June 2015 Levitt Letter

36 Pages·2015·2.88 MB·English

by  Zola Levitt Ministries

JUNE 2015
Brethren,my heart’s desire and
prayer to God for Israel is that
they might be saved.–ROM.10:1
“I’6N7evBeorrAdegrrse”e Pd. 8To
To
Index
33rd Gospel Outreach to Israel
ZOLA TOURS SPECIAL REPORT
The Rose Red City: ByKathrynSueHopper
–
Often when the
To The Jew First
Petra
team flies from
By Sandra Luttrell JFK to Tel Aviv,a
Zola Tours Manager divine appointment
with a seatmate devel- Sue
our Ultra Grand tour, weFhoera tdheed latos to uprh ahsoete ol fin otop sa. fOrine ntdhliys IEslr aAel ljie wt,o Im saant .nDeaxtlit Dalit and
the beautiful resort city of Eilat on the northern and I quickly became involved in
tip of the Red Sea, visiting a life-size replica of conversation concerning our fam-
the Tabernacle in the Wilderness along the way. ilies, careers, and travel plans.
The next day we crossed the border into Jordan
to see the rose-red city of Petra. On the bus, our Dalit was born in Jerusalem but
Jordanian guide explained that his government now resides in a suburb of Tel
decided long ago to invest in building Jordan’s Aviv, where she works in the
economy rather than warring with its neighbors. medical field with burn patients.
The investment seems to be working: We noted Her work also involves research
a calmness in the area, and many smiles from and testing new medicines to
local adults and children greeted us along the help repair scarred and damaged
way. skin. She loves what she does.
(continued p.2)
(continued p.13)
2
_
The Rose Red City: Petra
continued from cover
Accessing the 2,000-year-old city’s ruins requires a mile-long trek through a
narrow gorge with steep, red-hued sandstone walls towering on both sides. The
sheer size of the monuments makes even engineers wonder how the ancient
Nabataeans carved the massive structures of the Treasury, Monastery, and
Amphitheater into the sandstone slope, which many believe may be the biblical
Mount Hor. The gorge path descended into the archaeological area, but for the
return trip uphill, some of us chose to ride—carriage, donkey, horse, or camel.
After a physical day of exploring monuments and tombs, we were all more than
ready for another delicious meal and peaceful night when we returned to our
Eilat hotel that evening.
On our drive next morning to Tel Aviv, we stopped to see the Ramon Crater (a
geological landform unique to the Negev Desert) and Tel Be’er Sheva, the ruins
of biblical Beersheba known for its many wells, dug by Abraham and Isaac, and
the elaborate underground water system carved in the rock beneath the town.
Dinner and a quick wash at a beautiful hotel in Tel Aviv saw us off to the airport
for our flight home.
Throughout our tour, we ate and slept well and saw inspiring sights. Because of
recent hostilities with Gaza, everyone’s friends and families had expressed con-
cern for our tour group’s safety. However, each of us felt well cared for and safer
than we do in the States. Many people have told me—and I now concur—that
from the moment you step foot in Israel,you feel as though you are finally home!
Back to
Cover
If you feel the Holy Spirit nudging you to experience Israel firsthand, I implore
you to heed that call and join us this fall or in spring 2016…you will never be
the same! Dates and options for both tours are on the back cover of this Levitt
Letter. Please feel free to contact me at 214-696-9760 or [email protected] To
with any questions. And please plan to join us “this year in Jerusalem”for a Index
life-changing experience!
Parts1and2 of Sandra’s report appear in our February and March issues.
m
Photo: Len Theivendra flickr.co S“itshAu aw ntndroir1ap0ty ht yo Sme caIhosrorsraoe oel.lf”
—Z
OLA
Sandra & Mike Luttrell (right)
Petra gorge & carriage
3
CONTENTS
Parsons: Hebrew
Lesson
16
16
Letters to ZLM
Myles To Go
4 4 22
Israeli Smartphone
Katharine Weiss App for Drivers 25
6
Science 26
Eitan Shishkoff Einstein’s 100th
Our Man in Haifa
7 6 Medicine 27
App Replaces Ritalin
1967 Borders
8
How to Fight
Classic Zola
Anti-Semitism
10
28
Ask the Chaplain 7 Select Briefs
12 9, 21,30
TJF Report Archaeology
13 32
Wise As A Serpent Jewish Girl Scouts
14 34
ZLM Bulletin Board 15 12 Jewish Humor 35
Rivlin Urges Unity Against Islamist Threat
By Ari Soffer / IsraelNationalNews.com
Israeli President Reuven Rivlinrecently urged foreign
diplomats to stand firm with the State of Israel, opining
that their countries share a common cause with the
Jewish state. Speaking at a special Independence Day
event, Rivlin expressed his pride in what his country
has achieved in the 67 years since its founding, and his hopes that Israel’s neighbors will
one day succeed in achieving the same.
