WORD
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN EMBASSY JERUSALEM // SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2014 // GLOBAL EDITION
FROM JERUSALEM
SPECIAL REPORT
THE PLIGHT OF MIDDLE EAST CHRISTIANS RELIEF FOR ISRAELIS UNDER FIRE SURGE IN ANTI-SEMITISM BUT ALSO IN ALIYAH
LETTER FROM THE
DIRECTOR Dear friends, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” (Proverbs 17:17) This summer those of us in Israel were again reminded that this nation is still living in a very hostile neighbourhood. While thousands of Hamas rockets were fired at Israel from Gaza, we again witnessed God’s hand of protection over His people. The damage in Israel was miraculously small! This was due not only to the success of Israel’s new “Iron Dome” missile defence system. On many occasions strong wind gusts drove rockets into the Mediterranean Sea, and hundreds of times Hamas rockets fell short inside Gaza. When asked why they could not aim their rockets more effectively, a Hamas terrorist replied: “We do aim them, but their God changes their path in mid-air.” The International Christian Embassy Jerusalem is a global ministry representing churches, denominations and millions of Christians worldwide who share a love and concern for Israel and who seek to repair the historic breach between the Church and the Jewish people. We recognise in the modern-day restoration of Israel the faithfulness of God to keep His ancient covenant promises to the Jewish people. Our main objectives are: To stand with Israel in practical expressions of support and friendship; To teach the Church worldwide regarding God’s purposes concerning Israel and to link churches with Israel; To support local churches in the Holy Land; To be an active channel of reconciliation between Jews, Arabs and Christians; From our Jerusalem headquarters, the work of the Christian Embassy reaches into more than 140 countries, including established branch offices in over 70 nations worldwide. The ICEJ is Your Embassy in Jerusalem. The ICEJ is a non-denominational faith ministry, supported by the voluntary contributions of our members and friends across the globe. We invite you to join with us as we minister to Israel and the Jewish people worldwide by using the enclosed response slip to make your donation to the ongoing work and witness of the ICEJ.
WORD FROM JERUSALEM
CREDITS Executive Director Dr. Jürgen Bühler International Director Juha Ketola Editor/Media Director David Parsons Creative Director Ray Ramirez Graphic Design/Illustrator Peter Ecenroad Administration David van der Walt, Wim van der Zande Photography ICEJ Staff & Branches, IStock, Le Figaro, AP
In the midst of all this terror, we sponsored weekend respites and day trips for hundreds of Israeli families from embattled towns near Gaza to have times of rest in Jerusalem, at the Dead Sea and in the Galilee. We also were able to deliver nine new portable bomb shelters to targeted communities, mostly in the vicinity of the Gaza border. One such shelter was donated to the Bedouin village of Umm Batim, close to Beersheva – marking the first time a Bedouin town in the Negev had a bomb shelter. In addition, our branches worldwide took to the streets to publicly defend Israel and condemn Hamas terrorism. We were surprised and blessed this week to receive a personal letter from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanking us for the Christian Embassy’s support during the recent crisis. This letter of gratitude applies to all of you who stand with the ICEJ in your prayers and financial support. It means your voice is being heard here in Israel. Moving on from this conflict, we now are looking forward to an exciting Feast of Tabernacles in the brand new Pais Arena in Jerusalem. You still can register and join us. The more people that come, the more it will demonstrate that we are not just ‘fair weather friends’, as one ministry leader put it, but that we prove ourselves to be brothers ‘born for adversity’. I so much look forward to welcoming you at the Feast this year. Yours in Christ,
Dr. Jürgen Bühler ICEJ Executive Director
The New King James Bible is used for all Bible references unless otherwise noted. Word From Jerusalem is published by the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Word From Jerusalem has no subscription price and is supported through contributions worldwide. All gifts to this ministry are tax-deductible (in countries where this applies). For more information visit us at: www.icej.org INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN EMBASSY JERUSALEM P.O. Box 1192, Jerusalem • 9101002, ISRAEL
Support our ministry on-line at: www.icej.org
COVER PHOTO: A Chaldean Christian from Iraq at a recent protest against Islamic violence. FOR MAGAZINE ARCHIVES visit www.icej.org/media/word-jerusalem
CONTENTS
8
SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2014 GLOBAL EDITION
THE PLIGHT OF MIDDLE EAST CHRISTIANS BY DAVID PARSONS
IN ANTI-SEMITISM, BUT ALSO IN ALIYAH 14 SURGE
18
ICEJ BRINGS RELIEF TO ISRAELIS UNDER FIRE
NEXT ISSUE COMING UP IN THE NEXT WORD FROM JERUSALEM
22
ICEJ STAGES PRO-ISRAEL RALLIES WORLDWIDE
Our November issue will feature a review of our 2014 Feast of Tabernacles celebration in the new Jerusalem Pais Arena. We’ll have highlights and photos from this year’s Sukkot gathering. Also look for great biblical teachings from our Feast speakers from around the world. Learn more about the Feast at www.icej.org
Over 15 million Egyptians took to the streets last summer to demand the ouster of the Muslin Brotherhood. (AP)
COMMENTARY
A HOUSE DIVIDED BY DR. JÜRGEN BÜHLER ICEJ EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
The biggest revelation from the recent conflict in Gaza was not the extent of the Hamas tunnels into Israel, nor the willingness of Hamas to sacrifice their own people, but the deep rift running through the Arab world today – which could portend major changes in the region.
Israel’s new allies Until recently, the Arab world presented itself as a united bloc, particularly when condemning Israel for Palestinian suffering and even for Arab misery in general.
leaders in Doha for living in luxury as their people suffered. Another commentator, Azza Sami, wrote in Al-Ahram: “Thank you Netanyahu and may God give us more people like you to destroy Hamas.”
However, this large bloc is disintegrating with surprising speed. Regional powers like Turkey, Qatar and Sudan continue to bash Israel, but Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and especially Egypt have shown a new cooperative spirit with Israel.
It is true that the historic rift between Sunni and Shi’a Islam has often led to conflict. But their common hatred of Israel unified the Arabs. Yet today, Israeli officials are surprised by the realignment with Jerusalem of Arab rulers opposed to radical Islamists – whether Sunni or Shi’ite.
A recent study by Khaled Abu Toameh for the Gatestone Institute noted many Arabic press reports voiced support for Israel’s military operation against Hamas. Egyptian Foreign Minister Sami Shukri squarely blamed Hamas for the mounting Palestinian casualties after it rejected Cairo’s original truce terms. A leading Egyptian commentator concurred that Hamas was responsible for Palestinian losses. Others described Hamas rocket attacks on Israel as “idiotic” while criticising Hamas 4 | SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2014
“Who would have ever thought that Saudi Arabia and Egypt would be our allies in our struggle with Hamas,” a senior Israeli official recently told me. Arab Spring revisited This realignment can be seen on other fronts. Syria and Iraq are being torn apart by rival rebel groups fighting the regimes and one another. The most notorious is ISIS, which is slaughtering countless Christians as well as fellow Muslims who do not share their repressive ideology.
In many ways, the major reshuffle underway in the Middle East was triggered by the Arab Spring ignited in Tunisia in late 2010. Yet this hopeful ‘Spring’ quickly turned into an ‘Arab Winter’ when Egypt voted into power the radical Muslim Brotherhood. Then one years later, an estimated 15 million people (some claim 30 million) took to the streets of Cairo and other Egyptian cities to demand the end of Brotherhood rule. It is considered the largest political protest in human history.
a significant force in Arab affairs. In his book “The New Arabs”, journalist Juan Cole describes how the millennial generation is changing the Middle East. These youths have greater access to information than their parents. Twitter, Facebook and Instagram are used to recruit new jihadists for ISIS, but they also give Arab Millennials a window into the free world as never before. They helped ignite the Arab Spring four years ago, and later unseated the Muslim Brotherhood in Cairo.
seemed impenetrable is becoming a house divided. Jesus declared: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.” (Matthew 12:25)
This prompted not only a turn towards more moderate government in Egypt but it also had a ripple effect across the Arab world. Just a few weeks ago, a prominent Saudi commentator wrote that these Egyptian protestors rejecting radical Islam spoke not only for Egypt “but they represent the entire Arab world”.
Their voice can even be heard in a recent manifesto released by Gazan youths, saying: “We have enough of the bearded men on our streets who want to force us what to think and how to dress.”
Yet the signs of Islam’s decline should not surprise us. For decades, Christians have prayed for revival in the 10/40 window. We need to remind ourselves that we serve a prayer-answering God.
The last giant falling Meanwhile, for the first time in Islam’s 1300 years of dominance in the Middle East we see large numbers of people turning to Christ. While ISIS is spreading terror, Arab pastors report unprecedented growth despite the fierce persecution. A year before the Arab Spring, “Operation World” already reported historic church growth in almost all Muslim states, a trend that has only increased.
Therefore, let us continue to pray for Israel while also recognising God loves the Arabs and beckons us to pray for them, too. He wants Arabs to be saved!
