1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:07,600 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Welcome to the Out of Zion podcast. 2 00:00:07,680 --> 00:00:10,600 Speaker 2: I'm Shelley Niece filling in for doctor Susan Michael, and 3 00:00:10,680 --> 00:00:15,600 Speaker 2: I have with me today Zach Bauer, the CEO of Passages. 4 00:00:16,000 --> 00:00:18,919 Speaker 2: So first, Zach, I mean Passages has one of my 5 00:00:19,440 --> 00:00:23,319 Speaker 2: favorite missions of all the Christian Zionis organizations, and I 6 00:00:23,360 --> 00:00:26,360 Speaker 2: want you to just explain what that is to our audience, 7 00:00:26,680 --> 00:00:29,080 Speaker 2: because it's something that I'll be with Jewish people and 8 00:00:29,120 --> 00:00:32,160 Speaker 2: they'll say, why don't we have a birthright for Christians? 9 00:00:32,159 --> 00:00:33,479 Speaker 1: And I tell them it exists. 10 00:00:35,320 --> 00:00:37,440 Speaker 3: Let's take a break and hear a message from one 11 00:00:37,440 --> 00:00:45,320 Speaker 3: of our sponsors. Welcome to the Israel Answer Series, Connecting 12 00:00:45,479 --> 00:00:49,720 Speaker 3: Israel the Bible, and you join Susan Michael as she 13 00:00:49,840 --> 00:00:53,760 Speaker 3: explores timely issues and current events from a scriptural perspective 14 00:00:53,920 --> 00:00:57,000 Speaker 3: to equip the Christian world with a balanced and biblical response. 15 00:00:57,600 --> 00:01:00,800 Speaker 3: Be sure to subscribe for future episodes which will ignite 16 00:01:00,800 --> 00:01:03,040 Speaker 3: your faith and bring the Bible to life in your 17 00:01:03,080 --> 00:01:07,480 Speaker 3: everyday world. Now, let's join Susan with your Israel answers. 18 00:01:09,200 --> 00:01:11,160 Speaker 4: It's graz viewer to Shelley, thanks for having me on. 19 00:01:11,959 --> 00:01:12,160 Speaker 5: Yeah. 20 00:01:12,160 --> 00:01:15,640 Speaker 4: So, Passages best be described as a Christian birthright. 21 00:01:16,360 --> 00:01:18,760 Speaker 6: We send Christian high school and college students on a 22 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:21,400 Speaker 6: nine day trip to Israel where we connect them to 23 00:01:21,440 --> 00:01:23,600 Speaker 6: the roots of their faith and also to both ancient 24 00:01:23,640 --> 00:01:26,560 Speaker 6: and modern Israel. And we're not just of pilgrimage. We 25 00:01:26,600 --> 00:01:28,200 Speaker 6: won't just go to the biblical sites. We do go 26 00:01:28,240 --> 00:01:30,880 Speaker 6: to biblical sites, but we also have a variety of 27 00:01:30,920 --> 00:01:33,680 Speaker 6: speakers and perspectives that the students here from while they're 28 00:01:33,680 --> 00:01:36,120 Speaker 6: on the ground, and the hope is that they can 29 00:01:36,240 --> 00:01:40,240 Speaker 6: understand not only do modern geopolitical realities that Israel is facing, 30 00:01:40,280 --> 00:01:42,280 Speaker 6: but also grow closer in their faith and then the 31 00:01:42,319 --> 00:01:44,880 Speaker 6: walk with Christ while they're there too and learn you know, 32 00:01:44,920 --> 00:01:45,959 Speaker 6: why is a Christian it's so. 33 00:01:45,959 --> 00:01:48,080 Speaker 4: Important to support Israel and the Jewish people. 34 00:01:48,800 --> 00:01:51,400 Speaker 2: So what are their parameters for I mean, who gets 35 00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:53,280 Speaker 2: into this program? Do they have to be within a 36 00:01:53,280 --> 00:01:55,240 Speaker 2: certain age? They need to be in college? Like what 37 00:01:55,360 --> 00:01:56,760 Speaker 2: is the application process? 38 00:01:56,920 --> 00:01:59,400 Speaker 6: We primarily take college students, but we also are breaking 39 00:01:59,400 --> 00:02:03,320 Speaker 6: into the high scho space too. The war and COVID 40 00:02:03,440 --> 00:02:05,040 Speaker 6: kind of put a holt to those plans for the 41 00:02:05,120 --> 00:02:06,840 Speaker 6: last few years, but we actually have our first high 42 00:02:06,840 --> 00:02:09,280 Speaker 6: school group going this coming June for the first time 43 00:02:09,280 --> 00:02:12,280 Speaker 6: in several years. But in terms of the college students, 44 00:02:12,280 --> 00:02:14,880 Speaker 6: we work with long term partners in schools that we've 45 00:02:15,080 --> 00:02:18,400 Speaker 6: used in the past, whether that's Hillsdale College or a 46 00:02:18,400 --> 00:02:21,200 Speaker 6: group called the David Network, which is actually a group 47 00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:24,960 Speaker 6: of Conservative Ivy League students and MIT and Stanford students. 