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MaozIsrael
Founded by Ari & Shira Sorko-Ram
October 2006
Tishrei - Cheshvan 5766
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Since 1976
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The Nahums - A Family’s
Journey To Messiah
The Nahum Family at congregation tiferet yeshua:
Batya, Shimon, Shlomi, Miryam, Yossi (a relative who is
a new believer), Shua, Avraham, Malka, Olga, Ronen
By Aaron Allsbrook
I
n the late 1940’s, a young Sephardic Jewish couple
named Shua and Miryam Nahum packed up what
belongings they had and made aliyah (immigration to
Israel). Shua and Miryam were born in Tunisia, a small
North African country where Jews have lived for over 2,300
years. This was a difficult time for all who came in that great
wave of Sephardic Jewish immigration. When Israel became
a nation, the Muslim hatred turned on the Jews in their varioo
ous countries, and they had to escape, often with only the
clothes on their backs. When they arrived at the “nation that
was born in a day”- Israel, they faced a new language, a new
economy and a new way of life. They struggled to survive
financially, and as did most of the new immigrants, they
suffered extreme poverty. But they believed the God of their
fathers had brought them back to their ancient homeland.
They settled in a very poor town called Lod - about 12
miles east of Tel Aviv. They started a family, and over the
course of time they had four children - three boys and a girl:
Shimon, Shlomi, Avraham and Olga. The town of Lod was
not the best place to raise a family. It was a mixed communo
nity of Jews and Arabs - a wicked place of crime, prostituto
tion and drugs. Over time, this negative environment took
its toll on the children.
Growing Up in the Land of Lod
The second son, Shlomi, was the first to have difficulties.
Shimon and Avraham did well at school but Shlomi did not.
So they felt that he might be better off in a religious instituto
tion (yeshiva). While attending this school, he learned all
about Rabbinic Judaism and developed a great love for the
Word of God. However, when Shlomi suffered a physico
cally abusive experience with one of the school’s superiors,
he left the yeshiva and vowed never to return. This event
marked a terrible turning point in Shlomi’s life.
Around the age of 15, he began to take drugs, to cheat and
or truly happy. He began to wonder, “Why do I always
feel empty like this?” He asked questions, yet received no
answers. He tried pills and religious amulets. He prayed
from the siddur (Jewish prayer book), but there was still that
deep void. Shlomi was successful according to the world’s
standards, but he couldn’t earn, buy, or work hard enough
to find true peace; he felt himself a tortured soul. He was
simultaneously climbing up in the world and falling deeper
into depression.
THE ELDER SON DEPARTS TO A “FAR COUNTRY”
As with so many young people who leave home to search
out life - Shimon, the Nahum’s oldest son, left Israel for
Holland to “experience life.” He embraced a life of sin to the
fullest. Soon enough he ran out of money and was so poor
shimon, now a pastor in Jerusalem, gives the microphone
to his mother, Miryam, a soul on fire for her Lord. She is
articulate and passionate when she testifies of her faith
to steal. He craved money and power. However, he was never
content or happy; and he didn’t know why. By age 17, Shlomi
found himself in crisis. He told his mother that if he didn’t
leave Lod he would end up in prison. His mother decided
then and there that the family would move to Herziliya, a city
approximately 10 miles north of Tel Aviv.
In the new surroundings, Shlomi did change his life. He
became interested in more sophisticated ways to obtain power
and money. By the age of 21, he opened a hair-styling busino
ness that became very successful. He attracted well-known
customers - some even powerful people who influenced
Shlomi’s outlook on life. Shlomi said goodbye to his life of
nonsense and commenced on a journey to work and to make
money. And he did - he made lots of money, had lots of
friends and became a well-known hairdresser.
However, with all this success, he was still not content
that he couldn’t even buy food. His weight dropped from 185
lbs. to 95 lbs and he was desperate and near death from drugs
and malnutrition.