The rise of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and the atrocities by ISIS in Syria and Iraq have triggered something which 9/11 and other acts of Islamic terrorism abroad could never achieve – an Arab backlash against radical Islam. After the mass terror attacks in Manhattan, Madrid and London, most Arabs were silent regarding these violent acts against the ‘decadent’ West. But the sceptre of the Muslim Brotherhood, ISIS and alQaida has more and more Muslims today realising that Islamic extremists cannot offer any hope to the Arab world. The Financial Times recently observed the Arab world is starting to shake off its “long state of denial”, and religious scholars and ordinary people now ask: “What is wrong with us?” It is a fact that the Arab bloc is one of the most underdeveloped regions in our world today. Four consecutive UN development reports on the Arab states found they have the highest rates of illiteracy and greatest lack of basic rights and freedoms worldwide. For decades, the incredible Arab oil wealth did not go into education, science, research or development, but instead produced a society of consumerism reliant on Western imports. The Arab Millennials In addition, today’s youth have become
I remember well in the 1980s global leaders like Loren Cunningham and David Pawson came to Germany and prophesied the fall of Communism and reuniting of Germany. Some German pastors ridiculed them, as it was the height of the Cold War. But in 1989 everything changed; Communism fell and Germany soon reunified. I also remember another message from those meetings: “The last giant which will fall after Communism is the giant of Islam.” I personally believe we are seeing today what could be the beginning of the slow collapse of the stronghold of Islam, which for centuries kept people from freely choosing their religion. It will not mean the end of Islam altogether, but the release of multitudes from a demonic bondage that held them far too long. Communism did not disappear after 1989 but what was removed was its evil, totalitarian control over people. A region which for generations 5 | WORD FROM JERUSALEM
Communism enslaved Eastern Europe for 70 years, while Islam has gripped the Middle East for over 13 centuries. Therefore, change in this region might take longer and be more violent.
The origins of the Arab nations go back to Ishmael, son of Abraham and half-brother of Isaac. While God clearly sealed His covenant with the descendants of Isaac, Abraham also pleaded: “Oh that Ishmael might live before you!” (Genesis 17:17) And God answered: “I will establish My covenant with him [Isaac] for an everlasting covenant, and with his descendants after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall beget twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation.” (Genesis 17:19–20) The time of blessing for Ishmael seems closer than ever. Years ago, Rabbi Benny Elon strongly challenged me: “Jürgen, please tell the churches to send more missionaries into the Islamic world.” I asked him why, as rabbis normally are not very fond of missionaries. He replied: “If the Arabs believe what you believe, then we will have peace in the Middle East.” May this day come soon!
In July, ISIS has an estimated 80,000 fighters in its ranks in Iraq and Syria
COMMENTARY
TODAY'S SPIRITUAL BATTLES BY REV. JUHA KETOLA ICEJ INTERNATIONAL DIRECTOR
"We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." (Ephesians 6:12)
During the recent conflict in Gaza, I had visitors coming from abroad to see me in Jerusalem. They were arriving late at BenGurion Airport, so while waiting at home I decided to watch the latest news on TV and the Web. For several hours, I flipped on different TV news channels and opened my laptop to Israeli news sites. After this massive wave of reports, images and analysis of current events worldwide, I stopped to think. The evil behind the scenes The news media had covered the ISIS terror militia in Iraq, clashes in Libya, Hamas rockets in Gaza, hurricanes, earthquakes, and the Ebola virus in Africa. I also thought how terrorist groups like al-Qaeda, Boko Haram in Nigeria, and al-Shabaab in Somalia are adding to the chaos and human suffering in our world. I also could hear the words of Jesus echoing: "And you will hear of wars and rumours of wars. . . there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various 6 | S EP TEMBER-OCTOBER 2014
places . . . look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near." (Matthew 24:6-7; Luke 21:28) The stage is slowly being set for King Jesus to return from heaven and deliver us from all evil! But I could see as well how behind all this senseless violence by evil men in so many places was the influence of evil spirits, led by Satan himself! Works of the devil Satan is no friend! He is the enemy of all humanity. Not only is he the father of all lies, but according to Jesus he is also a murderer who comes only to steal, kill and destroy (John 8:44; 10:10). Unfortunately, we see his works all around. Even though suffering in this life remains a mystery, the Bible is clear on this: Satan and his evil spirits can impact world events through the minds and actions of those people who agree with him (Ephesians 2:13). They are inspired and draw their power
from evil sources. As a result, humanity is suffering, in confusion and filled with hatred, fears and hopelessness. Christian suffering in the Middle East It is painful to see the consequences of evil spirits ruling the lives of men. One sad expression of this murderous spirit at present is the hatred of Muslim extremists towards Christians in the Middle East. Even while I am writing this, ISIS is beheading, crucifying, slaughtering and persecuting Christians by the thousands in Syria and Iraq. Three hundred thousand Iraqi Christians have fled ISIS brutality this summer. They were given four stark choices: convert to Islam, pay the jizya tax, flee, or be murdered. Hamas also constantly persecutes and threatens the small flock of Christians in Gaza. What is it like to be a follower of Jesus in today's Iraq, Syria, Gaza or other areas under Islamic rule? We really need to stop and think about it! At ease in the West In our civilised Western societies, Christians are not being beheaded. Instead, it is relatively easy to follow Jesus. If any persecution comes, it is usually only verbal, or we may be shunned at work or our career advancement hindered. But this is not the case in the Middle East, where Israel is the only true democracy that protects religious freedoms. It is obvious that the spirit behind Islam is not the same as the Holy Spirit working in our lives. No, it is a spirit of anti-Christ, which wants Christians to submit as slaves under the rule of Islam. And it is at physical war against Christians, wanting to eradicate them not only from the Middle East, but from all the earth! Hope in Christ However, we as followers of Jesus do not wage war against flesh and blood; that is, against human beings. We discern the spirit behind the evil deeds of men, and honour everyone as created in the image of God.
Our message is one of forgiveness and reconciliation in Jesus. That is, reconciliation first with God, and then between men of different religious, cultural, ideological and ethnic backgrounds. The Gospel has the power to change lives. It is the message of hope for all peoples and cultures. The character of God and fruit of the Spirit revealed in the person of Jesus is available for all men! (Hebrews 1:3; Galatians 5:2223; Colossians 3:12-15; 1 Timothy 3:16)
"AND YOU WILL HEAR OF WARS AND RUMOURS OF WARS. . . THERE WILL BE FAMINES, PESTILENCES, AND EARTHQUAKES IN VARIOUS PLACES . . . LOOK UP AND LIFT UP YOUR HEADS, BECAUSE YOUR REDEMPTION DRAWS NEAR." Our weapons are spiritual and hope-filled. Their origin is in the goodness of God and they bring healing and truth to human hearts. The powerful weapon of prayer So the Body of Christ needs to exercise our spiritual weapons, especially the power of prayer. We have been called to fast and pray for God's will to be done on earth, for Him to deliver us from evil and bring down demonic strongholds (Ephesians 6:10-17; Colossians 2:15; Hebrews 2:14; Romans 16:20; Matthew 6:13).
forces are influencing today's terrorist groups to ruthlessly kill Christians, and not to stop there but to target Israel and the Jewish people too! Israel has been on the front-line of the battle against radical jihadists for many decades now, targeted by the exact same evil principalities as the region's Christians! Israel is actually fighting a spiritual battle against evil when protecting its own citizens. It is truly part of our spiritual warfare "against the rulers of the darkness of this age" both to raise our voices on behalf of persecuted Christians under the thumb of radical Islam, and to stand alongside Israelis in their fight against this same evil. Taking responsibility Israelis refuse to give in to these wicked powers or let their destiny slip into evil hands. They boldly keep their destiny in their own hands, which upsets the international community. Many world leaders see Israel endangering other nations by boldly resisting evil. But if these leaders, especially in the West, refuse to accept their responsibility and do not stand alongside Israel, they will soon experience the same spiritual evil invading their lands. This violent spirit seeks to physically attack Christians and Jews in many nations - Europe and the United States included. It wants to suppress our freedom to share God's word while also silencing any honest evaluation of Islam. Hope for the entire world But I can see hope in the midst of all this, if the Church worldwide will catch the wind of the Spirit, repent and allow God to change us from within.
We know His will for mankind is good, and that He wants righteousness and peace to prevail (Luke 2:14; Isaiah 2:1-4; 1 Timothy 2:1-7). This is why we wage war in the unseen world with our prayers to God.
Will we keep the glorious destiny of the Church in her own hands and not yield to the forces of darkness? Will we guard the treasures, spiritual weapons and gifts entrusted to the Church? And will we keep resisting Satan to the very end? (2 Timothy 1:14; James 4:7; Matthew 4:1-11)
The same evil targets Israel The spiritual rulers of darkness manifest in real time, space and history. These evil
This kind of Church will infuse hope to Israel and to all nations in our common struggle against evil!
7 | WORD FROM JERUSALEM
ICEJ NEWS
FROM JONAH TO JIHAD THE TRAGIC FATE OF IRAQI CHRISTIANS BY DAVID PARSONS ICEJ MEDIA DIRECTOR
The rise and retreat of Middle Eastern Christianity Centuries ago, the Middle East was once the cradle of Christianity, with roughly half its population adhering to the new faith. But this all changed when the Islamic conquest of the seventh century engulfed the Middle East and North Africa, and many Christians were forced to convert, submit, die or flee. Entire Christian communities were decimated, and the remnants forced into dhimmi status and payment of the humiliating jizya head tax for protection.
