← Going Big! with Kevin Gentry
Going Big! with Kevin Gentry
Unearthing the Past: The City of David’s Impact on Faith, History, and the Future
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- [00:00]
Kevin Gentry
Hi there, I'm Kevin Gentry and welcome to the Going Big podcast where we'll explore some of the strategies that can help you transform your effectiveness by 10xing your fundraising. Each week we'll sit down with some of the most influential business leaders, CEOs and nonprofit visionaries to talk about leadership, the power of giving, and how you can make a real impact. If you want to make a transformational change to the cause you're working on, this is the place for that conversation. Also, take a Look at our website, 10xStrategies.com that's T E N xStrategies.com for lots of free marketing and fundraising resources. And be sure to sign up for the free weekly fundraising tips. Now, let's dive in. Well, welcome, ladies and gentlemen. This is a special treat, especially at this time of the year, to have as my guest Elie Aloni from the City of David Foundation. He's coming to us from Jerusalem in Israel. Ellie, what a pleasure. Let's just, just, just go right at it for the benefit of our listeners. What is, what was the City of David?
- [01:14]
Elie Aloni
Kevin, thank you so much. It's, it's an honor to be hosted on here. The podcast is having such a great impact already going big, and all the great and important personalities you've had on able to get their message out in such a different way across the spectrum of ideas in the not for profit world. So thank you for the initiative and thank you for allowing me to be part of it. The City of David, I'm sitting here in ancient Jerusalem is the biblical site of ancient Jerusalem, of King David, of a thousand years of Jewish and Christian history, starting from King David himself, including the first and second temples, all the way until the time of Jesus. And then it is a city that incredibly was lost, forgotten, buried under many, many layers of rubble, of destruction. And only in the past 25 years has it been uncovered and revealed to be in a different place than we initially thought it was. And today it is one of the most active archeological excavations in the entire world. It is a site that's hosting over a million visitors a year. It is a site that is uncovering 11 different civilizations, the birthplace and origins of Judaism, of Christianity, of really the core and the bedrock of American society. And it's active as I speak to you today. We have teams of excavators, archaeologists, historians, scholars, engineers, tour guides, all uncovering and what I tell you today may be a little bit different tomorrow based upon what we uncover. So it's an exciting time.
- [02:56]
Kevin Gentry
Amazing, amazing. Ellie, and you know, as I've shared with you, I first had the opportunity to visit in 2020, just before COVID when our church pastor led a group from our church to. To the Holy Land and was just amazed. And then I was back in Jerusalem in the summer of 2023, and some of your colleagues gave me and some friends a special tour. And I was just astonished at the progress that you'll made from an archaeological standpoint in just those three years. Help us understand how did the discovery happen and what's going on with respect to the archeological elements, even today as we speak.
- [03:43]
Elie Aloni
Sure. First of all, I'm so glad that you've been there twice already, so you understand exactly the, the beauty and the power of what walking through 3,000 years of history is and the feeling that you get and what it means to different religions and what it means to your. To strengthening family values and strengthening your. Your. Your beliefs and your connection to, to spirituality. It just does so many things. And what's unique about it, and I'll get to the origins in a second, is that you have something one would have never thought possible, and that is that you have archaeologists walking around in one hand with maps, maps sometimes from hundreds of years ago, from different explorers and treasure seekers straight out of a movie. And in the other hand, they're actually holding the Bible, the Old Testament. And this is not, you know, a tourist gimmick or something that gets people to say why it's actually being used as a genuine tool, both to figure out where to actually dig based upon locations and stories that are mentioned in the Bible. But even more amazingly, it's being used to identify archaeological remains and treasures that are being pulled out of the ground, sometimes with names on them that correspond to the stories and characters in the Bible. And that's something that, if you told me that 25 years ago, you'd be laughed out of any archaeological gathering, but today it's accepted, and it's just incredible to see that happen and the Bible coming alive and being proven in front of your own eyes.
- [05:21]
Kevin Gentry
So that's a great way to describe it, because that was the experience for my wife and me when we first went there, was to see the Bible come to life. It's like, wow, these cities, this is just the way it's described. So tell us a bit, what are some of the archeological discoveries that you all have made that you're most proud of? And, and also, if you don't mind, tell us a little bit more about the. The history of how it was discovered. And. And who's leading this effort?
