OUR ALIYAH STORY
AUGUST 9, 2002 A NIGHT OF TERROR
After a pleasant bike ride to the German border town of Furth am Wald, we were delighted to come upon a Knight Festival. Villagers were dressed as medieval knights and maids with their horses bedecked in colorful ornaments. Then we rode our bikes to the Czech border hoping to find lodging there. Instead we discovered that all hotels in the area were booked because of the Knight Festival. Well, the road was wide and although it was almost dark, we lit the Shabbat candles, sang the Sh’ma, blew the shofar and continued to ride our bikes towards Prague.
However after a short time, the highway narrowed into a dangerously curved two-lane strip. The road’s shoulders disappeared and even riding the white line along the road’s edge proved treacherous as trucks approached from both directions at high speed, their bright lights blinding us and causing us to repeatedly veer off the road into steep ravines, some over six feet deep. Muddy, scraped and bleeding, sometimes crying, we prayed throughout this terrifying ordeal. I kept falling behind so Richard tried to pull me with his bike, but since I don’t see well at night, it was frightening for me to avoid crashing into him while going downhill. Our saddlebags came apart because of our frequent falls and we had to reorganize using the only available light we had – from approaching cars and trucks. People often honked their horns and flashed their lights at us, causing more spills into the roadside ditches.
At one point we decided to sleep in the forest but then we heard wolves howling. As we resumed riding, Avi prayed, “L-rd, if we die tonight, we’ll see You in heaven.” For awhile we walked our bikes, fearfully looking back for each approaching vehicle, wondering if we should jump in the ditch if they came too close to us. This went on for over 3 hours. It was so difficult to keep our balance in the dark and we knew that we came very close to death. Our children, Ari (14), Avi (10) and Eliana (8) were frightened and yet in a state of amazement at all that was going on.
Finally we arrived in a small village. Lights! Hotels! All hotels were full except one had one room left – just for us! How we praised the L-rd for this. As I prayed before falling asleep, I asked the L-rd why, why did we have to endure such terror!
His answer? “This is what it will be like when the hunters come. Go home now.” (Jeremiah 16:16) Richard had originally wanted to go to Israel in August but the children and I were concerned about the escalating terror in Israel from the latest intifada, so we settled on going to a “safe” place. Oh, by the way, the name of the town where we found rest and safety? – Babylon.
Prague – August 13 – We awoke to pre WWII sirens – an eerie feeling. We rode through the Jewish Quarter and viewed the river one last time. When we saw refrigerators and cars floating by in the river, we knew it was time to leave! There hadn’t been a flood of this magnitude in Prague for over 200 years. We caught the last train out of town and shortly after we left, the water spilled over the riverbanks. Thank G-d we got to ride out of town instead of floating out! We really know how to choose our vacations!
Well, after these experiences, we knew that it was time to make Aliyah, to settle in Eretz Yisrael. So we made Aliyah in 2003 and initially settled in Haifa on Mount Carmel.
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Heart of G-d Ministries is actively engaged in promoting Aliyah (the Biblical return of the Jewish people to Israel), and encouraging and equipping Christians to fulfill their Biblical calling toward the Jewish people.
G-d promises that after their return to the land, He would “sprinkle clean water” on them, give them “a new heart,” and put His Spirit within them (see, for example, Ezekiel 36:24-28). In fulfillment of G-d’s Word, for the first time in centuries, the heart of the Jewish people is beginning to open to an understanding of the restoration of Israel.
At the same time, G-d is opening the eyes of many Christians to understand their calling toward the Jewish people. Heart of G-d Ministries desires to encourage Christians to fully understand and actively participate in what G-d is doing in Israel.
G-d promises over 60 times in Scriptures that He would bring the Jewish people back to Israel – this return is called “Aliyah” in Hebrew. Ezekiel 11:17 declares,
“This is what the Sovereign L-RD says: I will gather you from the nations and bring you back from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you back the land of Israel again.”
G-d had promised to bring back some Jews from Babylon (Jer. 29), and did bring back 45,000, but a much greater, worldwide restoration was still to come. He promises over 60 additional times to gather His people from “all the nations,” “out of all the peoples,” from the “north, west, south, and east,” and from the “ends of the earth.” (See The Miracle of Aliyah:
PROPHECIES AND THEIR FULFILLMENT
For example, Isaiah proclaims:
“It shall come to pass in that day that the L-rd shall set His hand again the second time to recover the remnant of His people…from the four corners of the earth” (Isa. 11:11-12).
These Scriptures are being fulfilled before our very eyes, and in miraculous ways! It is our privilege to inspire Jewish families to return to their home and to assist them practically as they return.
FISHERMEN
Jeremiah 16:14-16 explains that G-d will first call for fishermen to fish His people home, and afterwards He will call for hunters to cause them to flee to Israel. We believe G-d has called us to be fishermen.
During our trips to America, we’ve spoken with over 200 Jewish families about making Aliyah. Many have already come, and we are blessed to be able to help them and others who are answering the call to come home.
PRACTICAL ASSISTANCE IN THE LAND
It’s one thing for the Jewish people to come home to Israel. It’s another thing for them to stay in the Land. The culture, language, values, jobs, housing: everything is different from what we’re use to in America, making it exceedingly difficult to stay in the Land.
Because of this, the L-rd has also called us to help families who have made Aliyah, but are having a difficult time staying in the Land. We have seen several instances where a father has lost his job and his family is in a crisis. They frequently consider going back to their former home. However, if they can receive help, it can literally make the difference between them having to go or being able to stay.
Thank you for your generosity that enables us to bless these families and help fulfill G-d’s Word! This is something that G-d is doing with all His heart and all His soul:
“Yes, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will assuredly plant them in this land, with all My heart and with all My soul” (Jer. 32:41).
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See The Miracle of Aliyah: Prophecies and their Fulfillment
See a list of All Aliyah Scriptures, by topic or by book
See Key Verses about G-d’s Heart for Israel