When you come to Israel, you will experience Jewish culture, biblical history, and Israeli hospitality. It is more than just a land, or a country, or a state. Israel is alive. It is a reality, a people, and a spiritual legacy.
Spend any amount of time in Israel and you will discover that it is largely the target of misinformation, which is why it is so important to share your experiences — to reveal the truth and inspire others.
For some, a trip to Israel is something to check off the “bucket list”. For believers in Jesus, it is much more. It is a way to connect with the Lord in an intimate way that can only be experienced in Israel — His homeland, the place where He ministered, was crucified, and rose again. It is also the place where He will return one day.
Walk in the footsteps of Jesus or sail in a boat on the Sea of Galilee where He calmed the storm and walked on water—there is no other experience like being in the place where the stories of scripture actually took place. Everything becomes a deeply personal and transformational experience. His teachings become clearer and more deeply etched upon the heart.
Israel is the land of the Bible. The history and lineage of the Jewish people is inextricably linked to Israel, and its right to a national home on its soil is inviolable.
The people of Israel are keenly aware of the responsibility to protect and preserve their homeland, and it is demonstrated everywhere you go. From the preservation of historic sites to environmental sustainability, the people of Israel take seriously their role as stewards of their nation.
May 1948 became the watershed moment in the history of Israel, defining it as a sovereign Jewish state, and is understood by many as the beginning of the fulfillment of prophecy in Ezekiel 37:21-22:
…and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will take the Israelites out of the nations where they have gone. I will gather them from all around and bring them back into their own land. I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel. There will be one king over all of them and they will never again be two nations or be divided into two kingdoms.
This moment not only offered the Jewish people a home where they could finally live free, but it also muzzled those who wrought destruction and persecution. It also emboldened a generation of leaders to form a strong national defense so that their citizens and those who sojourn there would never feel unprotected again. Today, Israel has one of the strongest and most celebrated defenses in the world. When you visit Israel, you will be safe.
When you visit this wonderful land of Israel you will leave just a bit or your heart behind… but what you will take with you will be far greater. Visiting Israel is a life-changing experience. When you return home your understanding will be greater and your love of God will be deeper. This is a part of Israel you can take home with you knowing you will never be the same!
Samuel Smadja is the owner and president of Sar-El Tours & Conferences