1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:03,680 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:06,800 --> 00:00:09,119 Speaker 2: Well, if you've tuned in too listening to me today, 3 00:00:09,160 --> 00:00:13,760 Speaker 2: it's because you're interested in developing a relationship between Jews 4 00:00:13,800 --> 00:00:19,280 Speaker 2: and Christians. But you do not learn how to conduct 5 00:00:19,360 --> 00:00:22,800 Speaker 2: Jewish Christian relations by reading a book, even though I'm 6 00:00:22,840 --> 00:00:25,560 Speaker 2: going to recommend the best book at the end of today. 7 00:00:26,440 --> 00:00:30,720 Speaker 2: You learn it by engaging in the relationship. So we're 8 00:00:30,760 --> 00:00:35,520 Speaker 2: going to begin today hearing from some people and pioneers 9 00:00:35,560 --> 00:00:38,519 Speaker 2: that have been involved in this relationship for many years. 10 00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:42,879 Speaker 2: Today we're going to start with hearing my story. So 11 00:00:42,960 --> 00:00:43,960 Speaker 2: please stay tuned. 12 00:00:46,200 --> 00:00:48,319 Speaker 1: Let's take a break and hear a message from one 13 00:00:48,320 --> 00:00:57,080 Speaker 1: of our sponsors. Welcome to the Israel Answer Series, connecting Israel, 14 00:00:57,360 --> 00:01:02,520 Speaker 1: the Bible and you Michael as she explores timely issues 15 00:01:02,560 --> 00:01:05,680 Speaker 1: and current events from a scriptural perspective to equip the 16 00:01:05,720 --> 00:01:09,119 Speaker 1: Christian world with a balance and biblical response. Be sure 17 00:01:09,160 --> 00:01:12,479 Speaker 1: to subscribe for future episodes which will ignite your faith 18 00:01:12,520 --> 00:01:15,919 Speaker 1: and bring the Bible to life in your everyday world. Now, 19 00:01:16,080 --> 00:01:18,680 Speaker 1: let's join Susan with your Israel answers. 20 00:01:21,240 --> 00:01:24,800 Speaker 2: Well, I'm often asked how I got started in the 21 00:01:24,840 --> 00:01:28,760 Speaker 2: ministry of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem and in the 22 00:01:28,800 --> 00:01:32,720 Speaker 2: work of Christians and Jews working together in support of Israel. 23 00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:35,640 Speaker 2: And I will say that there is just really nothing 24 00:01:35,720 --> 00:01:39,640 Speaker 2: in my background or my upbringing that pointed towards this 25 00:01:39,760 --> 00:01:43,240 Speaker 2: or that prepared me for it. There's only one thing 26 00:01:43,319 --> 00:01:47,000 Speaker 2: that I can remember from my childhood that would in 27 00:01:47,080 --> 00:01:50,280 Speaker 2: some way explain, and that was the summer of when 28 00:01:50,280 --> 00:01:53,400 Speaker 2: I was sixteen going on seventeen, and I gave my 29 00:01:53,480 --> 00:01:56,480 Speaker 2: life to the Lord. I said these words, or I'll 30 00:01:56,480 --> 00:01:59,280 Speaker 2: go wherever you want me to go, and I'll do 31 00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:04,120 Speaker 2: whatever you want me to do. Well. I never expected 32 00:02:04,400 --> 00:02:07,200 Speaker 2: that he wanted me to do anything outside of my 33 00:02:07,320 --> 00:02:11,959 Speaker 2: hometown or my home state, much less outside of my country. 34 00:02:12,680 --> 00:02:16,600 Speaker 2: But within two years I was on an airplane to 35 00:02:16,919 --> 00:02:21,919 Speaker 2: Israel for a summer study program. And that summer changed 36 00:02:21,919 --> 00:02:26,280 Speaker 2: my life, and it changed the trajectory for my life. 37 00:02:26,360 --> 00:02:30,880 Speaker 2: So once I finished my college degree in Biblical studies, 38 00:02:30,919 --> 00:02:33,079 Speaker 2: I returned to Israel it is now the summer of 39 00:02:33,200 --> 00:02:36,640 Speaker 2: nineteen eighty to begin a master's degree at the same 40 00:02:36,720 --> 00:02:40,320 Speaker 2: school I had studied that summer. I wanted more of 41 00:02:40,360 --> 00:02:45,920 Speaker 2: that life changing experience. I wanted to learn more, and 42 00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:48,920 Speaker 2: so it just so happens that one month after I 43 00:02:49,120 --> 00:02:54,280 Speaker 2: arrived in Jerusalem that the very first Christian celebration of 44 00:02:54,320 --> 00:02:58,160 Speaker 2: the Feasts of Tabernacles was being held, and at that 45 00:02:58,400 --> 00:03:03,480 Speaker 2: celebration they now that they were starting the International Christian 46 00:03:03,520 --> 00:03:08,120 Speaker 2: Embassy Jerusalem. The director of my school became the founding 47 00:03:08,240 --> 00:03:11,840 Speaker 2: chairman of the board. A fellow student at the school 48 00:03:11,919 --> 00:03:15,320 Speaker 2: became the financial director. I was there the day the 49 00:03:15,639 --> 00:03:19,359 Speaker 2: ICJ opened their doors, and I was in and out 50 00:03:19,360 --> 00:03:21,720 Speaker 2: of there every week as a member of the family. 51 00:03:21,919 --> 00:03:24,680 Speaker 2: I wasn't on staff because I was a full time student, 52 00:03:25,400 --> 00:03:27,960 Speaker 2: but I was certainly a part of the staff family. 