“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of Him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth salvation, that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!
Isaiah 52:7
New Year 2008
Dear Friends and Colleagues in the Lord,
It has been two years since Doron went to be with the Lord, after serving 13 years as the director of the Bible Society in Israel. Since then and until now, the 18th of November, the date in which I started my service as the Director of the Bible Society in Israel, Emanuel Smilovici, together with the entire staff, led the operation and held the light of the Word of God to the people of Israel through our various ministries. I am thankful to the Lord for their faithfulness and desiring hearts to continue and serve in bringing the Word of God to the people of Israel.
As many of you still do not know me, allow me to briefly introduce myself: I am an Israeli Jew, but above all, my identity is in Yeshua our Lord and Messiah. I belong to a Messianic congregation in Jerusalem and serve as an elder. I was born and raised in Israel to believing parents. God blessed me with my wife, Esther, and three daughters (yes, one more is on the way). Their names are Roni, Naomi and Odeya.
Together with the Bible Society team and you as our partners in prayers and deed, my desire is to serve in bringing the Word of God, the light of the World to the people of Israel.
These are special times in history. Often we hear this said, but most importantly, we see and experience the events and feel the atmosphere that is created all around us and which affects every area of our lives. In this area of the world especially, everyday, we live and breathe the hope for peace, alongside the rumors of war.
However, at this time of the year, we celebrate victory, God’s victory! It is a victory for all peoples in all aspects and areas of life.
The prophet Isaiah describes this victory in a most poignant way in Isaiah 52:7. He illustrates a city left with women, children, and the elderly. Absent are all the men. They have gone to fight the enemy. Imagine the anticipations, fears and hopes of all those who are left behind. Will their loved ones return? Will they themselves be widowed? Will they be orphaned? Will they be destitute? Will they be captured by the enemy and made into slaves? Perhaps even murdered? What will happen to all the women, children, elderly, the sick and the weak, if the enemy wins and takes the city?
So they go to the city walls with great and awesome anticipation and gaze towards the horizon. What will they see? Who will come? Will they see the forming dust clouds of many horses bearing the armies of the enemy or will they see the blessed feet of a messenger from the front with a message of victory. Will it be a message of death and slavery or life and salvation?
Suddenly it appears, a small spot on the horizon, a small cloud of dust approaches. Nearer and nearer it comes until finally, it can be identified. It is the messenger from the headquarters of the Lord of Hosts who is victorious over our enemy with everlasting victory.
“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of Him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth salvation, that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!(Isaiah 52:7)
Many of us just read and sang about this victory recently. This is the victory through our Lord Messiah. He is the same victory that was also declared by the Lord of hosts through His angel in Luke 2:10-14:
“…Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you, Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”
This is the victory that we desire to bring to the hearts of the people of Israel. We earnestly pray, with you, that the hearts of the sons will return to the hearts of the fathers through the living Word of God.
Like in the time of Isaiah, also today, we long for Him who will bring peace and salvation to our people and the peoples of the world.
“Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee” (Isaiah 60:1)
“The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined” (IS 9:2)
Victor Kalisher and the entire Staff of the Bible Society in Israel
Outreach and Distributing the Living Word, the Light and Life of the World - A blessing and a privilege for which we are grateful!!
Through God’s grace and your support, our outreach and distribution programs take different shapes and forms through the year: Outreach at New Age festivals (some of which have as many as 50,000 attendees), foreign workers, immigrants and refugees, who are under enormous daily social and economic pressures and desire the love and hope found in the Word of God.
We also are grateful to be able and work with and through the local body of Christ by providing the Word of God for distribution needs.
Our bookstores are places where the Lord sends not only buyers and shoppers but souls to which we desire to bring the living Word and Gospel of God. A place where everyday miracles happen and, when another unplanned opportunity arises, we rejoice. So was the case with the teacher’s strike which we would like to share about as well.
New Age Festival Outreach
During 2008, we pray and plan to outreach at seven New Age festivals to which about 100,000 are estimated to attend
Through the help of our partners, we have been providing New Testaments and Gospels for distribution at New Age festivals for eight years already. Recently, to meet the challenge of reaching the growing New Age scene, we decided to set up our own camp at these festivals, some of which have as many as 50,000 attendees.
During 2007, we outreached at four “New Age” festivals with as many as 80,000 participants. Israelis from around the country pour into these makeshift beach side villages for 3-4 days. Thousands bear the elements with little more than a pop tent and sleeping bag. Many come to hear their favorite band play and spend time with their friends, while others are more focused on attending meditation seminars and exploring the “New Age”. This generation is generally disillusioned with the faith presented by the Rabbis. Hungry, yet deceived, Israel has once again gone searching for truth in Eastern religions, sometimes packaged as the ‘New Age’ or as Jewish Kabalistic teachings.