48 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:27,840 Speaker 6: We've taken three buses of them this past year and 49 00:02:27,880 --> 00:02:30,919 Speaker 6: has been really encouraging to see those students who are 50 00:02:30,919 --> 00:02:32,720 Speaker 6: in really the belly of the beast when it comes 51 00:02:32,760 --> 00:02:36,080 Speaker 6: to on campus anti semitism and having them giving them 52 00:02:36,120 --> 00:02:40,120 Speaker 6: that opportunity to experience Israel firsthand and seeing that, you know, 53 00:02:40,240 --> 00:02:43,079 Speaker 6: experience play out before their eyes has been incredible to see. 54 00:02:43,080 --> 00:02:45,600 Speaker 6: And having them go back to campus inspired and willing 55 00:02:45,600 --> 00:02:47,960 Speaker 6: to stand up and confront antisemitism wherever they may see 56 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:50,079 Speaker 6: it in their classroom or amongst their peers. 57 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:54,440 Speaker 2: Is there any sort of expectation on your part of 58 00:02:54,560 --> 00:02:56,560 Speaker 2: what you want these students to go back and do 59 00:02:56,639 --> 00:02:59,920 Speaker 2: in their own community and campuses after these jets there is. 60 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:03,000 Speaker 6: We actually have a we called our Capstone Project, So 61 00:03:03,280 --> 00:03:05,760 Speaker 6: when students return back to the United States, they have 62 00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:08,640 Speaker 6: forty five days to complete a what called Capstone project, 63 00:03:08,680 --> 00:03:11,760 Speaker 6: and that's a menu of options can be writing an 64 00:03:11,760 --> 00:03:13,280 Speaker 6: op ed in their local school newspaper. 65 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:15,720 Speaker 4: It can be sharing their experience in Israel to their. 66 00:03:15,639 --> 00:03:19,360 Speaker 6: Church in from of a classroom, can be hosting co 67 00:03:19,400 --> 00:03:22,480 Speaker 6: hosting a Shabbat dinner with the Jewish organization on campus. 68 00:03:22,840 --> 00:03:25,600 Speaker 6: So we provide them different options to get to get 69 00:03:25,680 --> 00:03:27,600 Speaker 6: credit for completing the capstone. 70 00:03:27,680 --> 00:03:29,160 Speaker 4: But in addition to that, we want them. 71 00:03:29,040 --> 00:03:32,560 Speaker 6: To be inspired leaders to lead forty five days past 72 00:03:32,560 --> 00:03:34,680 Speaker 6: their trip. We want them to be advocates or Israel 73 00:03:34,680 --> 00:03:37,320 Speaker 6: and the Jewish people not only on their campus when 74 00:03:37,320 --> 00:03:40,320 Speaker 6: they return, but also in their careers. So we've really 75 00:03:40,320 --> 00:03:43,160 Speaker 6: taken a heightened focus in selecting and recruiting students who 76 00:03:43,160 --> 00:03:45,640 Speaker 6: we feel are going to be the change makers impact 77 00:03:45,720 --> 00:03:49,160 Speaker 6: makers in the country going forward, whether that's you know, 78 00:03:49,240 --> 00:03:53,160 Speaker 6: in politics, business policy makers. We really want to make 79 00:03:53,200 --> 00:03:55,160 Speaker 6: sure that the students we're taking are going to come 80 00:03:55,200 --> 00:03:57,600 Speaker 6: back and have an outsized ripple effect on their communities 81 00:03:57,600 --> 00:03:59,200 Speaker 6: and in their campuses when they return home. 82 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:02,920 Speaker 2: What is the trip completely free for a student? Is 83 00:04:02,960 --> 00:04:05,040 Speaker 2: there like a little bit of an application fee? 84 00:04:05,040 --> 00:04:05,920 Speaker 1: How do you do that? 85 00:04:06,200 --> 00:04:08,480 Speaker 4: Yeah, there's a little bit of an application fee. 86 00:04:08,520 --> 00:04:10,480 Speaker 6: It's a typically it's a nine hundred and eighty dollars 87 00:04:10,480 --> 00:04:14,160 Speaker 6: for college students, and that covers everything except their domestic 88 00:04:14,200 --> 00:04:18,480 Speaker 6: flights to the outbound airport, so hotels meals ground transportation 89 00:04:18,520 --> 00:04:21,279 Speaker 6: in Israel, everything is covered. So nine eighty is typically 90 00:04:21,279 --> 00:04:23,520 Speaker 6: the registration fee that we have, and we felt that 91 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:24,520 Speaker 6: it's good to. 92 00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:25,680 Speaker 4: Have some skin in the game. 93 00:04:26,360 --> 00:04:29,560 Speaker 6: It leads to a better overall experience for both not 94 00:04:29,600 --> 00:04:31,159 Speaker 6: only the student but but also us. 95 00:04:31,600 --> 00:04:35,880 Speaker 2: So nothing secures a no show rate like zero dollar 96 00:04:36,120 --> 00:04:37,359 Speaker 2: entreating exactly. 