The Jewish roots of Christianity

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Myles & Katharine Weiss

Shalom, ZLM friend,

The Bible’s Torah portion Terumah (contribution) has been on my mind as Katharine and I travel the land of Israel. Our local congregation follows the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Just before Katharine and I flew to Israel, the scripture reading was Exodus 25:1–27:19–God’s detailed instructions for constructing and furnishing His Tabernacle. These verses also describe the offerings that the Israelites brought to Moses in order to finance construction of the Mishkan (Tabernacle) in the Wilderness.

Exodus 25:1–2 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Tell the sons of Israel to raise a contribution for Me; from every man whose heart moves him you shall raise My contribution.”

“From every man whose heart moves him”! Doesn’t that perfectly describe the relationship that leads Believers to service for Mashiach Yeshua? And remember, we owe Him everything.

During the season of Passover (April 4–11), we recount the deliverance of Israel from Egypt and also Believers’ deliverance from the curse of sin through the finished work of the Lamb of God. “We love Him because He first loved us,” as we read in 1 John 4:19.

He gives us the love to love Him and the people of this world. It is a gift, and it is our motivation for teaching, reaching, going, and giving.

I received a photo (below) with a memo regarding the purchase of a new ambulance by Bridges for Peace (BFP), a sister ministry and benevolence fund of ZLM. I wrote to ZLM CEO Mark Levitt and asked, with tongue in cheek: “We support Bridges for Peace, so ZLM supporters have a couple of bolts in this van, yes?”

Mark replied immediately: “Yes, bolts ... and tires, windows, and doors. ZLM has forwarded [contributions] well into the six figures to BFP. Maybe they’d like to include our logo somewhere on that van!”

I laughed, but it got me thinking about giving and its fruit. Those ambulances will help Israelis in distress and save victims of terror, possibly bringing each of them a step closer to faith in Messiah. The ambulances will also save Arabs/Moslems who may not even acknowledge the blessings they accrue as neighbors of Israel. This ongoing mercy of Israeli medical care can change their hearts.


Donated ambulance

In fact, our ministry has been involved for many years in several benevolence works in Israel:

To the Jew First Fund
Our ambassadors to Israel share the Gospel primarily with Jewish Israelis, and also reach out to the Arabs. The fund covers expenses including airfare, meals, transportation, tracts, Bibles, and other essentials.
Our Man In Haifa
This fund supports Eitan Shishkoff while he serves in Israel leading a congregation, writing columns for our monthly Levitt Letter, coordinating TV interviews for our camera crew, and advising us of various circumstances on the ground in the Holy Land. He has become an invaluable asset over the years as he witnesses and reports on life as it occurs throughout Israel. Eitan pastors “Tents of Mercy,” which is a key ministry outreach in Israel.
Good News Fund
This is a general benevolence fund that meets needs for fellow ministerial organizations as they arise. For example, it has subsidized the dental and vision care of a local charity that runs a homeless shelter.
Lone Soldiers
Soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces are paid next to nothing and typically rely on their parents for financial help, housing, food, and laundry facilities on the weekends. “Lone soldiers” are generally young Jewish men and women who have made aliyah to Israel by themselves and have no family members in Israel. This fund helps these Israeli soldiers with basics like food and clothing throughout the year.
Jewish National Fund
Contributions to this cause sponsor tree planting in Israel. Each tree costs only $10. You can request a personalized certificate to reflect your donation.
Bridges for Peace
This Jerusalem-based, Christian organization fosters relationships between Christians and Jews through education and good works that express God’s love. BFP inspires Christians and Jews to work side by side for better relations and a more secure Israel.
The Temple Mount Fund
Inspired by a classic Zola television series, this fund supports archaeological works that continue to demonstrate how “the stones cry out” and, along with science, corroborate the reality of the Scriptures.

I believe that your and my contributions to the Lord’s work create heavenly repercussions, beyond those that we see in the natural world.

As young marrieds, Katharine and I served with a Gospel outreach that organized major conferences in India and Africa. We supported it financially, prayed fervently, and even served on various campaigns in those regions. Could it be that we may be greeted in Heaven by the souls who met Yeshua through those meetings?

When you support ZLM, you are helping this ministry raise awareness of:
  • The importance of faith in Yeshua
  • The centrality of Israel in God’s plan
  • The roots of the Christian faith in Hebraic scripture
  • and worldview

Speaking of roots, I recently met with a leader of the underground church movement in China. Apparently, Brother Yun, “The Heavenly Man” (the title of his biography), and his team saw our Jerusalem: Ancient Gates/Future Glory television series on Zola Levitt Presents and sent their point man to San Francisco to meet with Katharine and me.

