FROM SARAH, OUR SABRA
ON THE GROUND IN ISRAEL
Dear Friend,
Greetings from the Holy Land. Each year in May, Israel remembers three major events in the history of our people and the establishment of our modern nation. Shortly after Passover ends, Holocaust Remembrance Day begins a momentous week that culminates in Fallen Soldiers Remembrance Day and the Independence Day celebration.
TIMES TO REMEMBER
Holocaust remembrance events begin at 8:00 p.m. with a national ceremony in Jerusalem. The next day at 10:00 a.m., a two-minute siren pierces the sky in every city and neighborhood. Everyone, including those driving or working, remains still for two minutes. On this day, schools hold remembrance ceremonies. Older high school students often hear Holocaust survivors share their stories of survival and what happened in the concentration camps.
A week later, the country remembers all soldiers who have been killed in the wars since the birth of the State of Israel and while on active duty in Israel’s military. This commemoration begins at 8:00 p.m. with a one-minute siren, during which all of Israel pauses. The next morning, a two-minute siren sounds at 11:00 as schools and military cemeteries hold ceremonies. In preparation for this event, a small Israeli flag is placed on each soldier’s grave (numbering 24,213 as of the 2022 ceremony) as a young soldier currently serving in the military salutes at the gravesite.
A DIFFICULT ASSIGNMENT
This year, the special documentary, Knock on the door, aired prior to Fallen Soldiers Remembrance Day. The film allowed the public to see the delicate task of informing a family about a tragedy that will forever change their lives. It included interviews with messengers who deliver the heartbreaking news of a soldier’s death. Israel has compulsory military service for everyone except for ultra-Orthodox Jews, Arabs, and others receiving an exemption. Thus, after a son or daughter enters the military, no Israeli family wants to hear a knock on the door, which may indicate that their child is dead.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) follow a specific protocol when informing a family that their beloved child has died in battle or an attack. Messengers are reserve duty soldiers in their early 40s to late 50s who choose this assignment. The team of three men wearing civilian clothing arrives by taxi — messenger one, messenger two, and messenger three.
credit: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit (Wikimedia Commons)
Upon arriving at the address, messenger three gets out of the taxi and seeks to confirm the correct address, family, and door. He does this by checking the information (including any mail in the mailbox), the door number and family name on the doorbell, and any sign posted on or near the door.
Once messenger three has verified the correct address and door, he returns to the taxi. The three messengers change clothes in the taxi and then exit in their military uniforms. They walk to the door, then messenger one knocks.
A LIFE-CHANGING VISIT
Behind the door is an unsuspecting person or family. They may be eating a meal or watching television or a movie. It could be a mother putting young children to bed or getting them ready for school. In any case, they have no idea what is soon to happen. But after the messengers knock on the door, everything changes.
Typically, someone inside looks through the peephole and sees the men in uniform. At that point, most people realize who they are and why they are there. Some people refuse to open the door, hoping that the men will leave. Others open the door and then shut it immediately. In either case, messenger one must knock again and wait for the door to open.
When the door opens, messenger one enters, followed by the others. Messenger one must deliver a carefully crafted message that will leave no doubt that the family’s loved one has perished. The three men ensure that each family member hears and comprehends the message. With young children, several explanations may be necessary before they understand.
In one case, a man who opened the door saw the soldiers and said, “You are going to kill my wife.” He then called his wife to the door. She refused to listen, moving from room to room, trying to get away from them so they could not speak what she did not want to hear. After four hours, she finally listened to them. The messengers would not leave until they had properly fulfilled their responsibility of delivering the message.
COMMON AND UNCOMMON MESSENGERS
The role of a messenger is unique, not only in our day but also in ancient times. The Bible presents many examples of messengers and the different responses to them.
source: From the Wellcome Collection, wellcomecollection.org
- Jacob sent messengers ahead of him to his brother, fearing that Esau was coming to kill him (Genesis 32:3).
