethlehem. Ramallah is identified with the Palestinian elite, like Arafat and Abbas and their families, who came from abroad after the Oslo Agreements. Most Palestinians deeply mistrust the elite. Then there are the Palestinians in East Jerusalem who have a unique status because they are Israeli residents and have Israeli IDs, meaning they have all the rights of Israeli citizenship (excepting the right to hold an Israeli passport and the right to vote for the Israeli parliament (Knesset)). They can travel freely and hold properties within Israel and the Palestinian territories. The Jerusalemite Palestinians have their own leadership and are not easily affiliated with the PA. This tension was one of the triggers for the recent conflict with Hamas.” Can Negotiations Really Lead to a Peaceful Solution Between Israel and the PLO? “The parties governing the PLO are losing legitimacy. Abu Mazen (the familiar name of PA/PLO leader Mahmoud Abbas) has only 8% of support, while Hamas has 74% support in the Palestinian territories (including the West Bank). Remember that the people in the Gaza Strip are more moderate than those in the West Bank. Even if an agreement is reached with the PLO, who will support it? It is not realistic. The fact is that the current PLO leadership is unable to make the concessions required to reach an agreement. The gap between Israel and the PLO on the key issues are unbridgeable. The fundamental problem is not territories, borders, Jerusalem, water or similar issues. It is the historical refusal of the Palestinians to accept the right of the Jewish people for self-determination. They regard the creation of the Jewish State as an original sin. Even Abu Mazen refuses to recognise the existence of the Jewish people as a nation. If he reaches an agreement, it will be with the State of Israel, which he does not accept as being a Jewish State. The other side of this c oin is the right of return; they demand that Israel accept this Palestinian right and their right to implement that right.” Can the US or Other States Assist? “The EU, US and others should be more modest and sober. They need to recognise the difference between the parties, and also, the Palestinians hold to a ‘sacred principle’ that ‘nothing is agreed until everything is agreed’. So (putting aside Hamas – which is a separate issue and needs to be tackled separately), our only option is to work with the PA. We need to keep a final status agreement on the horizon, but in the meantime, we can reach and implement interim agreements on issues such as infrastructure, environment, economy, transportation. This will build trust and create a new atmosphere, which in turn will facilitate negotiation of the more difficult issues. All of this will take time. There is a very dramatic change in the Middle East following the consequences of the Arab upheaval. This is the new normalisation process between Israel and Arab countries in the region - a strategic alliance between Israel and Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, and the Gulf states and even the PA, reflecting the strategic threats facing all of them: Iran, which is undermining stability in the region, the Jihadic Salafia, the Muslim Brotherhood and Turkey. This may become a new regional framework, allowing thinking at a regional level but also European counties like Cyprus, Greece and Italy. We must think not just of the Middle East but of the Eastern Mediterranean basin. Such cooperation will provide more security, self- confidence and opportunities.” What Will Happen Next? “The PA is likely to collapse soon. Abu Mazen cannot continue much longer, and there are no agreed procedures for the succession. All we have are various factions, each with its own armed militia. So if and when Abu Mazen leaves or dies, this will lead to armed conflict, resulting in the collapse of the PA. Then, Israel will have no option but to re- install its military administration. There could be a possibility for some kind of coalition between the various Palestinian families and clans. But Israel should not try to engineer this in advance.” The PLO is on the Verge of Collapse August 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5781 - Tishrei 5782 Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas seen during a tour in the West Bank city of Ramallah in 2020. | Photo: Flash90 Ramallah is identified with the Palestinian elite, like Arafat and Abbas and their families, who came from abroad after the Oslo Agreements. Most Palestinians deeply mistrust the elite.

15. 5 August 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5781 - Tishrei 5782 ICEJ Article Continued... of life in Israel by contributing to projects across the nation in every sector of society. Forward in Faith The next year’s Feast to be held in Jerusalem’s Convention Centre was a huge step in faith. ICEJ leadership in that first year of operation felt they should prepare for 3000 pilgrims, but as the time drew close there were only 160 reservations. “We all got down on our knees and prayed together,” relates Timothy King one of the original founders. “Clearly, God answered and confirmed our thoughts. And all at the last minute, 3000 people registered.” That year, the Feast was visited by the Prime Minister of Israel for the first time. He was greeted with thunderous applause and although Menachem Begin was not a man who readily smiled, that night he did, especially as he heard the words, ‘Israel you are not alone!’ Israel You are Not Alone Although the Christian visitors had been invited to join the Jerusalem March in 1980, the ‘walls’ between Jews and Christians were high. The experiences of the Holocaust, still raw. However, when in 1981 the press reported that the Prime Minister, Mayor and Chief Rabbi had welcomed the pilgrims, residents were curious to investigate these Christian visitors. Tim King remembers, “As we Christians walked down the street with our banners of love, you could see faces with this look of, ‘maybe, just maybe, these Christians are different’. For 41 years, the walls have steadily come down, and the term ‘Evangelical Christian’ has almost become a ‘good household word’ in Israel.” Through lack of interest, City officials had considered cancelling the Jerusalem March which had begun in the early 1970s. Yet once the Christian delegations started joining this yearly event, the March became an attraction again. And the following year in 1982, with the nation anxious about the fighting in Lebanon and facing heavy criticism abroad, thousands of friendly Christians marching through the streets of Jerusalem at Sukkot was an incredibly uplifting sight. Ever since, the Jerusalem March has become an extremely popular Feast event for Christian pilgrims and Israelis alike. A Temple of Worship in the City of the Great King “All the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the LORD, And all the families of the nations shall worship before You.” – Psalm 22:27 Worship has been an important and inspiring hallmark of the Feast. From all over the world, the LORD provided rich talent, and many singers who later became well known names were first given an international platform at the Feasts. Anointed new expressions of praise and worship were introduced by Merv and Merla Watson. Worship through dance, and colourful banners and biblically inspired garments for the musicians and choristers, contributed to a sense of Davidic praise. There to Stay The celebration of the Feast has continued for four decades. It grew to become the single biggest tourist event on Israel’s Calendar—with thousands of Christians descending upon Jerusalem for the 7 day feast. Each year, the Prime Minister or other dignitaries have been in attendance in the opening night. Some years saw increased threats of conflict and terrorism, but the pilgrims came. Would the scuds of the Gulf War of early 1991 that required the Israeli population to carry gas masks at all times keep visitors away? Instead that year, there was a record crowd of nearly 8,000. The 2002 Feast was held during the peak of the armed Palestinian uprising, which had chased away nearly all foreign tourism to Israel. There was a serious warning of a suicide bomber in Jerusalem to target the March but the nearly 3000 Christians who showed up for the Feast that year marched anyway. The demonstration of support and courage not only touched Israelis, but also gained respect from the global press. 2014 saw a war with Gaza and at the Feast that year, in it’s new larger location, the Embassy welcomed on stage 300 IDF troops who had fought in the conflict. Calling the Nations to Come Up to Jerusalem The original founders were aware that they were celebrating a feast of joy and thanksgiving and not just another Christian conference. Worship and teaching of the Word remain important aspects. However, there is another component. The Feast remains as a challenge to the Church to proclaim that “the time to favour Zion has come.” The global pandemic begun in 2020 and continues to close borders, but technology has enabled borders to be crossed while sitting in our homes. The International Christian Embassy Jerusalem invites you to join this year’s celebration from 20-26th September. Enjoy worship and anointed speakers and go on virtual tours of Israel. Take the opportunity to introduce friends to Israel as you view the sessions together. The theme of the Feast this year is ‘ The Days of Elijah’. This theme is introduced by Dr Jurgen Buhler President of ICEJ in an excellent article of which there is an extract below: ‘When Ahab finally met Elijah at the end of the drought, he greeted him: “Here you are, you troubler of Israel.” In our post-modern world of ‘woke culture’, where everything goes and no absolutes are allowed, it is the believer in the holy God of the Bible who is the modern trouble-maker. A God who places radical demands upon His disciples is not compatible anymore with a world which defies absolutes and celebrates “openness,” “diversity,” and “inclusion.” But it is in exactly this time that Elijah’s voice needs to be heard again. To be clear, Elijah’s main calling was not to release judgement upon Israel, but it was the means to turn the hearts of his people back to her God. Elijah’s ministry—and after him that of Elisha (upon whom rested the spirit of Elijah)—brought forth one of the greatest seasons of signs and wonders in Israel. It was later only exceeded by the Messiah himself. Both Elijah and Elisha demonstrated the miraculous power of God more than any other prophet before or after them. They raised the dead, healed the sick, defied laws of gravity, divided the river Jordan, multiplied food, blinded the eyes of the enemies, and opened the eyes of God’ people. It was a singular time when God revealed Himself to His people in unparalleled ways. This was not a ministry of ‘cheap grace’, but one where God challenged His people to make up their minds whom they wanted to serve—the God of Israel or Baal. Jesus then announces that Elijah will come and he will “restore all things”. When Jesus said these words, I believe he did not have the Roman or Babylonian empires in mind, but his own people, the people of the Kingdom of God. This means we can expect—even in the midst of turbulent times—for God to conclude His purposes with Israel and the Church!’ (Dr Buhler ‘Word From Jerusalem’ July/August Issue.) Be challenged at the 2021 Feast along with a global audience! For details visit: on.icej.org/FOT2021 (Thanks to Timothy King for his assistance.) ________________________________________________________ Maxine Carlill , along with her husband Jim, joined the staff of the ICEJ in 1998 until 2007. They continued to spend up to 6 months a year in Israel until 2019 as volunteers, much of that time for Maxine was with ICEJ . They are currently living south of Newcastle NSW and are active members of ICEJ Australia . The Nations Gather in Jerusalem The Jerusalem March has become an extremely popular Feast event for Christian pilgrims and Israelis alike.

33. Shavei Israel n Israel’s Ben-Gurion Airport was witness to an emotional scene on 31 May when a specially-chartered El Al flight from the Indian capital of New Delhi touched down on the tarmac. Emerging from the plane were 160 new immigrants from the Bnei Menashe community of northeastern India, descendants of one of the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel who are now returning to Zion after more than 2700 years in exile. The group is the first batch of nearly 550 Bnei Menashe that the Shavei Israel organisation, headed by Rabbi Michael Freund, plans to bring on Aliyah in 2021 in cooperation with the Ministry of Absorption and the Jewish Agency. As they set foot on the Holy Land for the first time, many instinctively fell to their knees and kissed the ground, thanking the Creator for His kindness in bringing them to Israel. Among the arrivals were Ari Singson, his wife and his one-year-old son, all of whom were reunited with Ari’s siblings and family who made Aliyah in 2018. They had not seen each other in three years. Ari was deeply moved to return to the land of his ancestors, the Land of Israel, saying that it is “no less than a miracle for our family!” This special Aliyah operation was made possible by an historic partnership between Jews and Christians. In recent years, Christians for Israel have supported Shavei Israel’s efforts, an organisation that has brought more than 4,000 Bnei Menashe on Aliyah to the Jewish state. “We are grateful to Christians for Israel for their ongoing prayers, encouragement and support for the Bnei Menashe Aliyah,” said Rabbi Freund, adding that, “I am profoundly grateful to Christians for Israel for the love they show for the Jewish people, the apple of God’s eye (Zechariah 2:8). ” The return of the Bnei Menashe after so many generations in exile is the fulfilment of Biblical prophecy, as it signifies the beginning of the reunification of the tribes of Judah and Israel. As the prophet, Hosea foretold, “And the sons of Judah and the sons of Israel shall be gathered in together”. In the coming months, hundreds more Bnei Menashe will make the long journey back to the land which their ancestors dreamed of for generations. The cost per immigrant is AU $1350, which covers airfare and transportation from India to Israel and some of the initial absorption costs. For every AU $1350 raised, another member of the lost tribe of Bnei Menashe will be able to return. By supporting the Bnei Menashe Aliyah, you can be part of fulfilling the Divine Will by bringing the Lord’s children back from Exile. Please give generously so that this modern-day miracle can continue to unfold. Please complete the coupon on the back page. Any amount is welcome. 