These Chinese Believers are writing a Bible curriculum for the Church-at-large and want to integrate our teaching on the gates of the truly Eternal City (Jerusalem predates Rome by at least 300 years). During lunch, this remarkable young man updated us on the modern Chinese heroes who are on the road to Jerusalem in the 10/40 Window. (The 10/40 Window lies between 10 and 40 degrees north of the Equator and touches the swath of latitudes in which the largest Moslem populations and the unreached peoples of the world dwell.) These evangelists are reaching into Sudan, Somalia, Iran, Iraq, and North Korea. They read and believe the Bible when it promises: “all Israel shall be saved” (Romans 11:26). They are spreading the Word through their Back to Jerusalem campaign.

Sign: China Loves Israel One of the images that our young friend shared was of Jerusalem’s underground water tunnels, like the one that funneled David victoriously into the stronghold of the Jebusites (2 Samuel 5:8). The Lord sends bold Chinese emissaries “underground” into dangerous areas, and they emerge in the Islamic world with the blessing of the Water of Eternal Life!

This is their terumah—their contribution of laying down their lives for the Gospel. What is your terumah?

Tree roots breaking through concrete At Katharine’s and my last Shabbat gathering with our local community before coming to Israel, we prayed for the persecuted Church in the Middle East. One of our elders mentioned that he saw the work of the Chinese Church like the power of a tree Tree roots breaking through concrete whose roots break through any resistance. The next day, we received these pictures (r) from a member’s job site:

Nothing is too hard for the Lord. The stoniest heart, the apparent concrete ideology of Islam, the seeming decline of the Church … He is greater than it all!

With your prayers and financial support, we are able to SHOUT the truth from the broadcast housetops: God gave the land to Abraham, Isaac, and Israel (Jacob)! Zola Levitt Presents is very blessed to continue this landmark television series:

Zion Forever
This long-awaited, nine-part series looks back at Israel’s history and forward into prophecy while highlighting the present status of the Temple Mount, the most contested real estate on Earth. Archaeologists and Bible scholars confirm the accuracy of Jewish history regarding Israel. Throughout the series, we hear from Our Man in Haifa Eitan Shishkoff, and Zola’s music complements the narrative and scenes of Israel.

In April, we pick up where our episodes in March left off:

Valley of Elah
Young shepherd boy David slew the giant Philistine Goliath in the Valley of Elah. Here, Myles and Katharine recap the event. We discuss the walls of ancient Jebus (Jerusalem), the Gihon Spring where David’s forces invaded the city, and the tunnels at the southern end that may have provided the final resting place for Judean kings. Guests include Eli Shukron, Shimon Gibson, and Shahar Shilo.

For Pesach (Passover), we break for a special presentation:

Messiah in the Passover
Myles and Katharine Weiss demonstrate and explain the origin and significance of Passover. Our Messiah can be seen through the very elements of this ancient ceremony, the crown jewel of the biblical feasts.

Following Passover, we return to Zion Forever:

Ein Gedi
Myles and Katharine tell how David hid from King Saul in a cave near the spring at Ein Gedi oasis. Eli Shukron and Shahar Shilo recount the discovery of the Pool of Siloam. Eitan reminds us that the current King of Israel is Yeshua Himself.
Temple Mount
The Temple Mount is the earthly center of spiritual warfare. We see thousands of artifacts from Bible times that have been discovered in the debris discarded over a decade ago from unauthorized excavations. Guests include Shahar Shilo and Zachi Dvira.
Mount of Olives
From the Mount of Olives, Myles and Katharine look to the future of the Temple Mount. Archaeological finds continue to surface on Mount Zion, confirming Jewish heritage as recorded in the Bible. Guests include historian Shahar Shilo, archaeologists Eli Shukron and Shimon Gibson, and tour guide Hannah Ben Haim.

Katharine and I loved filming this series! Nowadays, it is more important than ever to counter the lies of the enemy of God regarding Yeshua, Israel’s Jewish history, and the serious threat of jihad. But, please…don’t just watch this on TV and the Internet. COME WITH US and walk into history as it unfolds.

Here are the dates of our fall Holy Land study tours:

DeluxeIsraelOct 11–20$3,988
Grand PetraIsrael & PetraOct 11–23$4,988
Grand AthensGreece & IsraelOct  5–20$6,888
Ultra GrandGreece, Israel, PetraOct  5–23$7,888

As you can see, Zola Tours offers options that allow you to tailor this trip of a lifetime to your personal calling. The testimonies are always: “It was life-changing!” Call our tour manager, Sandra, at 214-696-9760 or email her at and she will assist you. Katharine and I would love to host you in the land of the Messiah and His people.

For over thirty-five years, ZLM has carried this message: Sha’alu shalom Yerushalayim—Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! (Psalm 122:6) Until we meet, I remain your brother and messenger, —Myles Myles

P.S. I hope you can see how your prayers and gifts of funds have connected ZLM through the Gates series to one of the most significant movements in our era—the Chinese “Back to Jerusalem” movement. God is able!

Zola Levitt Ministries is ECFA approved

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