The ISIS forces parade in tanks recently captured from the Iraqi army. (AP)
The world has been shocked beyond words by the inhuman carnage and brutality being exhibited by the Islamic State terror militia in Iraq over recent months, especially against the ancient Iraqi Christian community and other minorities.
The ISIS jihadists are carrying out public beheadings, hangings and crucifixions on a daily basis all across northwest Iraq, just like in eastern Syria. In village after village, its militiamen have swept in and executed the men, raped the women, and enslaved the children. These beastly tactics have led some world leaders, despite widespread war fatigue from the prolonged conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, to urge that the West re-engage militarily in Iraq. Sadly, few of these global statesmen are citing the plight of the embattled Christians of the Middle East as sufficient cause for standing up to the jihadists. They are more worried about terror finding its way to Western shores, as it did in 9/11 or the London Underground bombings. The region's Christians have largely been abandoned, just as they have been for decades. 8 | SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2014
Nonetheless, many Christians in Arab lands clung to their faith and managed to survive under Muslim dominance. Even as recently as one hundred years ago, they still made up nearly 20% of the overall population of the Middle East. But with the break-up of the Ottoman Empire and the many conflicts plaguing the region ever since, these proud, historic churches have been reduced to tiny remnants. The outbreak of the Arab Spring accelerated this Christian exodus once again in recent years. As mass uprisings toppled repressive dictators throughout the region, radical Islamists stepped into the power vacuum and unleashed a brutal wave of persecution against vulnerable Christian communities. Wherever radical Muslims seized power, they burned and bombed churches, provoked pogroms against Christian neighbourhoods, and abducted Christian women to force them into marrying Muslim men. Several recent studies have confirmed that although Christianity is the largest religion in the world at 2.2 billion adherents,
An Iraqi Christian woman distraught over losing all in The Islamic State terror militia’s bloody sweep through northwest Iraq. (AP)
9 | WORD FROM JERUSALEM
9 | W O R D F R O M J E R U S A LE M
ICEJ NEWS Christians are also the most widely persecuted religious group today, with the worst persecution occurring in Muslim lands. And the most acute situation for Mideast Christians right now is in Syria and Iraq. Chaldean cauldron Most Christians in Iraq and Syria belong to the ancient Assyrian or Chaldean churches and trace their spiritual heritage all the way back to the prophet Jonah, whose preaching in Nineveh some 700 years before Christ led to widespread repentance and belief in the God of the Bible. This made them more open to the Gospel when the Apostles Peter and Thomas showed up in the same region in the first century and founded these churches. Before long, the Chaldean bishopric oversaw a vast network of thousands of churches that stretched all the way from Turkey to China. But much of this huge flock was lost in the upheavals of the Islamic invasion and other conquests of the region down through the centuries. In modern times, the slow, painful destruction of Chaldean Christianity has continued. When the Great Powers divided up the former Ottoman holdings in Arab lands after World War One, many of the emerging Arab states began persecuting and chasing out the native Christians. According to a doctoral dissertation entitled The Death of a Nation published in 1968, the Christians of Iraq were pushed out into Syria, but Syria did not want them and chased them back into Iraq. Amid the chaos and bloodshed, over 1.5 million Assyrian Christians were killed.
decade. Many escaped into neighbouring Syria, since they speak the same language, often have family ties and both follow the ancient liturgy and customs of the Assyrian Orthodox and Coptic churches. But before long the Syrian civil war erupted and many Sunni jihadists joined the uprising against the Assad regime. One of their main targets was the Christian community, which had historically aligned with the minority Alawite rulers against the Sunni Arab majority in Syria. Meanwhile, Assad loyalists also began attacking the Christians for not taking up arms to defend the regime. Caught between the two warring sides, the Christians inside Syria have faced horrendous conditions over recent years.
RADICAL ISLAMIST GROUPS LIKE ISIS AND AL-QAEDA BELIEVE THEY ARE JUST DOING ALLAH'S BIDDING BY WIPING OUT ANY CHRISTIAN REMNANTS IN MUSLIM LANDS
Many of those who fled Iraq for Syria are now watching the atrocities back in Iraq and wondering where else could they go. As ISIS forces in Syria have flooded across the porous border into Iraq this summer, they have gobbled up large swaths of the Sunni-dominated provinces in northwest Iraq. One region they targeted in recent weeks was the Nineveh Plain, along the Tigris River above Mosul. This plateau was the last safe haven for Chaldean Christians left in the country, and the original homeland of this Godfearing people for the past 2,700 years. Yet in only a month's time, all its traditionally Christian towns have been emptied and the last 300,000 Christians left in the region have fled for their lives. Many have sought refuge in the Kurdish autonomous region to the east, while others now languish in refugee camps in Jordan and Turkey. Enforcing 'pure' Islam These tragic developments evidence a systematic campaign by the Islamic State and other radical Muslim factions to deliberately cleanse the region of its native Christian population, just as the Jewish minorities were forcibly uprooted following Israel's re-birth in 1948. The reason these Muslim 'purists' are driving out Christians lies in certain uniquely ruthless tenets of Islam they seek to enforce. First, the Islamic faith is very territorial and divides the world into Dar al-Harb and Dar al-Islam, or the "House of War" versus the "House of Peace". This doctrine maintains that any territory which Muslims have conquered and subjected to shari'a law must be kept that way for future Muslim generations, while the rest of the world is a place of war (jihad) still to be conquered for Islam.
This tragedy began repeating itself when the US-led invasion of Iraq toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003. As that conflict morphed into a jihad against the "Crusader West", alQaida in Iraq gave Christians a deadline for agreeing to revive the jizya tax. When they refused, al-Qaida simultaneously bombed five churches on one Sunday alone.
Secondly, shari'a law demands that Muslims must never befriend Christians or Jews, creating an inherent hostility towards these minority communities. This command comes straight from the Koran and thus can never be compromised.
The Islamic extremists were quite clear that their goal was to drive all Christians out of Iraq, and indeed the Iraqi Christian population has plummeted from around 1.5 million to as low as 300,000 over the past
For centuries, Muslims also were taught that because they followed a superior religion, they were a superior people to Christians 10 | SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2014
An Iraqi Christian family fled their village on the Nineveh plain recently and found refuge in a church in Irbil, the Kurdish regional capital.
and Jews and thus had a natural right to rule over them. In more recent times, it has been hard for many Muslims to give up this claim of superiority in exchange for modern democratic notions of equality and minority rights. The national rebirth of Israel in 1948 challenged this mind-set of superiority, and did so in an area once subject to shari'a law. For many Muslims, this was a double blow and thus gave rise to a broader Arab rejection of Israel's existence that remains to this day. Now, radical Muslim groups like ISIS do not want local Christians thinking they can also gain their freedom. To this end, they are being targeted for conversion, subjugation, eviction or eradication. Those are the only options, and they originate with none other than Muhammad himself. In addition, Islam selectively borrows from biblical apocalyptic writings but adds a deadly twist. The Muslim faith teaches that Jesus indeed will return one day, but his mission will be to eradicate the heresy of Christianity and declare Islam as the one true faith and Muhammad as the true prophet. That is, he will come back as the
destroyer of every last vestige of Christian belief. So radical Islamist groups like ISIS and al-Qaeda believe they are just doing Allah's bidding by wiping out any Christian remnants in Muslim lands. They view this as simply part of their long-term battle against Christians, Jews and other nonMuslims in order to cleanse the world of infidels and ensure Islam reigns supreme. The declaring of a "caliphate" by ISIS leader Imam Abu-bakr al-Baghdadi is an important step in their minds towards reaching their ultimate goal of Muslim domination of the world. Thus their threats to extend the rule of the Islamic State into Lebanon and Jordan must be taken seriously. The fallacy of silence One of the toughest questions to answer these days is why Western Christians are not speaking out more forcefully concerning the plight of our brethren in Muslim lands. This is a question often posed by Jews, who learned the hard lessons of remaining silent during the Holocaust. Some American Jewish leaders actually contended at the time that demanding 1 1 | W ORD FROM JERU SALEM
more action by US President Franklin D. Roosevelt to stop the Nazi genocide might actually make matters worse for European Jews. This proved a false assumption, and should not be repeated in the case of Middle East Christians. Things could not get any worse for them than what they are suffering under ISIS, al-Qaeda, Boko Haram and many other jihadist movements. We should listen to our Jewish friends. Silence simply does not work! We must speak out on their behalf like never before. Please pray for our fellow Christians in the Middle East. And make your voice heard in your own countries that the slaughter and hemorrhaging of these ancient Christian communities must be stopped!