“I know that liberty, that democracy, are not to be taken for granted,” Rivlin told the gath-
ered diplomats, including foreign ambassadors. “Israel’s inde-
“We are one
pendence is the fulfillment of a two thousand-year-old dream.”
family,a family
“I look around me with such pride at all that we have achieved,
from literature to film, technology to medicine, agriculture to
of nations”
academia. Israel is a beacon of democracy in a pained region.”
But the president warned that those rights—even in already-free countries—are under
threat from the rise of radical Islam, and urged a united international front to combat the
threat, which included the prospect of a nuclear-armed Iran.
“We are one family, a family of nations,” he said. “The rise of fundamentalist groups,
bringing death and destruction, spreading hatred, and spilling innocent blood is a threat
to Israel, to Saudi Arabia, Jordan, France, Denmark, to all of us.”
4
The Season of Redemption Myles To Go
By Myles Weiss
ZLPHost
The season of Passover(Pesach) that leads to Pentecost(Shavuot) (celebrated
May 25, 2015) provides a time for remembrance, rejoicing, and restructuring.
The restructuring includes the birth of the Church and the subsequent 2,000-
year period of people coming to faith. In this spring of Earth’s annual seasons,
we anticipate the sound of the great trumpet announcing the return of Messiah!
Atthis time each year,we look back atGod’shistoricaldeliveranceof theHebrew
people from Egypt. During the 50 days between the Feasts of First Fruits and
Shavuot, we enjoy the counting of the “omer”—lit. the sheaves of the harvest.
The counting causes us to anticipate the “Shavuot moment:” first, when the
Word was given to Moses at Sinai; and1,300 years later, when the Church was
born in the Book of Acts.
Pesach represents our salvation by the sacrifice of the Lamb of God,Yeshua the
Mashiach (Messiah). We are justified by trusting in the sacrificial blood of the
Lamb of God (Rev.7:14; 2 Cor.5:21). It is followed byChag HaMatzot (the seven
days of unleavened bread),which represent our sanctification.We rid ourselves
of the old leaven (chametz/sin) of “Egypt”and die to the carnal nature,a process
that is represented by the burial of Messiah and our identification with His
mortification.
First Fruits,the Sunday after the Crucifixion,represents the resurrection of Yeshua
our Mashiach and our future glorified state as part of the coming harvest of God
To
at the end of the Age.The term“first fruits”also applies to the first crops to ripen Index
each agricultural season, beginning with a sheaf of the barley harvest (anomer).
The Resurrection occurred on Nisan17, three days after the lamb/Lamb was
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Then the earth shall yield her increase;
and God, our own God, shall bless us.
Psalm 67:6
5
Redemption...
continued
inspected and approved and then slain. Amazingly, throughout
history, remarkable events happened on this same day.
Noah’s flood ended—Gen. 8:4. So, our new creation in Messiah began on
the anniversary of the rebirth of the world. Note: Nisan, the seventh month
in the years covered by Genesis, was designated as the first month at the
time of the Exodus (Ex.12:2).
Israel crossed the Red Sea—Hebrew sages believe that Israel crossed “Yam
Suf” on this date. They reason that from the crossing of the sea to the
arrival at Sinai was 47 days. Three days later would mark the 50th day as
the original event that Shavuot commemorates: the giving of the Torah
(Exodus19). Nisan17
Haman hanged—According to various Jewish authorities, the villain Haman
was hanged on Nisan17 on the gallows he had specifically prepared for
Mordechai the Jew [Esther 7:10].
The most important event wasYeshua’s resurrection onNisan17. In1Cor.15:20–23,
Paul clearly links the “firstfruit” offering with the resurrection of Yeshua Mashiach.
