← Mark Levin Podcast
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- [00:01]
A
The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews has been on the front lines fighting anti Semitism and providing real help where it's needed most. They're giving food and shelter to Jewish families under threat, building bomb shelters for children, helping survivors of hate rebuild their lives. And they don't just respond to crises, they work daily to prevent them. To learn more about the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews and their life saving work in Israel and around the world, go to levin for the fellowship.org that's L E V I N for the fellowship.org Mark Levin and the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews bring you on the front lines.
- [00:40]
Welcome, folks. I'm Mark Levin with our friend Yael Eckstein. She is the president and CEO of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. I'm just a little talk show guy and our program here, our shared podcast, is on the front lines. We've had a blast doing this. I hope you pass the word out there. And what I'd like to talk about today, Yael, is this the moral, spiritual basis for taking on Jew hatred and by the way, it's spreading to Christian hatred, hatred of the state of Israel, the holy sites. And then conversely, there seems to be some receptivity to Hamas and Islamism and Marxism and all these very, you know, brutal genocidal ideologies and so forth. So it's a spiritual war, it's a moral war, is it not?
- [01:38]
B
You couldn't have said it better, Mark. It's something that is terrifying to see that it's repeating itself. Because what we've learned from history, if anything, when we look from the scriptures all the way to the Nazis and communism, is that in every generation, moral crisis demands a response. It's not just a threat to Israel, what you're describing, it's a threat to America as well. You listen to what the terrorists themselves say. First they're going for the little Satan, which is Israel. Then they're going for the big Satan, which is America. First they're going for the, which are the Jews, and then they're going for the Sunday people, which are the Christians. And we see it. Look at what's happening all across Africa, all across the Middle east, how the Christian communities are being targeted and destroyed the same way the Jewish communities are. And so we have to stand boldly in this together because this is a war and a clash of civilizations. This is a clash of those of us that have these biblical values that sanctify life against those, just like communism, just like Nazism, that would destroy all of the people in the free world if they were able to. And so it's not the first time that we're confronted with evil. You look at the 1930s in Europe. You look at the Cold War appeasement of tyranny. You look at today's apathy towards rising antisemitism. And I have to think to myself, Marc, what would have happened if the world didn't look away before the Holocaust? What would have happened if the world didn't look away before the rise of the Cold War, before the rise of communism, before the Inquisitions? There's one lesson that we have to learn from history. It's that today's moral relativism and political cowardice creates the very same conditions I'm talking about that allowed the hatred to spread before we know that history repeats itself. And I pray that we won't fail this time, Mark that Jews and Christians will wake up to what's happening quickly in front of our eyes and that we will have a response that's full of love, full of hope, full of godliness, but that's strong. I lay before you. Life and death choose life.
- [04:08]
A
And isn't it also true? Haven't we learned that there's no avoiding these things? There's no ducking them? As a matter of fact, if societies don't get out in front of this early, they're devoured. And that's not just Jews and just Christians. It's everybody in that society is devoured. And the consequences are absolutely horrendous. So it's spiritual, and it's also in everybody's self interest to stand up to these threats. And particularly as they're the early stages and they're beginning to grow, right?
- [04:39]
B
Certainly feels like it, doesn't it? And so we see that darkness growing. But Mark, you and I both, we all also see the light growing. You know, I always say that during the Holocaust, the Jewish people have remembered for over 80 years. And we'll remember forever the heroes from the Holocaust, the righteous gentiles. In Jerusalem, there's an entire forest that's planted to remember the righteous gentiles, like Corrie 10 boom. Like Pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer. And today, we don't know the names of every single righteous gentile because some people estimate there are over 300 million of them around the world. And so dark darkness is growing, but so is light. And Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Pastor Bonhoeffer, he said God is not a God of the emotions, but the God of truth. And he might have said that decades ago, but I can't think of a time where it's been more relevant, as we have podcasters that are people that are calling themselves experts, that are playing on the emotions of people. They're trying to reframe scriptures to make God a God of anger and evil, that changes his mind, that takes revenge, that doesn't want us to do good, but wants us to stand against each other. Pastor Bonhoeffer warned that's not God. God is not a God of emotions. He's a God of truth. And when we look in the scriptures, that truth is very clear, both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament. In the Old Testament, of course, we know, love your neighbor like yourself. We have the Ten Commandments in the New Testament specifically says that Christians are grafted onto the rich olive tree of Israel and to never forget more than the roots need the branches, the branches need the roots. And so we see millions, hundreds of millions of Christians remembering these holy words, these important words, remembering God said, pray for the peace of Jerusalem, that something spiritual forever. And they're standing up in this generation for the first time. It's history threatens to repeat itself. And they're saying, mark, not on my watch.