- [05:50]
Elie Aloni
Sure. So the City of David was lost and forgotten for many years and assumed to be underneath the Old City today of Jerusalem, opposite the Western Wall, where you have the Jewish quarter, the Christian quarter, the Armenian quarter, the Muslim quarter. And people just assume that it was destroyed, lost and forgotten, and buried underneath where the Old City is today. Because most capitals in the world, whether you go to France or you go to Spain or different places, the modern cities, the capitals, are where the ancient capitals used to be, because they were put there for a reason. That's what it was assumed. And about 150 years ago, there was an explorer named Captain Charles Warren. Captain Warren was. Was sent by Queen Victoria in England, which was very strange at the time, to send an archaeologist. He was a man of the Bible, a Christian scholar, and she sent him. We don't know exactly why, whether it was to find treasures from the Temple Mount or simply for archeological exploration. But he recounts his adventures here in journals that we still have today in the British Museum. And that's how we know exactly what happened. But he, long story short, he came to dig on the Temple Mount, but since he was Christian and the Turks were in control, they were Muslim, they didn't allow him to dig there. And he walked out of the city quite despondent. And he walked down the valley called the Kidron Valley and found a source of water. And he. Now, we now know that's called the Gihon Spring, one of the most important natural aquaphor in Jerusalem, where King Solomon was anointed, something that we'll talk about later, fed the Pool of Siloam, and he uncovered the water, led to a fortress. And inside that fortress, he found that this was a way to penetrate the city without going through the main gates. And Charles Warren in 1867, said to himself, I know this story. I've learned it in Sunday school as a boy in Samuel. When it talks about King David capturing the city through a water pipe or through a weakness in a city, I believe I have found it. So it started then. There's a whole adventure behind Charles Warren. He had to run for his life out of the city. Never got a chance to fully explore it. But for about 100 years, different explorers around the world had theories about possibly the City of David being here. And not until 2004 did Dr. Eilat Mazar, a famous archaeologist, really uncover the first evidence. I would say that Charles Warren was correct. And that began with, again, with the Bible in one hand and maps in the other. When she found certain things relating to King David's capture of the city. I don't want to give away too much. You'll have them when our listeners come on a tour. But suffice it to say, using the Bible, we uncovered what's believed to be the actual palace of King David, 3,000 years old, using scientific methods to date these. And that began in 2004. Really the national or international interest in what we're doing, which has just exploded recently. And since that time, the amount of archeological proof tied to the Bible has just become even more, I would hate to use the word commonplace, but names and seals and just a treasure trove of things that have really pinpointed this to be the birthplace of, of Judaism and again later, of Christianity. And that's unique. And it's unique, Kevin, because most places you go in Israel today, whether you go with your church or you go with your synagogue or you go with your family, pretty much each day has its own identity or centered on Jewish holy sites. And then this is your Christian holy sites or your Muslim. It's rare to find one place that holds the same significance on such a level to both religions. And that's what the City of David is. So the audience who's interested in this now goes from millions to hundreds of millions or billions and its importance, which I guess we'll get to as to beyond just sharing or spreading light on what was, is much, much greater and deeper modern day geopolitical implications with every stone that's turned over here.
- [10:20]
Kevin Gentry
It's just extraordinary. So this really hits to the core of the whole idea of the Going Big podcast, you know, visionary leaders who have this bold, bold vision for just substantial change or, or something that can just really change up the world. And as you say, it's not only that you're having a million visitors now, again, this is, aside from the extraordinary archeological elements of it, but that you have this vision for the world to see, this, you know, amazing part of all of our history. So tell us a little bit about that. How do you see that with respect to what you're doing and the vision for the future? You've already generously invited everyone who's listening to come to, to Israel to see the City of David. Tell us a little bit more about the long term vision for how the world can experience this.
- [11:21]
Elie Aloni
Well, Kevin, we're about to, in the next year open probably the most important archaeological journey. And at least I'd say the past thousand years, the culmination of eight years of work, we've Uncovered and revealed the Pool of Siloam or the Pool of Siloam, which again, these are all stories that take hours to tell how we found them and why we found them. I mean, we are in the middle of a city. Most excavations are out in the middle of a desert or at least in farmland. And, you know, time is a luxury. It doesn't make much of a difference how fast you move. And you're going layer by layer without any impediments. Here we are, steps from the Temple Mount, densely populated areas with Jews and Arabs living side by side with excavations underneath them and around them with infrastructure on top. So a, the engineering techniques that are being used had to be created and the amount of steel that goes into it to make sure you have kind of multiple levels of cities going on around you. The difficulty involved is sometimes prohibitive. But this excavation, which will be opening in about a year, we've uncovered the original pilgrimage road built by Herod 2000 years ago that goes half a mile from the Pool of Siloam, which is mentioned many times in the the Old Testament as one of the most important bodies of water where millions of Jewish pilgrims three times a year would come and begin their journey, their pilgrimage up to the temple. Later, it's mentioned in the Christian Bible as a place where Jesus cured the blind man that also was lost and forgotten. We are uncovering it today. It's a massive acres and acres of excavation going 30 meters deep and that connects to a 40 foot wide road that is intact, the original road that will go all the way from the pool to the southwest corner of the Temple Mount. You'll be able to recreate the pilgrimage journey, one of the most pivotal journeys in any Jewish person's lifetime. Three times a year on