March 27, 2009

Shalom,

Looking at my calendar I can’t believe how quickly time flies. It won’t be that long until October rolls around and I will have the privilege of welcoming participants in The Fellowship’s 2009 Journey Home to Israel Tour to the Holy Land, and accompanying them to biblical and historic sites. For years I have been participating in the annual Journey Home Tour, and I can tell you personally it is a trip that you do not want to miss!

Visiting the Holy Land is an experience that no one ever forgets. Every person that has set foot in Israel takes home with them cherished memories that last a lifetime. Often times I speak to participants of past Journey Home Tours and they tell me that they still dream about their trip. The moving stories that they hear at Fellowship-sponsored projects linger in their soul. After visiting Jerusalem, the Galilee, the Mount of Olives, the Jordan River, the Dead Sea, and retracing the steps of our biblical forefathers, they return home from this blessed country with their entire outlook on life changed.

It’s easy to see why. The miracles and stories that you read about each day in the Bible come alive as you walk the same paths, and in some cases upon the same stones, where the patriarchs and prophets walked. Seeing mountains mentioned in the Bible is a privilege few get to experience, yet that opportunity is open to all of you. The Fellowship works hard all year round to put together the most enjoyable and spiritually enriching trip possible, and I can confidently say that we have perfected our 2009 itinerary to provide just that. I personally invite you to come on the 2009 Journey Home Tour and walk hand in hand together on the holy ground we so lovingly call Israel.

By joining the Journey Home Tour you are not only strengthening your personal faith – you’re strengthening the faith of and showing your solidarity with all Israelis as well. From experience I can tell you that it gives us courage and the will to continue the struggle for our nation’s peace and security when we walk down the street and see dedicated Christians and Jews who have come from thousands of miles away just to stand with us in that struggle. It reminds us that we are not alone – and what better gift can you possibly give to God’s chosen people then this gift of comfort and friendship?

Through my participation on the Journey Home Tour I have met hundreds of amazing people. I pray for all of them constantly. I am anxiously awaiting this year’s trip and the new memories and experiences it will bring. If you have been dreaming about visiting Israel all of your life, now is the time! Come and join me, my father Rabbi Eckstein, and other members of the Fellowship family as we learn and travel together in this land that God gave to the Jewish people as an eternal inheritance.

Looking forward to seeing you in Jerusalem!
Yael