- [06:49]
A
You know, we folks, we watch movies, we read books, we hear about the great heroes of the past, great heroes now. And these, in many of the cases, yeah, all they're. They're common people, they're average people. They're doing their thing, and they see something that's confronting them and society and so forth, and they decide to. To take a stand where others won't. And history remembers them, and their legacy is remembered, and it's handed down through their family, you know, and. And in many ways, it's not that hard. It's just a matter of doing the right thing when the right thing matters, you know?
- [07:26]
B
Wow. It is beautiful. It reminds me of one of the quotes of Pastor Bonhoeffer. He said, one act of obedience is worth a hundred sermons. That it's time to act, not just to talk. And the Bible doesn't call God's people, us, all of us, to be quiet in the face of evil. We see that Esther risked her life to save her people, and she went down as a hero forever. Daniel stood firm in Babylon. Hero forever. The prophets who spoke truth, even when the people turned away from God, we see that one person, one obedient heart can change the fate of a nation. And when we have people like you, Mark, who are so bold and brave in declaring the truth, even when it's not what's hip, what's cool. What's expected, what's accepted. When you speak truth, people listen. And we see Jews and Christians speaking these words of truth. And even Muslims who have come from this oppression. We have, of course, the son of Hamas, one of the heroes of Israel, who was raised in the household of Hamas terrorists. His father was one of the founders of Hamas. He left it unapologetically to warn the world of what's coming if we don't denounce this darkness. And so people are waking up. And I think that's what it means in the Scriptures when God says, I lay before you. Life and death choose the and together, by standing up against this evil, we're choosing life. And of course, what I'm privileged to do every day is feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, sheltering the poor, placing bomb shelters across Israel for children, bringing food boxes to Holocaust survivors, bringing Jewish people in aliyah, just as Isaiah foretold in Ezekiel, bringing them from places like Ukraine and South America and Arab world countries that I can't even talk about, bringing them to Israel to show the love of Christians, the hope of Christians, the light of Christians.
- [09:36]
This is the answer to the darkness. To pray, to speak out, and to act.
- [09:42]
A
And, you know, just to build on what you said there. The more Christians who go to Israel, the Holy Land, and see the respect that Christian holy sites receive by the Israeli government, the idf, Israeli police, how those sites are protected, how those sites are looked after, which, of course, we know the opposite was true when Jordan and some of the other Arabs had control over, say, Jerusalem and so forth. I have found that when Christians go there and they see these things, their eyes are really wide open. And for many people, they have this spiritual connection with the Holy Land too. Have you experienced that?
- [10:27]
B
It is so inspiring to see Christians walking this land, their spiritual homeland, for the first time. Actually, just last week, there were over 200 Christians who came to Jerusalem for the Christian Media Summit. And of course, we brought one of our mutual shared friends. Ben Ferguson is another great defender of Israel and America and freedom. And to see them going to the Garden of Gethsemane and walking around the Old City and going to Nazareth, going to all these Christian holy sites and seeing, number one, how Israel has the only growing Christian population in the entire Middle East. You see Christians walking everywhere freely and praying and with crosses and at their holy sites and on the streets, you know, in Jewish holy sites at the Western Wall, you'll see Christians praying and worshiping in freedom. To see them both witness the freedom that Christians have in Middle east and to see how these holy sites have been rebuilt and very, very, very preserved. And when I say preserved, I mean from an archaeological standpoint, but also from a security standpoint, because, you know, Hamas and all these terror organizations of the Palestinians.