Yeshua’s resurrection is the ultimate “wave offering” presented before the Father
as the “firstfruits” of the harvest to come. Yeshua is the first begotten of the Father
(Heb.1:6) and opened the door for the phenomenal worldwide congregation that
has transformed the world for 2,000 years. From the120 in the upper room (Acts
1:15) to the 3,000 “born again” at the Temple (Acts 2:41) and down through the
centuries, resurrection life continues to triumph over the grave.
To
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The Resurrection occurred on Nisan17.
Google Images
mer
Photo Barbara Ann Co
Zola Tours visits the Garden Tomb: “He is not here, He has risen.”
6
A Mother’s Hope for Her Sons Katharine Weiss
ZLP co-host
The heart of a mom for her sons…and her sons’ hearts for Israel
Love from a mother is a love like no other. My sons Jonathan and Stephen are
dear treasures to my heart and soul. Not a day goes by that I do not pray for
them and seek the Lord on their behalf.
My boys grew to manhood immersed in the Scriptures, saturated by the Holy
Spirit. Myles and I were on staff at a church that had us traveling around the
world to Russia, India, and Africa, leading mission trips and seasons of ministry.
The boys sojourned with us in Kinshasa, Congo, where I believe they each
received a heart for the Nations. They love to travel, to experience new cultures,
to study and learn about the different peoples of the world, and ultimately feel
compelled to take the Gospel into the Nations. Their eagerness to go out in serv-
ice to the Lord requires a strong walk of faith for Myles and me because it is
tempting to prefer that they stay local, find steady jobs, and live the suburban
life. As a mom, I want them safe and comfortable.
However, their gifting, callings, and Scripture often lead them on other paths.
Both are dedicated to the Lord, and He will make their paths straight as they
live lives fully surrendered to Him. As a mother, I derive inspiration from the
story of Hannah as she takes Samuel to Eli in1Samuel.
1Samuel1:26–28
26And she said,“Oh,my lord! As you live,my lord,I am the woman who was
standing here in your presence,praying to the LORD. 27For this child I prayed,
To
and the LORDhas granted me my petition that I made to him. 28Therefore I Index
have lent him to the LORD. As long as he lives,he is lent to the LORD.”
I find strengthand faith in prayer, scripture,and solid relationships. The Lord is
always quicktoremind me that the bestplaceformy sons is inHis will.Although
His will may lead them into dangerous situations, I know that we are primarily
spiritual beings having a transitional bodily experience. Our resurrected bodies
will be revealed a little farther down the road.
Reading Psalm103 helps me reflect on the wonders of being children in God’s
Kingdom. His love provides the everlasting care to carry us through the good and
difficult times. We need His love to release our childrenintotheirdestinies.
Psalm103:13–18
AAss ppaarreennttss ffeeeell ffoorr tthheeiirr cchhiillddrreenn,,
GGoodd ffeeeellss ffoorr tthhoossee wwhhoo ffeeaarr hhiimm..
HHee kknnoowwss uuss iinnssiiddee aanndd oouutt,,
aanndd kkeeeeppss iinn mmiinndd tthhaatt wwee’’rree mmaaddee ooff mmuudd..
MMeenn aanndd wwoommeenn ddoonn’’tt lliivvee vveerryy lloonngg;;
lliikkee wwiillddfflloowweerrss tthheeyy sspprriinngg uupp aanndd bblloossssoomm..
BBuutt aa ssttoorrmm ssnnuuffffss tthheemm oouutt jjuusstt aass qquuiicckkllyy,,
lleeaavviinngg nnootthhiinngg ttoo sshhooww tthheeyy wweerree hheerree..
GGoodd’’ss lloovvee,, tthhoouugghh,, iiss eevveerr aanndd aallwwaayyss,,
eetteerrnnaallllyy pprreesseenntt ttoo aallll wwhhoo ffeeaarr hhiimm,,
mmaakkiinngg eevveerryytthhiinngg rriigghhtt ffoorr tthheemm
aanndd tthheeiirr cchhiillddrreenn aass tthheeyy
ffoolllloowwhhiissCCoovveennaannttwwaayyss..
7
The Balagan of Shiputzim
OUR MAN IN HAIFABy Eitan Shishkoff (r)with wife Connie
Our neighbors are remodeling. Ha! That scarcely describes the
radical transformation in their apartment. I know, because our patios
are separated by a mere cinder block wall. We can easily see each other’s
front doors. It’s fortunate we are good friends.
