ARTICLES

By Arlene Bridges Samuels

Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Dedication and Lights, began this year under both joy and sorrow. On the first day of Chanukah by the Sea at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, more than a thousand people gathered to celebrate. The theme was “light overcoming darkness,” marked by family festivities, music, food, and a five-foot-tall menorah. But just as candles were being lit, gunfire shattered the air.

Two attackers, reportedly inspired by Islamic State ideology, opened fire on the crowd, killing sixteen Jews and injuring forty others. Australian police quickly neutralized the father, while a courageous bystander, Ahmed al-Ahmedi, tackled the son and seized his rifle, preventing further deaths. Ahmed, a Muslim, risked his life to defend Jewish celebrants, sustaining multiple gunshot wounds. His father, Mohamed, later said, “My son is a hero. He served in the police. He has the passion to defend people.”

Though the Jewish community grieved deeply, their spirit was not broken. Refusing to surrender to fear, local leaders carried on with the celebration the following day. The menorah was lit once again. The crowd sang traditional songs in Hebrew and English, joined together in the Australian national anthem. Rabbi Yossi Shuchat addressed those gathered, saying, “Yesterday was a tragic event, which words cannot explain. Darkness cannot continue where there is light.”

The rabbi also retold the ancient story of Hanukkah and the miracle that gave it meaning. More than two thousand years ago, the tyrannical Seleucid ruler Antiochus IV sought to eradicate the Jewish people and outlaw their faith. A small band of Jewish fighters known as the Maccabees rose in defiance. Though vastly outnumbered, they fought with divine strength and won. In 174 B.C., they reclaimed Jerusalem and the desecrated Temple, rededicating it to the God of Israel. This act of courage and faith inspired the Feast of Dedication, known in Hebrew as Hanukkah.

Today, Hanukkah still symbolizes the triumph of faith over oppression. Its eight nights recall how a single cruse of pure oil, enough for one day, miraculously burned for eight days in the restored Temple. That miracle continues to echo across the centuries, reminding both Jews and Christians that God’s light can never be extinguished by human hatred.

As Israel faces ongoing threats, the ancient meaning of Hanukkah feels especially relevant. Since the attacks of October 7, 2023, anti-Semitism has risen sharply around the world. Israel’s soldiers, often called the modern Maccabees, continue to defend their homeland on multiple fronts. Just as the Maccabees once faced the armies of Antiochus, today’s Jewish defenders stand against those who seek once again to erase their people from history.

For Christians, Hanukkah carries profound meaning as well. The Gospel of John records that Jesus Himself celebrated the Feast of Dedication. “Then came the Festival of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the Temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade” (John 10:22-23). Earlier in the same Gospel, Jesus declared, “I am the Light of the world” (John 8:12). His presence in the Temple during Hanukkah was no coincidence. He embodied the very light that the menorah represents.

When Christians remember that their Savior observed Hanukkah, they gain a deeper understanding of how their faith is rooted in Judaism. The word “Hanukkah” means to dedicate or to renew. That same spirit of renewal applies to every believer’s life, calling both Jews and Christians to stand together against darkness with courage and faith.

The Embassy of Israel in Washington recently shared an uplifting glimpse of this season’s celebrations in Jerusalem. In the Western Wall Plaza, a monumental bronze menorah more than six feet tall and weighing nearly a ton stands as a symbol of light, resilience, and unity. The menorah was lit each night by different representatives, including hostage survivors, bereaved families, wounded soldiers, police officers, ambassadors, and IDF troops. As an orchestra played, Isaiah 51:11 came to life: “And the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and they shall come to Zion with song.” The verse carries added meaning this year, as Israel welcomed home the last remaining hostages released from Gaza in October.

History offers yet another remarkable Hanukkah story. In 1917, during World War I, British forces liberated Jerusalem from the Muslim Ottoman Empire after four centuries of occupation. The victory took place during Hanukkah, from December 9 to 17. On December 11, British General Edmund Allenby entered Jerusalem on foot out of reverence for the Holy City, ending the Ottomans’ rule and freeing the city from devastation. The Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs later called it one of the great salvation moments of Jewish history, ranking it alongside Hanukkah and Purim.

Hanukkah, which ends this year on December 22, remains a festival of courage and light. Its message is timeless: darkness may strike suddenly, but light always prevails. As Psalm 27:1 reminds us, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?”

In this season of miracles, may every candle lit on the menorah remind us that the same God who strengthened the Maccabees still strengthens His people today. The light that began in Jerusalem continues to shine across the world, calling all who believe in Him to stand firm, to act with compassion, and to be bearers of hope.

Our CBN Israel team invites you to reflect on this verse spoken by King David: “You, Lord, are my lamp; the Lord turns my darkness into light” (2 Samuel 22:29).

Prayer Points:

• Pray for the safety of Jewish communities worldwide during Hanukkah observances.
• Pray for the families grieving the loss of loved ones in the Bondi Beach attack.
• Pray for churches and pastors to speak biblical truth with courage and to stand in solidarity with Israel.
• Pray with gratitude for the hero who stopped the attack and saved lives.

Arlene Bridges Samuels is the weekly feature columnist for CBN Israel since 2020. Working on the staff of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) as their SE Regional Outreach Director for nine years, International Christian Embassy Jerusalem USA engaged her as the Leadership Outreach Director part-time for their project American Christian Leaders for Israel. Arlene is an author at The Blogs-Times of Israel, is published at AllIsrael.com and The Jerusalem Connection, and has traveled to Israel since 1990. By invitation, she attends Israel’s Government Press Office Christian Media Summits as part of Christian media worldwide. In 2024, Arlene and her husband Paul co-authored Mental Health Meltdown: Illuminating the Voices of Bipolar and Other Mental Illnesses. www.TheMentalHealthMeltdown.com.

By Arlene Bridges Samuels 

As 2025 draws to a close, the Christmas season once again fills homes, churches, and cities with light and joy. Advent candles glow in churches across America, while Bethlehem’s Manger Square is illuminated by a Christmas tree lighting ceremony that has returned after a two-year pause. With Christmas falling on a Thursday this year, many communities are extending their celebrations through the weekend.

This season is filled with both magnificence and simplicity. Recently, audiences around the world experienced André Rieu’s Christmas concert featuring his Johann Strauss Orchestra from Maastricht in the Netherlands. The concert combined sacred and secular music that moved many listeners to tears during the hymns of worship. It felt like a glimpse of heaven’s music. Yet just as meaningful are the humble “Watch Night” services held in small churches across Haiti on Christmas Eve. In all these settings, the heart of Christmas offers a renewal of hope for every soul.

Today, more than one hundred sixty nations observe Christmas, representing more than two billion people. The sacred and the secular often coexist in these celebrations. Yet amid carols, gifts, and lights, one truth deserves more attention. Bethlehem is known throughout the world as the birthplace of Jesus, but few remember that the nation of Israel itself was chosen as the setting for God’s entrance into human history.

On the outskirts of ancient Bethlehem once stood Migdal Eder, the Tower of the Flock. Though the structure no longer exists, the Bible preserves its meaning. Micah 4:8 reads, “As for you, watchtower of the flock, stronghold of Daughter Zion, the former dominion will be restored to you; kingship will come to Daughter Jerusalem.” Micah 5:2 continues, “But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you One will come forth for Me to be ruler in Israel.” Genesis 35:21 also records that “Jacob camped beyond Migdal Eder after burying Rachel near Bethlehem.” The Hebrew phrase Migdal Eder means “tower of the flock.” For generations, this structure stood as both a lookout post and a birthing place for the sheep destined for Temple sacrifice.