At that point of desolation, Shimon ran into a group of
believers in Holland who began to share with him about
Yeshua. He responded quickly in defense, “I am Jew. I
believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob - the God
of Israel. I don’t believe in Jesus, the god of the gentiles.”
But he could not fail to notice that these Jesus-followers
were not embracing the debauchery and sinfulness that had
brought him to such a desperate place. So he found himself
inquiring, “Who is this Jesus?” These Dutch believers came
to Shimon’s house and continued to share with him about
Yeshua. Before they left, someone prayed for Shimon and
told him, “Jesus will reveal Himself to you.”
Shimon thought nothing of it and went to bed. But then,
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the atmosphere around him started to change. Something
was happening and a voice inside him said, “You shall
never die.” Shocked and awed, Shimon somehow knew it
was God. Although he did not understand it all, he knew
that God was speaking to his heart. He blurted out, “Just
to let You know, I repent!” He still believed he was going
to die, but he wanted God to know that he truly did repent
before he died! He heard no response - but not for long.
A small voice inside him said in Hebrew, “Come to me!”
Shimon couldn’t believe it. “I’m hearing God speak to me
in Hebrew in Holland!” He reasoned, “But God, I’m such a
sinner!” But the voice of the Lord persisted, “Come exactly
as you are. I want you to return home to Israel. I want you
to go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel and tell them
about the Good News of the Kingdom.”
gregation regularly and helped with various jobs at the ministo
try center. However, his concern turned to his family and their
need to know the Messiah - especially his brother Shlomi.
Shlomi was going from bad to worse. His gambling was
out of control, and he often squandered tens of thousands of
shekels a night. He was depressed and drinking heavily. So
Shimon prayed. In fact, he prayed for ten years! Whenever
he visited Shlomi, he would leave a Bible open next to his
bed. When Shlomi would return home, he would read this
particular chapter, close the Bible and then pass out. During
this time, Shimon met his wife-to-be, Batya, at the congrego
gation. They were soon married and moved to Jerusalem.
Then there were seven years of no contact between Shimon
and Shlomi.
Shlomi grew angry because he felt his brother had
THE RETURN
Shimon had no idea what this spiritual experience meant;
he had never read Matthew 10:6-7, or any of the New
Testament for that matter. But now he was sure that God
was true, that he had encountered Him personally and that
he had received everlasting life from Him. So the wayward
son returned to the land of Israel and to his family. They
were perplexed and distraught that Shimon now believed in
Yeshua. But Shlomi, who was successful but unhappy, inviteo
ed Shimon to live with him; and he even opened a business
for Shimon. “After all,” he reasoned, “He is my brother!”
His parents, on the other hand, weren’t so inviting. They
couldn’t get past the disastrous reality of their son bringing
a belief in Yeshua home. His mother was in anguish and his
father pronounced him dead. His brother Avraham simply
said, “Leave me alone.” But Shimon would not be deterred
with his new faith.
Shimon asked the Lord, “Now, that I am home, what am
I to do?” His spirit urged him, “Go to the lost sheep of the
house of Israel and tell them about the Good News of the
Kingdom.” Shimon decided to go out to the desert to seek
the Lord - to Ein Gedi, the place near the Dead Sea where
David hid from Saul. Here Shimon waited on the Lord and
prayed. As he sat meditating, Shimon noticed two young
women walking nearby. Soon enough one of them looked
at him and began to head straight for him. She told him
bluntly, “God told me to talk to you.”
Shimon was ecstatic. He begged the girl to tell him why
the Lord had told her to speak to him. She gladly shared that
God was raising up an army in Israel and that he was to be
a part of it. He instinctively knew that to be in this spiritual
army, he needed to be with other believers. Until then, he
had not met any born-again Jewish believers in Israel.
The woman told him about a congregation in Ramat
HaSharon led by Ari Sorko-Ram who would disciple him.
