The Olive Tree, presented by Julia Fisher, is a 13 minute weekly radio programme. In an effort to try and understand the complexity of Israel, this programme asks one simple question – what is God doing there?

In looking for answers to this question, Julia Fisher has been drawn towards people who are reconcilers; Jewish believers and Arab Christians living in the Holy Land who understand their Bibles and enjoy fellowship together. This programme demonstrates the remarkable reality that the numbers of believers in Yeshua/Jesus is growing steadily despite the security wall and the politics that appear to divide these two groups of people who share the same land.

In 1998 Julia spent time in Israel gathering stories for the radio station she was then working for. That visit signalled the start of a quest to find out more about the Biblical relevance of Israel to Christians today – in other words, what is God doing there in these days?

Since then she has travelled frequently to Israel and the Palestinian Authority areas researching the stories of the growing numbers of both Jewish and Arab believers in Jesus / Yeshua. Julia has taken a particular interest in those who are truly reconciled despite the politics of the region, and who are actively working together because of their belief in the Bible. Many of these stories have been published in books and articles by Julia.

The Olive Tree Reconciliation Fund was founded by Julia in 2008 as a response to the poverty and hardship being experienced by many believers in Israel and the Palestinian Areas. The aims of the charity are to build bridges of support and understanding, in a spirit of reconciliation, with Jewish and Arab believers in Israel and the Palestinian Areas with Christians in the nations.

The Olive Tree radio programme began broadcasting in 2009 across the UK. Just 13 minutes long, each week Julia talks to either a Jewish believer or Arab Christian living in Israel today giving them the opportunity to share their story with Christians living in the nations of the world in order that we can better understand what God is doing in Israel today. There may not be many believers in Jesus living in Israel – however, the numbers are growing, their stories are brave and they deserve to be heard.