Welcoming the World`s Jews to Israel

Transcription

BUILDING BRIDGES BETWEEN CHRISTIANS AND JEWS
Spring 2016 • Volume 9 • Number 2
Welcoming the
World’s Jews to Israel
IN THIS ISSUE:
Read an exclusive excerpt from
Rabbi Eckstein’s Passover book
After a year of successful Fellowship Freedom
Flights from Ukraine, we’re now helping Jews
from Latin America and other parts of the
world return to their spiritual homeland.
A
The Journey Magazine | ifcj.org
A wounded IDF soldier’s story:
“I owe IFCJ so much!”
Giving impoverished Jews in the
FSU boxes of hope this Passover
BUILDING BRIDGES BETWEEN CHRISTIANS AND JEWS
Editor-in-Chief Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein
Editorial Director David Kuner
Senior Editor Camerin Courtney
Contributing Editors Caleb Burroughs, Jane Engel
Consulting Editors Yael Eckstein, Erica Prescott
Design BCDesign
Cover photo: Olivier Fitoussi
THE JOURNEY MAGAZINE ®
VOLUME 9 • NUMBER 2
THE JOURNEY MAGAZINE ® is published
four times per year by the International
Fellowship of Christians and Jews,
30 North LaSalle Street, Suite 4300,
Chicago, IL 60602-2584.
A publication of
No part of this periodical may be reproduced
without permission. Unless otherwise noted,
Scripture taken from the New International
Version®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984 by
International Bible Society. Used by permission of
Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.
Where needed, names, places, and photos in
the stories have been changed for privacy
and security reasons.
Visit us at ifcj.org
ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES
United States:
30 North LaSalle Street, Suite 4300
Chicago, IL 60602-2584
(800) 249-9003
(312) 641-7201 (Fax)
Email: [email protected]
Israel:
HaKeren L’ Yedidut
10 Yad Harutzim Street
Jerusalem, 9342148
Founder and President
Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein
©2016 International Fellowship
of Christians and Jews
International Fellowship of Christians and
Jews is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The
International Fellowship of Christians and Jews
pledges to maintain an effective outreach as
set forth in its mission statement by responsibly
utilizing the funds entrusted to us. Complete
audited financial statements are available
upon request. Contributions to the International
Fellowship of Christians and Jews, and all
its programs, are tax deductible
as allowed by law.
In this season of Passover, our thoughts turn to God’s
miraculous rescue of the Israelites from oppression
under Pharaoh. And, from my home here in Israel, I
can’t help but be reminded of the way He has continued to rescue His
people – from countless foes throughout history, from extinction during
the Holocaust, and from terrorist neighbors even today.
We at The Fellowship are in the business of rescue as well. During
Passover we help rescue impoverished elderly in the former Soviet
Union from the ravages of poverty. Our food boxes provide these Jewish
people with everyday essentials as well as the special foods outlined in
the Bible to celebrate the seder meal. Read about this lifesaving initiative
on page 8.
Since the end of 2014, we have been rescuing the Jewish community
from war-torn Ukraine, helping them make aliyah (immigrate to Israel)
on our Fellowship Freedom Flights and establish new lives in the Holy
Land. More recently, as you will read on page 4, we have begun flying
Jews in peril from other areas – such as Turkey and Melilla – to Israel on
our Freedom Flights as well.
And when an Israel Defense Forces soldier was seriously injured in a
car-ramming attack during the wave of violence that continued in Israel
for months, he found rescue and relief in Fellowship-purchased medical
equipment and in a grant we gave him to help with all the expenses of
recovery. Read his harrowing story on page 12.
None of this relief and recovery would be possible without you, our
faithful supporters. Your prayers and generosity truly save lives. It is an
honor to partner with you in this holy, God-honoring work of rescuing
His people.
Shalom!
Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein
Founder and President
photo: Yossi Zwecker
Reflections from the Rabbi
SPRING 2016 • VOLUME 9 • NUMBER 2
FEATURES
4Rescuing Jews from Hostile
photo: Olivier Fitoussi
Lands – The Fellowship expands
our On Wings of Eagles program by
welcoming immigrants from Turkey,
Melilla, and beyond.
8Boxes of Hope – Without Fellowship Passover food packages, countless impoverished
Jews in the former Soviet Union wouldn’t have the joy of celebrating this special holiday.
12Wounded IDF Medic: “I Owe IFCJ So Much!” – After a terrorist rammed
him with his vehicle, an IDF soldier thanks The Fellowship for supporting him throughout
his recovery.
16Passover: A Celebration of God’s Deliverance – In an excerpt from his book,
Rabbi Eckstein explains the significance and lasting lessons of Passover.
20A Time-Honored Connection to God – Watching my son perform an ancient rite
of passage, I felt a fresh bond with God and His people.
28 A Surprising Recipe for Joy – How The Fellowship brought three women in need
together for meals – and so much more.
Departments
2 News and Updates from The Fellowship.
22Biblical Teaching from the Rabbi –
Rabbi Eckstein shares about the
value of charity.
24 C hildren’s Fun Pages – Teach the kids in your
life the powerful story of Passover.
29 Snapshot of The Fellowship
Spring 2016 | The Journey Magazine
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NEWS & UPDATES
Warm Welcomes for
Ukraine’s Jews
So many welcoming embraces
were waiting for the new
immigrants as they arrived in
the Israeli airport.
From Our Donors
To the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews,
I just wanted to write a short note to tell you how grateful I
am to be able to help, in a small way, the beautiful chosen
people of Israel. Thank you for making this possible.
Yael stops to talk to a young girl while she distributes
food packages to needy Jews in Israel.
I am a Christian, and after learning the truth through
Scripture, that Israel belongs to God’s chosen, I want to
help in some way.
I am 65 years old and have recently had surgery – the best
I can do is to send a donation each month. I pray that this
small amount helps.
Congratulations, Yael!
Yael Eckstein was recently awarded the
Mesorah Award by Fellowship partner
Colel Chabad, one of the oldest charity
organizations in Israel, for her extensive
work on behalf of The Fellowship to
improve the life and welfare of the Jewish
people in Israel. Congratulations, Yael!
My only wish would be that all people pray for and
support the peace of Jerusalem.
How I’d love to visit the Holy Land someday soon!
Shalom,
Linda, NJ
photo: Noam Chen/FIDF
Challah at the Gala
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Rabbi Eckstein attended the annual gala for the Friends of the Israel
Defense Forces (FIDF), in support of those who protect the Holy
Land. Here he is at the event, holding a giant loaf of challah bread.
Like the Rabbi, we salute all of the brave men and women who
serve and have served Israel.
photos: Olivier Fitoussi
Welcoming Jews
from Uruguay
and Venezuela!
Recently, the first Fellowship Freedom Flights from
Latin America – specifically the
countries of Uruguay and Venezuela
– arrived in Israel. These immigrants
were welcomed home with balloons,
Israeli flags, and, most importantly,
smiles from all those who came to
support their arrival!
The Fellowship continues to open doors for Jews
around the world who are looking to return to their
biblical homeland and begin a new life in Israel.
Congratulations, Rabbi Eckstein, for receiving the “Man of the Year” award from
Chamah, a Fellowship-sponsored nonprofit helping needy Jews. The Fellowship has
supported the organization for years as they’ve provided soup kitchens in Moscow,
Russia, giving nutritious meals to those who would otherwise go hungry. We also
support the Chamah Medical Center and Children’s Development Center, bringing
hope and care to those suffering from illness or disabilities.
Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein receiving the Man of
the Year award with Dr. Henrietta Ellinson
During his acceptance speech, Rabbi Eckstein spoke of the importance of
(President of Chamah Russia) and Rabbi
remembering those who suffer and why we need organizations that help those in Hillel Zaltzman
need: “People in the twilight years of their life not having the dignity to have a safety
net for food, for medicine, for heating fuel – what would have happened to them had Chamah not existed?”
photo: Chamah
Rabbi Eckstein Receives Man of the Year Award
It’s thanks to all of our wonderful donors that we can offer this kind of lifesaving assistance.