53 00:03:28,120 --> 00:03:32,519 Speaker 2: Met with them regularly to pray and in their devotions, 54 00:03:32,560 --> 00:03:36,840 Speaker 2: and volunteered there. So when I finished my master's degree, 55 00:03:37,280 --> 00:03:40,240 Speaker 2: I moved to Washington, d C. On behalf of this 56 00:03:40,480 --> 00:03:45,840 Speaker 2: new ICJ organization because they wanted their head office for 57 00:03:45,880 --> 00:03:50,640 Speaker 2: the United States to be in DC, and it took 58 00:03:50,760 --> 00:03:54,160 Speaker 2: us a few years before it was. However, I lived 59 00:03:54,200 --> 00:03:56,920 Speaker 2: in Washington, d C. Twenty nine years, and there I 60 00:03:56,960 --> 00:04:01,000 Speaker 2: worked very very closely with Israeli Embassy and helping them 61 00:04:01,040 --> 00:04:04,920 Speaker 2: develop relations with the Christians in America. And I also 62 00:04:04,960 --> 00:04:09,040 Speaker 2: worked very closely with a number of major Jewish organizations 63 00:04:09,080 --> 00:04:13,640 Speaker 2: there in DC. And that's how I got involved in 64 00:04:13,800 --> 00:04:18,560 Speaker 2: actual not just supporting Israel, but in working with the 65 00:04:18,640 --> 00:04:23,440 Speaker 2: Jewish community here in the United States now in Israel. 66 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:29,240 Speaker 2: I saw the impact of the ICEJ on the relationship 67 00:04:30,000 --> 00:04:33,040 Speaker 2: because I knew exactly what it was like living there 68 00:04:33,120 --> 00:04:39,240 Speaker 2: in the early eighties. You regularly met skepticism, you regularly 69 00:04:39,440 --> 00:04:43,320 Speaker 2: met a little bit of a critical why are you here? Attitude? 70 00:04:44,200 --> 00:04:47,640 Speaker 2: And ten years later, though, I showed up at the 71 00:04:47,640 --> 00:04:52,240 Speaker 2: FISA Tabernacles, and I remember being struck by the complete 72 00:04:52,360 --> 00:04:56,320 Speaker 2: change of attitude and people in the coffee shop or 73 00:04:56,360 --> 00:04:59,360 Speaker 2: on the street, oh, are you here for the FISA Tabernacles. 74 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:02,960 Speaker 2: I was like, well, yes, I am here for the 75 00:05:03,000 --> 00:05:07,719 Speaker 2: FISA Tabernacles. Oh welcome, They were so happy. Why well, 76 00:05:07,720 --> 00:05:11,640 Speaker 2: because ten twelve years now, the ICJ had been bringing 77 00:05:11,760 --> 00:05:17,320 Speaker 2: thousands of Christians into Jerusalem every fall for this Jewish 78 00:05:17,400 --> 00:05:21,760 Speaker 2: feast in Hebrews called Sukote, we call it the Fista 79 00:05:21,880 --> 00:05:25,960 Speaker 2: Tabernacles in English. And a part of that feast is 80 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:30,440 Speaker 2: what's called the Jerusalem March, and thousands of Christians would 81 00:05:30,560 --> 00:05:35,120 Speaker 2: join this march, marching through the streets of Jerusalem, dressed 82 00:05:35,160 --> 00:05:39,360 Speaker 2: in national colors and national costumes and carrying banners from 83 00:05:39,400 --> 00:05:42,960 Speaker 2: their countries, letting the Jewish people know that they prayed 84 00:05:42,960 --> 00:05:46,480 Speaker 2: for them, that they blessed them, and that they loved Israel. 85 00:05:47,040 --> 00:05:51,480 Speaker 2: So the Iceja and particularly the Fista tabernacles had had 86 00:05:51,560 --> 00:05:54,880 Speaker 2: a tremendous impact on the people of Israel and on 87 00:05:55,000 --> 00:05:59,240 Speaker 2: Jewish Christian relations, so much so that after twenty twenty 88 00:05:59,240 --> 00:06:03,360 Speaker 2: five years of our existence and our consistency and always 89 00:06:03,400 --> 00:06:07,760 Speaker 2: being there and always demonstrating our friendship, we were approached 90 00:06:07,800 --> 00:06:11,200 Speaker 2: by the Jerusalem Post. They wanted to start a Christian 91 00:06:11,360 --> 00:06:14,760 Speaker 2: edition of their magazine, and we partnered with them, and 92 00:06:14,800 --> 00:06:20,680 Speaker 2: eventually that magazine went all online. But also around a 93 00:06:20,720 --> 00:06:24,440 Speaker 2: few years later, we were approached by Yad Vashem, and 94 00:06:24,640 --> 00:06:26,960 Speaker 2: we knew that this was the moment in history that 95 00:06:27,040 --> 00:06:30,000 Speaker 2: we had to stand up to the plate. We had 96 00:06:30,040 --> 00:06:34,400 Speaker 2: to help Yad Vashem. Yad Vishim is the Holocaust Memorial 97 00:06:34,480 --> 00:06:40,000 Speaker 2: and Remembrance Center in Jerusalem. It's a real, very sacred 98 00:06:40,040 --> 00:06:44,400 Speaker 2: institution of the Israeli government to commemorate the six million 99 00:06:44,440 --> 00:06:48,120 Speaker 2: that died in the Holocaust, and many of the founders 100 00:06:48,200 --> 00:06:53,520 Speaker 2: of Yadvishim, the directors, the Holocaust survivors that support Yadvishim, 101 00:06:54,160 --> 00:06:59,039 Speaker 2: all understand the role that Christian anti Semitism played in 102 00:06:59,120 --> 00:07:02,360 Speaker 2: preparing the way for the Holocaust, and so when they 103 00:07:02,440 --> 00:07:05,520 Speaker 2: came to us and said, we are now ready to 104 00:07:05,720 --> 00:07:09,600 Speaker 2: engage the Christian world, will you help us, we knew 105 00:07:09,640 --> 00:07:12,960 Speaker 2: that we had to and so our partnership with Yadvisham 106 00:07:13,040 --> 00:07:16,880 Speaker 2: still continues today. We call it the Christian Friends of Yadvishim. 