1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:03,640 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:06,480 --> 00:00:10,360 Speaker 2: Well, welcome back to our episode on Jews and Christians 3 00:00:10,400 --> 00:00:13,440 Speaker 2: learning to Relate. We have a special treat today as 4 00:00:13,480 --> 00:00:17,520 Speaker 2: we're going to be interviewing a pioneer in Jewish Christian 5 00:00:17,560 --> 00:00:22,320 Speaker 2: relations from an Orthodox Jewish perspective, So please stay with us. 6 00:00:23,920 --> 00:00:26,000 Speaker 3: Let's take a break and hear a message from one 7 00:00:26,040 --> 00:00:34,520 Speaker 3: of our sponsors. Welcome to the Israel Answer Series Connecting 8 00:00:34,640 --> 00:00:38,919 Speaker 3: Israel the Bible, and you join Susan Michael as she 9 00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:42,920 Speaker 3: explores timely issues and current events from a scriptural perspective 10 00:00:43,080 --> 00:00:46,200 Speaker 3: to equip the Christian world with a balance and biblical response. 11 00:00:46,760 --> 00:00:49,960 Speaker 3: Be sure to subscribe for future episodes which will ignite 12 00:00:49,960 --> 00:00:52,199 Speaker 3: your faith and bring the Bible to life in your 13 00:00:52,240 --> 00:00:56,680 Speaker 3: everyday world. Now, let's join Susan with your Israel answers. 14 00:01:00,600 --> 00:01:03,320 Speaker 2: Well, as I said, we have a special friend with us. 15 00:01:03,360 --> 00:01:09,839 Speaker 2: He's in Israel, an Orthodox Jewish proponent of Jewish Christian relations, 16 00:01:09,880 --> 00:01:13,080 Speaker 2: and he's given decades to this and there's so much 17 00:01:13,160 --> 00:01:15,039 Speaker 2: that we're going to be able to learn from him 18 00:01:15,440 --> 00:01:18,240 Speaker 2: and from his story today. So I'd like to welcome 19 00:01:18,680 --> 00:01:22,760 Speaker 2: Jonathan Fieldstein for being with us, and thank you Jonathan 20 00:01:22,800 --> 00:01:23,880 Speaker 2: for joining us today. 21 00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:26,720 Speaker 4: It's really my privileged Susan. Thank you for hosting me. 22 00:01:27,600 --> 00:01:30,080 Speaker 2: So let me share this a little bit about your background. 23 00:01:30,560 --> 00:01:34,400 Speaker 2: You are the president and CEO of the Genesis twelve 24 00:01:34,480 --> 00:01:37,440 Speaker 2: three Foundation, and I don't think I have to explain 25 00:01:37,480 --> 00:01:40,080 Speaker 2: to my audience what Genesis. 26 00:01:39,600 --> 00:01:42,720 Speaker 1: Twelfth three says, but it is. 27 00:01:42,720 --> 00:01:47,720 Speaker 2: God's promise to Abraham that a nation descendants that would 28 00:01:47,760 --> 00:01:51,000 Speaker 2: be a blessing to the world, and so that is 29 00:01:51,400 --> 00:01:54,240 Speaker 2: the name of your foundation, and through that foundation, you 30 00:01:54,320 --> 00:01:57,320 Speaker 2: are doing a lot of activities to bring Jews and 31 00:01:57,400 --> 00:02:03,000 Speaker 2: Christians together and to see that blessing realized. You also 32 00:02:03,080 --> 00:02:08,120 Speaker 2: have your own podcast called Inspiration from Zion, not to 33 00:02:08,160 --> 00:02:11,760 Speaker 2: be confused with Out of Zion, which we're on today, 34 00:02:12,360 --> 00:02:16,079 Speaker 2: and your podcast is also on the Charisma podcast Network, 35 00:02:16,639 --> 00:02:19,240 Speaker 2: so we'll link to it in today's show note so 36 00:02:19,280 --> 00:02:23,000 Speaker 2: that those that would like to can listen to your 37 00:02:23,120 --> 00:02:28,800 Speaker 2: podcast and learn more from you even after today, Johnson, 38 00:02:29,320 --> 00:02:32,400 Speaker 2: share with us first a little bit about your background 39 00:02:32,480 --> 00:02:35,400 Speaker 2: and if there was anything in your upbringing or your 40 00:02:35,400 --> 00:02:38,880 Speaker 2: background that maybe prepared you for the work that you're 41 00:02:38,960 --> 00:02:42,600 Speaker 2: so passionate about in developing Jewish Christian relations. 42 00:02:42,800 --> 00:02:47,720 Speaker 4: Wow, you got my heart racing well. As you mentioned, 43 00:02:47,760 --> 00:02:49,760 Speaker 4: I'm an Orthodox Jew. But I didn't grow up as 44 00:02:49,760 --> 00:02:53,880 Speaker 4: an Orthodox Jew. I grew up with a very secular 45 00:02:55,919 --> 00:03:01,959 Speaker 4: Jewish mother and a very secular Israeli Jewish father. So immediately, 46 00:03:02,520 --> 00:03:04,919 Speaker 4: what prepared me is that my father gave me a 47 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:08,000 Speaker 4: name he could never pronounce because he had an accent 48 00:03:08,040 --> 00:03:10,320 Speaker 4: till the day he died, and so he always called 49 00:03:10,360 --> 00:03:12,240 Speaker 4: me Jonatan. And whether he was telling me to go 50 00:03:12,280 --> 00:03:15,400 Speaker 4: do my homework or rake the leaves or shovel the snow, 51 00:03:15,840 --> 00:03:19,440 Speaker 4: it was from an Israeli intonation, and that was one 52 00:03:19,480 --> 00:03:22,160 Speaker 4: of the things that led me here. But I'll be honest, 53 00:03:22,240 --> 00:03:26,160 Speaker 4: growing up in kind of a secular background in New Jersey, 54 00:03:26,880 --> 00:03:30,800 Speaker 4: I can't think of anything that would have ever