According to Jewish tradition recorded in the Mishnah, shepherds in Bethlehem had long told stories of Migdal Eder. By the fourth century, a Byzantine monastery had been built on the site to mark its sacred significance. The Sadducees, who oversaw Temple sacrifices, appointed Bethlehem’s shepherds to care for the flocks used in worship. These shepherds were priestly caretakers trained to ensure that each animal was fit for sacrifice. When lambs were born, they were brought inside the lower chamber of the tower. The newborns were gently wrapped in strips of cloth to prevent injury and laid in a stone feeding trough until they were calm. Only perfect lambs could be offered in sacrifice, fulfilling Exodus 12:5: “Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year.”

This ancient practice reveals a powerful prophetic connection. Centuries later, angels appeared to these same Bethlehem shepherds and announced, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: you will find the baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger” (Luke 2:11–12). The shepherds needed no directions. They knew the exact place where newborn lambs were wrapped and protected. They ran to Migdal Eder, the Tower of the Flock, where they found the promised Messiah lying in a manger. The very shepherds who cared for sacrificial lambs were the first to see the Lamb of God, born where the sacrificial lambs were once laid.

As the lambs reached one year old, they were herded into Jerusalem for Passover. The priests examined each animal, accepting only those without blemish. Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God, fulfilled this image perfectly. He became the final Passover Lamb, the Good Shepherd who laid down His life for the sheep. It is no coincidence that the Lamb of God was born in the very place where Temple lambs were raised.

Centuries later, the story of that night spread around the world, shaping faith and culture alike. The celebration of Christ’s birth reached what historians call a tipping point, a moment when faith and festivity merged into a global observance. In the nineteenth century, this transformation gathered momentum through books, music, and tradition. In 1822, Reverend Clement Moore wrote A Visit from St. Nicholas, better known as Twas the Night Before Christmas. Two decades later, Charles Dickens published A Christmas Carol, inspiring renewed generosity and compassion. The United States established Christmas as a federal holiday in 1870. By the 1880s, Christmas carols such as “Away in a Manger” appeared in magazines, and the legend of Santa Claus, based on St. Nicholas, took hold in popular culture.

After World War II, Christmas shopping became a hallmark of the season, reshaping global economies. In 2024, Americans spent more than six hundred billion dollars during the holiday season. While the celebrations have grown increasingly elaborate, the sacred story remains unchanged.

For believers, the challenge is not to abandon the joy and beauty of Christmas, but to keep Christ at the center. Israel, the Holy Land, remains the cradle of our faith and the birthplace of the Savior. No other nation can make that claim. Author Max Lucado expressed it beautifully: “The story of Christmas is the story of God’s relentless love for us.”

As Christmas fills our hearts and homes this year, may we remember that the true light of the season still shines from Bethlehem. The promise of redemption began in a manger and was fulfilled on the cross. The same God who orchestrated the birth of His Son in Migdal Eder continues to call humanity to Himself with love that never ends.

CBN Israel invites readers to pray and reflect on Israel, the cradle of the Christian faith and the land of the Savior’s birth.

Prayer Points:

• Pray with gratitude that Israel allows citizens and visitors the freedom to celebrate Christmas in peace.
• Pray for protection throughout Israel, as terrorist attacks often increase during the holidays.
• Pray for Israel as it observes Hanukkah from December 14 to 22.
• Pray for the members of the IDF as they defend their nation on multiple fronts amid ongoing conflict.

Arlene Bridges Samuels is the weekly feature columnist for CBN Israel since 2020. Working on the staff of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) as their SE Regional Outreach Director for nine years, International Christian Embassy Jerusalem USA engaged her as the Leadership Outreach Director part-time for their project American Christian Leaders for Israel. Arlene is an author at The Blogs-Times of Israel, is published at AllIsrael.com and The Jerusalem Connection, and has traveled to Israel since 1990. By invitation, she attends Israel’s Government Press Office Christian Media Summits as part of Christian media worldwide. In 2024, Arlene and her husband Paul co-authored Mental Health Meltdown: Illuminating the Voices of Bipolar and Other Mental Illnesses. www.TheMentalHealthMeltdown.com.

By Arlene Bridges Samuels

It is no surprise that the Bible remains the world’s top best seller. With Christmas approaching, this is an ideal time to reflect on how we know about Jesus and His birth.

God designed His redemptive plan through forty Jewish scribes from many backgrounds, personalities, and professions. Over a span of fifteen hundred years, they recorded His words in Greek, Aramaic, and Hebrew, on three continents, and across hundreds of subjects. In ancient times these scribes could not collaborate with one another, yet God directly inspired them to write His truth in both the Old and New Testaments.

In From God to Us: How We Got Our Bible, the authors write, “The Bible possesses an amazing unity of theme—Jesus Christ. One problem—sin—and One solution—the Savior—unify its pages from Genesis to Revelation.” The Bible’s supernatural harmony fills our lives with purpose, peace, and hope.

Almost six centuries have passed since Gutenberg invented the printing press in 1440. During that time an estimated five to six billion Bibles have been printed, making it the most published book in human history. Although our world is filled with deception and despair, the hunger for the Bible’s truth continues to grow.

Bible sales have increased dramatically since 2024. According to Circana, a company that tracks book sales, the Bible boom reached 2.4 million copies sold in September 2025 alone. Circana attributes much of this rise to Charlie Kirk’s influence among young conservatives and beyond. More than eighteen million Bibles have been sold so far this year.

Interest in the Bible accelerated after the 2023 Asbury College revival. Across many states, both organized and spontaneous worship gatherings continue to emerge, especially among college students. Stadiums are filled with people of all ages praying, worshiping, and studying Scripture. Social media is filled with testimonies, baptisms, and Bible studies.

The Bible is also experiencing renewed interest in modern Israel. A quiet spiritual awakening is taking place as Israelis search for meaning during a time of national crisis. Many are turning to Scripture to rediscover their Jewish roots and to understand the times they are living in.

The Rosenberg Report recently featured Victor Kalisher, director of the Israel Bible Society, who spoke about a remarkable development in Israel’s biblical engagement. He explained that the Hebrew Bible was written in a 2,700-year-old form of Hebrew, which can be difficult for modern readers. To help Israelis understand the Scriptures more clearly, the Society is completing a modern Hebrew translation of the entire Old Testament. For English speakers, it would be similar to reading a modern translation rather than the King James Version of 1611.

Kalisher also reported that Israeli Jews are reading the New Testament in modern Hebrew translated from Greek. He called this a “national breakthrough.” Readers have responded with enthusiasm, saying, “We never understood the Bible before.” He noted that “reading the modern translation allows the Word of God to truly touch their hearts.” Tens of thousands of Israelis have expressed gratitude for this project.

In 1959, the Bible Society printed the first complete Hebrew Bible in Israel. Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion celebrated the milestone, declaring, “We can now print the Bible in the Land of the Bible.” The Society continues this legacy today with new tools such as the first Hebrew cross-reference Bible. “It is a parallel Bible that contains 90,000 cross references showing how the Old and New Testaments are one Word of God,” Kalisher said. These projects stand as powerful evidence of God’s continuing work through His Word.