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DONATE TO THE ICEJ'S RELIEF EFFORTS ON BEHALF OF IRAQI CHRISTIANS, PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT: WWW.ICEJ.ORG/OPERATION-HOPE
ARISE
ARISE HOSTS TIMELY VISIT TO ISRAEL BY EMANUEL MFOUKOU
In July, a group of 40 young Christians showed great courage and character in visiting Israel during a time of conflict as part of the ICEJ Arise summer tour. Despite seeing rockets flying into Israel from Gaza on the television news back home, the participants trusted in God for their safety, and it proved to be an amazing testimony to all they encountered. For over ten years, the ICEJ's ARISE young adults program has brought hundreds of young Christians on tours to Israel to help them discover their biblical roots and walk in the footsteps of Jesus. This year was no exception, as the 40 participants from
eleven countries made their way to Israel to participate in the 2014 Arise Summer Tour. The group consisted of an interesting mix of young adults from various cultural, ethnic, social and professional backgrounds, ranging from students to teachers, relief work volunteers, youth pastors and doctoral candidates in robotic research. But they had one thing in common in that all were thirsty for more of Jesus. The ten-day tour offered a life-changing experience, as they journeyed throughout the Holy Land. The itinerary featured such cherished biblical sites as the Mount of Beatitudes, Mt. Tabor, a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, and a trek up Mt. Arbel with its commanding view of the Migdal valley where Jesus often ministered. This was followed by several days of touring in the City of the Great King, Jerusalem, including visits to the Mount of Olives, the Garden of Gethsemane, and the Garden Tomb, as well as prayers at the Western Wall and solemn reflections at Yad Vashem. 1 2 | SEP TEMBER-OCTOBER 2014
One of the Jerusalem highlights was the half-hour hike through Hezekiah's tunnel, an underground passageway and stream built by the ancient Israelite king some 2700 years ago as a way to provide water for the city during the Assyrian siege. It starts at the historic City of David and ends near the Pool of Siloam, where Jesus healed a blind man. Other memorable stops included floating on the Dead Sea, an overnight stay at a Bedouin tent in the Negev desert, camel riding, and a sunrise hike up to the famous mountain fortress Masada. All the while, the group also took part in daily devotions, and praise and worship sessions, which made the trip truly unforgettable. The final days were spent in Tel Aviv to see the old port of Jaffa, linked to the prophet Jonah and the Apostle Peter's vision, and to enjoy the shopping and some beach time. Apart from visiting biblical sites, the tour
also included several hands-on service projects, since the Bible teaches us that faith without works is dead. One project was a visit to an IDF base where we spent time with soldiers, encouraging them during a time of war. The group was given a short history of the IDF, played a game of football with soldiers, and planted olive trees with them as a symbol of peace.
Arise group was never hindered from taking in the whole land.
Speaking to his disciples on the Mount of Olives, Jesus told them not to be troubled by wars and rumours of war, and this was surely a message the participants took to heart. Despite pressure from family and friends to postpone their visit to Israel due to the hostilities in Gaza, they still decided to come. The fact that they fully trusted God to look after them produced a real sense of His presence throughout the tour.
Michael Horn from Germany, a first time visitor to Israel, came because it was the dream of his wife Rebecca. "We had a lot of fun here", he insisted.
Prior to the trip the Arise team prayed that God would shelter the group from harm, and He surely heard our prayers. We were protected throughout by both rocket alarms and the Iron Dome missile shield. We only saw some indirect effects of the conflict, such as seeing some popular spots less crowded than usual. While visiting the Old City of Jerusalem, several souvenir shop owners commented on the smaller number of visitors, which has been hurting their businesses. In Tel Aviv, a local named Tamar noted that she had never seen the beaches so empty in mid-summer. Despite the rocket threat from Gaza, the
Paul and Jessica Parkhouse, Arise directors for the UK, said the rocket threat was in the back of their minds, but they were never afraid. Instead, all they saw were Frisbees and paddle balls in the air on the beaches of Tel Aviv.
THE TEN-DAY TOUR OFFERED A LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCE, AS THEY JOURNEYED THROUGHOUT THE HOLY LAND Kevin, 26 and from Canada, agreed that the Arise summer tour was a great experience. "There were a lot of 'best moments' during the tour", he noted. "Mt Arbel was one of the highlights for me, while the most spiritual part was the night we spent in the Bedouin tent." Kevin added that the Arise team did more than just organise the tour, but their leadership style really spoke into people's lives. 13 | WORD FROM JERUSALEM
Several other Canadians were on the tour, thanks to scholarships provided by ICEJCanada. One was 21 year-old Verone Rodrigues, from Toronto. He recounted how he fell to his knees and thanked God the moment he found out that he could go. "It's not every day that a person from my community gets this sort of chance to travel, and not just to any place but to Israel", he explained. "I couldn't be more grateful... I am excited to go back and spread the good news about this amazing land." "Interestingly enough, there was no fear within me to come, because I know that wherever God's will for me is, that's where I need to be, and wherever that is, there is safety", Verone added. "So don't not to let anything stop you from coming to Israel." "If you have an opportunity to visit Israel, you have to go", concurred Natalie, 23 and from South Africa. "God speaks to people when they are here... Israel is the most special place in the world. It's God's place! He chose Jerusalem." On the last evening of the tour, the group met with Porit Avigdori of Tailor Made Tours, the travel company which arranged the tour package for Arise. She said all the hotel managers where they stayed were contacting her to only rave about the group. "This group has been absolutely amazing", assured Porit. "You came to Israel during the worst time possible, and it was very encouraging to everyone you encountered."
An angry mob of French Muslims trying to storm a Paris synagogue in July. (LeFigaro)
ALIYAH
SURGE IN ANTI-SEMITISM, BUT ALSO IN ALIYAH BY DAVID PASRONS
In late May, a young man showed up one afternoon outside the Jewish Museum in Brussels, located on a quiet street in the heart of the Belgian capital. Wearing a baseball cap and a 'Go-Pro' camera mounted on his chest, he proceeded to take out a .38 revolver and a Kalashnikov rifle from a satchel and began firing on people at the museum entrance. Within seconds, he had gunned down an Israeli couple, a French woman and a museum worker, and then fled the scene.
A week later, the trail led police to Mehdi Nemmouche, a 29-year old FrenchAlgerian criminal who had been released from jail in Paris in 2012, went to Syria to join the ranks of the Islamic State terror militia, and recently returned to France thirsting to shed Jewish blood. As in the Toulouse shooting two years ago, the shooter had hoped to film his exploits to boost recruiting. Now awaiting trial back in Brussels, he is believed to be the first European jihadist to volunteer in the Syrian war who has returned to kill in Europe. But with ISIS now rampaging across Iraq and slaughtering everyone in its path, European leaders are worried there will be many more like him. Officials in Britain, 1 4 | SEP TEMBER-OCTOBER 2014
for instance, are concerned that twice as many British Muslims have opted to join ISIS in Iraq and Syria than are currently serving in the British army. Add to this growing threat the dramatic surge in anti-Semitic incidents across Europe in the wake of Israel's efforts to end Hamas rocket attacks from Gaza over recent months and we are looking at a very volatile mix. The Anti-Defamation League just released a study which found a sudden spike in the number of anti-Semitic incidents worldwide and particularly in Europe since the beginning of the IDF's Operation Protective Edge in Gaza in early July. This included physical assaults on Jews, threats and intimidation, damage to Jewish synagogues, homes and businesses, public hate speech, declarations invoking blood libels and Nazi atrocities, and anti-Semitic political cartoons. The majority of the incidents occurred throughout Europe, but others were
reported in South Africa, Australia, Turkey, Canada, Morocco and several Latin American countries. Though many involved said they were only expressing anger at Israel, in most incidents this quickly lapsed into hatred of Jews in general. Protesters often chanted "death to the Jews" and held up signs comparing Zionism to Nazism. I n Pa r i s , s e v e r a l synagogues have come under siege by violent mobs. Near the Peace Palace in The Hague, Muslim crowds have repeatedly held demonstrations featuring the black flags of ISIS and calls for Jews to "remember Khybar" - a reference to massacre of Jews in the Arabian town with Muhammad's assent. In Frankfurt, a rabbi received a phone call threatening to kill 30 of the city's Jews. Elsewhere, a rabbi was assaulted in Casablanca in retribution for the Gaza campaign, breaking his nose and ribs. In far-off Australia, hooligans jumped on a bus filled with Jewish students and threatened them harm. Meanwhile, both Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan joined Hollywood stars in accusing Israel of committing "genocide" in Gaza. Given this decrepit state of affairs, it is no wonder that aliyah to Israel is up over recent months, including a rise of 162% from Western Europe. This includes a 250% increase from France compared to last year. In fact, as many as 5,000 French Jews - a full one percent of the community - are expected to move to Israel this year alone. That is an unprecedented figure for a Western country. Many are being pushed out by the surge in anti-Semitism, while also being lured by the prospects of finding better jobs in Israel.
A Ukrainian Jewish couple completing paperwork to make Aliyah to Israel this summer. (Jewish Agency for Israel)
Jewish Agency chairman Natan Sharansky even claimed that Israel has taken in more Jewish immigrants than Hamas rockets over recent months.
Jewish Agency has asked the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem to help fund these rescue efforts, which will eventually lead to their aliyah to Israel.
Many of these newcomers are fleeing from Ukraine, where the civil war against Russian separatists in the east of the country has intensified and aliyah to Israel has doubled so far this year.
They will need to be brought out to safety while immigration authorities are expediting their paperwork. The ICEJ has already handed over enough funds to assist several hundred Jews awaiting flights to Israel. We also have committed to help fund this most urgent humanitarian mission to rescue trapped Jews still in eastern Ukraine, but we need your gifts to make it happen.
