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RESCUE IN A TIME OF WAR
As Israel faced an intense war with Iran and daily missile barrages, her most vulnerable citizens were in grave danger. In cities like Bat Yam, sirens sounded with little warning, giving residents barely a minute to reach a bomb shelter. For elderly Holocaust survivors, that short window of time can mean the difference between life and death.
Ninety-year-old Sonya, a Holocaust survivor from Romania, lives alone in Bat Yam, a coastal city frequently targeted by missiles. When the war erupted on the morning of February 28, Sonya found herself running to the nearest shelter again and again. In one single day, she attempted
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to reach safety eight times.
But because of serious mobility issues, Sonya could not move fast enough. Each siren left her vulnerable and afraid. The danger was real, and she knew she could not manage alone.
Sonya had been helped by CBN Israel before, so she reached out once more, hoping someone would answer. Because of caring friends like you, help came quickly.
CBN Israel mobilized immediately. Our team arrived in Bat Yam, assessed her situation, and evacuated Sonya to a safer location in Netanya where she could rest without the constant fear of incoming rockets. For a woman who had already survived the horrors of the Holocaust, your support provided peace of mind during yet another time of war.
Across Israel, elderly survivors and vulnerable residents are facing the same terrifying reality. Many cannot reach shelters in time. Many have no one to help them.
Because of your generosity, CBN Israel is on the ground, rescuing those at risk and providing tangible hope in life-threatening moments.
Thank you for standing with Israel and protecting desperate people in their time of urgent need.
DELIVERANCE AND REDEMPTION: PESACH AND HOLY WEEK IN THE HOLY LAND
By Stephen Faircloth President, CBN Israel
As spring unfolds across Israel, ancient stones and blossoming hillsides frame a season of profound remembrance and hope. In cities and villages alike, Jewish and Christian communities prepare for sacred days that recall suffering, deliverance, and renewal.
Pesach, or Passover, and Holy Week culminating in Resurrection Sunday stand at the heart of these observances. Though rooted in distinct histories, both tell stories of redemption that have shaped faith for millennia.
For the Jewish people, Pesach commemorates the Exodus from Egypt more than 3,000 years ago. The biblical account in the Book of Exodus recounts how the Israelites were freed from slavery after a series of plagues struck Egypt, culminating in the death of the firstborn. According to Scripture, the Israelites marked their doorposts with lamb’s blood so that the final plague would pass over their homes.
This act of faith became central to the holiday’s
name and meaning. Each year, Jewish families gather for the Passover seder, a ceremonial meal rich with symbolism. Around beautifully set tables, participants read from the Haggadah, retelling the Exodus story and reflecting on themes of freedom and divine faithfulness.
The seder plate holds carefully chosen elements: matzah, the unleavened bread recalling the haste of departure; maror, bitter herbs representing the pain of slavery; charoset, a sweet mixture symbolizing the mortar used by Israelite laborers; and a roasted shank bone recalling the Passover sacrifice once offered at the Temple in Jerusalem. Four cups of wine are shared, and children ask the traditional Four Questions, ensuring the story is passed from generation to generation.
Throughout Israel, preparations begin weeks in advance. Homes are meticulously cleaned of chametz , or leavened products, in obedience to biblical instruction. Supermarkets cover shelves
A Passover Haggadah, matzah, and wine rest beside spring flowers, reflecting a season of remembrance and renewed hope.
with plastic, restaurants switch to kosher for Passover menus, and bakeries temporarily close or adapt their offerings. At the Western Wall, thousands gather during the holiday to receive the priestly blessing, echoing ancient Temple practices.
At nearly the same time, Christian communities across the Holy Land enter Holy Week, a solemn and sacred journey through the final days of Jesus’ life. The week begins with Palm Sunday, recalling Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem as crowds waved palm branches and proclaimed Him king.
Pilgrims from around the world retrace these steps along the Mount of Olives, carrying palm fronds and singing hymns as they descend toward the Old City. The path leads to the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus is believed to have prayed before His arrest, and onward to the Via Dolorosa, the traditional route of His crucifixion.