Shimon wasted no time; he moved in with the Sorko-Ram
family. Shimon was a man with a single focus. He desired
only to read the Word, to fast and to pray. He attended the congo
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shlomi is now in full-time ministry with his brother, shimon
deserted him. His life became one catastrophe after another
– business losses through gambling and a great dive in the
Israeli stock market.
Then one day Shimon invited Shlomi and the whole
family to come visit his house in Jerusalem for Shabbat
(Sabbath) dinner. It was wonderful. Shlomi breathed in the
warmth of the evening and listened as Shimon talked to their
parents about belief in Yeshua. He asked his brother if the
whole family could have Shabbat dinner with Shimon and
Batya at least twice a month and they agreed.
Shlomi continued to visit his brother regularly, all the
while sinking deeper and deeper into despair and hopelo
lessness. Then Shimon suggested that they visit a new
congregation the Sorko-Rams had started in the Tel Aviv
area – near where Shlomi lived. After the third invitation,
Shlomi showed up at the congregation. What he saw was
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30 people raising their hands, playing instruments and singio
ing to the Lord. He panicked, “What am I doing here?” He
looked for an escape; but he quickly stopped himself and
thought, “I’ve come here; and out of respect for my brother
and all those here, I should stay for at least 10 minutes.” So
he sat there, listening to the singing.
SHLOMO MEETS THE NAME
Shlomi began to read the words of the worship song on
the screen: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because He
has anointed me to preach good news to the poor; He has
sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to
the captives and the opening of the prison to those who are
bound…” (Isaiah 61:1). As he looked upon the personal
Name of God on the screen (Jehovah - regarded with great
reverence by observant Jews), it seemed that the Name
became alive. Shlomi couldn’t resist staring at the Name of
God, the Name that was revealed to Moses at the burning
bush. And like Moses, he felt he was on holy ground. He
fell to his knees. He began to weep loudly – so loudly that
the whole congregation was riveted to the drama of a sinner
coming to salvation during the worship – actually before the
sermon! He encountered the living God that day and surro
rendered his life totally to Yeshua. For months, Shlomi wept
through every service that he attended.
Shlomi’s life turned 180 degrees. He closed all his busino
nesses and moved back to his parents’ home. Like Shimon
before him, for the first year he did nothing but pray, fast
and read the Word. He shared the good news with everyoo
Shua and Miryam with their pastor,
Ari, leader of Congregation Tiferet
Yeshua in Tel Aviv.
one he met. He invited his parents to the congregation.
They couldn’t ignore the incredible changes in Shlomi’s
life. Miryam comments, “We had two good kids, Olga
and Avraham, and then two not-so-good kids, Shimon and
Shlomi. So when we started to see not just Shimon, but also
Shlomi radically change, we knew there was something real
about Yeshua.” The change in Shlomi’s life was so miraculo
lous that his new life spoke louder than any words. Later,
his mother testified in the congregation, “One day, I just
decided, if Yeshua can do this in my two sons’ lives, then I
want Him too!” Both she and Shua accepted Yeshua as their
King and Messiah.
OLGA DREAMS DREAMS
It was at one of those family dinners that their youngeo
est daughter Olga began experiencing an awakening in her
heart. Years before, at age 12, Olga dreamed that she saw
herself on a big mountain. God handed her a staff, just like
Moses. She was puzzled by this dream and told her brother,
Shimon. He explained to her that the Staff of Life is Yeshua.
She admits to accepting Yeshua as the Truth at this time, but
she didn’t make the step to invite Him to be her Lord. It was
merely knowledge. But after a family dinner at Shimon and
Batya’s, Olga had the same dream! Again she told Shimon
of the dream. Shimon sowed more seeds into her heart but
she still did not give herself to Him. God, however, did not
give up on her.
She was soon married to a man named Ronen. All was
fine and quiet for a year and half. God then made His move.
