We knew there would be opposition to the new
Hebrew-speaking Messianic channel in Israel, but what a surprise that
Christians would be weaponized against the Israeli believers! It is a tragedy
that so many Israel-supporting Christians remain so uninformed of the over 1
million Jews who have faith in Yeshua. Shelanu-TV represents the 20-30,000
Messianic Jews of Israel.
An Open Letter to Laurie Cardoza-Moore
by Ron Cantor
Laurie Cardoza Moore is the Special
Envoy to the UN for the World Council of Independent Christian ChurchesThe campaign of religious opposition in Israel to the new Shelanu-TV faith channel on the HOT network kicked into overdrive when a popular Israel-supporting Christian called on PM Netanyahu to kick GOD-TV off the air in Israel.
Here is Ron Cantor's informative response:
Let
me start by saying thank you for loving the Jewish people. I know that is where
your statement, asking the Prime Minister of Israel to silence the voices of
Messianic Jews, came from. But with all due respect, as a citizen of the nation
of Israel, let me say to you, this is not your fight!
Evangelical TV Host Calls on Netanyahu to take down GOD-TV
Imagine if I wrote President Trump and asked him to revoke your first amendment rights because you are butting into the affairs of another nation. That is what you have done. Do you value freedom of speech just for Americans? You will say, “No, I just don’t want outsiders like GOD TV interfering.”
But here is what you don’t know. Shelanu is a partnership between GOD TV and the Messianic Jewish community in Israel. Our board is 80% Hebrew speaking Israelis. One of our members is an Israeli Arab. I was the one who brokered the deal with Hot, as a Messianic Jewish Hebrew-speaking (not perfect!) Israeli. There was no confusion about our intentions and I have proof.
So, without checking with your actual believing brothers and sisters, you asked the Prime Minister of a sovereign nation, not your own, to silence Jews and Arabs who love Yeshua. Maybe you thought you were writing to the Ayatollahs in Iran or the Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia. But you didn’t. Israel is a democracy. And even those who have different opinions are free to share them.
Should we tell the young Messianic Jewish music artists that are now featured on Shelanu TV that Laurie Cardoza-Moore wants to shut them up? Should we inform the believers who record their testimonies to share with their fellow Israelis, that you oppose them? What Gospel have you believed Ms. Cardoza-Moore? You actually unwittingly accused Israelis of being anti-Semetic!
“Instead, they have chosen to stand on the wrong side of history, empowering the anti-Semites.”
How does Israelis sharing Yeshua with Israelis empower anti-Semites? Next time, pick up the phone and get your facts straight.
Evangelical TV Host Calls on Netanyahu to take down GOD-TV
Imagine if I wrote President Trump and asked him to revoke your first amendment rights because you are butting into the affairs of another nation. That is what you have done. Do you value freedom of speech just for Americans? You will say, “No, I just don’t want outsiders like GOD TV interfering.”
But here is what you don’t know. Shelanu is a partnership between GOD TV and the Messianic Jewish community in Israel. Our board is 80% Hebrew speaking Israelis. One of our members is an Israeli Arab. I was the one who brokered the deal with Hot, as a Messianic Jewish Hebrew-speaking (not perfect!) Israeli. There was no confusion about our intentions and I have proof.
So, without checking with your actual believing brothers and sisters, you asked the Prime Minister of a sovereign nation, not your own, to silence Jews and Arabs who love Yeshua. Maybe you thought you were writing to the Ayatollahs in Iran or the Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia. But you didn’t. Israel is a democracy. And even those who have different opinions are free to share them.
Should we tell the young Messianic Jewish music artists that are now featured on Shelanu TV that Laurie Cardoza-Moore wants to shut them up? Should we inform the believers who record their testimonies to share with their fellow Israelis, that you oppose them? What Gospel have you believed Ms. Cardoza-Moore? You actually unwittingly accused Israelis of being anti-Semetic!
“Instead, they have chosen to stand on the wrong side of history, empowering the anti-Semites.”
How does Israelis sharing Yeshua with Israelis empower anti-Semites? Next time, pick up the phone and get your facts straight.
You wrote: “Our only mandate to the Jewish people is to love and support them because they are God’s chosen people. Any attempts to convert Jews or downgrade their religion will only sow undue hatred at a time when we should unite in the face of darkness.”
