August 2021 Personal Letter

FROM SARAH, OUR SABRA
ON THE GROUND IN ISRAEL

Dear Friend,

Greetings from the Holy Land. In the past few weeks, Israel has seen its most significant change in over a decade. After two years and four rounds of national elections, we finally have a functioning government! We also have a new prime minister — Mr. Naftali Bennett.

NETANYAHU’S REIGN

For 4,456 consecutive days our now, former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu held that office and led this nation. For the past two years while struggling to form a government, he drove the country through elections, one after another, trying to keep his party in power and his family living in the prime minister’s house on Balfour Street in Jerusalem.

Last time he lost the election, many years ago, it took the Netanyahus six full weeks to vacate the house. This time, the minister responsible for approving the prime minister’s expenses stated that the government would stop paying the Netanyahu family’s expenses immediately. The family announced that, this time, they would move out in three weeks.

Israeli taxpayers have been paying for three Netanyahu family residences for the past 13 years. The voices calling for Netanyahu’s resignation claim that he and his family are corrupt, receiving gifts and other benefits from wealthy people both within and outside Israel. In return, they add, Netanyahu has facilitated regulation changes that helped the businesses and corporations of billionaire friends form monopolies and benefit from huge financial favors.

Interestingly, the foreign view of Netanyahu is barely tainted by Israel’s internal criticism. Furthermore, Netanyahu enjoyed a firm base of support that continued to provide his party with the majority number of mandates in each election. They called him “Bibi, the king of Israel.” Even though there are other right-wing parties who collectively had sufficient mandates to form a government, for the past two years Netanyahu repeatedly failed to create one.

By all accounts, Netanyahu is a brilliant politician. For many years, we Israelis have watched him overcome enormous political difficulties and work hard to generate much needed support for Israel, both in the U.S. and across Europe. He has an unshakeable belief in his God-given calling to lead Israel. This, together with endless maneuvers and last-minute tactics, always landed him on top in any situation.

People here in Israel watch in amazement as, time after time, Netanyahu gets out of scrambles and seemingly impossible political situations. He fights like a lion, never ever giving up. This tenacity and strong will have served him well as the leader of his party and of Israel.

So how was this strong, warring lion finally brought down?

The answer is surprising, for it was not his political opponents who brought his reign to an end. Rather, his friends and political protégés motivated his defeat. The people who were closest to him, who knew all his secrets and decision-making processes, were the architects of his downfall.

GROWING DISSENT

For the past two years, our nation has suffered the ill effects of a nonfunctioning government and, especially, no approved national budget. This chaos meant that many of the funds needed for public aid and assistance, as well as regular, government-backed infrastructure projects, never made it to their desperately waiting destinations.

Yet, for two whole years, no one within his camp dared to speak against Netanyahu or make any reasonable challenge to his leadership. While he focused on his political opponents from the left-leaning, more liberal parties, he neglected to understand that his repeated mistreatment of those in his own camp would finally cause them to rise up against him.

The first to go against Netanyahu, from his own right-wing camp, was Avigdor Lieberman. Lieberman had been a minister and coalition partner of Netanyahu for many years. Lieberman’s split caused the first round of elections. The next to leave was Gideon Sa’ar, previous secretary of state and head of Netanyahu’s administration. Sa’ar’s departure should have served as a big red signpost for Netanyahu, but he ignored Sa’ar and even ridiculed him.

Ze’ev Elkin, as head of the Likud party, managed Netanyahu’s coalition relations for many years. Though Elkin was a devout follower, Netanyahu humiliated him repeatedly. Naftali Bennett served as Netanyahu’s campaign manager in previous elections, and Ayelet Shaked was former head of the prime minister’s office. Netanyahu publicly and mercilessly used, dismissed, and demeaned both Bennett and Shaked time and time again. They finally dealt the critical blow.

Netanyahu never seemed to consider that people from his own household, as it were, would be his downfall. He never considered the fact that if you neglect the people closest to you and mismanage your relationships with them, you cannot escape the consequences.

BIBLICAL PARALLELS

The Bible offers two examples that are important for us to explore in this regard:

1. AMNON, SON OF DAVID: In 2 Samuel 13, we read a difficult story of rape and incest. Amnon, son of David, falls obsessively in love with Tamar, his half-sister. Amnon loves her so much that he can’t even eat and grows weak from malnutrition. His advisor instructs Amnon to ask Tamar to make him some food in his room. This way he can be alone with her.

When Tamar comes to his room, Amnon lies and claims to be so sick that he cannot eat until all the servants leave. Once he has her alone, Amnon tries to convince his sister to sleep with him. She refuses, as they are not married. Amnon forces himself upon Tamar and rapes her. After the act, he despises her.

Tamar pleads with Amnon to ask his father (King David) to allow them to marry and thus avoid her shame and disgrace, but Amnon refuses. No one knows why. Perhaps Amnon thought David had other plans for Tamar in terms of her marriage. In 13:21, we learn David’s response: “When King David heard all this, he was furious.”

That’s it?! David was very angry? No mention is made of any other action on David’s part. His lack of acting to resolve this terrible situation in his household results in Absalom, Tamar’s brother, avenging her two years later by killing Amnon. And again, David, in anguish over the death of Amnon, takes no formidable action to deal with this turn of events.