Every year we reach thousands through distributing the Word. Opportunities abound throughout the festival to sit with people and share our own personal testimony of how God has transformed our lives. Our camp is a good environment for people to come and rest. A small piece of shade, a clean place to sit and a cool drink are valuable commodities in the midst of chaos. All glory be to God, he is working in the hearts and minds of Israelis at these festivals. We are fortunate to be there. We pray to have even more tents, lamps, cooking equipment, and of-course the needed supply of the Word of God, so that we can improve and increase the work. Please pray for the next big festival, Boombamela, which will take place the last week in April during Passover.
A Striking Outreach!!
"...make the most of every opportunity” (Colossians 4:5)
One of the major issues Israel is facing is the declining situation of its’ educational system. Teachers are amongst the lowest paid jobs and school classes are often filled with 40 children which make both teaching and learning significantly less effective.
This however created a precious opportunity to distribute at a massive teacher’s and student’s demonstration with 100,000 participants at Rabin's Square in Tel Aviv.
We experienced the hand of God over us from the very beginning, as we had to pass through a major security checkpoint. Despite the fact we were carrying several large overloaded bags with Scriptures, we were not even stopped to be inspected. Hallelujah!
As we began to distribute copies of the Gospel of Matthew, Psalms and Matthew, and New Testaments, we encountered various opposition.
Orthodox Jews encountered and threatened us several times (and thank the Lord, they too could receive the Word of God) and even began to be very aggressive. However, by the grace of God, they left after every time. The police, probably at the request of others, tried to intimidate us into stopping.
The Lord is the one who opens and closes doors and, at this time, we were blessed not only by distributing the Word of God to many of the participants, but also with several opportunities for conversations with Orthodox men and women, after which they received a copy of the Psalms with the Gospel of Matthew.
In one case, an Orthodox man approached us and asked if we were Messianic. He mentioned several believers he was acquainted with from his city. He received a copy of Matthew and a book about Isaiah Chapter 53. May the Lord nourish this seed and the work of others in this man's life, as well as in the lives of all those who received the Word of hope and salvation in Yeshua.
Time and time again, we saw the hand of God protecting us and allowing the work to continue. It was the mercy of God alone that allowed us to continue working virtually undisturbed in the same place throughout the whole evening. Please pray with us for more open doors and resources to bring the Gospel across the country.
His work is never on a strike!!
Outreach to the Sudanese in Israel
Tel Aviv is the town of refuge for about 30,000 foreign workers and refugees. Most of them are under constant social, economic, and housing distress. Many of them have families with children to support and raise. Imagine their spiritual needs and they seek after hope and love. This is without mentioning the suffering and abuse they fled from to arrive to Tel Aviv, their “city of opportunities”, as is the case of the Sudanese refugees.
We are privileged and blessed (and again this is through you, people that God uses) to bring the good news of love and hope to these desiring hearts that came to find shelter within the people of Israel and can find true refuge in the Word of God.
A few months ago, there were about 200 Sudanese refugees in Tel Aviv and now there are more than 1,400 (~ 1000 more refugees are in Eilat) and the number is growing. The reason for so many refugees now in Israel is the situation in Sudan has become very dangerous and many are fleeing and literally walking all the way to Israel. Amongst them are those that suffered rape, violence, and murder of their loved ones on their way.
By God’s grace, we have the blessed opportunity and commitment to support the need and the hunger for the living Word of God amongst the Sudanese refugees.
We previously shared how God was opening doors to give Bibles to the Sudanese in prisons. Meanwhile, congregations as well as outreach organizations are taking part in helping the Sudanese refugees. The need for Bibles to the Sudanese is growing rapidly and also the need for children’s Christian literature and products (such as DVD’s) that should not be forgotten.
After speaking to a few of their leaders in Israel, we learned that while many of the Sudanese men can speak and read Arabic or English, many of the women did not have opportunity for education and can only read one of the Sudanese languages.
Several boxes of Arabic, English, Dinka New Testaments. and Nuer Bibles were recently distributed to outreach organizations and congregations that are in contact with these Sudanese. We were also blessed to join the first Saturday praise meeting of a newly formed Sudanese congregation. What a joy it was to be there and provide Bibles, as well as literature, to the young children. They could not wait but start reading their new Bible story booklet. For some of the kids, this was the first time that they ever received Bible literature or a gift since fleeing Sudan, or for that matter, in their entire life. On a personal note, it was a beautiful fellowship of brothers and sisters praising our Lord together.
Please pray for God’s protection, comfort, and provision to these refugees and their families. Pray for the Muslims amongst them who see and experience the love of the Lord and the Christian brotherhood in action, from the Jews around them. May the Lord provoke them to jealousy and a change of heart. Please pray that the doors remain open for ministry.
We pray that God will put on your hearts to continue and provide so that everyone receives a free Bible he/she can read and that the children will be provided with Bible materials with which they can interact.