touched me. 55 00:03:30,840 --> 00:03:32,760 Speaker 4: When I went away to college. I went to Emory, 56 00:03:33,200 --> 00:03:37,720 Speaker 4: it was often my first time meeting and engaging real Christians, 57 00:03:38,080 --> 00:03:40,680 Speaker 4: and in many cases I was the first Jew that 58 00:03:40,760 --> 00:03:43,360 Speaker 4: many people were meeting. So the only thing that I 59 00:03:43,400 --> 00:03:46,119 Speaker 4: would say maybe that prepared me is both my mother 60 00:03:46,120 --> 00:03:48,560 Speaker 4: and my father were very open minded people, and I 61 00:03:48,600 --> 00:03:53,040 Speaker 4: inherited that from them, so me being able to engage 62 00:03:53,040 --> 00:03:55,320 Speaker 4: people where they are and learn from them as compared 63 00:03:55,360 --> 00:03:57,800 Speaker 4: to say, oh, you're different, and therefore I want nothing 64 00:03:57,840 --> 00:04:00,200 Speaker 4: to do with you. But I certainly was not on 65 00:04:00,680 --> 00:04:04,120 Speaker 4: any page. It was all a God thing. As to 66 00:04:04,200 --> 00:04:06,640 Speaker 4: how I got connected between Jewish Christian. 67 00:04:06,360 --> 00:04:10,040 Speaker 1: Relations, Well, why do you tell us that story? 68 00:04:10,120 --> 00:04:14,160 Speaker 2: Because something happened, a very specific event and time in 69 00:04:14,200 --> 00:04:16,000 Speaker 2: your life where you felt a call to this. 70 00:04:16,680 --> 00:04:18,600 Speaker 4: Yeah. I still have the bruise on my shoulder for 71 00:04:18,600 --> 00:04:22,120 Speaker 4: where God tapped me and said you're to build bridges 72 00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:25,960 Speaker 4: between Jews and Christians. So when I finished college, I 73 00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:30,560 Speaker 4: worked as the information officer at the Israeli Consulate in Atlanta. Now, 74 00:04:31,279 --> 00:04:33,520 Speaker 4: in an academic setting, you're still in very much of 75 00:04:33,560 --> 00:04:35,800 Speaker 4: a bubble. But when I was working this is my 76 00:04:35,839 --> 00:04:39,279 Speaker 4: first professional job, and it was in the late nineteen eighties, 77 00:04:39,680 --> 00:04:43,200 Speaker 4: I was traveling all over the Southeast speaking about Israel. 78 00:04:43,600 --> 00:04:46,120 Speaker 4: If you remember this, it was during what was then 79 00:04:46,160 --> 00:04:48,839 Speaker 4: called the Intafada. Now it was the first into Fada. 80 00:04:48,920 --> 00:04:52,680 Speaker 4: But I was driving around all over the Southeast, occasionally 81 00:04:52,680 --> 00:04:55,920 Speaker 4: hopping on a plane and going to engage people with 82 00:04:56,040 --> 00:04:59,320 Speaker 4: pro Israel advocacy and trying to share the truth. And 83 00:04:59,360 --> 00:05:01,840 Speaker 4: it wasn't so much much on a religious basis until 84 00:05:01,920 --> 00:05:06,800 Speaker 4: one day a very tall, thin, distinguished black gentleman named 85 00:05:06,800 --> 00:05:08,480 Speaker 4: Bill Cherry, and I always have to say his name 86 00:05:08,520 --> 00:05:11,120 Speaker 4: because I'm hoping and praying someone will find him and 87 00:05:11,160 --> 00:05:14,479 Speaker 4: bring my angel to me. He picked me up at 88 00:05:14,520 --> 00:05:18,640 Speaker 4: my apartment and drove me to Cleveland, Tennessee. I never 89 00:05:18,720 --> 00:05:21,360 Speaker 4: knew there was a Cleveland, Tennessee. I didn't know that 90 00:05:21,400 --> 00:05:24,560 Speaker 4: there was a Church of God housed that in Cleveland, Tennessee. 91 00:05:25,000 --> 00:05:27,480 Speaker 4: And I was going to speak in my very first 92 00:05:27,880 --> 00:05:31,960 Speaker 4: pro Israel Christian event in a church. I had never 93 00:05:32,000 --> 00:05:34,840 Speaker 4: been in a church before, and I walked in. I 94 00:05:34,839 --> 00:05:36,919 Speaker 4: always say, if you could put a USB port in 95 00:05:36,960 --> 00:05:39,640 Speaker 4: my head, you could still download the pictures. It's that 96 00:05:39,839 --> 00:05:43,880 Speaker 4: vivid to me. I saw Christians wearing blue and white costumes, 97 00:05:44,320 --> 00:05:48,880 Speaker 4: dancing Israeli folk dances, singing Hebrew songs, and honestly, Susan, 98 00:05:48,920 --> 00:05:52,680 Speaker 4: I had no idea why Christians would care about Israel 99 00:05:52,720 --> 00:05:55,880 Speaker 4: and the Jewish people, much less be celebrating. I don't 100 00:05:55,920 --> 00:05:58,520 Speaker 4: remember what I said, but as I just said to you, 101 00:05:58,960 --> 00:06:01,440 Speaker 4: that's where God gave me a very firm tap on 102 00:06:01,480 --> 00:06:04,360 Speaker 4: the shoulder. And I didn't understand it, but I understood. 103 00:06:04,360 --> 00:06:06,480 Speaker 4: I didn't understand what he wanted from me, but I 104 00:06:06,520 --> 00:06:10,960 Speaker 4: clearly understood that this was my calling, and it took 105 00:06:10,960 --> 00:06:13,920 Speaker 4: a while to really have the rubber hit the road, 106 00:06:14,279 --> 00:06:18,080 Speaker 4: but it's been. It's been my passion and it's honestly, 107 00:06:21,040 --> 00:06:24,680 Speaker 4: it fulfills me. It's something that I absolutely love, which 108 00:06:25,080 --> 00:06:27,680 Speaker 4: which is an important qualification because even if I didn't, 109 00:06:27,960 --> 00:06:29,599 Speaker 4: if God calls you to do it, you still have 110 00:06:29,680 --> 00:06:32,599 Speaker 4: to do it. But in this case, I am enriched 111 00:06:32,680 --> 00:06:33,280 Speaker 4: because of it. 112 00:06:34,520 --> 00:06:37,360 Speaker 2: Well, Jonathan, if I can ask you about one thing 113 00:06:37,440 --> 00:06:39,240 Speaker 2: that you just said, you said, this was the first 114 00:06:39,320 --> 00:06:40,559 Speaker 2: time you'd been in a church. 