Episodes

Is it possible to find beauty in the Holocaust, or is the very notion shocking and inappropriate? Lesley Richardson has carved out a beautiful niche in redefining beauty and telling the stories of Holocaust survivors through her unique prism and makes their suffering and their celebrations come to life. On the eve of Holocaust Memorial Day, join this wide ranging conversation that speaks about the actual lives of survivors, and the context in which they lived, making their suffering and survival...

For the past three months, Israel has been embroiled in a domestic conflict regarding proposed judicial reforms that’s led to regular protests of hundreds of thousands, deepening divisions and polarization between those loosely called pro and anti-reformers, and even among members of the government. Protests became nationwide strikes, leading to a backtracking by the government, and new negotiations are taking place to try to approach the issues with civility and consensus. Overseas one hears ab...

News of proposed legislation in Israel set off a storm recently with implications that, in some way, Israel might be outlawing Christians from practicing or sharing their faith. Distressed Christians around the world engaged their Jewish friends in Israel seeking clarification. Jews openly debated the parameters of efforts to convert Jews to Christianity or another faith, specifically in Israel as the Jewish state, and freedom of worship and expressing one’s beliefs. While the bill primarily int...

Blessing Israel is not just something good to do because God says so; it’s good for business. Mark Dreistadt and Steve Wearp embody that reality and have grown to carve out significant businesses that relate to promoting Israel, including products, tourism, marketing and more. They’re outstanding and inspiring leaders and role models for whom the love of Israel, their heart for Israel, and seeking to connect others with Israel, outweighs all the business and is a blessing to them. Connect with ...

Art. It’s Biblical. From the inspired people tapped to create and construct the Tabernacle to so many other references to art, and the countless examples of the Bible inspiring art. Did you ever wonder how one overlays the Bible, to living in the Land of Israel, and working as an artist? Ronnit Barzel, Nicole Friedman, and Yael Harris Resnick share their truly inspiring and inspired insights overlaying spirituality to their trade, and as judges for the WhatIsraelMeanstoMe.com art contest. Conne...

Responding to the phenomena of an increase in Christians taking their children out of public schools and beginning to home school them, along with all the societal trends that are taking place in parallel, there’s a new parallel opportunity to build their faith in general, with Israel and Hebraic roots as the foundation. Biblical Excavations is establishing a foundation to make this a reality, something that’s a win-win-win. David Nekrutman is one of the leaders of building bridges between Jews ...

Purim is the festival where we celebrate the miraculous salvation of the Jews of Persia, 2500 years ago. But God is not even mentioned in the Book of Esther. What happened that’s so significant that this Book is part of the Bible, that we celebrate it still today, and what are the messages from the Book of Esther that make it still so relevant today. Sondra Baras is an amazing and inspired Bible teacher. Join us as she shares her insights on why Esther is meaningful, good for your health, and ha...

It’s been a year since Russia invaded Ukraine. Tens of thousands of Ukrainians have been killed and many cities in Ukraine destroyed. A year ago some thought the war was imminent and some thought it would never happen. Israeli and Jewish organizations around the world have stepped up to provide humanitarian relief to refugees and those stuck in Ukraine, and Israel has absorbed tens of thousands of new immigrants as well. What’s the situation now, a year later, and how have these efforts measured...

Among the many unique aspects of Israeli life are the army. Of course the army provided defense, but it’s also a great and highly respected pillar of Israeli society. Most Israelis are obliged to do military service which makes the army a great national equalizer, bringing together people of all backgrounds for a common purpose. Yet unique within the IDF is a phenomena known as “lone soldiers.” These are young men and women from overseas who come to Israel to volunteer in the IDF, taking ownersh...

Marzi Amirizadeh’s story is a story of miracles. Growing up in Iran, she was subject to a brand of Islam that was intolerant, cruel, and hateful. Coming to faith as a Christian in Iran is not common, and certainly not easy. She risked her life to share her faith, but was saved, multiple times. Hear her brave and inspiring stories, and how as a new Christian in Iran, her understanding of Israel and the Jewish people changed to one of love, the polar opposite from what the Iranian regime has indoc...

Moses is known as the greatest leader in Jewish tradition. It’s not just because he and his life are featured in four of the five Books of the Torah, it’s how and why God chose him and what he did that are remarkable, and yet very relatable. What are Moses’ qualities that make him the great person he was? He embodied great leadership skills, overlayed with empathy and an understanding of social justice. He demonstrated unhesitant faith and reverence for God, even when the Jewish people were not ...

In a generation that the last generation of Holocaust survivors are living their last years, remembering the Holocaust has never been more of an important obligation for us all. As we commemorate International Holocaust Memorial Day, we’re sharing the testimony of one man, Avraham Roet, who miraculously survived. His survival, along with being saved by righteous Christians, is a story you need to hear. The audio along with his 94-year old voice are a little low, so you’ll need and want to pay cl...