The Fellowship Hotline Brings Help and Hope
The Fellowship opened our own hotline last year, so that all Israelis needing
assistance with basic necessities, employment, healthcare, and more can call
for help and advice. The hotline operators connect callers with different aid
organizations in Israel that provide the assistance the callers need.
photo: IFCJ
Currently, we’ve partnered with more than 170 organizations – and one of these
organizations, OneDay Social Volunteering, recently helped a family repaint their
run-down apartment. In the following letter, Olivia thanks The Fellowship for
helping her fix up her apartment:
Thank you, Fellowship Hotline, for your help in painting our apartment in
Jaffa, Israel.
photo: OneDay Social Volunteering
This morning volunteers arrived to contribute to this blessed work, which
they did with great patience and lots of enthusiasm. These volunteers, who
gave their time and brought cheer, should be blessed for their exemplary
and praiseworthy work!
The Fellowship should be praised for their excellent teamwork and
wonderful collaboration between organizations! May you continue to
provide support to those who need it.
photo: OneDay Social Volunteering
Thank you from the bottom of my heart. You have moved me to tears
with what you have lovingly done.
With heartfelt thanks to all The Fellowship staff and OneDay volunteers who
donated their time and strength in order to do good for others in our society.
May you have many blessings.
With great love from the heart,
Olivia
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Rescuing
Jews
As it becomes
increasingly
dangerous to
be a Jew in
various parts
of the world,
The Fellowship
is offering
refuge and a
fresh start in
the Holy Land
from
Hostile
Lands
W
W
Mordechai and
Dola arriving
in Israel
photo: IFCJ
by AMI FARKAS
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hen I first met Mordechai, he pulled out his
Turkish identification card, pointed to where
it said “Jew” in Turkish, made a face, shook
his head, and said, “No good!” Mordechai had just
arrived in Israel on a Fellowship Freedom Flight from
Turkey, one of the newer countries from which we have
been rescuing Jews. I met with him and several other
new olim (immigrants), and they all spoke of the great
challenge of living in Turkey as a Jew today.
While Turkey has been welcoming to Jews for
much of their 2,000-year history there – even serving
as a refuge for thousands of Jews during the Spanish
Inquisition and the Holocaust – in recent years that has
dramatically changed. Since the Islamic government,
headed by President Erdogan, came to power, the
country’s traditional hospitality toward Jews has
turned to hostility.
Tears of Joy
Sitting with their son Avraham,
who made aliyah (immigrated to
photo: IFCJ
Today, Hitler’s book Mein Kempf
and books like The Protocols of the
Elders of Zion, which was a guide
to modern anti-Semitism in the
early 20th century, are bestsellers in
Turkey. The media constantly spews
propaganda warning Turks not to hire
Jews, not to do business with them,
and never to buy products made or
sold by Jews. Even being pulled over
for a traffic ticket with the word “Jew”
on your ID card, as Mordechai vividly
pointed out, often leads to extortion
and arrest.
Israel) four years ago, Mordechai,
61, and his wife, Dola, 58, had tears
in their eyes as they showed me their
newly issued Israeli ID cards. “It was
our dream to come to Israel, and we
are so thankful for The Fellowship,
whose help has made our aspirations
a reality,” they exclaimed.
Their son Avraham had moved
to Israel to avoid being drafted into
the Turkish Army. “Army service
is mandatory in Turkey, but I could
not fathom the idea of serving an
army that despises the Jewish state,”
Avraham said. “So I told my parents
that if I am going to serve in any
army, it will be the Israeli one.”
Prior to the rise of the Islamic
Party, Mordechai and Dola lived
a quiet, peaceful life in Turkey.
Mordechai was once a professional
cantor and led services in some of
Turkey’s largest synagogues. But
these days, “even walking into a
synagogue, which has to be protected
with private security detail, is risky
business,” he explained. The situation
became unbearable for Jews, and so
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Mordechai and Dola decided that the time had come to
join their son in Israel.
Avraham got in touch with The Fellowship in order
to help his parents make the journey from Istanbul
to Tel Aviv. Money was a major concern. “Jews lost
all their money in the last decade,” Dola explained.
“Even wealthy Jews became poor as no one wanted to
do business with them or hire them anymore. So they
began to sell off their homes, furniture, and any other
items worth anything just to have some money to buy
food and clothes.”
The Fellowship gave Mordechai and Dola money for
their airfare to Israel as well as a grant of about $1,500
to get started. And they are currently studying Hebrew
in classes provided by The Fellowship, one of several
programs to help the olim transition well.
“We would never have made it to the Holy Land
if not for The Fellowship,” Mordechai said. “And
now that we are here, reunited with our son, living on
our ancestral soil, we feel incredibly blessed and are
extremely thankful to The Fellowship for making this
dream a reality.”
Before their retirement a few years ago, Rivkah
worked in a home for the elderly and Chaim worked
in a factory. They devoted much of their time after
retirement to helping their children and grandchildren,
whose future in Turkey is uncertain. “The failing
economy, government restrictions on freedoms, and
the spreading chaos in the Middle East have made the
situation in Turkey difficult for everyone, but especially
for Jews who are often being used as a scapegoat for
national frustrations,” Chaim explained.
Chaim and Rivkah are worried about their family
in Turkey and are hoping they will join them in Israel
soon. “We know that our aliyah is sort of a test for
our children. They want to see how we succeed in
acclimating here, and will make their decision based
on that,” Rivkah explained.
Help Along the Way
The Fellowship is acutely aware of the difficulties
new olim encounter in Israel. Simple things like
opening a bank account, finding housing, learning
Hebrew, and applying for health insurance can be
photo: IFCJ
Chaim and Rivka
(front) at Ben
Gurion Airport
“Now We Are Afraid”
After a lifetime of also dreaming about the Holy
Land, Chaim, 71, and his wife, Rivkah, 68, are finally
here. The couple recently made aliyah from Turkey
with The Fellowship and are now praying that their two
sons and grandchildren will soon join them in Israel.
Born and raised in Istanbul, Chaim and Rivkah
remember a time when Jews were treated fairly in
Turkey. Then they witnessed the dramatic turn in the
Turkish attitude toward its Jewish population. “We used
to practice our Judaism openly, and now we are afraid
to wear skullcaps on the streets. Those with Jewishsounding names have it changed so they can find jobs.
And any outward Jewish appearance such as a menorah
in your window or a mezuzah on your doorpost is
avoided,” Chaim explained.
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overwhelming. Therefore, The Fellowship has staff
members who guide new olim every step of the way.
“We have received so much help from The
Fellowship, which goes so much deeper than just a
plane ticket and some money to get started,” Chaim
explained. “The Fellowship is here to answer all our
questions. They have helped us open a bank account,
file for health insurance, and are helping us receive
social security, without which we could not survive in
Israel,” he continued.
It will take time for Chaim and Rivkah to acclimate
to Israel; they are studying Hebrew in a Fellowship
class and are currently looking for a small apartment
to rent. “We could not have made aliyah without The
Fellowship’s help. It is a blessing from God that we
changed.” Melilla’s overwhelming Muslim population
has great animosity toward Israel and has been venting
its hostilities against the city’s vulnerable, tiny Jewish
community.
Synagogues have been vandalized, Jewish cemeteries
desecrated, and the Jewish centers have been threatened
continuously. Jews cannot walk around with a kippah (the
skullcap worn by religious Jews), and outright harassment
of Jews has become the norm. In this climate, where
“Jews don’t feel safe anymore,” it is time to bring the Jews
of Melilla to their spiritual homeland.
have The Fellowship to turn to. Hopefully, as we
get more acclimated to our new lives, our children
will join us here and our dream will be complete,”
Chaim explained.
Chaim, soon
after his arrival
in Israel from
Melilla
photo: IFCJ
Special Assistance
New Hostilities
Similar to the Jewish community in Turkey, Jews in
some Spanish-speaking countries are finding themselves
suddenly in hostile environments – and they have been
contacting The Fellowship about making aliyah. I recently
had the privilege of meeting Chaim, the first Jew to make
aliyah with The Fellowship from the Spanish city of
Melilla, a tiny enclave on the North African coast, bordered
on all sides by Morocco, a mostly Muslim country.