the festivals, that really was the unifying journey that people waited their whole lives to do, or waited all year to do. That created a national sense of togetherness, that created a purpose ultimately to go to God's house. And Incredibly, this is 3,000 years old and it's all intact because it was lost and forgotten and we are now uncovering it. So what's about to happen? You talk about going big when you said the words of your podcast, and it's very, very fitting. I mean, this is about to be big, as an understatement for what it's about to be. And we've kind of operated, I hate to use the word stealth mode, but we are in, you know, Tel Aviv is the Silicon Valley of, of Israel. So I'll use a, a high Tech term. But we've operated as an organization very quietly, walking softly with a big stick, really trying to accomplish and uncover and reach critical mass before we would open this to the world. But this is in no easy terms to say. This is a game changer on many, many levels. And there are just so many millions of people waiting for this to happen, waiting to be able to connect to their religion, to their faith in a way that really before has been more in words or in possibilities. You walk in the footsteps of my ancestors. I don't really know where, but here we know for a fact that, that our ancestors walked on this road and it corresponds with the Bible. And it really, really brings to life everything that we are dedicating our lives to so that we are super excited about happening. And that's something, again, that is happening with. There's a huge part in this for the American people, something unique. And people say, what does that mean? What does it have to do with America? What does it have to do with that? And Kevin, I want to share with your listeners. I feel that we became close not long ago when I was invited out to Mount Vernon to see the. The home of George Washington with our now mutual friend, but your friend Stephen Klaus, who's just a wonderful human being and a real professional. And I was just blown away, not only by the site itself, but by. By what people like you and Steven have brought to a site like that, in terms of messaging and in terms of being able to encapsulate an idea or create an idea, to take something that is special but is underutilized and really be able to connect millions of people to it. And I saw so many parallels when I went there to understand. And this leads me to the founder of the City of David. I am going somewhere with this, that when we go and see as an American, having lived in America for, for many years, you learn about George Washington. But I don't think I really understood his impact on the country and also what his impact was in so many levels, in strength and leadership and values and how much work went into what he did when he could have just retired on his beautiful, beautiful estate. And yet he kept coming back to public service. And this was the first time I really understood by seeing the Leadership Institute and by seeing the way that they spoke about George Washington and the impact that he has and continue to have on the American people and the Bible. And I think for me, that really showcased in a similar way what we can do here with the personality of David. So that David leads me to another David, which we'll get to. So the founder of the foundation that I work for, the City of David foundation, his name is David, or David Be. He is very well known in Israel. He received the Israel Prize for his work, which is a very coveted prize in the City of David. And in 1986, he came and found a site that was. Was covered in garbage, a site that was unsafe to walk in, that no one really understood the history there. And he decided then that he would dedicate his life to changing that, to bringing Jewish life back, to uncovering the history that was there for all religions. At that point, it was just him alone. And he decided to move there and change that. And it started with Eilat Mazar, when she came and he took a chance and said, let's dig, thinking they'd maybe find a stone or something, having no idea what would happen. And through his leadership today, the organization has grown tremendously and is really changing facts on the ground, changing the future of what Jerusalem is going to look like, impacting the past and the present on many different levels. And you see what leadership really means, what strength means. And he has a very strong military background, similar to George Washington in the sense that military geniuses or leaders look at things a certain way, the strategy they bring to the table. And you cannot underestimate leadership because it takes one person. And the way that he looked at the City of David was in a greater context of what does it mean? How does tourism and education and archeology all come together? How can you maximize that? How can you expand its importance to people of different faiths and religions? And I think there's a lot of parallels there. But at its core, there's a lot of great leaders, there's a lot of strong leaders. But value based leaders, when values is what drives them, that's unique. And George Washington had that. And that's what I walked away with there. And that's something that's extremely important to me, that we as an organization have that as well.
- [19:15]
Kevin Gentry
Wow. Thank you, Elliot. Yeah. I mean, this, you're, you're really nailing it. And, and talking about going big. This is, this is not just big. This is, this is colossal. But, but not only is there a big bold vision, but also leadership is indispensable. And at the core of leadership are principles and values and integrity. And you're, you're just, you're just nailing it. I'm so glad you were able to see Mount Vernon. For those listening who've seen Mount Vernon before, George Washington's home, sure, they, too, have been impressed. If you haven't seen it, you've seen it. You must include it on a trip when you're in the Washington, D.C. area. George Washington's Mount Vernon, unknown to most people, is privately owned. The Mount Vernon Ladies association in the 1850s banded together as Americans were headed toward Civil War and were able to raise an amazing amount of money at the time from places in the north and the south to buy Mount Vernon's home, to restore it, to preserve it, and to really make it such a just a fantastic way to appreciate the person who was first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen. So I'm so glad you were able to, to see that. ELLIE well, well, so, but you've touched on something that obviously this archaeological effort and making it available to the public costs money. Presumably, you are raising funds for this. Tell us a bit about that and even your, your role in this. What, how, how does, how does that happen? What, how does all of this come together for the City of David Foundation?
