Apples of Gold May/Jun 2023
We live very close to our Arab neighbors, so we see each other almost every day. A few months ago I had a long conversation with some of them…
ISRAEL'S WARS
The Friends of Israel in Action Jul/Aug 2022
College campuses are notorious for their hostility toward the things of God. Such animosity deters some people…
Apples of Gold Sep/Oct 2021
Deuteronomy 16:19 says, “You shall not . . . take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous.” Therefore, it is written…
New Precision Weapon Could Devastate Israel
Iran is continuing to provide high-quality weapons to Hezbollah, including one that could give the terror organization…
Apples of Gold May/Jun 2019
Israel’s Independence Day is fast approaching. That is when we celebrate our independence in the land. I fought in the War of Independence in 1948 so that we, the Jewish people, could live in our homeland…
The Man Who Believed in Miracles
If you hold an American passport and were born in Jerusalem, this might be the time to get your document updated. Perhaps now, 70 years after Israel gained its independence, the U.S. State Department will finally print “Jerusalem, Israel” on your passport…
The Final War Against Israel
Horrifying pictures of the Holocaust of World War II continue to shock people even today. After 75 years, film footage still reminds us of Satan’s relentless and barbaric attempts to eradicate world Jewry. Throughout history, demonically inspired, hate-filled fanatics…
Consumed and Destroyed
Years ago, my boss at the office where I worked asked me about the Antichrist: “Does the Bible teach that the Antichrist will be destroyed? Or does he win in the end?” His question came following the release of The Omen in 1976, a movie that revolves around…
From the Editor May/Jun 2017
June 1967 was a good time to be Jewish. At least it seemed that way to me. I was a teenager during the Six-Day War, and I was so proud of the Israeli soldiers. Not only were they fighting for their country, but they were fighting…
Inside View May/Jun 2017
Does God fight for Israel? When Israel triumphs over multiple Arab armies attacking on multiple fronts, it certainly seems that God fights for Israel. Such was the case in 1967 when Israel won a humanly improbable…
Ma’ale Adumim: It’s Not What You Think It Is
Before we arrived in the spring of 2000, I asked the 16 members of our Friends of Israel Youth Adventure team (now called ORIGINS) to describe what they thought a settlement would look like.
Six Days In June
When the 1967 Six-Day War erupted, the Jewish state had just celebrated 19 years of independence. Levi Eshkol, 71, was both prime minister and defense minister. Eshkol had replaced the legendary David Ben-Gurion in June 1963. Filling Ben-Gurion’s shoes…
Message in the Wall
Sounds of gunfire, soldiers singing “Jerusalem of Gold,” and the faint sound of a shofar were heard over the army wireless. It was June 7, 1967, and the Israel Defense Forces paratroopers had just liberated the Temple Mount and Western Wall.
Fifty Years Later
The Six-Day War begot the hackneyed catchphrase Israeli-occupied West Bank. Mindless talk of the “occupation” generally goes hand-in-hand with unvarnished ignorance or a willful disregard of the area’s strategic value.
Rehearsal for Armageddon
How important is Jerusalem to the Jewish people? Their souls have been intertwined with it for more than 3,000 years. Unfortunately, their heartache is not over. This article was written shortly after Six-Day War and ran in the…
Apples of Gold May/Jun 2017
At one time, the Jordanian artillery pinned us down for 20 hours. Finally, the order came to attack. My task as a soldier in the Israel Defense Forces is to go before the troops and clear the minefields…
Stories from the War—Asher Yuval
The day the war broke out, my unit of reservists had already been mobilized for three weeks. Those weeks came to be known as the “waiting period.” I was in Reserve Battalion 161 of the Jerusalem Brigade (Hativa) under Lt. Col. Asher Dreizin.
Stories from the War–Cecilia Stark
I was born in London and came to Israel in 1963. When I arrived in Jerusalem, the city had a small-town feel. There were around 165,000 people in western Jerusalem. There was one traffic light—at the intersection of King George, Strauss and Jaffa Streets.