Chaim, 30, contracted polio as a child – in Melilla there
was no vaccine against the disease – and has difficulty
walking. He is also the only son of two aging parents.
His mother, with whom Chaim is very close, only felt
comfortable letting go of her son after learning of The
Fellowship’s hands-on involvement with every new
immigrant we bring to Israel. He is eager for his parents to
join him, as they wait for him to settle in Israel before they
make their journey.
Chaim was an accountant in Melilla before he made
aliyah. “I always dreamed of living in Israel. I heard so
much about it as a child. But now I am finally here thanks
to The Fellowship.” Like with the Jews from Turkey,
Chaim was motivated by the increasing challenges for
Jews in his region. “I understood that the situation for Jews
will only worsen in Melilla,” he explained. “Many Jews
in Melilla are coming to the same conclusion as I did –
fearing for their safety if they stay.”
Though Jews have lived in the North African coastal
city of Melilla for seven centuries, currently less than 1,000
of them remain. “We once lived in Melilla in peace. We
had synagogues, kosher butchers, and Jewish schools,”
Chaim explained. “But over the past 12 years, something
A Fellowship staff member named Debbie has been
assigned to assist Chaim and 40 other olim from Spanishspeaking countries – offering help with language classes,
job training, and housing assistance – but she has taken a
special interest in Chaim due to his special needs.
“Chaim is a very sweet young man who wants nothing
more than to find a wife and live in Jerusalem,” Debbie
explained. Chaim is taking Hebrew classes through The
Fellowship, and Debbie visits Chaim at least once a week.
Chaim is eligible to receive disability, but Israeli
bureaucracy is extremely difficult to deal with for native
Israelis, much less for someone who doesn’t speak
Hebrew or know what rights he is entitled to. Without The
Fellowship’s assistance, Chaim would likely never receive
the aid for which he is eligible.
The Fellowship’s goal is to see to it that each immigrant
we bring to Israel succeeds in becoming a productive
member of Israeli society. In Chaim’s case, our staff is
helping him get his professional license to work as an
accountant in Israel.
Chaim has a long road ahead of him, but with The
Fellowship by his side, he feels confident – just like his
fellow new olim from Turkey. Shaking my hand and
speaking in Spanish, Chaim blessed The Fellowship and
extended a very warm message of gratitude to our donors.
This overflowing gratitude was a constant with all the
new olim I met. Rivkah also shook my hand and said,
“With The Fellowship helping us along the way, I believe
with all my heart that we will find our place here in Israel.
God bless The Fellowship!” n
Learn more about The Fellowship’s
On Wings of Eagles program and
how you can provide aliyah
(immigration to Israel) and klitah (resettlement)
assistance to Jews around the world at ifcj.org/GiveWings.
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photo: FJC
BOXES
of
HOPE
At Passover, The Fellowship delivers special foods – and
renewed faith – to needy Jews in the former Soviet Union
photo: IFCJ
photo: FJC
photo: FJC
P
assover is one of the most important
holidays for the Jewish people. During
this time, they celebrate the biblical
story of God using Moses to free the
Israelites from slavery and suffering under
Pharaoh, and starting their journey to reclaim
the Promised Land.
In biblical times, families would traditionally
prepare a Passover lamb and unleavened bread,
or matzah, to remember this special event.
Today, Jews continue to celebrate Passover by
preparing these special biblical foods – at least
those who can afford it.
Most importantly, during the Passover meal,
Jews remember God’s love for His people and
know that God will always rescue those who
are oppressed. It is this message that inspires
The Fellowship to provide special holiday food
boxes to needy Jews who cannot afford the
traditional Passover food items.
This Passover, thousands of impoverished
Jews will receive food boxes filled with
healthy, kosher foods, providing muchneeded sustenance for the biblically outlined
celebration. Thanks to our wonderful Christian
and Jewish friends around the world, many
impoverished Jews living in the former Soviet
Union (FSU) will have the chance to celebrate
this holiday with joy.
Your generosity will allow so many
struggling Jews to feel blessed and hopeful
that there are caring friends around the world
who want to help them keep their faith alive.
Learn more about The Fellowship’s Isaiah 58 program
and how you can help provide winter assistance, food,
other essentials, and security assistance to needy Jews
in the FSU at ifcj.org/GiveIsaiah.
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E
ighty-four-year-old Betya lives alone. She never
married, never had children, and now has no
relatives nearby to turn to for support in her
final years.
Betya was born into a Jewish family in
Kherson, Ukraine, in 1930. Though her father worked
very hard to provide a good life for his four children, the
family was barely able to make ends meet. But despite their
poverty and hunger, the family was close-knit and happy.
Betya remembers well how they kept Jewish traditions
even though they had to conceal their actions from their
neighbors for their safety.
When World War II broke out, all of Betya’s relatives
were evacuated from Kherson. They moved from place
to place until finally settling in the city of Tashkent,
Uzbekistan, in the former Soviet Union, where they
lived until the end of the war. They then returned to their
hometown, where Betya completed high school and then
worked several jobs until her retirement in 1990.
Today, Betya suffers from a chronic stomach disorder,
heart disease, and hypertension, and she has undergone
12 different surgeries. Betya receives a monthly pension
of $110, but after she pays for her utilities and basic
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photo: JDC
Survivor:
“Without The Fellowship,
I Would Be Starving Again”
medications, she doesn’t have enough money to purchase
food, making the monthly food card she receives from
The Fellowship so vital.
“I often starved when I was a child in the war years
and the times of hunger after that. Now, without The
Fellowship, I would be starving again,” she says. In
addition to the monthly food card, she receives 25 hours
of homecare a week to alleviate her loneliness, as well as
medications that she cannot afford on her own.
For Passover, The Fellowship provided Betya with
a special food box, and she was overcome with joy
as she explained how this gift reminded her of her
childhood.
“As a child, very often the only type of food we had at
home was bread, but Pesach (Passover) was something
special. The four of us kids looked forward to Pesach very
much. We knew the dinner table would be covered with a
snow-white tablecloth and only-for-Pesach plates would
be there, and there would be so many yummy dishes!” she
exclaimed. “Now, this box of matzah from The Fellowship
is like a return to my childhood – life was hard, but our
parents were alive and we were all together and happy.
Thank you for letting me feel I am not alone in this world!”
T
eon’s mother works as a full-time
assistant in a local kindergarten.
When she returns home, she
spends her evenings sewing
and knitting, hoping to sell her
handmade items in order to increase her
meager income. Her husband abandoned
his family shortly after Leon was born.
He has provided no assistance and has no
desire to spend any time with his son.
“Where’s my daddy?” Leon, now 5,
often asks. He has never fully accepted
his father’s absence, and though he is
a kind and gentle boy, he is often very
upset. He is also physically weak and
requires special foods to grow stronger
and healthier, but they are extremely
expensive and impossible for his mother
to afford.
Last year, Leon and his mother
received a special food box for Passover
from The Fellowship. Leon was
extremely excited – in addition to getting
to enjoy special holiday food, he felt
like somebody does care about him and
wants to help him, after all! The food box
meant that even this needy family could
celebrate Passover properly, and they
were so thankful.
he joy that Natalia’s mother felt at her daughter’s birth
quickly turned into fear and worry. Shortly after her birth,
Natalia was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Her mother knew
that Natalia would need extra support and she worried she
wouldn’t be able to provide her with proper care.
Natalia’s mother has done the best she could, and she has taught
her daughter to enjoy life. Natalia has a positive attitude, and she
writes poetry, loves to chat, and keeps herself busy. She would love
to spend more time outside of her home, but she needs her mother’s
assistance to leave their tiny apartment. They live on the fifth floor
of an old building that has no elevator, and her mother is no longer
strong enough to help her up and down the stairs regularly.
Though Natalia’s mother is incredibly loving, it’s hard for her to
care for Natalia alone. She can only dedicate a limited amount of time
to her sick daughter, as she must work to support their family. She is
in great need of the assistance The Fellowship provides them.