115 00:06:40,839 --> 00:06:43,640 Speaker 1: Is that r right? And you know, this is. 116 00:06:43,560 --> 00:06:46,320 Speaker 2: One of the things that a lot of our evangelical 117 00:06:46,400 --> 00:06:49,840 Speaker 2: Christians don't know, is that there is a little fear, 118 00:06:49,920 --> 00:06:53,479 Speaker 2: in trepidation in Jewish people of even entering a church. 119 00:06:54,279 --> 00:06:58,159 Speaker 2: It's because of the history. It's because of things that 120 00:06:58,200 --> 00:07:00,279 Speaker 2: were done in the name of the church, you know, 121 00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:04,920 Speaker 2: centuries ago. But I've heard others say this that they 122 00:07:05,000 --> 00:07:09,920 Speaker 2: remember that first church that they went into because it's 123 00:07:10,200 --> 00:07:13,680 Speaker 2: like being very, very brave and stepping. 124 00:07:13,360 --> 00:07:15,360 Speaker 1: Over a threshold. 125 00:07:15,680 --> 00:07:17,840 Speaker 2: Do you want to add anything now, I'm putting words 126 00:07:17,840 --> 00:07:18,560 Speaker 2: in your mouth there. 127 00:07:19,960 --> 00:07:22,000 Speaker 4: I didn't think of it as so much brave as 128 00:07:22,120 --> 00:07:24,600 Speaker 4: just me doing my job at that time. But I 129 00:07:24,640 --> 00:07:29,440 Speaker 4: will say this more than fear in trepidation, which there is, 130 00:07:29,680 --> 00:07:31,920 Speaker 4: we carry a lot of baggage with us. And you 131 00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:38,600 Speaker 4: know that historical religious and going back centuries. I would 132 00:07:38,680 --> 00:07:43,040 Speaker 4: add to what you said by mentioning that there's even 133 00:07:43,080 --> 00:07:47,880 Speaker 4: a prohibition and I and and today I freely go 134 00:07:47,960 --> 00:07:53,000 Speaker 4: into churches and I will participate alongside my Christian friends 135 00:07:53,440 --> 00:07:57,560 Speaker 4: in worship. And where things are relevant to me, that's great. 136 00:07:57,560 --> 00:08:01,040 Speaker 4: Where they or not, that's also fine. But I but 137 00:08:01,200 --> 00:08:04,200 Speaker 4: I get a lot of pushback, and I will add 138 00:08:04,200 --> 00:08:09,360 Speaker 4: this in in my brand of building bridges. It's not 139 00:08:09,960 --> 00:08:14,480 Speaker 4: sufficient just to make relationships with Christians as a one 140 00:08:14,480 --> 00:08:20,560 Speaker 4: way street. I always come back from my trips posting 141 00:08:20,600 --> 00:08:24,120 Speaker 4: on my social media and people will tell me, you know, 142 00:08:24,560 --> 00:08:27,320 Speaker 4: I say, they look at me with three raised eyebrows, 143 00:08:27,560 --> 00:08:29,600 Speaker 4: what are you doing? What are you doing at these conventions? 144 00:08:29,600 --> 00:08:32,679 Speaker 4: What are you doing speaking in churches? You're not supposed 145 00:08:32,720 --> 00:08:35,679 Speaker 4: to go into churches. And I talk about why that 146 00:08:36,000 --> 00:08:39,720 Speaker 4: was and why that isn't anymore or from my perspective, 147 00:08:40,200 --> 00:08:43,160 Speaker 4: and I feel that an equal part of my calling 148 00:08:43,200 --> 00:08:45,520 Speaker 4: is to break down the barriers that we as Jews have. 149 00:08:47,480 --> 00:08:49,559 Speaker 3: Let's take a break and here a message from one 150 00:08:49,559 --> 00:08:56,760 Speaker 3: of our sponsors. Welcome back to the Out of Zion 151 00:08:56,800 --> 00:08:59,840 Speaker 3: podcast with Susan Michael Well. 152 00:09:00,040 --> 00:09:04,679 Speaker 2: I've spoken to a lot of Jewish audiences and they 153 00:09:04,720 --> 00:09:07,880 Speaker 2: always want to know who are evangelical Christians and what 154 00:09:07,920 --> 00:09:10,920 Speaker 2: do you believe and why do you support Israel? So 155 00:09:10,960 --> 00:09:13,679 Speaker 2: I've given the same talk over and over and over. 156 00:09:13,800 --> 00:09:17,840 Speaker 2: But one of my observations is that a lot of them, 157 00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:21,040 Speaker 2: most of them have never even met an evangelical and 158 00:09:21,120 --> 00:09:24,440 Speaker 2: so they're only going by what they've been told. And 159 00:09:24,520 --> 00:09:28,040 Speaker 2: I always encourage them, don't go by what you're being told, 160 00:09:28,280 --> 00:09:32,680 Speaker 2: get to know us, and base your opinion on real 161 00:09:32,960 --> 00:09:37,000 Speaker 2: experience and not on what you've been told. Because every 162 00:09:37,080 --> 00:09:41,160 Speaker 2: Jewish person I know, like Jonathan and others that have 163 00:09:41,520 --> 00:09:47,800 Speaker 2: gotten involved in this relationship, love it and love the 164 00:09:47,840 --> 00:09:51,280 Speaker 2: people they're working with. So there's something that's amiss here, 165 00:09:51,480 --> 00:09:56,319 Speaker 2: and it's the personal experience and relationship. That's what I 166 00:09:56,440 --> 00:10:01,160 Speaker 2: encourage them. Base your opinions on real life experiences. 