- [11:45]
They don't not have. They aren't murderers because they don't have a state, but they don't have a state because they're murderers. And not just murderers of people, but murderers of history. We know, for example, in Jerusalem, when Jordan had Jerusalem between 1948 and 1967, that there were relics from the Temple period that were dug out and intentionally destroyed. They dug out tons of garbage trucks worth of dirt from under the Temple Mount that that's where the Holy of Holies and the Temple stood. And it was actually just by luck that they went and dumped it just, you know, on some mountain in Jerusalem. And Jewish archaeologists found it, went through it. And that's how we have a lot of the relics, but we know so much of them were destroyed both from the Jewish period, from the times of Jesus, of course, during the Second Temple, and all of our history, from the Mount of Olives to the Old City of Jerusalem to Nazareth. If Israel wasn't preserving it right now, it would be completely destroyed by those forces that want to pretend like Jews and Christians don't have a foundation on this holy land.
- [13:03]
A
And Israel doesn't have to be pressured to do this. Israel does it because Israel believes it. And in fact, this is why Israel sends its army into Syria to defend Christians and Jews and others. This is why Israel has sent its army throughout the years into Lebanon to try and protect the Christians there when their government was overthrown. And there is this symbiotic relationship that goes back thousands of years, right up to this moment. You're listening to Yael Eckstein, the president and CEO of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. I'm so honored to be associated with these folks. IFCJ.org you can check them out now. I encourage you to do that. IFCJ.org this is our podcast, our joint podcast with Westwood One and IFCJ on the front lines. We'll be right back.
- [14:02]
Folks, we're seeing something truly disturbing. Anti Semitism is on the rise around the world and sadly, right here in America. Jewish schools being targeted, synagogues threatened, families living in fear. It's something we hope we'd never see again in our lifetime. Let me say this, silence is not an option. This is the moment for all of us to stand together. That's why I Want to tell you about the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews or ifcj. They're on the front lines providing real help where it's needed most. They're giving food and shelter to Jewish families under threat, building bomb shelters for children, helping survivors of hate rebuild their lives. And they don't just respond to crises, they work every day to prevent it. To learn more about the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews and their life saving work in Israel and around the world, please go to levin for the fellowship.org that's L E V I N for the fellowship.org.
- [15:04]
Welcome back folks. I'm with Yael Eckstein of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. She's the president and CEO. They work very, very hard on the ground in Israel and Ukraine and wherever it's needed, wherever the help is needed. And they can't get these things done without your full support. This is our partnership podcast on the front lines with Westwood One and IFCJ. Again, check them out. IFCJ.org, iFCJ.org, you know, Yale, here's the thing.
- [15:37]
People need to be raised right. People need to be exposed to morality, exposed to faith that promotes morality. People need to be exposed not just to modern history, but ancient history. And this is the way you have a citizen who is knowledgeable, who can distinguish between good and bad and light and darkness and so forth and so on. My concern be Krishna, what you think my concern is there's not enough of that going on. It's going on. There's just not enough of that going on because we have these counter prevailing efforts to do the opposite. In other words, evil efforts to indoctrinate, to destroy these connections with history, these connections between Christians and Jews and so forth. What is your take on this?
- [16:28]
B
It seems like it's a very intentional strategy of trying to divide us. And for those of us who see behind it, we see through this strategy. It's almost laughable because it seems so ridiculous. Like, are our youth trying to be convinced that.