- [21:10]
Elie Aloni
So, KEVIN I My background was not in development. I grew up in New York, and I was an attorney there. I did civil litigation for a number of years and then transitioned to real estate, working for one of the largest developers there in New York. And when I moved to Israel with my family in 2008, my plan was to continue working in real estate and commuting once a month. And then I met David, this man who changed my life. When I saw someone who was simply about the greater good, was simply said, my mission is the City of David. My mission is Jerusalem. Jerusalem. Its importance to the world needs to be showcased, needs to be highlighted, and it is just the spiritual barometer for mankind. And today we see it more than ever, you know, with what's going on with America, both within America or a Western culture, the values that are being, I'd say, distorted, or the role of religion that slowly taking on less importance as it becomes more about, about the me than the we, more about the I, and more about, you know, what social media and different things portray as being truth. And that's really, you know, Western culture has changed a little bit, and I think other elements have taken advantage of that vacuum to bring in a more radical side of religion, because there is a human need for that. And therefore there's a great not only a vacuum, but a need to bring back the original core values of the founding fathers, of the Bible, of goodness, of what America was based upon, because that's what Gives America the strength as well. And that's what gives democracy its strength. It's not the military that's part of it, but it's really about the greater good. And I think Jerusalem plays a huge role in that, in understanding what it means to be the central role. I was just listening to a fantastic presentation on how life used to be in the Temple and from a fantastic educator and historian, and my eyes were opened. And what he really was saying, which is very pertinent, was this was a center for all religions to come. And in fact, there were certain sacrifices brought only by non Jews. And they uncovered stones with writing on them in Latin and in Greek that were for non Jewish visitors to tell them exactly what needed to be done at the Temple. Now you can imagine how many visitors were needed in order to necessitate signs in different languages. So it wasn't what's become this exclusive Jewish home. It was. It was a role. And this, by the way, ties perfectly into Hanukkah, which is coming up. And Hanukkah, you know, I'm going off, off the rails a little bit here, but Hanukkah is about. Is about light, right? Without going. It was a miracle of light. It was a miracle of light against darkness or good against evil. And what does that mean, to be. To be light? That the. The holiday started because the Greeks had defiled Jerusalem and the holy of holies in the Temple. And this was a rededication. And then the Jews found this little vial of oil that lasted for. For eight days and nights. But what does that really mean? It's a nice kid's story, but what does that light mean? And what's the role of light? So Jerusalem is about light. It's called the City of Light. It's the foundation. Shalem means completeness or foundation. So what is the role of Jerusalem, and what is the role of the Jewish people in that? And our role is to be a light unto the nations. What does that light mean? A light is meant to shine and give value to others around them, to be an example of what it means to be God's children of kindness and of truth and of dignity, and to reflect that to other people around. And that can't be done alone, because you can't reflect and share things if there's no one else around. So Jerusalem was this place where all the nations came together to serve a God as we're all created in his image. And that was the unifying force for different religions and for Jews as well. And everything was put into this journey, this pilgrimage. So what we're uncovering here is not just about, wow, wasn't it incredible that people walked to Jerusalem together? It's much deeper. It's, what does this journey mean? What does it mean to us that you would risk your life thousands of years ago, take your family away from your work, go through, take two or three months, which cost a lot of money, which there's people, travel was dangerous, come to Jerusalem and visit the Temple. Why would you do all that? What does that mean? Obviously, the impact had to be great for your family. This is what sustained you for the whole year. This is what gave everything that you do on a daily basis meaning. And that needs to be brought back. And that's something that, when I met David, he said, we have an obligation to bring Jerusalem back to where it needs to be for the world. And with that mission, I said, I want to be with you. And he said, good, because we need to raise funds. I mean, he didn't really speak English and at that point no one really knew. So I took a risk and came on board and it was absolutely incredible. Since 2009, I've been involved with the organization, I've also been involved in, in the. The tech world here, working for two different technology funds focused on Israeli innovation and homeland security. So covering that end as well. But my heart with the City of David and the impact that I've seen has been tremendous. But the challenges also come within that. You have a site where, based upon its importance alone, you know, should be able to raise, you know, significant amounts of money because of its appeal, because of its importance, because this is probably the most important find to, in the world in thousands of years. But there's, there's limitations, limitations simply because we are in Jerusalem. And in Jerusalem, you know, if someone says, well, what is, what's political and what's not? I said, if you're in Jerusalem, it's automatically political because you're in the most captured and sought after city in the world with 39 different armies who have fought for control of it, different religions, all holding it dear to their hearts. Show me one stone in Jerusalem that's not going to be political. So there's sensitivities involved and those sometimes, you know, make it difficult to reach a wider or broader audience. And because of those sensitivities, we also kept things, as I said before, focused on our goal before we could expand to a broader audience, because if you speak too loudly, you draw too much attention, and maybe we wouldn't have been able to accomplish what we did. So. So we really wanted certain core excavations, such as the Pool in the Road, to hit a critical mass where we know that we're going to be able to open them to the world. And then we said, okay, we're finally going to turn to a broader audience, both for support but also for the message to be able to share it with them. And we're finally there. It's taken a long time, but it was done for a reason, and I think it was the right reason. So it's strange because in the one sense, we're very large, a large city who's done tremendous things with a big team, but yet we still operate like a tiny little team. We don't or haven't yet done any gala dinners or big fundraisers. We operate mostly one on one, and that's been tremendously effective. But going forward, and he spoke about going big, it's time for us to go big, because our projects and our dreams and our visions are very, very big, require a lot of funding. And we're going to be hosting millions and millions of people who are coming. So this is a great time for us also to kind of shift gears and think, okay, how do we reach a much broader audience on all those levels?