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 Return of Bnei Menashe: A Modern Miracle August 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5781 - Tishrei 5782 Marnix van Ede n Keshet Journeys Experience and learn about the land that Jesus called home through a 360 virtual technology. People can gain tremendous knowledge as a tour guide from the comfort of their own home along with international experts and scholars in Christianity, Hebraic roots and more. Keshet Journeys, a tour operator based in Israel, has released a new virtual course with content and biblical reflections with the latest 3D and 360 virtual technologies. The programme, ‘Tour Leaders Course’, consists of a variety of content and virtual tours of the biblical and modern sites in Israel, explained, preached and reflected like never before by well-known international Pastors and influencers, such as Nathaniel Buzzolic, Pastors Todd and Julie Mullins, Mark Varughese, and Glyn Barrett. “This is a great opportunity for leaders and people to develop and learn more about the Holy Land in a deeper way. We see the impact of our tours on people’s lives and how much it strengthens them in their walk of faith. The Holy Land is, in our perspective, the best educational tool to teach the Bible. The online course combines teachings of top-level Israeli educators and experts, virtual tours to Biblical sites with our best tour guides, and input from pastors from around the world who love to tour the Land.” says Moshe Gabay, host and moderator of the tour leaders’ course by Keshet Journeys. Before the pandemic, Israel broke records for the number of incoming tourists, expecting to double its visits within the next few years. The lack of Christian or Messianic tour guides was becoming complicated, as having a Christian group, one of the requests was to have a believer (Christian or Messianic) tour guide. Someone on the same spiritual level or at least understanding. This created the opportunity to develop this programme, giving the right tools t o lead a group through Israel, being equipped with the knowledge of a tour guide, and the capability to provide a spiritual message in the context of the Bible. The interactive content of the programme consists of over 20 live broadcast webinars on a weekly basis and on- demand teaching videos. Upon completion of this course, the user will be able to lead tours for Keshet Journeys or any other tour operator or travel agent. The course combines different fields of expertise, thus offering a far broader approach than traditional seminary training. The local educators in the curriculum are considered to be worldwide leading experts in their respective fields. Seasoned and skilled in the Land of the Bible, they are able to share unparalleled information and perspectives. In addition, leading pastors provide spiritual input and insights, bridging the past, the present, and the future. ‘Coming to Israel changed my life, I learned so much about this small area with endless history. My faith grew and helped me to get a deeper understanding in the Word of God. However, it is not easy to accumulate so much information in just a few days of trip in Israel, people need weeks to get to know and familiarize themselves with it. This course immerses you into a deeper understanding of the Bible in a 360 experience, which means you will be basically on the site where the events you are reading happened. Now is the time to bring the message to others, today is the day to engage more people for Him’ says the Christian influencer and teaches on the virtual programme of Caesarea Philippi, Nathaniel Buzolic @natebuzz. The course is a unique opportunity to gain tremendous knowledge of the homeland of Jesus from the comfort of your own home. Pastors, leaders, and anyone who would like to lead tours to Israel or wants to learn about the Land of the Bible are invited to take part in this mission. The course is available on www.israeltourleader.com. While the first limited amount of vaccinated tourists traveling in groups arrived a few weeks ago, further easing regulations will hopefully follow. We hope to welcome you in the Land that Jesus called home soon. 14 Column | News August 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5781 - Tishrei 5782 Carly Douglas n The Australian Jewish News Students at one of Australia’s top journalism schools are being taught not to be objective on the Israeli-Palestinian issue. Two Jewish students at the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) said they were left frustrated and upset after attending a Zoom panel event entitled ‘Palestine and the media’, presented by the UTS Centre for Social Justice & Inclusion and Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences in June 2021. Head of Journalism Professor Saba Bebawi began the panel noting that “what recording reality is, is not objective journalism, it is about offering a portrayal of what’s happening on the ground”. Palestinian writer Samah Sabawi questioned, “What is being objective when you’re dealing with an occupier and occupied, when you’re dealing with an oppressor and the oppressed?” while Jewish Israel critic Antony Loewenstein said, “Objectivity suggests there’s two equal sides.” Bebawi also alleged Israel’s bombing of a Gaza building that housed Hamas military technology alongside the offices of Al Jazeera and Associated Press “was in an attempt to silence them”. Students were also encouraged to look at a skewed petition the AJN reported on last month that calls on editors to “deliberately make space for Palestinian perspectives”, avoid “both-siderism” and respect the rights of journalists “to publicly and openly express personal solidarity with the Palestinian cause without penalty in their professional lives”. Student Pnina Hagege told the AJN, “Having a panel who are all pro-Palestine does not give a correct depiction of what is actually going on. We are given a lot of resources from the Arab-Palestinian perspective but we are given only Jewish perspectives that are anti-Israel ... They’re using the minority to represent our entire community and that’s a really scary thing.” Hagege said she and another Jewish student Rachel Palmer, along with other Jewish students, submitted questions to an active chat box but were ignored. Palmer said, “During my time at UTS, Jewish voices supporting Israel have never been heard. This has contributed to a sense of exclusion, marginalisation, discrimination and physical insecurity I feel as a Jewish student at UTS.” Bebawi did not respond to multiple requests for comment, however executive director of Social Justice at UTS, Verity Firth, who moderated the panel, said, “It is not always possible or even desirable to include representatives with every opposing view.” She added that a recent talk on cybercrime at the university was given by an Israeli speaker. Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Alex Ryvchin said UTS was drawing “a false equivalence between the mere holding of an event with an Israeli speaker and an event which sought to actively persuade journalism students to abandon basic journalist ethics and become activists for the Palestinian cause”. “Much has been said and written about declining faith in journalist standards and the spread of dubious alternative news sources as a result. This event is a perfect illustration of why that’s happening,” he said. Meanwhile at Macquarie University, a student told the AJN during the first lecture in her Indigenous studies class this year, her lecturer presented a map that replaced Israel with ‘Palestine’. Then recently, another Indigenous studies lecturer began a lecture with, “We want to express our solidarity with the Palestinian intifada currently unfolding, which seeks the abolition of the settler state and insists on the liberation of Indigenous land.” At Melbourne University, a Jewish student said a lecture compared “what has happened in Australia to other settler colonial movements, being Israel and Palestine”. A co-director of the ‘Indigenous Settler Relations Collaboration’ (ISRC) unit at Melbourne University also shared multiple Twitter posts encouraging students to attend pro-Palestine rallies and events, with hashtags like Decolonising PalestinianTerritory. The ISRC unit also released a statement saying it “stands in solidarity with Palestinians resisting settler colonial violence”. “We recognise the ongoing authority of Palestinian people over their lands and the legitimacy of their revolt against this dispossession,” it continued. Asked whether this was justification for Hamas violence, a university spokesperson said the statement “is not intended to be teaching and learning material”. Australasian Union of Jewish Students (AUJS) president Gabrielle Agosin said AUJS had been contacted by many students in both Sydney and Melbourne “deeply distressed by the heavily biased and one-sided accounts of the events in Israel on campus”. “Given that universities are supposed to be spaces that endorse freedom of thought and expression, the lack of balance is very troubling,” she added, “particularly when this veers into antisemitic tropes and outright racism. The AUJS team is here to assist students if they have any difficulties on campus.” Ryvchin said, “We will be liaising with our state c onstituent bodies in Victoria and New South Wales and universities to address these incidents as a matter of urgency.” Journalism Students Taught One Sided Learn about the Land Jesus Called Home

16. 6 August 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5781 - Tishrei 5782 Something to thinc. about with our new C4I strategic ministry partner The latest escalation between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, and the recent decision of the International Criminal Court to open an investigation into possible crimes committed in the context of the Israeli- Palestinian conflict, raise fundamental issues about the scope of international law and legitimacy. These issues were discussed at an international roundtable organised by ELNET-France and The Hague Initiative for International Cooperation (thinc.) on 9th June 2021. Israel’s right to self-defence Prof. Laurie Blank (Clinical Professor of Law, Director of The International Humanitarian Law Clinic, Emory University School of Law, Atlanta, USA) explained that Israel had a right under international law to defend itself against the recent attacks launched by Hamas from Gaza. According to Prof. Blank, “every state—like every human being—has a right under international law to self-defence. There are two basic conditions to the right to self-defence.” Necessity First, the use of force in self-defence is only allowed if it is “necessary” to repel or deter the attack. The fact that a terrorist organization was attacking Israel, and there was no possibility of negotiation, clearly means that a response was necessary in self-defence to end or prevent that attack. In other words, there was a necessity for Israel to respond. Second, the principle of proportionality regulates the extent of force that can be used to bring an end to the attack. Note: it is not a “tit-for-tat” or a question of symmetry. International law allows the use of force to the extent needed to end or repel the attack. As long as Hamas was continuing to launch rockets and other attacks, Israel is justified in using the amount of force needed to stop the attacks—for example, by eliminating Hamas’ military capabilities for launching attacks. The fact that Hamas, which seems like a small aggressor, is in fact a proxy of a larger, more powerful, aggressor (Iran), could potentially be relevant to this analysis as well. Proportionality Blank: “There is a separate concept of proportionality governing how you can fight. The law of armed conflict sets out comprehensive principles and rules to protect civilians, but also recognizes the pursuit of military objectives. This principle of proportionality in the law of armed conflict is about minimizing harm to civilians from lawful military operations. The rule is that, in the case of an attack on a lawful military objective, if the expected harm to civilians will be excessive in relation to the anticipated military gain, then you cannot carry out that attack. This requires assessing in advance the value of the target and whether the expected civilian loss will be ‘excessive’”. Perceptions Prof. Blank noted that the biggest challenge lies in the perception of legality and legitimacy. “Israel is fighting a kinetic war to counter attacks against its territory and civilian population, while Hamas is fighting an information war to delegitimize Israel. Hamas uses civilian losses in Gaza to fight this war. It either uses civilians to protect it from attack by shielding military objectives—a war crime— or deliberately puts civilians in harm’s way in order to create the perception of war crimes regardless of the actual legality of Israel’s actions. Hamas thus creates the ingredients it needs in its information war, claiming to the world that Israel is using excessive force and deliberately harming civilians. This appears to be the only conflict in the world where a comparison of the number of casualties is used as a measure of legality. But there is nothing in the law that says there must be an equal number of casualties on both sides. This lack of understanding of how the law works, combined with an exploitation of that lack of understanding, makes it very difficult to combat this information war.” The IDF’s approach to compliance with international law Col. (Res.) Daniel Reisner (Former Head of The International Law Department of The Israeli Defence Forces) explained the background to the current round of violence. “In the past, Hamas used Israel’s alleged ‘occupation’ of Gaza as an excuse to attack Israeli civilians. This was strange, because Israel is no longer in Gaza; Hamas was basically saying that the fact it does not like its neighbors justifies killing people. But in this case, it did not even rely on that argument; it said that certain events in Jerusalem required it to attack. It said: we have a view about those events, and if Israel does not comply with our demands, we will kill Israeli civilians. It was an extortion racket. Israel justifiably disregarded this threat, and Hamas started firing rockets at Israeli civilians.” Reisner outlined the very careful process by which the IDF addresses and implements international law. “Before launching any military attack, the IDF goes through a three-test process: 1. The attack has to be militarily justifiable. It must “make military sense” – i.e. it must have some military advantage associated with it. 2. The second question is whether the attack is “moral”, i.e. ‘can I sleep at night if we do this?’ Although difficult to quantify, this is actually an easy test to apply. 3. The third question is: is it a lawful attack? There are three sub-questions: a. is it a legitimate target? This means it must be a military objective. b. are you using lawful weapon systems? This is easy, because Israel only uses lawful weapons. c. is it proportionate? — i.e. are the expected civilian casualties excessive in relation to the anticipated military gain?” Reisner: “These decisions must be made real-time on the basis of the information available at that time—not in hindsight. The authorized military commander makes these determinations, together with targeting officers working with bomb damage assessment experts who try to give a picture of the expected collateral damage, and qualified expert international lawyers who apply the principles of proportionality to advise whether the planned attack makes sense. Dozens of IDF lawyers are deployed with military commanders at divisional level and above: General HQ, Air Force HQ, Special Forces HQ, and the relevant division commanders—all are given on-the-ground legal advice with respect to each and every operation and/or attack.” Asymmetry Reisner: “Hamas, on the contrary, is intentionally targeting civilians. So there is an asymmetry: Israel is making every effort to comply with every aspect of international law, while Hamas is making every effort to violate every rule of international law—intentionally, willfully and wantonly.” Investigations After every incident in which there is alleged wrong-doing, the IDF—just like other modern armies—launches an after- the-fact investigation. In most cases these are “operational” investigations, in which commanders investigate whether something went wrong, and if so why. In extreme cases, where there is a risk that international law has been violated, the investigation will be transferred to the legal authority for a legal investigation. For example, if there is an allegation that a soldier fired intentionally at a civilian, a criminal investigation will be launched. This is important with respect to the International Criminal Court (ICC) because the ICC is based on the principle of complementarity—meaning that the primary source of jurisdiction is still supposed to be the relevant national criminal justice system. Because the IDF does investigate allegations of wrong-doing, a very powerful argument can be made—if and when it becomes relevant—that the Court does not have jurisdiction over events related to the IDF because the IDF has a very robust internal investigation mechanism. Israel, Hamas and the media Reisner: “One of the mistakes often made by the media is that they assess everything on the basis of publicly-available information. Take the famous IDF strike on the tower in Gaza where AP and other international media were stationed. I was asked after that strike by international media why the IDF attacked this building when journalists were stationed there. I said I talked with the IDF, and the IDF had perfectly credible and multiple-source verified evidence that that that building was being used for highly-sensitive purposes by Hamas. It was later published by IDF itself that Hamas was using this building to develop an electronic capability to prevent Israel from shooting down its rockets so that it could kill more men, women and children. The IDF gave a 12-hour advance notice to everyone in the building—including Hamas—to leave the building. I can tell you that in warfare, giving 12-hours warning is not recommended practice, nor is it legally required. Israel does so because it is not only fighting on the battle- field, it is also fighting a battle of perception. Israel sacrifices a lot of its military capability in order to be able to show everyone what it is doing, but unfortunately that does not stop people making determinations based on limited information in accordance with personal or political bias.” ________________________________________________________ Andrew Tucker is Director of The Hague Initiative for International Cooperation ( thinc. )—a global initiative to advance the fair and just application of international law. For more information: www.thinc.info If you’re keen to support the initiative of fighting misinformation and “lawfare”, defending the rights of Israel and the Jewish people, and promoting a new legal framework for peace in the Middle East, please consider donating to assist Andrew and the team at thinc. Your gift of $30, $50 or your best gift will help them be a powerful and credible voice to the nations including the International Criminal Court in the Hague where Israel is often unfairly attacked and marginalized. See the back page or visit www.thinc.info Israel’s Use of Force Against Hamas Under International Law Andrew Tucker Director, The Hague Initiative for International Cooperation (thinc.) HOLON, ISRAEL. May 11, 2021. The immediate aftermath of the Palestinian rocket hitting a passenger bus in central Israel. Editorial credit: Roman Yanushevsky / Shutterstock.com