First, I have never, ever asked a fellow Jew to convert, and I did not myself. I discovered my Messiah in Yeshua, just like the first disciples, who also did not convert. But have you even read the New Testament that says salvation has come to you, Ms. Cardoza-Moore, to "provoke Israel to jealousy"? (Romans 11:11) The gospel is “to the Jew first,” says Paul (Rom. 1:16). He also said that he would be willing to go to hell for the sake of the Jewish people.
"I speak the truth in Messiah—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit—I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Messiah for the sake of my people, those of my own race, the people of Israel." (Romans 9:1-4)
It was the founder of Jews for Jesus, Moishe Rosen, who said that the greatest form of anti-Semitism is to not share Yeshua with Jewish people. Now I understand as an evangelical, facing 1,900 years of gruesome anti-Semitism, and even murder, against the Jewish people by so-called Christians, that explaining that Yeshua is the Jewish Messiah to a Jewish person is difficult. But don’t you dare try and silence Jewish believers from reaching our own people—and that by petitioning our Prime Minister.
Just imagine if you wrote the same letter to Iran. Don't forget Christians killed many Muslims in the Crusades. Maybe you should reach out to the leaders of Muslim nations to apologize for seeking to reach them with the life-saving message of the Messiah.
We face intense opposition here in Israel from some, not all, in the ultra-Orthodox community. A teenage boy had a bomb blow up in his face by someone opposing the gospel. It is only by a miracle that he survived. Some have had tires slashed, buildings bombed, or their face plastered on posters and then placed all over their neighborhood, with warnings, “Missionary, beware!” Just today I have received vulgar hate mail. But you come to the aid of the persecutors, not ours—your believing family.
Here’s the deal. Messianic Jews in Israel will not seek to silence you; don’t you seek to silence us. I understand that many evangelicals want to bless Israel. Thank God! Wonderful! Continue. Israel knows that evangelicals are their best friends. But your first commitment should be to your brothers and sisters in the faith here in Israel.
"Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers." (Gal. 6:10)
I am speaking of Israeli Messianic Jews who serve in the army, risking their lives, being a witness to others in the IDF. How do you think they would feel to see your words rebuking them? Asking our Prime Minister to take away their basic human rights of freedom of speech and expression is horrendous and shameful.
I call on you and every other evangelical to ask yourself: Whose side are you on? Can you love Israel and be true to the Gospel? Or do you have to sacrifice the commands of Yeshua that implore us to share His message? I say no. It is both possible to love your elder brother, the Jewish people, and in a tasteful way, be honest about your faith. But your actions are tyrannical in calling on the Prime Minister to silence his citizens. I call on you to revoke your request to the Prime Minister and apologize to your Messianic brothers and sisters.
Normally I would approach you privately, but did you grant us that courtesy before your outrageous actions? If you had, armed with the truth, you probably would have thought twice.
To learn more about the issues involved, please refer to the Press Release of May 13, 2020 from the Board of Shelanu TV which is underwritten by GOD-TV made available on Facebook.
Ron Cantor writes, Friends, there has been a ton of misinformation regarding our new channel in Israel. Please help us get the truth out by sharing. Thank you.
________________
by Harun Ibrahim
[Harun Ibrahim is a former Muslim, now Christian. He is Israeli and has a powerful ministry to the Muslim world as General Director of Al Hayat Ministries, Harun serves also as a Shelanu TV board member.]
Dear Sister, You’re asking God TV to
close Shelanu even though 80% of its board members are Israelis, one of whom is
an Israeli Arab. You’re interfering in a ministry that does not belong to you.
I would not come and advise you what to do in your own State, asking your
governor to shut you down because I don’t agree with what you do.
Secondly, you’re saying your position
is one of love for the Jewish people, for Israelis, which I do not doubt. But
what kind of love would ask the Prime Minister to shut down a channel that is
sharing the love of the Messiah, the Redeemer, with His own people? You are
asking the Prime Minister to censor the best message of love that mankind has
ever known – the message of Yeshua, who came and died for our sins. You would
rob Jews of this privilege? The kind of love you are showing is more likely to
kill than to give life.
As an Arab, before accepting Yeshua
as my Savior, though I personally did not hate Jews, I was aware that those in
my former religion did hate them and understood that the more Islamic I wanted
to become the more I would need to oppose Judaism. But, when I accepted Yeshua
in my heart, there was no longer anyone whom I could call an enemy. Rather,
there was love, and the best love I could show to anyone was to introduce them
to the power that changed my heart.
