January 2001: Volume 23, Number 1

Contents Resolution of Solidarity with the People of Israel Misguided Arab Protests Zola's Bulletin Board A Note from Zola Letters to Zola Rebuking the Rebukers Travels & Talks Calling More Watchmen on the Wall My Hairbrained Idea For December Eye Doctors to Israel A Certified Public Baptism ZOLA LEVITT The following resolution appeared as a full-page presentation in the Jerusalem Post. I feel that it covers the situation in Israel fairly and accurately. I encourage you to follow through and join your voice with this organization. — Zola Resolution of Solidarity with the People of Israel From the National Unity Coalition for Israel (The Largest Coalition of Jewish and Christian Pro-Israel Organizations in the United States) Because of the deteriorating situation in Israel, we, the members of the 200 Christian and Jewish organizations within the National Unity Coalition for Israel, declare a renewal of solidarity with the people of the State of Israel. The issue at stake is no longer the establishment of borders between Israel and her neighbors, but the very survival of the nation and the Jewish people who live there. We are acutely aware that the peace process no longer exists. On the contrary, Yasser Arafat and his radical terrorists are engaged in an all-out effort to annihilate the State of Israel. Therefore: We commend the United States House of Representatives for adopting Resolution 426 of October 24, 2000, passed by a two-thirds majority of members. The Resolution "places sole blame for the recent violence in the West Bank and Gaza on the Palestinians." We believe the congressmen acted with the facts fully in hand and with the support of the vast majority of the American people. We are appalled by the stream of misinformation, distortions, and falsifications of fact transmitted by a large segment of major Western news media that regularly criticize Israel while remaining virtually silent about the atrocities committed daily by Palestinians. We condemn Mr. Arafat's release of violent terrorists from Palestinian prisons. These terrorists have joined with Fatah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Hizbollah forces now allowed to operate with impunity on the West Bank and in Gaza, with the sole aim of establishing a united front for killing Jewish people and obliterating Israel. We deplore the attacks against Jewish holy places such as Hebron, Rachel's tomb in Bethlehem, the Temple Mount and the tomb of Joseph near Nablus. We find the building of a mosque over the remains of Joseph's tomb particularly reprehensible and indicative of the final goals of the radical Islamic elements now operating against Israel and her people. We further condemn as inhuman and intolerable the Palestinians' deliberate use of small children to shield their gunmen from Israeli military forces. The Palestinians have premeditated this inevitable carnage solely to manipulate international public sympathy in their favor and provide film footage for unscrupulous journalists who allow themselves to be a party to the death of innocent children. Criminal charges for manslaughter should be sought. We unanimously petition for immediate and full disclosure by the United States' State Department regarding the violence, terror tactics, and wanton persecution unleashed on hundreds of Christian Arabs in areas controlled by the Palestinian Authority. Well-documented sources verify that these Christian Arabs are in extreme peril and are being forced to flee their homes to find safety in Israel or in other countries. Furthermore: Because we strongly believe that Israel has a Biblical, historical, moral, and legal right to Eretz Yisrael [the land of Israel], and that peace and stability in Israel are inexorably related to a commensurate measure of tranquility for American citizens, we fully support Israel in her struggle to survive. Furthermore, in order to provide peace and safety for all citizens—Arabs, Christians, and Jews—we counsel Israel's representatives to reject Yasser Arafat as a legitimate peace partner and use whatever means necessary to disperse and expel terrorist enclaves operating in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza. We petition the United States government to maintain a strong and unequivocal commitment to Israel and her citizens, not solely as a self-professed "honest broker," but as a strong, reliable ally that honors its relationships to friends and rejects slander of an ally in international forums. Integral to America's exhibition of credibility are the move of the American Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem; universal support of Jerusalem as the united capital of the Jewish state; unqualified rejection of Muslim exclusivity over the Temple Mount; and refusal to refer to the Temple Platform as Al-Qods-Al-Sharif, which implies prior Muslim claim to the sacred area, which is unquestionably historically Jewish. We implore the Congress and the Administration to hold fully accountable any nation that hosts, sponsors, or finances the perpetrators of terrorist acts and to exert all legitimate means at this nation's disposal to force those countries to cease condoning or supporting all such operations. We challenge concerned Christians and Jews to band together in a union of solidarity and take decisive public action to alert our communities and duly elected representatives to the urgent need to support Israel, the Israeli people, and the persecuted Christians under attack by the enemies of peace. We further counsel all people of faith to fervently "pray for the peace of Jerusalem" and those charged with the heavy burdens of leadership in these trying days. Contact us for more information. The Largest Coalition of Pro-Israel Jewish and Christian Organization in the USA 200 Organizations Representing 40 Million Americans 3965 W. 83rd St. #292 Shawnee Mission, KS 66208 Phone: 913-432-7900 Fax: 913-432-7997 Email: Website: http://www.israel-unitycoalition.com Return to Index Part of the Israeli situation is happening right here at home. This excellent Arab-American commentator incisively captures the American side of the conflict. — Zola Editorial Misguided Arab Protests By Joseph Farah (From Arab America) From The International Jerusalem Report, November 24, 2000 Ramallah and Jerusalem aren't the only sites of Arab protests these days. They're also taking place in the streets near the Chicago Sun-Times, the Los Angeles Times and the New York Times. Arab-Americans are, if you can believe it, charging that the major US media are biased in favor of Israel and against them. Let's analyze that claim. A couple of weeks ago, the New York Times ran a photo of a young man bleeding on the streets of Israel and labeled him a "Palestinian" beaten by Israeli police or soldiers. It was complete reflex by the