MaozIsraelOctober 2008 Tishrei - Heshvan 5768 Since 1976

r e p o r t

Founded by Ari & Shira Sorko-Ram

Soldier’s stories At one time, Israeli soldiers who were Messianic

Jews and openly practiced their faith, faced a very challenging time in the army. Authorities were sus-picious and looked upon believers as belonging to a strange cult. They were often kept from receiving re-sponsible positions. However, slowly, some parts of the army began to see that time after time, Messianic Jews make very stable, responsible and all-around ex-cellent soldiers.

At this time there are some 200 serving in the army at any one time (men three years, women two). A number are working in intelligence positions. More and more are becoming officers in the army – with the knowledge that they are believers in Yeshua.

However, others are really struggling because of heavy opposition, especially from Orthodox officers. They have great need for their congregation and those who love Israel to pray for them.

We are not allowed to show the faces of these two soldiers whose stories appear in this issue for several reasons. But you will be able to see and feel their hearts. Shira Sorko-Ram

Serving in iSrael’S ancient biblical citieS

I was born in South America and made aliyah (im-migrated) to Israel with my mother and sisters when I was 12 years old. We were heading for Jerusalem, but that was exactly at the time of the second Intifada when suicide bombers were murdering civilians every few days. So my mother decided we should move to a town south of Tel Aviv, which we did.

My family and I are strong Messianic Jews and we believed that God had brought us home to our land, just as Moses and our prophets had promised. Still our new life wasn’t easy. I was sent to a boarding school espe-cially for children whose families had financial prob-lems – a pretty lonely time for me, especially at first. Then I finished high school on a good kibbutz.

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The young people of my kibbutz, - which is true of virtu-ally all kibbutzim – were strong Zionists and really wanted to serve their country. Most of the kibbutz kids my age wanted to join a combat unit and so did I. I was accepted into a unit that was fairly new and so did not have the great reputation as a fighting unit that other units like Golani company had. I was somewhat disappointed, but decided to give my all to wherever I might serve. I soon found that my detachment was to be deployed as a fighting unit in the Judea and Sama-ria area of our land (the West Bank).

Then I found that a believing friend of my sister was also in this unit which really encouraged me. After that I was told that one of the past officers in this unit had also been (and is) a Messianic Jew. I then felt that my life was being directed by the Holy Spirit. Boot camp was during the winter and ev-eryone that went through it will tell you it was a very challenging time of our lives. However, out of 90 soldiers, I was cho-sen the top soldier.

After that I was cho-sen for a commander’s course and again went through very hard train-ing. As the exercises intensified, I found that my right knee was both-ering me so much I could hardly walk. When I was riding the bus I had to stretch it out in front of me and I could hardly stand the pain. I was thinking I would have to leave the course, much to my dismay. I went to my congregation for prayer and the pain simply disappeared and has never come back to this day.

After I had begun my commander’s course, the doctors found a small lump on my chest. I went in for a checkup and they examined my brain for any irregularities which might have caused the lump on my chest. They found a small lump in the brain. My family and congregation prayed intensely for me. Any operation on my brain would have put me out of the army. The tests verified that the lump in my brain was not dangerous. They took out the lump on my chest and I was able to go right back to the army. I give God all the glory for my healing.

After finishing the commander’s course, (course mackim) I serve as a commander now in Shechem, the ancient city where God first promised Abraham this land. Shechem is the most dangerous area outside of the Gaza Strip. It has had

a strong terrorist infrastructure and Israel had no choice but to completely blockade the area, checking everyone going in or out of the city, to keep terrorists from entering Israel. We are on constant call to make raids into Shechem to arrest terrorist cells..

In fact, we were planning a big sweep a few weeks ago, but it happened that Condoleezza Rice was in town and she put so much pressure on the government that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert cancelled the operation.

Last year at this time, right before Rosh HaShana (Jewish New Year) my unit was manning the main blockade and a 10 year-old boy came through. Our first thought was to let him walk through as he was so young, but then we asked him to open his sack. To our shock we found parts to three bombs. The next day, an older boy came through with his

arms folded in front of his stomach. When we asked him to put his hands up, we saw more parts to the bombs.

Through the in-formation gathered from these children, the army found that there was a plan to carry out a huge ter-rorist attack over the New Year and al-ready parts of these bombs had made it through the blockade and were waiting in Tel Aviv to be as-sembled. A terrible disaster was averted because of the alert-ness of my unit.

I believe God is blessing our unit because some months ago the terrorist infrastructure was really huge in Shechem. Now there are only a few cells left. In fact, when the terrorists think we are coming, as last resort, they lock themselves in jails under the jurisdiction of the Palestinian Authority – where we are not allowed to intervene. Of course, as soon as our troops finish their operation, the PA lets them out of jail.

