May/June 2008

Israel at 60

A celebration of Israel’s 60th birthday


This issue celebrates Israel’s 60th birthday and The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry’s (FOI) 70th birthday. It discusses Israel’s ongoing struggle to survive, the growing religiosity of the Jewish nation, its burgeoning economy and technological innovations, and the history of FOI. Also, a former Islamic terrorist, now Christian, discloses the truth about his former religion in an article entitled, “Why We Want to Kill You.”

Features

The Friends of Israel Turns 70

It’s difficult to believe that FOI has been around for 70 years. Well, maybe not so difficult when you learn how we began and what has undergirded our ministry to this day.

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.

Israel: Still the Apple of God’s Eye Part One

Three men played key roles in Israel’s ancient history. Each man reveals an aspect of God’s work with the nation and His special blessing on it.

Religion and the 60th Anniversary of the State of Israel

Israel, once so secular, is becoming more religious. Plans are afoot to build a third Temple, and several interesting events are confirming the truths of Bible prophecy.

Israeli Economy Gallops Ahead

As Israel turns 60, its economy is moving ahead more rapidly than anyone would have guessed. Here are some facts and figures that probably will astound you.


More In This Issue

From Bill Sutter’s Desk May/Jun 2008

Widespread “Israel at 60” celebrations in Jewish communities this year are reminders of the certainty of God’s promises to the Jewish people. Christians who have been participating in these events realize they are expressing...

Men Who Believed

Replacement Theology, which strips Israel of God’s promises, has been around a long time. But in every generation, there also have been men who believed, long before 1948, in Israel’s national restoration.

Silhouette of man speaking.

Rampaging Toward Change

The 10-year-old had a tight grip on a dollar bill when his father pulled into the parking lot of the general store. The boy anxiously held out his dollar and asked...

Rabbi Bernstein Still Battling Freehold

If you want to hold a growth group, Bible study, prayer meeting, or weekly religious gathering of any type in your home in Freehold, New Jersey, you likely will find yourself before the zoning...

They Cry in Silence May/Jun 2008

When the Archbishop of Canterbury recently suggested the inevitability of instituting some aspects of Muslim Sharia law in Britain, he caused a justifiable furor. His comments also raised hackles in Canada...

Security Fence

To protect itself from car bombs and suicide bombers, Israel is constructing a security barrier that runs roughly along the perimeters of the 1949 armistice lines. Unfortunately, huge chunks of the barrier...

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.

The New Sanhedrin

In 2004 on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, a new Sanhedrin arose after an absence of more than 1,400 years. Staffed by Orthodox and ultra-Orthodox rabbis who want Israeli life...

Why We Want to Kill You

A terrorist mind-set is concerned with occupation. To them, everything is an imperialist or Zionist conspiracy. The reality is that the terrorist mind is occupied with half truths. Although many times the terrorist knows the truth...

The Poor Ye Will Always Have With You

Israel’s recent economic prosperity is hardly shared by everyone living here. Sadly, the poverty rate has actually grown this decade as the stock market and financial compensation for most chief executive officers (CEOs) roared ahead.

You’ve Come A Long Way, Israel

Israel may be small, but it ranks high when it comes to education. Such regard for learning is rooted in Scripture. Nehemiah 8:8 states, “They read distinctly from the book, in the Law of God...

Making Medicines That Help the World

Seventy-one-year-old Iowa resident Ruth Brown may have no idea that she owes a debt of gratitude to an Israeli company located south of Haifa. Doctors had probed Ruth’s stomach and performed a colonoscopy...

The Preeminent Christ

Hebrews 1:4–14: No chapter in the Bible presents such a full picture of the deity of Jesus Christ as Hebrews 1. After completing His earthly ministry, Christ was restored to the dignity and glory He possessed in eternity past...

God Is Moral Part Sixteen

The Bible indicates that human speech can have powerful influence. Proverbs 18:21 states, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” In other words..

Inextinguishable Israel

In a world stricken by the compulsion to forget and plagued with perpetually erratic behavior, it is not surprising that some people no longer see Israel as a little David struggling for survival...

Israel: A Technology Power House

When E. F. Hutton talks, people listen.” So says the investment firm of E. F. Hutton, anyway. The company’s slogan made the point that it is so good at what it does that everyone...

Web Winners

Much information, good and bad, is available today via the Internet. So we’ve compiled a list of Web sites we believe are good and well worth navigating. Some are Christian sites; others are not.

Zvi May/Jun 2008

Not long ago I was out walking, and four ultra-Orthodox men stopped me on the street. “Do you recognize us?” one asked. “I am not sure,” I replied. “We had a long conversation with you...

Daily News from Israel

News Digest — 11/22/24

An Israeli Air Force aircraft killed terrorists who took part in the massacre near Israel’s Gaza border community of Mefalsim...

News Digest — 11/21/24

On Thursday (21st), a distinguished Israeli scholar died in an exceptional incident in Lebanon.  Zeev “Jabo” Ehrlich, 71, was killed in an encounter...

Is Iran’s Leader on His Deathbed?

Conflicting reports are saying Iran's Supreme Leader is on his deathbed. What does this mean for Iran and Israel?

Israel at War: Week 58

Following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu laid out his primary aims in the war with Hamas...

News Digest — 11/20/24

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Israel Katz, IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, and ISA Chief Ronen Bar visited the...

News Digest — 11/19/24

Hezbollah fired over 75 rockets on Monday (18th), with one rocket in the evening striking the primarily Israeli-Arab town of Shfaram in...

News Digest — 11/18/24

Sirens were sounded early Monday morning (18th), shortly after midnight, in the city of Eilat following a suspected infiltration of a hostile aircraft...

News Digest — 11/15/24

IAF fighter jets struck commander centers and Terrorist infrastructure belonging to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terrorist group in Syria’s...

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