167 00:10:01,600 --> 00:10:03,720 Speaker 4: Correct one hundred percent, Susan Sela. 168 00:10:03,800 --> 00:10:06,040 Speaker 2: Johnathan, share with our audience some of the things that 169 00:10:06,080 --> 00:10:09,600 Speaker 2: you've done your projects Genesis twelve three, What does it do? 170 00:10:09,760 --> 00:10:11,360 Speaker 2: What have you done over the years. 171 00:10:11,960 --> 00:10:14,640 Speaker 4: So our mission is to build bridges between Jews and 172 00:10:14,720 --> 00:10:17,640 Speaker 4: Christians and Christians with Israel in ways that are new 173 00:10:17,679 --> 00:10:20,960 Speaker 4: and unique and meaningful. And when I say that, it 174 00:10:21,000 --> 00:10:23,520 Speaker 4: means that I don't want to be the next Orthodox 175 00:10:23,600 --> 00:10:26,040 Speaker 4: Jewish teacher of Tora to Christians, and I don't want 176 00:10:26,080 --> 00:10:29,240 Speaker 4: to be the next person who's who's who's doing the 177 00:10:29,240 --> 00:10:33,200 Speaker 4: same thing that others are already doing. I'm looking for 178 00:10:33,400 --> 00:10:35,800 Speaker 4: I don't know. I never know what the plural is, 179 00:10:35,800 --> 00:10:39,360 Speaker 4: if it's Niche or Nietzsche or niche is, but the 180 00:10:39,720 --> 00:10:43,080 Speaker 4: plural of Niche, I'm looking for new ways of engagement. 181 00:10:43,120 --> 00:10:46,400 Speaker 4: The first project that we launched when we started the 182 00:10:47,840 --> 00:10:51,360 Speaker 4: organization is called Run for Zion, and Run for Zion 183 00:10:51,480 --> 00:10:55,680 Speaker 4: is the first Christian program around the Jerusalem Marathon. We've 184 00:10:55,720 --> 00:10:58,280 Speaker 4: spoken about this in the past and I at the 185 00:10:58,320 --> 00:11:00,400 Speaker 4: time some years ago, I met with the mayor of 186 00:11:00,480 --> 00:11:04,360 Speaker 4: Jerusalem near Barkat, who's now a member of Arkanesset here 187 00:11:04,360 --> 00:11:07,520 Speaker 4: in Israel. He is an entrepreneur, he is at the 188 00:11:07,559 --> 00:11:10,160 Speaker 4: time he was mayor of Jerusalem, and he's also a runner. 189 00:11:10,440 --> 00:11:15,400 Speaker 4: So he understood that I had identified something that was 190 00:11:15,480 --> 00:11:19,360 Speaker 4: really unique and necessary to do, and even with a 191 00:11:19,400 --> 00:11:23,360 Speaker 4: subsidy model so that in this coming year twenty twenty three, 192 00:11:23,640 --> 00:11:26,400 Speaker 4: people can come along and participate for as little as 193 00:11:26,440 --> 00:11:29,880 Speaker 4: twenty three dollars. But we're also engaged. You mentioned the 194 00:11:30,520 --> 00:11:33,920 Speaker 4: podcast Inspiration from Zion that started out as a webinar 195 00:11:34,440 --> 00:11:38,320 Speaker 4: during the pandemic when people couldn't connect in person, So 196 00:11:38,400 --> 00:11:42,200 Speaker 4: the webinar series started. It was not deliberately intended to 197 00:11:42,200 --> 00:11:45,240 Speaker 4: be something ongoing, but as a stop gap that was 198 00:11:45,280 --> 00:11:48,080 Speaker 4: wildly successful. And then I was invited to be the 199 00:11:48,120 --> 00:11:50,760 Speaker 4: only Orthodox Jew to note as far as I know, 200 00:11:51,200 --> 00:11:55,240 Speaker 4: with a weekly podcast about Israel on the Charisma podcast Network, 201 00:11:55,400 --> 00:11:58,360 Speaker 4: which has been amazing for me on so many levels. 202 00:11:59,080 --> 00:12:01,160 Speaker 4: One of the things on there's so much going on, 203 00:12:01,280 --> 00:12:03,880 Speaker 4: but one of the things that I'll mention also that 204 00:12:03,920 --> 00:12:06,880 Speaker 4: I've been getting into and I'm hoping that this year 205 00:12:06,920 --> 00:12:09,640 Speaker 4: we will have a kind of formal launch is you know, 206 00:12:09,720 --> 00:12:13,000 Speaker 4: about a year ago that was the first of two 207 00:12:13,120 --> 00:12:18,600 Speaker 4: different surveys that were released indicating a fifty percent drop 208 00:12:18,640 --> 00:12:22,840 Speaker 4: of support among young Christians, a drop of support for Israel. 209 00:12:23,200 --> 00:12:26,040 Speaker 4: And that's something that troubles me. And you know, a 210 00:12:26,040 --> 00:12:28,360 Speaker 4: lot of Jews, and a lot of Orthodox Jews, and 211 00:12:28,400 --> 00:12:29,960 Speaker 4: I don't know how many you know who will say 212 00:12:29,960 --> 00:12:32,560 Speaker 4: what I'm about to say. It's bad for Israel, and 213 00:12:32,600 --> 00:12:35,680 Speaker 4: it's bad biblically, but it's also very, very bad for 214 00:12:35,720 --> 00:12:39,360 Speaker 4: the Church. And I think that someone, and I hope 215 00:12:39,360 --> 00:12:44,800 Speaker 4: to be that someone, needs to pull together an inter denominational, 216 00:12:44,920 --> 00:12:48,640 Speaker 4: multi ethnic task force that will address what are these 217 00:12:48,720 --> 00:12:53,720 Speaker 4: issues and how do we fix it without politics, without rhetoric, 218 00:12:53,960 --> 00:12:57,440 Speaker 4: but really delving in, because if we wait another ten years, 219 00:12:57,960 --> 00:13:00,959 Speaker 4: we're going to end up seeing the elementary school age 220 00:13:01,040 --> 00:13:05,000 Speaker 4: children today continuing to have no thought for Israel or 221 00:13:05,040 --> 00:13:08,439 Speaker 4: actually not support Israel. But again, it all comes back 222 00:13:08,679 --> 00:13:12,079 Speaker 4: to finding unique ways to build bridges and make connections. 