107 00:07:17,840 --> 00:07:22,280 Speaker 2: But that just shows how deep the relationship has been developed. 108 00:07:22,960 --> 00:07:26,400 Speaker 2: And I will tell you it wasn't easy, and they 109 00:07:26,440 --> 00:07:29,360 Speaker 2: had to learn to trust and we had to learn 110 00:07:29,480 --> 00:07:34,840 Speaker 2: to work together in that sacred institution. So these are 111 00:07:34,880 --> 00:07:39,200 Speaker 2: some of the signs though that Jewish Christian relations in 112 00:07:39,400 --> 00:07:43,560 Speaker 2: Israel has been greatly impacted by Christian support of Israel 113 00:07:43,720 --> 00:07:48,120 Speaker 2: and particularly the pioneering work of the ICJ. Now in 114 00:07:48,160 --> 00:07:53,520 Speaker 2: the United States, it's a slightly slower development because back 115 00:07:53,520 --> 00:07:57,280 Speaker 2: in the nineties, we organized a series of events all 116 00:07:57,320 --> 00:08:00,880 Speaker 2: across the United States every single year, and we would 117 00:08:00,920 --> 00:08:03,720 Speaker 2: often reach out to the local Jewish community. We would 118 00:08:03,800 --> 00:08:07,000 Speaker 2: invite them to come one evening to a special program. 119 00:08:07,400 --> 00:08:09,920 Speaker 2: We made sure that it would be comfortable for a 120 00:08:09,960 --> 00:08:13,760 Speaker 2: mixed audience. We did everything that we could to accommodate them, 121 00:08:13,760 --> 00:08:18,120 Speaker 2: but they would not come and the Israeli diplomats from 122 00:08:18,120 --> 00:08:21,000 Speaker 2: the Israeli embassy in DC. They would come, they would 123 00:08:21,000 --> 00:08:24,000 Speaker 2: speak at our events. They were so frustrated that the 124 00:08:24,040 --> 00:08:28,400 Speaker 2: local Jewish community did not trust us, because the Israeli 125 00:08:28,480 --> 00:08:34,280 Speaker 2: diplomats understood the importance of the Christian support of Israel, 126 00:08:35,040 --> 00:08:38,719 Speaker 2: and they had been working with US in Israel. And 127 00:08:38,800 --> 00:08:42,920 Speaker 2: so the Jewish community though in America, was just very 128 00:08:43,480 --> 00:08:48,800 Speaker 2: protective of themselves and were afraid. Well, I watched it 129 00:08:48,840 --> 00:08:53,720 Speaker 2: all change overnight in the year two thousand. In two thousand, 130 00:08:54,200 --> 00:08:57,480 Speaker 2: it was the Second Intifada in Israel, and you may 131 00:08:57,559 --> 00:09:01,200 Speaker 2: remember as a wave of suicide busts bombings in Israel. 132 00:09:01,679 --> 00:09:07,920 Speaker 2: It was so traumatic. These terrorists would put on explosive belts. 133 00:09:08,400 --> 00:09:11,520 Speaker 2: They would get on a city bus in the middle 134 00:09:11,679 --> 00:09:15,439 Speaker 2: of the busiest time of the day, surrounded by children 135 00:09:15,800 --> 00:09:20,600 Speaker 2: and women and innocent civilians, and they would blow themselves up. 136 00:09:21,320 --> 00:09:26,080 Speaker 2: Tourism came to a screeching halt. It was a very 137 00:09:26,160 --> 00:09:29,559 Speaker 2: dangerous time in Israel. You never knew where the next 138 00:09:29,640 --> 00:09:36,840 Speaker 2: bombing would take place. Well, there's no tours there's no 139 00:09:36,960 --> 00:09:40,440 Speaker 2: tourists in Israel. But here comes the FISA tabernacles and 140 00:09:40,480 --> 00:09:44,400 Speaker 2: what happens, we still had a full haul at the 141 00:09:44,440 --> 00:09:49,280 Speaker 2: convention center. Several thousand Christians came from all over the world, 142 00:09:49,360 --> 00:09:52,240 Speaker 2: and we heard stories some of them would go downtown 143 00:09:52,440 --> 00:09:57,440 Speaker 2: and ride a city bus in solidarity with the Jewish people. 144 00:09:58,040 --> 00:10:03,280 Speaker 2: Now this had tremendous impact, and I remember coming back 145 00:10:03,320 --> 00:10:06,280 Speaker 2: from the feast, I was in Washington, d C. In 146 00:10:06,360 --> 00:10:09,160 Speaker 2: a meeting and I heard two Jewish people talking and 147 00:10:09,200 --> 00:10:12,080 Speaker 2: one said to the other did you hear about the 148 00:10:12,200 --> 00:10:15,600 Speaker 2: thousands of Christians that came to Jerusalem for the Feast 149 00:10:15,679 --> 00:10:20,520 Speaker 2: of Tabernacles? And the other one said, yes, maybe they 150 00:10:20,559 --> 00:10:23,880 Speaker 2: really are our friends. And the other one said, well, 151 00:10:23,880 --> 00:10:27,240 Speaker 2: maybe we should be working with them. And from that 152 00:10:27,400 --> 00:10:30,600 Speaker 2: point I began to be invited to speak to the 153 00:10:30,600 --> 00:10:34,360 Speaker 2: boards of directors of various Jewish organizations there in d C, 154 00:10:35,240 --> 00:10:39,040 Speaker 2: to travel and speak to their chapter leaders and other cities. 