Stories from the War—Naomi Paynton
I arrived on June 10, 1967, on a special El Al flight for war volunteers. It came from Paris, where I lived at the time. It was packed and quite frightening. We did not know what we were coming to. They did not give us the usual meal, but just a packet…
Stories from the War—Rosie Gordon Elkana
I immigrated to Israel from Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1964. By then, I was already a registered nurse, having trained at Manchester Jewish Hospital in England. Right away, I got a job at Hadassah Hospital Ein Karem.
Stories from the War—Uzi Eilam
The day the war broke out, along with my fellow paratroopers, I was at the Tel NofAirbase located not far from Rehovot. At age 34, I was the commander of a battalion of paratroopers, though I was not a full-time army man.
Psalm 126: O Jerusalem
On Wednesday, June 7, 1967, the wail of a ram’s horn blown at the base of the Western Wall in Jerusalem shook the world. Surrounded by young paratroopers with tear-stained faces, Rabbi Shlomo Goren raised…
Remembering Gush Katif: 10 Years Later
On Wednesday morning, August 17, 2005, some 10,000 Israeli soldiers fanned out across 21 Jewish communities in the Gaza Strip. Their mission, following the Israeli army’s order eight days earlier, was…
Promise Betrayed
In 1917, during World War I, the British captured Jerusalem from the Ottoman Turks and governed it from December 1917 until May 1948 when, depleted and detested by Jews and…
A City Divided
On June 30, 1967, the first Friday after the official reunification of Jerusalem, Muslim and Christian Arabs—whom Jordan had banned from the Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa Mosque, and…
Insult to Injury
Talk and turning up pressure on Israel have obviously replaced rational movement toward peace in the Middle East. The prevailing powers seem to prefer to reward…
Remembering Latrun
Days after Israel was declared a state on May 14, 1948, ill-equipped and virtually untrained men and boys who would become the Israel Defense Forces stood in the line…
A Memorial Day Unlike Any Other
I can’t move. My legs are beginning to cramp, and I can’t move. Harriet and I have been wedged in a corner standing beside Michael’s grave for more than three hours…
Making Michael’s Dream a Reality
When thousands of people arrived for my son’s funeral in Israel and a memorial service in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, in 2006, we knew Michael’s death had affected…
Apples of Gold Mar/Apr 2014
The day I was scheduled to return home by plane after my military service in the Sinai desert, a terrible sandstorm broke loose. Our tents were blown away like so many…
It Is About Religion
The day held a unique significance for Egyptian President Anwar Sadat as he sat in a reviewing stand accompanied by a host of political, military, and visiting international dignitaries. It was…
No Surprises, Please
On October 6, 1973, 40 years ago, Israel was wrapped in prayer shawls, observing the holiest of Jewish religious observances, the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). Radio was silenced…
The Division and Desecration of Jerusalem
On November 29, 1947, the UN General Assembly approved Resolution 181, a plan to partition what was left of British Palestine into two states: one Arab, one Jewish. Seventy-seven percent…
Zvi Jan/Feb 2013
Living in Israel is like living on a volcano. We are surrounded by enemies who want to destroy us. Those of us who believe in the mighty Lord, our Savior Jesus Christ, even have…
Zvi Jul/Aug 2012
I am always looking for a chance to speak with people about our Savior, Yeshua Hamashiach (Hebrew for “Jesus the Messiah”). And often people are looking for me, but they…
An Incentive to Pray Fervently for Israel
Naftali Bennett, chief of staff to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from 2006 to 2008, said Israelis are “more concerned now than ever about Iran’s race to acquire a nuclear bomb.” To plead…
World Events and Prophecy
If you find Bible prophecy a bit confusing, this article is perfect for you! It’s clear, concise, and shows unmistakably how end-times events are right around the corner.
Zvi Nov/Dec 2011
Miracles do not happen every day. But one happened recently while I was in a clinic waiting to see a doctor. Usually there are long lines, and it is difficult to speak to people.