After a long night’s sleep, Olga remembers, “I awoke, but
my room wasn’t the same. Something was totally differeo
ent. I was seeing and feeling strange things. I thought I
was imagining things. Then it suddenly clicked. God had
come into my room.” The Truth that remained dormant in
her head all those years finally awoke and her heart was
changed. How can it be explained? She was seeing life
through her new spiritual eyes and her walk was set.
Her husband wanted no part of her new faith. At times
he forbad her from attending the congregation. Olga began
to pray and fast for her husband’s salvation, while Shlomi
visited regularly, giving Bible studies in their home. After
all, it was difficult for Ronen to brush off his brother-in-law,
whom he dearly loved. After three
years of faithful asking, seeking,
Avraham and Malka
and knocking, Olga saw her husband
wonderfully receive the Lord. He
has became a faithful member of the
congregation and invited his mother
and sister-in-law. Today, they too
are believers!
love the people and they want to believe in their hearts.
The Nahum’s are a uniquely blessed family. God has given
each one of the Nahum’s a spiritual intensity for the Lord
that is very evident. They are a vibrant family that boldly
proclaims their faith among friends and neighbors. Shimon
and Batya lead a congregation, Besorat haMalchut (The Good
News of the Kingdom) in the heart of Jerusalem. Shlomi is
a full-time evangelist who assists his brother, after having
attended Tiferet Yeshua for nine years. Shua, Miryam, Olga,
Ronen, all regularly attend Tiferet Yeshua and share Yeshua
with all those around them while Avraham, and Malka are
gaining ground. The story of the Nahum family is a special
one and they are personally praying and working that other
THE “GOOD SON” REACHES
OUT TO YESHUA
Avraham had truly been the “good
son.” He had been a professional
soccer player and had a good career
and now he was a successful and
Olga and Ronen
honest businessman. But Avraham
wanted nothing to do with belief in
Yeshua. Avraham kept his distance
but he could not help noticing that
his brothers weren’t the same men
he once knew. He watched massive
changes take place in their lives and
especially noted how they were honoo
oring their parents and treating them
with such respect and love. He also
saw their lives turn from disaster to
blessing. “Maybe there is something
to this Yeshua?” he thought.
As the years passed by, Avraham
and his wife started having some
financial problems and difficulties with one of their children.
The problems were big enough that he was willing to “give
this Yeshua a try.” That’s a big step for a man who once
wanted nothing to do with Yeshua. He thought, “My brotheo
ers’ lives are headed in the right direction now and they’re
full of blessing. Maybe I can find that path and go in the
right direction and receive this blessing, too?” He went to
Congregation Tiferet Yeshua in Tel Aviv, and has continued to
attend ever since. He admits that he is not yet sure if he has
truly experienced the depth of salvation that causes changes
in the heart that he wants; but both he and his wife, Malka,
Israeli families will experience “family salvation.” The name,
Nahum, means “comforted” in Hebrew. This family is part of
the fulfillment of God’s commandment to “comfort, comfort
my people” (Isaiah 40:1).
The enemy knows that the land of Israel is God’s land
and that the people of Israel are God’s people (see Joel 3:2),
so the warfare - both spiritual and physical - is monumento
tal, but with great possibilities for victory. The lives of the
Nahum family are a testimony of this overcoming power
and faith. It is another step towards the fulfillment of the
promise to see all Israel saved (Romans 11:26).
TERRORISM’S
CLOSE ALLY
Guess Who?
By Shira Sorko-Ram
On August 14 a Fox News correspondent, Steve Centanni,
and cameraman Olaf Wiig were kidnapped by unknown gunmo
men in Gaza. The international press gave little attention to
the story until nine days later when a video of them was relo
leased by a group calling themselves the Holy Jihad Brigade.
Other videos followed: Olaf Wiig reciting an anti-westeo
ern speech, and finally showing both Centanni and Wiig offo
ficially converting to Islam.