Last year, Natalia and her mother were provided with kosher food
supplies for Passover that enabled them to enjoy the Passover meal in
the comfort of their home. Without this help, they would have been
unable to celebrate the holiday at all. They are so thankful for this
thoughtful, personal care! n
Special Foods, Special Needs,
Special Provision
photo: FJC
L
photo: FJC
A Tangible Reminder
That Someone Cares
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11
Wounded IDF Medic:
“I owe
IFCJ so
much!”
Staff Sergeant Yaniv recuperating in the hospital and being visited by his
parents and The Fellowship’s Linor Elkayam
photo: Amos Ben Gershom/GPO/ASHERNET
photo: Yonatan Sindel/Flash90
After being seriously
injured in a terror
attack, an Israeli
army medic found
The Fellowship there
to help at every turn
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“They told me I was hit straight on by the
terrorist’s car,” says Staff Sergeant Yaniv,
company medic for the Fellowship-adopted
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Shimshom
Battalion.
photo: IFCJ
I
n the middle of the wave of terror that gripped Israel
last fall, Yaniv was on his way back to his base in the
West Bank one day when his vehicle was attacked. He
had been talking with the company driver, when suddenly
their vehicle was hit from behind.
“After that I only remember a few things here and
there,” Yaniv says. “At the beginning I was conscious.
The other company medic came and tied a tourniquet
above my knee because the main artery had been
punctured.”
Yaniv was rushed to Fellowship-supported Sha’are
Zedek Medical Center, where he slipped in and out
of consciousness. “I remember that they immediately
brought me to have a PET-CT scan to determine the
extent of my injuries. I lost consciousness in the middle
of the procedure and was rushed into surgery.”
A Mother’s Intuition – and Love
“It’s strange, but I felt something was wrong the day
Yaniv was injured,” his mother, Chana, says. “That
morning I even told Yaniv’s father that I was worried
about him.” That afternoon on the news, she saw a report
of a ramming attack and injured Israelis. When there’s a
terrorist attack against soldiers, the media uses the word
“Israelis” and not “citizens” until the victim’s family can
be informed. That’s the code in Israel for knowing who’s
injured – civilian or soldier.
Chana received a phone call that night, and when the
caller identified himself as the Injury Officer, she started
shouting and crying. Her husband took the phone and
took down the details, then they rushed to the hospital in
Jerusalem where Yaniv was being treated.
When they arrived, Yaniv was already in the operating
room, and they waited for several hours until the doctors
were finished. When they saw him in the ICU, he was
hooked up to a respirator. He stayed that way for two
days. “How is a mother who worries about her son
supposed to handle it?” Chana asks.
Serious Injuries
Yaniv lost a lot of blood and was given more than five
units in transfusions. Upon assessing his injuries, doctors
realized he had multiple fractures in his right leg and that
the bones of his foot were shattered. One of the arteries in
his left leg had also been cut.
During the first operation, the artery was surgically
reconnected. During the second operation, surgeons
performed a skin graft on the areas of his leg that had
been ripped apart. During the third operation, they
inserted screws to connect the ligaments to the bones
that were broken.
Yaniv still needs one more operation to transplant
nerves that he needs to be able to move and walk on his
leg. And, hopefully, this will restore the feeling in his leg.
“My lower leg is actually disconnected from the knee; I
can’t straighten it,” Yaniv explains. “I have a minimum
of another year of rehabilitation in front of me.” For a
young, active soldier, that’s an eternity.
In March, Yaniv had planned to celebrate his IDF
discharge by taking a trip to Holland with members of his
platoon. They had already started saving money for the
trip, but after the attack it was clear Yaniv wouldn’t be
13
able to make it. Some other members of the platoon
were also injured in various terrorist attacks. “I was
injured in a ramming attack. Others were injured by
shooting attacks. In the end we’ll all recuperate and
continue our lives here in Israel!” Yaniv says with
faith and confidence.
Personal and Practical
Support
During Yaniv’s initial treatment, his mother took
12 days off work without pay and spent a lot of
money for food and other necessities so she could be
by her son’s side the entire time he was in the hospital.
As we did for many terror attack victims, The
Fellowship gave Yaniv and his family a check for
$1,000 to help with expenses related to his injuries.
Fellowship staff member Linor Elkayam delivered
it in person, offering personal reassurances that
Christians and Jews around the world stand with
Israel and were praying for Yaniv’s recovery.
“I just want to thank Rabbi Eckstein and IFCJ’s
donors for this gift and everything you do to support
Israel,” Chana says.
“I owe IFCJ so much; it’s almost hard to believe,”
Yaniv says. “First, IFCJ adopted my battalion. You
donated the PET-CT machine at Sha’are Zedek
Medical Center. It’s thanks to that machine that the
doctors were able to operate on me as accurately as
necessary. You gave my family a grant. I really don’t
know how to thank you enough. This is all so moving
and special. Thank you so much!” n
The Fellowship began
“adopting” Israel Defense
Forces (IDF) combat battalions
in 2011, providing the soldiers
at these bases with activities,
holiday celebrations, and
recreational supplies, as well
as discretionary funds for
commanders to help lone soldiers (those with no family in the country) or soldiers
with needy families.
Most IDF soldiers are paid a monthly stipend of roughly $230, a fraction of what they
would make at even a minimum-wage job. By investing in these soldiers’ morale,
The Fellowship is helping to create a stronger Israeli military.
Guardians
of Israel
®
14
Learn more about The Fellowship’s Guardians of Israel
program and how you can help provide needy Israelis
with vital assistance at ifcj.org/GiveGuardians.
photo: Oren Nahshon
What Does It Mean to
Adopt a Battalion?
photo: JDC/Vladimir Shraga
Join The Fellowship in Helping Needy
Jewish People Celebrate Passover
photo: Daniel Bar On
With Passover around the corner, The Fellowship is working
quickly to provide thousands of needy Jewish people with warm
clothing and the kosher foods needed to make this important
holy day special.
Last year thanks to friends like you, over 300,000 needy Jews
were able to celebrate Passover! Let’s reach even more in 2016!
Please prayerfully consider rushing a gift of $25 or any amount
you can contribute to this ministry. Some of those in need are
Holocaust survivors who are hoping they can welcome the
meaningful days of Passover with a spirit of celebration and
dignity instead of hunger and loneliness.
Send your gift using the enclosed reply envelope, or call
800-249-9003. Thank you!
15
PA S S OV E R– A celebration
In this excerpt from his book,
Rabbi Eckstein explains the significance
and lasting lessons of Passover.
For 3,000 years, Passover has endured as the most celebrated and widely observed holiday on the
Jewish calendar. From the time God ordained that His people commemorate their exodus from
slavery in Egypt with this yearly observance, Jews have faithfully followed the rituals and liturgy
that are a hallmark of this holiday. In most recent years, Christians, too, have been rediscovering
the rich meaning and beauty in this ancient observance.
photo: Philip Bird, Shutterstock
In his book Passover – Your Inspirational Guide, Rabbi Eckstein offers a deeper explanation of
this celebration and leads the reader through a traditional seder (the ceremonial meal of Passover)
with insightful commentary on the lessons and themes interwoven into this timeless story.
The following excerpt from his book offers a foundational understanding of this important holiday.
Famed musician and teacher
Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach shared
the following story about the last
Passover in the Warsaw Ghetto during
the darkest days of the Holocaust in
1943. Only one Jewish family with
one child, Moishele, remained in
the ghetto. According to custom, the
child asked his father the traditional
Four Questions on Passover night.
When Moishele finished asking the
questions, he said, “Father, I have a
question of my own.”
“Go ahead and ask, my son,” the
father replied.
The boy began, “Father, will you
be alive next year to answer my
questions?” He continued, “Will
16
I be alive next year to ask you the
questions?” Then, “Will there be any
Jewish child left in the whole world
next year to ask the Four Questions
on Passover night?”
The father was heartbroken, but
with great faith, he answered, “The
truth is, my dear child, I don’t know.
I don’t know if I will be alive next
year, and I don’t know if you will
be alive next year. But I do know
that there will always be one child
somewhere in the world who will
ask the Four Questions on Passover
night. For the Lord our God has
promised it.”