Times. Bleeding? Must be a Palestinian victim. It turns out the young man was a Jewish American student attending school in Israel, and he was beaten by an Arab mob. Would a paper biased in favor of Israel and against Arabs make such a mistake? How about the Chicago Sun-Times? It turns out the Arabs' beef with the Hollinger International Inc. paper is that the parent company also owns the Jerusalem Post, the largest English-language paper in Israel. The Arab protests at the Chicago Sun-Times also focused on an Oct. 3 editorial blaming Yasser Arafat for recent violence. That's not bias, folks. Those are facts of life. I think it's great that at least one paper in America recognizes that the pro-Arab propaganda disseminated by CNN and most of the establishment press in the US is just that—one-sided disinformation. And what about the Los Angeles Times? Oh, the syndicate owned by the company had the audacity to distribute a column that criticized "radical, fundamentalist, murderous Islam." The column quickly pointed out that it was not an indictment of a religion, only an attack on extremism within that religion. But that was too much for the newly organized, monolithic Arab-American community. It strikes me that all this protest is misguided, if, indeed, the objective is fair, balanced, and accurate coverage by the press. Why is it that these protesters are not criticizing the lack of free press in their native lands? In virtually every case, the official and semi-official news organs of the Arab world have one objective—fostering hatred against the Jewish state. Reporters, editors, and producers for Arab media show one side and one side only—not just in their editorials, but in their so-called news stories. In fact, their "news stories" are, by Western standards, editorials. They are designed to enflame passions, not inform citizens. No wonder Arab-Americans see pro-Israel bias in the US press. If their standards for objectivity and neutrality are based on the closed-minded government propaganda spewing forth in the Arab world, coverage in the West must, indeed, look slanted toward the Israeli side. That's what I can't understand about most Arab-Americans. They are the new victims of prejudice and bias, we're being told over and over again in the US media, thanks to an aggressive public relations offensive by organized groups. I'm an Arab-American. Why haven't I seen any evidence of this bias and prejudice in 46 years of life? Not once have I been mistreated, misrepresented or vilified because of my Arabic heritage—until very recently. And, interestingly, the hatred—and there is no other word for it—has been directed against me not by Jews, not by the US media, not by Israelis, but by other Arabs. Apparently what bothers these activists more than anything is one of their own—ethnically speaking—breaking ranks. It's the unforgivable sin. Death threats and insults that would curl your hair are sure to follow. And that's why I say none of these protests should be taken seriously by anyone. These folks—and, by this, I mean the protesters, the activists—are not interested in fairness. They are not interested in truth. They are not interested in a better image for Arabs and Arab-Americans. What they are interested in is the ultimate irony—bullying their way into victimhood status, as so many other groups have in recent years. It's sad. It's group-think. And, unfortunately all too often, it works in America. Too bad, though, that some of this energy isn't redirected at the closed, police-state world of the Arab states. Do these folks really remember from whence they came? Return to Index Zola's Bulletin Board Faith + 0 = Salvation The Messiah's sacrifice washes away any and all sin. Once we have accepted God's gift of salvation by grace, we need to do nothing to assure our passage into heaven. While we will continue to sin and fall short of God's glory, our salvation continues, uninterrupted. For the gist of God's Word, a message of love, please see The Bible: The Whole Story [in our online catalog]. Tour Our spring Deluxe Tour departs on April 16, and the Grand Tour, including a Greek island cruise, leaves on April 11. Both return on April 26. Despite negative newscasts, both tours will enjoy their usual full itineraries. We have no reason to go to checkpoints or the sectors where CNN collects footage to portray Israel in a negative light. Your going to Israel in April will both bring your Bible to life and open your eyes to the realities of American newscasting. TiVo TV Recorder Television can be just about as interactive as surfing the Internet when you own a Tivo or Replay digital TV recorder. Please see my article Your VCR May Be Obsolete in our October Levitt Letter. You might also visit www.tivo.com and www.replaytv.com to learn how you can eliminate 90% of the waiting time involved in TV watching. Imagine being able to soar through TV programs at 3X, 30X or 60X the normal speed. Digital recorders can even record one program while you're watching another. Enduring TV commercials becomes a thing the past. Their Season Pass feature allows you to command, "Please record each of Zola's TV programs from now on!" Good News from a Far Country The something special that our Israel tour passengers experience with our guides is simply that they know we love them. The affection that blossoms from each tour's fellowship seems to carry and intensify from one tour to the next. We want our friends there to know they're in our prayers, so we have established a benevolence fund called Good News from a Far Country. Please consider designating a $10 or $20 gift to help our Israeli friends during this time of economic hardship. Zola Waves from a Wingless Angel If you have a satellite dish, then you can watch Zola Levitt Presents from anywhere in our solar system! Zola is on SkyAngel and beams down in all time zones each Friday, Sunday and Monday. Just tune in: INSP — 9718 on Friday evenings at 9:00 Central Time Cornerstone — 9712 on Sunday afternoons at 2:30 Central Time Angel Two — 9702 on Mondays at 6:30 PM Central Time PBN — 9766 carries our program's audio portion on Sunday evenings at 9:00 Central Time Because our expenses continually surpassed our revenues by too much, we have discontinued broadcasting on the Daystar Network. Exception: In Denver, CO, KRMT-41 will continue carrying Zola on KRMT-41 at noon on Sundays and at 5:00 PM on Tuesdays. In Thornville, OH, WSFJ-51 now carries Zola Levitt Presents on Sunday afternoons at 2:00. In Pittsburgh, PA, WPCB-40 and Cornerstone Television's Superstation will preempt Zola on Sunday, January 21 at 3:30 p.m. Return to Index A Note From Zola Dear Friends, So many thoughts come to me during these difficult times for Israel. The first is always "Why don't more Christians care?" I have pointed out over and over again that we're all going to