- [29:04]
Kevin Gentry
Well, Ellie, I'm grateful for your willingness to share it in this manner right now with the world about what you're doing and how you're opening it up further. What do you say to a prospective major donor who's considering going big with support for the City of David Foundation?
- [29:25]
Elie Aloni
I think that, you know, because we've had the luxury in the past of really dealing one on one for all these years that I've gotten to know people very, very well, our relationships are very deep, which is a great plus as well. That means that I think donors are looking for many things. Obviously, every donor is different, but they're all looking for impact. I mean, you want to see that your dollars are accomplishing something, something that's important to you. And also today, there's been a shift, I think, in the next generation of giving from spreading money into a number of different organizations to really trying to intensify their impact by giving to fewer organizations but being more involved. Those days of kind of set it and forget it or a different generation, people today want to be part of it. Travel is easier. They want to come and see where their dollars are going. And some sites, it's hard to quantify what you've actually what they've accomplished with your money. But here, because it's archaeology, we've built and grown with families, which means we're now on the grandchildren, parents who have been here when they were little, and now they've come through the years and seen what we've uncovered and what we've done, and they're connected to the project in a much more deep, deeper way than you would otherwise. And I think that that is. Is part of the success of the site, which means it's so powerful. It's not just about raising large amounts. It's about getting people excited about it. It's about having generations of the same family connected. It's about having the grandfather saying, I want to bring my kids and grandkids. I know they'll all have a great time, but they'll also walk out with something that's going to strengthen their legacy and their future. So the biggest thing I say to people when we're looking big gift is impact. We are a site that now is about to create a huge impact all over the world. And this is a time really to get involved. At the same time, you can see where your money's going. You can be part of the journey going forward, and it can be part of your family's legacy.
- [31:32]
Kevin Gentry
Well, extraordinary. And you, you, I know that you receive support from generous donors all over the world. I totally agree with you. I think you've nailed it. With respect to the changing nature of philanthropy, donors are much more interested in focusing their resources. And also, you're absolutely right, being engaged in the process. Is there a story or two that you might share that would bring it to life of how maybe a particular donor has found real meaning and purpose in their partnership with you?
- [32:10]
Elie Aloni
Listen, there's. There's so many stories. I think that what's unique in what we're doing is, you know, most places when you're raising money for an organization or for a cause, you know, when you have that meeting with a potential donor, it either you succeed or you don't succeed. All right, you could have a great time. But if they come on board or don't, you know, at the end of the day, you're looking for support and a partnership to grow together. But here's something unique. When a visitor or donor comes here, we. I guide them. I am their tour guide at the site, as if with the knowledge of a tour guide. And before I even go down the road of trying to turn someone into a supporter, I need to connect them to the site and to what we're doing. And at the end of the day, even if they don't ultimately end up supporting. You can still see the impact that you've had on their family. And that to me is unique. And, and I've had families come. One story in particular where it was a grandfather who really, for many, many years, I don't want to use the word abandoned, but religion or observance was not a priority for that person as they built their financial empire and gave their children and grandchildren tremendous opportunities and all the things that come with those in terms of wealth and the yachts and the vacations and everything. And only later in life when this person was already pushing close to 90, did this person realize that, you know, maybe there's some things were neglected and said, how can I connect? And, and that person called me and said, listen, I don't, I don't care about anything else. I just care that my children and grandchildren, all I'm asking from you is just connect them to the land and to the Bible. I'm not even talking about a religious perspective, just as a history book that's accurate that they can be part of a 3,000 year old chain in whatever way they see fit. You know, what he said was, I've taken them to other places, but whenever religion's involved, it's seemingly pushed down their throat a little bit. Where it's like if you want to appreciate the site or the location, you have to also somehow bring the God part to you. Now ultimately, obviously, you know, we want people to feel connected on a spiritual level, but sometimes you want to let them find that themselves. And archeology is unique in that the evidence itself, sometimes the ground is doing the talking, which helps tremendously. It's not a rabbi or a pastor, but it's evidence. And that helps, by the way, on the political level as well, when the ground is talking and not politicians. But putting that as we brought this donor who got his family together for his 90th birthday to be able to come to Israel, otherwise they, it never would have worked out their travel schedule with all the vacations and, and he said, my kids are a little bit spoiled and I just want to give them some meaning. And he said, you have 20 minutes. So as you know, Kevin, just an hour and a half is like an appetizer at our site because you could spend days there. And I came in and I said, you know, I prayed and just said, you know, God, give me the strength to just open their hearts and that's it. To connect them to their grandfather. If they could connect to their grandfather, everything else will follow from that, because that's really what he wants. He's looking for that connection to his children and grandchildren. And you know, we did the tour, turned it into an hour and a half, and you saw that the children just relate to their grandfather in a different way. Because what you do is when you prove, and you may come alive, characters that they thought were not real or possibly learned in Sunday school. And you're proving through modern day science and archeology that David and Solomon and all these people really existed and were here. And you are connecting not just to something, but you're connecting to 3,000 years of people in history and tradition and an incredible legacy that does something. And you could just see the impact that it had on the family in those few minutes. And what that did. And that taught me a big lesson. It grounded me in a sense that you have to surrender yourself when you're just a messenger, when you're a messenger of Jerusalem. And that I learned from David, he said, we're just messengers, you know, put your check, your ego at the door. We're just messengers. And when I did that and I was just focused on connecting them to each other and then that led to connecting them to the land, into Jerusalem. The rest will come.