223 00:13:12,320 --> 00:13:15,720 Speaker 2: Yes, well, and Jonathan, I will add to your brief 224 00:13:15,760 --> 00:13:20,080 Speaker 2: resume there that you are a wonderful writer and you 225 00:13:20,640 --> 00:13:23,319 Speaker 2: have written a lot of articles. I've seen them on 226 00:13:23,760 --> 00:13:27,840 Speaker 2: the Charisma website, But if anyone just googles your name, 227 00:13:27,920 --> 00:13:30,080 Speaker 2: I'm sure a lot of articles will come up that 228 00:13:30,120 --> 00:13:34,800 Speaker 2: you've written on various subjects about Israel, but also about 229 00:13:34,800 --> 00:13:38,599 Speaker 2: this relationship and jewsing Christians. So I would really recommend 230 00:13:39,440 --> 00:13:44,199 Speaker 2: your articles. You know, we are also very concerned about 231 00:13:44,280 --> 00:13:48,840 Speaker 2: the future of the evangelical movement. In America, and with 232 00:13:49,040 --> 00:13:54,360 Speaker 2: that comes the evangelical support of Israel as we see 233 00:13:54,400 --> 00:14:00,400 Speaker 2: these trends that are really a threat. And I've agree 234 00:14:00,400 --> 00:14:04,520 Speaker 2: with you, the stronger the Evangelical Church is, the stronger. 235 00:14:04,160 --> 00:14:06,480 Speaker 1: Will be the support for Israel. 236 00:14:06,160 --> 00:14:10,920 Speaker 2: Of America, not just of Christians, but of America, as 237 00:14:11,000 --> 00:14:12,800 Speaker 2: we're the backbone of that support. 238 00:14:13,280 --> 00:14:14,400 Speaker 1: So it's very critical. 239 00:14:14,600 --> 00:14:17,360 Speaker 2: What we're putting a lot of effort into right now 240 00:14:17,440 --> 00:14:21,560 Speaker 2: is building educational resources because. 241 00:14:22,680 --> 00:14:23,920 Speaker 1: That's one of the needs. 242 00:14:24,440 --> 00:14:27,880 Speaker 2: And so we'll be happy to talk with you further 243 00:14:28,240 --> 00:14:30,680 Speaker 2: at another point and see how we could be involved 244 00:14:30,720 --> 00:14:36,120 Speaker 2: in that. Jonathan, getting back to our subject of Jewish 245 00:14:36,200 --> 00:14:41,880 Speaker 2: Christian relations, what would be your advice if you were speaking, 246 00:14:41,960 --> 00:14:44,200 Speaker 2: let's say to a Jewish person first, and then we'll 247 00:14:44,280 --> 00:14:47,800 Speaker 2: let you give advice to the Christian market. But what's 248 00:14:47,840 --> 00:14:52,160 Speaker 2: your advice to them about how to begin this relationship? 249 00:14:56,160 --> 00:14:59,000 Speaker 4: Wow, there's so many. First of all, you said it 250 00:14:59,000 --> 00:15:01,240 Speaker 4: from a different perspective, but we need to get to 251 00:15:01,280 --> 00:15:05,720 Speaker 4: know one another, and it's not necessarily easy if you 252 00:15:05,880 --> 00:15:08,480 Speaker 4: if a Jewish person doesn't really know or have a 253 00:15:08,520 --> 00:15:13,200 Speaker 4: relationship with a Christian just to make that happen. So 254 00:15:14,040 --> 00:15:17,200 Speaker 4: I invite anybody Jews and Christians always to reach out 255 00:15:17,240 --> 00:15:20,440 Speaker 4: to me and me help with that. I well, we 256 00:15:20,440 --> 00:15:22,600 Speaker 4: were at the same not just the same conference, the 257 00:15:22,640 --> 00:15:26,200 Speaker 4: same event at the NRB in the in the spring, 258 00:15:26,240 --> 00:15:30,440 Speaker 4: and Johnny Moore actually spoke exactly about this. He said, Christians, well, 259 00:15:30,480 --> 00:15:32,520 Speaker 4: and now I'm speaking from the other side, but Christians 260 00:15:32,560 --> 00:15:35,080 Speaker 4: need to go out and find Jewish neighbors and embrace 261 00:15:35,120 --> 00:15:36,960 Speaker 4: them and get to know them. And I would say 262 00:15:37,000 --> 00:15:40,280 Speaker 4: exactly the same thing about Jews. The one thing I 263 00:15:40,320 --> 00:15:44,240 Speaker 4: would I would qualify is that I would argue that 264 00:15:44,320 --> 00:15:48,400 Speaker 4: most Jews don't know the difference between an evangelical Christian 265 00:15:49,240 --> 00:15:57,120 Speaker 4: and a Catholic, or any Greek Reman Armenian or Russian Orthodox, 266 00:15:57,840 --> 00:16:00,960 Speaker 4: or even a Mormon for that matter, And Jews tend 267 00:16:00,960 --> 00:16:06,880 Speaker 4: to lump everyone in together with tremendous ignorance because we 268 00:16:06,960 --> 00:16:11,000 Speaker 4: don't know. And I think that first and foremost Jews 269 00:16:11,000 --> 00:16:18,000 Speaker 4: need to begin to understand the theological differences, the sociological differences, 270 00:16:18,400 --> 00:16:21,480 Speaker 4: and then identify, Okay, who are these people that really 271 00:16:21,520 --> 00:16:24,520 Speaker 4: love us? And how can I engage with them? And 272 00:16:25,120 --> 00:16:28,400 Speaker 4: ask questions? Have got we always say this, we have 273 00:16:28,440 --> 00:16:31,160 Speaker 4: one mouth to speak half as much as we need 274 00:16:31,200 --> 00:16:33,000 Speaker 4: to be listening. We really do need to be listening 275 00:16:33,000 --> 00:16:33,600 Speaker 4: to one another. 