live there for a thousand years, and that could start seven years from today. But churches seem oblivious to the Promised Land. The seminaries have dropped it, and other than in the fine Bible churches, Israel is seldom mentioned or thought about. And yet, God is moving there so dramatically in these times that any Bible student should be on the edge of his seat. The "coincidence" between what the prophets foretold for Israel in the End Times and the situation that is actually occurring there as we watch is truly remarkable. Even the unbeliever would have to say that the Bible has certainly seemed to learn a lot lately. I carry a shirt-pocket tape-recorder, and I dictate thoughts as I travel and minister, so if the following ideas are not in perfect order, please do forgive me. But I would like to relate all that I can on the crucial subject of Israel and what is going on there. First of all, the Oscar nominations are coming up, and I think Yasser Arafat should get one for his portrayal of an innocent victim. The large supporting cast of Palestinian stone-throwers, riflemen and children deserve awards, too, for their pretense of a war for independence. Of course, I don't mean to belittle the sad events going on in the Holy Land today, but folks, this is not a war, it's not about independence, and there are no such people as Palestinians, at least not with any history worth mentioning (notwithstanding Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, who said that the Palestinians and the Israelis have been at war "for thousands of years"). The average Palestinian crowd is composed of little children up front (for the cameras), bigger kids behind them throwing rocks, and finally, the occasional rifleman in a police uniform, who pops up now and then and shoots at the Israelis. If he stands up over the heads of the kids once too often, the Israeli sharpshooters take him out, and that is why so many of them are shot in the head (and sadly why so many kids get hit, as well). But let's not exaggerate the casualty figures. At this point, they're running about two per day, approximately what typically occurs in Atlanta, CNN's headquarters, and the same, I suppose, that has always occurred in the West Bank and Gaza, whether we're talking peace or playing war or whatever. It's just that when CNN does its Israel-bashing job, they can make nothing much seem like a nationwide war, and that is exactly what they're doing. On the point of the Palestinian children being occasionally wounded or killed, former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir said, "We can forgive the Palestinians for killing our boys. We can't forgive them for making us kill theirs." The sad part of it for Arafat and his people is that they need not be poor at all, if they would only cooperate with the Israelis. They are the only Arabs privileged to live in a democracy in that part of the world, and in truth, their lifestyle is far ahead of the Egyptians, the Syrians, the Jordanians, etc. Egyptians are prevented from touring Israel by their own "government" because Hosni Mubarak, their dictator, does not want them to see how well the Palestinians live. It would be the end of the "government" in Egypt if they did. I saw a PBS special on Hitler's incredible search for some racial background for Nazism. It was called Search for the Holy Grail, and it involved his "scientists" traveling everywhere in the world, even to Tibet, measuring people's skulls, trying to find an "Aryan" background for his ridiculous prejudices. We are watching the same thing with Arafat when he fabricates a long history for the "Palestinians" and even states that the Israelis never lived in Israel, the Temple Mount was not Jewish, the Western Wall is not holy, etc., etc. If you're going to tell lies, they may as well be big ones. In the meantime, one almost has to admire the Israeli handling of these ghetto riots, which is producing fewer and fewer casualties and simmering things back down. I was not nearly as proud of the U.S. government's handling of the Branch Davidians in Waco. And those people certainly weren't rioting. It's odd that the world doesn't love Israel, because that little country really does it some favors. Its medical research, its leadership in technology, and even its just plain daily portrayal of how well a representative government can work and how immigrant people can become prosperous on the least productive sort of land should be heartening. It's even odder that Christians, so deeply indebted to the Jews for such gifts as God and the Bible and the Messiah, don't love the Jews more. As it was pointed out by one of our TV show guests, people tend to love Jews who are dead, like the prophets, Peter, Paul, etc., or Jews who are going to live in the future, such as in the Kingdom to come, but they don't love the Jews of today. Israel should be loved also for the fact that it is giving a home to nearly a million Russians who make brilliant contributions to world culture as they always have, once they are free. I suppose I could spend a whole day reciting the names of the geniuses to come to America out of RussiaÑthe musicians, the scientists, the doctors, the professors, the writers. Russia seems to despise its own intellectuals, but when they break free, they really contribute to world culture. At this writing, the casualty figures in Israel are localized and low; it has taken over two months to reach the figure achieved in the Oklahoma City bombing (in a few seconds), and we're approaching the Pan Am 103 bombing, in which Arab terrorists brought down the same number (in a few more seconds). I wish people would listen to me when I tell them that Israel is perfectly safe for tourism. I am dictating this just before our Christmas tour, but in the upcoming letter I will give you our usual good report. Please remember the tour in April. It's very special, since it includes the Greek island cruise. On the Deluxe Tour, April 16-26, you will visit the future battlefield of Armageddon, Mount Carmel, Nazareth, the Western Wall, the Mount of Olives, the Garden of Gethsemane, the Upper Room, the Garden Tomb, Masada, the Dead Sea, and the Golan Heights. You will view the original Dead Sea Scrolls, as well as the caves of Qumran where they were discovered. You will take a boat ride across the Sea of Galilee, just as our Lord did with his Apostles. Visit the Holocaust museum, Yad Vashem, and learn about the lives of those more than 6,000,000 Jews who were killed by the Nazis. Tour the Old City of Jerusalem, learning her history and seeing her beauty that still shines today as it has for so many centuries. Come to the Chosen Land and see God's hand at work in our world today! Or you may choose our Grand Tour, April 11-26, adding an extension cruise to the Greek islands of Mykonos, Patmos and Rhodes, traveling aboard a luxury liner following the path of Paul through the Mediterranean. You will also tour Athens, with its incredible Parthenon, Acropolis and Mars Hill, as well as the ancient cities of Corinth and Ephesus, Turkey. Call Tony or Becky during office hours at 214-696-9760 for more information, or call 1-800-WONDERS anytime for a full-color brochure [or click here for an online form]. Our new series, The Rabbi's Friends, will begin airing the first weekend in March. We will tell the stories of the people Jesus knew, taught and loved, such as His Apostles, Mary, Martha, and many others. I hope you will join us for this valuable study of the life of our Lord. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. — Your messenger, Return to Index From: T.N. To: Dr McCall, I am a member of the United Methodist Church and have been a Sunday school teacher for more than twenty years. On receiving the literature for the winter 2000-01 quarter, I sent the following email to the writer of this quarterly. Also attached is his reply, which seems to challenge your historical facts. This is sent to you for your information and comments if you choose. My original email to: emoore@umpublishing.org (Editor) BillJCarter@Juno.com (Writer) When I began reviewing the winter 2000-01 "Adult Bible Studies" quarterly in preparation for teaching my adult class, it really grieved me to read that the land of Israel is being referred to as "Palestine". I ran across a very good article written by Dr. Thomas McCall that addresses this subject and am attaching the following link to that article. http://www.levitt.com/essays/palestine.html Ms. Moore, will you please take every step as editor to help break this bad habit that we seem to have fallen into? Yours in Christ, T.S.N. Mr. Carter's reply: I am sorry that you found the use of the word "Palestine" as a first-century designation objectionable. In the first century A.D. that is probably the only accurate word that could be applied to that region. I have read the article you mentioned. I believe that Mr. Levitt has confused his historical references. The article does not reflect the findings of either Biblical scholars or writers of encyclopedia articles (both of which I have today researched). The fact is that the Kingdom of Israel was destroyed in 722 B.C. and the nation of Israel was created out of Palestinian territory in 1948. There was no Israel in the first century A.D., or at any other time during that 2,670-year span. There was a Judea for part of that time (referring to the southern kingdom of the Old Testament), but it was only a province of Rome and did not include all of the territory referred to in the New Testament. However, the name "Palestine" has been used for that region for all that time and is the only one that avoids historical conflicts. In spite of Mr. Levitt, I feel that it is an appropriate name in references to the FIRST CENTURY A.D., which was the context of its use. Sorry to have disturbed you, or that Mr. Levitt disturbed you, whichever may be true. I do make historical mistakes (I made one in the 1998 series that was a doozy), but I believe that this is not one of them. Sincerely, Bill Carter Dear T.N., What if the people of the world insisted on calling America "India," no matter how much historical information you showed them? That is something like what the world has done and continues to do to Israel, no matter what the supposedly historical facts demonstrate. The whole world seems determined to call the land of Israel "Palestine," in spite of the overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Worst of all, it appears that professing Christians are taking the lead to de-legitimize the name Israel. Take a look at the maps in the back of your Bible, and you will probably find one entitled, "Palestine in the Time of Christ." (Thank the Lord, the new Tim LaHaye Prophecy Bible uses the correct term Israel on the maps.) There was no Palestine in the time of Christ. The term had not even been invented then. The Romans did not come up with the name "Palestine" until 100 years after the resurrection of Christ, when Emperor Hadrian crushed the Jewish revolt under Bar Kochba, and was determined that the name Israel would disappear from the earth. Much of the world has bought into this notion, and refuses to recognize even the name "Israel," much less the nation. It appears Bill Carter has made another "doozy" of a historical mistake when he says that Palestine in the first century A.D. "is probably the only accurate word that could be applied to that region," and that "there was no Israel in the first century A.D." If there was no Israel in the first century, then the New Testament would have to be wrong. Note the very words in the article in the December 1997 Levitt Letter to which our reader referred the author and editor: In the New Testament, the term "Palestine" is never used. The term "Israel" is primarily used to refer to the people of Israel, rather than the Land. However, in at least two passages, Israel is used to refer to the Land: Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead who sought the young child's life. And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. (Matt. 2:20-21) But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say to you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man shall have come. (Matt. 10:23) The first passage is when Joseph, Mary and Jesus returned from Egypt to Israel, and the second has reference to the proclamation of the Gospel throughout the Land of Israel. Jesus, Matthew and the angel speaking to Joseph use the term "Israel" with reference to the Land, even though the term was not then recognized by the Roman authorities. It is clear, then, that the Bible never uses the term "Palestine" to refer to the Holy Land as a whole, and that Bible maps that refer to Palestine in the Old or New Testament are, at best, inaccurate, and, at worst, are a conscious denial of the Biblical name of Israel. The New Testament, including Matthew, was written in the first century, and clearly uses the name "Israel" to refer to the Land, and never uses the term "Palestine." How could somebody say that the term "Israel" was never used in the first century? The only explanation is that they consult "Biblical writers or writers of encyclopedia articles" rather than the Bible itself. Resource materials are fine, but they should not be used to contradict the Bible. We are grateful for our sharp, intelligent and spiritual readers who stand up for the truth about the Scriptures, about the Lord and about Israel. Tom McCall Dear Mark, Please find my enclosed check for Zola Levitt Ministries. I extend my gratitude to Zola for fine Bible teaching which has blessed me greatly, and for fighting important battles, both great and small. Additionally, I thank the ministry for