A few weeks ago, a group of Sudanese refugees were invited to the congregation (Brit Olam) where our Tel Aviv Book Store manager, Andy Ball, worships and serves as an elder. Andy shared that, after the service, a man came up to him and asked if him if he was Andy Ball from Bible Society. Andy said, “yes” and he then shook his hand and, with tears in his eyes, he told him, “I walked all the way from Sudan to Israel. When I arrived in Israel, I was put in prison for not having the correct papers for a visa. I received a Bible from the Bible Society and began reading it because there was nothing to do in the prison. When I finished reading the Bible, I just knew that Jesus is the Messiah. Today, I attend a Sudanese congregation in Tel Aviv”. He told Andy, “It is amazing how God works. I had to walk all the way to Israel and, on the way I was beaten and shot at, and after all that, I found the Messiah”. “Praise God, I would like to thank you at the Bible Society for all that you are doing for us.” We gave him another box of Bibles to take to his friends.
Pilgrimage Convention in Jerusalem
It was a privilege to represent the Bible Society at a recent event that drew nearly 7,000 participants to Jerusalem. It is one of the largest annual tourist events in Israel. Pilgrims from over 100 countries came to sing, pray, and show solidarity with the people of Israel. Our booth was virtually the only place attendees could find a Bible and especially in different languages, even Mandarin Chinese. Several attendees from very poor countries were selected and sponsored by churches or committees to travel to Israel and represent the country at the feast and to take part in the annual Jerusalem parade.
The following are some experiences related to the Bible Society booth at the convention:
• A student of music from Estonia, studying in Jerusalem, was so delighted to buy our Hebrew/English diglot Bible. After she paid, she tightly hugged the Bible and said, "I have saved my money for two years in order to have this Bible”. Another student jumped up and down with joy at her purchase and to finally own a Hebrew/English Bible, now available in a beautiful leather edition.
• A lady attending the feast was delighted to find an English Bible at our booth that was exactly what she had been searching for, especially the version and the size. Some attendees lost or forgot their Bibles at home and were so glad to be able to purchase a copy at the convention.
• Along with a partner who recently printed English New Testaments, prophecy editions, we were able to distribute boxes of this edition to about 100 countries. One lady from central Africa put her box on her head and joyously sang as she exited the hall.
It was a joy to meet pilgrims from around the world, many of them experiencing their first visit to Israel. Many related very interesting stories and some expressed their appreciation for the work of Bible Societies in their countries and promised to be praying for the work in the Holy Land.
Children Interact with the Word of God at our Bible Experience Exhibition
It is a blessing and a joy to see young children excitedly learning about and interact with the Word of God. Unlike us adults, it is perfectly alright with them to lie on the floor, get their clothes and hands dirty, but enjoy the learning experience about the Word of God.
We recently had a group of 20 young children learning through experience of how the Word of God was preserved and distributed over the years and about the development of ancient languages.
After a brief and nicely illustrated presentation, they all excitedly and full of energy ran about and through the exhibits to complete a research work they received. We pray that the Word of God will be imprinted and alive in their hearts. May God open the door for many more children, youth, and students to visit us and learn about the miracle of the Word of God.
A few of our current projects:
Outreach – Christ is for All
• Outreach to tens of thousands of youth throughout the year during the new age festivals taking place in Israel at the feasts.
• Outreach and minister to and through foreign workers and refugees.
• Provide Bibles and Bible portions for distribution and outreach to the local body.
Cross reference of the Hebrew Old Testament
• As the body of Hebrew speaking believers in Israel has been growing significantly and many Israeli believers read the Bible only in Hebrew, this becomes a very important tool that currently does not exist in Hebrew.
• This can be very useful also as a ministering tool for non-believers who are interested in the references to New Testament that are found in the Old Testament.
Expand the Exposure and Usage of our Bible Experience
• We pray and work to expand the usage of our Bible Experience exhibition. We hope to bring schools, students, youth groups so that they will be strengthened in their knowledge and confidence of the Word of God. We would like to expand our exhibition with more presentations and advanced media (Bible software and computerized tools for learning the bible).
Translation and printing of the 101 favorite Bible Stories Book
• Thank God we are growing and, with this growth, creates the need to enrich the Biblical literature for young children. We are starting the work of translating the 101 Favorite Bible Stories into Hebrew.
• For the same reason, we would like to make available “My First Handy Bible” book in Hebrew.
We asked you to partners with us to continue the vital the work of the Bible Society of printing and distributing the Word of God. Would you prayerfully consider supporting one of our projects? If the Lord puts the answer YES in your heart, please contact us. Our E-mail address is bsi@netvision.net.il. Also, please indicate how you would like to partner with us.
Again, thank you all so much for your continuous and faithful support.
With many blessings,
Victor Kalisher and Staff
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