155 00:10:39,760 --> 00:10:45,240 Speaker 2: I spoke in synagogues, I spoken Jewish conferences. I gave 156 00:10:45,400 --> 00:10:48,960 Speaker 2: the same talk over and over and over, because they 157 00:10:49,120 --> 00:10:52,920 Speaker 2: wanted to know who are Evangelical Christians, how many are there, 158 00:10:52,960 --> 00:10:57,040 Speaker 2: what do you believe, why do you support Israel? And 159 00:10:57,080 --> 00:11:01,480 Speaker 2: should we work with you. Very happy to say that 160 00:11:01,520 --> 00:11:05,920 Speaker 2: several of those organizations made the official decision to work 161 00:11:05,960 --> 00:11:09,000 Speaker 2: with the Christian community. Others said, well, we're just well 162 00:11:09,040 --> 00:11:10,920 Speaker 2: not going to oppose it. If any of our chapters 163 00:11:10,960 --> 00:11:14,360 Speaker 2: went to they're free to. And out of this budded 164 00:11:14,400 --> 00:11:18,360 Speaker 2: a relationship in the United States that is astounding. I 165 00:11:18,440 --> 00:11:21,320 Speaker 2: mean I was even a keynote speaker at a conference 166 00:11:21,440 --> 00:11:25,600 Speaker 2: of rabbis and pastors and Christian leaders, and out of 167 00:11:25,600 --> 00:11:30,440 Speaker 2: that conference ten years ago started a rabbi pastor tourist 168 00:11:31,200 --> 00:11:37,000 Speaker 2: Torah study meeting that is still going on today. So 169 00:11:38,320 --> 00:11:41,880 Speaker 2: the relationship has come a long way. And what it 170 00:11:42,200 --> 00:11:48,080 Speaker 2: took was Christians proving their genuine and sincere friendship and 171 00:11:48,120 --> 00:11:51,520 Speaker 2: that they were committed, they were dedicated, we were going 172 00:11:51,600 --> 00:11:54,800 Speaker 2: to be here for the long haul. Now I want 173 00:11:54,800 --> 00:11:59,000 Speaker 2: to share with you four pieces of advice whether you're 174 00:11:59,080 --> 00:12:01,760 Speaker 2: Jewish or you're Christian and you want to get involved 175 00:12:01,800 --> 00:12:05,640 Speaker 2: in this relationship. And my four pieces of advice are 176 00:12:05,720 --> 00:12:08,679 Speaker 2: based on mistakes that I made. I can give you 177 00:12:08,760 --> 00:12:12,160 Speaker 2: examples of things that I did that I learned the 178 00:12:12,200 --> 00:12:18,679 Speaker 2: most from. So first is we must understand that this 179 00:12:19,120 --> 00:12:24,679 Speaker 2: has to be a sincere relationship, no hidden agendas, no 180 00:12:24,840 --> 00:12:30,959 Speaker 2: strings attached. We must be sincere and transparent or it 181 00:12:31,040 --> 00:12:34,840 Speaker 2: will not work. Now I want to I'll tell you 182 00:12:34,920 --> 00:12:39,079 Speaker 2: a story. I will always remember this. I mean Washington, 183 00:12:39,160 --> 00:12:41,640 Speaker 2: d C. It's somewhere around two thousand and two thousand 184 00:12:41,679 --> 00:12:44,160 Speaker 2: and one. The relationship is still very, very new in 185 00:12:44,160 --> 00:12:47,440 Speaker 2: the United States. And we came up with the idea 186 00:12:47,600 --> 00:12:50,839 Speaker 2: of holding an all day conference in a local church 187 00:12:51,400 --> 00:12:56,400 Speaker 2: talking about Christian anti Semitism history, and then that evening 188 00:12:56,600 --> 00:13:01,320 Speaker 2: to hold a repentance service in a local Senate. And 189 00:13:01,400 --> 00:13:06,000 Speaker 2: so I approached the largest reform synagogue in DC because 190 00:13:06,040 --> 00:13:11,080 Speaker 2: it's founding rabbi had been a pioneer in evangelical Jewish 191 00:13:11,120 --> 00:13:14,959 Speaker 2: relations and I knew him, and he told me, he said, look, 192 00:13:15,040 --> 00:13:18,400 Speaker 2: I no longer have any authority. I'm retired. I don't 193 00:13:18,400 --> 00:13:20,640 Speaker 2: have a position or place of authority, but I will 194 00:13:20,760 --> 00:13:23,960 Speaker 2: certainly let them know that I recommend they do this. 195 00:13:24,320 --> 00:13:27,920 Speaker 2: I said, okay, So he did, and then I reached 196 00:13:27,960 --> 00:13:32,440 Speaker 2: out to the local to the head rabbi, and he said, well, 197 00:13:32,520 --> 00:13:35,080 Speaker 2: let me talk to my border rabbis and get back 198 00:13:35,120 --> 00:13:38,120 Speaker 2: to you. It took a while, but he called me back. 199 00:13:38,160 --> 00:13:41,520 Speaker 2: He said, listen, I raised the subject with my border 200 00:13:41,640 --> 00:13:45,079 Speaker 2: rabbis and they just had some concerns, and they had 201 00:13:45,120 --> 00:13:47,320 Speaker 2: some questions, and these are the kinds of things they 202 00:13:47,360 --> 00:13:51,200 Speaker 2: were asking. And so he'd ask a question and I 203 00:13:51,360 --> 00:13:54,600 Speaker 2: would respond, and I'd give him the answer, and he said, okay, 204 00:13:54,640 --> 00:13:57,120 Speaker 2: well they also wanted to know this, and so I 205 00:13:57,160 --> 00:14:01,280 Speaker 2: gave him the answer. And after about the third question responding, 206 00:14:01,760 --> 00:14:04,880 Speaker 2: he said, you know, would you come and meet with 207 00:14:04,920 --> 00:14:08,160 Speaker 2: the board of rabbis and allow them to ask these 208 00:14:08,280 --> 00:14:11,120 Speaker 2: questions and for you to address them. I said, sure, 209 00:14:11,240 --> 00:14:13,920 Speaker 2: no problem. So I hang up the phone, and then 210 00:14:13,960 --> 00:14:16,600 Speaker 2: all of a sudden, I'm like the board of Rabbis. 