keeping me on the mailing list for the Levitt Letter over many years when I could not contribute to its cost. It is so important to get Israel-friendly news that is just not available elsewhere. May I call your attention to the recently released book, The Last Jew, by Noah Gordon. If the ministry is familiar with this book, then please disregard the remainder of this letter. It is a compelling novel, meticulously researched and powerfully written. It is the story of a Jew caught in the horrors of the beginning of the Spanish Inquisition. The story is real enough to tear anyone's heart plus it places the story in a factual historical context. I purchased my copy at Barnes & Noble. I read it just after reading Our Hands Are Stained With Blood by Michael Brown, which I purchased from Zola's catalog. May I suggest your consideration of The Last Jew for Zola's catalog? All the best, J.P. Dear Zola, I expect you received the enclosed email, but decided to send it to you anyway. You, of course, do what you want with it. David did, indeed, consider your ministry a blessing. He listened to your TV program as often as he could. H.S. Mother David S., a loyal supporter from 1985 until his death in October of this year, sent this email in January. —Zola To: From: David S. Subject: We shouldn't be surprised Shalom Brother Zola, Rabbi Sha'ul [Paul] warned the believers in Macedonia to beware of those who would introduce and preach false doctrines, not from people outside of the Church, but from people within the Church (Acts 20:28-31). Even then, false doctrines were beginning to infiltrate the Church. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that seminaries such as Criswell and others are using a textbook replete with heretical theology and anti-Semitism. This would also include liberal denominations, Mormonism, Jehovah's Witnesses, and the Catholic Church. As you have stated, anti-Semitism, in whatever guise, that is preached, taught, and accepted to the extent it is today, is, indeed, a sure sign of the fact that we're in the last days. Anti-Semitism has been in existence since the first-century Church; however, it's not been as blatantly vehement, readily preached, and widely accepted as it is today. A good example is the way the media covers Israel, compared to the way it treats countries where truly horrendous human rights violations are occurring. Indeed, just as HaShem [the name, or God] prophesied, Israel has become "a burdensome stone" and a "cup of trembling." Can the Rapture and subsequent Tribulation be very far in the future? On a more positive note, I would like to take this opportunity to express my deepest gratitude for the tremendous blessing your ministry has been to me. Your ministry is largely responsible for encouraging me to explore and appreciate the Jewish roots of my faith. I now more fully understand that, as a goyim [Gentile], I've been grafted into the "vine" that is solely based upon the promises given to Avraham, Yitzhak, Ya'akov [the three patriarchs], and HaShem's Chosen People (the Jews). G-d [Jewish people do not write the full name of God] has "broken off...the natural branches" to make room for "a wild branch" until the "time of the Gentiles is fulfilled." After which Adonai will gather His Chosen People (the Jews) and bring them back to Eretz Israel (the land of "milk and honey") so that those who have "endured to the end" (survived the Tribulation) will see Y'shua, Mashiach ben David [Jesus, Messiah, Son of David], "stand upon the Mount of Olives" so that "all Israel will be saved." It should be obvious to anyone who objectively reads the Bible in its entirety that HaShem is by no means finished with His Chosen People, nor has He forsaken them. How anyone could read the Tanakh and the Brit Chadash (the Old and New Testaments), and reach the conclusion that the Church has replaced Israel is beyond my comprehension. Even those who only read the Brit Chadash (N.T.) would have a hard time getting around Romans 15:25-27. However, there will always be those who insist on giving their opinions about which they have little or no knowledge. Since G-d clearly states that His Word is "spirituality discerned," those expressing such non-Biblical opinions obviously have not been indwelled with the Rauch HaKodesh (the Holy Spirit). Thus, they will never correctly understand or accurately interpret His Word. I truly admire and appreciate the strength, means, and grace G-d has extended to you so that you can stay firm in your uncompromising stand for the Good News of G-d's plan for salvation which is obtainable only through trust in Y'shua HaMashiach. I'm very thankful for your unapologetic obedience to the Biblical imperative to alert your brethren to those who are teaching false doctrine (which is often anti-Semitic) and to correct those who adhere to and espouse such doctrine. It is a tremendous blessing to all of us who hold to the inerrancy of G-d's Word. It is such an extremely refreshing change from so many mainstream ministries. Not only do they tolerate false doctrines, they're frequently preaching and teaching faulty and non-Biblical babble. Again, I thank G-d for your ministry and your dedication to that which G-d has called you. To all your staff, I extend my heartfelt gratitude for their commitment to the ministry G-d has entrusted to you. As a longtime supporter and partaker of your ministry, I'm continually blessed and edified by your TV programs, books, study material, etc. Keep up the good work to which HaShem has called you! Your unique approach to evangelization is one of the most effective methods I've experienced. It's patently obvious that the L-rd has blessed, and continues to abundantly bless, your ministry. It has been my honor and privilege to "pray for the peace of Yerushalayim", Eretz Yisrael, and the Jewish people. Of course, we know that true peace will not be a reality until Mashiach ben David (Y'shua HaMashiach) returns to establish His millennial reign. LaChaim B'Y'shua [To life in Jesus], Dave S. From the Washington Times December 4, 2000 Fraudulent "Peace Processes" The process conjured up at Dayton in 1995 is not the only one to come a cropper even before Mr. Clinton leaves office. His insistence on Israeli concessions deemed necessary to secure yet another agreement with the Palestinians before the 2000 election encouraged Yasser Arafat to hold out for still more—and to incite violence against Israel to get it. Far from a Peace Prize, the upshot is a region on the verge, if not actually in the opening stages, of its first major Arab-Israeli conflict since 1973. We can only hope George W. Bush will recognize that, if a durable peace can be achieved at all in the Middle East, it will not result from negotiations in which the United States bribes or euchres Israel into compromising its sovereignty and its ability