What you’re saying, my sister, is
very dangerous and I would like you to think twice about it. What you have said
and encouraged others to do, “to teach Christians about their biblical
responsibility to stand with our Jewish brethren and the State of Israel”
without offering them knowledge of their Messiah, abandons the hallmark
responsibility of all Christians – to preach the good news of the Gospel. What
biblical responsibility or authority is above that post-resurrection,
pre-ascension mandate of Yeshua, who said, “All authority has been given to me
in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.” Of
course, our responsibility is to love people. But is it love to neglect telling
them a life-saving truth so as to avoid offending them? That is a very dangerous
kind of love.
I remember when we, at Al Hayat
Channel, started to boldly preach the Gospel to Muslims. We found our greatest
opposition came from our Christian brethren. What a sad day it is when I read
your article and see that history is repeating itself. What you have written is
exactly in the same spirit of that which Christians wrote to Al Hayat to
discourage us from preaching the Gospel to Muslims. “Don’t do that. Stop it.
They will be mad at us. They will kill us.” So, it’s better to leave them uninformed,
misguided and lost?
If I were an unbeliever and had an
enemy whom I hated and wanted to destroy, I would, perhaps, kill him. But if I
were a believer with an enemy whom I wanted to destroy, I would simply not tell
him about Yeshua. He would perish and I would have my revenge. Not only would
they suffer in this life but also in the life to come. But is that our
definition of Christian love? Or is that evil?
When we started to preach the Gospel
to Muslims, what happened? Over the past eighteen years, hundreds of thousands
of Muslims were reached with the good news of a Redeemer whom we call the
Messiah, Yeshua. Thousands of them, destined to be terrorists, instead became
loving brothers. From enemies, they became friends, supporters in prayer, and
true friends of Israel. That is what Al Hayat did. And if that is what you are
actually opposing, I must wonder, “Did Yeshua make a big mistake? Will He have
to return to apologize to the Jewish people for having come, as a Rabbi, a holy
man, to perform miracles among them? Should He apologize for proclaiming the
truth and dying on the cross for them? Does your theology mean this was all in
vain? How much of the epistles of Paul – who said, ‘For I am not ashamed of the
gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to
the Jew first…’ (Romans 1:16) – would need to be abandoned under your
theology?”
If you have adopted this position to
be politically acceptable within Israel, I understand. But, as an evangelist,
if you’re appealing to your supporters on the basis of ‘love for Israel’, then
you’re deceiving your supporters by asking donations for Christian work that
you’re not doing. Israel does not need the ‘ministry of tourism’ as much as it
needs the ministry of truth. It is wonderful that people will buy ambulances,
medicines, support hospitals and social projects – we are thankful for all of
these. But, above all, the best help for this nation is to show them the real
love of God, so perfectly displayed in Yeshua. That is what Shelanu is doing.
I hope you’ll rethink what you’re
doing. I would never have imagined, one day, an Arab would need to defend his
Jewish brethren from a so-called friend of Israel who is unprepared to pay the
price to encourage them and who is even ready to destroy a fantastic Christian
ministry.
**UPDATE: Every day
brings a fresh round of Christian opposition to the Israeli Messianic believers
to the surface. for 20 years it has been my great sadness (and anger) with how
many Israeli-supporting Christians embraced Israeli religious and government
authorities who do not know Jesus, while turning a hostile back to the Israeli
Messianic Jews who do follow the Lord. Yet another Christian has come out
excoriating Jews sharing faith with Jews.
Read Ron
Cantor's Open Letter to Mark Biltz. The Nationalist Religious settlers have
cleared weaponized their Christian allies against the Israeli Messianic
community. Please consider this of the highest prayer priority.
Arrows from Zion
Summarized from the Weekly Summary of Prayer Requests Israeli Ministries by subscription only donna@israelprayer.com
Summarized from the Weekly Summary of Prayer Requests Israeli Ministries by subscription only donna@israelprayer.com
Tikkun Global 5/12 As CEO of Tikkun Global, Ron Cantor wrote about the
fierce opposition over the launch of Shelanu—the first-ever Hebrew language cable channel for
Yeshua. " I am personally getting hate mail." Please pray for Ron and
all the team overseeing the station. He also writes about the continued
humanitarian help they are doing in the midst of the Covid-19 shutdown. Plus
these articles by Dan Juster The Need
for the Prophetic and the Last Days, Guy Cohen: In the Midst of Trials. Eitan
Shishkoff asks What Are
You Searching For? and Leon Mazin fills us in on the Return to Zion congregation, Building
in More Ways than One.