97 00:04:37,440 --> 00:04:39,200 Speaker 4: Yeah, it's a We learned that the hard way in 98 00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:41,520 Speaker 4: the years past. So nine a we feel is a 99 00:04:41,520 --> 00:04:42,320 Speaker 4: good middle ground. 100 00:04:43,520 --> 00:04:46,520 Speaker 2: Are you guys, I mean, are you alarmed at what 101 00:04:46,600 --> 00:04:49,839 Speaker 2: we're seeing on college campuses. Obviously it's been a tough 102 00:04:49,880 --> 00:04:53,880 Speaker 2: place for Jewish students to be, but I'm assuming too 103 00:04:53,960 --> 00:04:57,120 Speaker 2: for proseral Christian students. It's it's been a tough last 104 00:04:57,160 --> 00:04:59,120 Speaker 2: couple of years. So what are you hearing? What are 105 00:04:59,120 --> 00:05:01,800 Speaker 2: you seeing from these students that have this experience and 106 00:05:01,880 --> 00:05:05,120 Speaker 2: come back with some zeal to represent Israel? 107 00:05:05,200 --> 00:05:06,239 Speaker 1: But it's hard. 108 00:05:06,560 --> 00:05:07,240 Speaker 4: Yeah. 109 00:05:07,400 --> 00:05:09,120 Speaker 6: Well, I've been at Passages now for a little over 110 00:05:09,160 --> 00:05:13,320 Speaker 6: a year, and when I first started, we really knew 111 00:05:13,360 --> 00:05:15,880 Speaker 6: the threat, the rise of anti Semitism was really prevalent 112 00:05:15,920 --> 00:05:18,200 Speaker 6: on the left, you know, whether that's among you know, 113 00:05:18,240 --> 00:05:21,880 Speaker 6: academia and professors on these college campuses, they're skewing these 114 00:05:21,920 --> 00:05:26,160 Speaker 6: anti Semitic lies and whatnot. But as the year progressed 115 00:05:26,200 --> 00:05:27,960 Speaker 6: and even in the last five six months, I think 116 00:05:27,960 --> 00:05:31,840 Speaker 6: we've really seen the rise of anti Semitism on the right, unfortunately, 117 00:05:32,040 --> 00:05:34,000 Speaker 6: and whether that's coming from prominent voices like you know, 118 00:05:34,040 --> 00:05:37,080 Speaker 6: Tucker or Candice Owens, but we really feel like that's 119 00:05:37,080 --> 00:05:38,039 Speaker 6: where the battle. 120 00:05:37,800 --> 00:05:38,960 Speaker 4: Is being waged right now. 121 00:05:39,080 --> 00:05:42,920 Speaker 6: And it's been alarming to see, especially some young Christians 122 00:05:42,960 --> 00:05:45,640 Speaker 6: who may not have a firm foundation in their faith 123 00:05:45,680 --> 00:05:48,680 Speaker 6: and understanding why as a Christian it's important to support. 124 00:05:48,320 --> 00:05:49,479 Speaker 4: Israel and the Jewish people. 125 00:05:49,720 --> 00:05:52,240 Speaker 6: They've been susceptible to some of the lies and distorted 126 00:05:52,360 --> 00:05:54,679 Speaker 6: theologies that they've been hearing from some of these prominent 127 00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:57,440 Speaker 6: voices that they've listened to. So trying to reach them 128 00:05:57,760 --> 00:05:59,840 Speaker 6: while they're you know, they're still forming their opinions and 129 00:06:00,000 --> 00:06:04,080 Speaker 6: growing in their faith is critical early on. I think 130 00:06:04,160 --> 00:06:06,520 Speaker 6: some of the data has shown this past year that 131 00:06:06,839 --> 00:06:09,240 Speaker 6: younger Americans are turning to their faith, which is really 132 00:06:09,320 --> 00:06:13,640 Speaker 6: encouraging to see. It's church attendance and he has been 133 00:06:13,680 --> 00:06:16,680 Speaker 6: increasing among younger Americans. But at the same time, it 134 00:06:16,720 --> 00:06:20,120 Speaker 6: also puts a heightened focus on reaching these students while 135 00:06:20,120 --> 00:06:22,440 Speaker 6: they're young in their faith and before they mature, because 136 00:06:22,600 --> 00:06:24,719 Speaker 6: otherwise they're going to hear from voices that are saying 137 00:06:24,839 --> 00:06:28,840 Speaker 6: inaccurate things and distorted of theologies. And unfortunately, we've been 138 00:06:28,839 --> 00:06:31,960 Speaker 6: playing out across the country in a variety of different instances. 