to defend itself. Mr. Clinton has proven that this approach only whets Arab appetites to realize the abiding goal of destroying the Jewish State altogether. Our Need for Drama Letter to the Editor of the Dallas Morning News Whose fault is it? When numerous news programs prematurely aired that George W. Bush had won the presidency, just to discover hours later they were wrong, many Americans became outraged. Why did these professional journalists give us information if they didn't know it was true? Isn't that their job—to relate facts to us, true facts? It is their job. But we as viewers are to blame for the premature announcement. Our society has become so rushed that we feel we have the right to know things as soon as they happen. We have created a need-to-know-now culture. Let the media breathe a little and let them do their jobs. Take some pressure off their backs to get stories now, now, now—so they can ensure that we get the most accurate information. Just look what a mess this has turned into. With a little patience on our behalf, much of this might have been avoided. B.L. We are also hungry for action, especially military action. Is that what causes the media's exaggerations about the mess in Israel? I personally think many media people are simply biased, but the writer may have a point. —Zola Israel issues 'white paper' on PA violations From the Jerusalem Post The 46-page document was prepared at the behest of the Prime Minister's bureau and has been given to senior figures in the US administration. Among the violations listed are the stockpiling of illegal weapons by the Palestinian security apparatus, as well as the activities of security personnel in areas not under PA [Palestinian Authority] control, especially east Jerusalem. An entire chapter is devoted to incitement by the PA—in the educational system and media and by senior officials and the religious establishment. There is also a direct attack on PA Chairman Yasser Arafat, who is accused of being hypocritical in his policies. Compromise goes both ways Letter to the Jerusalem Post Sir, I am amazed how the world, in general, blames Israel for the uprising. I think Israel has shown exceptional restraint, more than any other nation would put up with. It's so easy to tell others what they need to do, while you sit back and enjoy peace and security and freedom. The Palestinians have shown no inclination toward peace. They want it all or nothing. They expect from Israel what they are not willing to do: Compromise. I hope the Jews get the message that not all Americans believe our government has stood with Israel the way it should. The Palestinians have gained the sympathy of the world by sending their children to the streets to do their fighting. They have no intention of gaining peace. D.C. Invented claims to holy sites Letter to the Jerusalem Post Sir, The Palestinian Arabs have claimed that the Christian holy site in Nazareth is actually the burial place of a "Crusader-era sage"; that Joseph's Tomb is likewise a Moslem burial site, and that Jerusalem, though not mentioned in the Koran, is now the third holiest Moslem site because Muhammad tied his horse at what happens to be the Jewish Temple Mount and ascended from there to heaven. Rachel's Tomb appears to be next. How can Israel fail to understand that this is a systematic Islamic tactic of attacking any Jewish and Christian presence in the Holy Land through claims of invented history? Israel buys into this tactic in the name of tolerance and compromise, two words not to be found in the Torah. M.D.G. Blame for Palestinians' children's deaths Letter to the Jerusalem Post Sir, With the ongoing, cowardly, but typical misuse of young boys as shields and front-line fighters, the PLO has stooped to an all-time low. We should, however, not be surprised that Arafat and his cohorts inspire young boys to occupy the front line of aggression, because the PLO has, throughout its bloody history, shown its notoriety and brutality in manipulating and destroying the lives of children. Responsibility for the deaths of so many young children during the recent violence lies squarely in the hands of the Palestinian leadership, including its imams, who from the supposed sanctity of mosques, promise would-be martyrs a future of heavenly bliss in return for killing Jews. It is the leadership of the PLO which is guilty of the tragic loss of life among Palestinian youth. L.J.A. Recalling Yoni Netanyahu's vision Letter to the Jerusalem Post Sir, The following is an excerpt from a letter written by Yonatan (Yoni) Netanyahu*, hero and rescuer of 100 Jews in the Entebbe Affair in 1976, to his parents three years earlier. What he said then is still sadly relevant today. "I see with sorrow how a part of the people still clings to hopes of reaching a peaceful settlement with the Arabs. Common sense tells them that the Arabs haven't abandoned their basic aim of destroying the state; but the self-delusion and self-deception that have always plagued the Jews are at work again. It's our great misfortune. They want to believe, so they believe. They want not to see, so they shut their eyes. They want not to learn from thousands of years of history, so they distort it. It would be comic if it weren't so tragic." Sadly, this wise young man died in Entebbe in 1976. L.B. * Former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's brother From The Wall Street Journal Interactive Edition, November 30, 2000 ...Israelis, however, do seem to be learning something. They are learning that the international support generated by territorial concessions can last only as long as it takes the Palestinians to gin up another grievance—and there's an endless supply of those, from hassles with work permits to the "right of return" for refugees. They are learning that goodwill gestures are taken by their enemies as a sign of weakness, not goodness. They are learning that Palestinian demands are non-negotiable, calling into question the utility of negotiation. They are learning that to have formal relations with their neighbors counts for little, as the recall of Egypt's ambassador last week showed. They are learning, in short, that after more than a half-century of existence, they are still fighting a war for independence. So Israelis will go to the polls and change the composition of government. That they alone among their neighbors can do this is not a fact much commented on in the Western press (much less in the Arab one). But as little Israel again comes under siege—from Hamas terrorists, Tanzim militiamen, Hizbollah guerrillas as well as sanctimonious Westerners—it bears notice that this little country remains free and brave and, it now seems, a little wiser. CNN is not alone in the world with its constant Israel-bashing. Credit goes also to the BBC in England, as you can see from the following