211 00:14:16,840 --> 00:14:19,800 Speaker 2: I'm going to go before a board of rabbis here 212 00:14:19,840 --> 00:14:23,720 Speaker 2: I am. I'm all of probably forty years old, young woman. 213 00:14:24,320 --> 00:14:25,640 Speaker 2: What do I know? I don't even know what a 214 00:14:25,680 --> 00:14:29,040 Speaker 2: bord of rabbis is. And it was a little intimidating, 215 00:14:29,160 --> 00:14:32,480 Speaker 2: but I've always been one to go where angels fear 216 00:14:32,520 --> 00:14:36,280 Speaker 2: to tread, and so I'm going to do it. And 217 00:14:36,440 --> 00:14:40,560 Speaker 2: the morning before the meeting, I opened my Bible and 218 00:14:40,600 --> 00:14:45,080 Speaker 2: the thing just fell open to Proverbs thirty one, of course, 219 00:14:45,200 --> 00:14:49,200 Speaker 2: about the woman of Valor, But in verse twenty six, 220 00:14:50,680 --> 00:14:53,720 Speaker 2: this verse just jumped off the page and hit me 221 00:14:53,800 --> 00:14:57,040 Speaker 2: in the heart and I knew that this was my confirmation, 222 00:14:57,240 --> 00:15:00,400 Speaker 2: my direction. And this is what verse twenty six says, 223 00:15:01,240 --> 00:15:05,080 Speaker 2: she opens her mouth with wisdom and on her tongue 224 00:15:05,720 --> 00:15:10,000 Speaker 2: is the law of kindness. Now I read this and 225 00:15:10,040 --> 00:15:15,960 Speaker 2: I was astounded. You understand, rabbis specialize in the law. 226 00:15:17,000 --> 00:15:22,400 Speaker 2: They study the law, in every interpretation of the law. 227 00:15:23,120 --> 00:15:26,360 Speaker 2: That's their specialty. And here the Lord is telling me 228 00:15:27,240 --> 00:15:32,400 Speaker 2: to go with the law of kindness on my tongue. Well, 229 00:15:32,440 --> 00:15:35,840 Speaker 2: I took a big, deep sigh of relief. I can 230 00:15:35,880 --> 00:15:40,520 Speaker 2: do that, I can be a sincere and kind friend. 231 00:15:41,280 --> 00:15:43,720 Speaker 2: And that's what I did. I went there, I met 232 00:15:43,760 --> 00:15:47,200 Speaker 2: with them, I answered their questions. They approved it on 233 00:15:47,280 --> 00:15:51,320 Speaker 2: the spot, and we later were able to hold that 234 00:15:52,120 --> 00:15:56,480 Speaker 2: service of repentance. What a lesson that was for me, 235 00:15:57,040 --> 00:16:01,000 Speaker 2: and I hope you'll take it to heart as well. 236 00:16:01,080 --> 00:16:03,160 Speaker 1: Let's take a break and hear a message from one 237 00:16:03,200 --> 00:16:11,040 Speaker 1: of our sponsors. Welcome back to the Auto Zion Podcast 238 00:16:11,320 --> 00:16:12,280 Speaker 1: with Susan Michael. 239 00:16:13,200 --> 00:16:16,240 Speaker 2: Now, a second lesson here that I have for Christians 240 00:16:16,280 --> 00:16:19,600 Speaker 2: is that we must understand that the Jewish people are 241 00:16:19,680 --> 00:16:24,480 Speaker 2: actually told to be afraid of evangelical Christians. They have 242 00:16:24,600 --> 00:16:28,880 Speaker 2: been told a lot of negative things about us. We 243 00:16:28,960 --> 00:16:33,040 Speaker 2: have been portrayed as only being after their soul, that 244 00:16:33,080 --> 00:16:35,920 Speaker 2: we just want to convert them away from Judaism, that 245 00:16:35,960 --> 00:16:39,000 Speaker 2: they will no longer be Jewish and to make them Christian. 246 00:16:39,920 --> 00:16:44,280 Speaker 2: And so we have to give them a level of 247 00:16:44,360 --> 00:16:48,040 Speaker 2: comfort that actually we are a sincere friend. But I'll 248 00:16:48,040 --> 00:16:50,440 Speaker 2: tell you an interesting story about this. So at this 249 00:16:50,600 --> 00:16:53,360 Speaker 2: time two thousand and two thousand and one, two thousand 250 00:16:53,400 --> 00:16:56,880 Speaker 2: and three four, I'm speaking to all these Jewish groups, 251 00:16:56,920 --> 00:17:00,400 Speaker 2: and I'm invited to come to Dallas, Texas to speak 252 00:17:00,480 --> 00:17:04,919 Speaker 2: to a chapter of one of the major national Jewish organizations. 253 00:17:04,960 --> 00:17:07,680 Speaker 2: And so you know, I'm very busy. I give this 254 00:17:07,760 --> 00:17:10,359 Speaker 2: talk over and over and over, so I didn't give 255 00:17:10,400 --> 00:17:12,840 Speaker 2: it a lot of thought. I grabbed my notebook with 256 00:17:12,880 --> 00:17:15,480 Speaker 2: my notes. I'm on the plane to Dallas, and all 257 00:17:15,520 --> 00:17:19,720 Speaker 2: of a sudden, I think, wait a minute. This Jewish 258 00:17:19,800 --> 00:17:23,320 Speaker 2: community lives in the heart of the Bible Belt. They're 259 00:17:23,400 --> 00:17:28,560 Speaker 2: surrounded by evangelical churches. They know everything I'm about to 260 00:17:28,600 --> 00:17:32,040 Speaker 2: tell them. This talk is not going to fly. This 261 00:17:32,119 --> 00:17:35,159 Speaker 2: is not the right talk to give in Dallas. And 262 00:17:35,200 --> 00:17:37,440 Speaker 2: I started to panic. I thought I should have thought 263 00:17:37,440 --> 00:17:40,640 Speaker 2: about this earlier. I should have spent more time preparing, 264 00:17:41,640 --> 00:17:44,840 Speaker 2: and I was really quite worried about it. So the 265 00:17:44,880 --> 00:17:47,879 Speaker 2: director of the chapter picked me up at the airport. 