Over recent months, this conflict has turned into brutal urban warfare between Ukrainian troops and pro-Russian forces, emptying entire cities of their populations. This includes thousands of Jews now living in refugee camps in western Ukraine who have decided there is no reason to go back to their homes and some will now make the move to Israel. Yet many elderly Jews remain shut up in their homes in eastern Ukraine. There is no power or running water in many towns, the trains have stopped operating, shooting and mortar fire can be heard all around, and competing militias have set up roadblocks everywhere and demand bribes for safe passage. Nonetheless, efforts are underway to send in rescue teams to bring many isolated and internally displaced Jews out to safety. The 15 | WORD FROM JERUSALEM
Meantime, the next set of ICEJsponsored aliyah flights for the Bnei Menashe community in northeast India is expected in November. This, too, is a great humanitarian effort to bring home an ancient Israelite tribe that has been waiting 2,700 years to return to the land of their forefathers.
SO WE URGE YOU TO GIVE GENEROUSLY TO THE ALIYAH EFFORTS OF THE ICEJ. DONATE TODAY AT: WWW.ICEJ.ORG/ALIYAH
what's new
ICEJ
NEWS
In June 2014, ISIS had at least 4,000 fighters in its ranks in Iraq
HAS HAMAS BEEN HUMBLED? Fighting ends but no closure in third Gaza war BY DAVID PARSONS
After 50 days of hostilities and a dozen failed truces, there was something different about ceasefire number 13. As Gazans flooded the streets to set off fireworks and celebrate 'victory' in this summer's war with Israel, uniformed Hamas gunmen also came out of hiding to fire their weapons into the air.
This sight had been missing in all the earlier pauses in fighting. From day one of this third Hamas rocket war with Israel in the past six years, Hamas fighters had mysteriously disappeared from view. Many hunkered away in the vast honeycomb of terror tunnels underneath Gaza's urban sprawl, while others shed their fatigues to blend in with the civilian population, all to avoid detection by the dozens of Israeli 'eyes' hovering overhead. 1 6 | SEP TEMBER-OCTOBER 2014
As an uneasy calm settled over the land in late August, both sides claimed to have come out on top. But it may take some time to figure out who really won - if anyone. After getting drawn into eerily similar conflicts with Hamas in 2009 and 2012, Israeli leaders faced a stark choice this time. They could either launch another limited incursion into Gaza and perhaps face yet another escalation of rocket fire a couple years down the road - referred to in the IDF
ICEJ
as the 'mowing the grass' option. Or the Israeli army could retake Gaza and forcibly uproot the terror infrastructure like in the West Bank in 2002, but at unbearably high human and diplomatic costs. With the Iron Dome system once again neutralizing the rocket threat on Israel's civilian heartland, Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu did send troops into Gaza but with a narrow mission - to destroy the newly-uncovered network of attack tunnels running under the border to threaten nearby Israeli communities. Even though IDF casualties began mounting, the country was still solidly behind the security cabinet's moves in 'Operation Protective Edge' up to this point. Yet when these ground forces finished the task and were quickly withdrawn, Hamas rocket fire persisted for another month and the broad Israeli support for Netanyahu steadily evaporated. By the end, many Israelis left-and-right questioned whether the prolonged and inconclusive battle with Hamas had damaged Israel's deterrence against even greater regional foes. On the Palestinian side, most Gazans at first also supported the rocket campaign against Israel, despite their heavy losses. But they too eventually lost faith in Hamas, and especially in its ability to gain anything through the endless truce talks. Nonetheless, senior Hamas figure Ismail Haniyeh emerged from hiding in Gaza to boast that a Palestinian militia had stood toe-to-toe with Israel for seven weeks and "crushed the myth" that its vaunted military was invincible. But Hamas also came out looking soundly defeated. As many as 1,000 Palestinian militiamen were among the estimated 2,100 casualties in Gaza, with another 10,000 people wounded. Over 5,000 homes and buildings linked to Hamas were destroyed, while up to 100,000 Gazans were left homeless. The destruction inside the crowded strip of land is said to be far worse than any previous war. Hamas also wasted much time and resources on digging miles of terror tunnels that
are now all collapsed. Plus its arsenal of rockets is severely depleted. On the Israeli side, the death toll included 66 soldiers and six civilians. And although the damage was limited, Hamas did manage to launch nearly 4,000 rockets and mortars into Israel despite the IDF's vigilant efforts to suppress the missile fire. Meanwhile, life became intolerable for those living closer to Gaza, while Israelis nationwide will need time to regain their sense of security.
IN A NEW TWIST, EGYPT SIDED WITH ISRAEL, PROMPTING HAMAS TO BRING IN ITS ALLIES TURKEY AND QATAR Still, the tally sheet from this war will not be complete until the truce talks resume back in Cairo to discuss all the issues left unresolved by the conflict. For Israel, the game plan now will be to deny Hamas victory by not conceding any diplomatic gains going forward. From the very start, Hamas and Israel exchanged blows while also engaging in indirect talks to end the fighting through Egyptian mediation. Hamas initially tabled a list of steep demands to halt the rocket fire, such as a lifting of the blockade on Gaza and the free flow of goods, release of Hamas operatives re-arrested by Israel recently, allowing an airport and seaport in Gaza, and paying the salaries of Hamas employees. Israel countered by calling for an unconditional halt to the rocket barrages and the disarming of Gaza. In a new twist, Egypt sided with Israel, 1 7 | W ORD FROM JERU S ALEM
NEWS
prompting Hamas to bring in its allies Turkey and Qatar. In an even odder twist, the Obama administration sought to include these pro-Muslim Brotherhood regimes in the negotiations, straining Washington's relations with Jerusalem and Cairo. The US apparently assumed that Turkey and Qatar were more able to control Hamas. But after the Islamist terror militia either rejected or breached 12 ceasefires over the course of the conflict, it was clear they answer to no one and cannot be trusted. Even the Palestinian Authority, which signed a unity pact with Hamas just months ago, learned that all the while its main rival was plotting Fatah's overthrow in the West Bank. Yet Hamas eventually relented, basically agreeing to Egypt's original ceasefire offer, which puts off talks on its list of demands for a later day. For some Israeli leaders, this signalled capitulation. But more likely it just meant Hamas was getting low on rockets. Meantime, Israelis come out of this war frustrated that the world does not treat Hamas the same as al-Qaeda and the ruthless Islamic State in Iraq. The foreign media in particular gave Hamas 'equal time' and often slanted coverage once again, which they would never do with these other radical Muslim terrorists despite the fact they all have little regard for human life and violently seek a global caliphate. But there is also reason for optimism in that Egypt and Saudi Arabia have shown a willingness to cooperate with Israel in standing against both the Iranian threat and the Sunni jihadist militias. Netanyahu seems to have held back some on Hamas, thereby avoiding even greater Palestinian casualties in Gaza, in order to cement this new regional alignment in hopes it will pay higher dividends in future. The first order of business will be teaming with Cairo to prevent Hamas from rearming. Achieve that and Israel will indeed have won the third Gaza war.
ICEJ AID // ISRAEL IN CRISIS FUND rocket attacks this summer, marking the first time a Bedouin town in the Negev had a bomb shelter. Relief for local residents In addition, the ICEJ has funded emergency relief services for needy families and the elderly in the embattled town of Sderot. This assistance has included food for families, plus games and toys for children stuck inside at the height of summer. The donations also have covered emergency help to repair damaged homes, transport to buy medications, and other special needs for the elderly. So thanks to the generosity of Christians worldwide, the ICEJ has been bringing timely and tangible relief to Israelis under fire. These humanitarian relief efforts quickly caught the attention of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (see letter on page 21) and the Israeli media as well, with 24 reports and interviews appearing in Israeli television, newspaper, radio and Webbased news outlets about what the ICEJ was doing to help in this time of crisis. This included:
ICEJ BRINGS RELIEF TO ISRAELIS UNDER FIRE BY BIRTE SCHOLZ AND ESTERA WIEJA
When Hamas recently launched its third rocket war against Israel in the past six years, the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem sprang into action over the ensuing weeks to assist the weaker segments of society in the hard-hit areas of southern Israel. Thanks to the success of the Iron Dome in protecting Israel’s major cities, the most vulnerable communities remained those in the vicinity of Gaza, where residents have only seconds to find shelter. The people there have been suffering under repeated bombardment for nearly 15 years now, with the younger generation really knowing no other way of life than daily 'Code Red' warning sirens. Breaks from the battle Over the recent summer months, the ICEJ has sponsored multiple day outings and weekend respites for hundreds of poor families, children, the elderly and the
disabled from the western Negev area. Nearly every day, buses have been taking scores of people to safer areas of Israel such as the Golan, Jerusalem and the Dead Sea - for a much-needed break from the conflict. The ICEJ's Czech branch also joined the effort by inviting 45 children from Ashdod and Sderot to summer camps outside Prague. And the ICEJ also sponsored a fun summer camp for 130 Arab children from a Bedouin village in the Negev battered by rocket volleys. Shelters from the storm Over recent weeks, the ICEJ also has delivered nine life-saving portable bomb shelters to communities along the Gaza border. The Lifeshield bomb shelters have gone to schools, kindergartens, youth centers, medical clinics and community centers that would have to close in times of crisis unless they have shelters. One shelter went to a Bedouin village near Beersheva which has also fallen victim to Hamas 1 8 | SEP TEMBER-OCTOBER 2014
TV: Channel 1 (4 reports), Channel 2, Channel 33IBA News, Arutz 20-Moreshet, and I-24 PRINT: Israel Hayom (3 reports), Yediot Aharonot, Ma'ariv, The Marker RADIO: Reshet Bet (5 reports), Gal Galatz (Army Radio), Radio Darom, Radio Lelo Hafsaka, 103 FM WEB NEWS SITES: Mako, Arutz 7, Mynet Our own reports follow on some of the specific relief projects undertaken by the Christian Embassy during the conflict.