message. —Zola Email from R.C. Shalom from Jerusalem, The BBC (British Broadcasting Company) just crossed a line that has Israel media watchers up in arms. BBC news reporter, Hilary Anderson, becoming well known for her biased reporting against the Jewish people and the nation of Israel, produced a 15-20 minute documentary for the British public on Israel's continuing crisis. Israel's news media re-aired the piece in Hebrew in order that Israel's population could see what they are up against in Britain's news coverage. Hilary's documentary echoes Hitler's PR media master, Joseph Goebbels, who used photomontage cinematic techniques to successfully wed Germany's Jewish population to bubonic plague-infested rats. His cinema productions callused the hearts of Germany's population toward their Jewish countrymen and were so heinous that they have been banned in almost every nation in the world. The desired result was to ease the minds of the populace about the abuse of Germany's Jewish population. Goebbel's techniques seem to have found their way into Hilary's news reporting. The real responsibility for this libelous production lies squarely in the lap of the BBC. To accept this style of documentary reporting signals a quantum leap in British anti-Semitic flavored news broadcasting. The BBC has had a long history of pro-Arabic biased reporting which stretches back to their colonial Mandate of the Middle East in the early part of this century. Hilary's documentary opens with a reminder of the slaughter of Bethlehem's children by King Herod. Gruesome graphics of children being slaughtered in various manners were gleaned from church altar pieces painted by masters of Renaissance art. Hilary's narrative then launches off to say Bethlehem's babies are still being slaughtered. She seems oblivious to her grossly misused analogy. Bethlehem's babies were Jewish when Herod slaughtered them. In spite of hundreds of photographs, available to anyone having Internet access, proving that the Palestinians are using heavy arms in clashes with Israeli troops, Hilary sticks with the old story that stones are the only defense available to these defenseless youth. Her methodology is predictable. Film of small boys slinging stones at Israeli military checkpoints accompanies her horrendous misuse of analogy as she likens the Palestinian Authority children on the front lines to David, and Israel becomes Goliath. Twenty-three Islamic nations surrounding Israel with hundreds of times more firepower and military manpower is out of mind. The Jewish people with only one place in the world to call home and that very homeland being encroached upon by western pressure are also kept out of mind. The BBC should be called to account for such productions. Grassroots responses to the BBC's yellow journalism here in Israel are so honest and heartfelt that they are sometimes humorous. Traveling to work last week, I spotted the BBC's TV reporters' van stopped at a mini-market. BBC was clear and large in the windows, and the word "TV" was written giant-sized in duct tape on the windows on all sides. In the dirt on the bottom third of the van, someone had scrawled, "Tell the truth!" It is an appropriate moral with which to end this open protest letter. The truth is continuing to go out in many personal emails from every strata of society. News sources will wind up with egg on their faces when unbalanced reporters like Hilary are allowed to skew facts to their own agenda. Yours in Jerusalem, R.C. From: D.S.V. To: Sent: Wednesday, November 15, 2000 Subject: Honest Reporting of Israel Dear Zola and Staff: I good friend of mine in Jerusalem just forwarded the following e-mail message. It may be something that you and your listeners might wish to entertain. Yours in Christ, D.V. From: P.F. To: D.V. Sent: Wednesday, November 15, 2000 12:23 AM Subject: Honest Reporting We have all been frustrated by our inability to combat the incredible bias against Israel in the overseas media. Now we have a way. A group has been formed in England and Jerusalem headed by Shaul Rosenblatt. Their goal is to build up an email list of a minimum of 10,000 names from all over the world. The Jerusalem group will scour the press for articles that are clearly biased against Israel or just plain anti-Semitic. A copy of their complaint will be sent to each registered person who can forward it on to the offending news organization (If cnn.com were to receive 10,000 emails, or more, they would eventually have to pay attention.) We hope you will be willing to participate by registering yourself (www.honestreporting.com/join) and then sending the following letter (you can cut and paste) to at least 20 people or, preferably, your entire mailing list. Here's a sample letter for you to send: I am sure you are concerned with the way the current Middle East crisis is being reported in the media. I want to encourage you to subscribe (and urge others to subscribe) to: honestReporting.com honestReporting.com affiliates neither to the right nor to the left. Its aim is simply to ensure that Israel receives the fair coverage that every nation deserves. honestReporting.com is aiming to create an email database of at least 10,000 names worldwide. It will scrutinize the media for examples of blatant bias and will immediately inform its entire database of any offending articles, asking for them to complain directly to the news organization concerned. (A sample will be enclosed.) The eyes of the world are on Israel, and its government urgently needs your support. To register with honestreporting.com and receive articles which you will be able to easily act upon: www.honestReporting.com/join P.S. If you are able, please set your sights on getting 20 people to sign up. It is a very easy way to help Israel in the current crisis. We have recommended the website given below. The following story of a routine tour is an example of what they publish. Note the part about the staged rock-throwing incident in the fourth paragraph below. We encourage you to go to that website. — Zola Here's the testimonial from www.goisrael.com: Dr. Ray Freeman, Kokomo, Indiana 46901 November 18, 2000 T.T.I Travel Attn: Larry Marcus Dear Larry, Just a note about our trip to Israel. Things could not have gone much better; it was a great tour. We got to do just everything we had planned. Being there during the time of the current situation in the Middle East, at no time were we in any trouble. In fact, this was the fourth or fifth trip for many of the people who were with me, and they thought this was the best trip yet. We went to Bethlehem and Nazareth with no problems and Net kept in touch with the buses as to our locations and activities. Being there on Yom Kippur caused us to change itinerary for the day. The bus took us to the places we could go and our guides met us for a wonderful time