276 00:16:33,920 --> 00:16:34,400 Speaker 1: Thanks. 277 00:16:34,920 --> 00:16:39,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, And it's a very good point because when we 278 00:16:39,360 --> 00:16:43,720 Speaker 2: lump everybody together, then we don't understand how that this 279 00:16:44,240 --> 00:16:49,800 Speaker 2: particular branch of Christiandom, the Evangelical Christians, how it's new 280 00:16:50,440 --> 00:16:54,320 Speaker 2: and it's really not associated with the anti Semitic past 281 00:16:54,480 --> 00:16:58,720 Speaker 2: of the church, and most Evangelicals don't even know about 282 00:16:58,720 --> 00:16:59,320 Speaker 2: that past. 283 00:17:00,040 --> 00:17:01,440 Speaker 1: And so I spend a lot. 284 00:17:01,320 --> 00:17:05,840 Speaker 2: Of time educating on the history because we have to 285 00:17:05,920 --> 00:17:09,960 Speaker 2: learn the lessons that that history affords us. And if 286 00:17:09,960 --> 00:17:12,679 Speaker 2: we're going to be involved in Jewish Christian religions, the 287 00:17:12,720 --> 00:17:16,760 Speaker 2: Jewish community they know that history and they're looking at 288 00:17:16,880 --> 00:17:19,480 Speaker 2: us through the lens of that history. So we need 289 00:17:19,520 --> 00:17:22,520 Speaker 2: to know it so that we understand those issues that 290 00:17:22,600 --> 00:17:26,680 Speaker 2: are red flags or that we need to either avoid 291 00:17:26,800 --> 00:17:28,880 Speaker 2: or we just need to be very careful how we 292 00:17:29,119 --> 00:17:33,480 Speaker 2: articulate and understand the sensitivity of some of those issues. 293 00:17:34,040 --> 00:17:38,840 Speaker 2: And so once the Jewish community comes to understand this 294 00:17:38,920 --> 00:17:42,040 Speaker 2: is like a whole new segment of Christianity, and it's 295 00:17:42,080 --> 00:17:47,520 Speaker 2: a very powerful one because it's growing faster than all 296 00:17:47,520 --> 00:17:51,400 Speaker 2: the other segments and will one day be the largest 297 00:17:51,440 --> 00:17:57,639 Speaker 2: segment within christiandom and so it's very important. And also 298 00:17:57,800 --> 00:18:00,320 Speaker 2: the other thing I've observed over the years is it's 299 00:18:00,400 --> 00:18:04,040 Speaker 2: difficult for the Jewish community to engage the evangelical world 300 00:18:04,080 --> 00:18:08,400 Speaker 2: because we're made up of thousands of denominations, not one 301 00:18:08,640 --> 00:18:13,000 Speaker 2: with the head office and the director of interfaith relations, 302 00:18:13,000 --> 00:18:16,320 Speaker 2: you know who to go to with the evangelical world. 303 00:18:16,400 --> 00:18:21,240 Speaker 2: It's grassroots, and so it's quite hard to engage it too. 304 00:18:21,640 --> 00:18:26,640 Speaker 2: And so anyway that we can help the Jewish leaders 305 00:18:26,680 --> 00:18:31,480 Speaker 2: in Jewish community to engage our community, we're always here 306 00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:35,720 Speaker 2: to serve. Well, Jonathan, I always like to ask this 307 00:18:35,800 --> 00:18:41,160 Speaker 2: question of our pioneers. I know you shared the special 308 00:18:41,240 --> 00:18:43,919 Speaker 2: story of the first church you went into and the 309 00:18:43,960 --> 00:18:47,400 Speaker 2: call of God to this work, but do you have 310 00:18:47,600 --> 00:18:52,960 Speaker 2: any other special stories or funny stories or just impactful 311 00:18:53,040 --> 00:18:58,320 Speaker 2: moments in this relationship that one of your favorite examples 312 00:18:58,359 --> 00:18:58,760 Speaker 2: to give? 313 00:19:00,240 --> 00:19:03,000 Speaker 4: Well, I would say just most recently, you know, with 314 00:19:03,400 --> 00:19:07,600 Speaker 4: building bridges and not having any boundaries, there are any 315 00:19:07,680 --> 00:19:10,439 Speaker 4: number of ways that what I do can go and 316 00:19:10,520 --> 00:19:14,440 Speaker 4: has gone. So I just returned a week ago for 317 00:19:14,600 --> 00:19:17,800 Speaker 4: my most recent trip in the US, and you know, 318 00:19:18,200 --> 00:19:21,880 Speaker 4: and anyone listening following in the US knows that there's 319 00:19:21,920 --> 00:19:26,840 Speaker 4: been a tremendous shortage of baby formula, and I decided, wow, 320 00:19:26,920 --> 00:19:31,240 Speaker 4: that's horrible. I had a grandson who needed a particular 321 00:19:31,320 --> 00:19:34,880 Speaker 4: kind of formula at a stage in his life where 322 00:19:34,880 --> 00:19:38,240 Speaker 4: he was unable to ingest whole foods yet and he 323 00:19:38,800 --> 00:19:42,000 Speaker 4: lived because of that formula. So our shelves are filled 324 00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:44,720 Speaker 4: with baby formula, and I decided I was going to 325 00:19:44,720 --> 00:19:48,879 Speaker 4: bring some, and that notion percolated. I ended up flying 326 00:19:48,920 --> 00:19:52,240 Speaker 4: with one of my daughters and I still had the 327 00:19:52,280 --> 00:19:56,119 Speaker 4: status with the airline that allowed each of us to 328 00:19:56,200 --> 00:19:59,359 Speaker 4: take three seventy pound bags, so I dragged along. I 329 00:19:59,400 --> 00:20:04,479 Speaker 4: made arrangement with one of Israel's largest grocery store chains 330 00:20:04,920 --> 00:20:07,520 Speaker 4: to make a special order and give me a discount. 