Olaf Wiig’s wife, Anita McNaught, herself a freelance
BBC World television presenter, mobilized the TV networks
and activated her connections in Gaza to put pressure on the
mysterious terrorist gang to release the captives.
She met with Hamas terrorist leader Ismail Haniya who
expressed his complete solidarity with Ms. McNaught for
the immediate release of the two captives. He explained that
kidnapping journalists is not good for the Palestinian cause.
Other Palestinian Authority officials repeatedly stated that
the Palestinians need the press to help them fight their battle
against the Zionists.
Indeed, as Hamas and Fatah watched the attention of the
world’s media increasingly focus on Centanni and Wiig, the
Palestinian leaders began to “hunt” for the men, until, on
August 25, they were “found” and released - however, not
before the two journalists were filmed converting to Islam.
“We were forced to convert to Islam at gunpoint,” Centanni
later told Fox News.
After their release, both journalists encouraged the other
networks not to take their media people out of Gaza, which
Wiig said, would be a tragedy for the Palestinian people.
“Their story needs to be told,” he said. Olaf Wiig’s wife
heaped mountains of praise on the Palestinian people and
the heads of Hamas and Fatah.
Kidnap victims, reminds the Jerusalem Post, sometimes
succumb to the Stockholm Syndrome, learning to love their
captors. In this case, says a JPost editorial, the international
community and press seemed to have developed this syndo
drome. Through the whole ordeal, the world’s media with
all its colossal influence choose to essentially remain silo
lent about the injustice of the kidnapping rather than annoy
Gaza’s head honchos. No accountability or action was reqo
quested by the media and no outrage was directed at the PA’s
blatant inaction. (26Aug06)
Contrast that, says the Jerusalem Post, with the venom
spouted at Israel for bombing Hizbollah’s al-Manar televiso
sion facilities during the Lebanon war. (Ibid.)
In the last few years, several dozen journalists have been
kidnapped and released in Gaza. No one has ever been arro
rested, or even identified as having been involved in capturio
ing foreign journalists.
Now, the emboldened Fox News kidnappers have issued a
statement in which they warn, “Any infidel who comes to Palesto
tine will be killed unless he converts to Islam.” (Ibid., 28Aug06)
“FAIR AND BALANCED” IN A WORLD
OF DOUBLE STANDARDS
Of all the world media covering the Middle East, Fox
News has been by far the most balanced. Balanced, in a
secular sense, indicates that the reports objectively give both
sides an opportunity to tell their story, each giving their diffo
ferent perspectives. The challenge is, of course, that Islam
and the West are on different playing fields when it comes to
goals, values and truth.
Fox News does attempt to give equal opportunity to the two
sides. A resounding “not so” with networks such as the BBC
and CNN and other European and Western networks that simpo
ply don’t report objectively both sides and are heavily biased
in favor of Islamic aspirations – for a variety of reasons.
Having left behind the moral compass of the Bible, the
world media has had an enormous influence on the nations
by creating their own rules of justice. Indeed, there is a basic
double standard in the way the entire world treats Israel verseo
es the rest of the Middle East. This double standard is felt
by Israel on all fronts – today it is Kofi Annan’s insistence
that Israel pull out of South Lebanon, but his refusal to order
UNIFIL to disarm Hizbollah, or even block the transfer of ties, crimes against humanity, and defying international humo
new weapons from Syria to Lebanon.
man rights and laws, while the barbaric acts of Islamic facist
Yesterday it was Annan’s strong pleas for help to rebuild terrorist gangs –for that is what they are – are simply ignored
Lebanon, but nary a word concerning the 6,000 houses and or barely mentioned. The UN picks up the propaganda and
buildings damaged or destroyed from 4,000 rockets launched runs with it. It almost always condemns Israel, with little or
by Hizbollah. The day before that, Annan and the European no mention of the initial terrorist acts perpetrated against the
states refused to call Hizbollah a terrorist organization. Hizbo Jewish people.