And so it has been over the past
3,000 years. Passover has endured
as the most celebrated and widely
observed holiday in the Jewish
tradition. Despite centuries of
Children in the
Warsaw Ghetto.
photo: Wikimedia
A LASTING
ORDINANCE
persecution and exile, the seder
night has remained sacred for the
Jewish people. Even during the
bleakest chapter in Jewish history,
of God’s deliverance
Ghetto Heroes Monument commemorating the 1943 Warsaw Ghetto Uprising in Warsaw, Poland.
world, traditions may vary, but the
importance of this night remains
the same.
Today, the overwhelming majority
of Jews attend a Passover seder meal,
even if it is the only Jewish practice
that they observe all year. And
photo: Wikimedia
the Holocaust, countless stories are
told of Jews in Nazi death camps
who struggled to commemorate
the Passover in some small way,
even as their observance risked
certain death. In the most far-ﬂung
Jewish communities around the
recently, many Christians have begun
participating in this time-honored
tradition, as they, too, reafﬁrm the
shared values and beliefs that are
recounted on seder night.
REMEMBERING
GOD’S
DELIVERANCE
Why is this holiday, of all holidays,
so sacred?
The answer is because Passover
commemorates the seminal event
in Jewish history. The story of the
Exodus, around which the holiday is
focused, recalls the birth of the Jewish
nation, Israel. In addition, from the
lessons learned and themes woven into
this timeless story are drawn the most
Religious services at Buchenwald, Germany, in 1945.
Spring
Spring
2016
2016
| The
| The
Journey
Journey
Magazine
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IFCJ_Journey_April2016_FINAL_pages.indd 17
3/7/16 10:59 AM
DAILY
OBSERVANCES
If that were not enough, we are
also commanded to remember the
Exodus story every day: “All the
days of your life you may remember
the time of your departure from
Egypt” (Deuteronomy 16:3). Jews
fulfill this biblical injunction through
various daily practices such as
donning a tallit, a prayer shawl with
tassels described by Scripture: “You
are to make tassels on the corners of
18
photo: Jack Hazut
basic and fundamental principles
found in Judaism.
The suffering of the children of
Israel and their deliverance from
slavery reaffirms our faith that the
Lord our God cares about His people,
that He hears our prayers, and most
importantly, that He intervenes in
human history in order to bring about
salvation so that we may serve and
worship Him.
These core values – faith, prayer,
deliverance, freedom, and service to
God – are so foundational that God
commanded us to commemorate
Passover every year for seven days
(outside of Israel, eight). Once a
year, we devote an entire week to
recalling the events of the Exodus
and internalizing their messages.
In addition, we remember the
Exodus every week on the Sabbath.
Scripture reads: “Remember that
you were slaves in Egypt and that
the LORD your God brought you
out of there with a mighty hand and
an outstretched arm. Therefore the
LORD your God has commanded
you to observe the Sabbath day”
(Deuteronomy 5:15). As we rest
and serve God on the Sabbath every
week, we are reminded that we can
only do so because we are free. God’s
salvation and deliverance are gifts
that we honor weekly.
A Jewish man in tefillin and tallit prays at the Western Wall in Jerusalem.
your garments” (Numbers 15:38).
The tallit is a reminder of God’s
salvation: “Then you will remember
to obey all my commands. . . . I am the
LORD your God, who brought you out
of Egypt” (Numbers 15:40–41).
Additionally, both the section in
the book of Exodus that commands
us to remember the Exodus story
and the portion that directs us
to tell the story to our children
constitute two of four biblical texts
placed in the two boxes of tefillin,
or phylacteries, which are worn
on observant Jews’ heads during
worship.
The story of the Exodus also
features prominently in the daily
prayer service; the entire Song of the
Sea, which celebrates the Israelites’
miraculous deliverance from the
Egyptian army (Exodus 15:1–18),
is included in morning prayers.
The Exodus also is a focal point in
Judaism’s two most sacred prayers
– the shema and the Amidah, which
are recited several times each day. In
addition, the Exodus story is the basis
for many social biblical directives
such as giving charity to the poor and
taking care of the convert, the widow,
and the orphan.
The story of the Exodus is the
rock upon which Judaism stands.
If Judaism serves as the root of
Christianity, then it is the Exodus
and Passover that nourish the roots
of us all. n
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An inspirational guide to the traditions
of Passover from Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein
See how Passover and the Exodus nourish the roots of us all!
W
hy is Passover so important to the Jewish faith? What is the seder, and how is it observed? What
can Christians learn from this biblically mandated observance? Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein answers
these and many other meaningful questions about Pesach, the Passover, in his informative book titled
Passover – Your Inspirational Guide.
In this beautiful four-color hardback book, Rabbi Eckstein explains the significance of the Exodus
to the Jewish faith, describes the rich traditions of the seder, and guides us through a traditional seder
meal with commentary for Christians to better understand the biblical foundations of this observance.
Go to ifcj.org/TasteOfPassover to download your free booklet,
A Taste of Passover: Recipes and Teachings for Pesach
To order your book, visit us online or call toll free: ifcj.org/webstore • 800-486-8844
19
A Time-Honored
Connection to God
photos: Olivier Fitoussi
Watching my son perform an ancient rite
of passage, I felt a fresh bond with God
and His people
BY YONIT ROTHCHILD, a senior writer with The Fellowship who lives in Israel
T
hirty days before my oldest son’s bar mitzvah
marked the day of another celebration – the day that
my son would put on tefillin for the very first time,
and for the rest of his life.
We chose to celebrate this momentous occasion at the
Western Wall, the holiest site accessible to the Jewish
people today and the closest we can get to where the
Holy Temple once stood. This is the same place that King
Solomon, during the dedication of the Temple, asked to be
consecrated for prayer for all time.
As tefillin are traditionally worn during prayer times – and
because they represent our connection with God – there
could be no better place for my son to put on his newly
minted tefillin for the first time.
A Holy Home
As we walked down the alleyways of Jerusalem’s Old
City, it occurred to me how these ancient cobblestone
20
pathways are so familiar to my children, ages 4, 8,
11, and 12. To me, seeing the Western Wall for the
first time as a tourist at age 14 was both a wondrous
and unfamiliar moment. For my grandparents, both
Holocaust survivors, it was a site they never even
imagined they would see – but, thank God, they did.
For their parents, it remained a 2,000-year-old dream.
But for my children, this ancient city is home.
As we entered the area for prayer at the Western Wall,
I watched as my husband taught my son a tradition that
has been handed down through the centuries. I watched
how my grown boy became another link in a chain of
faithful Jews that spans millennia. My husband taught
him the ancient practice of placing and wrapping tefillin,
first on the bicep of the arm, then on the head, and finally
on the hand ending with three rings around the finger as
the words from Hosea 2:19 are spoken: “I will betroth
you to me forever . . . .”
As a young man now mature enough to do so, my son
was committing himself to the God of Israel forever.
A Lasting Promise
As I beamed with pride and awe, I also pondered the
miracle of it all – how, in
spite of the odds, including
a Holocaust that nearly
decimated the Jewish
race, our family was at the
Western Wall on this very
day to mark this occasion.
I remembered the story of
when my grandfather was
taken from his home along
with his two brothers by the
Nazis. His father made him promise two things: first, that
he would continue to pray three times a day, and second,
that he would watch over his brothers.
Prayer in Hebrew is tefillah, and one of the two boxes
of tefillin is also called a tefillah. This is because both
tefillin and prayer connect us to God. I resolved to ask my
son to carry out his great-great-grandfather’s last wish
and to make every effort to pray and put on tefillin every
day of his life. I would also ask my son to fulfill the call
to “watch over his brothers,” except now, as a Jew living
in Israel, his task would be not only to watch over his
biological brothers and sister, but also his brothers and
sisters in Israel.
As I watched my husband and my son, emotions swept
What Is
Tefillin?