331 00:20:07,800 --> 00:20:10,840 Speaker 4: The manager of the store near my home in Gushetzione 332 00:20:11,200 --> 00:20:15,119 Speaker 4: is a Palestinian Arab Moslem from Hebron who loved that 333 00:20:15,160 --> 00:20:18,600 Speaker 4: he was participating in this. And I brought two hundred 334 00:20:18,720 --> 00:20:24,640 Speaker 4: pounds of baby formula one hundred and nineteen cans through customs. 335 00:20:24,680 --> 00:20:26,560 Speaker 4: God was with me there too, because I could have 336 00:20:26,600 --> 00:20:29,480 Speaker 4: been a little bit hairy. I joke that some of 337 00:20:29,520 --> 00:20:32,159 Speaker 4: the cans broke and there was a little white powder 338 00:20:32,240 --> 00:20:34,680 Speaker 4: leaking out of some of the luggage, so it could 339 00:20:34,680 --> 00:20:39,000 Speaker 4: have gone anyway there. But it's a great story because 340 00:20:39,440 --> 00:20:42,520 Speaker 4: it never had entered my mind a month ago that 341 00:20:42,600 --> 00:20:48,639 Speaker 4: we could fulfill the third of the three segments of 342 00:20:48,720 --> 00:20:51,680 Speaker 4: Genesis twelve three, which is the families of the world 343 00:20:51,720 --> 00:20:55,280 Speaker 4: will be blessed through you. And I even had to 344 00:20:55,320 --> 00:20:58,439 Speaker 4: look up the word in Hebrew it is families. So 345 00:20:58,600 --> 00:21:03,720 Speaker 4: now today, sitting in dozens of Christian homes all around 346 00:21:03,760 --> 00:21:06,879 Speaker 4: the Dallas Fort Worth area, you've got families that have 347 00:21:07,280 --> 00:21:11,440 Speaker 4: cans of baby formula with Hebrew writing, the same Hebrew 348 00:21:11,560 --> 00:21:15,480 Speaker 4: letters that the scripture Genesis twelve three is written in 349 00:21:15,840 --> 00:21:18,000 Speaker 4: as just our way to be a blessing for the 350 00:21:18,000 --> 00:21:18,919 Speaker 4: families of the world. 351 00:21:19,440 --> 00:21:23,280 Speaker 2: That is a great story, and it's a great example, Jonathan, 352 00:21:23,320 --> 00:21:26,320 Speaker 2: of how you think out of the box and you 353 00:21:26,440 --> 00:21:30,800 Speaker 2: come up with these very creative ideas. That's really a 354 00:21:30,840 --> 00:21:35,159 Speaker 2: great story. Well, let me ask what I think is 355 00:21:35,200 --> 00:21:38,920 Speaker 2: my final question today, and that is how has this 356 00:21:39,040 --> 00:21:41,520 Speaker 2: relationship impacted you personally? 357 00:21:41,640 --> 00:21:43,520 Speaker 1: How have you been enriched by it? 358 00:21:44,440 --> 00:21:48,720 Speaker 4: I'm a better human being, I'm a better Jew, I'm 359 00:21:48,720 --> 00:21:54,760 Speaker 4: a better human being because I'm tremendously fulfilled on a 360 00:21:54,800 --> 00:21:59,680 Speaker 4: personal level, personal and professional. And I'm a better Jew 361 00:22:00,440 --> 00:22:05,520 Speaker 4: because I'm interfacing with people who are also people of faith. Deeply, 362 00:22:06,240 --> 00:22:09,720 Speaker 4: we all worship I hate saying the same God because 363 00:22:09,760 --> 00:22:12,080 Speaker 4: he's the only God, but we're the only people who 364 00:22:12,119 --> 00:22:15,800 Speaker 4: are worshiping our creator and who revere him and who 365 00:22:15,840 --> 00:22:19,840 Speaker 4: have a relationship with him. And I have the privilege 366 00:22:20,119 --> 00:22:25,400 Speaker 4: of playing an important role visa vise Christians in representing 367 00:22:26,040 --> 00:22:30,160 Speaker 4: Judaism and what Jews are and are about, which necessarily 368 00:22:30,200 --> 00:22:34,399 Speaker 4: keeps me on my best behavior. And that really makes 369 00:22:34,440 --> 00:22:37,440 Speaker 4: me a better Jew and a better human being. 370 00:22:38,119 --> 00:22:41,440 Speaker 2: And that is a perfect example of what this relationship 371 00:22:41,480 --> 00:22:44,359 Speaker 2: can do for all of us. Because if we are 372 00:22:44,400 --> 00:22:48,879 Speaker 2: so intimidated by someone that may disagree with us or 373 00:22:48,920 --> 00:22:53,080 Speaker 2: have a different theological opinion on something, if we're so 374 00:22:53,160 --> 00:22:56,000 Speaker 2: intimidating that we don't know how to have a relationship 375 00:22:56,040 --> 00:23:00,720 Speaker 2: with that person, then we're robbed of the opportunity of 376 00:23:00,880 --> 00:23:05,600 Speaker 2: actually better investigating what we do believe so that we 377 00:23:05,720 --> 00:23:08,880 Speaker 2: can discuss it and articulate it, and we can come 378 00:23:08,960 --> 00:23:13,000 Speaker 2: out of it actually stronger in our beliefs and stronger 379 00:23:13,040 --> 00:23:17,200 Speaker 2: in our identity. As we grapple with some of these things, 380 00:23:17,280 --> 00:23:19,880 Speaker 2: and you know, it's a real gift in Judaism that 381 00:23:20,000 --> 00:23:27,879 Speaker 2: you encourage asking questions. So many times in any religious circles, 382 00:23:28,400 --> 00:23:33,000 Speaker 2: questions are kind of looked down upon, but Judaism encourages 383 00:23:33,080 --> 00:23:36,680 Speaker 2: it to debate, to ask questions, to learn how to 384 00:23:37,960 --> 00:23:43,000 Speaker 2: debate and articulate. And that's a really wonderful thing for 385 00:23:43,240 --> 00:23:47,200 Speaker 2: Christians them being involved with our Jewish friends, we also 386 00:23:47,400 --> 00:23:54,080 Speaker 2: learn how to discuss and to analyze and debate and articulate, 387 00:23:54,160 --> 00:23:56,000 Speaker 2: and we come out of it better for it. 388 00:23:57,119 --> 00:23:59,840 Speaker 4: And the operative word I think you just use is learn. 