Zvi Sep/Oct 2011
Anyone who remembers our War for Independence in 1948 knows about Latrun. It is an area in Israel located on a hilltop on the road from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem…
A Palestinian State: How to Lose and Still Come Out a Winner
It used to be that winners were winners and losers were losers, and to the victor went the spoils. Not today, particularly when it comes to Israel. See for yourself.
Israel in the News Jul/Aug 2011
In August it will be six years since 10,000 Jews were expelled from 21 beautiful communities in Gush Katif/Gaza and the Shomron (Samaria). Most still live in trailer towns like Nitzan…
Eye on the Middle East May/Jun 2011
There are 450 different theme parks, amusement parks, and water parks in the United States, according to the International Association of Amusement Parks. Disney, the largest and most recognized, has six…
Zvi May/Jun 2011
This May it is 63 years since Israel became a state. I remember it well. Much time has passed, and I have grown much older. After everything I endured in my life…
Zvi Mar/Apr 2010
We often have many surprises in life. And so it was one week when a neighbor came to my home to confront me about my faith in Christ. He was not friendly…
Zvi Jul/Aug 2009
Believe it or not, many schoolchildren in Israel have never heard of the Holocaust. So when Holocaust Memorial Day draws near in the spring, schools look for survivors to come and tell…
Operation Love Israel
Thousands of Philadelphians braved the traffic and cold recently to tell the world they love Israel and would stand by it through its war with Hamas terrorists. The noon rally…
Israel in the News Mar/Apr 2009
I’ve been in Gaza for a week. We’re in an armored reconnaissance unit, which means we are infantry that goes in front of the tanks….The army was very tight with us about security…
From Bill Sutter’s Desk Jan/Feb 2009
The prophetic significance of meeting Jewish people who have come home to their Land of Promise was not lost on those of us who recently went “Up to Jerusalem” with The Friends…
From Bill Sutter’s Desk Nov/Dec 2008
Lisa was on the job only two days when the call came. But she was ready. Sixty intensive hours in the classroom, including written instruction and practical training, had prepared her…
Israel’s Long and Hard War of Independence
Despite its military victories, Israel still does not enjoy peace. So the country’s anniversary celebration took a different turn this year—for a significant reason.
Order of Battle
Maj.-Gen. Gadi Shamni, Ehud Olmert’s former military aide, was appointed head of Central Command in June 2007 by Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of General Staff Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi.
The Home Front
Maj.-Gen. Yair Golan is the recently appointed commander of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Home Front, replacing Yitzhak Gershon who stepped down following harsh criticism of his command’s performance during the Second Lebanon War in 2006.
Eye on the Middle East Nov/Dec 2007
A recent report out of the Middle East could provide a formula for how not to run a war. Following the cease-fire that interrupted the battle between Hezbollah and Israeli forces in Lebanon…
War: What Is It Good For? Ezekiel 38:1—39:16
God’s prophetic Word reveals much about war, particularly the great, future battle involving Gog and Magog.
From Bill Sutter’s Desk Nov/Dec 2006
Fallen Israeli Sgt. Michael Levin, 22, was buried in August on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem amid an outpouring of mourners, the likes of which are usually reserved for persons of great fame. Thousands…
Brigitte Gabriel Conclusion
When the Palestinians started fighting in Lebanon [in the 1970s], the war took on such savagery that it was inconceivable. They would massacre the Christian cities. City after city. A signature Palestinian way…
Zvi Nov/Dec 2006
Living in Israel, we know what it means to fight for our lives. For 2,000 years my people dreamed of returning to Eretz Yisrael; and in the 1948 War of Independence, God answered our prayers…
Zvi Jul/Aug 2006
I have lived in Israel 58 years now. And in Jerusalem, particularly in the ultra-Orthodox quarter, men do not speak with women or girls. Men must speak with men, and women with women, especially when…
Eye on the Middle East Mar/Apr 2006
When Israel’s prime minister, Ariel Sharon, was stricken with a devastating, career-ending stroke in January, an era came to an end. Sharon was the last of the giants who have fallen…
Zvi May/Jun 2005
Not long ago I got together with some of the men I served with in the army. We first met 56 years ago when we were young. And we served together in all of Israel’s…
From Bill Sutter’s Desk Mar/Apr 2004
In traveling to Israel recently on a solidarity tour with representatives of our nearby Cherry Hill, New Jersey, Jewish community, we prayed that our lives as Christians would reflect both our commitment to the Bible…
Pondering Life in the ‘New Jerusalem’
That’s the dream. But dreams rarely reflect reality. And nocturnal pleasantries inevitably vaporize when exposed to the harsh light of morning. Such will be the case when foreign interlopers, dreamers, and wishful thinkers impose..