I am thankful to God – there has not been a single suicide bomber who has made it into Israel from the West Bank in over a year. (One bomber blew himself up in Dimona, and a second was killed before he could detonate himself, but they had come over the border from Gaza.)

Now we are being sent to Bethlehem because there has been a very strong build-up of the Islamic Jihad there.

My soldiers and unit all know that I am a Messianic believ-er. They know I attend my congregation on Shabbat when I

OctOber 2008 MaozISrael report 3

am able to go home on the weekends and they know I love God. At this point, they don’t care one way or another. But when I carried cards in my pocket with promises from the Psalms, all my soldiers wanted the same card. And then when I brought a pocket-sized edition of the book of Psalms which Pastor Ari gave me, all my soldiers wanted one too. The commander of my course who is an Orthodox Jew, knowing I am a Messianic Jew, told me, “You will make a good commander because you have strong values that direct your life.”

I am planning in the coming months to go for an officer’s training course - meaning that after I finish my three year stint, I will go into the regular army and become a career officer. I don’t see the army as an obligation. I see it as a privilege – to guard and protect the land that God gave to our forefathers.

holding onto faith in one of the rougheSt unitS

I was born in Ashdod, and grew up in the south-ern part of Israel. My father served in the regular army for 13 years. My mother, whose family came from Yemen, was a flower-grower and she exported our flowers to America. As the operation grew, she decided to spend a little time in the U.S. learning new techniques and getting a close-up study of the American side of the flower-export operation.

When my mother realized she needed more time in the States, our whole family moved to In-diana where we lived for a year and a half. The head of the State-side operation was a wonderful person and we became very close to him and his wife and his children. They were strong believ-ers in Yeshua and the Bible and loved the Israeli people as God’s chosen.

My parents begin to look into Moses and the prophets and what they foretold about the ingath-ering of the Jewish people in the last days, and the promises of a Redeemer who would turn our people back to Himself. My parents came back to Israel as believers in Yeshua the King and Messiah of our people.

I was very young when we were in the States so I don’t remember thinking very much about faith at all, but when I came into my teens, I began attend-ing Israeli Messianic youth conferences, and it was at that time I became a born-again believer.

My father having been in the military for so many years strongly influenced me to enlist in a fighting unit in the army. My older brother served as an of-ficer in the regular army, and as a believer had many struggles because of his faith.

4 MaozISrael report OctOber 2008

The Israeli army has a significant role to play in biblical history, and also in future end times prophecies. Today there are a couple of hundred Messianic Jewish believers in the Israeli army. They are in need of our prayers.

Consider these biblical passages that indicate the connection between Yeshua and the army of

Israel:In Joshua 5, we see Ye-

shua (Jesus) in His pre-birth form as the com-mander of the armies of YHVH; however, we see no army behind Him.

In II Kings 6, Elisha prays for his servant’s eyes to be opened. He sees the heavenly armies of the Lord, but does not see the commander.

In Revelation 19, we see both the heavenly armies and the com-mander, descending from Heaven, but we see no earthly battle.

In Zechariah 14, we see the commander of the armies, and the earthly battle over Jeru-salem, but we do not see the heavenly armies.

In II Samuel 5, we see the heavenly army of angels and the earthly army of Israel working together in tandem.

Many end times prophecies point to the Second Coming of Yeshua at the climax of a great war in which the nations of the earth attack Jerusalem. There is a heavenly aspect and an earthly aspect to that apocalyptic war. The heavenly army of Yeshua is connected to the earthly army of Israel.

The Israel Defense Forces and Messianic Jewish SoldiersWhile his fellow soldiers who were very secular accepted

him for who he was, his immediate officers were Orthodox and they made life nearly unbearable for him. They wanted him out, and finally he did leave after very heavy persecu-tion. He is now in the U.S., with a strong faith in Yeshua.

Even though I knew it would be difficult in many ways, when it came time for me to enlist I decided to request a fighting unit. It so happened I was put in one of the roughest units in the entire army. We are constantly sent on danger-ous missions that cannot be made public.

When I went in for my placement interview, I told them straight off that I am a Messianic Jew. They grilled me for nearly a full day to see if I was a member of some cult, but then seemed satisfied with the answers that I gave them. For the first few months going through bootcamp and my first course, I kept close to the Lord, reading my Bible and praying whenever I had free time. When I attended the Messianic soldiers’ conference, I checked to see if there was any other believer in my detachment. But there was no one. Still, I con-tinued strong in my faith.

Then I was assigned to this very tough unit and I found that my immediate officers are Ortho-dox. Often my life is in danger with our operations and often I am out of contact with the rest of the world for extended periods of time. Slowly, I felt myself grow-ing cold towards my faith.

The fellows in my unit are very rough and as I started hang-ing out with them, I have spent less time at my congregation and with my believing friends.