Good Friday services at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem draw worshipers who gather in quiet reverence near the site long venerated as Golgotha. Scripture readings and prayers recall the crucifixion, a moment Christians believe brought spiritual redemption through sacrifice.
Holy Week culminates in Resurrection Sunday, celebrated with joyful sunrise services
and ringing church bells. In Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Nazareth, and beyond, choirs lift songs of victory and hope, proclaiming belief in Christ’s resurrection and the promise of new life.
The connection between Pesach and Holy Week is both historical and theological. According to the New Testament, the Last Supper Jesus shared with His disciples was a Passover meal. The imagery of the Passover lamb, central to the Exodus story, carries deep meaning for Christians who see in it a foreshadowing of Christ’s sacrificial death.
What unites Pesach and Resurrection Sunday is the enduring message of hope born from hardship. Both recount journeys through suffering toward freedom and renewal. Both anchor identity in remembrance and gratitude.
Though the rituals differ and theological understandings remain distinct, the spring season in the Holy Land becomes a living tapestry of faith. Ancient words are recited anew, songs rise from synagogues and churches, and generations gather to remember acts of deliverance that continue to shape hearts and histories.
In Israel, the weeks of Pesach and Holy Week are more than parallel observances. They are reminders that redemption, whether from slavery or from sin, stands at the center of faith, calling believers to live in freedom, humility, and hope.
Top (Left to right): At the seder table, a Jewish family reads the Haggadah as a young man in a kippah leads. A traditional seder plate displays symbllic foods that recall slavery, deliverance, and God’s faithfulness across generations. Christian pilgrims lift palm branches and sing on Palm Sunday, retracing Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem with reverence.
Bottom (Left to right): Ancient olive trees shade the Garden of Gethsemane, where Christians remember Jesus’ prayer before His arrest. Worshipers gather at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, honoring the crucifixion and celebrating the promise of resurrection.
THE WEEK THAT CHANGED THE WORLD
He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.
Romans 4:25 niv
Each of the four Gospels slows its pace when it reaches the final week of Jesus. The writers linger over these last days because they knew everything turns here. The cross and the empty tomb are not side notes in the story of Jesus; they are the center. Without them, there is no Gospel. With them, the world is changed forever.
Jesus entered Jerusalem at Passover, riding a donkey down the Mount of Olives as the crowds cried out, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord.” They longed for redemption. They hoped the kingdom would appear in power. Yet the King who came to them chose humility instead of force. He did not ride a war horse but a colt. He accepted their praise, knowing that within days He would be rejected and condemned.
On the night of Passover, Jesus reclined with His disciples and redefined the meal that remembered Israel’s deliverance from Egypt. He took bread and wine and pointed to His own body and blood. “Do this in remembrance of Me.” As Israel once remembered the Exodus, His followers would now remember a greater deliverance.
Later that night on the Mount of Olives, Jesus prayed within sight of a path that could have led Him to safety. Freedom was only a short walk away. Yet He prayed, “Not my will, but yours be done.” In that moment, redemption rested on obedience. The daily habit of trusting His Father prepared Him for this
decisive hour. He chose the cross.
Crucifixion was Rome’s brutal reminder of who held power. As Jesus hung beneath the words “King of the Jews,” rulers mocked and soldiers taunted. It appeared that evil had triumphed. Yet even in agony He prayed, “Father, forgive them.” With His final breath He entrusted Himself to the Father. The cross, meant to shame, became the place where love was displayed without limit.
Then, on the first day of the week, the stone was rolled away. The tomb was empty. “He is not here; He has risen.” The resurrection vindicated Jesus and shattered the finality of death. The hopes that seemed buried on Friday stood alive on Sunday.
Holy Week invites us to walk this path again. It calls us to praise the humble King, to examine our hearts, to remember His sacrifice, to submit our will to the Father, to forgive as we have been forgiven, and to live in the unshakable hope of the empty tomb. Because He was raised to life, we have hope that no darkness, no cross, and no grave has the final word.
PRAYER:
Father, thank You for the week that changed the world and changed our lives. Teach us to follow Jesus in humility, obedience, and forgiveness. Anchor our hearts in the hope of the resurrection. And when we face our own trials, help us to trust that because He lives, we too will live. Amen.