8. 6 Past & Present David Ben-Gurion David Ben-Gurion was Israel’s first Prime Minister and Defence Minister. On 14 May 1948 he proclaimed the establishment of the State of Israel. Ben-Gurion was born in Plonsk, Poland, on 16 October 1886 and immigrated to Israel in 1906. During the First World War he was deported by the Ottomans and left the Middle East for the United States, where he met and married Paula Monbesz. He returned to Israel in 1919. In 1935 he became head of the Jewish Agency, a post he held until 1948. He established a robust Israeli Defence Force (IDF) and served his first term as Prime Minister from 1948 – 1953. He resigned from the government for two years but returned to power in 1955, following the elections. He would serve as Prime Minister again until 1963. David Ben-Gurion died in 1973. Moshe Sharett Sharett played an important role in mobilising international support for the UN Partition Plan in 1947. From 1948-1956, he served as Israel’s first Minister of Foreign Affairs and in 1952, he signed a reparations agreement with West Germany. In 1960, Sharett was elected as Chairman of the World Zionist Organisation and the Jewish Agency. Levi Eshkol During his term as Prime Minister, Eshkol worked to improve Israel’s foreign relations, establishing diplomatic relations with West Germany in 1965, as well as cultural ties with the Soviet Union, which also allowed some Soviet Jews to immigrate to Israel. The major event during Eshkol’s governance was the Six-Day War. Golda Meir Golda Meir was already 70 years old when she became Prime Minister of Israel in 1969 and the first woman to hold this title. Twenty one years earlier, on 14 May 1948 in Tel Aviv, she was one of the signatories of the Declaration of Independence. From 1956-1966 she served as Foreign Minister of Israel. Many leaders in the international field referred to her as ‘the Iron Lady’. She never seemed to seek power. Instead, it appeared she only responded to the call to take it and, by so doing, became a political symbol of special importance. Yitzhak Rabin Rabin was the first native-born (Jerusalem) Israeli Prime Minister. He was Chief of staff of the IDF during the Six- Day War (1967) and ordered the bold ‘Entebbe Operation’ in 1976, in which Israeli and other hostages were rescued after their plane was hijacked. He was Minister of Defence from 1984-1990. His second term as Prime Minister was marked by two historical events: the Oslo Agreements with the PLO and the Treaty of Peace with Jordan. In 1994 he won the Nobel Peace Prize, together with Shimon Peres and Yasser Arafat. While attending a peace rally in November 1995, Rabin was assassinated by a Jewish extremist, leaving behind a shocked and grieving nation. Menachem Begin Begin signed a Peace Treaty with Egypt in 1979, after two years of negotiations. Both Anwar Sadat (Egypt) and Begin were awarded the 1978 Nobel Peace Prize. In the wake of the Camp David Accords, Israel withdrew from Sinai. Yitzhak Shamir From 1980-1983 Shamir served as Minister of Foreign Affairs, where he guided negotiations with Egypt to normalise relations after the peace treaty. In May 1991, he ordered ‘Operation Solomon’, the airlift rescue of thousands of Ethiopian Jews. He served two terms as Prime Minister. His second term was marked by the Gulf War, the Madrid Peace Conference and the Fall of the Iron Curtain, resulting in a wave of immigration from the Soviet Union. Shimon Peres Peres served Israel not only as Prime Minister (two terms) but also as President (2007-2014) and Foreign Minister (three terms). During the War of Independence, Peres was assigned several posts including military intelligence, arms procurement and naval services. In his second term as Foreign Minister (1992-1995) he achieved his two greatest diplomatic successes, the Oslo Agree-ments with the PLO and the Treaty of Peace with Jordan. Peres shared the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize with Rabin and Arafat. At the age of 84 (2007), he was elected President of Israel, receiving the ultimate recognition for his lifelong service. Ehud Barak Ehud Barak served in the IDF for 36 years, leading several highly acclaimed operations. He was appointed Chief of General Staff in 1991, and promoted to Lieutenant- General. He is the joint-highest decorated officer in Israel’s history. During his term as Prime Minister, Israel withdrew from Southern Lebanon in May 2000. Ariel Sharon Sharon joined the Haganah at the age of 14 and was a commander in the Israeli Army from its creation in 1948. He served the IDF for more than 25 years and was appointed Defence Minister in 1981, serving in this post during the Lebanon War. In 2004-2005 he orchestrated Israel’s unilateral disengagement from the Gaza Strip. In 2006 Sharon suffered a massive stroke, leaving him unconscious. He passed away in January 2014, after spending eight years in a coma. Ehud Olmert From 1993-2003, Olmert served as Mayor of Jerusalem. During his term in office, he spearheaded the development of road infrastructure and the light rail system in Jerusalem. He was widely credited with improving the Jerusalem school system. He served as Prime Minister from 2006-2009. Benjamin Netanyahu Netanyahu was born in Tel Aviv, grew up in Jerusalem but spent most of his teen years in the USA. In 1967, he returned to Israel to serve in the IDF. He took part in a number of military operations, including the 1972 rescue of a hijacked Sabena passenger jet at Ben Gurion Airport. He was appointed Israel’s ambassador to the UN in 1984 and initiated several conferences on how to fight international terrorism. Netanyahu served two terms as Prime Minister and three terms as Foreign Minister. Naftali Bennett Bennett, a father of four and a modern Orthodox Jew, is Israel’s first prime minister who regularly wears a kippa, the skullcap worn by Jews. He is a former commando and self-made tech millionaire who bills himself as further to the right than Benjamin Netanyahu. He served as Minister of Diaspora Affairs, Minister of Education, and Minister of Defense. Prime Ministers Israel: 1948-present August 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5781 - Tishrei 5782 1983-1984 Yitzhak Shamir (1915-2012) 1986-1992 Yitzhak Shamir (1915-2012) 1977-1983 Menachem Begin (1913-1992) 1992-1995 Yitzhak Rabin (1922-1995) 1974-1977 Yitzhak Rabin (1922-1995) 1995-1996 Shimon Peres (1923-2016) 1969-1974 Golda Meir (1898-1978) 1996-1999 Benjamin Netanyahu (1949) 1963-1969 Levi Eshkol (1895-1969) 1999-2001 Ehud Barak (1942) 1955-1963 David Ben-Gurion (1886-1973) 2001-2006 Ariel Sharon (1928-2014) 1954-1955 Moshe Sharett (1894-1965) 2006-2009 Ehud Olmert (1945) May 14, 1948-1953 David Ben-Gurion (1886-1973) 2009-2021 Benjamin Netanyahu (1949) 2021-present Naftali Bennett (1972) 1984-1986 Shimon Peres (1923-2016) Photos: Government Press Office, Shutterstock - Source: Prime Minister’s Office, Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs David Ben Gurion in his library at his home in Sdeh Boker. Golda Meir with children of Kibbutz Shfayim. | Photos: Wikimedia Commons Shimon Peres. Jimmy Carter with Menachem Begin. NB: Prime Ministers highlighted in blue are described below.

11. Dear Faithful readers and friends (Chavorim), Welcome to the August edition of our Australian edition of Israel and Christians today. I’m writing this while my wife Mandy and I are at home, on a few weeks leave from our main work, but with the current extended, masked lockdowns we have pretty much remained home, in what is known as a “staycation” where I spent time looking at photos from past travels to Israel and other amazing locations. Bible-lands Tour Postponed Sadly we had to postpone this year’s Vision Christian Tour to the Bible Lands of Egypt, Jordan and Israel. We had over 40 booked guests for this first tour including an optional 7 day exploration of Egypt to follow the story of the children of Israel’s journey from captivity into the wilderness of Jordan and entering into the Promised Land of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Unfortunately, like the children of Israel, our present leadership here in Australia won’t let us go—to travel aboard—because of the modern day plague of this protracted Covid-19 pandemic, despite Israel opening up after nearly 80% of their population being vaccinated. AS a result, we have pushed it out till September 2022. Please let us and Olive Tree Travel know if you are keen to come with us, if and when the borders open again. Olive Tree Travel have a special domestic event they are promoting on page 8 of this insert—so be sure to contact them with your interests. On Line SCAFI ZOOM presentation was well received Last month I was privileged to speak at the regular Southern Cross Alliance For Israel , zoom event to share some of the many projects that Christians for Israel is involved with, in Informing, Inspiring and Comforting Israel and her people. Because of faithful supporters like you supporting our various Israeli projects I was able to communicate our collective success in: • feeding, cl othing and sheltering of Jewish people in their times of need. • bringing Jews in the diaspora back home fr om where they were scattered in fulfilment of Bible prophecy—God calling the Gentile nations to bring His sons and daughters home. In case you missed it you can watch it freely here on line www.vimeo.com/566363329/4577fe6ec4 starting from the 50 minutes mark ; (unless you wanted to view the interview with Barry Rodgers and Rami Sherman about the famous hostage rescue from Entebbe airport from the start). Also see details of the next online SCAFI meeting on page 9 which is free to attend. Following on from my SCAFI presentation I’m pleased to introduce you to Tim and Karen Wilson from Victoria who emailed me and told me they started sharing the Why Israel series at their small home group, and so I invited them to share their story on page 7. Pleasing donation results for 2021 As we concluded the end of our financial year, I am pleased to report that despite the continued disruption and global uncertainty caused by the Covid pandemic preventing many events and travel, we have still managed to receive good donations from our faithful readers and supporters which we sent to our International office to disburse comfort and practical aide via the various humanitarian projects and Jewish agencies. For the financial year ending June 30 2021, we raised AUD$190,780.70 for Aliyah to help bring the Jews home from the North, South, East and West. And for our various humanitarian projects to help feed, clothe, shelter and comfort Israel and her people, including some Arab Christians, AUD$105,216.15 was received from our faithful supporters. So that was approx. 30% growth in our fund raising activities to Comfort Israel. Added to that a further AUD$100,000 was gratefully received through general donations to help cover the costs of producing, printing and distributing this newspaper and some of our other online media activities and general operational costs. So a huge thank you and God’s blessing to all of those who gave, often sacrificially. We do so feel and appreciate your prayers and general encouragement as its not politically easy or correct, even in the church to be openly seen supporting Israel. Queensland Jewish community calls for tougher laws to criminalise hate In fact, just yesterday I received a disturbing press release report from the QLD Jewish board of deputies group stating that hatred against Jews in Queensland is increasing and the laws must change so those who incite animosity or engage in harassment or intimidation on the basis of someone’s race, religion, sexuality or gender are punished. The Queensland Jewish Board of Deputies (QJBD), the roof body of Queensland Jewry, is calling for change and has made its submission to the Queensland Government’s inquiry into vilification and hate crime laws. QJBD Vice President Jason Steinberg said research indicated that 6 in 10 members of the Jewish community—from Cairns to Coolangatta—had experienced antisemitism and while the Queensland Police are very responsive, the current laws do not deter racists. “Of those Jews in Queensland who experienced antisemitism, half were either abused, harassed, intimidated or bullied simply because they are Jewish and, distressingly, many of these incidents occur in the workplace,” Mr Steinberg said. You can view the submission here www.parliament. qld.gov.au/documents/committees/ LASC/2021/ VilificationandHateCrimes/ submissions/030.pdf as well as the article on page 15. Please pray for our continued ministry and media efforts Because of the current lockdowns and disruptions to normal life, we are continuing to focus our charitable work through this newspaper and also via our free mobile app and online via our website and Facebook page. We have had some good success with attracting several hundred new subscribers to our free newspaper using Facebook marketing from our head office in Amsterdam and also we have started experimenting locally here as well. You may have seen the advertisement on Facebook, inviting people to subscribe. Sadly, we also received some very horrible and nasty comments from people who hate Israel and question our motivation as Christians to support them. However its not alltogether bad news, as bomber pilots with warfare experience will tell you, ”when you are taking flack and return fire, you know you are over the target and are in the right place“. We also received some cancelation letters saying the local fellowships have closed and so they aren’t able to receive the newspapers anymore. Others write to say their loved ones have passed away or are too old to read anymore. So we appreciate your prayers as we explore all means to get the paper and the message out to as many churches and believers as possible as the days become even more dark and uncertain times when opinions and views are being censored, removed or even retaliated against. Our application for Charity and DGR status has still not been determined, we suspect it’s been protracted due to the extended lockdowns preventing staff from completing our assessment. Free New Video Resources Finally, I want to let you know there are 2 new teaching video presentations on Romans 9-11 from our resident Theologian, partner and teacher in Israel, Johannes Gerloff. He recently started recording a series of video teachings on chapters 9-11 from Paul’s letter to the Romans. These chapters are of great importance for a grounded understanding of the significance of Israel and the Jewish people in God’s plan with the world. Link to episode 1: www.youtube.com/ watch?v=VHzriEO9lO0&t Link to episode 2: www.youtube.com/ watch?v=CPDK9MDOkzg&t May the Lord bless you all and deepen our faith by these Bible studies. God bless and Shalom as I leave you with the prayer from the Apostle Paul to the Hebrew Churches “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.” – Heb 6:10 NIV _____________________________________ Ian Worby National Leader & Regional Director for Christians for Israel Australia & Oceania. August 2021 Report From Our National Leader Comforts Informs Inspires Ian Worby C4I Australia National Leader and Regional Director for Oceania Ian and Mandy Worby in Jerusalem, Israel.

