As the sun rose on Shabbat in the Holy Land, and as the Jewish people prepared to celebrate the biblical holiday of Simchat Torah, the unthinkable happened. Hamas, the terrorist rulers in neighboring Gaza, carried out an unprecedented attack on Israel.More than 1,000 Israelis were murdered. More than 2,000 injured. And more than 100 innocent people—children, grandmothers, families—were taken hostage by these terrorists.Host Yael Eckstein, President and CEO of the International Fellowship of Chri...
Oct 12, 2023•30 min
As the High Holy Days end, Jews around the world spend one last day in an intense celebration with God before resuming their normal routines. Simchat Torah, which means “Rejoicing in the Torah ,” is unlike any other observance that takes place in synagogue. As host Yael Eckstein, President and CEO of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, describes in today’s podcast, the entire congregation—from the youngest children to the oldest adults—takes out the Torah scroll and joins in a n...
Oct 04, 2023•20 min
Do you know the one holy day that the entire world will celebrate in Messianic times? According to the prophet Zechariah, it’s the Festival of Tabernacles, or as it’s called in Hebrew, Sukkot (Zechariah 4:16.). Unity among all God’s children is a major theme of this joyous celebration that is part of the High Holy Days that Jews around the world have been observing. In continuing her series on the High Holy Days, podcast host Yael Eckstein, President and CEO of the International Fellowship of Ch...
Sep 27, 2023•24 min
It’s been said that two of the hardest words for people to say are “I’m sorry.” Can you relate? When have you experienced needing to apologize and dreaded doing it? Or maybe, you have been hurt by someone who won’t apologize to you? In this special episode about Yom Kippur , the Day of Atonement, host Yael Eckstein, President and CEO of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, explores how those two words relate to the holiest day on the Jewish calendar. Admitting our wrongdoings, co...
Sep 20, 2023•20 min
How many of us think about repentance as we celebrate and usher in a New Year on January 1? Probably not many! But when Jews usher in the Jewish New Year on Rosh Hashanah, the main focus is on repentance, or teshuvah, which means to “return” to God and to who we really are. The sound of the shofar, the ritual trumpet, signals this time to reflect on the past twelve months, fix any behavior that isn’t helpful, and return to God who is waiting with open arms. In this special Rosh Hashanah episode,...
Sep 13, 2023•20 min
Since the time Abraham sent his servant to find a suitable bride for his son, arranged marriages have been a time-honored tradition in the Jewish faith. On today’s podcast, host Yael Eckstein, President and CEO of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, welcomes Aleeza Ben Shalom, star of the Netflix series Jewish Matchmaking, to explore this tradition and how she is continuing this ancient practice today. Over the past 16 years, Aleeza has helped more than 200 couples find their so...
Sep 06, 2023•35 min
Did you know that God has an alarm clock for our souls? Beginning a month before the start of the High Holy Days, the sounds of the shofar, the biblically mandated trumpet, can be heard throughout synagogues across the world, calling people to reflect, repent and return to God. On this podcast, Yael Eckstein, President and CEO of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, continues exploring the significance and meaning of the Jewish High Holy Days, focusing on one of the primary ritua...
Aug 30, 2023•25 min
Today, host Yael Eckstein begins a six-part series examining the spiritual journey Jews around the world take each year during the High Holy Days and what lessons these holy observances can teach Christians and Jews about connecting with God and ourselves. In this series, Yael will explore how the sounds of the shofar awaken the soul, how Rosh Hashanah , the Jewish New Year, teaches us about the gift of repentance, and Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, teaches us the power of forgiveness. We’ll ...
Aug 23, 2023•21 min
Where exactly are you in your spiritual journey? Just like any journey we begin, if we don’t take some time to pause and reflect on where we are headed, we may find ourselves completely lost. In today’s podcast episode, host Yael Eckstein walks us through an ancient biblical Jewish practice – one Jesus likely participated in – that happens during the Hebrew month of Elul , which begins this month. During Elul , the Jewish people prepare themselves spiritually for High Holy Days, which begins wit...
Aug 16, 2023•19 min
Grammy-nominated singer, best-selling author, and prominent Christian media personality Sheila Walsh joins podcast host Yael Eckstein, president and CEO of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, to talk about her first visit to Israel and how her personal journey through depression taught her important lessons. The cohost of TBN’s flagship program Praise, Sheila said she discovered that it often is our brokenness that creates a greater bridge to other people — and to God. “I discov...