I am now about half way through my three-year military service and I have made the de-cision that I want to be a faithful believer. Some meetings with my pastor is helping me re-turn to a strong walk with my Messiah.

Some believing soldiers have a harder situation than oth-ers. There are companies where the majority are secular, and they do not have a difficult time with a believing soldier. But where there are many traditional and Orthodox Jews, the officers and the soldiers can nearly devastate the life of a young man or woman whose faith is in Yeshua.

I would be very appreciative of prayer for me and for soldiers like me as there are few places more difficult to stay close to God.

OctOber 2008 MaozISrael report 5

The Israel Defense Forces and Messianic Jewish SoldiersAn important link in that connection is the group of

Israeli Jewish soldiers (particularly officers) who are at the same time believers in Yeshua. Almost all of the Messianic Jews in Israel at the age of 18 are enlisted in the army.

Over the last decade or two, Messianic Jews have gained a good reputation in the army for being honest, patriotic, and hard-working soldiers. Since the army is not based on religious affiliation, but on the quality of the soldier’s per-formance, Messianic Jews have found an objective forum in which their faith can be judged, not in words, but in deeds of character and integrity.

On the other hand, the army is by no means a “spiritual” environment. By the very nature of warfare, the army is based on a “subculture” of power and force, not on love and sensitivity. This places the born-again, Messianic soldier in a difficult position, between “a rock and a hard place.” They are called to walk in the fruit of the spirit in kindness and peace, in the midst of other soldiers who can be at times carnal, uncaring, and even cruel.

Their predicament reminded me of the interactions between David and Joab. David cried out, saying, “Joab and those like him are too harsh for me (II Samuel 3).” Suddenly it struck me why those reactions are recorded in the Bible. They are given as an example for us. David is the image of a “spirit-filled believer” as a soldier. Joab is the image of a “non-spiritual” soldier.

Joab and soldiers like him, though they are not motivated by the right spirit, are still used by God to accomplish His purposes. Joab led the army into many victories for the Lord, even the conquest of Jerusalem (I Chronicles 11). On the other hand, Joab murdered two innocent commanders, and in the end, was part of a rebellion against David’s son, Solomon (I Kings 1)

I believe that along with biblical he-roes like David and Joshua, the Messianic believers in the Israeli army today are on the front edge of spiritual warfare leading to the Second Coming of Yeshua and the establishment of His kingdom on earth.

Please pray with us for:1. God’s guidance on the Israeli Army to

fulfill its destiny as described in the prophe-cies of the end times.

2. The good news of Messiah Yeshua to be spread throughout the soldiers, backed up by a testimony of personal integrity.

3. For the Messianic soldiers to have time for prayer, bible study, and spiritual refreshment.

4. For the Messianic officers currently serving in active duty in the Israeli Army.

One of the cards quoting verses from Psalms which soldiers carry in their pockets. This one quotes Psalm 3:6-7.

6 MaozISrael report OctOber 2008

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by Daniel Pipes

Israel has lived the past sixty years more intensively than any other country.

Its highs – the resurrection of a two-thousand year old state in 1948, history’s most lopsided military victory in 1967, and the astonishing Entebbe hostage rescue in 1976 – have been triumphs of will and spirit that inspire the civilized world. Its lows have been self-imposed humiliations: unilateral retreat from Lebanon and evacuation of Joseph’s Tomb, both in 2000; retreat from Gaza in 2005; defeat by Hizbullah in 2006; and the corpses-for-prisoners exchange with Hizbullah last [summer].

An outsider can only wonder at the contrast. How can the authors of exhilarating victories repeatedly bring such disgrace upon themselves, seemingly oblivious to the import of their actions?

One clue has to do with the dates. The highs took place during the state’s first three decades, the lows occurred since 2000. Something profound has changed. The strategically brilliant but economically deficient early state has been replaced by the reverse. Yesteryear’s spy masterminds, military geniuses, and political heavyweights have seemingly gone into high tech, leaving the state in the hands of corrupt, short-sighted mental midgets.

How else can one account for the cabinet meeting on June 29, when 22 out of 25 ministers voted in favor of releasing five live Arab terrorists, including Samir al-Kuntar, 45, a psychopath and the most notorious prisoner in Israel’s jails, plus 200 corpses? In return, Israel got the bodies of two Israel soldiers murdered by Hizbullah. Even The Washington Post wondered at this decision.

Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert endorsed the deal on the grounds that it “will bring an end to this painful episode,” a reference to retrieving the bodies of war dead and appeasing the hostages’ families demand for closure. In themselves, both are honorable goals, but at what price? This distortion of priorities shows how a once-formidably strategic country has degenerated into a supremely sentimental country, a rudderless polity where self-absorbed egoism trumps raison d’être. Israelis, fed up with deterrence and appeasement alike, have lost their way.

