FROM SARAH, OUR SABRA
ON THE GROUND IN ISRAEL

Greetings from Israel. In September 2022, an Iranian woman — 22-year-old Mahsa Amini — traveled to Tehran with her family. While sightseeing during their visit, Mahsa wore the hijab, a head covering that all women are required to wear in public in Iran and in many other Muslim countries.

On September 13, the notorious Iranian morality police arrested her while she was walking on a street. Mahsa was wearing the hijab; however she was not wearing it “correctly” because some of her hair was showing from beneath the scarf. The police beat Mahsa so badly that she suffered significant head trauma and collapsed into a coma.

Mahsa died a few days later at the hospital — alone, unresponsive, and without her family knowing what had happened to her.

Several weeks after this incident, I traveled to a conference for my work on The Invitation Project — an outreach to Muslims through Messianic worship and themed Bible studies. The conference focused on using media (including social media, the internet, satellite TV, etc.) to spread the Gospel to people in “closed” countries.

“Closed” to the Gospel

Countries like Iran (formerly called Persia) are considered “closed” to the Gospel because the government relentlessly pursues those who talk about or even believe in Yeshua (Jesus). Believers (in Yeshua/Jesus as Messiah) in these countries endure ongoing harassment, arrests, beatings, and imprisonment. They experience poor legal representation in the court system and, in many cases, they never receive a trial. Thus, it is nearly impossible for anyone who has been imprisoned for their commitment to Yeshua to be released.

During the conference I attended, a young Persian man talked about his work with Iranian youth groups for those who accept Yeshua as Lord and Savior. The man read a message from a youth group leader in Iran who told of young Iranians protesting in the streets and how the government violently suppressed the protests. At that point, 37 people had died … but the number has since increased.

The message described how people were being physically injured by the police during the demonstrations. He said that the youth in Iran are crying and saying, “Young people in Iran have no future; this will never end. Our only hope is Jesus. This woman Mahsa Amini — who while visiting with her family was stopped by the hijab police, beaten, and died of brain damage — represents the pain of 80 million people” (the estimated population of Iran).

An Open Generation

There is a talented, beautiful, and gifted young generation in Iran that needs to know the truth of the Bible, and especially of Yeshua HaMashiach (Jesus the Messiah). They reject the cruelty they receive in the name of Allah, the Muslim god. Those who find the Lord and accept Him are referred to as MBBs (Muslim Background Believers). Because these Farsi-speaking Believers are greatly persecuted for their faith, many Farsi-focused ministries have developed online Bible study resources and even online churches.

These online platforms allow MBBs — who are generally isolated and unable to attend a church — to have safe, “face-to-face” fellowship, and to worship the Lord with other Believers. One ministry has even developed an Iranian virtual Sunday School using CBN’s Superbook materials so Iranian families can learn and grow together in their faith, despite their hostile environment.

Because of these issues, many Iranians (especially Believers) use a VPN (Virtual Private Network) — an online connection that allows them to bypass the Iranian government’s filters and spyware. The most popular VPN in Iran is backed by the U.S. National Security Agency. But their second most popular VPN is backed by the Iranian National Guard Forces, who spy on their own people’s internet activity and online communications, including via messaging apps.

Over 80% of Iranians use the internet. Social media use is also growing rapidly, especially among younger generations. Therefore, organizations working to share the Gospel must not only have an effective media strategy but also a pathway to discipleship. One organization that is already evangelizing shared some testimonies from callers who contacted them.

One Muslim woman contacted the ministry to learn more about Yeshua. While on the call, the ministry worker heard the loud Islamic adhan (call to public prayer) from a loudspeaker at a mosque. The worker asked the woman why she was at the mosque. She replied, “My husband is very controlling; he controls my every move, my every phone call. I get no time away from him. The only place I can be away from him is here. So I asked him to bring me to the mosque, so I can be away from him and call you.”