at the Western Wall and the Knesset. Net was great to us in Jordan and Israel. Listening to the reports on CNN/BBC, you would have thought we were in immediate danger. Our people saw firsthand a staged rock-throwing incident right outside the hotel that ended up on CNN two days later and was nothing like depicted. Our tour days were full, fun, and a great experience. In fact, we were privileged to have our 8-year-old granddaughter with us. She got to meet some of the children and was a guest in their home for an evening. Without a doubt, it is a troubled area of the world and a people looking for answers to their problems. Anyone desiring to go for the right reasons and who will follow proper conduct there as a guest of those people should be confident they will be taken care of in the same fashion. You and your staff have provided us with all we needed to assure a good experience for our group. We had six pastors with us, and all said they would encourage their people to plan a trip so they can experience this land for themselves. Thanks for all the help, Dr. Ray Freeman Kokomo, Indiana Return to Index Rebuking the Rebukers By Zola Levitt From time to time, we get letters from viewers telling us that Texe Marrs or Hank Hanagraf or the like has issued a sharp criticism of our ministry. We are used to that. Please know that we read each criticism, and we try to take them seriously. In the case of the two I mentioned, suffice it to say that we've understood what they've said but don't feel any need to answer. Other than from our own viewers, we receive little in the way of congratulations from fellow ministries when we try to hold the line on Israel or accurate Bible teaching. I'm aware that we are defamed on a regular basis at Moody Bible Institute, Dallas Theological Seminary, Criswell College and the others we have rebuked. Not one time has any Christian organization simply thanked us for this difficult work. February 1-4 Speaking on Caribbean cruise Carnival Fantasy SuperLiner Information: Call Joe Vieira at 918-227-3907 www.prophecynetwork.com February 25, 9:00 am, 11:00 am, 6:30 pm Calvary Chapel of Salt Lake 460 W Century Drive Salt Lake City, UT 84123 801-264-9999 Contact: Terry Long March 25, 6:00 pm Passover Seder (by reservation only) Tyler Street United Methodist 927 W 10th Dallas, TX 75208 214-665-6225 Contact: Gary Chapman March 31, April 1 First Baptist Church 201 N. McKinley Ave. Rotan, TX 915-735-3471 April 11-26 Spring Tour to Greece and Israel August 18, 6:30 pm and August 19, 10:00 am Faith Christian Fellowship 1700 W. South Service Road Wright City, MO 63390 636-456-4748 Contact: Pastor Terry Roberts Every Friday Night, 7:30 pm Shalom, Shalom Messianic Congregation Biblical Arts Center, 7500 Park Lane, Dallas, Texas 214-691-4661 Return to Index Calling More Watchmen on the Wall Do you watch our TV program Zola Levitt Presents on one of the evening broadcasts below? Inspirational Network (INSP): Friday at 10:00 PM Eastern Time, 9:00 PM Central Time, 8:00 PM Mountain Time and 7:00 PM Pacific Time Chicago, IL - Total Living Network (TLN): Wednesdays at 8:30 PM and Sundays at 10:00 PM Columbus, OH — WSFJ-51: Saturdays at 9:30 PM and at 5:00 AM Nashville, TN - WHTN-39: Sundays at 12:30 PM Toledo, OH — WLMB-40: Sundays at 10:30 PM If you can monitor our TV program every week on one of the stations above, please write to Margie at Berg Productions, 6311 N. O'Connor Blvd. #215, Irving, TX, 75039. In addition, please indicate whether you would be able to tape the broadcasts you monitor. We'll occasionally send you free samples of our Bible-teaching materials as tokens of appreciation. Thanks. Return to Index Editorial My Hairbrained Idea For December By Mark Levitt Sometimes my father, Zola, gives me the sort of "reality check" that he would like to give to America's secular media. His frankness can be just what the doctor ordered. He remains as much smarter than I am now as he was twenty years ago, when I was a wet-behind-the-ears college kid. Zola and I have watched week-by-week as CNN and the other media have meticulously disassembled Israel's tourism industry. Casualties per week remain as negligibly few as ever, but suddenly each one has become as newsworthy as a man-bites-dog story. Our amazement and bewilderment with this malicious campaign stem from the fact that the statistics haven't changed from a year ago. A violent protester dying in the ongoing jihad ("holy war") is about as novel as a dog-biting-man story or a drug dealer getting shot in a Los Angeles gang area. Zola said that my idea was not useful, that it would be a waste of time. Here was my plan: I wanted to join our December tour and shoot a home video entitled Looking for Trouble in Israel. With a little luck, I might have caught CNN staging a stone-fest (see www.goisrael.com testimonial). My main objective was to do an up-to-the-minute documentary on how peaceful Israel is everywhere that tourists go. Zola said, "I give up. I can't overcome the footage they (the mass media) show every hour on the hour." He believes that my peaceful tape, representative of a ten-day tour, would be perceived as the exception while CNN's footage, methodically collected at troubled borders and checkpoints, would be thought the rule. The emails we get from Israel complain more about their economic condition than any fear for safety. Our December tour passengers, reminiscent of those we took during the scud missile "crisis" of the Persian Gulf War, were more warmly received than you can imagine. The pilgrims who go during "war times" like this deliver a strong testimony of faith to our guides and drivers. You, too, can send a message from stateside. Please see Good News from a Far Country. Return to Index Editorial Eye Doctors to Israel We feel like starting a fund for Israel's tank drivers and helicopter pilots. They must be blind if the Palestinians are truthful in saying, "The Israelis come after our unarmed women and children with tanks and helicopters." After all, 300 Palestinians have died during the past several months. But of course, Israel's soldiers can see just fine. Anyone with common sense knows that one tank or helicopter targeting people can kill 300 people in a moment. Casualty rate per day in the West Bank and Gaza in peacetime: 2. Casualty rate per day in the West Bank and Gaza during the present unrest: 2! Return to Index Editorial A Certified Public Baptism You probably know that we offer our ministry's audited financial statements for the asking. After her father, Darrell (pictured here with raised hands), audited our accounts for about four years, Mary Grace, aged 9, had her parents take her on our tour to Israel where she was baptized in the Jordan River. Imagine how precious this picture must be to them. Return to Index Return to Levitt Letter Archive Index Return to Home Page