The word “covenant” provides a perfect example of this connection. It appears 282 times in the Old Testament and 34 times in the New, symbolizing God’s enduring promise to His people. From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture tells one unified story of redemption.

Yet the Bible’s power only changes lives when it is read. Kathleen Cooke, international speaker and founder of The Influence Lab, has written a devotional titled Hope 4 Today: Stay Connected to God in a Distracted Culture. Her book speaks directly to the fast pace of modern life, especially during the busy Christmas season.

Cooke cites studies showing that “too busy” is the number one reason people fail to read the Bible, followed closely by “too distracted.” Most Americans own at least four Bibles but rarely open them. Her devotional draws on research from The Center for Bible Engagement, which surveyed 100,000 Christians over eight years. The results show that believers who read the Bible at least four times a week experience measurable changes in their attitudes and behavior. Those who read less than four times a week show little difference from nonbelievers.

Hope 4 Today offers short, practical devotionals that help readers stay consistent in Scripture. Cooke encourages readers to see Bible reading not as a task, but as an opportunity to deepen their relationship with the Creator who speaks through His Word.

As the world prepares to celebrate Christmas, believers have every reason to rejoice. God inspired Jewish scribes to give us the Bible. Revival is stirring hearts in Israel and around the world. The birth of Jesus remains the ultimate expression of divine love. Yet this is also a moment for renewed commitment. In a world filled with division and moral confusion, the Bible must be more than a symbol on a shelf. It must be our lifeline.

Both Israel and the United States will hold national elections next year, and the world’s instability continues to grow. Now is the time for believers to root themselves more deeply in Scripture so that their faith remains unshaken in the storms ahead.

CBN Israel invites readers to join in prayer this week, reflecting on 2 Timothy 3:16: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness.”

Prayer Points:

• Pray for the ongoing work of the Israel Bible Society as it spreads God’s Word throughout the Holy Land.
• Pray that Israelis will find peace, purpose, and truth through the modern Hebrew translations of the Scriptures.
• Pray for the continued healing of former hostages who endured captivity in darkness.
• Pray with gratitude for the sustaining power of Jewish faith and the psalms that helped hostages survive.

By Arlene Bridges Samuels 

Throughout years of travel introducing Christian leaders to Israel, one of the most memorable experiences has always been meeting members of the Israel Defense Forces. Whether standing on the Israel-Lebanon border or overlooking Syrian terrain, IDF briefings have consistently revealed the realities of enemy tactics and regional threats. At the conclusion of these gatherings, participants often expressed gratitude to the soldiers, recognizing that while they defend their own nation, they also stand on the front lines of freedom for the United States.

The enduring partnership between Israel and the United States continues to provide enormous benefits to both nations. Israel serves as America’s most trusted ally and as its eyes and ears in one of the world’s most volatile regions. As families gather around Thanksgiving tables to reflect on God’s blessings, prayers for the U.S. military, the Israel Defense Forces, and their families remain heartfelt and essential.

Together, Israel and the United States have worked to weaken the Islamic Republic of Iran’s military and nuclear ambitions. In the Twelve Day War this past summer, both nations significantly disrupted Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, delaying its program for months or even years. Since the Islamic Revolution of 1979, Iran’s extremist rulers have branded the United States as “the Great Satan” and Israel as “the Little Satan.” For decades, the regime has sought to expand its influence far beyond the Middle East, establishing a presence in the Western Hemisphere, particularly in Latin America.

Venezuela offers a striking example. Once the thriving jewel of South America, it has collapsed under the socialist dictatorships of Hugo Chavez and Nicolás Maduro. Now allied with Iran, Venezuela has become a focal point of Iranian activity in the region. For too long, Americans viewed Iran as a distant threat to Israel and Arab nations in the Middle East. That perception is no longer accurate. Venezuela stands today as a close ally of Iran, the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism.

In September, controversy arose after President Trump authorized the destruction of illegal drug shipments from Venezuela bound for the United States. U.S. warships were stationed in the Atlantic as part of a broader effort to disrupt Iran’s growing foothold in the Americas. A Rand Corporation report revealed that Tehran has turned Venezuela into its weapons depot and trafficking hub. Since 2007, Iran has built factories in Venezuela to manufacture armed reconnaissance and kamikaze drones.

The partnership has generated billions for Maduro’s regime and allowed Iran to evade sanctions while expanding its “axis of resistance” against the West. The distance between Iran and the U.S. has effectively shrunk to roughly two thousand air miles. Elements of Iran’s elite Quds Force have even trained parts of Venezuela’s military.

Venezuela shares a border with Colombia, whose western coastline meets the Pacific Ocean. This geography facilitates the flow of drugs, weapons, and money through both the Atlantic and Pacific corridors. Hezbollah, an arm of the Iranian regime and a designated terrorist organization, remains active throughout Latin America. It operates in Venezuela, Colombia, Argentina, and other nations, financing its activities through drug trafficking, human trafficking, illegal mining, and identity theft.

According to The Daily Mail, Venezuela’s cooperation with terrorists extends beyond military ties. Between 2010 and 2019, the Maduro regime issued more than ten thousand passports to individuals from Iran and Syria. Lebanon, home to Hezbollah, also benefited from these arrangements. Determining how many of these individuals have entered the United States remains virtually impossible.

Hezbollah’s history in Latin America is long and deadly. In 1992, the group carried out a bombing at the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina, killing more than twenty people. Two years later, it bombed a Jewish community center in the same city, killing eighty-five and injuring more than two hundred others. These attacks were among the deadliest in the Americas before September 11, 2001. Although Israel has dismantled much of Hezbollah’s infrastructure in Lebanon, the group’s ideology of hatred continues to inspire acts of terror worldwide. Its growing presence in Latin America poses a renewed threat to both the United States and Jewish communities around the world.

Given Iran’s expanding influence in the Western Hemisphere, recent U.S. military strategies appear designed to disrupt the regime’s ambitions closer to home. On November 24, 2025, the U.S. State Department announced the designation of Venezuela’s Cartel de los Soles as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.

The statement declared: “Based in Venezuela, the Cartel de los Soles is headed by Nicolás Maduro and other senior members of the illegitimate regime who have corrupted Venezuela’s military, intelligence, legislature, and judiciary. Neither Maduro nor his cronies represent Venezuela’s legitimate government. Cartel de los Soles, along with other designated organizations including Tren de Aragua and the Sinaloa Cartel, is responsible for terrorist violence throughout our hemisphere as well as for trafficking drugs into the United States and Europe.”

The late Andrei Sakharov, Soviet physicist and human rights advocate, once observed, “A country which does not respect the rights of its own citizens will not respect the rights of its neighbors.” Venezuela’s alliance with Iran and its oppressive governance tragically illustrate this truth.

As Thanksgiving is celebrated across the United States, believers are reminded to give thanks for nations where Christians are free to worship, and to pray for those where persecution persists. Israel stands as a nation where Christians are protected and welcomed, a stark contrast to regions where they are targeted for their faith.

The U.S.-Israel partnership has proven mutually beneficial in countless ways. Israel’s investments in the American economy create thousands of jobs, while more than 2,500 U.S. firms maintain a presence in Israel. Israeli technology helps protect U.S. airports, cyberspace, and vital infrastructure. The two nations share not only intelligence but also a foundation of faith, freedom, and innovation that continues to strengthen their alliance.