- [16:52]
Hamas is good for the Palestinians? That's kind of like convincing them that ISIS is good for the Iraqis or that any of these terrorist leaders are good for the countries that they have taken hostage in the name of social justice. They're breaking apart the real social justice. Jews and Christians believe in the sanctity of life. We have stood together in the past 40 years at least through the fellowship, for example, through the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews in Love, in inviting more people to join this fellowship, this bridge, this Unifying force of people who want to start a new reality, build a new future, one that's based on brotherhood, based on this messianic vision of standing together as God's children in truth, in love, in knowing and studying the scriptures. And we've gotten so far, we're living in prophetic times. Just the fact that we're talking about the state of Israel is part of prophecy into fruition. But there are those. I believe it's spiritual warfare, those forces that are spreading the spiritual warfare that want to break this apart because it's holy darkness doesn't like light. And we know from Pharaoh to Haman to Hamas, the names change, but the spirit of hate remains the same. And so what we have to remember now is that God's covenant is forever, his promise is forever. His redemptive plan is already in place. And he's calling on us to recognize this spiritual evil that every generation has faced in its own way that looks different now, but that he's calling us during these very, very, very prophetic times to stand with his word, to not turn our back on him and his scriptures that have been passed down for thousands of years, he's calling on us to call good good and evil, evil to define them both clearly and for people of faith to stand together stronger now than ever before. And so, Mark, when I always believe that the mission of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews was important, of Jews and Christians coming together to. To bring food to Holocaust survivors, to build soup kitchens across Israel, to build bomb shelters at children's schools in Israel, to protect the hospitals that are being hit by rockets. I've always felt like that was important. But now more than ever, as we see a very intentional strategy trying to tear us apart, I think that standing unified right now has more long term ramifications than we can even realize. I believe God is looking, during these days of madness, of spiritual warfare, I am counting one by one, who is standing with me and who is standing against me.
- [20:12]
A
Yeah, that's beautifully put. When we come back, I want to really focus in on this because what you're talking about is, you know, we talk politics all the time on TV and radio and among ourselves, and that's important. But the missing element here is deeper than politics. Politics is sort of the end result of the spiritual. We have to keep in mind and stay laser focused on the spiritual, what's happening to the spiritual, and how we promote the spiritual. So we'll be right back, folks. I'm talking to Yael Eckstein. I am Mark Levin. She's President CEO of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. You can go to ifcj.org and check them out. I hope you will. We'll be right back.
- [21:03]
Folks, we're seeing something truly disturbing. Anti Semitism is on the rise around the world and sadly, right here in America. Jewish schools being targeted, synagogues threatened, families living in fear. It's something we hope we'd never see again in our lifetime. Let me say this, silence is not an option. This is the moment for all of us to stand together. That's why I want to tell you about the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, or ifcj. They're on the front lines providing real help where it's needed most. They're giving food and shelter to Jewish families under threat, building bomb shelters for children, helping survivors of hate rebuild their lives. And they don't just respond to crises, they work every day to prevent it. To learn more about the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews and their life saving work in Israel and around the world, please go to levin for the fellowship.org that's L E V I N for the fellowship.org.
- [22:00]
Welcome back, folks. Yael Eckstein is the president and CEO of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. And I am Mark Levin with Westwood One. And we've developed this partnership, this podcast partnership, which I'm very proud of. It's called on the Front Lines. And we try to bring together people of two faiths, really people of all faiths, to explain what's going on in the Holy Land and beyond. And this fantastic group that's in the middle of all of it, trying to do the things that God would want us to do, International Fellowship of Christians and Jews and to bring us together now more than ever. Because what we are facing today, at least in my lifetime, we've never faced before now. We have faced it as a country, we've faced it as a world before, but it has really crystallized and intensified right now. So the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews is right there in the center of it at the point of the Spirit. And I couldn't be happier that we're working with them. And so I want to ask you this, Yahya, which is this the choice before us, the whole world, the west is under attack, even though I don't think some of the west realizes that as they're being devoured. Israelis understand it, many of us in America understand it. I think Europe is a huge problem. So this is what really determines whether nations survive as free and spiritual and so forth, or if they descend into darkness as they've done in the past. And so the focus needs to be, yes on political, but first and foremost on spiritual, don't you think?