139 00:06:32,400 --> 00:06:34,719 Speaker 4: Uh One one being in January. 140 00:06:34,240 --> 00:06:37,120 Speaker 6: When we saw the young man that set the synagogue 141 00:06:37,160 --> 00:06:40,880 Speaker 6: in Jacksonmsissippi on fire, and during his core appearance, he 142 00:06:41,000 --> 00:06:42,640 Speaker 6: said that he professed to be a Christian and that 143 00:06:42,680 --> 00:06:44,919 Speaker 6: he did it because it was a synagogust Satan. And 144 00:06:44,960 --> 00:06:47,040 Speaker 6: this was a young man who was playing baseball in college, 145 00:06:47,160 --> 00:06:50,159 Speaker 6: had a bright career ahead of him, and unfortunately he 146 00:06:50,200 --> 00:06:52,920 Speaker 6: was listening to these voices who were just saying distorted 147 00:06:53,040 --> 00:06:56,160 Speaker 6: theologies and inaccurate things I guess the Jewish people, and 148 00:06:56,640 --> 00:07:00,920 Speaker 6: he fell victim to it and unfortunately only carry out 149 00:07:00,920 --> 00:07:03,520 Speaker 6: this heinous attack. And it just reminds us of the 150 00:07:03,560 --> 00:07:05,440 Speaker 6: important work that we're doing every day trying to reach 151 00:07:05,440 --> 00:07:07,600 Speaker 6: these own Christians and providing them a you know, a 152 00:07:07,640 --> 00:07:11,280 Speaker 6: firm foundation of faith and how and why as a Christian, 153 00:07:11,320 --> 00:07:12,800 Speaker 6: you know, we need to stand with the Jewish people 154 00:07:12,840 --> 00:07:13,440 Speaker 6: and with Israel. 155 00:07:14,720 --> 00:07:18,000 Speaker 1: You know, one thing why Passages Mission, just. 156 00:07:20,120 --> 00:07:22,600 Speaker 2: Why I love it so much, is because for so 157 00:07:22,760 --> 00:07:25,120 Speaker 2: many of us, that is our story. Like when I 158 00:07:25,160 --> 00:07:27,600 Speaker 2: went to Israel at twenty years old for the first time, 159 00:07:28,120 --> 00:07:30,640 Speaker 2: I had a small town Louisiana girl, never met a 160 00:07:30,680 --> 00:07:33,240 Speaker 2: Jewish person in my life, really knew nothing about the 161 00:07:33,280 --> 00:07:35,520 Speaker 2: Jewish state, you know, so it was just a fire 162 00:07:35,560 --> 00:07:38,120 Speaker 2: hose of information. But not only does it make you 163 00:07:38,160 --> 00:07:42,080 Speaker 2: an advocate for Israel, you become a better Christian. Right 164 00:07:42,240 --> 00:07:47,040 Speaker 2: so I had you know, just your spiritual imagination is 165 00:07:47,080 --> 00:07:48,920 Speaker 2: one thing, and it's a beautiful thing. We should all 166 00:07:48,920 --> 00:07:50,880 Speaker 2: when we, you know, read the Biblical text, try and 167 00:07:50,960 --> 00:07:54,200 Speaker 2: exercise our imaginations to what Jerusalem might look like. But 168 00:07:54,480 --> 00:07:56,560 Speaker 2: it's almost like you can just read the scriptures with 169 00:07:56,600 --> 00:08:00,160 Speaker 2: so much more comfort, such a different level of understanding 170 00:08:00,200 --> 00:08:02,680 Speaker 2: when you've seen and walked the land. So when you're 171 00:08:02,720 --> 00:08:05,840 Speaker 2: taking kids there, you know, just making advocates for Israel, 172 00:08:05,880 --> 00:08:09,440 Speaker 2: you're deepening their Christian faith. You're making better Christians to 173 00:08:09,480 --> 00:08:11,560 Speaker 2: send back to their families and share with the world. 174 00:08:11,680 --> 00:08:12,400 Speaker 4: One hundred percent. 175 00:08:12,480 --> 00:08:14,160 Speaker 6: Right, I went to Israel for the first time right 176 00:08:14,200 --> 00:08:17,480 Speaker 6: after high school as we graduation, my family went for 177 00:08:17,560 --> 00:08:19,920 Speaker 6: the first time for a week and it was the 178 00:08:19,920 --> 00:08:21,720 Speaker 6: first time I'd ever left the country, So I was 179 00:08:22,120 --> 00:08:22,880 Speaker 6: excited to be. 180 00:08:22,880 --> 00:08:24,720 Speaker 4: Able to explore and go to Israel for the first time. 181 00:08:25,120 --> 00:08:28,000 Speaker 6: And you're absolutely right, there was nothing like having the 182 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:30,600 Speaker 6: opportunity to open your Bible and literally be walking in 183 00:08:30,600 --> 00:08:33,000 Speaker 6: the footsteps of Jesus, whether