Another testimony was from a man who was a sheikh (often the title of a Muslim religious scholar) who became a Believer. He contacted a ministry worker because he wanted his whole family to be baptized. The worker, not knowing how much this man knew about the faith or whether others in his family had actually accepted Christ, said that in order to be baptized the man needed classes to learn more about Jesus. To this the sheikh replied, “I saw Jesus and He spoke to me. He is the one who taught me. What more do you need?”

Persecuted Ministers

Recently, I met Victor Tamraz, an Assyrian Christian who had pastored a church in Iran for many years. In 2014, he was arrested, charged with “conducting illegal house churches and promoting evangelical Christianity,” and imprisoned in Tehran’s Evin Prison, which is notorious for severe prisoner torture and rape. Victor shared a powerful testimony about the power of prayer, when he knew that many Believers were praying for him. He stated that his imprisonment was an incredibly beneficial time for his personal walk with Jesus.

Victor was in solitary confinement in a roughly 30 square foot cell (about 5′ by 6′) for 65 days. He said he saw Jesus in that cell. Even though Muslim teachers come to the prison trying to convert the Christian prisoners back to Islam, Victor emphasized: “Do not make the persecution bigger than Christ. In Christ there is no pain, no suffering. We are not losers; we are the winners. Persecution will make you a better Believer, because Jesus advised, ‘I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world’ (John 16:33).”

In Iran today, Christian ministers remain for about three or four years but then leave because the persecution is too much to bear. As a result, many Believers in Iran lack in-depth Bible teaching and have a shallow foundation of faith. Thus, ministries are working diligently to encourage Iranian Church workers to endure in situations of hardship, difficulty, and persecution by coming alongside and supporting those who have suffered for the Gospel. These ministries do this through filming and sharing (online) the stories of survivors of persecution, and by advocating for human rights and religious freedom for every citizen in Iran.

The Current Focus

It is no coincidence that Gospel outreach to Muslims focuses on the younger generation. A surprising commonality emerges when considering the originators of some of today’s largest Islamic organizations:

• The Muslim Brotherhood was started by a 22-year-old.
• Osama Bin Laden, founder of al-Qaeda, was 22 when the Soviets invaded Afghanistan, sending him down the path of terrorism and war.
• A 19-year-old founded the Taliban when the Afghan invasion occurred.
• The founder of ISIS was 32 when he began that group.

These Muslim organizations have been hugely successful using media to recruit young followers and spread their ideology worldwide. Based on their long-term goals, they use a unified media strategy for sharing their views despite the differences between their groups.

As Believers, we need to adopt a similar approach in our outreach. We also have a common origin and a common goal. Thus, we should seek to work together, setting aside our differences and using a unified media strategy to share the Gospel more effectively, especially in closed countries.

Im tirdefu lada-at oto —
“Press on to know HIM!” (Hosea 6:3 NLT),

   
Sarah Liberman

P.S. Would you join me in praying for those working in Gospel ministries and for the younger generation in closed countries like Iran to be reached with the Gospel? Also, if you have a testimony of overcoming difficulty or persecution with the Lord’s help, please email or write to me at our P.O. Box. I would love to hear from you! ✡

: Over-Easy Travel

I (Kirsten) am not a fan of eggs over easy, but I like it when a daunting task becomes easier and less stressful. That’s exactly what we give you with a Zola Tour. Next year marks the 40th anniversary of Zola Tours, and we have an incredibly easy Spring Tour planned for you!

David and I recently had a first-time flier sit behind us as we traveled home to Orlando. As she entered the jet, the middle-aged woman announced for all to hear: “I’ve never flown before, and I’m freaking out!” Fellow passengers did their best to reassure this woman that all would be okay.

If you have never traveled overseas, please rest assured that it is likely to be better than you anticipate — particularly on our incredible, fun Biblical pilgrimage. Sandra, our travel manager, takes care of details and answers all questions. Then, when David and I meet you at the U.S. departure airport, we will be your companions throughout the trip.

Please contact Sandra at 214-696-9760, travel@levitt.com, or visit levitt.com/tours for details and to reserve seats. We look forward to seeing you in March!

