April 7, 2011

From October 29-November 8, The Fellowship will host its annual Journey Home to Israel Tour. Participants will travel the Holy Land, walking in the footsteps of the patriarchs, the apostles, and Jesus. Scripture will come alive for them as they visit the biblical sites they have read about for years. They will gain new insights into the Jewish roots of the Christian faith, and as so many previous tour participants have told us, their walk with God will truly never be the same.

One of the wonderful things about the Journey Home Tour is that it allows me to spend time with Fellowship friends like you. As we have in the past, during this tour I will share a traditional Jewish Sabbath meal with participants, and discuss the Jewish history and biblical themes encountered in the course of the tour.

In addition, we'll again have the chance to visit Fellowship projects, so that you can see firsthand the lifesaving impact our partners' generosity has on Israel and Jewish people worldwide. When you have served food to a hungry person at a Fellowship-sponsored soup kitchen, seen the smiling faces of boys and girls at a Fellowship-supported children's home, or witnessed the gratitude of new immigrants helped through our On Wings of Eagles program, you view the work of The Fellowship with deeper understanding.

When you come to Israel, you are truly blessed by the experience and you, in turn, are a blessing to the people of Israel, especially now, when Israel continues to come under harsh criticism from many world leaders and in the media. When I see the throngs of Christian tour groups walking the crowded streets of Jerusalem's Old City, or visiting the many biblical and historical sites throughout the country, these criticisms lose much of their sting. For Israelis, it is so heartening to know that we have friends like you who show their solidarity and support by coming to Israel to walk the streets with us, experiencing firsthand the blessings of the country God Himself called "the land flowing with milk and honey" (Exodus 33:3).

Spring is just beginning, and October may seem a long way away. But a trip to Israel requires preparation. Because of this, and since spaces on the tour fill up quickly, I strongly urge you to register soon. I encourage you to visit the Journey Home section of our website to learn about this one-of-a-kind tour. There you'll find the itinerary planned for the 2011 tour, a daily journal of previous tours, testimonies from previous tour participants, and much more.

The Fellowship's Journey Home Tour to Israel offers a unique and unforgettable experience, one you will always hold in your heart. I hope to see you this fall in the Holy Land, as we "journey home" together.

With prayers for shalom, peace,
Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein
President