Faith and diplomacy in Israel are like bread and butter, but it takes someone with a special recipe to bring these together and make it as impactful as it can be. Josh Reinstein is a leader in this area, on the front lines of blending faith and diplomacy to support Israel, all around the world. With Israel being the only Jewish state and one of two countries established on a Biblical foundation, how does faith motivate people in their Israel advocacy, and how is this a critical recipe making inr...

Last month, Israel hosted the Sixth Christian Media Summit in Jerusalem. Some 150 Christian media personalities from dozens of counties. The agenda was full, including briefings and panel discussions on a range of topics, visits to important religious and historic sites, touring and meeting legislators at Israel’s Knesset, and to see first-hand life on the Gaza border. Elise Ann Allen, Felicia Ferreira, Risto Huliva, and Johnny Kim join us to share their insight from four different perspectives ...

What was King David’s zip code and how do we know? If an ancient letter were found today marked “Return to Sender,” where would it go? Join Ze’ev Orenstein of the City of David as we explore what’s new and what’s so significant in this ancient city, the actual place where King David established his palace, and which prove chapters and chapters of Biblical text. If Israel is the center of the world, and Jerusalem is the center of Israel, the City of David is the center, and heart, of Jerusalem. ...

Modern Israel is the intersection between history and prophecy. It’s rare that current events don’t have historical context that goes back thousands of years, affirming Biblical accounts and prophecy. Looking at the news in Israel is a more than full time job and in this episode we bring together two top Christian journalists to look at the past year in news items in and about Israel from a prophetic perspective. Join us with Nicole Jansezian of All Israel News/All Arab News and Emily Jones of C...

John Riley is a respected journalist and commentator with a regular program, the Middle East Report, on American Family Radio. His focus is Israel and the Middle East, and he brings along a passion for Israel with detailed and in depth knowledge which he communicates through his program. After dozens of trips to Israel and regular Bible study about Israel, there’s little he doesn’t know and feel personally connected to. In the wake of the Christian Media Summit, he’s sharing unique insight and e...

On December 18, 2010, Kristine Luken was murdered by Arab terrorists in Israel. She died among the people she loved, in the Land that she cherished. Kristine was not an Israeli Jew, but an American Christian. Her death is no more tragic than that of thousands of other victims of Arab terror in Israel, but it was a particularly heinous personal crime. For the family of the victims, of course there is no one victim more meaningful than their loved one. Kristine was not just unique in being an Amer...

Some think of Chanukah simply as the Jewish Christmas because they take place around the same time. But Chanukah not only preceded Christmas, Jesus actually celebrated Chanukah, in Jerusalem, in the Temple. Did you know that? This week we are joined by Rabbi Avi Baumol discussing what Chanukah is really all about, and how and why it became a holiday that’s a cornerstone of the Jewish calendar.

The Book of Jewish Knowledge might sound like a redundancy. Of course, the Jewish people are known as the People of the Book, with The Book being the Torah, the Bible. So if we have The Book, why do we need another? Well, when you hear this episode, you’ll “see” for yourself. What’s the story behind the new book and whats so special about it? This is an enlightening conversation with Rabbi Shmuel Kaplan, brainchild behind the new book. www.Genesis123.co FB - www.facebook.com/Genesis123Foundatio...

The secular month of November has two significant dates that are significant to the fulfillment of Biblical prophesy related to Israel and its restoration. While the people involved on these dates in modern history may not have been aware of the significance of their actions prophetically, there’s no question that God’s fingerprints were all over it, and incredible to see not only how He continues to keep His promises, but how he works through people to make us actors in these. What’s the signif...

Israel just held its fifth national election in 3.5 years. In many ways, it was a referendum on the leadership of past Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who is now poised to return to the Prime Minister’s office for an unprecedented third term. More than just who won and who lost, there are many aspects of Israel’s political system and players that need to be understood as the new government takes place. Join expert guests Carrie Keller-Lynn and Rabbi Dov Lipman as we explore, understand, analyz...

Is Genesis 1-11 just the prequel for the main show when God introduces Abraham and calls him to leave his home and go to Israel, promising to make a great nation in Genesis 12? It’s certainly the birth of the Jewish people, God’s eternal covenant with the Jewish people through Abraham, and the beginning of the story that’s being played out today. God tells Abraham to leave his pagan home and serve Him, and five chapters later establishes a physical sign of the covenant through circumcision that ...

If you’ve heard about Kanye West’s recent series of antisemitic comments, you may not be surprised but you’re still probably disappointed and shocked. More than just spewing antisemitic tropes and stereotypes, Kanye actually said things that threaten violence. That’s important, and there’s been lots of backlash. It’s especially significant to discuss this the week of the anniversary of the 1938 violent antisemitic pogrom known as Kristallnacht, where words became violent actions that set a found...