A Note from David and Kirsten Hart

THEY’RE ALL PRECIOUS IN HIS SIGHT

Our hearts break when we read about the deaths of precious humans like Mahsa Amini who are created in God’s image. We pray that our Heavenly Father’s grace and mercy will extend to all those suffering across the globe, and especially to the struggling people of Iran who live under their oppressive Muslim government. We also pray that we would share our Lord’s love and compassion to all of mankind, regardless of skin color, ethnicity, or religious belief.

Sarah, thank you for once again reminding us Believers to think globally. It’s so easy to get caught up in our daily routines and responsibilities, and so tempting to forget the hardships faced by many others (especially Believers) everywhere who struggle to live.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

We ministry workers are dazzled by the quality of Much Like Peter, our newest series on Our Jewish Roots. Everyone on the production crew worked tirelessly to bring this Bible teaching to you. We anticipate an outpouring of accolades about the programs.

Ken Berg, our producer, once again rose to the occasion by writing all the scripts for the dramatic reenactments and by directing the entire production. In addition, a host of “behind the scenes” people played integral roles in bringing this series to life.

BACK IN THE STUDIO

November finds our entire production team back in the studio to tape our year-end programs and to create another OJR series. Kirsten and I, along with Dr. Jeffrey Seif, cannot wait to develop more fine programs for our ZLM family to enjoy.

Have a blessed Thanksgiving, and please remember to …

Sha’alu shalom Yerushalayim! —
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!” (Psalm 122:6),

David & Kirsten

P.S. More than ever, our world needs to know the truth about Yeshua. Did you realize that by prayerfully and financially supporting this ministry, you help us connect with a global audience? Zola’s vision extended beyond a national television ministry to include what God is doing in Israel and beyond. Your continued financial support enables us to share the Gospel of Yeshua with people around the world. ✡

Our Jewish Roots TV programs in November

We have five weeks of programs in November, and one is a bonus episode with unique interviews. If you’re on social media, it’s easy to share these with your friends. When a new episode is available on YouTube.com, we announce it on social media. (Be sure to follow us on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, or Rumble.) Why not invite a friend or two to join you in a “watch party” for these programs?

Much Like Peter

On the shore of the Sea of Galilee, Yeshua began His ministry by calling disciples to follow Him. One of these was Peter — who often acted before thinking. Even so, the Messiah foresaw that this simple fisherman would become the leader of the Apostles and a powerful voice for the Gospel. This series features teaching by Dr. Jeffrey Seif, reenactments by Israeli actors, David and Kirsten Hart singing songs by Zola on location in Israel, interviews with Israeli Believers, and modern life applications with the Harts. Each program reveals that many of us who follow the Lord are “much like Peter.”

I Don’t Know Him

After Judas betrayed the Messiah, Peter initially responded with violence, but later with denial. Like Peter, today’s Believers often experience a disconnect between our words and actions. Yet even in difficult circumstances, God’s grace is sufficient.

Do You Love Me?

After the resurrected Savior met Peter and other disciples at the Sea of Galilee, they experienced revival. The miraculous catch of fish foreshadowed the Great Commission’s bountiful harvest. As Jesus did with Peter, He offers grace and forgiveness to all who follow Him.

Tongues of Fire

Surprisingly, the disciple who denied knowing Jesus later preached the Gospel and 3,000 people were saved. Before being known as Pentecost, the feast was called Shavuot, the Jewish holy day.

Beyond Israel’s Borders

Limited understanding prevented the Apostles from sharing the Gospel globally, as the Lord intended. Yet Peter received a divine vision that prompted him to share the Gospel with gentiles.

Bonus Interviews

During this series, viewers have briefly heard from four Israelis who, like Peter, are followers of Yeshua. In this program, we learn more from our interviews with 1) Chaim Malespin, director of the Aliyah Return Center; 2) Daniel Carmel, captain of the “Jesus” boat on the Sea of Galilee; 3) Carolyn Hyde, who with her husband moved to Israel; and 4) Yuval Shlomovitch, the Israeli actor who portrays Peter in the series.