Maoz ministries writes with good news: "the sick rate has dropped so
dramatically that this week about half of Israeli kids went back to
kindergarten and school. Malls and shops are reopening, some public spaces,
sports workouts and even gatherings up to 50 are allowed. Masks are still
required, and everyone is expecting new cases, but the initial wave has been
stalled and has given enough time for healthcare workers to prepare. This week,
whole wards that were dedicated to treating virus patients have returned to
their original designation. Praise God! You can feel the release in the air."
They write about how Israelis have been pulling together under the
pressure and write about how a painful recovery is touching many business what
will not open again and families who didn't have any margin for the mandated no
work/stay-at-home orders. Please pray as the most vulnerable struggle in wake
of all the bad things that have come out of the need to protect the nation
against this virus. Pray also about a terrorist prisoner exchange for the
remains of two Israeli soldiers, and the sickening appeal of Jewish religious
terrorists Jack Teitel seeking early release from two life sentences plus 30
years for murdering several non-Jews and attempting to murder members of a
Messianic Jewish family with a package bomb he left on their doorstep. He
succeeded in severely wounding the teenage son. " We ask that you
defend the rights of the Ortiz family – and believers in general – to be free
of this man. Forbid that he ever return to walk the streets of Israel. At
his sentencing, he said he did not regret his actions."
From Pastor Najeeb and Elizabeth Atteih in Haifa Immanuel Church, they
report that while every nation is faced with the same situation, "Our
family has chosen to have a positive perspective, knowing that God is in
control. He has allowed this happen at this time and we thank Him for it. There
is so much we can learn through this." They are not eligible to receive
the Israeli version of Social Security because they do not have salaries...but
they have not let this stop them from helping others as they could - sending
food & drinks to medical personnel, taking in an man and his son as the
family is going through enormously rough times with another young son battling
cancer. The father has received Jesus while staying with them the past several
months. They are meeting with the church by Zoom meetings and people are even
getting saved. Their newlywed son, Tino, has to be on base during the Covid
outbreak, as he is an officer, only getting a day with this wife once every 2
weeks. Please pray over them for the work that God has given them and for
provision to meet every need.
Dov Bikas reports that the Women's Shelter has finally a new, spacious
rented home and one resident living in it who has suffered violence from a
boyfriend. The young woman is not Israeli, is deaf-mute, overly skinny and
crying a lot. ...gradually she is getting better. They are expecting the
anti-violence org to send them more women, as the domestic violence rate has so
increased due to the quarantine. In the Beer Sheva rehab for men they have
about 14 guys in residence and the house minister, Oleg has a big heart for the
work with men. Pray for them all as the struggle to stay clean and sober is
such a tough one for those just beginning down the path of finding true
salvation in the LORD. Dov as they continue in the Tel Aviv outreach - even in
compliance with the Health Ministry regulations, to distribute food packages
and reach out to addicts on the street. Pray for the forgotten people Yeshua
desires so greatly to save.
From Asher Intrater of Revive Israel Corona,
Comfort & Compassion, how Corona is making people everywhere
worried and stressed...but "we have a measure of faith and strength on the
inside. We have the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, to be able to deal with
it." Yes and amen! thank God! Also view the VIDEO Global Broadcast Live from
Israel with Praise, Prayer, Prophecy, Preaching. And let me encourage you to
watch the re-play of The Unveiling: On Earth as in Heaven - a Zoom
call on 5/14 with David Demian, Asher Intrater, Bill Johnson, Francis Chan,
and Mike Bickle. It was a most Holy Spirit touching time of hearing from an
international group of leaders. There are links for many languages available
for this on the Revive Israel Facebook
Page.
Israel Pochtar also writes of a time of challenges but even bigger
breakthroughs, Challenged by religious opposition, their new building
was ordered closed by Ashdod authorities, even though they held the proper
permits. Now Prayer
Answered — Temporary Permit Granted! They have another Awesome
testimony of salvation during Covid-19. Plus video
by Pastor Israel on Second
Passover — The God of Second Chances and now on Wednesdays
& Fridays for life-saving preaching WATCH Pastor Israel live on
Facebook at 18:00 Israel time @israel.pochtar. A prayer request for Naomi, for a
dear family that is a part of our pastoral team, who was diagnosed recently
with colon cancer, and despite what this battle entails, we are confident in
God’s unfailing Word and promises. Read in
her own words, as she has been prepared for chemotherapy which will begin next Monday
Chuck Cohen of Intercessors for Israel files this Friday
Prayer Points 5-15-20. This Shabbat's prophetic
portion closes with the perfect verse summing up how Israel has escaped the
worst of the coronavirus pandemic. Heal me, O YHWH, and I shall be healed; save
me, and I shall be saved: for You are my praise. (Jer. 17:14) Amen! We praise
You for Your power and desire to heal and save Your people (Psa. 6:2; 106:47)....