PLEASE CONSIDER DONATING GENEROUSLY TOWARDS FUTURE RELIEF EFFORTS. GIVE TODAY TO OUR ISRAEL IN CRISIS FUND! DONATE AT: www.icej.org/relief-israelis-under-fire
ICEJ AID // ISRAEL IN CRISIS FUND
ICEJ AID // ISRAEL IN CRISIS FUND
BREAKS FROM THE BATTLE ICEJ TAKES ISRAELI
FAMILIES AWAY FROM THE FRONT LINES BY BIRTE SCHOLZ
During the recent conflict with Hamas in Gaza, the ICEJ sponsored numerous day outings and weekend respites for needy families from Israeli communities in the South to enjoy a few days of respite in quieter parts of the country. Some 500 Israelis from Sderot, Ashkelon, Ashdod, and other vulnerable areas benefitted from these breaks away from the front lines of battle.
City of Jerusalem from the Haas Promenade, they described their lives under fire while also caring for loved ones with severe mental, physical and emotional disabilities. Kobi Bublich, a 47-year old handicapped man, came with his father and mother from Moshav Shuva, which is only three kilometers from Gaza.
DISABLED VISIT JERUSALEM One of the first groups to enjoy a break consisted of 35 families with disabled adults who are assisted by a care center in Sedot HaNegev near Gaza, where the warning time for incoming rockets is a mere 10-to-15 seconds. Because the center only has one bomb shelter that holds just ten people, they have several dozen regular patients who have had to stay home during the conflict. Many of the family homes also lack shelters, and they are not able to reach any nearby ones in time due to their handicaps. So the families have been living in constant fear all summer.
A number of Negev families enjoyed longer respites in the Galilee and Golan, and were elated to finally find some peace and quiet. Hiking on a nature trail and swimming in an ancient spring, Chana, a mother from Ashdod, said her five children were
In the last rocket war in 2012, Kobi's father once picked him up on his back and ran towards a shelter during an alert. But the father tore ligaments in both shoulders and now cannot work. Still, the family was glad to be away from the conflict for a day.
But during a visit to Jerusalem sponsored by the ICEJ, we found the families smiling and in good spirits. Looking over the Old
"Thank you so much for this visit to Jerusalem", smiled Kobi's mom. "We love this day so much."
thrilled to be outside and playing without fear at last.
"It is as if you live in a battlefield", said one worried mother. "You cannot live in this high tension constantly without a break."
"It is a lot better here", added one young man. "We can disconnect for a while from the missiles and all the bad things going on down there."
RESPITES IN THE NORTH
"We don´t have a safe room in our house and with Kobi we cannot move fast", said his mother. "When the 'Code Red' alarm sounds we just stay in our home and pray the whole day. Sometimes at night he is fast asleep when the alarm sounds, and I throw myself over him to protect him. The situation is very hard, and I am tensed up and stressed the whole day."
We met another group of families from Sderot, closer to Gaza, who were enjoying a respite in the Upper Galilee. One mother said it was just "marvellous" to be free of the stressful rocket alarms for a few days. For years, residents of the Sderot area have suffered from the incessant rocket strikes and the frightening alarms. But now there is the new threat of terror tunnels. Children are having nightmares about terrorists digging tunnels under their homes and suddenly coming up under their beds. 19 | WORD FROM JERUSALEM
Meanwhile on the waterfront in Tiberias, we met families from Ashkelon with disabled children enjoying a respite courtesy of the ICEJ. Madeleine, whose son Netanel has developed severe behavioural problems, said it was good to see him finally talking and laughing again. "For years we have not had a chance to get out with him. He sits frozen whenever he hears the siren and gets angry about having to leave the house to find shelter. In his mind, it is his only safe place", she explained. "Therefore, I am so glad he is enjoying our vacation here in Tiberias. He is so happy to go for a walk and see people."
ICEJ AID // ISRAEL IN CRISIS FUND
and we appreciate it a lot. We hope that others will follow your example. Always when I see good people my heart opens."
BLESSING THE BEDOUIN
ICEJ PROVIDES BOMB SHELTER, SUMMER CAMPS TO ARAB VILLAGES BY BIRTE SCHOLZ Southern Israel is the most vulnerable area to Hamas rocket fire from Gaza, and this summer a number of Bedouin villages in the Negev came under repeated shelling. One Arab man was eventually killed and two young sisters were severely injured from these missile attacks. But when the media turned its attention to this community, it emerged that the Bedouin towns in the Negev, many of them "unrecognised" villages, were without a single bomb shelter. So the ICEJ decided to deliver a mobile bomb shelter - one of nine donated in recent weeks - to the village of Umm Batim, near Beersheva, which had recently suffered 11 rocket strikes from Gaza. After consulting with village leaders, it was decided the best place for the shelter would be the local medical clinic, which was forced to close during the recent fighting. The clinic was deemed essential to helping the community of 4,500 residents make it through the recent conflict and could re-open once the shelter was delivered.
Because it was the first bomb shelter in a Bedouin village in the Negev, the Israeli media showed up in force to cover the story. Rev. Juha Ketola, the ICEJ's International Director, was on hand for the delivery and was able to tell the press that the Christian Embassy has provided 43 such portable bomb shelters to embattled communities in the region over the past seven years, and was proud to contribute the first one to protect Israeli Bedouin. "Thanks to supporters of the ICEJ worldwide, this clinic can now re-open", Ketola told several Israeli TV camera crews. "Pregnant women and mothers with children can again come without fear to be treated." "The whole village is happy", one Bedouin mother exclaimed. "A few days ago, we had to drive some sick children to Tel Sheba [hospital in Tel Aviv]. Here we can walk over." "I want to thank the Christian Embassy that you gave us this shelter", added Attia, a village elder. "It is a symbolic beginning 2 0 | SEP TEMBER-OCTOBER 2014
A few weeks later, an ICEJ AID team returned to the area to visit a summer camp we sponsored for Bedouin children in the nearby village of Khirbat Al-Wattan. The four-day youth camp offered games and activities for separate groups of boys and girls, including several water slides brought in and set up especially for the camp. Additionally, the children were entertained by art projects, actors, clowns and a lot more fun and play. "The camp is a great success! All the kids are happy", said Ziad, a teacher and the camp coordinator. When word got around about the rare summer camp for area Bedouin youths, the crowds grew each day from 90 children at first to 136 on the final day. "We could not send them away", said Ziad. "Many of these children are from large families with eight, nine children who are suffering from the Gaza conflict. They don´t have to do a lot during summer vacation. Thank you from my heart to each Christian who gave!" One 14 year-old boy brought all six of his younger siblings to the camp and said it not only was fun, but inspired him to become a teacher like Ziad. "I saw the joy in the eyes of the kids", added Ibrahim, another teacher hosting the camp. "The time during the war was very hard. We hope for peace for everyone."
LETTER FROM THE PRIME MINISTER
21 | WORD FROM JERUSALEM
what's new
BRANCHES
ICEJ STAGES PRO-ISRAEL RALLIES WORLDWIDE 'LIKE COOL WATER TO A WEARY SOUL' BY REV. JUHA KETOLA // ICEJ INTERNATIONAL DIRECTOR
thousands of rockets into Israel's civilian heartland. Israel was forced into this conflict by the terrorists in Gaza, and the Christian Embassy wanted to publicly affirm worldwide that the Israeli government has the right - and the obligation - to defend its citizens.
KIWIS SUPPORT ISRAEL Over 800 friends of Israel from the Jewish and Christian communities in New Zealand came together for a rally in downtown Auckland recently to express support for Israel as a fellow democracy fighting Islamic extremism.
A
mid mounting criticism of Israel during the recent Gaza conflict, the ICEJ and its international branches were able to muster public support for Israel at rallies held around the world. When Israel, the only democracy in the dangerous Middle East, was again facing Hamas rocket and terror attacks on its citizens from Gaza this summer, the ICEJ's broad network of national branches organised or participated in dozens of proIsrael rallies in major cities around the globe. Many of the rallies were organised or cosponsored by the ICEJ, often in partnership with local Jewish community leaders, while at others ICEJ followers showed up in force.
