Dear Friends,
Though my “pop culture” memory is not as good as it used to be, I still remember the 1985, runaway success “We Are the World” musical video. Do you? Though twenty-five years have passed, I can still see and hear the American music icons who came together for the “We Are the World” relief effort.
Live Aid USA for Africa brought together such luminaries as Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Tina Turner, and Bruce Springsteen who, with a unified voice, called attention to the plight of suffering people in Africa. The project raised both awareness and money. If you’d like to take a brief trip down memory lane, go to www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9ZKyYFyiFA where you can relive the moment.
Though not a fan of secular culture, I appreciated the noble effort on behalf of the oppressed. The remake earlier this year on behalf of Haiti earthquake relief brought it to memory. You can see the new version with current musical superstars at www.youtube.com/watch?v=Glny4jSciVI.
Renewed interest in “We Are the World” prompted a satire
from Israelis using the relief project’s format. In the summer of
2010,The Jerusalem Post’s Caroline Glick produced a parody called
“We Con the World.” It pretends to be performed by supporters of
the flotilla, sponsored by Turkey and a host of Islamic-inspired
activists and terrorists, but it includes video of the actual event.
Glick refers to the flotilla of vessels on May 31 that tried to breach Israel’s borders in the guise of a relief effort. They hoped to make Israelis look like thugs for defending their sovereign borders. Something artistic clicked in Glick, prompting an excellent parody. Go to www.israellycool.com/2010/06/04/we-con-the-world to enjoy this creative effort.
It was a wonderful response—but it didn’t go uncontested. In fact, despite compliance with the fair use doctrine of copyright law, it was removed from YouTube for supposed copyright violations.
On June 13 my good friend Sandra Levitt, who used to co-host Zola Levitt Presents with me, sent me a “Headline News” article from Israel Today exposing efforts by YouTube, owned by Google, to silence Glick’s parody. Glick tells the story in her own words at www.carolineglick.com/e/2010/06/youtube-silences-latma-removes.php. Please take a look.
YouTube’s suppression of the video
reminds me of an interview I conducted a
few months ago with Danny Ayalon, Israel’s
former ambassador to the United States
and current Deputy Foreign Minister. He
informed me how the censorship game works.
I’ll summarize.
According to Ayalon, whatever Israel does, the twenty-two Islamic nations surrounding it condemn it reflexively and mercilessly. In addition, they readily marshal the support of fifty to seventy nation-states in league with them. This means that Israel always begins any action or discussion with about one hundred nations aligned against it.
It’s never a fair fight.
Truth is the first casualty of war, especially in this politically-based war where the deck is always stacked against the Jewish people. Though they were unable to defeat Israel militarily, oil-rich Islamic countries use their economic and political influence to undermine Israel diplomatically, by staging events designed to malign the Jewish state.
The world eats it up!
I don’t, and you shouldn’t either.
Not long before this, Islamic pirates boarded a seafaring tanker, Moscow University. Russian commandos responded swiftly. They boarded the vessel, captured the pirates, and put them back on their pirate ship. Then they reputedly blew up the ship with scores of the pirates on it. Where was the world’s outcry then?
A picture speaks a thousand words, and the following link takes you to a
video of the military intervention: http://true-turtle.livejournal.com/85315.html.
Watch the wounded pirate protest (in English), “This is a fishing boat.” The Russian
soldier answers (in English), “Why do you lie to me? This is not a fishing boat.”
Have a look at the captured weaponry. Viewing the seven-minute clip will let you
judge
for yourself whether a legitimate
fishing boat needs such
an arsenal of assault rifles,
banana clips, handguns, and
ammunition.
In 2009 alone, 32 ships were boarded and taken by Islamic-inspired pirates, and about 500 captives held hostage. For a three-minute video news report, go to www.youtube.com/watch?v=HegyDCbccNw.
There was no public outcry of that forceful response either—and, frankly, at the risk of sounding irreligious, maybe there didn’t need to be. You can bet that, after that, pirates are going to think twice before attacking Russian vessels.
Pirates seem to understand this language of violent response.
The silence in this case, compared to the worldwide uproar at Jews defending their territorial rights with paintball guns and small arms, underscores the double standard. It reveals the Jew-hatred and bias in the press, and demonstrates the secular media’s disregard for honesty.
As a member of the media, I carry a press card. The blatant imbalance of major news coverage compels me to stand up for accuracy in reporting, for God’s People, God’s Land, His will, and His ways. In a world where precious few do, I speak out for the truth, thanks to your help.
When I ask you to please help this ministry, I hope you realize that your support goes beyond Zola Levitt Ministries. It speaks to Israel’s need and to truth needing a little help in its telling.
I just got home after a transatlantic flight from Jerusalem to Dallas. With Israeli thoughts, faces, and voices still clear in my mind, I can report that Israel, in no uncertain terms, greatly appreciates support from Evangelical Bible-Believers like you and me.
We’re pretty much their only human friends in an otherwise unfriendly world.