4. August 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5781 - Tishrei 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 J.J. Glashouwer, President Rev Cornelis Kant, Executive Director P.O. Box 1100 | 3860 BC Nijkerk, The Netherlands | Tel: +31 33 422 0405 info@c4israel.org | www.c4israel.org The English Edition of Israel & Christians Today is published by the following English speaking branches: Christians for Israel - Australia Ian Worby, National Leader PO Box 1508, Springwood Queensland, Australia 4127 Tel: +61 (7) 3088 6900, info@c4israel.com.au www.c4israel.com.au Christians for Israel - New Zealand Bryce Turner, National Executive Director PO Box 12 006, Penrose, Auckland, New Zealand 1642 Tel: +64 9 525 7564, info@c4israel.org.nz www.c4israel.org.nz Christians for Israel - 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 Fred J van Westing, CEO PO Box 2589, Manteca, CA 95336, USA Tel: +1 925 984 6671 usa-info@c4israel.org www.c4israel.us DISCLAIMER - Articles printed in Israel & Christians Today expr ess 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 retrie val 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. Campaign Against the Jewish State is Intensifying Prayer Points By C4I Prayer Team Israel l ‘Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs.’ (Proverbs 10:12). Currently there are many internal tensions in Israel. There are political divisions and because of the recent war with Gaza, there is also a lot of distrust between Jews and Arabs. Pray for unity and pray that hatred will be broken and love will increase. l Give thanks that a new government was formed. Pray for blessing and wisdom for this government and that they will look to God for help. l Pray for a blessed summer for Israel. Pray for protection against wildfires and fires caused by fire balloons from Gaza. Pray that Israel will be able to welcome tourists again, in order that many people can resume their work in this sector. Pray also for a blessing on the summer camps that the Arab Christian pastor couple Naim and Elvira Khoury from Bethlehem are organising for young people in their area. Israel & the Nations l The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas does not mean that the danger from Gaza has completely disappeared. Tensions remain. Pray for protection for Israel at all its borders, including those in the north. In Lebanon, tens of thousands of rockets are permanently aimed at Israel. l Israeli military analysts see an increased risk of a direct conflict between Israel and Iran. For now, Iran is carrying out attacks mainly indirectly through Hezbollah and Hamas, but analysts expect that at some point Iran will also proceed to directly attack Israel. Pray for protection of Israel against attacks from Iran in all possible way. l During and after the war with Gaza, there was an enormous increase in anti-Semitism around the world. During many pro-Palestinian demonstrations, anti- Semitic taunts were heard and signs with Nazi imagery were displayed. Pray that this anti-Semitism will be addressed and that more people will stand up and express their support and love for the Jewish people. Christians for Israel l Pray that churches, preachers, Bible study and youth groups will have open eyes and hearts to see God’s unending faithfulness to Israel and to recognise the promises being fulfilled in our time as God brings His people home and the land of Israel flourishes. For daily Prayer Points, go to our website www.c4israel.com.au Andrew Tucker n International Editor | Christians for Israel In their teachings as recorded in the New Testament, Jesus and His Apostles spoke of the many things that would need to happen before Christ could return to reign as King. In doing so, they quoted and expounded on matters that were already referred to – sometimes obliquely – by the prophets of Israel in the Old Testament (the Hebrew Bible). This includes the rise of an anti-Christian spirit in the world, apostasy in the church, physical and spiritual restoration of the nation of Israel, and the conflicts that would take place in the last days involving restored Israel and the nations. About one hundred and fifty years ago, the Lord started to bring His children home from their dispersion amongst the nations. Russian Jews escaping the pogroms made their way to Palestine. The time of redemption had begun. Jews gradually joined them from other nations. Over seventy years ago, on 14 May 1948, the Jewish people declared the State of Israel. A nation was born in a day. Since 1920, the natio ns have been doing everything in their power to prevent the restoration of the Jewish nation in the land. They have never fully accepted the State of Israel as a member of the community of nations. Even Israel’s ‘friends’ in the UN have waxed and waned in their support. By and large, the church – the ‘body of Christ’ that is called to boldly declare God’s purposes – has been either silent or (worse) actively complicit in opposing the return of the Jews to the land. Today, the war against Israel’s sovereignty in international institutions is intensifying. Allegations that Israel is infringing international law are being used to prohibit Jews from living in the Old City of Jerusalem and the West Bank (i.e. Judea and Samaria), where the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) claims full sovereignty. The attack on Israel’s sovereignty is part of a well-orchestrated and funded campaign in sev eral UN-related institutions, where Arab and Islamic nations are able to mobilise other states to support their demands. The use of the language, the moral force and the institutions of ‘law’ is part of Satan’s strategy of first deceiving the church and the nations and then mobilising them to oppose God’s plans and purposes. The main arguments used to attack Israel have never really changed over the years. Essentially, they are that the Jewish State is a ‘colonial’ enterprise that oppresses an innocent indigenous population. It has ‘stolen’ and is ‘occupying’ their land. There is a growing chorus that Israel is an ‘apartheid’ state that is guilty of ‘crimes against humanity’. In recent weeks – since the most recent conflict with Hamas in May - we have seen a massive rise in anti-Semitism around the world, including not only hate-filled words but also violent attacks on Jews. I believe this latest intensification of hatred is in part provoked by the hostile rhetoric emanating from the world’s most eminent institutions. In addition to the political institutions (United Nations, EU, etc.), there are four legal ‘battlefields ’ upon which this opposition to the restoration of Israel is being played out. First, the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague decided last February that it has jurisdiction to prosecute Israeli leaders for war crimes and crimes against humanity ‘in the territory of Palestine’. The new British/Pakistani Prosecutor Karim Khan QC will now possibly investigate Israeli leaders for allowing ‘settlements’ to be built, for demolishing Palestinian houses and evicting Palestinian terrorists – all of which the Prosecutor considers to be ‘war crimes’. The Court may even consider prosecuting Israeli leaders for the crimes of ‘apartheid’ and ‘persecution’ – which are crimes against humanity. Flag of Israel among other flags at the United Nations building in Manhattan, USA. | Photo: Shutterstock Continued on page 12 www.facebook.com/c4israelAUS

27. 9 Analysis Johannes Gerloff n Theologian, Journalist, Lecturer & Author Terrorism experts and conflict theorists distinguish between capabilities and motivation in a military force or terrorist group. To carry out a terrorist attack, you need both the ability to do damage, the technical know-how to make a bomb, and at the same time the motivation to use a knife, an axe, a car or an explosive device as a terrorist weapon. If either of these, the ability or the motivation, is missing, a terrorist attack cannot occur. “We can deal with the capabilities of our adversaries,” an Israeli academic who specialised in the study of terrorism once told me, “but we can’t get at their motivation. Quite often, we reinforce the motivation to perpetrate terror against us by our actions to limit terrorist capabilities.” What number of missiles destroyed how many houses; how many bombs crippled which people; which strategies were successful, and by which tactics who was outwitted never really interested me. I would like to understand what motivates people to become terrorists – even if this first and foremost destroys or cripples themselves and their loved ones. At the same time, the goals they set for themselves in view of their opponents recede into the ever more unattainable distance. Almost Embarrassing “In the end times, even nature will support us,” a Palestinian told me many years ago: “We will destroy all the Jews!” – The whole thing seemed so childish to me that I never really wanted to write about it. But then, on 9 January 2012, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem spok e out. What he had to say was broadcast on official Palestinian Authority television. Sheikh Muhammad Ahmad Hussein had been installed in July 2006 by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas as the spiritual leader of all Muslims in Israel and the Palestinian Authority. What he had to say on the 47th anniversary of Fatah’s founding can still be heard by anyone on the Internet. With the Authority of the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem It should be kept in mind that Mahmoud Abbas, commonly referred to as ‘Abu Mazen,’ is considered ‘ready for talks,’ expressly in contrast to the ‘hardliner’ Netanyahu. And Fatah is the backbone of the Palestinian Authority, which explicitly presents itself to Westerners as secular, in contrast to the ‘Islamist’ Hamas. Grand Mufti Muhammad Hussein proclaimed: “Palestine in its entirety is a revolution, since [Caliph] Umar came [to conquer Jerusalem, 637 CE], and continuing today and until the End of Days.” The Grand Mufti underlined the reliability of the hadith before quoting it: “The Hour [of Resurrection] will not come until you fight the Jews. The Jew will hide behind stones or trees. The stones or trees will call: ‘Oh Muslim, servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him.’ Except for the Gharqad tree [which will keep silent].” This hadith is also quoted in the Hamas Charter of 18 August 1988, in Article 7 under the heading The Universality of the Islamic Resistance Movement. Do Settlers Plant Gharqad Trees? “Therefore,” the highest spiritual representative of the Palestinian Authority declared in all seriousness at the Fatah anniversary in January 2012, “it is no wonder that you see Gharqad [trees] surrounding the [Israeli] settlements and colonies.” Over the years, in countless encounters, I have found that most Arab Muslims know immediately what the Gharqad is about when you ask them. Even on the faces of obviously illiterate Bedouins, a smug smile spontaneously appears in response, obviously not due to my difficulty in pronouncing the first letter ‘gh’ – a guttural ‘r’. The Internet offers an ever-growing selection of articles on the Gharqad, not infrequently repeating the claim that Jews plant these trees in the occupied territories because they know that Islam is right and that violent confrontation between Jews and Muslims is inevitable. Is the Massacre Unavoidable? Pious Muslims are firmly convinced that “the final massacre is inevitable and has to happen at all costs”. Liberal, friendly, diplomatic, or dialogue-minded Muslims go to great lengths to explain these statements as forgeries in parts of the hadiths, which then led to misunderstandings. Others believe that one should not derive legally binding instructions from this narrative. They are meant to be a description, not a prescription. Personally, I was told by Muslim friends that such statements were directed only against those non- Muslims who stubbornly opposed the one true God or adhered to a false messiah, the Antichrist. The Qur’ an is said to take great pains distinguishing between righteous and sinful Jews. What is a Gharqad? It gets funny when an interested YouTuber sets out to ask Jews and Israelis if they know and maybe even plant the Gharqad. But even in Israeli nurseries, no one seems to know the ‘tree of the Jew.’ My own years of inquiries did not really yield a satisfactory answer even from experts in botany, the flora of the Holy Land, and the plants mentioned in ancient holy books. The majority today seems to have settled on a thorny, salty scrub called in Hebrew (yamluah), bearing the Latin name Nitraria retusa. However, it is crucial to the question about the motivation and trigger of the never-ending conflict between radical Muslims and the Jewish state of Israel that such narratives obviously continue to spread and stubbornly resist all rationalisation efforts. It is decisive to have them in mind if we wish to understand why Hamas’ chief Yahya Sinwar only days after Israel’s destructive military campaign in spring 2021, is able to publically state: “Israel can expect more violence”, talk about “10,000 martyrs” and still be able to move around freely among the population of Gaza that so much suffered from this seemingly unending and increasingly vicious war. ‘Gharqad’, the Tree of the Jews Signs of Faith By Kees de Vreugd Tefillin In this series, ‘Signs of Faith’, objects that express Jewish faith are explained and discussed. “You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontals on your forehead.” Deuteronomy 6:8 They form a distinctive attribute for the prayers: the tefillin, the phylacteries. You have probably seen them sometimes. They consist of two small leather boxes. One is bound with a leather belt on the forehead, the other on the upper arm. In Hebrew, the boxes are called batim (plural of bayit, house). They contain tiny parchment scrolls on which the four Torah passages are written which command wearing the tefillin (Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and 11:13-21; Exodus 13:1-10 and 13:11-16). In the ‘house’ on the arm, the four texts are written on the same piece of parchment. The ‘house’ on the forehead is divided into four compartments, each containing a parchment with four passages. This practise goes back to second temple times, as tefillin found in Qumran show. The Bible does not explain how the ‘sign on your hand’ or the ‘reminder on your forehead’ (Exodus 13:9) should look. That was handed down in the tradition of the Scribes. The tefillin shel rosh is put in the centre of the forehead, right above the hairline. This is derived from a comparison with Deuteronomy 14:1, which apparently indicates a spot where hair grows. The knot of the leather strap lies in the neck; the two ends fall over the shoulder and the breast. The tefillin shel yad is put on the upper arm, near the heart (Deuteronomy 11:18). The strap is wrapped seven times around the lower arm, between elbow and wrist. Then it is wrapped around the hand, forming the letter shin. Finally, it is wound three times around the middle finger, then Hosea 2:18-19 is read, in those verses God pronounces three times that He takes Israel as His bride. The windings and the knots together form the letters of Shaddai: the Almighty. The tefillin are worn during the morning prayers on weekdays, but not on Shabbat, the High H olidays and the three Pilgrimage Festivals. These festive times are in them- selves a ‘sign’ between God and the people of Israel (Exodus 31:17). August 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5781 - Tishrei 5782 | Photo: Johannes Gerloff (gerloff.co.il)

28. 10 Theology Jewish Festivals Rosh Hashana LeBehemot New Year for Tithing Animals 8-9 August 2021 The day shepherds determined which of their mature animals were to be tithed. The day coincides with Rosh Chodesh Elul, the New Moon for the month of Elul, exactly one month before Rosh Hashanah. Leil Selichot Prayers for Forgiveness in Preparation for the High Holidays 28 August 2021 Selichot are Jewish penitential poems and prayers, especially those said in the period leading up to the High Holidays, and on Fast Days. Rosh Hashanah The Jewish New Year 6-8 September 2021 It is the first of the High Holidays or Yamim Noraim (‘Days of Awe’), celebrated ten days before Yom Kippur. Rosh Hashanah is observed on the first two days of Tishrei, the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar. It is described in the Torah as Yom Teru’ah, a day of sounding [the Shofar]). Yom Kippur Day of Atonement 15-16 September 2021 Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the year for the Jews. Its central themes are atonement and repentance. Jews traditionally observe this holy day with a 25-hour period of fasting and intensive prayer, often spending most of the day in synagogue services. Yom Kippur completes the annual period of the High Holidays. Sukkot Feast of Tabernacles 20-22 September 2021 Sukkot is a Biblical holiday celebrated on the 15th day of the month of Tishrei . It is one of the three biblically mandated festivals Shalosh regalim on which Jews were commanded to make a pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem. Shmini Atzevet Eight Day of Assembly 27-28 September 2021 Shmini Atzevet is a Jewish holiday, celebrated on the 22nd day of the Hebrew month of Tishrei (first month of calendar). In the Diaspora, an additional day is celebrated, the second day being separately referred to as Simchat Torah. Simchat Torah Day of Celebrating the Torah 28-29 September 2021 Simchat Torah is a celebration marking the conclusion of the annual cycle of public Torah readings, and the beginning of a new cycle. Book Review By Pieter Hoogendoorn The War of Return: How Western Indulgence of the Palestinian Dream Has Obstructed the Path to Peace by Adi Schwartz and Dr Einat Wilaf The authors are both liberal Israelis supportive of a two-state solution as inter alia foreseen by the Oslo Accords in the early ‘90s. Twenty-five years after these Accords were signed, they wonder why there still is no peace between Israel and the Palestinians and why the two states are not there. To find an answer to this question, they go back to 1948, when 700,000 Palestinians were forced out of their homes by the first Arab-Israeli War. More than 70 years later, millions of their descendants are still registered as refugees, with many living in refugee camps. This group has “officially” remained unsettled, demanding to settle in the state of Israel. They believe in a personal ‘right of return’ to their homes in the State of Israel. Once starting the book, you can’t stop reading. It becomes clear that the Palestinian demand for the implementation of their claimed right to return to their homes in the State of Israel (not to Gaza or the West Bank, the territory of the would-be state of Palestine according to the 1947 UN Partition Plan which the Arabs, including the Palestinians, discarded), would herald the end of the Jewish state of Israel because of the massive influx of several millions of (Muslim) Palestinian Arabs. For the Palestinians, there can only be peace based on unconditional acceptance of their ‘right of return’ - which eventually will lead to a 1-state solution, i.e. an Arabic/Muslim state of Palestine (with at best a Jewish minority) “from the River to the Sea”. Exit Israel. In clear and simple language, the authors reveal the origins of the idea of a ‘right of return’ and explain how UNRWA – the very agency charged with finding a solution for the refugees – gave in to Palestinian, Arab and international political pressure to create a permanent refugee problem. The authors argue that the Palestinian demand for a ‘right of return’ has no legal or moral basis and is one of the largest obstacles to successful diplomacy and lasting peace in the region. They make a passionate plea to the US, the UN, and the EU to recognise this fact for the good of Israelis and Palestinians alike. Highly recommended. Publisher: St Martin’s Publishing Group. ISBN 978- 1-250-25276-0 Kees de Vreugd n Theologian | Christians for Israel International & Editor | Israel & the Church “When He calls this covenant ‘new,’ He has made the first one obsolete and whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear.” (Hebrews 8:13) So there it is. The old covenant is ready to disappear. It has been replaced by a new covenant. This is proof of God’s love and God’s faithfulness to His people Israel. What is Hebrews chapter 8 all about? The main point is that we have a unique high priest, one who is different from the high priest serving in the earthly temple. Chapter 8 begins: “We have such a high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens” (verse 1). In other words, He shares in the glory and majesty of God. B ut the letter to the Hebrews also tells us that He is serving in the heavenly sanctuary, of which the earthly sanctuary with its priests is a reflection. In what respect does the ministry of this High priest differ from that of the earthly priests? Hebrews tells us: this High priest does not need first to do atonement for his own sins. He is of a different order. And therefore, a different covenant is appropriate. By the way, we should not associate the term ‘old covenant’ with the books of the Old Testament as opposed to those of the New Testament or New Covenant. At the time the letter to the Hebrews was written, the apostolic letters may have been in circulation. But the New Testament as a whole was still to be compiled. The Bible of the first believers in Christ was the Old Testament, in most cases (like in Hebrews) in its Greek version, namely the Septuagint. Moreover, we must keep in mind that the letter to the Hebrews was written to Jews who believed in Jesus as the Messiah. The ‘church’ as a se parate body, apart from and next to Israel, did not exist yet. This would still take centuries. The movement of people who believed in Jesus as the Messiah was still mainly to be found within Judaism of those days. So we should take the word covenant as it is meant: God’s covenant with Israel. Everything discussed is to be taken as an inner- Jewish debate. Now, this old covenant was inadequate. Or better, the people who had to administer it, the priests, fell short of being a perfect sacrifice to atone for the sins of the people. Because of their own sins, they had to sacrifice for them selves first. Moreover, Israel time and again fell into sin, so much so that they broke the covenant. That was the weakness of the old covenant. The writer to the Hebrews cites words spoken by the prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 31:31-34). Israel, says God through the prophet, has broken My covenant. Has God then now, from His side, broken the covenant? No! He has renewed the broken covenant! “Behold, days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.” The Hebrew of Jeremiah 31 means a renewal of the covenant rather than an entirely new and different covenant. The same is true for the Greek of Hebrews 8 (and the Septuagint). The covenant is renewed, but the partners of the covenant remain the same. That is to say, God is again making a covenant with Israel, but in doing so, He is renewing Israel too: “I will put My laws into their minds, and I will write them on their hearts” (Hebrews 8:10, Jeremiah 31:33). From the depth of their hearts, Israel will be motivated by the Holy Spirit to live according to the rules of the covenant, God’ s commandments. In other words, the conditions of the covenant are renewed – the old one was ‘worn out’ and ‘growing old’ (verse 13). But the content remains the same. Moreover, the fulfilment of the purpose of the covenant is now firmly established. God can and will abide with Israel because He has sanctified them through the self-sacrifice of the Messiah. Finally, we must note that the writer is referring to the Sinai covenant (and more precisely, the Levitical covenant, concerning the temple office). He does not mean the covenant with Abraham here, in which God promised a land, a nation and a blessing. The promise to Abraham is mentioned in chapter 6 (verses 23) of the letter. That promise and that covenant continue to be valid. But living in the promised land is dependent on Israel obeying God’s commandments. When the Lord writes His laws in their hearts, they will live in accordance with them. So th e renewed covenant affirms the land promise and makes living in the land really possible. We conclude that the new covenant was made with Israel. Next time, we will go further into the text of Hebrews 8. Renewal of the Covenant August 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5781 - Tishrei 5782 Ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament. | Photo: Shutterstock

9. On 13 June 2021, the 36th government of Israel was sworn in. The new government is a diverse coalition comprised of eight parties and will be led by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett for the next two years, after which Yair Lapid will take over. The new 28-member cabinet features record diversity. It includes nine women (the most in Israel’s history) and three observant Jewish men. It has an Arab Muslim and a Druze Arab member, while another Arab Muslim will be a deputy minister. Five are immigrants – born in Ethiopia, Morocco, and the former Soviet Union. The governing coalition includes three right-wing parties, two centrist parties, two left-wing parties, and one Arab Muslim party. Here is some background on some of the key players in this uniquely Israeli new government: Prime Minister: Naftali Bennett (Yamina) Naftali Bennett was born in Haifa to American parents, and throughout his childhood, he moved back and forth between Israel and the United States. He served as a company commander in the elite Sayeret Matkal and Maglan commando units and studied law at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He then co-founded Cyota, a hi-tech anti-fraud software company, and served as its CEO while living in New York. This company sold for $145 million to RSA Security in 2005, and Bennett went on to become the CEO of Soluto, another hi-tech startup. He moved back to Israel and began his career in politics, serving as chief of staff under Benjamin Netanyahu in 2006 when the latter was sitting in opposition. He has now joined Lapid and other right-wing, centrist, and left-wing parties in a narrow, one-seat majority coalition. Under the agreement, Bennett will be the Prime Minister for the next two years, overseeing Israel’s most diverse coalition, composed of eight different parties. Alternate Prime Minister/Foreign Affairs: Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid) Yair Lapid, the chairman of the Yesh Atid (‘there is a future’) party, is the alternate Prime Minister who will take over as PM from Bennett in August 2023 under the coalition agreements creating the new government. Until then, Lapid will serve as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and an ‘Alternate Prime Minister’ will have the right to veto any government decision. His political career dates back to 2012 when he founded the Yesh Atid party, with a secularist and centrist ‘clean government’ platform. It quickly went on to be the second biggest party in Israel’s Knesset in its first election in 2013, winning 19 seats. From 2013 to 2014, Yesh Atid joined a coalition government led by the Likud, with Lapid serving as Finance Minister under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu fired Lapid for alleged disloyalty in December 2014, precipitating new elections in March 2015. Yesh Atid declined to 11 seats and went into opposition. Lapid was born in Israel in 1963 and is married with three children. He comes from a family history within journalism and politics. Before beginning his political career, Yair Lapid was one of Israel’s best-known television presenters and journalists and the author of several books in various genres. He also took part in social organisations across various causes, including special needs, education, and disadvantaged youth. Deputy Prime Minister/Defence: Benny Gantz (Blue & White) Benjamin, or Benny, Gantz was born in Israel in 1959 and had a long career serving in the IDF. His IDF tenure of 38 years includes being the commander of numerous units. He also served as a military attaché to the United States and as the 20th IDF Chief of the General Staff from 2011–2015. This period included command of Operation Pillar of Defense (November 2012), Operation Brother’s Keeper (June 2014), and Operation Protective Edge (July 2014). After leaving the IDF, Gantz took part in social and educational initiatives, serving as the chairman of two organisations and helping found the Pnima (Inward) movement, which seeks to address the rifts and polarisation in Israeli society. Gantz entered politics in December 2018 when he founded the Israel Resilience Party (Hosen L’Yisrael), which later joined forces with additional parties to form the Blue and White (Kahol Lavan) parliamentary group. He led Blue and White throughout the elections for the 21st, 22nd, and 23rd Knessets, leading the party to an effective draw with Likud in each of those elections. Justice Minister/Deputy Prime Minister: Gideon Sa’ar (New Hope) Gideon Sa’ar is leader of the New Hope party, which he formed in 2020. He was born in Tel Aviv in 1966 and received both a BA (in Political Science) and an LLB from Tel Aviv University. He worked as an aide to the Attorney-General as well as the State Attorney and then became the Secretary of the Cabinet in the first Netanyahu Government in 1999, and again under Ariel Sharon from 2001-02. In 2003, he became a member of the Knesset as part of the Likud Party. He was appointed Minister of Education in March 2009. He became increasingly mentioned as a possible successor to Netanyahu, and in March 2013, he became Minister of the Interior. After a reported falling out with Netanyahu, he left politics to return to private life in November 2014. In April 2017, Sa’ar announced his return to politics and an intention to run in Likud primaries. In Dec. 2019, he lost a Likud leadership primary to Netanyahu. In Dec. 2020, he announced the formation of the New Hope party, which gained six seats in the March 2021 election. Minister of Finance: Avigdor Lieberman (Yisrael Beiteinu) Avigdor Lieberman was born in 1958 in the Soviet Union. He made Aliyah at age 20, served in the IDF, and earned a BA in International Relations and Political Science from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Lieberman was the Director-General of the Likud Movement from 1993-1996 and Director- General of the P rime Minister’s Office from 1996-1997. After founding and becoming the head of the Yisrael Beiteinu Party in 1999, Liberman was elected to the Knesset. In 2001, he was appointed Minister of National Infrastructure, then served as Minister of Transportation from 2003-2004 and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Strategic Affairs from 2006-2008. In 2009, he was once again appointed Deputy Prime Minister until 2012 as well as Minister of Foreign Affairs until 2012 and again from 2013- 2015. He also served as Minister of Defence from 2016-2018. Yisrael Beiteinu was originally founded to represent the interests of immigrants from the former Soviet Union to Israel, but in recent years has focused more of its efforts on opposing religious coercion. Minister of Education: Yifat Shasha-Biton (New Hope) Yifat Shasha-Biton was born in Israel in 1973 and comes to this position with an extensive background in education; she received a BA, MA, and PhD in Education from the University of Haifa, and has held leadership roles at Ohalo College and Tel-Hai Academic College, and several positions for the city of Kiryat Shmona. Shasha-Biton was first elected to the Knesset in 2015 with the Kulanu Party. In 2019, Shasha-Biton was appointed Minister of Construction and Housing, and she was re- elected to the Knesset with the Likud Party. As Minister of Education, she has announced intentions to change schooling to five days a week from its current six in Israel. Minister of Interior: Ayelet Shaked (Yamina) Ayelet Shaked was born in Tel Aviv in 1976. After serving in the IDF, she earned a BSc in electrical engineering and computer science from Tel Aviv University and worked in a variety of roles at Texas Instruments. She began her public career in 2006 as the director of Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, and in 2013, she was elected to the Knesset with the Habayit Hayehudi (Jewish Home) party. Since then, she has held a seat in the Knesset, representing the Hayamin Hehadash (New Right) and Yamina parties. From 2015-2019, Shaked was the Minister of Justice and has made judicial reform a key priority of her political career. 7 Past & Present August 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5781 - Tishrei 5782 Who’s Who in the New Knesset? Naftali Bennett lighting a candle at Hanukka. John Kerry meeting with Yair Lapid. | Photos: Wikimedia Commons Yifat Shasha-Biton. Ayelet Shaked. 6 Past & Present David Ben-Gurion David Ben-Gurion was Israel’s first Prime Minister and Defence Minister. On 14 May 1948 he proclaimed the establishment of the State of Israel. Ben-Gurion was born in Plonsk, Poland, on 16 October 1886 and immigrated to Israel in 1906. During the First World War he was deported by the Ottomans and left the Middle East for the United States, where he met and married Paula Monbesz. He returned to Israel in 1919. In 1935 he became head of the Jewish Agency, a post he held until 1948. He established a robust Israeli Defence Force (IDF) and served his first term as Prime Minister from 1948 – 1953. He resigned from the government for two years but returned to power in 1955, following the elections. He would serve as Prime Minister again until 1963. David Ben-Gurion died in 1973. Moshe Sharett Sharett played an important role in mobilising international support for the UN Partition Plan in 1947. From 1948-1956, he served as Israel’s first Minister of Foreign Affairs and in 1952, he signed a reparations agreement with West Germany. In 1960, Sharett was elected as Chairman of the World Zionist Organisation and the Jewish Agency. Levi Eshkol During his term as Prime Minister, Eshkol worked to improve Israel’s foreign relations, establishing diplomatic relations with West Germany in 1965, as well as cultural ties with the Soviet Union, which also allowed some Soviet Jews to immigrate to Israel. The major event during Eshkol’s governance was the Six-Day War. Golda Meir Golda Meir was already 70 years old when she became Prime Minister of Israel in 1969 and the first woman to hold this title. Twenty one years earlier, on 14 May 1948 in Tel Aviv, she was one of the signatories of the Declaration of Independence. From 1956-1966 she served as Foreign Minister of Israel. Many leaders in the international field referred to her as ‘the Iron Lady’. She never seemed to seek power. Instead, it appeared she only responded to the call to take it and, by so doing, became a political symbol of special importance. Yitzhak Rabin Rabin was the first native-born (Jerusalem) Israeli Prime Minister. He was Chief of staff of the IDF during the Six- Day War (1967) and ordered the bold ‘Entebbe Operation’ in 1976, in which Israeli and other hostages were rescued after their plane was hijacked. He was Minister of Defence from 1984-1990. His second term as Prime Minister was marked by two historical events: the Oslo Agreements with the PLO and the Treaty of Peace with Jordan. In 1994 he won the Nobel Peace Prize, together with Shimon Peres and Yasser Arafat. While attending a peace rally in November 1995, Rabin was assassinated by a Jewish extremist, leaving behind a shocked and grieving nation. Menachem Begin Begin signed a Peace Treaty with Egypt in 1979, after two years of negotiations. Both Anwar Sadat (Egypt) and Begin were awarded the 1978 Nobel Peace Prize. In the wake of the Camp David Accords, Israel withdrew from Sinai. Yitzhak Shamir From 1980-1983 Shamir served as Minister of Foreign Affairs, where he guided negotiations with Egypt to normalise relations after the peace treaty. In May 1991, he ordered ‘Operation Solomon’, the airlift rescue of thousands of Ethiopian Jews. He served two terms as Prime Minister. His second term was marked by the Gulf War, the Madrid Peace Conference and the Fall of the Iron Curtain, resulting in a wave of immigration from the Soviet Union. Shimon Peres Peres served Israel not only as Prime Minister (two terms) but also as President (2007-2014) and Foreign Minister (three terms). During the War of Independence, Peres was assigned several posts including military intelligence, arms procurement and naval services. In his second term as Foreign Minister (1992-1995) he achieved his two greatest diplomatic successes, the Oslo Agree-ments with the PLO and the Treaty of Peace with Jordan. Peres shared the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize with Rabin and Arafat. At the age of 84 (2007), he was elected President of Israel, receiving the ultimate recognition for his lifelong service. Ehud Barak Ehud Barak served in the IDF for 36 years, leading several highly acclaimed operations. He was appointed Chief of General Staff in 1991, and promoted to Lieutenant- General. He is the joint-highest decorated officer in Israel’s history. During his term as Prime Minister, Israel withdrew from Southern Lebanon in May 2000. Ariel Sharon Sharon joined the Haganah at the age of 14 and was a commander in the Israeli Army from its creation in 1948. He served the IDF for more than 25 years and was appointed Defence Minister in 1981, serving in this post during the Lebanon War. In 2004-2005 he orchestrated Israel’s unilateral disengagement from the Gaza Strip. In 2006 Sharon suffered a massive stroke, leaving him unconscious. He passed away in January 2014, after spending eight years in a coma. Ehud Olmert From 1993-2003, Olmert served as Mayor of Jerusalem. During his term in office, he spearheaded the development of road infrastructure and the light rail system in Jerusalem. He was widely credited with improving the Jerusalem school system. He served as Prime Minister from 2006-2009. Benjamin Netanyahu Netanyahu was born in Tel Aviv, grew up in Jerusalem but spent most of his teen years in the USA. In 1967, he returned to Israel to serve in the IDF. He took part in a number of military operations, including the 1972 rescue of a hijacked Sabena passenger jet at Ben Gurion Airport. He was appointed Israel’s ambassador to the UN in 1984 and initiated several conferences on how to fight international terrorism. Netanyahu served two terms as Prime Minister and three terms as Foreign Minister. Naftali Bennett Bennett, a father of four and a modern Orthodox Jew, is Israel’s first prime minister who regularly wears a kippa, the skullcap worn by Jews. He is a former commando and self-made tech millionaire who bills himself as further to the right than Benjamin Netanyahu. He served as Minister of Diaspora Affairs, Minister of Education, and Minister of Defense. Prime Ministers Israel: 1948-present August 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5781 - Tishrei 5782 1983-1984 Yitzhak Shamir (1915-2012) 1986-1992 Yitzhak Shamir (1915-2012) 1977-1983 Menachem Begin (1913-1992) 1992-1995 Yitzhak Rabin (1922-1995) 1974-1977 Yitzhak Rabin (1922-1995) 1995-1996 Shimon Peres (1923-2016) 1969-1974 Golda Meir (1898-1978) 1996-1999 Benjamin Netanyahu (1949) 1963-1969 Levi Eshkol (1895-1969) 1999-2001 Ehud Barak (1942) 1955-1963 David Ben-Gurion (1886-1973) 2001-2006 Ariel Sharon (1928-2014) 1954-1955 Moshe Sharett (1894-1965) 2006-2009 Ehud Olmert (1945) May 14, 1948-1953 David Ben-Gurion (1886-1973) 2009-2021 Benjamin Netanyahu (1949) 2021-present Naftali Bennett (1972) 1984-1986 Shimon Peres (1923-2016) Photos: Government Press Office, Shutterstock - Source: Prime Minister’s Office, Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs David Ben Gurion in his library at his home in Sdeh Boker. Golda Meir with children of Kibbutz Shfayim. | Photos: Wikimedia Commons Shimon Peres. Jimmy Carter with Menachem Begin. NB: Prime Ministers highlighted in blue are described below.