Aug 09, 2023•31 min
Prayer is one of the greatest sources of power available to us — and yet many of us struggle with unanswered prayers or how to make our prayers more powerful. In today’s episode, host Yael Eckstein explores insights on the most effective way to pray from the Jewish tradition that have been used for thousands of years. As Yael explains in this podcast, our prayers can become more powerful when we pray for other, with others, and when we keep on praying. These insights are simple, yet profound, an...
Aug 02, 2023•23 min
If you have ever felt like giving up, today’s episode is especially for you. This month Jews around the world observe the darkest day on the Jewish calendar, Tisha B’Av, the ninth day of the month of Av. On this day, Jewish people weep for something that occurred more than 2,000 years ago — the destruction of both the First and Second Temples that once stood in Jerusalem. Yet, as host Yael Eckstein explains, while this day is one of deep sorrow, it is also one of great hope — a hope that has sus...
Jul 26, 2023•25 min
In this stirring podcast, best-selling author and nationally syndicated radio host Eric Metaxas calls on people of faith to wake up and stand against evil that threatens the very freedoms we cherish. As Eric Metaxas shares with host Yael Eckstein, President and CEO of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, in a society that has grown increasingly anti-Semitic, anti-America, and anti-God, people of faith need to speak up against evil. Silence is not an option, Eric told Yael. “We ne...
Jul 19, 2023•31 min
On today’s podcast, Fellowship Board Chairman Bishop Paul Lanier talks about the life-changing moment when he entered into God’s ongoing conversation with Israel and the Jewish people. As Bishop Lanier tells podcast host Yael Eckstein, President and CEO of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, he was watching late-night television and saw her father, Fellowship Founder Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, visit an elderly Holocaust survivor in Ukraine. “Watching him interact with this woman, I...
Jul 12, 2023•33 min
These days, there is plenty to worry about. But we weren’t made to carry around so much worry in our hearts. Worry weighs us down — emotionally, mentally, and physically. And it did in Bible times, too, like when Jacob had good reason to worry about his family’s safety. Do you know what he did? He learned to manage his anxiety by giving it all to God — a faithful and powerful tactic that we can all learn to do! In today’s episode, host Yael Eckstein takes a closer look at this frightening time i...
Jul 05, 2023•24 min
What comes to mind when you hear the word shalom ? Maybe you connect it with the Israeli greetings of “hello” and “goodbye.” More than likely you think of “peace.” But this understanding of shalom doesn’t fully capture the meaning of the word in Hebrew. It is so much more than the absence of turbulence or war. Shalom is rooted in the Hebrew word shalem , which means “whole” or “complete.” True Shalom is the presence of wholeness, unity, and connection with our neighbors. It truly is the greatest...
Jun 28, 2023•20 min
Everyone wants a beautiful home. And today, there is no shortage of information on how to enhance the places we live to make them more beautiful and more comfortable physically. But how can we enhance our homes spiritually? In today’s episode, host Yael Eckstein looks at the Book of Genesis to discover how God's miracles transformed the homes of Sarah and Rebekah into sacred spaces. For centuries through today, Jewish homes have incorporated three ritual objects—inspired by the homes of Sarah an...
Jun 21, 2023•21 min
What is the key to raising up the next generation of supporters and friends of Israel? In a word, relationships, says Rev. Johnnie Moore, pastor, entrepreneur, and a tireless advocate for Israel and the Jewish people. Rev. Moore recently joined podcast host Bishop Paul Lanier, Board Chairman of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, at the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) convention, to share his insights on passing on a passion for Israel and the Jewish people to the next gen...
Jun 14, 2023•19 min
When Orthodox Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein first began building bridges between Christians and Jews 40 years ago, he did not stand alone. Joining him at the vanguard were two evangelical Christians — Jerry Rose and Dr. David Clark — who brought their broadcasting expertise and love of Israel and the Jewish people to the table. These two pioneers and longtime leaders with the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) organization recently joined podcast host Bishop Paul Lanier, Board Chair of the Internati...
Jun 07, 2023•30 min
One of the untold miracles of modern-day Israel is that today Christians and Jews havNourish Your Biblical Roots Special Edition with Bishop Paul Lanier -- Rabbi Tuly Weisz: Connecting Christians with Israel 365 Days a YearNourish Your Biblical Roots Special Edition with Bishop Paul Lanier -- Rabbi Tuly Weisz: e joined in fellowship and studying the Bible together after thousands of years of discord and animosity. Israeli Orthodox Rabbi Tuly Weisz—founder of Israel365, an organization dedicated ...