As this season of gratitude unfolds, the CBN Israel team extends warm wishes for a memorable Thanksgiving. 1 Chronicles 16:34 reminds us: “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His mercy endures forever.”

Prayer Points:  

• Pray for the armed forces of the United States and Israel, and for the families who share their sacrifices for freedom.
• Pray for persecuted Christians in Nigeria, North Korea, Sudan, and other nations where faith is under attack.
• Pray for the 11,000 IDF soldiers diagnosed with mental health issues and physical injuries after two years of war.
• Pray for President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu to be guided by divine wisdom and protected as they lead their nations.

Arlene Bridges Samuels is the weekly feature columnist for CBN Israel since 2020. Working on the staff of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) as their SE Regional Outreach Director for nine years, International Christian Embassy Jerusalem USA engaged her as the Leadership Outreach Director part-time for their project American Christian Leaders for Israel. Arlene is an author at The Blogs-Times of Israel, is published at AllIsrael.com and The Jerusalem Connection, and has traveled to Israel since 1990. By invitation, she attends Israel’s Government Press Office Christian Media Summits as part of Christian media worldwide. In 2024, Arlene and her husband Paul co-authored Mental Health Meltdown: Illuminating the Voices of Bipolar and Other Mental Illnesses. www.TheMentalHealthMeltdown.com.

By Arlene Bridges Samuels

Two important questions are often missing from the heated debates about Israel amid the tidal wave of Jew-hatred dominating the news and public discourse. Taking a step back from the noise, both detractors and evangelicals would do well to ask: “What if modern Israel never existed?” And further, “how would its absence, or its destruction over the last seventy-seven years, affect me, my family, my friends, or my nation?”

If we accept God’s perspective as revealed in Scripture, we must act on it. For those of us in the evangelical community, it is now essential to equip ourselves with accurate, fact-based talking points about our ally, Israel. We are engaged in an information war that relentlessly targets the Jewish state, our spiritual homeland. The time has come for us to speak truth and counter lies with courage and clarity.

In addition to our biblical foundation, we must also rely on trustworthy secular sources. Many who oppose Israel reject the authority of the Bible altogether. That should motivate us to meet falsehoods with verified, factual information. Today, we have access to excellent resources that promote information integrity, the responsible use of truth to confront information warfare.

I am an admirer of historian and commentator Victor Davis Hanson, whose scholarship and clarity bring both depth and reason to public debate. In his November 15 broadcast, Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words, he addressed the troubling Tucker Carlson and Nick Fuentes interview that drew more than sixty thousand viewers.

Hanson, who identifies as “a person of Christian faith,” is not a self-proclaimed Christian Zionist, yet he stands out as one of the most eloquent pro-Israel voices in the conservative world. He described Fuentes and Carlson, the former a Holocaust denier and white supremacist and the latter increasingly hostile to Christian Zionists, as representatives of what he calls the “Alt-Alt-Right.” This fringe group accuses Christian Zionists of being “crazy” and of “getting America into wars.”

One of Hanson’s points is especially compelling. Supporting Israel is in the national self-interest of the United States. He notes that Israel is a constitutional parliamentary republic, a democracy surrounded by hundreds of millions of people in nations that are not. As the Zionist Organization of America points out, Israel occupies only one-tenth of one percent of the landmass of the Middle East.

When critics claim that the United States wrongly gives Israel three-and-a-half billion dollars each year in security assistance, Hanson calls it a wise investment. He describes it as a “return on our money,” since Israel’s intelligence and technology cooperation greatly benefit America. He adds, “When we give them F-35s, they don’t call us up and say, ‘It’s broken.’ They improve it, and it works even better.” He also praises Israel’s Iron Dome and Iron Beam defense systems as innovations that serve both nations. His entire podcast is worth hearing.

While Hanson’s argument about national self-interest is persuasive, I believe we can also make a case for personal self-interest. Genesis 12:3 declares God’s promise to Abraham and his descendants: “I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse, and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” This verse is not only a covenant but also a divine principle of blessing.

Evangelicals who use truth and knowledge to defend Israel participate in information integrity, an act of faithfulness that honors God and benefits all people, believers and nonbelievers alike. As Proverbs 12:22 reminds us, “The Lord detests lying lips, but He delights in people who are trustworthy.”

When it comes to tangible blessings, Israel’s innovations have improved and often saved lives around the world. These facts provide powerful evidence that the modern state of Israel fulfills God’s promise to be a blessing to the nations.

According to Israel Advanced Technology Industries, a nation of just ten million citizens—eight million Jewish and two million Arab—hosts approximately 1,800 life sciences companies. Israel’s technological and medical advances reach every corner of the globe.

PressureSafe is a handheld device that detects bedsores before they become visible. Bedsores affect two-and-a-half million patients annually in the United States, causing sixty thousand deaths and costing nearly twenty-seven billion dollars in healthcare expenses. PressureSafe is ninety-two percent accurate across all skin tones.

MobileODT, another Israeli innovation, helps prevent cervical cancer, which kills three hundred thousand women each year. The portable, battery-powered ThermoGlide system allows physicians to detect and treat precancerous cells in a single visit. It is used in more than sixty countries where access to follow-up care is limited.

CorNeat KPro is a revolutionary artificial cornea that restores sight in less than an hour of surgery. Each year about two million people lose their vision to corneal blindness, yet donor corneas remain scarce. CorNeat’s synthetic alternative is changing that reality.

MeMed distinguishes between bacterial and viral infections within fifteen minutes using a small blood sample. Misdiagnosis leads to the overuse of antibiotics, and MeMed’s accuracy is saving lives and combating antibiotic resistance.

Flexible Stent technology, first developed in Israel in 1996, has saved countless lives. Israeli companies pioneered drug-eluting cardiovascular stents and innovative nasal stents for sinus surgery.

Outside of medicine, Israel has given the world drip irrigation, WaterGen (which produces clean drinking water from air humidity), cherry tomatoes, ReWalk robotic exoskeletons that help paraplegics walk, and countless breakthroughs in AI, cybersecurity, agriculture, and biotechnology. Israel’s USB drives, GPS systems, and cancer therapies continue to shape our world every day.

Since 1948, this small nation has had an outsized influence on global health, agriculture, technology, and humanitarian relief. Israel’s culture of tikkun olam, the Hebrew phrase for “repairing the world,” continues to inspire both Jewish and non-Jewish innovators alike.

Imagine a world without modern Israel. Millions would suffer or die without its medical technologies. Farmers across continents would lose efficient irrigation systems. Computers, cars, and hospitals would operate with less security and precision. Even those who deny Israel’s right to exist benefit daily from its creativity and compassion.

To equip yourself with verifiable facts rather than opinions, visit Unpacked, a leading resource that documents Israel’s global impact. Become part of the Information Integrity movement and speak boldly about the innovation nation that God has used for centuries to bless humanity.

Our CBN Israel team invites you to join us in prayer and to share truth about our spiritual homeland.

Prayer Points:

• Pray for Christian courage to speak truth with wisdom and grace to counter misinformation.
• Pray with thanksgiving that all hostages have finally returned home, whether alive or deceased.
• Pray for the brutalized hostages who continue to suffer from severe trauma.
• Pray for President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu to have mutual wisdom as they address the complex challenges in Gaza.