Tefillin means “that which is bound.” When
a man puts on tefillin, he literally binds two
boxes and multiple straps to his very being in
obedience to Deuteronomy 6:8, in which Jews
are commanded, “Tie them [the commandments]
over me as I realized that in a few short years, my son
would once again stand in this very spot at the Western
Wall to be sworn into the Israel Defense Forces. At that
time, I will tell my son that our job as Jews is to watch
over all people – to help the poor, the needy, the hurt,
and the hungry no matter who they may be or what they
believe. Today, my son began
his path of deeper connection to
God and also a deeper sense of
commitment to humanity.
Bound Together
I left my thoughts and came
back to the image of my son, now
wrapped in his tefillin. He was
fully initiated into this ancient
rite of passage. Surrounding me in the women’s area of
the Western Wall were Jewish women of all nationalities –
Portuguese, Israeli, and French. Some were marking
the bar mitzvahs of their sons; others had simply come
to pray. I felt part of a great family when all these women
whom I had never met and could hardly communicate
with wished me mazel tov and congratulations.
Just as we Jews share in suffering together, we also
share in each other’s joy. Even as strangers, we are part
of one large family with a shared history and one destiny.
I was overwhelmed as I recognized that when my son
tied the leather straps of his tefillin connecting him to
God, he was also binding himself to our past, our people,
and our future. n
as symbols on your hands and bind them on your
foreheads.” This is just one of several commands
in the Bible to wear tefillin.
Inside the boxes are parchments on which
four fundamental sections from the Torah are
inscribed: one refers to the Exodus from Egypt
(Exodus 13:1-10), one is the requirement to teach
our children (Exodus 13:11-16), one affirms the
unity of God (Deuteronomy 6:4-9), and the fourth
declares the importance of upholding God’s Word
(Deuteronomy 11:13-21). When we bind these
Scriptures to our bodies, we are literally binding
ourselves to God and His will.
The head tefillin binds our soul and mind to
God. The hand and arm tefillin bind our hearts
and our actions together. When we put on tefillin,
we align our mind, heart, body, and soul with the
will of God.
21
Biblical Teaching from the Rabbi
BY RABBI YECHIEL ECKSTEIN
photo: Ziv Koren
The Inestimable
Our shared command – and
“Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will
reward them for what they have done.”
Proverbs 19:17
M
any people use their
hard-earned funds to
give to charity. Religious
institutions and philanthropic
organizations often depend on
this generosity to stay solvent. In
the U.S. there’s even a National
Philanthropy Day to highlight the
importance of supporting those
less fortunate than ourselves, and
institutions – such as IFCJ – that
work to see that the hungry are
fed, the naked are clothed, and the
homeless are given shelter.
For both Jews and Christians,
the giving of charity isn’t just a
tradition – it’s a biblical mandate.
Scripture contains numerous
verses about caring for the poor
and giving to those in need. One
passage that has guided us at IFCJ
22
through the years is Deuteronomy
15:7-8, “If anyone is poor among
your fellow Israelites in any of
the towns of the land the LORD
your God is giving you, do not be
hardhearted or tightfisted toward
them. Rather, be openhanded
and freely lend them whatever
they need.”
As Jews and Christians we share
these commands, and we share the
challenge of obeying them. It’s
important to pause occasionally to
ask ourselves what our motivation
is for giving to charity. Do we, for
instance, engage in acts of charity
with a glad heart, grateful at the
opportunity to help someone less
fortunate? Or is it with a grudging
heart – giving that comes only out
of a sense of duty or obligation?
If we’re honest, most of us would
admit that it depends on the
circumstances.
The Highest Form
of Charity
In Judaism, we distinguish
between eight levels of charity
that are based on our attitude
toward giving. For example, at
the lowest level of charity is one
who gives, but gives grudgingly.
The next level is one who doesn’t
give enough, but does so gladly.
Next is the person who gives to the
poor after being asked, followed
by someone who gives to the
poor before being asked. Other
levels of charity have to do with
whether the recipient knows his
or her benefactor, or whether the
Value of Charity
blessing – of giving to those in need.
benefactor knows the recipient.
The highest form of charity
in the Jewish tradition is giving
someone the means to support
himself; as the old saying goes,
“Give a man a fish and you feed
him for a day; teach a man to fish
and you feed him for a lifetime.”
This could mean giving someone a
loan or entering into a partnership
with that person, or finding that
person employment, or providing
him with job training or education
– equipping him to take care of
himself and his family.
This is the type of charity that
IFCJ has been able to provide
for many needy Jews in Israel
and around the world through the
generosity of our supporters. I
know personally, from the letters
and phone calls we receive from
our donors, that their giving
is done both sacrificially and
lovingly. It is, indeed, the highest
form of charity. We are grateful
for this generosity and the good it
enables us to do – and I feel certain
that this lifesaving generosity is
pleasing to God.
Gladness of Heart
Because we so highly value this
biblical obedience and sacrificial
giving, we do our utmost to use
responsibly the funds given to
us. We rely on this generosity to
make a lifesaving difference for
thousands of needy Jews in Israel,
the former Soviet Union, and
around the world – and truly, over
the course of IFCJ’s nearly 35-year
existence, this generosity has
made a difference in literally
millions of lives.
As Moses reminded the people
of Israel, and as Jesus taught the
disciples, the poor will always be
with us. It is up to each one of us
to decide how we will respond. As
God’s Word commands us, we are
to be openhanded when it comes
to the less fortunate, give what we
can to provide for their needs, and
do so with gladness of heart.
My friends, may we all continue
this historic partnership between
Jews and Christians that has
resulted in so much good for needy
Jewish people all over the globe.
And may we also know the joy of
engaging in the highest form of
charity – the joy that comes when
we help our brothers and sisters
in need to stand on their own two
feet, and when we give with an
open, joyful heart. ■
Receive a biblical teaching
from Rabbi Eckstein every
Sunday through Friday
when you sign up for
our free Holy Land
Moments devotionals at
HolyLandMoments.org.
23
Activities for Children
The TEN Plagues
The amazing way God freed His people at Passover
T
he Jewish holiday of Passover celebrates
a very special story from the Bible. That story
is the Exodus of the Jewish people!
The word “exodus” means to leave someplace.
And that is just what the Jewish people did during
the Exodus. They left Egypt in order to go to the
Promised Land God had given them.
For many years, the Jewish people had been the
slaves of the Egyptian king, or Pharaoh. Their leader,
24
24
Moses, then worked to set his people free. But before
Pharaoh let the Jewish people go, God had to do a lot
to change the wicked Egyptian ruler’s mind.
Do you know how God changed Pharaoh’s mind?
He did it by sending 10 plagues. These disasters were
so bad for the people of Egypt that Pharaoh finally
had to admit that God was powerful and that His
people should be set free. Let’s take a look at the
10 things God did.
1. Turning water into blood
2. Frogs
God told Moses to dip his staff into the Nile. When
Moses did so, all of the water in the river turned to
blood! Because of this, all of the fish in the river
died, which made Egypt smell awful. But when
Pharaoh’s wicked magicians showed that they could
turn water into blood, too, Pharaoh decided he
didn’t have to listen to God. Instead of letting the
Israelites go, he doubled their work!
Some of you might like frogs.
They’re hoppy and green. But imagine
if everywhere you looked was covered by the
jumpy amphibians. That’s what happened to Egypt.
God had Moses’ brother, Aaron, stretch out his
staff, and thousands of frogs came hopping out
of the water. Frogs, frogs everywhere! But even
when God got rid of all those frogs, Pharaoh still
wouldn’t listen to Him.
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3. Lice
The third plague God sent was a plague of little insects.
These lice were a cloud of billions and billions of tiny
bugs that got into everything and made everyone in
Egypt itch. But again, this plague wasn’t enough to
make Pharaoh listen to God.
4. Flies
The fourth plague was also a swarm of insects. But
these bugs were bigger than the tiny lice – they were
flies! Countless flies swarmed everywhere – into
people’s houses, into their hair, into their food. To prove
that He was powerful, God only sent the flies to bug the
Egyptians – none of the flies bothered the Israelites. But
Pharaoh still wouldn’t let them go.