- [23:38]
B
I couldn't agree more. What we're seeing doesn't make sense, Mark. It doesn't make sense. Israel, the only democracy in the entire Middle east, is being called the oppressor. There are over 1.5 million Arabs, Muslims living in Israel. Our total population is 10 million people, around 20 of our population with freedom. And we're being called oppressors when there's 15,000 Jews in the entire Middle East. Israel is a country that develops medical research, agricultural research, desalinization plants that are saving millions of lives around the world every single day. Because Israel stands for life. And I think that we all realize when America and Israel stand together, we are strong because it's spiritual. We stood together recently in strength, but with an arm, reached out for peace. And we got every single one of the living hostages that were held in Hamas captivity for over two years. We got them back. Just a few weeks ago, we got the body back of an American boy who was held and killed by Hamas in the Gaza Strip and was able to have a burial with his family, finally. Why? Because America showed strength. There's a verse. Hashem oz leh moiten hashem yva rehetamo b'. Shalom. The Lord blesses his nation with strength. The Lord blesses his nation with peace. When we stand together, knowing spiritually our values, right from wrong, good from bad, light from darkness, then we're able to show strength in the right ways. We are good to our friends, and we are strong with our enemies. We are bringing in and empowering those that are going to bless our society with the values, and we are setting restriction with those that are not and are going to tear it down. That until we realize that this war we're facing, that our children are facing is not something that's rational, but it's something that's spiritual. I don't think we're going to win. And so the answer is studying our Scriptures, studying the Bible, defining good and bad, right and wrong, and being bold and brave to declare that and taking action to make sure that those values that we treasure, the sanctity of life, that they're not taken from us because it's not a given.
- [26:19]
A
That is beautifully, beautifully put. You know, the thing is, at least in America, most Americans are people of conviction. I think a lot of Americans see what's going on and they're People of conviction. But they say, you know what? I don't really want to be threatened. I don't really want to be spat upon. I don't really want to hear the yelling and so forth and so on. First of all, in most cases, you're not going to confront that. But even in the cases where you do, if people can get away with this and they think they can get away with spreads like a cancer, in other words, you become less safe, your freedoms are diminished, your ability to speak out is diminished, as this begins to, you know, suck in the society, as we've seen in Europe, as we've seen in the Middle east, as we've seen with Christians in Africa and so forth and so on. So it seems to me you not only have a political responsibility, even more a spiritual, a human responsibility, now is the time. Because if it's not us, as Reagan would say, who? And if not now, when? Right?
- [27:25]
B
It is perfectly put. I Remember when after October 7, when there were over 200 people kidnapped from Israel by Hamas terrorists, children under a year old, elderly over 85 years old, 1,200 people murdered, and there were rallies on the street ready the next day for Free Palestine, and they were burning Israeli flags. And very quickly I looked at it and I said, this isn't going to stop with burning Israeli flags. They're going to start burning American flags as well, because the enemy of Israel is the enemy of America. And within, I think a week, wherever you saw these rallies, on the streets of New York, on the streets of dc, on the streets of everywhere, Boston, wherever they were burning an Israeli flag, they were also burning an American flag. And I don't think we have to see more than that. We are looked at as the same. The same infidels, the same bad, the same people who value freedom which they think is evil. We're looked at the same, that we have to stand together in our values and in being outspoken against that before it's too late. We can't say they're going for them and not me. They let us know very clearly they're going for both of us, Israel and America, Jews and Christians. And this is the time, Mark, when I believe nations decide who they are. Are you going to stand together? Are you going to stand unified? Are you going to stand in your values or not? And silence isn't neutrality. Silence is complicity. Because if people of conscience don't act, then history will act. Why? What are you going to tell your grandkids?
- [29:05]
A
And, you know, Americans, I think in some ways uniquely Certainly compared to many in Europe and so forth. We don't sit silently and we shouldn't sit silently. And we've experienced what happened through isolationist movements in the 30s and early 40s when we were attacked and we were unprepared psychologically and militarily. And the result is a greater disaster, a darker cloud hanging over the world. And on top of that, we won in World War II. But nothing is guaranteed. Nothing is guaranteed. So I think you're right. It's so crucially important for we at home here in the United States to be thinking these things through, to challenge those who we know are wrong, to challenge those who are. Who are trying to destroy our country, our belief system, trying to replace it, trying to destroy our freedom and our Constitution, trying to replace it. I know it's daunting and complex, but speech is the answer, and communicating with one another is the answer. Otherwise, we're going to lose it all. And we've seen societies that lose it all. To me, it's that it's not simple, but.