bollah is not even mentioned in
What is expected of Israel is
Resolution 1701 – the resolution The terrorists “discussed how the not expected of any other nation
which ordered a cease-fire beto problems of the Muslim world and in the world. America would be
tween Israel and Hizbollah!
delighted to target and assassino
the
west
could
be
solved
if
the
west
If Israel is struck by suicide
nate bin Laden, but Israel could
bombers or terrorist acts, her reso converted to Islam.” Olaf Wiig
not target Arafat, who was the
sponse in self defense is usually
father of modern terrorism and
reported as overreaction. Words such as disproportionate, responsible for hundreds of Israeli deaths. Why this double
aggression, war planes, occupation, gross violations, shockio standard? What is at the root of anti-Israel reporting?
ing, immoral, illegal, hostilities and attacks are generously
ISRAEL DOES NOT HAVE THE
scattered among reports involving Israel.
MORAL RIGHT TO EXIST
Words such as innocent victims, losses, suffering and ango
ger are sprinkled throughout the media’s representation of
There is an underlying malignant belief which especially
the Arab side. How often have we heard reports from Gaza permeates European media that Israel really doesn’t have a
and the West Bank of the injuries and deaths “of women and moral right to exist. The Middle East, they believe deep
children” while Israel’s casualties are usually “citizens.”
down, belongs to the Arabs, to Muslims from time eternal.
Take this example: Since Hizbollah terrorists double as Yasser Arafat himself testified that his Muslim brothers were
civilians, virtually all the media reported 1000 Lebanese civo the “first Christians” in the Holy Land.
vilian deaths as a result of Israel’s raids – with no militant or
In other words, the Jews’ historic claims to the Holy Land
terrorist casualties among them!
are false. At the time Arafat was pontificating on the origins
of Christianity, the world media duly quoted his claims as
WORDS ARE WEAPONS
newsworthy, making little or no comment as to its historic
These word-usages are subtle but very important. The authenticity.
world, including world leaders, react to what they see on TV.
The truth is, it makes post-Christian Europe and liberal
With Arab news stations proliferating, Western stations often Americans, not to speak of pagan Russians and Chinese,
simply rebroadcast the Arab propaganda. Why label it propo deeply uncomfortable to consider Jewish origins in the Holy
paganda? Because Israel is presented as perpetrating atrocito Land, simply because its validity originates in a book called
the Bible – a document which claims to be written by God!
What could be more threatening to the “prince of this world”
than that? As is often repeated, it is not the existence of
Israel that is so irritating to the world, but the existence of
the God of Israel.
IF ISRAELDIDN’T EXIST THERE WOULD BE PEACE
IN THE MIDDLE EAST – AND ALL THE WORLD.
olaf wiig (left) and steve centanni, videotaped by their
kidnappers, as they state they are converting to islam
This is another lie, a fiction, that much of the world has
swallowed: Israel is a trouble maker. She is always at the
center of war and destruction. If she would disappear, then the
world would have peace. The Israeli media often observes the
frustrated politicians in Europe and the UN, and even the U.S.,
who simply get tired of the “Israel-Arab crisis”. They would
like it to just go away. Of course, it is irrational to believe that
without Israel, peace on earth would spring forth.
Was Israel the cause of the Iraq-Iran war that claimed
1,000,000 lives? Does the Muslim Brotherhood terrorist
group’s attempt to topple the Egyptian government have anyto
thing to do with Israel? Would Iran’s lust for atomic weapoo
ons disappear if Israel disappeared? Would Afghanistan’s
poppy-raising terrorists lay down their arms if there were
no Israel to fight? And are Iraq’s power struggles between
Shiites and Sunnis over Israel?
The reason there is war throughout the Muslim world is
because radical Muslims with large majorities of sympathetio
ic Muslim citizens behind them, want to create a world for
the god Allah. In spiritual terms, this god wants to replace
the God of Israel.