5. Sick animals
Again, God sent the fifth plague so that it would only
affect the Egyptians. This plague was a sickness that
harmed the Egyptian animals. Their horses, donkeys,
camels, cows, sheep, and even cats were gone. But the
Israelites’ animals didn’t get sick. And again, Pharaoh
said no, he would not set the Jewish people free.
6. Boils
The sixth plague didn’t just affect the Egyptians’
animals – it was a condition that spread to the Egyptian
people, too. God commanded Moses and Aaron to take
handfuls of ash and throw them to the sky. This caused
all Egyptians and their animals to be covered in boils,
which are gross, itchy sores. These sores even infected
Pharaoh and his evil magicians – but still he didn’t let
the Jewish people go.
7. Thunder, hail, and fire
God told Moses to lift his staff – much like he would
do later at the Red Sea. But this time, Moses’ staff
(by God’s power) brought a terrible thunderstorm to
Egypt. From the sky came hail and fire that harmed
not only the Egyptians’ crops and animals, but
the people and their homes. No harm came to the
Israelites, though. At first Pharaoh decided to let them
go, but at the last minute, he changed his mind!
8. Locusts
Before the eighth plague, Pharaoh sort of gave in. He said
he would let the
men go.
But he
would
keep
JoeIsraelite
and Todd Lowrie
and Melba
Spurgin
by Mr.still
and Mrs.
Jeffrey Lowrie
and Mrs. Piula
Luavasa
(parents)
by Piula Luavasa
the women andMr.children
as his
slaves.
Of course
this wasn’t
Dr. Norbert
Marcelle
(husband)
by Beatrice
Marcelle
what God wanted,
so HeS.sent
a cloud
of big
flyingL.bugs
called
Thomas O. McPherson by Mrs. Carolyn McPherson
locusts which ate
every last plant and tree that Egypt had
Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Duperroir, Sr. by Ms. Shirley Vanderbilt
left. And of course,
still
wouldn’t
PatriciaPharaoh
Ann Trigg by
Mr. Robert
Trigg change his mind.
Daniel Wayne Close by Mr. and Mrs. Richard Wright
John W. Clark, Jr. by Mr. and Mrs. Gregory Smith
John W. Clark, Jr. by Mr. and Mrs. John Clark
Leo P. Lamoureux by Mrs. Jean Lamoureux
Malcolm Rosen by Mr. and Mrs. Steven Rosen
9. Darkness
To bring the ninth plague, Moses lifted his hands to the
heavens. When he did, God brought darkness over Egypt.
But this wasn’t just darkness like you see (or don’t!) at
night. This darkness was so dark and so complete that the
Bible tells us you could feel it. This plague was God’s
attack on the Egyptians’ false god of the sun, Ra. And with
this darkness, God proved that He was the most powerful!
10. Death of the firstborn
Before the tenth plague, the Israelites were told to mark
lamb’s blood above their doors. Why did God tell them to
do that? Well, the Angel of Death passed over Egypt, taking
every family’s firstborn child. But in any home that had this
blood over its door, the Angel of Death passed by. With this
most horrible plague, Pharaoh finally realized God’s power
and let God’s people go.
Of course we know how this story ends – with Pharaoh again
changing his mind and chasing after the Israelites, before
being crushed beneath the waves of the Red Sea, which God
had miraculously parted.
If only Pharaoh had listened to Moses and believed in God
and His miraculous power, these horrible plagues might not
have been needed. But they were, and they began the Jewish
people’s incredible journey to the land God promised them.
Spring
2016| |The
TheJourney
JourneyMagazine
Magazine
Spring
2016
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25
Memorials and Tributes | WE REMEMBER AND HONOR OUR OWN
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gifts are perfect for birthdays, graduations,
weddings, holiday gifts, remembrances, and
anytime you want to show someone special
you care about them.
GIFTS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED IN HONOR OF:
Jim Tuey and Family by Lin M. Tuey
Joseph Glasser by Sheridan Vernon
Austin Schafer (grandson)
by Garry and Ara (GG and Papa) Gatling
Alice Allyn by Mrs. Pamela Holdeman
My Father by Curt Abfalter
Dr. William Brelsford by Mrs. Sylvia Bolton
The Chavis Family by Brandolyn Chavis
Bernard Sternberg, Morris Perla, and Charles Newman
by Doniver C. Cole
Dr. Nina J. Pearlmutter, M.D. by Ms. Janice Gach
Carolyn Hale (wife) and Raymond Shrader (grandson)
by Mr. and Mrs. Donald Hale
Douglas Welikala by Emile and Jacintha Halpe
Stan and Barbara Smith by Mr. Lowell Kilker
Jose Luna by Cesar Luna
Shelley Starman-Onsrud by Mission Study Group
of First Baptist Church
Emma Moen (mother) and Maria Bushina (mother-inlaw) by Charles D. Moen
Gabrie McCullers by Ms. Orlie Norton
Mary and Sam Palermo by Mr. and Mrs. Jay Page
Brooke Raider (birthday) by Ms. Theresa Pisano
Gigi and Hiram Pramuk (grandchildren and birthdays)
Mr. and Mrs. Walter Armstrong by Walter Blankenship
Stanley Morgan (artist) by Clifton Bolinger
Todd D. Burt (son) by Barbara Burt
Freda G. Madrigal by Samantha Combe
Dr. Jordan T. Young by George Duvall
Fay Diamond (friend) by Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Errichetto
Ryan Fagan by Signe Fagan
Meryl Rubin by Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Moringiello
Great Grandchildren by Betty Norris
Daughter’s Birthday by Quint Penick
Elizabeth Rice (mother) by Elizabeth Rice
Claire F. Ehrlich (mother) by Ms. Michelle Williams
GIFTS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED IN MEMORY OF:
Mr. Glen Helton by Ransom Methodist Church
Frank Millhauser by June A. Reed
John McBride by Irene Richard
Rochelle Roby Frymire by Janice and Paul Roby
Dr. Rosenblum by Timothy Rule
Leo and Claudia Bergeron by Lyla and Marybeth Rutledge
Margaret Russel by David Sabih
Theresa Scherer, and Scherer and Stangl Family
by Mr. and Mrs. Ray Scherer
Elizabeth and Kyle Wood (aunt and uncle)
by Norma Sellers
Frank M. Sloan (husband) by Suzanne Sloan and Family
Faye E. Smith by Rev. Allen Smith
Amanda Ruby Castillo by Gicelle Souza
Meta Wahl (aunt) by Martha Stiles
Willard and Mildred Mitchell and Ester Suddath
by Mrs. Willie Suddath
Diane Schoening Simcock by Marilyn Thieme
My Brother by Helen Tumanda
Elizabeth Jaramillo and Daniel J. Montoya
by Gloria G. Valenzuele
Anna Louise Davis by Robert Veno
Maryasya Radina by Tatyana Vorobeychik
Opal (mother) by Barbara Walker
Alex Uwe Beuscher (grandson) by Linda Warfford
Marjorie T. Smith by Billy and Sue Weaver
Cleland and Ellen Weber, Mark Weber, and
Alquan Altereek Garner-Williams by Joann Williams
William G. Willis by Treva Willis
William T. Chester by Barbara Wilson
Bruce Wilson (brother) by Sharon Wilson
Cameron and Virginia Chandler (parents)
by Arlene Chandler Woodfin
Koby Mandell (son of Seth and Sheri Mandell)
by George and Lila Woodley
Bessie Bruce by Sherry M. Yocom
Jim Fugua (father-in-law) by Kathy Aiken
Colette Allred by Patrick Allred
Jane and Davod Aloysius and Flory and Muhino
Almeida by Louis and Agnes Aloysius
Mother by Timothy L. Austin
Marylynn R. Carroll (girlfriend) by Darryl Bain
Mary Jo by Kim Bauerle
Bert Rockfield by Gloria Benford
Joann by Ralph Boudin
Connie Martin by Mr. and Mrs. David Canepa
Jose C. Carrasco by Ruben Carrasco
Margaret Tuell (mother) by Cheryl Delarge
Jeanie by Elwood Dubois
Michael A. Duran by Fabricio Duran
David R. Hoffman (father) by Victoria Einem
Larry and Lorraine Killen by Mark Emerson
Mattie Spears by Don and Darlene Estridge
James Fields by Linda Fields
Helen Garcia (wife) by Arthur Garcia
Paul Keller by Dan and Jennifer Gilbert
Prof. Howard Green by Alfred Goldberg
Daniel Chic Parnes by Alice Grimaldi
Barbara Lund by Anna Hale
Chevy Wright (daughter) by Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Harshman
Mary Hudson by Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Hudson
Leonie Joseph (mother) by Gislaine Joseph
Linda G. Yeager by Larry Keefer
Ruth Keen (mother) by Russell Keen
Tillman Cuttino by Bettie Klapthor
Matus Shmulenson by Yulana Kostovetsky
Polina Kochubeyevskaya and Yefim Kozhebrodskiy
(parents) by Vyacheslav Kozhebrodskiy
Helen K. Reger by Marjorie Lahm
Sylviah Kupers by Dr. B.J. Landis
MORE NAMES IN NEXT ISSUE
Shane by Linda Lewis
by Mr. and Mrs. William Pramuk
Ruth L. Lucas by Dennis Weber
Prime Minister Netanyahu by Vicki Pruett
Ben and Minnie Epstein by Annette Wenowsky
Bruce and Matthew Landry by Debra Tanner
Elliott J. Wiener by Margot T. Wiener
James Grissom (son) by Catherine Thomas-Grissom
Cut out or copy this Honor/Memorial form and send it with your gift to The Fellowship in the enclosed envelope.