that was in Jerusalem or 184 00:08:33,080 --> 00:08:35,680 Speaker 6: up in Galilee, and just seeing all these landmarks and 185 00:08:35,800 --> 00:08:38,160 Speaker 6: places have been reading about your entire life and then 186 00:08:38,240 --> 00:08:39,880 Speaker 6: just having to having them right in front of you 187 00:08:39,920 --> 00:08:42,080 Speaker 6: and literally being able to envision what it must have 188 00:08:42,120 --> 00:08:43,920 Speaker 6: been like, you know, thousands of years ago when these 189 00:08:43,960 --> 00:08:47,480 Speaker 6: events took place. So to your point, absolutely I grew 190 00:08:47,520 --> 00:08:49,840 Speaker 6: in my faith, but that led to me one to 191 00:08:49,880 --> 00:08:52,880 Speaker 6: advocate and be more supportive of Viserul and the Jewish people. 192 00:08:52,880 --> 00:08:54,160 Speaker 4: So it's not an. 193 00:08:53,760 --> 00:08:57,439 Speaker 6: Either war kind of neither war kind situation, you can. 194 00:08:57,559 --> 00:09:00,400 Speaker 6: I think your faith, the growth in your faith while 195 00:09:00,400 --> 00:09:02,320 Speaker 6: you're in Israel leads you to want to become a 196 00:09:02,400 --> 00:09:04,839 Speaker 6: stronger advocate for Israel and the Jewish people, and that's 197 00:09:04,840 --> 00:09:06,800 Speaker 6: what I experienced when I first went there, and not 198 00:09:06,840 --> 00:09:09,120 Speaker 6: only did I I grow my walk with Christ, but 199 00:09:09,160 --> 00:09:12,880 Speaker 6: I also just the culture itself and the people there. 200 00:09:13,160 --> 00:09:14,600 Speaker 4: I grew to love it and love them. 201 00:09:14,760 --> 00:09:16,920 Speaker 6: And it was eye opening experience as an eighteen year 202 00:09:16,920 --> 00:09:20,480 Speaker 6: old young man to see guys my age, you know, 203 00:09:20,640 --> 00:09:22,320 Speaker 6: serving in the on the goal on heights, in the 204 00:09:22,320 --> 00:09:24,520 Speaker 6: front lines in the IDF or guys that were two 205 00:09:24,559 --> 00:09:26,559 Speaker 6: or three older than me have families of their own, 206 00:09:26,679 --> 00:09:27,240 Speaker 6: little kids. 207 00:09:27,440 --> 00:09:28,640 Speaker 4: There was an eye opening experience. 208 00:09:28,640 --> 00:09:30,040 Speaker 6: I was kind of like, WHOA, this is a little 209 00:09:30,040 --> 00:09:32,000 Speaker 6: different than it is in the United States, but there's 210 00:09:32,000 --> 00:09:35,040 Speaker 6: this level of maturity and growth in the different things 211 00:09:35,080 --> 00:09:38,119 Speaker 6: that you know, young men our age may not experience 212 00:09:38,640 --> 00:09:40,200 Speaker 6: as soon in the earlier in their lives as. 213 00:09:40,080 --> 00:09:41,000 Speaker 4: They do over in Israel. 214 00:09:41,160 --> 00:09:42,679 Speaker 6: And it really just drew me to the culture and 215 00:09:42,679 --> 00:09:46,360 Speaker 6: how unique it was, and having experience too, just even 216 00:09:46,400 --> 00:09:49,760 Speaker 6: going to a Shabbat dinner for the first time and seeing, 217 00:09:49,880 --> 00:09:53,240 Speaker 6: you know, several generations of a family gathering all once 218 00:09:53,400 --> 00:09:56,040 Speaker 6: every Friday, and it's almost like having a mini Thanksgiving 219 00:09:56,080 --> 00:09:56,480 Speaker 6: every week. 220 00:09:56,520 --> 00:09:58,559 Speaker 4: And I was and I love Thanksgiving, so I'm like. 221 00:09:58,480 --> 00:09:59,959 Speaker 6: I wanted to do that every week too back home, 222 00:10:00,559 --> 00:10:02,080 Speaker 6: but they do that all the time, and it was 223 00:10:02,120 --> 00:10:06,040 Speaker 6: just a very special, you know event, and being able 224 00:10:06,040 --> 00:10:07,760 Speaker 6: to see that play out for the first time, I 225 00:10:07,800 --> 00:10:09,720 Speaker 6: was just really taken aback and kind of like in 226 00:10:09,800 --> 00:10:11,880 Speaker 6: awe of it all, and it really just drew me 227 00:10:11,920 --> 00:10:13,720 Speaker 6: to the country and drew me to the people even more. 228 00:10:14,040 --> 00:10:16,480 Speaker 6: And my personal experience in Israel when I was there 229 00:10:16,559 --> 00:10:19,520 Speaker 6: when I was eighteen, and the impact that it had 230 00:10:19,559 --> 00:10:21,520 Speaker 6: on my life really led me to want to come 231 00:10:21,559 --> 00:10:24,400 Speaker 6: to Passages because being able to provide that same experience 232 00:10:24,400 --> 00:10:26,400 Speaker 6: for young men and women, young men and young Christian 233 00:10:26,400 --> 00:10:31,080 Speaker 6: men and women, was an opportunity and it's something worthwhile pursuing, 234 00:10:31,200 --> 00:10:33,920 Speaker 6: And especially now what we're seeing going on in society 235 00:10:33,960 --> 00:10:35,400 Speaker 6: and the rise of Anti seven system, I feel like 236 00:10:35,400 --> 00:10:37,720 Speaker 6: it's more important now than ever that a young Christians 237 00:10:37,760 --> 00:10:39,720 Speaker 6: had the opportunity to go to Israel and see for 238 00:10:39,720 --> 00:10:42,199 Speaker 6: themselves the country and the land and the people. 