The Apostle Paul, or as we say in Israel, the Shaliach Shaul,
told it like it is: Our struggle is…against the world forces of
this darkness, (Ephesians 6:12) These world forces, then are
using the world media as pawns to attain their goals.
along with and pandering to Islam and its aspirations. Who
cannot read the Koran and see that its Last Day scenario is to
kidnap the world and force it at the point of a gun to convert
to Islam or die? Who cannot understand that Iran is building
a bomb – to annihilate Israel first, take on the West second
and then the rest of the world?
Of course, the Scripture still stands: Those who bless Israeo
el shall be blessed. Those who curse her will be cursed. The
Middle East Islamic world owns a gigantic land mass which
is floating on oil. The world through the UN has poured in
trillions of dollars to help the poverty-stricken Arab Muslim
lands – with what results? The Palestinians, who are the
only people on earth with
A VEIL OF DARKNESS
their own personal Uniteo
“Large
sections
of
the
international
media
AND INCOMPREHENSION
Nations department
COVERS THE EARTH
are not only misreporting the current confo ed
that deals exclusively
And this leads us to the third flict in Lebanon. They are also actively with financing and feedio
cause for anti-Israel reporting. fanning the flames. The BBC World Servo ing them, (no such depo
A deadly lethargic stupor has
partments in Africa) have
pervaded the world’s diplomatic vice has a strong claim to be the number- only seen a worsening of
and media spheres. There is inco one villain. It has come to sound like a their situation.
comprehension of what is really
A people who spend
virtual propaganda tool for Hizbullah.” their days and nights, their
happening. A denseness, a selfinduced coma. Either through
livelihood and their lives
fear or sympathy with the milio
plotting to destroy tiny Isro
Tom Gross, syndicate journalist
itant’s cause, media networks
rael have ended up with
regularly hire westerners who faithfully report preposterously nothing. And they spend their lives blaming Israel for all their
distorted news. Networks often employ Palestinian and Arab troubles. If only Israel didn’t exist, then they would have it all.
reporters (I’ve never seen an Israeli reporter hired) who have
A POWERFUL ALLY
the same ambitions and world view as the terrorists regimes
on which they are reporting.
But the Muslim haters of Israel, relentless to their cause,
In the recent Lebanese-Israel war, these networks follo have discovered in our generation a willing partner to help
lowed around Hizbollah-led tours, dutifully repeating what them reach their goal – to first destroy Israel, and then conqo
the minders told them, staging photogenic but inaccurate quer the world. It is none other than the world media. For
scenes of “victims” and respectfully refraining from asking whatever reasons, it is known that individuals who choose a
inconvenient questions such as operations in civilian buildio career in media are usually politically to the left of the geneo
ings or about the existence of terrorist’s weapons stockpiles. eral population of their particular countries. And they geneo
Oh yes, and never ever calling Hizbollah attacks on Israeli erally support all of the popular agendas of the left – which
citizens acts of terror.
now includes the demonization or discrediting of Israel.
They just don’t get it – that the evil spirit-driven attacks
Tom Gross, in a syndicated article, “Media Missiles.
against the existence of Israel will ultimately be directed Working for the Enemy.” writes in several newspapers (see
against the very countries and institutions that are playing Google and Jerusalem Post, 2Aug06):
“Large sections of the international media are not only
misreporting the current conflict in Lebanon. They are also
actively fanning the flames. The BBC World Service has a
strong claim to be the number-one villain. It has come to
sound like a virtual propaganda tool for Hizbullah.”
To give you a typical example of the subtle and powerful
manipulation of the news against Israel, he says that the BBC
has repeatedly stated that Israel’s “attacks on Lebanon,” will
serve as “a recruitment drive for al-Qaeda.” This statement
delegitimizes Israel’s right to defend its citizens, and causes
the viewer to believe that Israel is directly responsible for the
growth of al-Qaeda.
Tom Gross continues, “But if anything is going to win
another 60 years to grow back in this semi-arid climate.