5. August 2021 | Israel & Christians Today News 3 Ariel Ben Solomon n As the Abraham Accords set in and the ties between moderate Arab states and Israel strengthen, more formalised relationships that tackle crucial regional issues—the Iranian threat, anti-terrorism efforts, and economic development, including desalinisation and clean-water use—may emerge in the Middle East. An important model for such cooperative development can be found further East—in Central Asia, where the United States and five regional countries (the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and the Republic of Uzbekistan) make up the C5+1 together with the United States, which provides an indispensable platform for dialogue with one of the superpowers. Yoel Guzansky, a senior research fellow at Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) who previously served on Israel’s National Security Council, said that establishing a formal block of Middle Eastern countries similar to the Central Asian C5+1 is an interesting idea. Solidifying a new ‘peace bloc’ of Middle Eastern countries ‘would be positive for Israel,’ although the challenges of the Arab mistrust of Israel and intra-Arab coordination and execution remain. Israel and some Arab states may be getting closer, with the possibility of regular regional meetings held in Arab capitals and Jerusalem. Economic development, trade, security and other issues may be discussed regularly, perhaps along with American leadership. That kind of cohesion is at work with the C5+1. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the foreign ministers of the five Central Asian countries met in April to discuss cooperation on various issues, including health, trade and security threats. A key policy discussed was the planned US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan by 11 September and an effort to have the Central Asian Countries play a great role in maintaining regional stability. The Central Asian states have disagreements that occasionally boil over into limited military conflict. For example, a border clash occurred in Apr il between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, killing more than 40 people. However, the presidents of the two countries prevented an escalation. They spoke, agreeing to a ceasefire and a meeting. After another flare-up of violence on 4 June, talks between top security officials on both sides led to a nine-point agreement to end the violence. Despite resentments between some Central Asian countries, there remains an underlying willingness to overcome obstacles and improve conditions on the ground, something that should happen more in the Middle East. The budding relationship between Israel and some Arab countries is driven significantly by the threat from radical Islamic groups and the Iranian regime. A Realistic Coopera tion Bloc The collapse of the Soviet Union and the development of genuine political sovereignty posed the most challenging task for the peoples of Central Asia and their elites as they strived to build stable states, says Marat Uteubaev, professor at the Moscow-based Russian Academy of Natural Sciences. The demise of the Soviet Union mirrors the collapse of the Ottoman Empire following World War I and the development of separate independent states in the Mideast. Kazakhstan has had more success than other Central Asian countries in this transition to independence from the former Soviet Union. “It is mainly due to the country’s first president, Nursultan Nazarbayev, who ruled the country from 1990 until 2019,” says Uteubaev. For almost 30 years, Nazarbayev transformed the former Soviet region into a rapidly developing nation that became a leading facilitator for regional diplomatic cooperation. Nazarbayev proposed CICA (Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia) in 1992 to promote prosperity, peace and security in Asia; it was launched in 1999. It is a forum where both Iran and Israel are active members. Kazakhstan also hosted the early stages of Iran nuclear talks and Syrian peace talks known as the Astana Process in the capital Nur-Sultan (formerly Astana). The Kazakh leader faced the revival of Russian great power status sinc e 2000 and China’s rise a decade later. As a result, he formulated his country’s foreign policy as a ‘multi-vector,’ making it flexible and adaptable. This is necessary to navigate land-locked Kazakhstan’s diplomacy among various international powers: Europe, the United States, China and Russia. Kazakhstan’s Central Asian peer Uzbekistan is now attempting a similar balancing act that seeks regional integration and investment promotion. Uzbekistan followed Kazakhstan’s lead in market reforms since President Shavkat Mirziyoyev took over from the authoritarian Islam Karimov in 2016. The United Arab Emirates, Israel and other moderate Arab states will further develop a multi-vector approach, balancing relations between the traditional ally United States, assertive Russia, economic partner Europe an d rising China. Similar to Central Asian post-imperial cooperation, the success of Israel and the UAE may pave the way for the Abraham Accords members to become the engine that will bring the Middle East into a more prosperous era. Note that the GDP of Kazakhstan was around $182 billion and Uzbekistan $58 billion in 2019. Compare this to Israel’s GDP of $395 billion and the UAE of $421 billion in 2019. This solid economic foundation could be a driving force behind growing Middle Eastern economic integration. “The C5+1 and Central Asian Economic Union may also become a good model for Israel and friendly Arab countries” and their evolution “into a realistic cooperation bloc,” says Uteubaev. Nuclear Security Guarantees Of course, Iran’s nuclear programme looms over the Middle East. One of Nazarbayev’s first steps to integrate his country into the international community was to close the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site in 1991, denuclearise and transfer all Soviet-era weapons to the Russian Federation by 1995. In addition, the United States facilitated the securing of leftover nuclear material from 1995 to 2001 as part of the Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) programme. The decisive step 30 years ago has paid off. The Nunn-Lugar programmeme was created to secure and dismantle weapons of mass destruction and infrastructure in the former Soviet states. Senators San Nunn and Richard Lugar were behind the initiative that resulted in the passage of the Soviet Threat Reduction Act in 1991. The CTR programme was run out of the Department of De fense and aimed to deal with Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and Kazakhstan after the collapse of the Soviet Union. “Thanks to Nazarbayev, Kazakhstan is one of the first countries in the world to abandon nuclear weapons voluntarily,” says Uteubaev. The bold act provided nuclear security guarantees to Kazakhstan from the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, France and China, and opened the doors for massive foreign investment. A similar event could occur if the Iranian regime falls, and the new government would decide to denuclearise with cooperation from the United States and other great powers. Kazakhstan offers a tempting example. Originally published 1 July 2021 by JNS.org. Republished with permission. A Central Asia Model for Israel and the Middle East Former President Donald J. Trump, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bahrain Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani, Former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Minister of Foreign Affairs for the United Arab Emirates Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyanisigns sign the Abraham Accords Tuesday, 15 Sept 2020, on the South Lawn of the White House. | Photo: Official White House Photo by Joyce N. Boghosian Av - Elul 5781 - Tishrei 5782 Short News European Publishing Giant Supports Israel Berlin-based digital publishing house Axel Springer put an Israeli flag up in front of its headquarters for several days after anti-Semitic displays at pro-Palestinian demonstrations across Germany, including marches to synagogues, shouting slogans against Jews, attacks on Jewish institutions and the burning of Israeli flags. Several staff complained about it but were told that they could leave if they did not support the company’s pro-Israel stance. CEO Mathias Döpfner told his 16,000 employees during a conference call: “I t hink, and I’m being very frank with you, a person who has an issue with an Israeli flag being raised for one week here, after anti-Semitic demonstrations, should look for a new job.” | Photo: Twitter, Hananya Naftali Praise for Hamas The textbooks in Qatar are not exactly an example of peace and tolerance. A report from Impact-se, a research institute that analyses textbooks and curricula based on UNESCO-standards for peace and tolerance, shows that Hamas is praised. Terror organisation Hamas is described in the textbooks as a legitimate ‘Islamic resistance movement’. Firing thousands of missiles at the civil population is described as ‘courageous’ and ‘remarkable’. August 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5781 - Tishrei 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 J.J. Glashouwer, President Rev Cornelis Kant, Executive Director P.O. Box 1100 | 3860 BC Nijkerk, The Netherlands | Tel: +31 33 422 0405 info@c4israel.org | www.c4israel.org The English Edition of Israel & Christians Today is published by the following English speaking branches: Christians for Israel - Australia Ian Worby, National Leader PO Box 1508, Springwood Queensland, Australia 4127 Tel: +61 (7) 3088 6900, info@c4israel.com.au www.c4israel.com.au Christians for Israel - New Zealand Bryce Turner, National Executive Director PO Box 12 006, Penrose, Auckland, New Zealand 1642 Tel: +64 9 525 7564, info@c4israel.org.nz www.c4israel.org.nz Christians for Israel - 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 Fred J van Westing, CEO PO Box 2589, Manteca, CA 95336, USA Tel: +1 925 984 6671 usa-info@c4israel.org www.c4israel.us DISCLAIMER - Articles printed in Israel & Christians Today expr ess 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 retrie val 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. Campaign Against the Jewish State is Intensifying Prayer Points By C4I Prayer Team Israel l ‘Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs.’ (Proverbs 10:12). Currently there are many internal tensions in Israel. There are political divisions and because of the recent war with Gaza, there is also a lot of distrust between Jews and Arabs. Pray for unity and pray that hatred will be broken and love will increase. l Give thanks that a new government was formed. Pray for blessing and wisdom for this government and that they will look to God for help. l Pray for a blessed summer for Israel. Pray for protection against wildfires and fires caused by fire balloons from Gaza. Pray that Israel will be able to welcome tourists again, in order that many people can resume their work in this sector. Pray also for a blessing on the summer camps that the Arab Christian pastor couple Naim and Elvira Khoury from Bethlehem are organising for young people in their area. Israel & the Nations l The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas does not mean that the danger from Gaza has completely disappeared. Tensions remain. Pray for protection for Israel at all its borders, including those in the north. In Lebanon, tens of thousands of rockets are permanently aimed at Israel. l Israeli military analysts see an increased risk of a direct conflict between Israel and Iran. For now, Iran is carrying out attacks mainly indirectly through Hezbollah and Hamas, but analysts expect that at some point Iran will also proceed to directly attack Israel. Pray for protection of Israel against attacks from Iran in all possible way. l During and after the war with Gaza, there was an enormous increase in anti-Semitism around the world. During many pro-Palestinian demonstrations, anti- Semitic taunts were heard and signs with Nazi imagery were displayed. Pray that this anti-Semitism will be addressed and that more people will stand up and express their support and love for the Jewish people. Christians for Israel l Pray that churches, preachers, Bible study and youth groups will have open eyes and hearts to see God’s unending faithfulness to Israel and to recognise the promises being fulfilled in our time as God brings His people home and the land of Israel flourishes. For daily Prayer Points, go to our website www.c4israel.com.au Andrew Tucker n International Editor | Christians for Israel In their teachings as recorded in the New Testament, Jesus and His Apostles spoke of the many things that would need to happen before Christ could return to reign as King. In doing so, they quoted and expounded on matters that were already referred to – sometimes obliquely – by the prophets of Israel in the Old Testament (the Hebrew Bible). This includes the rise of an anti-Christian spirit in the world, apostasy in the church, physical and spiritual restoration of the nation of Israel, and the conflicts that would take place in the last days involving restored Israel and the nations. About one hundred and fifty years ago, the Lord started to bring His children home from their dispersion amongst the nations. Russian Jews escaping the pogroms made their way to Palestine. The time of redemption had begun. Jews gradually joined them from other nations. Over seventy years ago, on 14 May 1948, the Jewish people declared the State of Israel. A nation was born in a day. Since 1920, the natio ns have been doing everything in their power to prevent the restoration of the Jewish nation in the land. They have never fully accepted the State of Israel as a member of the community of nations. Even Israel’s ‘friends’ in the UN have waxed and waned in their support. By and large, the church – the ‘body of Christ’ that is called to boldly declare God’s purposes – has been either silent or (worse) actively complicit in opposing the return of the Jews to the land. Today, the war against Israel’s sovereignty in international institutions is intensifying. Allegations that Israel is infringing international law are being used to prohibit Jews from living in the Old City of Jerusalem and the West Bank (i.e. Judea and Samaria), where the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) claims full sovereignty. The attack on Israel’s sovereignty is part of a well-orchestrated and funded campaign in sev eral UN-related institutions, where Arab and Islamic nations are able to mobilise other states to support their demands. The use of the language, the moral force and the institutions of ‘law’ is part of Satan’s strategy of first deceiving the church and the nations and then mobilising them to oppose God’s plans and purposes. The main arguments used to attack Israel have never really changed over the years. Essentially, they are that the Jewish State is a ‘colonial’ enterprise that oppresses an innocent indigenous population. It has ‘stolen’ and is ‘occupying’ their land. There is a growing chorus that Israel is an ‘apartheid’ state that is guilty of ‘crimes against humanity’. In recent weeks – since the most recent conflict with Hamas in May - we have seen a massive rise in anti-Semitism around the world, including not only hate-filled words but also violent attacks on Jews. I believe this latest intensification of hatred is in part provoked by the hostile rhetoric emanating from the world’s most eminent institutions. In addition to the political institutions (United Nations, EU, etc.), there are four legal ‘battlefields ’ upon which this opposition to the restoration of Israel is being played out. First, the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague decided last February that it has jurisdiction to prosecute Israeli leaders for war crimes and crimes against humanity ‘in the territory of Palestine’. The new British/Pakistani Prosecutor Karim Khan QC will now possibly investigate Israeli leaders for allowing ‘settlements’ to be built, for demolishing Palestinian houses and evicting Palestinian terrorists – all of which the Prosecutor considers to be ‘war crimes’. The Court may even consider prosecuting Israeli leaders for the crimes of ‘apartheid’ and ‘persecution’ – which are crimes against humanity. Flag of Israel among other flags at the United Nations building in Manhattan, USA. | Photo: Shutterstock Continued on page 12 www.facebook.com/c4israelAUS