Here, we give you a sampling of these events. When reports and pictures from these rallies started to come in, the Israeli media picked up on the story, providing welcome news from far off countries at a time when other global protests seethed with hatred for Israel and the Jewish people. Indeed, news of Christians standing up for them was like 'cool water to a weary soul'. Hundreds and sometimes thousands of Christians came together in the streets of their respective countries to publicly show support and express an understanding of the true reality on the ground - that Hamas has been hiding behind civilians in Gaza in order to fire 2 2 | S EP TEMBER-OCTOBER 2 0 1 4
The message was clear: Israel is on the front lines of the fight against radical Islamic terror now bearing down on the Western world! Equally, Hamas is responsible for all the death and destruction it was bringing on its own people in Gaza, and it is no different than al-Qaeda and ISIS! This message truly needed to be said by ordinary people in capitals and major cities worldwide. Hamas terrorists have not only launched rocket attacks seeking to murder Israelis, but have immorally and ruthlessly used Palestinian people – even innocent children – as human shields, resulting in the loss of many innocent lives in Gaza. Surely, they have shown no pity or compassion even for their very own people! There is a God in heaven Who is righteous and merciful, so please continue to pray for righteousness and peace to prevail in Israel and the Middle East! Remember that He who keeps Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps! (Psalm 121:4) PS: Please pray for the conclusion and aftermath of the conflict in Gaza, that the Hamas terror militia would be held fully responsible for their horrific acts, and that world leaders would keep voicing clear and consistent support for Israel's right to defend itself against these terrorists.
BRANCHES
CANADIANS RALLY TO ISRAEL'S SIDE Some 2,000 Jews and Christians gathered recently outside the Ontario Parliament Building to take a passionate stand for Israel in its battle with Hamas terrorists. ICEJ-Canada national director Donna Holbrook was one of the main speakers.
IRISH CHRISTIANS DEFEND ISRAEL Despite the rainy weather, hundreds of Christians and Jews came together outside parliament in Belfast, Northern Ireland recently to voice support for Israel. ICEJ-Ireland national director Brian Silvester was among those who addressed the crowd, backing Israel's right to defend its people.
AMERICANS SPEAK UP FOR ISRAEL A crowd of 3,000 Christians and Jews assembled at the state capitol in Nashville, Tennessee recently to voice support for Israel. Former ICEJ executive director Malcolm Hedding was a keynote speaker at the event.
FINNS STAND UP FOR ISRAEL One thousand Christians and Jews gathered in front of the Finnish parliament recently to show their support for Israel. The flags of Israel and Finland were waved proudly together as the crowd voiced songs of peace in Hebrew. The rally declared that Israel has a right to defend its people, Hamas missile attacks have to stop, and the media should tell the truth about the conflict.
GERMAN CHRISTIANS RALLY FOR ISRAEL In early August, more than 1,000 Christians and Jews gathered in Stuttgart's Schlossplatz to show support for Israel and its right to defend itself against the Islamic terror militia Hamas in Gaza. The demonstration in Stuttgart was the largest of a series of pro-Israel rallies organised or cosponsored by ICEJ-Germany national director Gottfried B端hler in different cities across the country.
23 | WORD FROM JERUSALEM
what's new
BRANCHES
ICEJ-FINLAND HOSTS ISRAEL CELEBRATIONS ICEJ-Finland national director Kari Niemi once again hosted a series of special Israel celebrations this summer to share about Israel and God’s plans concerning her as a nation. One meeting was part of a larger Evangelical conference held in the city arena in Seinäjoki, which drew several thousand people from all over Finland. In the past, this annual conference has featured such well-known international speakers as Steven Hill, Reinhard Bonnke, John Bevere, and Tom Tenney, among others. This year’s guest speaker was evangelist Suzette Hattingh, who also serves on ICEJ's international Advisory Board. During this national conference each
year, one service is always reserved for the Christian Embassy to present teachings on Israel. This summer, ICEJ International Director Rev. Juha Ketola delivered the message, together with former European Parliament Member Hannu Takkula. Rev. Ketola and Kari Niemi also spoke at ICEJ-Finland's annual Israel Celebration Day, held recently in Uurainen, in middle Finland. At the closing service, Ms. Arezoo Hersel, Israel's deputy ambassador to Finland, also greeted the people.
ICEJSWITZERLAND MARKS 30TH ANNIVERSARY The ICEJ’s Swiss branch recently celebrated its 30th anniversary with a conference in the scenic city of Interlaken attended by hundreds of Christians. ICEJ-Switzerland national director Hans Jorg Bischof, who founded the branch in 1984, hosted the event and the Christian Embassy’s current and former executive directors, Dr. Jürgen Bühler and Rev. Malcolm Hedding, served as the main speakers. Over the past three decades, ICEJ-Switzerland has grown into one of the ministry’s strongest branches in Europe, funding numerous Aliyah efforts to bring Jews home and a variety of humanitarian projects in Israel.
RECENT OUTREACH IN USA In July, ICEJ media director David Parsons spent two weeks in North Carolina and Virginia speaking about Israel on behalf of the ICEJ-USA branch. The itinerary included 11 speaking engagements in churches and Bible colleges across the two states. The services were well-attended, as interest in Israel was especially high due to the on-going conflict in Gaza. Parsons gave briefings on the recent clashes with Hamas, but also brought a 'good report' on how God is blessing and showing favour to Israel despite all the challenges and threats the nation faces.
2 4 | SEP TEMBER-OCTOBER 2 0 1 4
NEHEMIAH
AWA R D
The
NEHEMIAH AWARD At the Feast of Tabernacles each year, the ICEJ honours a Christian leader who has demonstrated a lifetime of work and achievements in supporting and defending Israel. The annual Nehemiah Award recognises those who have made an indelible impact on Israel, their nation and the world on behalf of the restoration of the Jewish state and the rebuilding of Jerusalem, much like the biblical figure Nehemiah. “Let us rise up and build", he declared over the city long ago (Nehemiah 2:18). This year's Nehemiah Award winner, Leif A. Wellerop, has been a central figure in the global leadership of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem over the past three decades, an energetic advocate for Israel, and an influential pro-Israel voice in his native Norway and across Europe. Now 75, Wellerop has a professional background in journalism and public relations. After starting out as a newspaper reporter, Leif worked for 20 years as a public relations consultant. He also became active in Norwegian politics and the pro-life movement in his nation. When the International Christian Embassy was founded in 1980, Wellerop was an ICEJ representative from the start and has been the full-time national
including many programs aimed at assisting the Arab sector and encouraging JewishArab reconciliation. Wellerop also has served on the ICEJ's international Board of Trustees, including ten years as its chairman. Thus, Leif not only has had a tremendous impact on Norway's lively national debate over Israel-related issues, but also on the direction and growth of the Christian Embassy worldwide. In June 2014, Leif formally handed over the reins of ICEJ-Norway to his deputy, Rev. Dag Ă˜yvind Juliussen, who has been working with the Norwegian branch since 1996.
director of ICEJ-Norway since 1987. Under his leadership, ICEJ-Norway became one of the most active and successful national branches of the movement worldwide. For over 30 years Wellerop has been a prominent pro-Israel Christian figure within Norway, and is recognised by government leaders and the national media as a strong advocate for the Jewish state. For instance he helped pioneer the Oslo Summit, a major bi-annual gathering of top political and community leaders now held ahead of Norway's national elections every two years to debate domestic and foreign policy issues, and in particular the nation's policies on the Middle East. He also has spearheaded the Norwegian Christian community's unique generosity towards meeting social needs in Israel. For instance, ICEJ-Norway has sponsored flights for thousands of Jews making aliyah and funded numerous humanitarian projects throughout Israel, 25 | WORD FROM JERUSALEM
Now retired but still active in the ministry, Leif has been married to his wife, Gunvor, for 53 years. Together, they have four children, 10 grandchildren and one great grandchild. Besides his pro-Israel activities, Wellerop is also the author of two books on Christianity which are used in primary schools across Norway. The unique contributions of Leif Wellerop to the work and ministry of the Christian Embassy over recent decades have been enormous. He has helped to provide vision and stability to the movement, which has enabled us to grow in areas far beyond the borders of his native Norway. His imprint is especially reflected in the many humanitarian projects and in the lives touched all across Israel. And the ICEJ is grateful that he still has a fire for Zion and will continue his activism on Israel's behalf in the years ahead. Based on his lifetime of achievements in inspiring Christians to stand with Israel, the ICEJ wishes to honour Leif A. Wellerop with the Nehemiah Award for 2014.
ISRAEL
BUYER’S
GUIDE
ISRAEL BUYER’S GUIDE published by
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN EMBASSY JERUSALEM
P.O. Box 1192 • Jerusalem 91010 ISRAEL • www.icej.org
ISRAEL BUYER’S GUIDE BY ESTERA WIEJA
Despite numerous wars, the necessity of huge defence budgets, and the costs of absorbing scores of new and often poor immigrants, Israel today is a significant competitor on the global market. Lacking natural resources and with less than a million citizens at its beginning, the world was uncertain whether Israel would survive back in 1948. Over six decades later, this small democratic country in the turbulent Middle East has become an economic miracle and an inspiration to much of the world.