Joshua: Profile in Courage
Sometimes the odds aren’t in our favor. But when it comes to God’s work, the “odds” don’t matter. Joshua learned what really counts.
How Big Is How Big Is Your God?
Who hasn’t heard of the Battle of Jericho? This article takes a fresh look at that amaz- ing victory and the powerful God who won it.
Archaeology Confirms the Walls ‘Fell Flat’
In 1997 two Italian archaeologists hired by the Palestinian Department of Archaeology excavated for one month at ancient Jericho. Their conclusion was not surprising, considering who hired them: No evidence supports the Jewish conquest…
The Consequences of Spiritual Failure
Although God promised success, the Israelites suffered a crushing defeat at Ai. Explore the reasons for such failure—both then and now.
Nineveh’s Destruction
Nahum 2:1-13: On March 19, 2003, a coalition of the United States and more than thirty-five countries implemented a preemptive strike against Iraq to disarm it of weapons of mass destruction. Twenty-six hundred years ago…
Timeline of Modern Israel
From San Remo to Nazi Germany 1918 British General Edmund Allenby defeats the Ottoman Turks and occupies all of Palestine. 1919–23 Third wave of Jewish immigration arrives, mostly from Russia. 1920 Britain receives League of Nations mandate over Palestine at San…
Jerusalem, Oh Jerusalem
Jerusalem was one of the largest cities in the ancient world. And its destruction in A.D. 70 involved one of Judaism’s greatest tragedies.
Israel’s Falling Star
Some called him Simon, “son of a star.” They thought him the Messiah. But Bar Kokhba’s victories didn’t turn out as they had anticipated.
Masada: The Final Fortress
Herod’s desert hideout was so lavish and self-sufficient that it appeared impenetrable. But appearances can be deceiving.
Israel: Still a Miracle
The world thought it impossible. But with God, nothing is impossible. And if you don’t believe that fact, you don’t know the history of little Israel.
The War of Independence
When the British received their League of Nations mandate over the Holy Land at the San Remo Conference in 1920, they were told to implement the Balfour Declaration that called for “the establishment…
The Six-Day War
Surrounded by 250,000 enemy soldiers, 2,000 tanks, and 700 jetfighters, Israel again defended herself. The outcome? Another miracle.
The Yom Kippur War
Anwar Sadat replaced Nasser as Egypt’s president after Nasser’s death in 1970. Sadat believed he had to regain the Sinai taken by Israel in 1967. Israeli intelligence warned the government that war…
Arafat
Yasser Arafat is not a Palestinian. He was born in Cairo, Egypt, in 1929. His real name is Muhammad Abdel Rahman (first name) Abdel Raouf (father’s name) Arafat (grandfather’s name) Al Qudua…
Status of Jewish Holy Sites
Under Jordanian occupation (May 28, 1948—June 7, 1967), all Jewish holy sites in East Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria were off-limits to Jews. In East Jerusalem, 58 synagogues were destroyed or desecrated. Jordan built…
Zvi Jul/Aug 2001
The first time I received a Bible, I knew nothing about faith, especially about faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. It was 1948, during the War of Independence here in Israel.