29. 11 Biblical Reflection Rev Cornelis Kant n Executive Director | Christians for Israel International We all frequently celebrate the Lord’s Supper, or Eucharist, in our Churches. The focus is on our reconciliation with God through the blood of Jesus Christ. When Jesus passes the cup of wine to His disciples, He says: ‘This cup, which is poured out for you, is the new covenant in My blood’ (Luke 22:20). Mentioning the ‘new covenant’, Jesus refers to Jeremiah 31: 31, where the Lord promises He ‘will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah’. This new covenant is effectuated in Jesus’ suffering and death on the cross and His resurrection. The wine in the cup on the evening before His death refers to this new covenant. Jesus is drinking this cup of wine together with His twelve Jewish disciples. Jeremiah and Jesus, when speaking about this new covenant, both emphasise that this new covenant will bring forgiveness of all their sins. We as Christians may enjoy the blessings of this new covenant with Israel because, through Christ, we are ‘grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree’ (Romans 11:17). During the time before we knew Jesus Christ as our Saviour, we were ‘separate from Christ, excluded from the people of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus, you who previously were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ’ (Ephesians 2:12-13). When we celebrate the Lord’s Supper in our Church services, it is important to be aware of our profound connection and relationship with Israel and the Jewish people. The bread we eat at the Lord’s Supper refers to Jesus Christ’s body that He gave for us: ‘This is My body, which is being given for you; do this in remembrance of Me’ (Luke 22:19). Jesus gave His life, His body and blood, to deliver us from our sins and give us eternal life with Him in His Kingdom. When the people of Israel were delivered from slavery in Egypt, they set out for the promised land. On their journey through the desert, they were fed with manna. When Jesus speaks about that manna, He also explains that the manna referred to His body and Himself: ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven and gives life to the world (...) Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; the one who comes to Me will not be hungry” (John 6:32-34). It is wonderful to see how the manna in the desert and our bread at the Lord’s Supper both refer in a special way to Christ’s body. The bread and the wine at the Lord’s Supper also refer to the feast that we may partake in together with our Lord in His future Kingdom. Passing the cup of wine, Jesus said: ‘for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes’ (Luke 22:18). Drinking the wine and eating the bread, we remember what Jesus did for us, and we also look forward to what the Lord will prepare for us. This refers to the wonderful promise in Isaiah 25:6 ‘Now the Lord of armies will prepare a lavish banquet for all peoples on this mountain; a banquet of aged wine, choice pieces with marrow, and refined, aged wine’. The Kingdom and the feast that Isaiah and Jesus refer to will take place ‘at this mountain’. And that is Mount Zion in Jerusalem in Israel. Israel will play a huge role in the Kingdom to come, as Isaiah prophesied: ‘For the law will go out from Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem’ (Isaiah 2:3). Even at a specifically Christian celebration such as the Lord’s Supper, it is good to be aware of our profound connection and relationship with Israel and the Jewish people. And to express this in our prayers and sermons. The Lord’s Supper and Israel Kees de Vreugd n Theologian | Christians for Israel International & Editor | Israel & the Church Brad H. Young, The Newer Testament. An English translation that affirms the New Testament’s authentic Hebrew heritage. Tulsa, Oklahoma 2021 The Bible was originally written in Hebrew and Aramaic (the Old Testament or Hebrew Bible) and Greek (the New Testament). That is to say; there are theories about a Hebrew original of the Gospel of Matthew, based on a reference in Eusebius’ Church History (4th century). It is true that the language of the Gospel of Matthew as we have it has a Semitic colour. It is also true that Luke purposely applies a Hebraic style, imitating the language of the Hebrew Bible. Moreover, all apostles and evangelists were Jews (including Luke, I believe). They have their roots in the Hebrew Bible and second temple Judaism. They apply Jewish methods of expounding Scripture. The scene of the stories of the Gospel is the landscape of Israel. The teaching of Jesus breathes the connection with the people and their living in the land of Israel. Methods and Principles How should the Bible be translated? There are different methods and principles of translating the Bible, depending on the aims of a specific translation. Should it be an easily readable translation, then the receiving language is the governing principle. In those cases, however, often specific characteristics of the original language or subtle intertextual connections are lost. Should these be preserved , the translation becomes less accessible but would serve specific interests in studying the text. Hebrew Heritage In his newly published ‘Newer Testament’, Brad H. Young, the eminent Bible scholar, presents a translation that is meant to affirm the authentic Hebrew heritage of the New Testament. What does that mean, and how does he pursue this goal? The title is already an eye-catching example. The use of the comparative ‘newer’ reflects that the New Testament does not substitute the Old Testament but rather affirms it. Personally, I would prefer to translate the Greek kainè with ‘renewed’. In other cases, Young does not literally translate but circumscribes the Greek to give an impression of how the original readers might have understood the words or highlight a certain Jewish practice. For example, the verb baptizomai is not translated as ‘baptise’ but as ‘to immerse oneself’, as that was common Jewish practice. One would immerse oneself ritually under the supervision of a religious official. Hebrew Names Most remarkable in all Hebraizing translations is the use of the original Hebrew names instead of the Greek forms. Jesus is rendered as Yeshua, Peter as Kefa and Paul as Shaul. Sometimes I find that a little pedantic. Does it really evoke the Hebrew heritage, or does it rather alienate the reader? The apostles have adapted the name Yeshua to the Greek language in which they preached. On the other hand, over time, this has alienated Jesus (as well as the New Testament) from His J ewish origins. Again, on the other hand, the time has long been overdue to rediscover the Jewish origins. Can we find a language that affirms both the Hebrew heritage and the grace of hearing the Gospel ‘in our own language to which we were born’? ISBN: 978-1-7362270-0-8 Translating the New Testament August 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5781 - Tishrei 5782 | Photo: Unsplash 10 Theology Jewish Festivals Rosh Hashana LeBehemot New Year for Tithing Animals 8-9 August 2021 The day shepherds determined which of their mature animals were to be tithed. The day coincides with Rosh Chodesh Elul, the New Moon for the month of Elul, exactly one month before Rosh Hashanah. Leil Selichot Prayers for Forgiveness in Preparation for the High Holidays 28 August 2021 Selichot are Jewish penitential poems and prayers, especially those said in the period leading up to the High Holidays, and on Fast Days. Rosh Hashanah The Jewish New Year 6-8 September 2021 It is the first of the High Holidays or Yamim Noraim (‘Days of Awe’), celebrated ten days before Yom Kippur. Rosh Hashanah is observed on the first two days of Tishrei, the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar. It is described in the Torah as Yom Teru’ah, a day of sounding [the Shofar]). Yom Kippur Day of Atonement 15-16 September 2021 Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the year for the Jews. Its central themes are atonement and repentance. Jews traditionally observe this holy day with a 25-hour period of fasting and intensive prayer, often spending most of the day in synagogue services. Yom Kippur completes the annual period of the High Holidays. Sukkot Feast of Tabernacles 20-22 September 2021 Sukkot is a Biblical holiday celebrated on the 15th day of the month of Tishrei . It is one of the three biblically mandated festivals Shalosh regalim on which Jews were commanded to make a pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem. Shmini Atzevet Eight Day of Assembly 27-28 September 2021 Shmini Atzevet is a Jewish holiday, celebrated on the 22nd day of the Hebrew month of Tishrei (first month of calendar). In the Diaspora, an additional day is celebrated, the second day being separately referred to as Simchat Torah. Simchat Torah Day of Celebrating the Torah 28-29 September 2021 Simchat Torah is a celebration marking the conclusion of the annual cycle of public Torah readings, and the beginning of a new cycle. Book Review By Pieter Hoogendoorn The War of Return: How Western Indulgence of the Palestinian Dream Has Obstructed the Path to Peace by Adi Schwartz and Dr Einat Wilaf The authors are both liberal Israelis supportive of a two-state solution as inter alia foreseen by the Oslo Accords in the early ‘90s. Twenty-five years after these Accords were signed, they wonder why there still is no peace between Israel and the Palestinians and why the two states are not there. To find an answer to this question, they go back to 1948, when 700,000 Palestinians were forced out of their homes by the first Arab-Israeli War. More than 70 years later, millions of their descendants are still registered as refugees, with many living in refugee camps. This group has “officially” remained unsettled, demanding to settle in the state of Israel. They believe in a personal ‘right of return’ to their homes in the State of Israel. Once starting the book, you can’t stop reading. It becomes clear that the Palestinian demand for the implementation of their claimed right to return to their homes in the State of Israel (not to Gaza or the West Bank, the territory of the would-be state of Palestine according to the 1947 UN Partition Plan which the Arabs, including the Palestinians, discarded), would herald the end of the Jewish state of Israel because of the massive influx of several millions of (Muslim) Palestinian Arabs. For the Palestinians, there can only be peace based on unconditional acceptance of their ‘right of return’ - which eventually will lead to a 1-state solution, i.e. an Arabic/Muslim state of Palestine (with at best a Jewish minority) “from the River to the Sea”. Exit Israel. In clear and simple language, the authors reveal the origins of the idea of a ‘right of return’ and explain how UNRWA – the very agency charged with finding a solution for the refugees – gave in to Palestinian, Arab and international political pressure to create a permanent refugee problem. The authors argue that the Palestinian demand for a ‘right of return’ has no legal or moral basis and is one of the largest obstacles to successful diplomacy and lasting peace in the region. They make a passionate plea to the US, the UN, and the EU to recognise this fact for the good of Israelis and Palestinians alike. Highly recommended. Publisher: St Martin’s Publishing Group. ISBN 978- 1-250-25276-0 Kees de Vreugd n Theologian | Christians for Israel International & Editor | Israel & the Church “When He calls this covenant ‘new,’ He has made the first one obsolete and whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear.” (Hebrews 8:13) So there it is. The old covenant is ready to disappear. It has been replaced by a new covenant. This is proof of God’s love and God’s faithfulness to His people Israel. What is Hebrews chapter 8 all about? The main point is that we have a unique high priest, one who is different from the high priest serving in the earthly temple. Chapter 8 begins: “We have such a high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens” (verse 1). In other words, He shares in the glory and majesty of God. B ut the letter to the Hebrews also tells us that He is serving in the heavenly sanctuary, of which the earthly sanctuary with its priests is a reflection. In what respect does the ministry of this High priest differ from that of the earthly priests? Hebrews tells us: this High priest does not need first to do atonement for his own sins. He is of a different order. And therefore, a different covenant is appropriate. By the way, we should not associate the term ‘old covenant’ with the books of the Old Testament as opposed to those of the New Testament or New Covenant. At the time the letter to the Hebrews was written, the apostolic letters may have been in circulation. But the New Testament as a whole was still to be compiled. The Bible of the first believers in Christ was the Old Testament, in most cases (like in Hebrews) in its Greek version, namely the Septuagint. Moreover, we must keep in mind that the letter to the Hebrews was written to Jews who believed in Jesus as the Messiah. The ‘church’ as a se parate body, apart from and next to Israel, did not exist yet. This would still take centuries. The movement of people who believed in Jesus as the Messiah was still mainly to be found within Judaism of those days. So we should take the word covenant as it is meant: God’s covenant with Israel. Everything discussed is to be taken as an inner- Jewish debate. Now, this old covenant was inadequate. Or better, the people who had to administer it, the priests, fell short of being a perfect sacrifice to atone for the sins of the people. Because of their own sins, they had to sacrifice for them selves first. Moreover, Israel time and again fell into sin, so much so that they broke the covenant. That was the weakness of the old covenant. The writer to the Hebrews cites words spoken by the prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 31:31-34). Israel, says God through the prophet, has broken My covenant. Has God then now, from His side, broken the covenant? No! He has renewed the broken covenant! “Behold, days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.” The Hebrew of Jeremiah 31 means a renewal of the covenant rather than an entirely new and different covenant. The same is true for the Greek of Hebrews 8 (and the Septuagint). The covenant is renewed, but the partners of the covenant remain the same. That is to say, God is again making a covenant with Israel, but in doing so, He is renewing Israel too: “I will put My laws into their minds, and I will write them on their hearts” (Hebrews 8:10, Jeremiah 31:33). From the depth of their hearts, Israel will be motivated by the Holy Spirit to live according to the rules of the covenant, God’ s commandments. In other words, the conditions of the covenant are renewed – the old one was ‘worn out’ and ‘growing old’ (verse 13). But the content remains the same. Moreover, the fulfilment of the purpose of the covenant is now firmly established. God can and will abide with Israel because He has sanctified them through the self-sacrifice of the Messiah. Finally, we must note that the writer is referring to the Sinai covenant (and more precisely, the Levitical covenant, concerning the temple office). He does not mean the covenant with Abraham here, in which God promised a land, a nation and a blessing. The promise to Abraham is mentioned in chapter 6 (verses 23) of the letter. That promise and that covenant continue to be valid. But living in the promised land is dependent on Israel obeying God’s commandments. When the Lord writes His laws in their hearts, they will live in accordance with them. So th e renewed covenant affirms the land promise and makes living in the land really possible. We conclude that the new covenant was made with Israel. Next time, we will go further into the text of Hebrews 8. Renewal of the Covenant August 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5781 - Tishrei 5782 Ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament. | Photo: Shutterstock