Arlene Bridges Samuels is the weekly feature columnist for CBN Israel since 2020. Working on the staff of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) as their SE Regional Outreach Director for nine years, International Christian Embassy Jerusalem USA engaged her as the Leadership Outreach Director part-time for their project American Christian Leaders for Israel. Arlene is an author at The Blogs-Times of Israel, is published at AllIsrael.com and The Jerusalem Connection, and has traveled to Israel since 1990. By invitation, she attends Israel’s Government Press Office Christian Media Summits as part of Christian media worldwide. In 2024, Arlene and her husband Paul co-authored Mental Health Meltdown: Illuminating the Voices of Bipolar and Other Mental Illnesses. www.TheMentalHealthMeltdown.com.

By Arlene Bridges Samuels

The contentious criticism of Zionism we see today is not new. In 1975, the United Nations passed Resolution 3379, declaring that “Zionism is a form of racism and racial discrimination.” Israel endured that indignity for sixteen years until 1991, when the UN finally revoked its slanderous decree. Yet a new form of condemnation is now emerging. This time, it comes not only from traditional detractors but also from some self-described conservatives and extremists who have turned against Christian Zionists.

Although Christian Zionists differ on certain points, we are united by one truth: Zionism is rooted in God’s unbreakable biblical covenants. Simply put, the Jewish people have the divine and historical right to a sovereign state in their ancestral homeland of Israel. Even so, opinions about Christian Zionists are spreading across social media, especially following a recent and disturbing interview.

Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson invited Nick Fuentes, a self-proclaimed anti-Jewish influencer, for a two-hour conversation. Fuentes, founder of the livestream program America First, is a white supremacist who openly admires Hitler and Stalin and denies that the Holocaust ever happened. His profile on X reads “America First, Christ is King.” It is troubling that some media outlets describe his movement as “Christian based,” which is how Fuentes himself labels it. Although most platforms have banned him, X reinstated his account last year, and he has since gained more than a million followers.

Fuentes’s destructive remarks were predictable. Among them was the assertion that “Jews have no place in Western civilization because they are not Christian.” Even more disturbing, Carlson did not challenge him. Instead, he went further, claiming that he “despises Christian Zionists more than anyone on earth” and calling Zionism a “dangerous heresy” and a “brain virus infecting the church.”

Both men ignore the warning of Isaiah 5:20: “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness.” They may dismiss the warning, but God will not. He will fulfill His perfect plan. Christian Zionists, knowing God’s sovereignty, must stand firm in proclaiming His truth in a world increasingly hostile to it.

My perspective comes from more than twenty-five years of involvement in the pro-Israel Christian movement.

In conversations at churches and online, I have often heard misconceptions about Christian Zionists. Some assume we view Israel through rose-colored glasses, as if the Jewish people and their leaders are perfect. That could not be further from the truth. Like the United States, Israel is imperfect. Jews and Christians alike are imperfect. Yet Christian Zionists choose to be loyal friends to Israel in a world where antisemitism continues to spread like poison.

We base our belief on the biblical “deed” God issued in Genesis 17:8, where He declares His eternal covenant with Abraham’s descendants: “I will give as an everlasting possession the land of Canaan.” God owns the land and has entrusted its stewardship to the Jewish people. That deed still stands.

Israel’s rebirth in 1948 fulfilled Isaiah 66:8: “Who has ever heard of such things? Who has ever seen things like this? Can a country be born in a day, or a nation be brought forth in a moment?” The miracle of Israel’s modern establishment is unmatched in world history.

Christian Zionists believe that Scripture is true from Genesis to Revelation. We affirm that God’s covenants with Israel are permanent. We reject replacement theology, which falsely teaches that the church has replaced the Jewish people in God’s plan. The early church was entirely Jewish for nearly a decade after Jesus’ resurrection. Gentiles were later grafted into God’s promises through faith in the Jewish Messiah. Christianity was born from Judaism; it is inseparable from it. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is, and always will be, the Eternal Zionist.

We revere both the Old and New Testaments as one complete revelation of God. Sadly, some Christians focus only on the New Testament, dismissing the Old as outdated. That is like leaving half a loaf of fresh bread untouched. Christian Zionists recognize that the two together form one living Word.

Our support for Israel is not based on politics but on gratitude. We are thankful for the Jewish roots of our faith. Out of that gratitude flows our desire to bless Israel and the Jewish people.

Christian Zionism is not a single movement but a diverse and vibrant community. Hundreds of Christian organizations, large and small, continue to stand with Israel in prayer, advocacy, and action. Since Hamas’s barbaric attack on October 7, 2023, Christian Zionists have intensified their efforts—praying, giving, traveling to Israel, and speaking out for truth. The church must not repeat the passivity of many Christians in Nazi Germany.

Christian Zionists see the evil of terrorism clearly, yet we are not driven by hate. Many of us have deep friendships with both Christian and Muslim Arabs in Israel. We serve, dialogue, and cooperate wherever possible.

Those of us in Christian media strive to share accurate reporting about Israel and the Middle East. We check facts, challenge lies, and stay informed about the realities on the ground. We understand both biblical and modern Israel as a light to the nations. Despite widespread bias in global media, Israel continues to send humanitarian aid across the world—often to nations that refuse to acknowledge its legitimacy.

Motivated by a perfect God, we press on despite human imperfection. Our allegiance is not to politics or personalities but to Scripture, which we regard as God’s unchanging truth.

We invite you to join our CBN Israel team in prayer and in sharing truth during these consequential times.

Prayer Points:

• Pray for Christian wisdom and courage to take a stand for God’s chosen people and land.
• Pray for thousands of new believers in the Gen Z generation to understand why Israel matters.
• Pray for Christian organizations reaching younger generations with truth and love for Israel.
• Pray that the bodies of the four remaining hostages will be returned to their families.

Arlene Bridges Samuels is the weekly feature columnist for CBN Israel since 2020. Working on the staff of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) as their SE Regional Outreach Director for nine years, International Christian Embassy Jerusalem USA engaged her as the Leadership Outreach Director part-time for their project American Christian Leaders for Israel. Arlene is an author at The Blogs-Times of Israel, is published at AllIsrael.com and The Jerusalem Connection, and has traveled to Israel since 1990. By invitation, she attends Israel’s Government Press Office Christian Media Summits as part of Christian media worldwide. In 2024, Arlene and her husband Paul co-authored Mental Health Meltdown: Illuminating the Voices of Bipolar and Other Mental Illnesses. www.TheMentalHealthMeltdown.com.

By Arlene Bridges Samuels

During the summer, the Jewish News Syndicate published an astonishing report: more than twenty nations have donated over two million tons of food, supplies, and medical aid to Gaza. Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) confirmed that since October 7, 2023, Israel has facilitated 90,000 trucks and 10,000 pallets of humanitarian supplies. Yet, as the Jerusalem News Service reported, Hamas “looted much of the aid during that time and used it to entrench its position.”

One of the most remarkable facts is Israel’s continued commitment to feeding Gazans even while Hamas wages war against it. Israel has endured unimaginable pain, from the murder of more than a thousand IDF soldiers to the continued captivity and deaths of its hostages. Despite these national traumas, Israel is still accused by its detractors of “genocide” and deliberate starvation. These false and absurd accusations echo Hamas’s ongoing propaganda war designed to vilify the Jewish state.

Scrolling through headlines across the world, we might occasionally read that Hamas hijacked aid trucks, but Israel is usually the one blamed in the headlines and opening paragraphs. Now, with the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) headquartered in Kiryat Gat, Israel, the reality is being documented. CENTCOM is monitoring the so-called ceasefire, and just last weekend, a U.S. drone captured footage of Hamas once again violating it. The terrorists attacked the driver of a truck loaded with aid and then stole both the vehicle and its contents.