239 00:10:43,200 --> 00:10:47,360 Speaker 1: I know, just you know, host October seven, I see 240 00:10:47,440 --> 00:10:47,920 Speaker 1: jay it. 241 00:10:48,040 --> 00:10:51,160 Speaker 2: We're taking people there for the Feast of Fabernacles and 242 00:10:51,200 --> 00:10:55,480 Speaker 2: taking tours there, and there's this real need to add 243 00:10:55,480 --> 00:10:57,960 Speaker 2: the October seventh site, to add the Nova site, to 244 00:10:58,080 --> 00:11:01,199 Speaker 2: add going to the Gaza board. So have y'all made 245 00:11:01,240 --> 00:11:03,960 Speaker 2: any adjustments to your own itinerary because you know, it 246 00:11:04,040 --> 00:11:05,480 Speaker 2: used to be that you would spend a whole day 247 00:11:05,480 --> 00:11:08,080 Speaker 2: at ad mission at the Holocaust Museum, but now something 248 00:11:08,200 --> 00:11:12,360 Speaker 2: happened in their lifetime that was a holocaust. So how 249 00:11:12,400 --> 00:11:13,839 Speaker 2: have you adjusted the itinerary? 250 00:11:14,280 --> 00:11:16,560 Speaker 6: Yeah, so since October seventh, we've taken all of our 251 00:11:16,600 --> 00:11:18,760 Speaker 6: students can go down to the Gaza Envelope and go 252 00:11:18,840 --> 00:11:22,640 Speaker 6: down to either kavar Asa or the Nova Festival and 253 00:11:22,640 --> 00:11:25,160 Speaker 6: we usually will have a no A Festival survivor speak 254 00:11:25,160 --> 00:11:28,080 Speaker 6: to them while they're at the site. We've also actually 255 00:11:28,160 --> 00:11:32,599 Speaker 6: incorporated a volunteer Day, and this is it gives opportunity 256 00:11:32,600 --> 00:11:34,800 Speaker 6: for students to take a break from you know, just 257 00:11:34,840 --> 00:11:36,920 Speaker 6: going from site to site and here in speaker to speaker, 258 00:11:36,960 --> 00:11:39,480 Speaker 6: but they actually go to a local community and serve 259 00:11:39,679 --> 00:11:43,160 Speaker 6: and volunteer, whether that's building Kits for Kids, which is 260 00:11:43,400 --> 00:11:45,840 Speaker 6: a program that we a nonprofit that we've worked with 261 00:11:46,040 --> 00:11:49,040 Speaker 6: that builds toy kits for kids to use in bomb 262 00:11:49,040 --> 00:11:51,840 Speaker 6: shelters when they might be experiencing trauma or you know, 263 00:11:52,600 --> 00:11:54,840 Speaker 6: stress from emotional stress from all that's been going on 264 00:11:54,920 --> 00:11:58,079 Speaker 6: in the war previously. But giving them the tools and 265 00:11:58,400 --> 00:12:02,080 Speaker 6: the ability to find comfort and soulas while they're maybe 266 00:12:02,080 --> 00:12:04,480 Speaker 6: in a bomb shelter with their families. There's also other 267 00:12:04,480 --> 00:12:07,480 Speaker 6: opportunities that we do volunteering for a day, and it 268 00:12:07,520 --> 00:12:09,080 Speaker 6: was initially it was going to be a kind of 269 00:12:09,080 --> 00:12:13,240 Speaker 6: temporary thing, but we've often found that post trip surveys 270 00:12:13,240 --> 00:12:14,920 Speaker 6: have said a lot of students have said that's one 271 00:12:14,960 --> 00:12:16,959 Speaker 6: of the most meaningful aspects of the trip. So we're 272 00:12:16,960 --> 00:12:21,560 Speaker 6: gonna continue having a volunteer day going forward. And in 273 00:12:21,559 --> 00:12:23,559 Speaker 6: addition to you know, obviously hearing or going to the 274 00:12:23,600 --> 00:12:25,839 Speaker 6: sites in October seventh and where the attacks took place, 275 00:12:26,240 --> 00:12:29,000 Speaker 6: but it's important to see, you know, especially when a 276 00:12:29,000 --> 00:12:30,920 Speaker 6: lot of these college students may hear from some of 277 00:12:30,960 --> 00:12:33,320 Speaker 6: their peers that you know, October seventh didn't happen. 278 00:12:33,480 --> 00:12:35,439 Speaker 4: This is all like made up and it's all staged. 