From the Editor May/Jun 2019

“When that plane touches down at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv,” someone told me recently, “I know I’m in a country that’s a miracle. Israel is absolute proof of the existence of God.”

I couldn’t agree more. Destitute and beaten down, Israel arose from the ashes. Today it is a vibrant, high-tech country whose innovations and medical advancements have benefited the entire world.

Although it still must fight to stay alive in an extremely hostile environment, Israel is thriving. This little country about the size of New Jersey has survived against all human odds—but not against divine odds. When God decides something, no one can reverse it (Isa. 43:13); and He has decided Israel will exist as long as the sun, moon, and stars remain in the heavens (Jer. 31:35–36).

This May modern Israel celebrates 71 years of independence. So we decided to give you a little glimpse of life in the Jewish state.

We submitted questions to our dear friend Meno Kalisher, and he graciously sent his answers. Meno is a native Israeli and pastor of the Jerusalem Assembly House of Redemption. He is the son of the late Zvi Kalisher, whose popular column appears at the back of this magazine. We still have hundreds you’ve never read, and we plan to continue running them until the Lord tells us differently!

We also have an article about the Lone Soldier Center in Memory of Michael Levin. Michael was a Bucks County, Pennsylvania, resident who left everything he knew behind to move to Israel to become a paratrooper in the Israel Defense Forces. In 2006, at age 22, he was killed in action during Israel’s war with Hezbollah. He is buried at the Mount Herzl Cemetery in Jerusalem; and to this day, his grave is the most visited one there.

Michael was a great friend to many at The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry. When he was in the States on leave, he visited our headquarters in New Jersey and went from office to office to say hello. It was his dream to have a center for lone soldiers.

I’m also delighted to tell you we now have a special place on our website devoted to materials by world-renowned theologian Dr. Renald Showers. You can access it by going to
foi.org/rshowers.

We truly hope you enjoy this issue of the magazine. Perhaps it will inspire you to join us on our next Up to Jerusalem tour. I promise you won’t regret it.

Waiting for His Appearing,
Lorna Simcox
Editor-in-Chief