- Joab sent a messenger to King David, informing him of the death of Uriah (the husband of Bathsheba), the soldier that the king ordered to be sent to the battlefront (2 Samuel 11:22).
- Later, a messenger told King David that his people were no longer with him — instead, they were loyal to his rebellious son Absalom (2 Samuel 15:13).
Scripture also notes another kind of messenger — a heavenly messenger sent by God, often called “the angel of the Lord.” Gideon (Judges 6:11–33), Zechariah (father of John the Baptist, Luke 1:11–20), Manoah and his wife (Samson’s parents, Judges 13:2–20), and Hagar (Genesis 16:7–12) were some who met this special messenger.
Two particular encounters with a heavenly messenger are notable because of the response from the recipient.
- In Genesis chapter 18, Abraham received three special messengers. After a promise about fulfilling Abraham’s desire for a son, two messengers prepared to leave. One — the Lord — remained and relayed His plans to deal with the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah.
Unlike other conversations with heavenly messengers, Abraham was not passive. Instead, he actively negotiated with the Lord about how many righteous people were required for the Lord to spare a city from destruction. Finally, perhaps thinking he had stretched God’s patience to its limit, Abraham relented and returned home.
This may be one of the most interesting and informative passages of Scripture concerning Abraham. The exchange reveals that Abraham knew the true nature of God: kind, just, patient, loving, forgiving, compassionate, and more. Abraham not only knew God’s character but also trusted and appealed to it, knowing that God would act according to His benevolent nature.
- Luke chapter 1 describes another angelic visitation, this time to Mary the mother of Yeshua (Jesus). At first Mary was startled. Then, after hearing the angel’s message, she became bewildered, not understanding how the promise she heard could happen. After the angel explained how it would occur, Mary speaks one of the most beautiful responses in the Bible: “I am the Lord’s servant … May your word to me be fulfilled” (Luke 1:38).
Perhaps you, too, have received a difficult message. It could have been about the death of a loved one, a painful diagnosis from a doctor, or disappointment concerning a life-altering situation. As a Believer in Yeshua/Jesus as Messiah, do you rely on what you know of God’s nature and trust Him even in the difficulty? Do you know and trust that God is good, that His mercy endures forever, and that His thoughts and plans for you are far greater than you could ever hope for or imagine (Psalm 136:1; Isaiah 55:8–9; 1 Corinthians 2:9)?
Im tirdefu lada-at oto —
“Press on to know HIM!” (Hosea 6:3 NLT),
Sarah Liberman
P.S. How has the Lord sustained you and given you peace when you received a difficult message? How has He encouraged you after calling or challenging you with a difficult or seemingly impossible task? Please write to me at staff@levitt.com or this ministry’s P.O. Box and share your story. I would love to hear it. ✡
: No Time Like Today
Through the years, many people have commented, “We should have gone to the Holy Land ten years ago. Now, we’re no longer able to travel.” There is no better time than the present to commit to the amazing adventure that awaits you in the land where the Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, and Yeshua Himself lived and walked! There’s still time for you to join our group this October. Fall is such a wonderful time to immerse yourself in all the facets of Israel.
Sandra, our travel manager, is excellent at helping passengers with every step in joining us for a Bible study pilgrimage. You can contact her at 214-696-9760, travel@levitt.com, or levitt.com/tours. Then, pack your bags (remember your walking shoes!) and prepare for the Bible to unfold before your eyes.
| Deluxe — Israel | October 16–26 | $5,788 |
| Grand Petra — Israel & Petra | October 16–29 | $7,288 |
| Deluxe — Israel | Mar. 25–Apr. 4 | TBD |
| Grand Petra — Israel & Petra | Mar. 25–Apr. 7 | TBD |
A Note from David and Kirsten Hart
MILITARY PARENTS
As Sarah shared the harsh realities that many IDF families experience, we are reminded of the sacrifices families make when loved ones serve in the military. Both our oldest son and our daughter-in-law served in the U.S. Army. Our Army son was deployed in Baghdad at the same time that our youngest son worked for the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ) in Israel. While we prayed for God’s supernatural protection on both of them, such a “knock on the door” would have devastated us.