The First Line of Defense
Once a year an Orthodox community in Israel assembles to honor the boys from fatherless families who are ready for bar mitzvah. The fathers of these boys all lost their lives in service to their…
Zvi Oct/Nov 1998
This year we are celebrating 50 years since our Declaration of Independence in 1948, which created the modern State of Israel. It seems like only yesterday. But, with the Declaration of Independence came a declaration of…
Israel’s 1948 War Of Independence
In a few months, the State of Israel will commemorate fifty years of modern statehood. No nation in the history of mankind has been born out of such enormous suffering.
Six Days In June Oct/Nov 1997
“A people considered for centuries as non-fighters carried out in June, 1967 against long odds the most nearly perfect military operation in modern history.” With these words an eminent American historian opened her…
The Yom Kippur War Oct/Nov 1997
Prime Minister Golda Meir was worried. It was that same strange feeling she had back in 1967, on the eve of the Six-Day War. Reports had been coming in since May…
Lebanon: Land Of Beauty, Land Of War
The Bible pictures Lebanon as a land of towering mountains covered by tall cedars, rising above lush valleys with flowing rivers. Although few of the famed trees grow in the rugged mountains of modern Lebanon…
Obadiah
History is replete with small nations who strut across the world stage, proudly flex their political muscles, then vanish into obscurity. Edom was such a nation. Her story is graphically detailed by Obadiah in the short book that bears his name.
David And His Children – Tragedy!
Children are a blessing from the Lord. A happy home with little ones filling it is a delight that is beyond description. Many childless couples would give all of their resources to have youngsters of their own.
Joel of Jerusalem Jun/Jul 1986
“Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods?” (Ex. 15:11). Not many people know this truth; therefore they live their lives hoping that better times will come. They live in fear of the situations that surround them.
David and His City
Almost everyone has a home town. For many of us, it is the city of our birth. For others, it is the place where much of their lives has been spent.
Gad Warrior Asher Provider Naphtali Communicator
The aged Jacob followed the prophecy on his son Dan (Gen. 49:16-18) with three brief but significant words about the other three sons of Bilhah and Zilpah -Gad (49:19), Asher (49:20) and Naphtali (49:21).
Friends to the End
A person with a true friend is most fortunate. He has one with whom he can share his innermost thoughts – one with whom he can rejoice – one with whom he can weep when deep trials and testings come.
DAN
“Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel. Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward. I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord” (Gen. 49:16-18).
God’s Answer to Skeptics
The nation of Israel and her people the Jews are an enigma to this world. The preservation of the people of Israel is a contradiction of all historical trends. The uniqueness of this people is captured in an essay Mark Twain authored in 1899.
Run for Your Life, David
Several years ago the Shah of Iran went into exile trying to save his life from his foes. Hunted down, he moved from Iran to Europe, to the United States, to Mexico and finally to Egypt.
The Russian Bear Casts A Bigger Shadow
The Word of God is clear. A day is coming (we believe during the first half of the Tribulation period) when Russia is going to launch an attack into the Middle East to control the world oil supply.
“I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling!”
History will attest that nations are born in molten flame and forged on the anvil of adversity. The hotter the flame and the more severe the adversity, the stronger the nation.
Joel of Jerusalem Oct/Nov 1982
I thank the Lord, for He is so, good. After a very long time of having three of our children away in the army, we recently had the family together again around the table.
Joel of Jerusalem Aug/Sep 1982
Two of my sons and my daughter are not at home these days. They have gone to the north (Lebanese front) with the army. And now I have received a nice letter stating that the army wants me to go also, but I said, “Not this time!”
Joel of Jerusalem Nov/Jan 1981/1982
Sometimes we see things which are hard to believe, but we know they are so. It is also funny to see how grown people can be as children and speak like them. They can confuse folklore and Bible truths.
Joel of Jerusalem Dec/Jan 1980/1981
Here in Israel, people are thinking about the political situation more than ever, and many people are leaving the country because of fear. They are wondering what will happen next.
Joel from Jerusalem Oct/Nov 1980
I have been called up to the army once again and since I have been here I have received a nice new nickname – “revolutionary”. I didn’t know why they were calling me this…