- [30:21]
The truth of it is that simple. Does that make sense?
- [30:24]
B
To me, it makes perfect sense. I was most recently in Greece, where the. Where civilization began. And you go to Greece now and it doesn't look like the most advanced country at all. You go to places like Rome and you see what it was. Just because one world power is strong right now doesn't mean that God is going to bless them to keep it. And that's why think this really demands the spiritual warfare, demands a spiritual answer. And I've seen so many spiritual answers, Mark. First of all, of course, in synagogues around the world and in America, we pray for the government of America. We pray for the people of America, we pray for America's strength and vision and direction. But I've seen millions of Christians go out from the DC Mall to thousands of churches across America praying for wisdom, praying for truth. I've seen pastors who stand up and preach. God doesn't change his mind when he says, pray for the peace of Jerusalem. It's not a political statement. And he didn't change his mind. There are brave people who are speaking out and saying, not on my watch. Because what happens to the future of America, what happens to the future of Europe, what happens to the future of the West? Right now is not just a political decision, it's a spiritual one. And faith isn't just what we believe, but it's what we build, what we defend, what we pass on. And so I can tell you here in Israel, when I go out to hospitals or to visit elderly Holocaust survivors or to go and help orphans. And I say, this is made possible by many millions of Christians in America who are praying for Israel and feeding into Israel and taking a part in this miracle of Israel to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, shelter the poor. Their eyes go wide open, Mark, and they say, there are millions of Christians in America who love us. And I say, yes, they have not turned their back on Israel. They have not turned their back on God. And. And that message needs to be heard in every corner of the earth. I was with a woman from Nigeria last week. I was with a man from Germany last week. I was with another woman from South America. In every corner of the earth, just as the Jewish people are scattered, you have Christians who read the scripture and see God bringing it to life in front of our eyes. They're praying for this unity of Christians and Jews, and they're taking bold, concrete steps to make sure that this partnership, this historic unity between Christians and Jews, that it only gets stronger and isn't torn apart. Because we know if we don't preserve it, if we don't protect it, if we don't invest in it, if we don't grow it, then we'll go back to where we were just 80 years ago when 80% of Nazis identified as Christians and the world stayed silent.
- [33:36]
A
Well, I want to thank you for everything you and your group does, and I hope you'll give them our best here on this program. We talk about you and them often. The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. Folks, please check them out@ifcj.org it is really a blessing what they're doing, and any little bit that we can do to help them makes a big difference. And they are, I think they are one of the most effective, if not the most effective group on the ground in the Middle east and elsewhere, helping people who need help desperately. So, you know, you got a lot of organizations out there that push out white papers and so forth. That's not them. They push out food and shelter and clothing and try and protect so many people with these various bomb shelters and so forth. So it's a wonderful organization led by as you. You hear wonderful young lady whose father founded this organization, took it from an idea and made it a reality. You know, we Americans believe in that sort of thing very, very much. Again, it's IFCJ.org and this is on the front lines, our joint podcast with Westwood One and ifcj. Yeah. Al Eckstein, God bless you, my friend. Give everybody our best and be safe.
- [34:51]
B
Thank you so much, Mark. God bless you. Thank you for listening, everyone.
- [34:55]
A
See you next time. God bless.
- [34:59]
To learn more about the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, visit IFCJ.org.
- [35:10]
Folks, we're seeing something truly disturbing. Antisemitism is on the rise around the world and sadly, right here in America. Jewish schools being targeted, synagogues threatened, families living in fear. It's something we hope we'd never see again in our lifetime. Let me say this, silence is not an option. This is the moment for all of us to stand together. That's why I want to tell you about the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews or ifcj. They're on the front lines providing real help where it's needed most. They're giving food and shelter to Jewish families under threat, building bomb shelters for children, helping survivors of hate rebuild their lives. And they don't just respond to crises, they work every day to prevent it. To learn more about the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews and their life saving work in Israel and around the world, please go to levin for the fellowship.org that's L E V I N for the fellowship.org.