CONTINUING OUR MESSAGE
Zola Levitt began his television ministry over 40 years ago. When he passed away in 2006, his son Mark and the ministry’s board determined that Zola’s Biblical message must continue, despite his physical absence. This ongoing endeavor has been both a challenge and blessing. While various spokespeople have joined us in sharing the Jewish roots of Christianity over the past 17 years, many of our longtime supporters have gone on to their heavenly reward.
Multitudes of viewers and readers still need the Biblical message that we broadcast, mail, and post at levitt.com. Thus, we continue our ministerial outreaches. That you are reading this Personal Letter means that you still believe in our mission and message.
Let’s together spread the word about this ministry and its lessons about God’s Word. Would you tell friends, family, and neighbors about our weekly television program and online archives? Will you pray for ZLM? Would you kindly invest financially in this ministry that is just as needed now as it was four decades ago?
We are committed to “Run with endurance the race set before us, focusing on Yeshua, the initiator and perfecter of faith” (Hebrews 12:1–2, TLV). Please join us in keeping this ministry strong for generations to come.
Sha’alu shalom Yerushalayim! —
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!” (Psalm 122:6),
David & Kirsten
P.S. Unlike some Bible-teaching ministries, we don’t have special fund-raising banquets or marathons throughout the year. Nor do we solicit pledges for astronomical dollar amounts. Instead, we simply share the reality that our work continues only through the ongoing prayers and support of you, our viewer and reader. If you value what we offer you weekly and monthly, would you prayerfully consider an above-and-beyond gift this month? Thank you in advance. ✡
Our Jewish Roots TV programs in July
You’ve likely heard that “variety is the spice of life.” This month, you will have some spice and some viewing variety. During the first half of July, we finish our series, She Shall Be Called Woman, which illuminates some of the notable women included in Scripture.
In the final weeks of July, we present two stand-alone programs from Joshua and Caleb Colson that you will appreciate. For 17 years, these brothers have acted in dramatic reenactments and worked in production roles on OJR and its predecessor, Zola Levitt Presents.
She Shall be Called Woman
In this four-part series, Dr. Jeffrey Seif opens the Hebrew Scriptures to focus on God’s wonderful creation of man’s human complement: woman. David and Kirsten Hart join the discussion about the varied roles of women, including wives, mothers, counselors, managers, educators, and queens.
- Deceivers and Educators
- The Hebrew Bible condemns women who use feminine wiles to entice and betray males, like Delilah did with Samson. In the segment on educators, however, we highlight women’s positive imprints on male (and female) children. It is often stated, “Behind every good man is a good mother!”
- Widows and Queens
- Through a widow in Zarephath, we discover the Biblical imperative to care for those who are weak, especially widows. While some women encounter difficulty, others experience good times. But as Esther illustrates, God expects those who are strong to use their influence for noble purposes.
The Bearded Bible Brothers
- Introducing the Bearded Bible Brothers
- Many of our viewers who follow our Social Media outlets (YouTube, Facebook, etc.) are familiar with the Bearded Bible Brothers, who were featured in the June 2023 Levitt Letter. In this program, David and Kirsten Hart interview Joshua and Caleb Colson, who have taught on our online channels for over four years. In this program, you’ll discover the hearts of these young men who love Yeshua and seek to spread His message to viewers everywhere.
- Mission and Messengers
- We take a retrospective look at over 40 years of ZLM’s television ministry. What began with our founder, Zola Levitt, did not end when God called him home in 2006. Our Gospel outreach still continues, although with new faces. In this program, you will meet the messengers who will continue Zola’s mission and take us into the future.
Zola Levitt Ministries is ECFA approved and has Charity Navigator’s top rating of 4 stars.