279 00:12:35,760 --> 00:12:37,960 Speaker 6: But you've been at the communities do see that that 280 00:12:38,080 --> 00:12:40,960 Speaker 6: they're pretty much intact of where it was in October seventh. 281 00:12:41,880 --> 00:12:44,560 Speaker 6: There's still you know, the remnants of of you know, 282 00:12:44,679 --> 00:12:47,080 Speaker 6: bullet holes and bombs, and you can see for yourself 283 00:12:47,080 --> 00:12:49,080 Speaker 6: that no, actually, this is what this did happen, and 284 00:12:49,120 --> 00:12:50,760 Speaker 6: this is where so and so lived, this is where 285 00:12:50,760 --> 00:12:52,840 Speaker 6: this victim was taken and held hostage. 286 00:12:53,200 --> 00:12:53,800 Speaker 5: So it's really. 287 00:12:53,679 --> 00:12:56,600 Speaker 6: Important for them to be able to witness that firsthand 288 00:12:56,600 --> 00:12:58,280 Speaker 6: and say that they went to these sites. 289 00:12:58,040 --> 00:13:00,640 Speaker 4: And tell their peers that especially you're wrong, this happened. 290 00:13:00,679 --> 00:13:01,079 Speaker 6: I was there. 291 00:13:01,120 --> 00:13:02,000 Speaker 4: I saw for myself. 292 00:13:02,480 --> 00:13:05,080 Speaker 2: So yeah, and these were kids their age, you know, 293 00:13:05,120 --> 00:13:07,760 Speaker 2: you go the no site in there. I mean able 294 00:13:07,800 --> 00:13:10,199 Speaker 2: to just empathize on this whole other level because these 295 00:13:10,200 --> 00:13:13,560 Speaker 2: were kids who's cars in the car graveyard have bumper 296 00:13:13,559 --> 00:13:16,040 Speaker 2: stickers of their favorite bands, you know that look just 297 00:13:16,160 --> 00:13:16,520 Speaker 2: like them. 298 00:13:16,559 --> 00:13:17,920 Speaker 6: As something that they may be going to back in 299 00:13:17,920 --> 00:13:20,000 Speaker 6: the United States, they can you know, plan on going 300 00:13:20,000 --> 00:13:24,439 Speaker 6: to and just imagining that happening is just a it's horrified. 301 00:13:25,480 --> 00:13:29,400 Speaker 2: So what what does passages look like going forward? Like, 302 00:13:29,480 --> 00:13:31,960 Speaker 2: how how are you? What's your next step? What's your 303 00:13:32,000 --> 00:13:34,440 Speaker 2: next goal? I mean, I know we're you have a 304 00:13:34,440 --> 00:13:37,480 Speaker 2: big mission already, but is there any pivoting that's happening. 305 00:13:37,960 --> 00:13:42,640 Speaker 6: We're we've actually revamped our our entire leadership program. So 306 00:13:42,960 --> 00:13:45,360 Speaker 6: in years past, basically you want to sign up for 307 00:13:45,400 --> 00:13:46,840 Speaker 6: a trip, we'll take you on a trip, but we 308 00:13:46,880 --> 00:13:48,480 Speaker 6: want to make sure you know, we can't be We 309 00:13:48,800 --> 00:13:51,120 Speaker 6: don't have the resources to take thousands of month thousands 310 00:13:51,160 --> 00:13:52,840 Speaker 6: of students. We want to make sure that we're identifying 311 00:13:52,880 --> 00:13:55,520 Speaker 6: the right students to take on in our program. So 312 00:13:55,640 --> 00:13:58,280 Speaker 6: leading up to the trip itself, we have students taking 313 00:13:58,400 --> 00:14:02,280 Speaker 6: an eight hour online course and some of the topics include, 314 00:14:02,320 --> 00:14:04,920 Speaker 6: you know, history of anti Semitism and history of Jewish 315 00:14:04,960 --> 00:14:08,640 Speaker 6: Christian relations, what is Zionism and provides them. 316 00:14:08,720 --> 00:14:11,240 Speaker 4: A framework and a foundation leading up to the trip itself. 317 00:14:11,320 --> 00:14:13,200 Speaker 6: And then we also have them to take several quizzes 318 00:14:13,240 --> 00:14:15,640 Speaker 6: throughout to make sure they're you know, understanding and you 319 00:14:15,679 --> 00:14:18,800 Speaker 6: know understanding all the information that's being shared with them 320 00:14:18,800 --> 00:14:19,920 Speaker 6: on the course. And then we also do a one 321 00:14:19,960 --> 00:14:21,440 Speaker 6: on one interview with them with a staff numbers, so 322 00:14:21,480 --> 00:14:24,640 Speaker 6: there's a much more thorough vetting process in order to 323 00:14:24,640 --> 00:14:26,800 Speaker 6: actually get on the trip itself. And the reason for 324 00:14:26,840 --> 00:14:28,080 Speaker 6: that is we want to make sure we're having the 325 00:14:28,160 --> 00:14:30,600 Speaker 6: highest return on our investment because, as you know, it's 326 00:14:30,760 --> 00:14:32,280 Speaker 6: it's not cheap to go to Israel, and we want 327 00:14:32,280 --> 00:14:33,800 Speaker 6: to make sure that students were taking they are going 328 00:14:33,880 --> 00:14:35,720 Speaker 6: to be the ones they're going to come back to 329 00:14:35,800 --> 00:14:39,400 Speaker 6: their campus and in their careers and really be forceful advocates. 