!
Enclosed is my gift of $__________________________ to be used:
o In Honor of: ___________________________________________________________________________________________
o In Memory of: __________________________________________________________________________________________
Send Gift Card to: _____________________________________________________ (No gift amount is mentioned on the card.)
Address __________________________________________________________________________________________________
City ___________________________________________________________ State ______________ Zip ___________________
From: Name _____________________________________________________________________________________________
Address _________________________________________________________________________________________________
City ___________________________________________________________ State ______________ Zip ___________________
DMX1604XCEXHM
o Please send a gift announcement, but do not indicate my name on the card.
•
26
30 North LaSalle Street • Suite 4300 • Chicago, IL 60602 • 800-249-9003 • ifcj.org
Charitable Gifts | Estate Planning
forever
— in Five Minutes or Less!
You can bless Israel and her people for generations
with one quick and easy step
Did you know there is a way to leave a legacy of your love for God’s chosen people in five
minutes or less? Would you believe you can reshape the future for Israel – forever – without hiring an
attorney, changing your will, or impacting your current financial situation? It won’t cost you anything today
… other than perhaps the cost of a postage stamp.
You make this happen by naming The Fellowship as the future beneficiary of an asset you own.
What type of asset qualifies?
• Checking account
• Life insurance policy
• Savings account
• Individual Retirement Account (IRA)
• Investment account
• 401(k) account
• Certificate of Deposit (CD)
• Brokerage account
How it works
You keep full ownership and control of the account or policy, but complete a beneficiary designation
form directing that the balance (or part of the balance) be given to The Fellowship as a charitable
gift after your lifetime. This type of plan is usually called transfer on death (“TOD”) or payable on
death (“POD”). You can call and ask your financial institution for the proper form, or in some cases
it can be obtained online from their website. It’s totally flexible – you can change your mind if future
circumstances arise. And as an added benefit, beneficiary designations avoid probate and estate taxes!
• When naming The Fellowship as beneficiary, please use this information:
International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (EIN# 36-3256096)
30 North LaSalle Street, Suite 4300, Chicago, IL 60602
Let us know!
If you’ve named The Fellowship as a future beneficiary, it’s important you let us know so we can say
“thank you” and learn how you want your gift to be used later, whether for Guardians of Israel,
Isaiah 58, On Wings of Eagles, or where most needed.
Contact our friendly Planned Giving representatives by phone at 888-588-4325,
by email at [email protected], or visit us at www.ifcj.org/pg.
As always, consult your personal advisor before making financial decisions.
27
A Surprising Recipe for Joy
HowThe Fellowship brought three women in need
together for meals – and so much more
Shahar and Judith show off their handiwork
T
hey were an unlikely trio.
Judith, an elderly woman who
lives alone, was involved in The
Fellowship’s With Dignity and
Fellowship program, which provides
Israel’s impoverished elderly
assistance with food, medicine,
and companionship.
Eden and Shahar, teen girls in
Hadera, Israel, were involved with the
Fellowship-supported organization
Acharai in the Community, which
helps needy youth from Israel’s poor
neighborhoods, developing towns,
boarding schools, and shelters who
chose to defer their mandatory service
in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) for
a year while they do volunteer work
in the community. The organization
promotes social involvement and
leadership skills, making these young
28
people better equipped for their
military service, and thus a successful
life in Israeli society.
All three women were on the
fringes of Israeli society, needing
some help with their day-to-day lives.
But when they found each other, they
cooked up something that fed not just
their bodies, but their souls as well.
The girls volunteered to regularly
visit Judith’s home, bringing muchneeded company to this sweet elderly
woman’s life. During the course of
their visits, Judith mentioned that she
had worked in the past as a Home
Economics teacher. The girls thought
that was wonderful.
They told Judith they didn’t know
how to cook and hesitantly asked if
she would teach them. Judith was
thrilled by the idea and decided to
start with traditional dishes for Jewish
photos: IFCJ
Eden and Judith in the kitchen
holidays. She also promised that she
would teach them how to prepare a
different dish each time they come
to visit.
“These girls bring joy into my
home and make me feel so special and
needed,” Judith says. “I’m teaching
them how to make lots of different
dishes and how to decorate and set the
table. I want to thank The Fellowship
for bringing them into my life. We all
look forward to these visits!” Their
coming together has proven to be an
unlikely recipe for joy. ■
photo: Phil Lewis
Snapshot of The Fellowship
NEW FRIENDS
While speaking at a church in Detroit the day before Martin Luther King, Jr.
Day earlier this year, Rabbi Eckstein made some new young friends. The
event, “Building Bridges Together – An Afternoon of Song and Inspiration,”
brought together the congregations of Adat Shalom Synagogue and
Russell Street Missionary Baptist Church for a celebration of Dr. King and
the historical and spiritual bonds between African Americans and Jews.
The gathering was part of The Fellowship’s growing African-American
Outreach program, working to restore the once-strong relationship
between these communities. These lovely girls were part of a children’s
choir that performed at the service, exemplifying the truth that when it
comes to unity and peace, often “a little child will lead them” (Isaiah 11:6).
Spring
Spring2016
2016 || The
TheJourney
JourneyMagazine
Magazine
29
29
Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, Founder and President
30 North LaSalle, Suite 4300 • Chicago, IL 60602
[email protected] • ifcj.org
!
E R ac h
F
OF r Pes
E
E fo
FR ipes
c
Re
An inspirational guide to the traditions
of Passover from Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein
See how Passover and the Exodus nourish the roots of us all!
W
$12.99
Reg. Retail $19.95
SAVE 35%
GP (Plus $3.25 shipping)
hy is Passover so important to the Jewish
faith? What is the seder, and how is it
observed? What can Christians learn from
this biblically mandated observance? Rabbi
Yechiel Eckstein answers these and many other
meaningful questions about Pesach, the Passover,
in his informative book titled Passover – Your
Inspirational Guide.
In this beautiful four-color hardback book,
Rabbi Eckstein explains the significance of the
Exodus to the Jewish faith, describes the rich
traditions of the seder, and guides us through
a traditional seder meal with commentary for
Christians to better understand the biblical
foundations of this observance.
As Rabbi Eckstein says, “The story of the
Exodus is the rock upon which Judaism stands.
If Judaism serves as the root of Christianity, then
it is Passover that nourishes the roots of us all.”
Go to ifcj.org/TasteOfPassover to download your free booklet, A Taste of Passover: Recipes and Teachings for Pesach
To order your book, visit us online or call toll free: ifcj.org/webstore • 800-486-8844

Welcoming the World`s Jews to Israel

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