Later, Absalom disrespects David’s authority by declaring to the people of Israel that David is not interested in their complaints and needs. Absalom builds himself up in the people’s eyes, and their support leads to a revolt against David. Absalom declares himself king in Hebron while David is still alive in Jerusalem. Finally, civil war breaks out between Judah (whose people stay faithful to David) and Israel, whose people stand with Absalom. In the deciding battle, Absalom is struck down and killed. Heartbreaking consequences.

2. ELI’S TWO SONS: Another father who fails to deal with shortcomings in his own house is Eli the priest (1 Samuel 2). Eli, a descendant of Aaron, the first high priest, is the priest in Shiloh, where the Tent of Meeting is located after the Israelites cross into the Promised Land. Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, behave wickedly in the “House of the Lord.” They take for themselves the prime cuts of meat from the sacrifices brought by the people to the Lord.

Eli knows about his sons’ misbehavior, but rebukes them only lightly and takes no further action to stop their sinful ways. God curses the house of Eli and all the male descendants, starting with sons Hophni and Phinehas, who later both die on the same day. Devastating consequences.

Believers (“Believers” is short for “believers in Yeshua/Jesus as Messiah”) learn from these disheartening examples that we must first steward well the blessings that God gives us — our own family, household, and close community. Being a good steward of these institutions means that we seek to build them up, exhort them, and teach them the correct way. It also means we do not abide sin or the mistreatment of our family and community members, and we take decisive action against any breach.

If we are busy pursuing many important goals but fail to keep order in our own house, we will reap unfortunate and often disastrous consequences.

Do not be deceived: God is not mocked; for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. — Galatians 6:7–8

Let us Believers be those who continually sow to the Holy Spirit in wisdom and truth, stewarding well that which God has given us, taking care to treat those around us with concern and compassion, yet not forgetting justice.

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

Sarah Liberman

P.S. I received more emails than anticipated from you, Dear Readers, expressing an avid interest in learning about Jerusalem and the Garden of Eden. I am preparing a series of edifying letters that will appear in the coming months. Be sure to watch for them. Thank you for your ongoing support, prayers, and interest.

: Walk Through the (Airplane) Door to Your Blessing

Kirsten and I count it a tremendous blessing to lead Bible-studying pilgrims on the experience of a lifetime in the Holy Land. We simply cannot wait to witness the Bible coming to life before our eyes as we traverse the mountains and valleys in the Land of the Patriarchs.

To enhance your spiritual walk, please take the first step and contact our travel manager, Sandra, at 214-696-9760, travel@levitt.com, or via levitt.com/tours. Sandra can guide you through every step of the process.

A Note from David and Kirsten Hart

We only briefly talk about finances on our weekly Our Jewish Roots (OJR) TV program. That’s because we have so much Biblical content to present! But I want to take a moment to let you know that we rely on steady monthly donations. It can be difficult to budget for an effective ministry with fluctuating contributions.

I believe Zola looks down from Heaven with an overflowing heart when you help keep this ministry strong. Regular support, such as Zola’s Monthly Gift Program, enables us to budget for new television series, To The Jew First outreaches to Israel, and much more. You can help keep this ministerial outreach vibrant and effective. If every fortunate reader of this Personal Letter became a regular giver, donation reminders would decrease and our financial challenges would shrivel. Thanks for reading. — David

This summer, David and I, along with Andrea Davis (general manager for Berg Productions and our social media outreach), attended the National Religious Broadcasters Convention (NRB) in Dallas. The convention moves every year, and this year it was conveniently right down the road from OJR’s production offices.

Many ministries and TV networks set up booths to meet people from around the world. We elected not to have a booth in order to be able to move about … and that we did! This year’s convention presented a strong focus on our beloved Israel. We met many people from different nations who support ZLM and are viewers of OJR. Whenever we mentioned the name Zola Levitt, people smiled!

We were able to connect with faces behind the networks that faithfully carried Zola Levit Presents (precursor to Our Jewish Roots) for four decades (1978 – 2019). We shook hands and, as at any fun convention, found the tables with the best treats and giveaways. The Israel Tourism booth handed out packets of fresh Za’atar (my absolute favorite Israeli seasoning!).

Israeli Za’atar

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons dried thyme (or hyssop)
• 1 teaspoon flaked sea salt
• 2 tablespoons ground sumac (or lemon zest and pepper)
• 1½ tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

DIRECTIONS

1. Add thyme and sea salt to your mortar, using your pestle to finely grind it.
2. Put the ground thyme and salt with the sumac and toasted sesame seeds into a jar. Stir to combine.
3. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 months.

We’ve included the recipe to make your own fresh Za’atar. Loaded with bold flavors, it boasts some health benefits — from soothing inflammation to boosting cognition. This recipe just might make you feel like you are snacking your way through the streets of Old Jerusalem. Use it to season some avocados, tomatoes, or fish; or jazz up some breakfast eggs.

The three of us enthusiastically worked that convention center floor to the limit! Our feet were tired afterward, but our hearts were full. — Kirsten

A special shout out to Worship Leader (and devoted friend of ZLM) Joshua Aaron, who flew all the way from the Galilee to sing for the NRB convention’s special Israeli Ministry Breakfast. We’ve featured Joshua on our TV program. Be sure to look him up on social media and YouTube — you’ll be blessed.

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

David & Kirsten

P.S. The stunning videos and teaching segments featured in our series Eretz Israel come at a considerable cost. While you and so many others can watch it for free, getting it to your television and computer screens is expensive. With anti-Semitism on the rise, we must proclaim Yeshua’s message to the nations. Will you help us share the Bible’s message by partnering with us on a regular basis? Thank you in advance.