Israel has also released drone footage exposing the waste and corruption surrounding Gaza’s aid distribution. In one striking example, about 950 food trucks approved for entry through the Kerem Shalom crossing were shown sitting idle as their cargo rotted in the summer heat. Why? Because the United Nations, responsible for distributing the aid, refused to do so. The Gaza Humanitarian Fund even offered to distribute the food at no cost, but the UN declined. The same organization that repeatedly slanders Israel was starving the people it claimed to protect.

CENTCOM’s latest drone footage revealed another 600 trucks loaded with supplies entering Gaza. Yet many credible observers have documented Hamas’s pattern of stealing this aid, reselling it to desperate civilians at inflated prices, or hoarding it for their fighters. If famine truly exists in Gaza, it is Hamas—not Israel—that bears responsibility. The same terrorists who use civilians as human shields are now weaponizing food against their own people, all to manipulate global sympathy and shift blame to Israel.

Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro described the drone surveillance as “a very intrusive version of U.S. monitoring.” Intrusive? Hardly. The drones are vital truth-tellers, offering independent, real-time documentation. Their recordings may finally help expose the lies and hold the true perpetrators accountable.

While Israelis continue to face the trauma of war, loss, and prolonged captivity, the world’s media often fixates on Gaza while largely ignoring other humanitarian catastrophes. In several Central African nations, including Nigeria, mass killings, persecution, and food insecurity are rampant. Yet coverage remains minimal.

That changed in September when U.S. Senator Ted Cruz introduced a bill highlighting the persecution of Nigerian Christians. The international spotlight is beginning to turn toward these atrocities. Since 2007, while the world has focused on Hamas, Islamic terror groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province have murdered approximately 50,000 Nigerian Christians and destroyed more than 20,000 churches.

Open Doors, founded in 1955 by Brother Andrew, continues to support Christians in more than seventy nations, including Nigeria. They identify it as the global epicenter of Christian persecution. Survivors recount that when terrorists attack, they begin by shouting, “Allahu Akbar” (God is most great), followed by “We will destroy all Christians.” The chilling parallel to Hamas’s rallying cry, “From the river to the sea,” is unmistakable. Both call for the eradication of entire faith communities—one Christian, the other Jewish.

When I saw footage of Gazan men tearing open sacks of flour and scattering them, I could not help but think of Nigerian Christians who would treasure even a single bag of that flour to feed their starving families. The contrast could not be more heartbreaking.

Israel has endured more than two years of war, terrorism, and trauma. Yet, despite extraordinary victories achieved by Israel and its allies, the goal of radical Islamist movements remains the same: global domination and the reestablishment of a militant Islamic empire. Neither these groups nor their sponsors show any sign of repentance or restraint. Christians must stay alert, prayerful, and discerning as this ideology continues to spread across the globe.

Encouragingly, awareness is increasing. After President Trump announced on October 31 that if the Nigerian government fails to protect its Christian population, he will launch a strategy to rescue them, new hope began to rise. Persecuted believers urgently need both our prayers and tangible support. CBN’s Operation Blessing has served in Nigeria for decades, providing humanitarian aid and Christian programming. The ministry at opendoorsus.org is another excellent resource for advocacy and action.

As Christians, we are living in consequential times, yet we are not without faith and hope. Ephesians 6:13 reminds us to “take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day.” As individuals, churches, and nations, we must ask Jesus, “What do You want me to do during these consequential times?”

Our CBN Israel team invites you to join us in prayer and to share reliable truth with others.

Prayer Points:

• Pray for the nation and people of Israel to experience deep and lasting healing from both national and personal traumas.
• Pray for freed hostages, their families, and the release of all remaining bodies.
• Pray for persecuted Christians in Nigeria and throughout Africa to receive relief, protection, and renewed hope in this difficult time.
• Pray for President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu to be guided by divine wisdom and protected with personal safety.

Arlene Bridges Samuels is the weekly feature columnist for CBN Israel since 2020. Working on the staff of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) as their SE Regional Outreach Director for nine years, International Christian Embassy Jerusalem USA engaged her as the Leadership Outreach Director part-time for their project American Christian Leaders for Israel. Arlene is an author at The Blogs-Times of Israel, is published at AllIsrael.com and The Jerusalem Connection, and has traveled to Israel since 1990. By invitation, she attends Israel’s Government Press Office Christian Media Summits as part of Christian media worldwide. In 2024, Arlene and her husband Paul co-authored Mental Health Meltdown: Illuminating the Voices of Bipolar and Other Mental Illnesses. www.TheMentalHealthMeltdown.com.

By Arlene Bridges Samuels

A seemingly odd yet powerful statement from Jesus is recorded in Luke 19:40 during His final Passover week on earth. As He rode a donkey among the herds of sacrificial Temple lambs, crowds shouted for joy as He entered Jerusalem, the city He loved. The celebration surrounding His triumphal entry would soon unfold into the sacred drama of His death and resurrection.

What was unusual about this moment was the Pharisees’ demand that Jesus silence the crowds. His response was both poetic and prophetic, drawing from Old Testament imagery of creation itself giving praise to God. “I tell you,” Jesus replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” This verse is an eloquent reminder that even when humanity falls silent, creation continues to proclaim the glory of God.

Indeed, Israel’s ancient stones still cry out today, declaring a timeless truth: Israel belongs to the Jewish people. This truth is not just spiritual but tangible, documented for decades through the meticulous work of the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA).

The IAA was founded shortly after Israel’s modern independence in 1948. Its first director, architect Dr. Shmuel Yeivin, made an insightful proposal to Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion: to conduct a full archaeological survey across the new nation. His goal was to identify and document artifacts, structures, and other historical features before development could alter the land. Yeivin’s reasoning was prophetic: “In future generations everyone will know what is hidden in the area of the state.” His vision has proven invaluable in confirming Israel’s ancient heritage amid modern hostility against the Jewish people.

Thousands of archaeological discoveries later, the Archaeological Survey of Israel continues to uncover and study stones, mosaics, and structures that provide undeniable evidence of Jewish life and worship in the Land of Israel. These discoveries trace the Jewish presence back to the tenth century B.C., when God established His covenant with the ancient kingdoms of Israel and Judah.

One week ago, on October 23, 2025, the Israel Antiquities Authority, Hebrew University, and Tel Aviv University hosted a major conference titled “New Discoveries in Jerusalem and Environs.” The event featured what scholars called a “biblical bombshell,” the discovery of a 2,700-year-old seal from the First Temple period. This seal, known as a royal bulla, was uncovered in a joint excavation by the IAA and the City of David Foundation. Found in soil once washed into a Temple-era drainage channel, the artifact was authenticated as an official Assyrian dispatch from the time of King Hezekiah of Judah. Written in cuneiform, it appears to have been a tax notice delivered by a chariot officer described as “the one who holds the reins.” The seal’s text even records the first day of the Jewish month of Av, linking the find directly to the biblical calendar.

The IAA continues to share these remarkable findings with the world. To explore more of its discoveries, visit www.iaa.org.