Prayer points covered: Government, Security, Annexation, Trump's Peace Plan,
Security in Judea & Smaria, Security concerning Iran, Covid 19 &
Israel.
Joseph Magen of Kehila
News sends word on how they are Protecting
the most vulnerable: Kehila News Israel partners with local Messianic
congregations in mask initiative and by Tuvia Pollack
reports on the One For Israel Team in The silver
lining of the lockdown - more Israelis hear the gospel
Messiah's Mandate mailing Ron Cantor writes about the stress of getting
your car inspected in Israel (much less
during a Covid-19 shutdown). But it had to be done in order to deliver grocery
gift cards for Holocaust survivors under complete lockdown. "Please
continue to partner with us
so we can be God's hands and feet for these precious souls....and many others
left behind by the government. Don't get me wrong—Israel's welfare apparatus
has been overwhelmed. Thank God that many organizations, like ours, have sought
to find them and feed them." (This included 70 very poor Filipino Families
in Israel during the quarantine VIDEO)
Ron has launched a series with his daughters Watch!
Israel Good News! and writes with amazement about how FAUDA
Becomes the Most Watched Show in the Arab World. Who would have
thought?!
The Back Story
The Latter Rain
by Avner Boskey
by Avner Boskey
(This is but an excerpt read in full at the David's Tent website)
Vindication by water | The
prophet Joel lets us in on a spiritual secret concerning His End of Days
dealings with Israel. Just prior to the final outpouring of God’s Spirit (“it will come about after this that I will
pour out My Spirit”; Joel 2:28 in English), YHVH announces to the Jewish
people that He will pour out “the early
rain for your vindication . . . the
early and latter rains” (Joel 2:23; the Hebrew words are moreh/yoreh and
malqosh, the two yearly periods of rain in October/November and March/April).
YHVH announces that this pre-revival rain is a sign of His favor. Huge
agricultural bumper crops of wine and oil will result. All Israel “will have plenty to eat and be satisfied
and praise the name of YHVH . . . who has dealt wondrously with” Israel
(Joel 2:24-26). The God of Jacob stresses two times in a row, “My people will never be put to shame”
(Joel 2:26-27)!
When God opens the physical heavens and pours out His rains, Scripture
lets us know that this is a sign to the nations that He still loves Israel, He
still favors Jacob, and He is still pressing forward with sovereign resolve to
restore Israel.
Urgent HEALING Needs: Life and Death is in the power of the tongue
Please keep in prayer these Israeli ministry leaders
and believers with urgent health needs
URGENT PRAYER NEED A prayer
request for Naomi, for a
dear family that is a part of Israel Pochtar's pastoral team, who was diagnosed
recently with colon cancer. "Despite what this battle entails, we are
confident in God’s unfailing Word and promises." Read in
her own words, as she has been prepared for chemotherapy which will begin next Monday.
| Ronit Bender whose cardiologist told her that
her irregular heartbeat is SEVERE, and is suggesting further tests. Please
intercede for Ronit: No weapon formed against her shall prosper! | Olga Bikas severe back pain has kept her in "quarantine"
for the past 4 years or so! Please pray for God to do a miracle of healing for Olga. | Please pray for Rachel Netanel's brother who is in dire
health | Please
continue to pray for Jacob Damkani for the LORD's mercies over Jacob and
his dear wife, Elisheva | Continue please to pray for Ruth Nessim Critical prayer need she is losing sight! Prayers for a
miracle for Ruth.| Pray for Rania Sayegh who asks for prayer of restoration of strength, energy,
and complete healing.
Donna Diorio donna@israelprayer.com or donna@d10r10.com
THANK YOU to those who support this ministry with donations. ♥
Donations appreciated | on PayPal donna@israelprayer.com
Or by postal mail make
donations payable to the order of Donna Diorio
P O Box 111302 Carrollton, Texas 75006 | I do not have tax exempt status.
P O Box 111302 Carrollton, Texas 75006 | I do not have tax exempt status.