266 00:17:47,960 --> 00:17:50,240 Speaker 2: She took me to dinner before the meeting, and so 267 00:17:50,400 --> 00:17:55,560 Speaker 2: over dinner, I very gently said, so you work closely 268 00:17:55,640 --> 00:18:00,040 Speaker 2: with the Evangelical Christians here in Dallas, and she said, oh, no, 269 00:18:00,760 --> 00:18:05,960 Speaker 2: we're scared to death of them. I thought, well, there 270 00:18:06,000 --> 00:18:10,720 Speaker 2: we go. It's the same talk tonight. And it astounded me. 271 00:18:11,440 --> 00:18:16,480 Speaker 2: But it showed me that the smaller the Jewish community 272 00:18:16,640 --> 00:18:21,760 Speaker 2: throughout the South, throughout the Christian areas, they are very insular, 273 00:18:22,280 --> 00:18:26,840 Speaker 2: and they're very protective, and they are actually afraid. Now 274 00:18:26,880 --> 00:18:29,840 Speaker 2: a lot of that has changed in the last twenty years, 275 00:18:31,040 --> 00:18:35,000 Speaker 2: but it still exists. It's still there, and you need 276 00:18:35,040 --> 00:18:41,560 Speaker 2: to understand that. Thirdly, is that you Christians need to 277 00:18:41,840 --> 00:18:46,320 Speaker 2: learn the history of anti Semitism, because most of it 278 00:18:46,400 --> 00:18:50,120 Speaker 2: is the history of Christian anti Semitism, and the Jewish 279 00:18:50,119 --> 00:18:54,520 Speaker 2: people all know this history. And if you don't know it, 280 00:18:55,160 --> 00:18:58,480 Speaker 2: you don't know the things that they're very sensitive about. 281 00:18:58,680 --> 00:19:02,040 Speaker 2: You don't know those red flag words that you shouldn't 282 00:19:02,160 --> 00:19:05,159 Speaker 2: use because it means one thing to them. Now it 283 00:19:05,200 --> 00:19:08,080 Speaker 2: may mean something different to you. But you need to 284 00:19:08,200 --> 00:19:12,040 Speaker 2: know what are the hot button items? What do you 285 00:19:12,240 --> 00:19:17,200 Speaker 2: need to avoid or to better explain because of the history. 286 00:19:18,280 --> 00:19:20,720 Speaker 2: Now the story I have to tell you about this 287 00:19:20,880 --> 00:19:26,320 Speaker 2: happened way back in nineteen eighty. I had just landed 288 00:19:26,359 --> 00:19:30,480 Speaker 2: in Israel, right off the airplane Bungurian Airport, and I 289 00:19:30,680 --> 00:19:34,280 Speaker 2: catch a shared taxi up to Jerusalem to my school. 290 00:19:35,240 --> 00:19:38,760 Speaker 2: And in the shared taxi with me is another passenger 291 00:19:38,920 --> 00:19:42,600 Speaker 2: happens to be a young college aged guy like me 292 00:19:42,880 --> 00:19:48,280 Speaker 2: from New York, probably Orthodox Jewish man, on his way 293 00:19:48,320 --> 00:19:52,080 Speaker 2: to study in Jerusalem. Also, so we strike up a 294 00:19:52,119 --> 00:19:55,520 Speaker 2: conversation and he's very curious, you know, why am I there? 295 00:19:55,640 --> 00:19:58,120 Speaker 2: Where am I studying? What am I studying? And all 296 00:19:58,160 --> 00:20:00,919 Speaker 2: of this? And then he asked this question, well, what 297 00:20:00,960 --> 00:20:03,960 Speaker 2: do you want to do after you finish your studies? 298 00:20:04,760 --> 00:20:08,800 Speaker 2: And I said, I think I want to be a missionary? 299 00:20:08,840 --> 00:20:16,119 Speaker 2: Whoa missionary? That to him means that I am after 300 00:20:16,320 --> 00:20:19,640 Speaker 2: his soul and I am there to convert the Jews. 301 00:20:19,840 --> 00:20:23,080 Speaker 2: And he clammed up, didn't say another word. I think 302 00:20:23,080 --> 00:20:26,680 Speaker 2: he was scared to death. Now what did I mean 303 00:20:26,720 --> 00:20:30,680 Speaker 2: by missionary? Well, I didn't mean to be an evangelist. 304 00:20:30,800 --> 00:20:33,920 Speaker 2: I meant to be an international Christian worker. So like 305 00:20:34,440 --> 00:20:37,000 Speaker 2: you know, I was a musician, so I might go 306 00:20:37,240 --> 00:20:41,240 Speaker 2: and volunteer in a church somewhere in their music department, 307 00:20:41,320 --> 00:20:43,720 Speaker 2: or teach Sunday school at a church in a third 308 00:20:43,760 --> 00:20:47,399 Speaker 2: world country, or maybe I'd work in an orphanage something 309 00:20:47,520 --> 00:20:50,760 Speaker 2: like that. I was like a administrative person, and I 310 00:20:50,920 --> 00:20:54,399 Speaker 2: was musical, and I had a you know, like to help. 311 00:20:54,840 --> 00:20:57,320 Speaker 2: That was my gifting. And that's what I meant by 312 00:20:57,359 --> 00:21:00,440 Speaker 2: the word. A lot of our churches used the word 313 00:21:00,560 --> 00:21:04,640 Speaker 2: missionary in kind of a broad way. Not all missions 314 00:21:04,720 --> 00:21:09,920 Speaker 2: work of a church is evangelism. It can include humanitarian aid, 315 00:21:10,040 --> 00:21:13,160 Speaker 2: and so we use the word in a broad term, 316 