According to Tom Gross, “CNN senior international corro
respondent, Nic Robertson admitted that his anti-Israel repo
port from Beirut on July 18 about civilian casualties in Lebano
non, was stage-managed from start to finish by Hizbollah.”
CBS’s Elizabeth Palmer commented on her report that Hizbo
bollah is also determined that outsiders will only see what it
wants them to see.
Gross went on to say that journalists were denied access
in the areas controlled by Hizbollah. There was no way to
check any of their stories or to know who was an innocent
bystander and who was a “Hizbollah fighter by night”
He concludes, “But this is far from being an exclusively
new recruits for the likes of Osama bin Laden, it will not be
Israel’s defensive actions, which are far less damaging than
Western TV stations would have us believe, but the inflammo
matory and hopelessly one-sided way in which they are beio
ing reported by those very same news organizations.”(ibid.)
He goes on to say that “pictorial distortion” is even worse
than their slanted comments and selective interviews. For exao
ample, though the destruction in Beirut is grievous, the areas
bombed were limited to a small part of the city, specifically
where the Hizbollah “deliberately ensconced themselves in
civilian homes.” However, by showing the areas over and
over again, it looked more like World War II, and again picto
tured Israel as an aggressor bombing innocent people.
However, compared to other conflicts in the world the caso
sualties in Lebanon have been mercifully low. Yet, if you
only watched the BBC you would never know that a million
and a half people in Israel lived in stifling shelters or fled to
the center of the country.
You would never know that 6000 houses and buildings were
damaged or destroyed by 4,000 rockets. You would never
know of the deaths of Israeli soldiers who lost their own lives
trying not to endanger innocent Lebanese lives. You would
never know that 750,000 hand-planted trees in Galilee, the
greenest area of tiny Israel, have been destroyed, and will take
Jewish issue. Some international journalists seem to find it
amusing or exciting to bait the Jews. They don’t understand
yet that Hizbullah is part of a worldwide radical Islamist
movement that has plans, and not pleasant ones, for all those
– Moslem, Christian, Hindu and Jew – who don’t abide by
its wishes.” (Ibid.)
In Isaiah, chapter 25 – a chapter of the coming judgment
on the nations and concluding with the conquering Kingdom
of God, the prophet sees a better day: “And on this mountain
(kingdom) He will swallow up the covering which is over all
peoples. Even the veil which is stretched over all nations.
And he will swallow up death for all time…” (verses7-8)
There is a covering of blindness on the peoples. The press
is controlled by mighty spritual powers using it for their own
goals. There is a veil that prevents the world media from
seeing and reporting the truth. This conflict is always the
same – the battle over good and evil and the struggle to open
or close countries to the spread of the Gospel.
Today, the hosts of Allah are battling against the hosts of
Jehovah. And they are using tactics that many born-again
believers have not considered. But with knowledge and undo
derstanding, we can resist the evil day and stand firm, knowio
ing that our prayers are powerful and that one day the Messo
siah of Israel will place His throne in Jerusalem.
Want to know how to effectively pray for Israel? Request our weekly
prayer letter via e-mail. Please e-mail us at [email protected]
The
Children of
Congregation
Tiferet
Yeshua
As the growing Body
of Messiah, the children
are truly the Hope of
Israel! Here is where
our grass-roots growth
takes place – through
committed, dedicated
and talented teachers
and overseers.
At the beginning of
this school year, Ari
and Shira and the staff
honored the children
who are graduating to
the next class in our
congregation’s Shabbo
bat school.
GOALS:
Islam’s first stage
in these last days
Uzbekistan
Turkey
Lebanon
Libya
Armenia Azerbaijan
Turkmenistan
Syria
Iraq
Jordan
Egypt
Sudan
Saudi
Arabia
Iran
Kyrgyzstan
Tajikistan
Afghanistan
Pakistan
Oman
Yemen
End The Unjust Jewish
Occupation Of Muslim Land!