The other day, I was chatting with a couple of buddies seated around our patio
table. Suddenly, the conversation was rendered inaudible by the persistent
squawking of a power tool. Why was I surprised? The neighbors have been tear-
ing out walls, replacing the floor, and rewiring the entire house.
Every Israeli knows the word that describes this extensive upheaval. It’s called
shiputzim, pronounced she-poo-TZEEM. It means renovations, but the English
cannot convey the balagan (confused mess) every homeowner endures while
transforming his aged apartment into something more in keeping with the times.
To grasp just how common it is in Israel to shiputz one’s apartment, it helps to
understand that almost all Israelis live in apartments, not separate dwellings.
Shishkoffs Neighbors
In addition, a huge
percentage of these
apartment buildings
were constructed
before the housing
boom of the past 25
years, which was
caused bythe phe- To
Index
nomenalaliyah from
the former Soviet
Union. This, coupled
withour nation’s
relatively healthy
economy,has resulted in many families electing to remodel (shiputz) their homes
rather than take out a higher mortgage on a new place.
Adding to the nerve-racking ordeal, not all shiputzniks (contractors) are filled
with integrity. Our congregational secretary just told us a harrowing tale of a
shiputznik who walked off the job,leaving her and her husband with portions of
walls removed and no end in sight. On the other hand, our experience en-deared
us to the Arab Israeli contractor who took a personal interest in upgrading our
home with his high-quality workmanship. My advice? Get solid references!
A spiritual benefit is that our next-door neighbors’ experience is bringing us closer.
While their home is disassembled, there’s a sweet vulnerability that opens the way
for us to be supportive. As it happens, they’re a Modern Orthodox couple who have
been interested in our faith in Yeshua. We even attended their daughter’s wedding.
I’m not expecting you to be super-interested in the vicissitudes of Israeli remodel-
ing. But I am hoping to convey the atmosphere of a typical Israeli neighborhood.
Living close together in a small country, we tend to “get in each other’s business.”
A positive side effect: It’s nearly impossible for people not to see who you are.
We’ve forged a friendship with the folks next door, and they actually like us (!).
Ourprayer is that they,and many more of our neighbors,will discover the Messiah
Who brought us to the God of Israel and then to the Land of Israel.
8
Netanyahu: “I never agreed to ’67 borders”
BY DUDI CASPI, SHLOMO CESANA & GADI GOLAN / IsraelHayom.com
A document, which purports to have been presented in August 2013 and appears
to detail the framework for peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, sur-
faced recently. The “concessions document” suggests a willingness by Netanyahu
to make dramatic concessions.
Dennis Ross,the American diplomat who mediated talks between
Israeli negotiator Isaac Molho and Palestinian negotiator Hussein
Dudi Vaaknin Aoaufgtreh rda ,iA scuchugasulsslieto n2ng0se,1 d3w ,t ehb euca td mtohece urumep e wwnati’stsh n amoutta hanenyn Adtiurcagitfuytss: tb“ O2ov0th1e 3rb tedhfreoa rfyet.e ”aanrsd of
Photo:
“It is a pile of nonsense,” Netanyahu said about the document. “I never agreed to
divide Jerusalem. I never agreed to withdraw to1967 borders. I never agreed to
recognize the Palestinian right of return. And I never agreed to give up our pres-
ence in the Jordan Valley. Never.”
Further disproving the document’s claims, Palestinian minister Ashraf al-Ajarmi
agreed that “Netanyahu did in fact set conditions for continued peace talks in the
last round—no return to1967 borders, no negotiations on east Jerusalem or on
Jerusalem at all, no Israeli withdrawal from the Jordan Valley, no evacuation of
most of the settlements, including the settlement blocs that everyone used to talk
about. In essence, under these conditions, no Palestinian refugee could return
Back to
either. These conditions prevented any progress, and that is why I do not believe Cover
that what the [document] reported ever really happened.”
Our video archives at levitt.tv include “Election 2015: Israel’s Choice.” The
program features Zola’s interviews with Netanyahu from years past. Netanyahu To
maintains a consistent call for peace with security for Israel. Ceding the hills of Index
Judea and Samaria is not a good idea according to the electorate,which retained
Netanyahu despite pervasive media slander and massive efforts to unseat him.