Among the most meaningful archaeological discoveries to me personally is the Magdala stone. In 2009, during a private VIP tour I helped coordinate, we visited the first-century synagogue where the stone had been unearthed. The site was not yet open to the public, but I felt privileged to walk among its ruins. Located on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee, Magdala is believed to be the hometown of Mary Magdalene and dates from the Second Temple period.

The Magdala stone itself is small—only two feet long, twenty inches wide, and eighteen inches high—but its spiritual and historical significance is profound. Carved with intricate designs, it likely served as a ceremonial platform where rabbis placed sacred scrolls. Standing there, I imagined Rabbi Jesus reading Scripture in that very place. Touching the ancient mosaics on the synagogue floor, I felt a deep connection to the history of the Jewish people and to the Savior who walked among them.

Another of my favorite discoveries is the Pilgrimage Road, also known as the Pilgrim Road, in the City of David. This monumental street was rediscovered in 2004 when a sewage pipe broke in Jerusalem. Following Israel’s preservation laws, municipal workers contacted the IAA, which soon uncovered a Roman-style stone-paved road six hundred meters long and eight meters wide. This road once connected the Pool of Siloam to the Temple Mount, serving as the main route for Jewish pilgrims ascending to the Temple during the great festivals.

In 2019, I was blessed to walk the Pilgrim Road when it was open only for limited VIP tours. With our guide, a dear friend and I followed in the footsteps of ancient worshipers who traveled from across the world to celebrate in Jerusalem. As they walked, they sang the Psalms of Ascent, Psalms 120 through 134. I found myself softly reciting some of those same verses, imagining the Jewish Messiah walking on those very stones centuries ago.

Although the excavation is ongoing, the Pilgrim Road is now fully open to the public. On September 16, 2025, the City of David hosted a grand opening ceremony for the southern section, 350 meters long. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio joined Prime Minister Netanyahu and other leaders from both nations. Ambassador Huckabee described the event as a moment that “lets the stones speak,” while Secretary Rubio called it “an extraordinary archaeological site.” Prime Minister Netanyahu declared that the unveiling symbolized the Jewish people’s unbreakable bond with Jerusalem and reaffirmed that the city will remain united.

In closing, Ezekiel 36:24 offers a powerful reminder of God’s promise: “For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land.” The stones of Israel stand as living witnesses to this fulfillment.

I pray that Bible-believing Christians will recognize archaeology as further proof that the Holy Land is indeed the ancestral home of the Jewish people. No one questions the pyramids of Egypt, the Colosseum of Rome, or the Great Wall of China. Why, then, should anyone question Israel’s history, when its very soil continues to reveal the evidence? Only hatred blinds the eyes of those who deny the truth.

When all is said and done, regardless of persecution or politics, God’s sovereign plan remains unshakable. The numbers themselves testify to His faithfulness. In 1948, when Israel declared its statehood, only about 600,000 Jews lived in the land. Today, more than 7.18 million Jews call Israel home.

Be assured that God is at work.

Our CBN Israel team invites you to join us in prayer and to share this message with others.

Prayer Points:

• Pray for Hamas to release all hostage bodies.
• Pray for proactive Christians to speak truth about Israel.
• Pray for Prime Minister Netanyahu and his security team to lead with wisdom.
• Pray for the families of the 1,152 security personnel who have given their lives since October 7, 2023.

By Arlene Bridges Samuels

Last Friday, twenty freed hostages sat down with families and friends for their first weekly Shabbat since terrorists kidnapped them and forced them into the tunnels of Gaza. Amid joy, tears, and shock, familiar customs and rituals gradually returned. Candle lighting, the reciting of ancient Hebrew prayers, and favorite dishes served with fresh ingredients filled the evening. Surreal conversations began to replace memories of darkness and deprivation as survivors struggled to recount their harrowing captivity.

Mainstream media would do well to pay close attention, as if they were sitting at those Shabbat tables or in a courtroom listening to witnesses whose testimony of evil is undeniable. For the past two years, mainstream outlets have launched a dangerous kind of journalism across cyberspace and its allied social media platforms.

I have named this phenomenon rogue reporting. The word “rogue” can have many meanings, but here it describes those who misuse their position or authority with destructive results. Rogue reporters chose to promote lies from Hamas, the aggressor, over facts from Israel, the victim. Their decisions helped spread a violent cancer of Jew hatred that has now metastasized across the world.

As more truths emerge from freed hostages and their families, will the media listen? Will they choose reliable sources such as the survivors themselves, Israeli leaders, and the IDF? Or will they continue to echo terrorist propaganda? Will they repair their platforms by returning to facts and integrity? Will they consult Christian media outlets that have long recognized the difference between good and evil?

This article touches on only a few stories among many. Will mainstream media share them widely and acknowledge the damage caused by giving credibility to terrorist lies?

Survivor stories are difficult to hear, but facts must rise above falsehoods. Each survivor endured unique cruelties, and nothing can erase their suffering and inhumane treatment, whether they were freed earlier or among the most recent group of twenty living hostages.

Rom Braslavski, a religious Jew, is piecing together two lost years. When he first saw his little brother, he did not recognize him, remembering him still as a boy. Among his many sorrows, Rom was devastated to have missed his brother’s bar mitzvah.

Like Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s cruelty defied comprehension. Rom survived in almost total isolation, sustained by the psalms he had memorized long before. At times, he was confined near the bodies of those who had perished. Chained inside a small cage for months, he endured agonizing pain in his hands and feet. When terrorists demanded that he convert to Islam in exchange for more food, Rom summoned the strength to refuse.

Upon arriving at the hospital after his release, he put on tefillin, small black leather boxes containing Scriptures, bound to his head and arm as a symbol of devotion to God. His family shared that he now prefers to be outside, looking at the sky. Supporters from around the world are sending him photographs of their own sky views as tokens of solidarity and hope.

Rom’s reliance on the psalms in such torment reminds us that Judaism formed the cradle of Christianity. The Old and New Testaments are one sacred book. God spoke through Jewish scribes who wrote and preserved the thirty-nine books of the Old Testament, and Jewish believers added twenty-seven books that became the New Testament. Rom’s faith amid suffering stands as a message for all believers. Without Judaism as God’s chosen foundation, Christianity would not exist. God’s unconditional love is a gift to both Christians and Jews who seek Him with repentant hearts through the Messiah, despite our human failures and flaws.

Another story that shocked Israel and its supporters involved Evyatar David. Hamas forced him to dig his own grave for a propaganda video after starving him nearly to death. So emaciated that his ribs and shoulders protruded, Evyatar’s image was used to pressure Israel. When the filming ended, the terrorists finally gave him food. A few days after his release, a photo showed Evyatar playing his guitar with friends as the sun set over the Mediterranean Sea. The twenty-four-year-old Israeli was once again surrounded by freedom, beauty, and music.

Many other accounts reveal both cruelty and courage. Elkana Bohbot was shackled in darkness for most of his captivity and lost all sense of time. His mother said that at one point, he asked his captors for a needle, thread, and scrap of fabric so he could sew a teddy bear for his young son Re’em. When Elkana arrived at Sheba Medical Center, he carried the handmade toy into a tearful family reunion.

Matan Angrest suffered psychological torment as his captors lied about his family and “treated” his severe hand injuries without anesthesia. Terrorists also deliberately starved hostage Guy Gilboa-Dalal, boasting about turning their captives into “poster children of skin and bones.”