00:21:13,200 --> 00:21:16,240 Speaker 2: and I was using it in a very broad term. Well, 317 00:21:16,280 --> 00:21:19,840 Speaker 2: I learned my lesson. I've often thought about that poor 318 00:21:19,880 --> 00:21:24,679 Speaker 2: young man and how I must have scared him. Now, 319 00:21:25,040 --> 00:21:29,119 Speaker 2: the last lesson I want to share is for the 320 00:21:29,200 --> 00:21:34,679 Speaker 2: Jewish people, and that is to understand that evangelical Christians 321 00:21:35,000 --> 00:21:39,000 Speaker 2: really do have good intentions. It's just that we're not 322 00:21:39,240 --> 00:21:45,960 Speaker 2: really skilled or taught about interfaith dialogue. We want to 323 00:21:46,000 --> 00:21:49,199 Speaker 2: work with you, but we really are inexperienced at it. 324 00:21:50,080 --> 00:21:53,760 Speaker 2: So when we make a mistake, use it as a 325 00:21:53,800 --> 00:21:57,120 Speaker 2: teaching moment and help us learn from it. I think 326 00:21:57,160 --> 00:22:01,160 Speaker 2: you'll find that we are so eager to learn from 327 00:22:01,240 --> 00:22:05,200 Speaker 2: our mistakes. We have a good heart and we have 328 00:22:05,320 --> 00:22:10,600 Speaker 2: good intentions. So now my closing story today about this 329 00:22:10,760 --> 00:22:17,520 Speaker 2: point is back in nineteen ninety six, we were celebrating 330 00:22:17,680 --> 00:22:21,840 Speaker 2: the three thousand year anniversary of the city of Jerusalem 331 00:22:21,920 --> 00:22:24,680 Speaker 2: being made the capital by King David. So we did 332 00:22:24,720 --> 00:22:28,639 Speaker 2: a series of events all around the world called Jerusalem 333 00:22:28,640 --> 00:22:32,119 Speaker 2: three thousand and all around the world. We had invited 334 00:22:32,160 --> 00:22:35,960 Speaker 2: the Jewish community to our events and to celebrate with us. 335 00:22:36,280 --> 00:22:39,560 Speaker 2: So the date I was given for when the team 336 00:22:39,600 --> 00:22:43,800 Speaker 2: would be in the United States was in June, and 337 00:22:44,119 --> 00:22:47,640 Speaker 2: so we began. We rented a huge hall in Washington, 338 00:22:47,720 --> 00:22:51,440 Speaker 2: d C. It held four thousand people, and we did 339 00:22:51,520 --> 00:22:55,840 Speaker 2: a lot of promotion, and we reached out to all 340 00:22:55,880 --> 00:23:00,280 Speaker 2: the churches through radio and everything. We also reached out 341 00:23:00,320 --> 00:23:03,639 Speaker 2: to the Jewish community and invited them to come celebrate 342 00:23:04,119 --> 00:23:06,840 Speaker 2: with us. And one of the things that we did 343 00:23:07,240 --> 00:23:10,720 Speaker 2: is that I wrote a letter to all the rabbis 344 00:23:10,880 --> 00:23:13,800 Speaker 2: in the DC area letting them know what we were 345 00:23:13,840 --> 00:23:17,320 Speaker 2: doing and that we were inviting them and their congregation 346 00:23:17,560 --> 00:23:21,880 Speaker 2: to attend. And I had a couple of Jewish leaders 347 00:23:22,440 --> 00:23:25,040 Speaker 2: that were working with me on the event, and I 348 00:23:25,119 --> 00:23:27,240 Speaker 2: was talking to them about it. They helped me get 349 00:23:27,240 --> 00:23:32,600 Speaker 2: the list of rabbis I was getting advice, but nevertheless 350 00:23:33,080 --> 00:23:35,840 Speaker 2: I made a big mistake. But what was a mistake. 351 00:23:36,480 --> 00:23:40,840 Speaker 2: I didn't realize that the two main Jewish leaders giving 352 00:23:40,880 --> 00:23:44,680 Speaker 2: me advice were both from the reform movement, and that 353 00:23:44,760 --> 00:23:49,280 Speaker 2: means that they're not very legalistic in ways that the 354 00:23:49,320 --> 00:23:54,239 Speaker 2: Conservative and the Orthodox and the ultra Orthodox were. So 355 00:23:55,080 --> 00:23:57,560 Speaker 2: the date I was working on in June was the 356 00:23:57,760 --> 00:24:00,000 Speaker 2: longest day of the year. It was a Saturday night, 357 00:24:00,800 --> 00:24:03,480 Speaker 2: and it was the longest Saturday in the whole year, 358 00:24:04,400 --> 00:24:07,600 Speaker 2: and our event was starting at seven thirty pm. Well, 359 00:24:08,240 --> 00:24:12,200 Speaker 2: for the religious Jewish community, Schabbat didn't end until after 360 00:24:12,280 --> 00:24:16,280 Speaker 2: eight thirty that night. And so I got a phone 361 00:24:16,320 --> 00:24:20,720 Speaker 2: call from the head of the board of Rabbis in Washington, 362 00:24:20,800 --> 00:24:23,679 Speaker 2: DC to let me know that my letter and my 363 00:24:24,040 --> 00:24:29,560 Speaker 2: invitation were offensive because I was asking them to break Shabbat. 364 00:24:31,160 --> 00:24:38,240 Speaker 2: I was devastated, absolutely devastated. Once again, at this point, 365 00:24:38,320 --> 00:24:41,199 Speaker 2: I'm not even forty by then. I mean, I'm a 366 00:24:41,200 --> 00:24:44,280 Speaker 2: young woman. I'm just trying to carry out this event 367 00:24:45,080 --> 00:24:48,280 Speaker 2: and I was really devastated. So I asked the rabbi. 