—Myles
WhenYossiandAhmedMeet
9
Latin America Rolls Out Red Carpet
for Israeli Trade
BY DAVID SHAMAH/ TimesOfIsrael.com
The Israeli government is working hard to open new markets in places
where Israeli exporters have traditionally not had a large presence. Recently, a
dozen members of an official Ministry of Economy delegation visited Panama City
regarding the formation of a free trade agreement (FTA) between Israel and
Panama. Twelve working groups discussed access to markets, customs, services
and investments, intellectual property, protection of flora and fauna, trade obstacles,
institutional issues, and conflict resolution. Two more rounds of talks are expected
before the negotiations are completed.
Panama’s well-devel-
oped services sector
revolves around one
of the country’s big-
gest economic assets
—the Panama Canal,
still one of the most
important links be-
tween the Orient and
Atlantic Ocean ports.
Administration of the
canal—which Panama
Panama Canal
assumed in1977—has
led to the development of a large software and technology industry, with big data
To
used to make the passage from East to West cheaper and more efficient than alter-
Index
nate methods, such as overland trucking. Insurance, medical and health, banking
and financial technology, and tourism are all outgrowths of the canal business
as well.
Because Israel has a strongly developed software sector that provides solutions in
just those areas, said Ohad Cohen, director of the Foreign Trade Administration in
the Economy Ministry, an FTA with Panama “will forge new opportunities for
Israeli companies and give them a competitive edge against foreign companies.”
Panama is a candidate to join the Pacific Alliance, which currently includes Mexico,
Colombia, Peru, and Chile. If the GDP were a single nation, the Alliance countries
would form the world’s sixth-largest economy, according to the World Bank.
Israeli officials who have been working on deals with Latin American countries
believe that there is a great demand for Israeli technology and expertise in a wide
variety of fields. Israel recently signed a cooperation agreement with Mexico for
industrial R&D. Under the deal, Israeli and Mexican companies will receive assis-
tance in funding joint projects in several areas of research and development,
including water management, desert agriculture, pharmaceuticals and medical
devices, electronics, and communications. Israel also has an FTA with Mexico.
To enhance relations with the Alliance even further, Israel is also negotiating an
FTA with Peru. A Declaration of Interest has already been signed, Peruvian officials
noted. Israel’s ambassador to Peru, Ehud Eitam, said: “As a largely agricultural
country, Israel could be very helpful to the country’s economy, especially in its
efforts to maximize water use.”
10
“Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem” Psalm122:6
CLASSIC ZOLA from 1980: 35 years ago
Israel designated Jerusalem as its Jerusalem as the national capital will
capital, and that’s all there is to that. help provide for that future event.
All the protestations of all the govern-
ments of the surrounding nations will As Americans, we must be careful not to
not change God’s plans. act in the manner of the ancient Romans
concerning Jerusalem. That great city
The Israeli armies, with God, are pre- was the capital of Israel in the time of
pared to enforce the establishment of our Lord,but the Romans barely acknowl-
the one, eternal, indivisible Holy City, edged that fact. They stood aloof from
just as they were the last time this the Jewish government, operating their
happened. Bible readers should realize own interests in that far-flung province
at once that history is repeating itself. of their empire. We Americans also stand
Three thousand years ago, the Israeli rather aloof, operating our own interests
government made Jerusalem its capital. in that far-flung base of our military
King David was in command and any objectives. We stood by recently as our
nation that wished to contend the point representation in the United Nations
was as welcome to meet with him as abstained from approving Jerusalem as
was Goliath. Jerusalem must be the Israel’s capital. Our government keeps
capital of Israel when the King returns theAmericanembassyin Tel Aviv,rather
to that city. The governmental decree than in Jerusalem, so as not to step on
establishing the capital falls perfectly anybody’s toes (especially the toes of
in line with end-times prophecy, and those who cater to our thirst for oil).
we are already seeing Jerusalem be-
come a “burdensome stone” to all the [The U.S. Congress sought to reverse
world (Zech.12:3). this travesty by passing the Jerusalem To
Embassy Act of1995 with an over- Index
The nations near and far are very inter- whelming bipartisan majority in both
ested at this point and the antiChrist the House and Senate. The Act states
will be equally interested in his time that “Jerusalem should be recognized
(2 Ts.2:3–4). The Temple will have to as the capital of the State of Israel and
be constructed the United States Embassy in Israel
on the site where should be establishedinJerusalem no
the Dome of the later than May 31,1999.”
Rock now stands,
and establishing Since then, all our presidents have
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