34. 16 From our Projects Koen Carlier n Christians for Israel Ukraine )ccasionally we are asked whether we will continue with the Meals on Wheels campaign during the summer months. The answer to this Huestion is “yes”. It is still very much needed to deliver meals to the Jewish elderly. Currently, we provide about 5,000 meals per month from 1 locations in Ukraine. *eople either pick up their meals, or we deliver them to their homes. In some places, people receive their meals two or three times a week. )n Fridays, we include challah bread, especially for Shabbat. Each location decides for itself what is realistic for them. In most areas, soup kitchens are still closed due to all the corona regulations, and we also notice that home delivery of meals is very important for the Jewish elderly. They are often lonely, have almost no family or friends, and some are bedridden. For these people, it is a valuable moment when someone comes by a few times a week to provide a meal and to be able to have a conversation. These moments are cherished. Food Parcel Deliveries Continue Besides Meals on Wheels, we continue to pack and deliver food parcels with our local volunteers. Each month we pack 2,000 food parcels at four locations 0innitsa, %iev, Mariupol and Donetsk. Russian separatists have occupied the Donetsk region in Eastern Ukraine for seven years now, but also here food parcels are regularly packed and distributed to Jewish seniors. With each food parcel, we always include a word of comfort and a *salm. )ur work is always done in close cooperation with the local Jewish community. Rabbi Mendel Cohen from Mariupol East Ukraine shared the following about the situation in his community “The people that need our help are people of age, they struggle with heat in the summertime, suffer from blood pressure issues and need constant medical support. These people are lonely, and we try to support them in the toughest moments of life and provide them with essentials food, attention, care and support. )ur community is deeply thankful to Christians for Israel for their support. 3ou truly make the most diğcult years of our elderly easier and better. Jewish elderly are very grateful and see it as a great blessing that they are provided with meals. Here are few photos we want to share with you Rimma (first photo from the left) will turn 4 years old in August. She has been bedridden for six years due to a broken hip and various complications. She is very weak but remains optimistic despite her situation. Fortunately, her retired daughter takes care of her. The meals we deliver to her are a huge blessing. Both ladies are very grateful for the help they receive! Mikhail (second photo from the left) is 60 years old, but due to health problems, he cannot work. Not being able to work means no income. He has no family and no one to take care of him. For Mikhail, the meals we deliver are a comfort and a blessing. Mikhail understands that he is not alone in his diğcult situation. )n behalf of the Jewish elderly in Ukraine, we would like to thank you for your donation towards the Meals on Wheels campaign and our food parcel campaign. Meals on Wheels cost AU $10, and a Food Parcel costs AU $15. Please complete the coupon below. Any amount is welcome. Bringing Comfort to Jewish Elderly August 2021 | Israel & Christians Today Av - Elul 5781 - Tishrei 5782 In most areas, soup kitchens are still closed due to all the corona regulations... Yes, I would like to make a donation towards... C4I MINISTRY 1 TEACHING RESOURCES & PREMIUM GIFTS DONATION DONATION SEE OUR FULL RANGE AT: C4ISRAEL.COM.AU/STORE QUANTITY SUB TOTAL $ ____________ SUB TOTAL $___________ MY TOTAL DONATION $ _____________ $ ___________ $ ___________ My donation for general admin costs (inc print & post) Thinc. (countering anti Israel “lawfare” ) $30-$50 $_______ ____________ Israel and Christians Today Paper (free or by donation) ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ $________ $36 each ____________ The End Times Through Jewish Eyes (DVD) by Ps Enoch Lavender The Final Countdown (DVD) by Ps Enoch Lavender Rebuilding The Temple (BOOK) by Ps Enoch Lavender Why Israel? $15 (BOOK) $30 (DVD) $35 (DVD + Study Guide) $5 (Study Guide) $5 (Facilitators Guide) by Willem Glashouwer Hope FulFilled (BOOK) by Ps Enoch Lavender Living A Life In Victory (BOOK) by Willem Glashouwer Behold He Comes (BOOK: 800 pages) by Willem Glashouwer $_______ ____________ Israeli-made Hebrew dress watches male or female ($70 ea) + Bazyli & Anna Jocz (BOOK) by Kelvin Crombie $20 each ____________ $20 each ____________ $30 each $20 each $15 each $20 each ____________ Understanding Israel and world events from a Biblical perspective & Christians Today ISRAEL August 2021 Av - Elul 5781 - Tishrei 5782 Israel & Christians Today is the premier publication of Christians for Israel - 67 Past & Present Israeli Prime Ministers 3 A Central Asia Model for Israel and the Middle East 12 Biblical Archaeologist Dies at 64 15 Return of the Bnei Menashe Isaac Herzog, then Chairman of the Jewish Agency, welcomes members of the Falashmura community as they arrive at the Ben Gurion airport, outside Tel Aviv. | Photo: Flash90 In the space of only a few weeks, Israel has both a new government (including a new Prime Minister) and a new President. Early July, Isaac ‘Bougie’ Herzog became Israel’s 11th President. He took over the reins from Reuven (‘Ruvi’) Rivlin, who has been President since 2014. Rivlin was greatly loved and admired as an educator and for being a President of the Jewish people worldwide. An attorney by profession at one of the country’s top firms (which was founded by his father), Herzog has held a wide variety of public positions, including leader of the Labor Party and Chairman of the Jewish Agency (2018- 2021). He has a family history that is as close as one comes to Israeli royalty. He is the grandson of Israel’s first Ashkenazi chief rabbi, Isaac Herzog, after whom he is named, and the son of former IDF major general, Ambassador to the UN and later President Chaim Herzog. Christians for Israel has worked closely with Herzog and his staff during his chairmanship at the Jewish Agency. We have come to know him as a man of great talent and integrity who was a father figure for many new immigrants and inspired his staff to establish Israel as a safe haven for Jewish immigrants from around the world. The President is appointed for a seven-year term. While it is largely a ceremonial function, the President plays an important role. In his inauguration speech, Herzog pledged to serve as a ‘president for all’ and work to tone down the country’s divisive rhetoric. He warned that Israel’s ‘common ethos and shared values are more fragile than ever.’ “Baseless hatred, polarisation and division are exacting a very heavy price... the heaviest price is the erosion of our national resilience,” said Herzog. “My mission, the goal of my presidency, is to do everything to rebuild hope.” During his speech, Herzog also stressed the country’s obligation toward its minorities, urging the government to battle crime in Arab communities. He also vowed to staunchly defend Israel’s military record to the international community. In his final speech as President, Rivlin urged engagement with Israel’s regional partners on security, economic and political matters and finding solutions related to water, food and climate change. He argued that Jewish-Arab coexistence in Israel could pave the way for greater engagement in the region. “I believe that if we are able to live here together, Jews and Arabs, we will find the way to live together between the Jordan River and the sea and across the whole region.” Rivlin urged the next generation of Israelis to “continue to innovate. If something isn’t working – change it. Don’t take things for granted because of the simple fact that the State of Israel isn’t to be taken for granted. It is a miracle, and miracles must be jealously guarded.” The book of Proverbs in the Tanakh says: “For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity” (Proverbs 2: 6-7) We wish the incoming President and government God’s blessing and pray that the day will come soon when peace, truth, justice and mercy shall go forth from Zion into the whole earth. Pray for the Unity of Israel www.c4israel.com.au | info@c4israel.com.au AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIA Understanding Israel and world events from a Biblical perspective & Christians Today ISRAEL August 2021 Av - Elul 5781 - Tishrei 5782 Israel & Christians Today is the premier publication of Christians for Israel - 67 Past & Present Israeli Prime Ministers 3 A Central Asia Model for Israel and the Middle East 12 Biblical Archaeologist Dies at 64 15 Return of the Bnei Menashe Isaac Herzog, then Chairman of the Jewish Agency, welcomes members of the Falashmura community as they arrive at the Ben Gurion airport, outside Tel Aviv. | Photo: Flash90 In the space of only a few weeks, Israel has both a new government (including a new Prime Minister) and a new President. Early July, Isaac ‘Bougie’ Herzog became Israel’s 11th President. He took over the reins from Reuven (‘Ruvi’) Rivlin, who has been President since 2014. Rivlin was greatly loved and admired as an educator and for being a President of the Jewish people worldwide. An attorney by profession at one of the country’s top firms (which was founded by his father), Herzog has held a wide variety of public positions, including leader of the Labor Party and Chairman of the Jewish Agency (2018- 2021). He has a family history that is as close as one comes to Israeli royalty. He is the grandson of Israel’s first Ashkenazi chief rabbi, Isaac Herzog, after whom he is named, and the son of former IDF major general, Ambassador to the UN and later President Chaim Herzog. Christians for Israel has worked closely with Herzog and his staff during his chairmanship at the Jewish Agency. We have come to know him as a man of great talent and integrity who was a father figure for many new immigrants and inspired his staff to establish Israel as a safe haven for Jewish immigrants from around the world. The President is appointed for a seven-year term. While it is largely a ceremonial function, the President plays an important role. In his inauguration speech, Herzog pledged to serve as a ‘president for all’ and work to tone down the country’s divisive rhetoric. He warned that Israel’s ‘common ethos and shared values are more fragile than ever.’ “Baseless hatred, polarisation and division are exacting a very heavy price... the heaviest price is the erosion of our national resilience,” said Herzog. “My mission, the goal of my presidency, is to do everything to rebuild hope.” During his speech, Herzog also stressed the country’s obligation toward its minorities, urging the government to battle crime in Arab communities. He also vowed to staunchly defend Israel’s military record to the international community. In his final speech as President, Rivlin urged engagement with Israel’s regional partners on security, economic and political matters and finding solutions related to water, food and climate change. He argued that Jewish-Arab coexistence in Israel could pave the way for greater engagement in the region. “I believe that if we are able to live here together, Jews and Arabs, we will find the way to live together between the Jordan River and the sea and across the whole region.” Rivlin urged the next generation of Israelis to “continue to innovate. If something isn’t working – change it. Don’t take things for granted because of the simple fact that the State of Israel isn’t to be taken for granted. It is a miracle, and miracles must be jealously guarded.” The book of Proverbs in the Tanakh says: “For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity” (Proverbs 2: 6-7) We wish the incoming President and government God’s blessing and pray that the day will come soon when peace, truth, justice and mercy shall go forth from Zion into the whole earth. Pray for the Unity of Israel www.c4israel.com.au | info@c4israel.com.au AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIA Understanding Israel and world events from a Biblical perspective & Christians Today ISRAEL August 2021 Av - Elul 5781 - Tishrei 5782 Israel & Christians Today is the premier publication of Christians for Israel - 67 Past & Present Israeli Prime Ministers 3 A Central Asia Model for Israel and the Middle East 12 Biblical Archaeologist Dies at 64 15 Return of the Bnei Menashe Isaac Herzog, then Chairman of the Jewish Agency, welcomes members of the Falashmura community as they arrive at the Ben Gurion airport, outside Tel Aviv. | Photo: Flash90 In the space of only a few weeks, Israel has both a new government (including a new Prime Minister) and a new President. Early July, Isaac ‘Bougie’ Herzog became Israel’s 11th President. He took over the reins from Reuven (‘Ruvi’) Rivlin, who has been President since 2014. Rivlin was greatly loved and admired as an educator and for being a President of the Jewish people worldwide. An attorney by profession at one of the country’s top firms (which was founded by his father), Herzog has held a wide variety of public positions, including leader of the Labor Party and Chairman of the Jewish Agency (2018- 2021). He has a family history that is as close as one comes to Israeli royalty. He is the grandson of Israel’s first Ashkenazi chief rabbi, Isaac Herzog, after whom he is named, and the son of former IDF major general, Ambassador to the UN and later President Chaim Herzog. Christians for Israel has worked closely with Herzog and his staff during his chairmanship at the Jewish Agency. We have come to know him as a man of great talent and integrity who was a father figure for many new immigrants and inspired his staff to establish Israel as a safe haven for Jewish immigrants from around the world. The President is appointed for a seven-year term. While it is largely a ceremonial function, the President plays an important role. In his inauguration speech, Herzog pledged to serve as a ‘president for all’ and work to tone down the country’s divisive rhetoric. He warned that Israel’s ‘common ethos and shared values are more fragile than ever.’ “Baseless hatred, polarisation and division are exacting a very heavy price... the heaviest price is the erosion of our national resilience,” said Herzog. “My mission, the goal of my presidency, is to do everything to rebuild hope.” During his speech, Herzog also stressed the country’s obligation toward its minorities, urging the government to battle crime in Arab communities. He also vowed to staunchly defend Israel’s military record to the international community. In his final speech as President, Rivlin urged engagement with Israel’s regional partners on security, economic and political matters and finding solutions related to water, food and climate change. He argued that Jewish-Arab coexistence in Israel could pave the way for greater engagement in the region. “I believe that if we are able to live here together, Jews and Arabs, we will find the way to live together between the Jordan River and the sea and across the whole region.” Rivlin urged the next generation of Israelis to “continue to innovate. If something isn’t working – change it. Don’t take things for granted because of the simple fact that the State of Israel isn’t to be taken for granted. It is a miracle, and miracles must be jealously guarded.” The book of Proverbs in the Tanakh says: “For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity” (Proverbs 2: 6-7) We wish the incoming President and government God’s blessing and pray that the day will come soon when peace, truth, justice and mercy shall go forth from Zion into the whole earth. Pray for the Unity of Israel 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) NEW INTERNET BANKING DETAILS: BSB: ANZ BANK— 014-279 Account No: 405318551 Ref: Your name & donation purpose. 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