Our ministry’s voice extends its friendship to marginalized
post-Holocaust Jews who prophetically reside in their
ancestral Homeland. Now I ask you to stand with this outreach
as we pay airtime bills for our new series, Esther: For Such A
Time As This.
Esther took a stand. Now we need Esthers to help this ministry broadcast and mail accurate Bible teaching and commentary on modern prophecy fulfillment. It’s as simple as that. Speaking of which, here are the August television programs airing from our Esther series on Zola Levitt Presents:
God Rewards the Righteous
God uses irony to give the wicked and the righteous their just deserts. God’s ways are often mysterious to us, but we see the eventual triumph of the righteous—then as now.Justice at Last!
Our story’s villain comes to his inglorious end as he becomes the object of his own wicked scheme. Seeing the triumphal outcome of righteousness and faith encourages us in our own lives.Fight We Must!
Even with Haman gone, the Jews had to defend their homes and families. Such spirited self-defense is simply biblical.The Triumph of God in Human History
God turns our mourning into joy, as vividly demonstrated in this concluding program. The Jews are bidden to commemorate God’s saving power and goodness in an annual celebration. We should all celebrate God’s goodness, thereby banishing the transient clouds of pain and despair.
We reprise our series The Dark Prince toward the end of
August. In this miniseries, Jeff takes readers through Bible texts
that speak about the devil. Introductory in nature, The Dark
Prince gives individuals a behind-the-scenes look at Evil’s workings
at the ragged edge of human history, and its ultimate
uprooting when Christ returns.
Satan’s Rise and Demise in Genesis
Though Genesis talks about the dawn of Creation and the good Earth that followed, it focuses on how Creation strayed and who is responsible. This series opener discusses Satan’s emergence and God’s plan to crush him when Satan arises to rule the world at the dusk of human history.Satan in Biblical History
This program pays attention to biblical history’s bookends: the paradise lost story in Genesis, and the paradise restored story in Revelation. The lessons illustrating Satan’s rise and demise should encourage people to position themselves on the right side of the battle line (Series continues into October.)
Other media ministries sell soap, automobiles, and gimmicky products to pay for network airtime. I raise voluntary support for ours. Though I resist any appearance of begging, it’s an honorable calling to request contributions for the benefit of others—for God, for Jews, and for you.
As long as I’m asking you to stand with Israel, let me ask you to go there with me. Will you say with me: “We are with you, Israel! Here we come.”?
Our October tour dates are rapidly approaching. This is the time of year when we offer the tour extensions that maximize your time in the Holy Land. We’ll also travel with our film crew this trip, to capture footage of willing Pilgrims for a new production. It will be memorable!
Oct. 12–27: Grand Athens (Athens and Israel)
Oct. 12–31: Ultra Grand (Athens, Israel, Petra)
Oct. 17–27: Deluxe (Israel)
Oct. 17–31: Grand Petra (Israel and Petra)
We’ve added a third bus, but once it is full, latecomers will have to wait until our 2011 spring tour.
March 13–23: Deluxe (Israel)
March 13–27: Grand Petra (Israel & Petra)
Prayerfully consider calling for travel info at 214-696-9760 or 1-800-WONDERS. Prayerfully consider coming at such a time as this.
I want Israel’s hotels, restaurants, and Ministry of Tourism to ask: “Who are those people who keep coming?” There’s no need to hijack any boats to make this point. Rather, it’s better to fill lots of airplane seats to make a great “I Love Israel” showing this fall and next spring.
Caroline Glick’s recent “We Con the World” music video parodied the iconic “We are the World.” I want to create a “We are the WORD”—and showcase living examples of Christian, faith-based love in a rather loveless world. This would be a new Bible-based program underscoring God’s Land and the Jewish right to it.
Do consider coming with me to Israel. You can also help shine as a light in this darkened world with your mission donation to Zola Levitt Ministries.
Your messenger,
Jeff
P.S. If I sound pushy, blame it on the ramblings of a tired traveler who just got off a long flight. My mind and body are tired, and my heart remains distressed by the demonic lies about Israel that need a bold Christian response at this time. Confident that we are making a difference, I invite you along on the mission and request whatever faith-based responses your heart can muster.
Dear Jeff,
There should be public outcry… over the way Israel is unjustly maligned in the media.
“Here is my August gift. I enjoyed the concept of “We Con the World,” the parody of “We Are the World.” I like your “We Are the WORD” idea.”
This collection combines all of the music television that our ministry used to offer on three separately packaged VHS tapes. Our production team made a special effort to pair on-location video footage with Zola’s favorite music selections presented here uninterrupted.
Beautiful and useful, this lovely Jewish calendar provides the dates of all the biblical feasts and sabbaths. Learn the names of the months, the Holy Days and all the rest through the English phonetics like in our monthly Hebrew Lesson in the Levitt Letter.
This ancient Messianic symbol combines the menorah, Star of David, and Christian fish. Whether you put our unique golden decal on your Bible, car window, doorpost or purse, you can be sure to stir curiosities and witnessing opportunities with this tribute to light, God and abundant love.