368 00:24:48,800 --> 00:24:51,359 Speaker 2: I said, what should I do? Should I write a 369 00:24:51,480 --> 00:24:55,320 Speaker 2: letter of apology? And if I do, would you be 370 00:24:55,400 --> 00:24:57,679 Speaker 2: willing to read the letter before I send it to 371 00:24:57,760 --> 00:25:00,520 Speaker 2: make sure that it's okay? And when I I asked 372 00:25:00,560 --> 00:25:06,240 Speaker 2: that it melted his heart. He realized, she is so sincere. 373 00:25:07,080 --> 00:25:11,320 Speaker 2: This was a sincere mistake. There was nothing behind this, 374 00:25:11,440 --> 00:25:14,760 Speaker 2: there was no animus. And he said, I would be 375 00:25:14,920 --> 00:25:18,280 Speaker 2: happy to review your letter. So I wrote the most 376 00:25:18,359 --> 00:25:21,960 Speaker 2: sincere letter I could. I sent it to him. He said, 377 00:25:22,000 --> 00:25:24,879 Speaker 2: it's great, it's beautiful. Send it, and I sent a 378 00:25:24,960 --> 00:25:28,960 Speaker 2: letter of apology to all the rabbis in DC. I've 379 00:25:29,040 --> 00:25:32,080 Speaker 2: never made that mistake again, and I never will. And 380 00:25:32,119 --> 00:25:36,160 Speaker 2: this is my point. We all make mistakes, but we 381 00:25:36,320 --> 00:25:40,680 Speaker 2: learn the most from our mistakes. So please let's use 382 00:25:40,720 --> 00:25:44,320 Speaker 2: those moments as a teaching moment with each other so 383 00:25:44,359 --> 00:25:48,480 Speaker 2: that Jews and Christians can learn how better to relate 384 00:25:48,560 --> 00:25:52,760 Speaker 2: to each other and how better to work together. So 385 00:25:52,800 --> 00:25:55,600 Speaker 2: I hope you've learned a little something from my mistakes, 386 00:25:55,960 --> 00:25:59,040 Speaker 2: and you've gotten a few chuckles out of my stories, 387 00:25:59,440 --> 00:26:01,960 Speaker 2: and I hope that you'll begin to engage in this 388 00:26:02,160 --> 00:26:06,840 Speaker 2: amazing opportunity that we have in our generation for Jews 389 00:26:06,840 --> 00:26:10,719 Speaker 2: and Christians to learn to relate. Now, if you do 390 00:26:10,800 --> 00:26:13,879 Speaker 2: want to read a little something, I want to recommend 391 00:26:13,880 --> 00:26:17,600 Speaker 2: to you the book Our Father Abraham by doctor Marvin Wilson. 392 00:26:17,920 --> 00:26:21,720 Speaker 2: We spoke with doctor Wilson last week. Really I could 393 00:26:21,760 --> 00:26:24,480 Speaker 2: not recommend his book more. It's going to teach you 394 00:26:24,520 --> 00:26:29,080 Speaker 2: about the history of Jewish Christian relations, about the Jewish 395 00:26:29,160 --> 00:26:32,560 Speaker 2: roots of the Christian faith. It's a textbook. You'll want 396 00:26:32,600 --> 00:26:34,800 Speaker 2: to get it. So in today's show notes we give 397 00:26:34,840 --> 00:26:37,600 Speaker 2: you the link. All right, that does it for today. 398 00:26:38,119 --> 00:26:42,880 Speaker 2: We'll be back next week with another story and lessons 399 00:26:42,960 --> 00:26:47,120 Speaker 2: learned from a pioneer in Jewish Christian relations. I'll see 400 00:26:47,119 --> 00:26:51,359 Speaker 2: you back here then and until then, God bless and 401 00:26:51,400 --> 00:26:54,480 Speaker 2: I want to offer you a free download. We have 402 00:26:54,600 --> 00:27:00,320 Speaker 2: a download ten Reasons to Stand with Israel. So it's 403 00:27:00,359 --> 00:27:03,440 Speaker 2: ten reasons why Christian should stand with Israel. Get your 404 00:27:03,520 --> 00:27:07,600 Speaker 2: free download by going to the link in today's show 405 00:27:07,640 --> 00:27:12,720 Speaker 2: note or go to www dot out of zionshow dot 406 00:27:12,760 --> 00:27:18,159 Speaker 2: com and click on the tab for resources. We'll have 407 00:27:18,280 --> 00:27:22,640 Speaker 2: it there as well, but be sure download this free 408 00:27:22,760 --> 00:27:25,679 Speaker 2: resource for you. We're going to be talking about some 409 00:27:25,840 --> 00:27:27,879 Speaker 2: of the points in it in the coming week, so 410 00:27:27,920 --> 00:27:30,959 Speaker 2: we want to make sure that you have it. You 411 00:27:30,960 --> 00:27:33,080 Speaker 2: can print it out, you can share it with friends 412 00:27:33,119 --> 00:27:36,520 Speaker 2: and family, invite them to join us here on the 413 00:27:36,560 --> 00:27:40,159 Speaker 2: Out of Zion Show for our Israel Answer series. So 414 00:27:40,200 --> 00:27:44,119 Speaker 2: we'll see you back here next week and until then, God. 415 00:27:43,880 --> 00:27:48,000 Speaker 1: Bless We hope you have enjoyed this episode of Out 416 00:27:48,000 --> 00:27:51,560 Speaker 1: of Zion with Susan Michael. Be sure to subscribe to 417 00:27:51,640 --> 00:27:56,879 Speaker 1: out of Zion now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Pray 418 00:27:56,960 --> 00:28:02,240 Speaker 1: dot Com, Salem at one Place, Life Audio. Out of 419 00:28:02,320 --> 00:28:06,240 Speaker 1: Zion with Susan Michael is a production of ic EJUSA. 420 00:28:06,600 --> 00:28:12,159 Speaker 1: All rights reserved. This podcast is presented in partnership with 421 00:28:12,320 --> 00:28:16,480 Speaker 1: Life Audio to explore a wide range of faith centered 422 00:28:16,480 --> 00:28:22,360 Speaker 1: podcasts on prayer, Bible study, parenting, and more. Visit lifeaudio 423 00:28:22,520 --> 00:28:27,000 Speaker 1: dot com.