May 31, 2023•22 min
It’s been more than a year since Irina Kozlova locked the door to her home and fled with her four children and mother as Russian bombs rained down on Ukraine. In what can only be described as a series of miracles, Irina and her family were able to secure seats on the very first rescue flight sponsored by the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews to help Ukrainian Jews flee from war. Today, Irina joins podcast host Yael Eckstein to share her family’s harrowing journey to a new life in t...
May 24, 2023•42 min
This week, Jews in Israel celebrate Jerusalem Day — Yom Yerushalayim — commemorating the miraculous reunification of God’s Holy City in 1967. But as podcast host Yael Eckstein explains, we ALL — Christians and Jews — should celebrate Jerusalem Day! Not only is Jerusalem God’s designated place where His Temple once stood and will someday stand again, but as we read in Psalm 137:5, “If I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its skill.” God does not want us to forget His eternal capital!...
May 17, 2023•24 min
As we pause this month to celebrate the women in our lives, host Yael Eckstein welcomes to the podcast two modern-day Women of Valor who have influenced and mentored her — Michele Bachmann, former member of the U.S. Congress and current Dean of the Robertson School of Government at Regent University, and Penny Nance, CEO and President of Concerned Women for America. Together, these powerhouse women discuss with Yael both the difficulties and opportunities women of faith in leadership face today,...
May 10, 2023•41 min
Legendary singer, songwriter, and friend of Israel, Pat Boone, joins host Yael Eckstein to talk about the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews’ 40th anniversary this month, and Pat’s role in helping launch the organization onto the national stage. Together, they discuss this important bond between Fellowship Founder Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, of blessed memory, and Pat that dates back to early 1992 after the fall of the Iron Curtain. At that time, Rabbi Eckstein approached Pat and asked ...
May 03, 2023•27 min
As Israel celebrates its 75th anniversary, Yael Eckstein welcomes to the podcast Ambassador Ido Aharoni, an Israeli diplomat who has devoted his entire career to building bridges between Israel and the world. As Ambassador Aharoni shares with Yael, Israel is a miracle whose survival and success has been powered by the creativity and spirit of the Jewish people. Yet, more needs to be done to bring Israel’s unique brand and success story to the world. “Sure, people have heard of Israel,” Ambassado...
Apr 26, 2023•38 min
In the aftermath of the Holocaust, in which six million Jewish men, women, and children perished at the hands of the Nazis, the Jewish people vowed, “Never forget.” Yet, as host Yael Eckstein and her special guest Elisha Wiesel discuss on today’s podcast, an alarming number of adults today know nothing about the Holocaust. Elisha brings a unique perspective to the conversation as the only son of Elie Wiesel , Nobel Peace Prize recipient, Holocaust survivor, and author of Night , his renowned mem...
Apr 19, 2023•43 min
A proud Israeli who recently served as Israel’s 14th Prime Minister, Yair Lapid shares with podcast host Yael Eckstein one of the key lessons from the Holocaust—that every Israeli has a duty to make sure the Jewish state always exists. The son of a Holocaust survivor, Yair Lapid relates that his father’s story of surviving the bloodbath of the Jewish ghetto in Budapest is a stark reminder that he “cannot live in a world in which I don’t have a place to go.” In sharing his father’s story, the for...
Apr 12, 2023•28 min
In today’s special Passover episode, host Yael Eckstein explains the unique and sometimes unusual traditions for the Passover seder that are actually meant to encourage questions. In fact, the telling of the Exodus story begins not with facts and explanations, but with questions. As Yael explains, this time-honored tradition of asking questions during Passover is an annual reminder that God wants us to be lifelong seekers. By asking God our questions and entering Passover with a spirit of curios...
Apr 05, 2023•21 min
As we approach the holy season of Passover and Easter, host Yael Eckstein welcomes back to the podcast Bishop Paul Lanier, Chairman of the Board for the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews and pastor of Hope Community Church in Winston-Salem, N.C., to discuss the relevance today of the ancient and timeless Exodus story for both Christians and Jews. In this profound conversation, Bishop Lanier shares how the Passover celebration rallies people of faith around the table and reminds us ...
Mar 29, 2023•33 min
When Russian tanks rolled into Ukraine more than a year ago, no one imagined that the brutal war would still be raging today. As the world marks this tragic anniversary, host Yael Eckstein welcomes to the podcast Gadi Teichman Dan, who has made numerous trips to Ukraine and Moldova since the war broke out, providing lifesaving assistance with The Fellowship’s Israel staff. Gadi shares his heart for the suffering he has witnessed among the Ukrainian people, as well as his unflagging passion for b...
Mar 22, 2023•40 min