- [36:51]
Kevin Gentry
Wow. Well, that's, that story is not only amazing and extremely insightful, but also very inspiring. Again, you're a lot of wisdom here with you, Ellie, I think you're hitting the nail on the head. It's been my experience too, that for many generous people, this kind of gift could easily define their life, define the relationship with their family, can be more important, even their business than their business success, and really find meaning and purpose. So this is, this is just awesome that you're making these connections, as you say. But I also love this metaphor of letting the, the ground speak and tell the message. That's, that's, it's a, it's extraordinary. Well, shifting gears a bit, the just shocking and tragic circumstances of October 7, 2023 and the attack on Israel, what did that do with respect to your work? I mean, obviously the number of people visiting the site has had to have dropped, but how did that change things?
- [38:01]
Elie Aloni
You know, Kevin, I think obviously October 7th was a watershed moment for many, many people. And I remember the other event that impacted me on a level close to that was 9, 11. I remember where I was in New York, I was in law school at the time in the city. And that was a moment that was life changing, not just for me, but for America as well. So October 7, in many ways, was similar impact in terms of Israel. And it changed things in many, many ways. It changed things in the sense that a here everyone you know is either in the army or their spouse is in the army. I have children who served in the army and right away everyone's mobilized and you. We felt and possibly still feel that, you know, we need to, this is about our future. This is, this is a moment that we will never forget and we have to go and protect our borders and protect our families and our loved ones. So everything closed down and stopped. We had over 140 of our own team who went into Gaza and that's not including all the spouses and people who are left at home. And tourism suddenly dried up and therefore, I mean that was the least of our problems I would say as a country and as a people. But for the about six months I would say no one was talking about anything else other than the war as they should have been. And then trauma came out of that and it was an important time to really understand for any organization where you fit and, and how you position yourself in the greater context of things. Meaning first of all people were focused on the Israeli army needs that they had frontline defenders, life saving organizations, things that should, did and should rightfully take precedence at that time when were at war and we kind of took a back seat because we were focused on, on protecting our country. And that was, we didn't really have any choice in that. About six months into the war things changed for us when you know, we got a call. We have, we're very connected. David, as a former commander in an elite unit in the army makes it his, his point to bring every Israeli soldier to the city of David as part of their training. It started with 5,000 soldiers to 10 to 20 at our own cost. And that was because he said when you're a soldier here, you're 18 years old, most people just want to go straight to college and get on with their lives. And yet you're forced to put your life on the line and put on a uniform. And for the first time in our history we're not no longer the, the, the beloved underdogs. We are now hated and despised and settlers and occupied and possibly not be able to go into different countries and sanctions. And if you're going to get all that and then the world on top of that was saying we are, we have no right to Jerusalem and we have no history and connection to Jerusalem. By the way, these are quotes, one of them from the un, UNESCO talking about that not one stone in Jerusalem has any connection to the Jewish people or to the temple. So when you're saying all that and when the, the media is telling us that this battle is about, it's not about Gaza, it's not about Lebanon, it's about Jerusalem, well, suddenly your own soldiers wake up and say, what do you mean it's about Jerusalem? Because shockingly, and I think when I, when I tell people this, they are indeed shocked. The average person, this is pre October 7th. Even Israeli soldiers, there were two different polls done that over 50%, I believe, of Israeli soldiers when they entered the army had never been to Jerusalem. Now Jerusalem up until October 7 had been viewed as an old religious city, whereas Israel is the high tech capital of the world. Tel Aviv is a thriving metropolis with incredible opportunities and restaurants and concerts. So why would you go to Jerusalem? And we began to make that shift to try and bring these soldiers saying, if you do not know what you're fighting for, if you do not know why your life is on the line, well, you're gonna have a hard time defending that. So we started to bring them to Jerusalem for, for one day tours and then now it's already four day visits with a tremendous amount of, of, of information and of leadership seminars and of values and understanding practically what it means. So to open their heart to really why they need to protect the city and why Jerusalem, why Israel without Jerusalem? Will you take away its heart, what we're really left with and why we don't need to be in Israel if we don't have Jerusalem. So that's been a shift taking place over many years which led us to, almost every commander in the army has been to the city of David and understands its value and importance because of that. About six months into the war, one of the commanders called David and said, we're getting our first break, 24 hours from Gaza. I