330 00:14:38,920 --> 00:14:40,800 Speaker 4: For the Jewish people and for the Nation of Israel. 331 00:14:41,320 --> 00:14:44,320 Speaker 6: So that's been a process of implementing that program. We 332 00:14:44,320 --> 00:14:46,800 Speaker 6: had our first winter cohort go through it this year, 333 00:14:47,000 --> 00:14:50,440 Speaker 6: had over ninety students go through it from Hillsdale College, 334 00:14:50,760 --> 00:14:52,640 Speaker 6: the Ivy League schools from DAVY Network, and then we 335 00:14:52,680 --> 00:14:55,720 Speaker 6: actually had three HBCUs colleges represented four D A and 336 00:14:55,840 --> 00:15:00,280 Speaker 6: M Southern and Alabama State and so far it's that 337 00:15:00,360 --> 00:15:02,960 Speaker 6: the first cohort went really well. We have a couple 338 00:15:03,000 --> 00:15:05,320 Speaker 6: of iterations we'll be making here and there, but our 339 00:15:05,360 --> 00:15:06,960 Speaker 6: next big group is going to go at the end 340 00:15:07,000 --> 00:15:10,040 Speaker 6: of May into early June, and then this coming winter 341 00:15:10,120 --> 00:15:12,480 Speaker 6: we have up to seven rate buses that will be 342 00:15:12,520 --> 00:15:12,920 Speaker 6: on the ground. 343 00:15:12,920 --> 00:15:14,640 Speaker 4: I'm still figuring out the final number. 344 00:15:14,400 --> 00:15:16,600 Speaker 6: But this coming here, we're looking at around six hundred 345 00:15:16,640 --> 00:15:19,960 Speaker 6: and fifty people going over and it's we're excited. 346 00:15:20,280 --> 00:15:22,680 Speaker 2: And those are six hundred and fifty vetted you know, 347 00:15:22,960 --> 00:15:25,360 Speaker 2: Christian leaders that have so much potential promise. 348 00:15:25,400 --> 00:15:26,080 Speaker 1: That is wonderful. 349 00:15:26,400 --> 00:15:28,840 Speaker 2: Well, Zach, thank you so much for being on out 350 00:15:28,880 --> 00:15:31,240 Speaker 2: of Zion and we appreciate what you do. We appreciate 351 00:15:31,320 --> 00:15:33,840 Speaker 2: you being a member of American Christian Leaders for vigil 352 00:15:33,880 --> 00:15:35,720 Speaker 2: and just what you're bringing to the table. 353 00:15:35,760 --> 00:15:38,040 Speaker 1: For these students is super inspirational, awesome. 354 00:15:38,040 --> 00:15:39,320 Speaker 4: Thank you, Shelly, It's great to be with you. 355 00:15:39,960 --> 00:15:41,840 Speaker 1: Hey, just give me one more minute. 356 00:15:41,920 --> 00:15:45,400 Speaker 5: I want to offer you one of our free resources. 357 00:15:45,760 --> 00:15:49,760 Speaker 5: We have wonderful resources in our show notes and if 358 00:15:49,760 --> 00:15:54,760 Speaker 5: you go to our website at ICEJUSA dot org slash 359 00:15:54,880 --> 00:15:58,240 Speaker 5: show notes, you'll find links for a number of our 360 00:15:58,320 --> 00:16:02,680 Speaker 5: free offers. We have donloadables to help root you in scripture, 361 00:16:02,880 --> 00:16:06,680 Speaker 5: help you to understand the issues surrounding Israel and the 362 00:16:06,800 --> 00:16:12,480 Speaker 5: importance of being of Christian support for Israel, and don't forget. 363 00:16:12,760 --> 00:16:19,000 Speaker 5: Please follow us on Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn and stay connected. 364 00:16:19,440 --> 00:16:21,000 Speaker 5: Thank you and God bless. 365 00:16:22,320 --> 00:16:24,960 Speaker 3: We hope you have enjoyed this episode of Out of 366 00:16:25,080 --> 00:16:28,680 Speaker 3: Zion with Susan Michael. Be sure to subscribe to out 367 00:16:28,720 --> 00:16:34,920 Speaker 3: of Zion now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Pray dot com, 368 00:16:35,040 --> 00:16:39,600 Speaker 3: Salem one Place Salem like audio. Out of Zion with 369 00:16:39,640 --> 00:16:44,520 Speaker 3: Susan Michael is a production of ic EJUSA. All rights reserved. 370 00:16:47,160 --> 00:16:51,760 Speaker 3: This podcast is presented in partnership with Life Audio to 371 00:16:51,880 --> 00:16:55,640 Speaker 3: explore a wide range of faith centered podcasts on prayer, 372 00:16:56,200 --> 00:17:00,880 Speaker 3: Bible study, parenting, and more. Visit life audio dot com.