Israel boasts one of the most highly educated societies in the world, with more doctors, scientists and engineers per capita than most other nations on earth. This great ‘asset’ of people power has prompted phenomenal growth in the fields of hi-tech, telecommunication and biotechnology, along with advances in medical equipment, information technology, Web security, environmental quality and water preservation. Today, Israel is known as the “StartUp Nation”, with numerous global companies investing in research and development branches here to take advantage of its innovative work force. Israel is second only to the United States in implementing new technologies worldwide, and has more companies listed on NASDAQ than any other foreign country. Still, the Israeli economy faces many challenges. In recent years, it quickly overcame the global market meltdown of 2008, and also has recovered from four 2 6 | SEP TEMBER-OCTOBER 2014
armed conflicts with Arab adversaries over the past eight years. One of the most serious tests of Israel’s economic viability today is the Palestinian-led effort to boycott, divest and sanction Israel – otherwise known as the BDS campaign. Launched in earnest in 2005, its ultimate goal is the elimination of Israel. The BDS movement has received much attention in the media, but its economic impact has been minimal so far. The European Union has been looked to for leadership on the issue, but it does not support the boycott campaign. Instead, the Europeans are currently seeking to encourage only the labelling of Israeli products made over the pre-1967 Green Line. Israel’s Christian friends need to stand against these attempts to delegitimise Israel and strangle her economy. Yet beyond countering the boycott campaign or moves to label settlement products, it is just plain right to buy Israeli products as a pro-active way of supporting the Jewish state. To encourage Christians to purchase Israeli products, the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem will be publishing its first an annual Israel Buyer’s Guide in coming months. This booklet will assist you in very practical ways on buying Israeli products and services available in many countries worldwide. This will enable you to enjoy quality Israeli foods, fashion, cosmetics, consumer goods, hi-tech devices and information apps. And it will also allow you to support Israeli businesses, bolster its export and trade balance, and undergird Israeli jobs. The ICEJ will be publishing and distributing the Israel Buyer’s Guide in cooperation with the Israel Manufacturers Association and the Israel Export Institute. Be looking for more information on the Israel Buyer’s Guide for 2014 and how you can get your copy at www.icej.org
INSIDE
THE
EMBASSY
JERUSALEM KINGS
ICEJ SPONSORS JERUSALEM FOOTBALL TEAM BY AARON HECHT
The International Christian Embassy Jerusalem has entered the world of Israeli sports by partnering with Sar-El Tours to sponsor the Jerusalem Kings, one of 11 teams in Israel's gridiron football league.
F
ounded in 2007, the Jerusalem Kings have always attracted an eclectic blend of players and coaches from the Israeli capital's social, religious and ethnic milieu, from native-born 'sabras' to Christian volunteer workers, to university and yeshiva students, as well as Arab Christians and Muslims, and even employees of the UN and the American consulate. But when they come together on the football field, all those differences are set aside and the Jerusalem Kings become a team - and more than that, a family. "We've had guys from all walks of life, and we pull together to help each other out," said sixth year player Mike Gondelman, an addictions counsellor who played football at the University of Alabama before making aliyah. "People get closer to God on this team. If they come to us with problems, often they get sober, they get clean, and they get their lives together." Mike explained that when the team was looking for a name, a local rabbi suggested the "Kings" to connote royalty, and that has characterised them ever since. "That tells us how we're supposed to act, on and off the field", said Mike. "We take a personal responsibility to give it our all, so that after the game, we can look in the mirror and say we acted like royalty. 'Once a King, always a King' is our motto."
Shaked Aharon Rosenthal, another veteran of the Kings, first tried out when he was already 30 years old with a wife, two children and a business to run. "I was looking for a way to lose some weight and get in shape. I didn't know much about the game but what I discovered was the most intelligent and intense sport I ever played", said the Orthodox Jew. "The Kings quickly became my second family."
"OVER THE YEARS, WE HAVE HAD JEWS, CHRISTIANS, AND MUSLIMS PLAYING ALONGSIDE EACH OTHER. Â DURING THIS TIME, I SAW HOW THE FOOTBALL FIELD WAS A WAY FOR GUYS TO FIND COMMON GROUND AND OVERLOOK THE POLITICAL BAGGAGE AND STEREOTYPES THAT CAUSE SO MUCH CONFLICT IN ISRAEL." "We use football to help men become better men. We are competitive, but it's faith, family, work, then football and we work to make sure that guys keep it in that perspective", added Marshall Mallinux, who has played and coached five seasons with the Kings and currently pastors Jerusalem's Alliance Church.
2 7 | W ORD FROM JERU SALEM
"My favourite thing about playing for this team is that it's challenging because our roster is always small but we still win and make it to semi-finals or even finals every season", said Mike Jackson, a Californian of mixed Arab and Jewish background. Thanks to my dad, I grew up loving football," said Mike Viselli, a Christian volunteer who played four years for the Kings before taking over as head coach at the end of the 2013 season. "I played safety for four years in high school. However, going into college at around 140 lbs, I thought I had kissed my tackle football career goodbye. Little did I know that years down the road another chance to play would surface", added Coach Viselli. "Over the years, we have had Jews, Christians, and Muslims playing alongside each other. Â During this time, I saw how the football field was a way for guys to find common ground and overlook the political baggage and stereotypes that cause so much conflict in Israel." The Israel Football League has plans to rapidly expand, which means that the Kings and other IFL clubs will need more money for equipment, uniforms and other needs.
PLEASE CONSIDER A GENEROUS DONATION TO THE ICEJ TO HELP US SPONSOR THE JERUSALEM KINGS.
EMBASSY RESOURCES
NEW
RESTORATION - FEAST 2014 2014 Individual Seminars DVD
Order the best of Feast 2014! Individual speaker seminars will be available online October 20, 2014 $12 USD each + shipping/handling
NEW
RESTORATION 2014 Feast T-shirt
Order your Feast of Tabernacles T-shirt online! Available online October 20, 2014 $13.99 USD + shipping/handling
2 8 | SEP TEMBER-OCTOBER 2014
VISIT www.icej.org/store
NEW
STAR OF DAVID T-SHIRTS A shirt full of Stars of David. Pick yours up to wear to show your support for Israel! $13.99 USD + shipping/handling
NEW
TIMES OF RESTORATION BY DR. JÜRGEN BÜHLER, REV. JUHA KETOLA, & DAVID PARSONS This booklet contains a series of teachings on the biblical concept of "Restoration", which was the theme for the Feast of Tabernacles celebration in Jerusalem in October 2014, sponsored by the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem. Discover how we are truly living in times of restoration promised by God, which are destined to impact Israel, the Church and the world. 56 page booklet $9 USD + shipping/handling
2 9 | W ORD FROM JERU SALEM
EMBASSY RESOURCES
Our Father Abraham BY MARVIN R. WILSON
“A thoroughly fascinating and enjoyable book….Wilson’s goal is to show the Jewish roots of Christianity and of Jesus … and improve interfaith understanding. He succeeds brilliantly.” – Marvin R. Wilson is a leading scholar on ChristianJewish relations, and is the Harold J. Ockenga Professor of Biblical and Theological Studies at Gordon College, Wenham, Massachusetts. $39 USD + shipping/handling
Jerusalem Compass The Jerusalem compass was developed in Jerusalem. Instead of pointing north, it points only in the direction of Jerusalem from any point on the globe. Fashioned from pure solid brass, the lid is deeply embossed in the center with a Jewish Star of David and the words "Jerusalem" in Hebrew and English. The outer edges are encircled with a delicate floral design of Pomegranates found on many ancient carvings in Jerusalem around the first temple period. $39 USD + shipping/handling
The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah BY ALFRED EDERSHEIM One of the best known and most important references on the life of Christ ever written. It is a storehouse of information on the background of the New Testament. This classic work successfully portrays the streets, the marketplaces, the religious conflicts, the people, and the places of Jesus’ earthly ministry. Alfred Edersheim studied theology at Edinburgh and Berlin. He was one of the leading authorities of his time regarding the doctrines and practices of Judaism in the centuries preceding and during the early Christian era. $ 49 USD + shipping/handling 3 0 | SEP TEMBER-OCTOBER 2014
VISIT www.icej.org/store
Sachar - Your people, My People BY MARTIN & RIKI NEEB Messianic music inspired by the words of Ruth during the 2001 Intifada, to bring comfort and encouragement. Martin & Riki Neeb are Messianic musicians that live in the land of Israel and write and sing songs of encouragement to the people and praise to the Lord $17 USD + shipping/handling
Hu Chai - He is Alive BY MARTIN & RIKI NEEB
Messianic music that contains original compositions as well as church hymns that were translated into Hebrew in the early 70s and are instrumental in the Messianic congregations today. The music is a blend of Irish, folk and local Israeli taste, emphasized through clear acoustic music, ethnic flutes and beautiful vocal harmonies. Martin & Riki Neeb are Messianic musicians that live in the land of Israel and write and sing songs of encouragement to the people and praise to the Lord. $17 USD + shipping/handling
El Avoteinu - God of our fathers BY MARTIN & RIKI NEEB
Messianic music that contains original compositions of Psalms and Prayers of the Sidur, the Jewish book of prayer. The music is acoustic, melodious, transparent and easy to sing along. It will teach you the daily prayers prayed by the Jewish people over many centuries! Martin & Riki Neeb are Messianic musicians that live in the land of Israel and write and sing songs of encouragement to the people and praise to the Lord. $17 USD + shipping/handling
3 1 | W ORD FROM JERU SALEM
C O M I N G
S O O N
ENVISION
2015 PA S T O R S & L E A D E R S C O N F E R E N C E
26 -29 JANUARY 2015 Join pastors and church leaders from around the globe for a focused time of teaching and ministry in the great city of Jerusalem. Envision 2015 will offer an inside perspective on Israel and the Middle East from ICEJ and local ministry leaders who are there on the front lines. Don't miss this opportunity!
TO REGISTER OR LEARN MORE, VISIT: HTTP://ENVISION.ICEJ.ORG