want to bring our troops sometimes in the middle of the night to this pilgrimage road. I need to build them, I need to let them know what we are fighting for. And I was blessed to be present for a number of these visits and just hear see these soldiers who, who were, you know, had seen horrible things and had friends killed and are literally their lives are on the, are on the line every single second. And they have a break for 24 hours and are coming not home. They're coming to the city of David and they're standing on this pilgrimage road where this was the place of pride and legacy. And yet underneath it there are tunnels, we call them tunnels of Death, where without going into too much detail for now, Jews were hiding years later. And there was the juxtaposition of. Of life and of death together in one place. And when you bring the soldiers there and they rejuvenated and they understand that this is thousands of years ago. And the Jews then thought that they were again another enemy. This time it was the Romans first, it was Babylon, and it was all going to be over. The Jews were going to be wiped out. There'd be no one left. And yet again, here we are 2000 years later with the Roman Empire no longer here, and yet the Jewish people are here fighting for their future. And you need to focus on the beauty and the legacy that we had, not just the death and the destruction. And that's the messaging these soldiers got as they walked so proudly up this road. And the commander said, underneath us are tunnels of death, but they don't define us. We're about the Jewish people, are about life. We're about legacy, tradition, history. And we're going to go back and take the message of Jerusalem that your ancestors underneath your feet died for thousands of years ago. And that's what we're going out to battle with. So that was a watershed moment for us as an organization when we realized that it wasn't just. I wouldn't even call it an opportunity, it was more an obligation to not take a backseat anymore. We felt maybe it was inappropriate to be at the front because of the situation. But then we realized no. People are now looking, searching for meaning and for some infusion of pride, and. And we need to do that. And what. What really cemented that was the soldiers were telling us that they went into homes in Gaza. And what they were finding was what they thought they would find on. On the walls were pictures of Mecca and Medina and different holy. The holiest places to Islam. But they're finding a picture of Jerusalem in every single home. And Hamas called this war the Al Aqsa floods war. Al Aqsa being the gray dome on top of the. The Temple Mount opposite the golden dome. So they very clearly made this about Jerusalem, knowing that Jerusalem is not mentioned one time in the Quran because they understand that Jerusalem is our battery, is our heart. And if you can disconnect whether it's Judaism or Christianity or Western culture from their source, well, then you have a chance. Well, then you have a chance to defeat them. And our job is to keep that connection loud and strong. So that actually helped us orient ourselves and realize that we have an obligation to get out there and to get this road open as soon as possible. Not simply because it's incredible, but because today there is a battle of the narratives. There is a battle for Jerusalem. And people sometimes don't like to talk about it, but that's what it is. There is a battle for Western culture, there's a battle for Jerusalem. And the ground here is doing the talking, not just as a matter of fate, but as a matter of fact. And people need to understand that. So it took on a much greater level of importance and of urgency today with what's going on. And it became a place now where, even though it's not open to the public, this particular road, thousands and thousands of soldiers and people who lost their homes in the southern borders and up north have come to really draw strength and draw hope. I mean, that's extremely important. And it's something that I feel needs to be given to the world, not just kept to people who come to visit as well. And that's something we need to explore as well, how to give people this sense of, we've been here and we can prove it and we're going to join together. And that's why it was interesting. And I wouldn't say interesting, it was pivotal that America in 2021 made the city of David a national heritage site for America. And people said, well, what does that have to do with America? But when the ambassador stood here and when the administration stood here and said this, the City of David is the basis of Judeo, Christianity, the basis of Western culture, the Founding Fathers and the Bible, and everything that makes America strong is here. And this is the proof. And we need to stand together to uncover it. And that really showcases the importance of what this means on an international scale.
- [48:18]
Kevin Gentry
Well, thank you for sharing that, Ellie. My goodness, you've really put all of this into a much more important perspective. Ah, thank you. Wow. Well, Ellie, if. If listeners want to find out more about the City of David and the City of David foundation, you have a website. Anything else you would recommend in terms of how people can find out more?
- [48:42]
Elie Aloni
That's a great question. We do have a website, which is fantastic. We also have an email that people can email for more information, which is foundation F o u n D a T I o n@cityofdavid1word.org il foundationityofdavid.org il which I'll be monitoring and happy to answer any questions or things like that. So those are both ways that, you know, people can find out more about what we're doing and opportunities to partner.