Appalling as the cabinet decision was, worse yet is that neither the Likud opposition party nor other leading public Israeli institutions responded with rage, but generally (with

some notable exceptions) sat quietly aside. Their absence reflects a Tami Steinmetz Center poll showing that the Israeli population approves the swap by a nearly 2-1 ratio. In short, the problem extends far beyond the official class to implicate the population at large.

On the other side, the disgraceful celebration of baby-murderer Kuntar as a national hero in Lebanon, where the government shut down to celebrate his arrival, and by the Palestinian Authority, which called him a “heroic fighter,” reveals the depths of Lebanese enmity to Israel and its immorality, disturbing to anyone concerned with the Arab soul.

The deal has many adverse consequences. It encourages Arab terrorists to seize more Israeli soldiers, then kill them. It boosts Hizbullah’s stature in Lebanon and legitimates Hizbullah internationally. It emboldens Hamas and makes a deal for its Israeli hostage [Gilad Shalit, still held in Gaza] more problematic. Finally, while this incident appears small compared to the Iranian nuclear issue, the two are related.

International headlines along the lines of “Israel Mourns, Hezbollah Exults” confirm the widely held but erroneous Middle Eastern view of Israel as a “spider’s web” that can be destroyed. The recent exchange may give the already apocalyptic Iranian leadership further reason to brandish its weapons. Worse, as Steven Plaut notes, by equating “mass murderers of Jewish children to combat soldiers,” the exchange effectively justifies the “mass extermination of Jews in the name of Jewish racial inferiority.”

For those concerned with the welfare and security of Israel, I propose two consolations. First, Israel remains a powerful country that can afford mistakes; one estimate even predicts it would survive an exchange of nuclear weapons with Iran, while Iran would not.

Second, the Kuntar affair could have a surprise happy ending. A senior Israeli official told David Bedein that, now out of jail, Israel’s obligation to protect Kuntar is terminated; on arrival in Lebanon, he became “a target for killing. Israel will get him, and he will be killed … accounts will be settled.” Another senior official added “we cannot let this man think that he can go unpunished for his murder of a 4-year-old girl.”

Who will laugh last, Hizbullah or Israel?

Daniel Pipes is a conservative American historian and political commentator who particularly focuses on the Middle East and Islam. www.danielpipes.org, reprinted with permission.

Samir Kuntar and the Last Laugh

OctOber 2008 MaozISrael report 7

Samir Kuntar on arrival in Lebanon, complete with Hizbullah uniform and “Heil Hitler” salute.Samir Kuntar and his accomplices crossed the Lebanese border in 1979 and entered the Israeli town of Nahariya. He killed a policeman and then broke into an apartment, took Danny Haran, a father and his four-year old daughter to the beach where he fatally shot the father and bludgeoned the girl to death with the butt of his rifle. The mother, Smadar, accidently smothered their two-year old child to death, as she tried to muffle the child’s cries while hiding from Kuntar. Kuntar is considered the perpetrator of one of the most brutal terrorist attacks in the country’s history. He was released on July 16, 2008 in exchange for two Israeli corpses. In Lebanon he is considered a hero, and was welcomed home upon his release by Lebanon’s prime minister.

Original english version

Devotionals for Soldiers

Israeli combat soldiers often have little opportunity for a quiet time. A chance to read a chapter in the Bible may be a real luxury. For those very active times, we have prepared four booklets of devotionals based on Bible truths. Each page can be read within a minute. Because the word of God is mighty, it has the ability to lift the soul – even within a minute! These are booklets containing God’s encouragement and promises – living water for the weary soldier.

These booklets by Roy Lessin were made to fit in the pockets of our soldiers’ uniforms.

Thank you, Maoz partners, for making these books possible.

Original english version

Tel Aviv’s slogan is “The City that never sleeps!” We like to think of Tiferet Yeshua as “The Congregation that never sleeps!” For followers of Yeshua who often live in a hostile environment – at home, in school, at work or in the army – fellowship is an all-important part of our lifestyle. We celebrate all our Biblical holidays – and they are many! – plus our Bar Mitzvahs and Bat Mitzvahs, our Brit Milas (circumcisions) and dedications. In the different departments, birthdays are celebrated in classes and in homes.

OUR CONGREGATION CELEBRATES!

Clockwise, starting top left: 1. Bar Mitzvah of one of our VIP members – just turned 13! 2. Our congregation celebrates the Bar Mitzvah with lots of food! 3. Another celebration! 4. Prayer in our main service for our soldiers and police officers. 5. Youth barbeque.

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Clockwise, starting top left: 1. Bar Mitzvah of one of our VIP members – just turned 13! 2. Our congregation celebrates the Bar Mitzvah with lots of food! 3. Another celebration! 4. Prayer in our main service for our soldiers and police officers. 5. Youth barbeque.

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