The Friends of Israel

March 13-23, 2015

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We are foreigners

Today started with Jim Showers speaking to us from Philippians where he reminded us that we are foreigners in this land of Israel, much the same way that Paul reminds us that we are foreigners in this world. Our citizenship is in Heaven. This world is not our home.

Our first stop was at Yad Vashem, a very moving, sad place that also has hope woven into it. Yad Vashem comes from Isaiah 56:5 where it speaks of a name, a memorial, one that will never be forgotten. In it is the tomb of remembrance which holds the ashes from an extermination camp. It holds many trees and several memorials which list many of the Righteous Gentiles, those who helped the Jewish people at the risk of their own lives. It holds a memorial to the 1.5 million children who were killed during the holocaust as well as a long memorial/museum in memory of the 6 million Jews who were killed as part of the Nazi Final Solution. Here we started at how life was before anti-Semitism took full root and walked all the way through the “Final Solution to the Jewish problem”, to their return to life as “real people” again and the healing that continues to this day. Tito told us of the story of what happened in Denmark when the Jews there were told that they would have to wear the Star of David. When their king learned of this new law he proclaimed that every Dane is the same as any other Dane. The next day he and a multitude of the other Danes all wore the yellow star in support of their Jewish citizens. The Germans rescinded the law. This type of thing happened several times with the same type of result. Because of this one man the country did not fall into the same apathy and/or anti-Semitism that many other countries did, and because of this the country worked together to smuggle the Jews out to a safe place until after the war was over. What is the take away? Never underestimate the power of our words as one person and always be ready to speak up for others. The group mentality can be deferred or squashed when there are those speaking truth into the lies.

After Yad Vashem we were able to make a quick stop at the grave of Michael Levin. Michael grew up in PA. He had been a very active, never met a stranger, go-getter all of his life. When Michael turned 18 he went to Israel and made Aliyah (returning from the diaspora to Israel). Once he went through the training to be a citizen he applied to join the IDF (Israeli Defense Force), but never received his papers. That did not deter him so he went to the offices to sign up and was told that he could not become a soldier without his papers. Michael was very short, but also very determined. He left the office, went to the back of the building and climbed through a second story window. He then went to the officer and told him that he wanted to join the IDF. Again he was told that he couldn’t without the proper papers. Michael told him what he had just done and the officer told him that never had he seen that much desire in a young man – and began the paperwork for Michael to join the IDF. Michael became a paratrooper and was much loved. He cut his vacation short to join his fellow fighters and was killed in action in the war against Lebanon. His gravesite is now the most visited in all of the Mount Herzl Cemetery that Golda Meir and Menachem Begin are also buried in.

From here, we drove to the Jaffa gate for lunch and a little shopping before heading for the City of David, an excavation occurring in the West Bank. After looking at parts of the excavation and walking through Hezekiah’s tunnel we came out in an area where we discussed what the West Bank really is. Although called disputed land, it is land that has been, and remains a part of Israel. It is the land that is the homeland of the Jews and Christians. The West Bank includes Bethlehem, Jericho and East Jerusalem, including the Old City.. It is where the excavations occurring at the City of David are happening. I had no idea what all was included in this area called the West Bank. From now on when I think of the West Bank and other disputed territories I will do my homework so that I know what I am talking about.

On the way out we walked by the Pool of Siloam. This pool is known in Scripture from John 9 where Jesus healed the man who was born blind. This also is in the West Bank and most of the land which it is on is leased to an Arab family who farms it.

Pool of Siloam

he Pool of Siloam (Hebrew: בריכת השילוח‎‎, Breikhat Hashiloah) is a rock-cut pool on the southern slope of the City of David, the original site of Jerusalem, located outside the walls of the Old City to the southeast. The pool was fed by the waters of the Gihon Spring, carried there by two aqueducts.

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We ended the day with a farewell dinner, thank-you to our guides and drivers, and a guest speaker, Josh Reinstein. Josh reminded us that we have seen the truth in Israel and we need to take the truth home with us to counter the many lies that we are being told. Israel is the only Democracy in the Middle East. It is the only country that supports gender equality as well as ethnic equality with more Arabs voting this year than any in the past and many Arabs holding public offices currently. This is not told by CNN or the BBC. We need to continue to spread the truth and to hold God’s chosen people, the Jews, and His chosen land, Israel, in our hearts and prayers.

Tomorrow we head for home and begin the mission that we have now been tasked with, speak truth, love Israel and her Messiah, pray for her and support her however we are able.

Tomorrow starts very early and many of us are ready to see our families again. God Bless,

Debbie Brown

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