Israeli digital creator Yael Levontin described Hamas’s inhumanity as “the horror that defied humanity.” She wrote, “Because the terrorists burned bodies, tore people apart, and left behind only ashes and bone, Israel had to do something it had never done before: summon archaeologists from the Israel Antiquities Authority, experts in ancient civilizations, to help identify the murdered.” One archaeologist explained, “We can recognize bones that are thousands of years old by texture and shape. But this was different. Bone fused with metal, plastic, teeth, and ash. This is not science. It is agony.”

Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and their allies have descended into a hatred that thrives on crimes against humanity.

After reading many hostage stories, I am compelled to suggest this: rogue reporting should be recognized as a modern form of complicity, an accessory to crimes against truth and humanity. Will mainstream media turn away from their Nazi-like adherence to Hamas propaganda that has endangered Jews worldwide?

On October 7, 2023, the terrorists gleefully recorded their atrocities on body cameras. Now, we have the testimonies of survivors who lived through the horror. Their stories are not joyful, but they are essential. They must be heard.

As Christians, we must commit ourselves to truth. We are called to pass on verified facts, not propaganda. We have our own trustworthy Christian media sources such as CBN News, International Christian Embassy Jerusalem, AllIsrael.com, The 700 Club Israel, The Watchman with Erick Stakelbeck and Yair Pinto, Boots on the Ground at TBN, and Amir Tsarfati at Behold Israel.

Proverbs 12:22 reminds us, “The Lord detests lying lips, but He delights in people who are trustworthy.” May we be those truth-tellers who honor God by speaking facts, not falsehoods.

Our CBN Israel team invites you to join us in prayer and to share this message widely.

Prayer Points:

• Pray for the recovery and healing of all freed hostages.
• Pray for families still waiting to receive the bodies of their loved ones.
• Pray for wisdom for Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Trump.
• Pray for Christians to stand boldly for truth in every arena of life.

Arlene Bridges Samuels is the weekly feature columnist for CBN Israel since 2020. Working on the staff of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) as their SE Regional Outreach Director for nine years, International Christian Embassy Jerusalem USA engaged her as the Leadership Outreach Director part-time for their project American Christian Leaders for Israel. Arlene is an author at The Blogs-Times of Israel, is published at AllIsrael.com and The Jerusalem Connection, and has traveled to Israel since 1990. By invitation, she attends Israel’s Government Press Office Christian Media Summits as part of Christian media worldwide. In 2024, Arlene and her husband Paul co-authored Mental Health Meltdown: Illuminating the Voices of Bipolar and Other Mental Illnesses. www.TheMentalHealthMeltdown.com.

By Arlene Bridges Samuels

I confess, I am a woman who rarely cries. But October 13, 2025, was different for me. It was a historic day with modern Israel in their ancient land and every living hostage freed after two long years in Israel’s longest war. It was a moment to release my pent-up tears of joy as a Christian Zionist, an American, a columnist, author, and advocate for our irreplaceable ally Israel for 25 years. October 13, 2025, will endure in world history, engraved in the hearts of every Israeli and in those of us who recognize God’s sovereign hand in world affairs.

Although I was not on the ground in Israel, I was there in spirit and with rapt attention. Watch parties took place throughout the country, and 400,000 Israelis stood all night in and around Tel Aviv’s Hostage Square, anxious that Hamas might cruelly change its mind at the last moment. Through media coverage, I witnessed the truth, beauty, and reality of prayers answered from millions of Christians standing united with the Jewish community around the world.

As vehicles carrying the freed hostages passed out of Gaza, members of the Israel Defense Forces lined the roads holding high the familiar blue and white flags of their nation. They stood both in celebration and in solemn remembrance of 915 fallen soldiers and thousands more who were injured while defending their homeland. Seven hundred twenty-eight days of captivity had come to an end through close collaboration between President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu, whose strategies advanced the President’s peace plan to its next stage.

After traveling by vehicle and then by helicopter, the freed hostages, viewed as precious cargo by the entire nation, were received at three hospitals specially prepared for their arrival. Crowds gathered, sang, and cheered as the hostages walked into freedom. At the same time, President Trump landed in Israel for a four-hour official visit before continuing to Sharm el-Sheik, Egypt, to sign the peace declaration. Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi invited Prime Minister Netanyahu to attend, but he declined because it was Simchat Torah, “the joy of the Torah.” It was on Simchat Torah in 2023 that Hamas had viciously attacked Israel along the Gaza border.

When President Trump arrived at the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, Prime Minister Netanyahu welcomed him warmly. President Trump first met with families of the kidnapped, the wounded, and those bereaved by the October 7 attacks. He listened with compassion in the Chagall State Hall, whose walls display Marc Chagall’s magnificent tapestries depicting the story of Israel, ancient and modern. The meeting reflected deep empathy in a setting that has rarely hosted such personal and emotional moments.

Later, President Trump stepped to the podium in the Knesset to a long and enthusiastic standing ovation. I found myself applauding along with the crowd as a trumpet fanfare sounded and cheers filled the chamber. He waved toward the balcony where his daughter Ivanka sat beside her husband Jared Kushner, one of the peace agreement’s key architects. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, and other U.S. officials sat nearby.

Amir Ohana, Speaker of the Knesset, presided over the gathering, which was filled with applause and repeated standing ovations. In his remarks, Ohana described President Trump as “a giant of Jewish history, that Cyrus the Great would be the only parallel.” He added, “We do not need appeasers; we need more leaders who are brave. We need more Trumps.”

Introducing Prime Minister Netanyahu, Ohana praised him for “making the hard decisions.” Netanyahu responded by calling Trump “the best friend Israel has ever had in the White House. There is no match for Trump.” In his address, President Trump declared, “This is the historic dawn of a golden age in the Middle East. We are giving thanks to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”

When the reunions of freed hostages with their families began circulating in the media, I cried again as I watched their embraces, shouts, and prayers of thanksgiving. Yet I also grieved for the families who lost loved ones in the Israel Defense Forces, for those who were severely injured, and for civilians murdered on October 7 or who died during captivity. Psalm 34:18 offers a profound way to pray for them and for all of Israel: “The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

Each of the twenty reunions, and all those that came before, stand as a testament to the endurance of Israel and the steadfast friendship of the United States under Donald J. Trump. Before Bar Kupershtein was kidnapped on October 7, 2023, his father, Tal, suffered a stroke that left him in a wheelchair. He held on to one goal: to stand and embrace his son when Bar came home. On October 13, 2025, Tal rose from his wheelchair and fulfilled that dream. The family of Segev Kalfon did not know he had survived until February, when another released hostage told them. Even then, they could not be certain until October 13. Their reunion erupted in tears, joy, and gratitude.

Amid the joy sweeping through Israel, a shadow remains. Hamas delayed the release of twenty-eight bodies of hostages who had died in captivity. Their claims that they cannot locate all the bodies may be another cruel manipulation meant to prolong the pain. Only God knows the truth. May He show mercy in the months ahead. And may we as Christians fulfill our calling as true friends of Israel, our spiritual homeland, trusting in the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Jesus.

Our CBN Israel team invites you to join us in prayer for Israel amid both joy and sorrow.

Prayer Points:

• Pray with thanksgiving for the twenty freed hostages.
• Pray for families still grieving and waiting for the return of their loved ones’ remains.
• Pray for supernatural wisdom for President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu in Phase II of the peace plan.
• Pray for the families of the 915 IDF soldiers who gave their lives for their nation.
• Pray for the physical and emotional healing of injured IDF members.