- [49:17]
Kevin Gentry
With us well, you're doing remarkable work. You're doing very inspiring work. Close us out with just the one thing you would want our audience to think about in terms of going big and how you're looking at this project and its purpose, its meaning, and how you're finding partnership with many generous people who share the vision that you have. What, what is the the parting words of inspiration or advice that you would have for our listeners today?
- [49:46]
Elie Aloni
ELLIE Parting words My parting words for, for people who are listening, first of all, is that when you speak about opportunities that come about once in a lifetime, those opportunities, when they present themselves, you know, need to be grabbed and you need to understand when you're blessed and when you're being thankful. And Kevin, I had told you that Thanksgiving for me and my family, even though we live in Israel, we've always celebrated it because it is so important to be thankful not just for what you have on a personal level, but, but as a Jew and as a person. What America has given to the Jewish people, not just the Jewish people, but speaking specifically in terms of freedom of religion and rights and just an incredible life, you need to be to appreciate that. And to appreciate that means you want that to continue. If you want that to continue, then you have to strive to protect the very values that made that possible. And those values, again, are the shared values we have that the city was built upon. And today, when you talk about David and I'll really end with the messaging of King David, because today one of our other huge projects that we're about to embark on on a fundraising campaign for is something that's been in the planning stages for the past five years is we've uncovered King David's palace, which was also Solomon's palace, the place where Psalms was written, the place where the the entirety of Judaism was unified. But yet we've never really turned it into an experience. And we've been working on how do you showcase such an important site, a figure that's so pivotal and important to so many different religions and people. And we finally have put together what we believe is going to be an incredible experience. All the different rooms reflect different characters and personality traits of David. And I think at the end of the day, we keep talking about King David and David and George Washington, but, but leaders once in a lifetime leaders who really went big and changed the course of history. And King David is unique because he was so multifaceted. He wasn't just a leader. He wasn't just a poet. He was a man who was, he was Wise. He suffered from the same thing many of us suffer from. He had issues with his children who rebelled against him. He had issues with people who tried to kill him. He was tremendously successful as a warrior. He was underestimated by everyone. He had his fair share of issues with different women in his life. And yet he spoke to God in a way that no one had ever done before, using music and simply psalms, where he speaks to him as a father would, would listen to his son. And he changed the course of Judaism on so many levels as a king, as a leader forever. So to showcase these different personalities where each person confined themselves within that. As someone who, King David, you know, fell many, many times and kept getting up. And we know that the Messiah one day will not come from one of our fantastic leaders who was, who was perfect or who was the best warrior or Solomon, the wisest person. It's coming from David because David is what God wants us to be, which is human, not angels, which is to be able to recognize our flaws, but be able to have the courage to get back up again. And that's how you accomplish great things and that's how you go big by get trying and failing and getting back up and doing that. And this experience using audio visuals and using some tremendous technology which we're going to be opening, which will be the centerpiece of our new experience, is not only exciting, but, but, but I, what I like about it is that I want each person to be able to find themselves in David. Today's world is so difficult with social media and all the images that we're, we're being shown and perfection and people's vacations and where do I fit in that. And people don't feel great about themselves and you just want to feel that. And, and I think David brings that all together and you can see what it means to be, to be human and how we can be greatly and godly all within falling. And for me, the message to people is connect to David. If we connect to David as a people, then really you're connecting to humanity and your outlook on how you see other people's flaws changes as well, because then you can see flaws but still see getting back up again. And that outlook really is all about what, you know, the Bible is about, which is about unity, which is about what the light of Hanukkah is, which is about this light of mankind. And at the end of the day, our job here is to spread the light.
- [54:15]
Kevin Gentry
Amen. Well, thank you very much, Ellie Eloney from the City of David. Foundation. What an amazing conversation this has been today and so very inspiring. And I hope that our listeners will be captured by the vision that you've laid out and what you're doing and will join with you as well. Thank you so much for what you're doing. It's been a pleasure having you today. And Happy Hanukkah.
- [54:37]
Elie Aloni
Thank you, Kevin. And thank you again for all your advice and wisdom when it comes to helping organizations really, really go big and looking forward to learning even more from you. So thank you.
- [54:49]
Kevin Gentry
All right. All the very best.
- [54:50]
Elie Aloni
Take care.
- [54:53]
Kevin Gentry
Thanks for listening to today's Going Big podcast. Hopefully you were inspired to go big for your cause. Remember, this is all about transforming your effectiveness by 10xing your fundraising. If you enjoyed today's episode, be sure to subscribe or leave us a review at iTunes, Spotify, iHeartRadio or wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also catch this episode on YouTube. And also there are lots of resources available to you at my website, which is 10x Strategies. That's t e n x strategies dot com. You can sign up also for our free weekly fundraising tips. This is all about helping you get to the root causes of some of the biggest problems in society today by transforming your your fundraising and your effectiveness. Thanks again. We'll see you again soon. Bye.