389 00:24:00,359 --> 00:24:02,480 Speaker 4: I'll just share another quick story. Back in March, I 390 00:24:02,600 --> 00:24:06,320 Speaker 4: visited a church in Tennessee. The pastor was hosting me. 391 00:24:07,200 --> 00:24:09,639 Speaker 4: We did a great Shabbat program together with me in 392 00:24:09,680 --> 00:24:12,880 Speaker 4: the community and I love to do that. And then 393 00:24:13,000 --> 00:24:16,160 Speaker 4: he hosted me in all of the Sunday worship services. 394 00:24:16,640 --> 00:24:19,439 Speaker 4: And because they were in a brand new building, it 395 00:24:19,520 --> 00:24:22,480 Speaker 4: was my first visit back since they since they had moved. 396 00:24:22,640 --> 00:24:25,440 Speaker 4: I brought a mesusa from here from Israel for them 397 00:24:25,480 --> 00:24:28,000 Speaker 4: to put on the door. And I was explaining how 398 00:24:28,040 --> 00:24:30,119 Speaker 4: and where and why we and he said, well, why 399 00:24:30,160 --> 00:24:32,160 Speaker 4: do you hang it on an angle? And I said, 400 00:24:32,520 --> 00:24:35,239 Speaker 4: I don't know. I'll have to check for you, and 401 00:24:35,480 --> 00:24:38,240 Speaker 4: he can use that as a great example during the 402 00:24:38,320 --> 00:24:43,320 Speaker 4: Sunday teaching because he loved the fact that we just 403 00:24:43,400 --> 00:24:45,600 Speaker 4: follow our faith, even the things that we don't know, 404 00:24:45,640 --> 00:24:49,080 Speaker 4: we follow and then we learn about. So that's I 405 00:24:49,119 --> 00:24:52,960 Speaker 4: apply that same principle to my relations with a growing 406 00:24:53,000 --> 00:24:54,040 Speaker 4: number of Christian friends. 407 00:24:55,359 --> 00:24:56,400 Speaker 1: Wonderful of Jonathan. 408 00:24:56,480 --> 00:25:00,000 Speaker 2: Thank you for sharing with us today, and I'm sure 409 00:25:00,119 --> 00:25:02,440 Speaker 2: sure that I'll be seeing you at the next Christian 410 00:25:02,480 --> 00:25:03,639 Speaker 2: conference I go to. 411 00:25:04,760 --> 00:25:06,360 Speaker 1: I don't know which one. 412 00:25:06,240 --> 00:25:10,440 Speaker 2: But look forward to seeing me there and I encourage everyone. 413 00:25:10,920 --> 00:25:14,960 Speaker 2: In today's show notes, we link to Jonathan's podcast and 414 00:25:15,040 --> 00:25:19,320 Speaker 2: more information about his Genesis twelve to three foundation. So 415 00:25:20,359 --> 00:25:24,200 Speaker 2: thank you everyone, and be back here next week when 416 00:25:24,240 --> 00:25:28,560 Speaker 2: we interview another pioneer in this relationship. And until then, 417 00:25:29,160 --> 00:25:33,159 Speaker 2: God bless and I want to offer you a free download. 418 00:25:33,720 --> 00:25:38,400 Speaker 2: We have a download ten reasons to Stand with Israel, 419 00:25:38,840 --> 00:25:42,479 Speaker 2: and actually it's ten reasons why Christian should stand with Israel. 420 00:25:42,600 --> 00:25:46,359 Speaker 2: Get your free download by going to the link in 421 00:25:46,440 --> 00:25:51,200 Speaker 2: today's show note or go to www dot out of 422 00:25:51,320 --> 00:25:56,840 Speaker 2: zionshow dot com and click on the tab for resources. 423 00:25:57,359 --> 00:26:00,560 Speaker 2: We'll have it there as well, but be sure download 424 00:26:01,160 --> 00:26:04,760 Speaker 2: this free resource for you. We're going to be talking 425 00:26:04,800 --> 00:26:07,320 Speaker 2: about some of the points in it in the coming week, 426 00:26:07,359 --> 00:26:10,000 Speaker 2: so we want to make sure that you have it. 427 00:26:10,440 --> 00:26:12,199 Speaker 2: You can print it out, you can share it with 428 00:26:12,280 --> 00:26:15,919 Speaker 2: friends and family, invite them to join us here on 429 00:26:16,000 --> 00:26:19,600 Speaker 2: the Out of Zion Show for our Israel Answer series. 430 00:26:19,640 --> 00:26:21,800 Speaker 1: So we'll see you back here next. 431 00:26:21,560 --> 00:26:23,720 Speaker 2: Week and until then, God. 432 00:26:23,480 --> 00:26:27,600 Speaker 3: Bless We hope you have enjoyed this episode of Out 433 00:26:27,600 --> 00:26:31,159 Speaker 3: of Zion with Susan Michael. Be sure to subscribe to 434 00:26:31,240 --> 00:26:36,440 Speaker 3: out of Zion now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Pray 435 00:26:36,520 --> 00:26:42,200 Speaker 3: dot Com, Salem Oneplace, Salem like Audio. Out of Zion 436 00:26:42,200 --> 00:26:47,240 Speaker 3: with Susan Michael is a production of ICJUSA. All rights reserved. 437 00:26:48,880 --> 00:26:53,480 Speaker 3: This podcast is presented in partnership with Life Audio to 438 00:26:53,600 --> 00:26:57,359 Speaker 3: explore a wide range of faith centered podcasts on prayer, 439 00:26:57,880 --> 00:27:06,160 Speaker 3: Bible study, parenting, and more. Visit lifeaudio dot com.