ENHANCE - 4th Quarter 2023

4 th Quarter 2023 • No 217
Christian Friends of Israel
United Kingdom
The shepherd
of my people Israel
Matthew 2:6
INSIDE: EDITORIAL – King and Priest - an Indestructible Life • Ray Sanders • HEBREW WORD FOCUS – Bayit • NewWine UNITED Report
Annual Conference Report • Festivals Report • Hebraic Insight – Knowledge of God • Jean Norris • UK Profile • Israel Profile • RESOURCES

Editorial
Christian Friends of Israel
United Kingdom
King and Priest –
an indestructible life
About us
CFI UK seeks to bless Israel through
practical and moral support, and serve
the Church in teaching about God’s
purposes for Israel and the Hebrew
heritage of our faith.
CFI UK also produce a monthly prayer
letter, a weekly audio Middle East report
and distribute Haverim teaching.
Please contact us for full details of
projects in Israel and the teaching
resources available.
As an educational charity, we carry a
variety of resources relevant to our
purpose. We do not necessarily endorse
every view expressed by our guest
writers or authors.
Encouraging understanding in the
Church of Israel in context of the
Bible, history and today.
Challenging prejudice against Israel
and antisemitism alongside the Jewish
community in the UK.
Assisting cross-culturally in Israel
with charitable projects - medical,
educational and social.
What’s in a name?
ENHANCE means to increase, or further
improve the quality, value, or extent
of, in our instance, Christian friendship
of Israel. It also emphasises that when
God’s faithfulness to Israel is included and
understood by the wider Church, it truly is
‘faith enhancing.’
ENHANCE Magazine
Published by:
CFI Charitable Trust, PO Box 2687
Eastbourne BN22 7LZ
Tel: 01323 410 810
Email: info@cfi.org.uk
www.cfi.org.uk
Registered Charity, No. 1101899
Registered Office c/o
Caladine, Chantry House, 22 Upperton Road
Eastbourne, BN21 1BF
Company No: 04984515
VAT Registration No: GB678780275
Front cover photo:
Shepherd and sheep by Tutye
Jacob Vince
There are many biblical
references to the tribe of
Judah confirming Jesus’
kingly line as Son of David.
However there are just two verses
in the first three parts of the Bible
where an alternative priestly status
to that of Levi is mentioned - one
in the Law (see Genesis 14), and
one in the Psalms (see Psalm 110).
Indeed, there is only one single
place in the Apostles’ teaching that
mentions such an alternative, the
letter to the Hebrews.
In the first book of the Law,
Melchizedek appears, in keeping
with his name, as king and
priest of Salem, later named
Jerusalem. It is a significant
meeting, coming after Abraham
has rescued his nephew Lot
from capture. Melchizedek
brings Abraham bread and
wine, and Abraham gives him a
tenth of everything (see Genesis
14:18-20). Melchizedek is not
mentioned again until Psalm
110. Significantly, this is a
psalm attributed to David, albeit
outside of the first two books
of psalms where most are to be
found. Psalm 110 is viewed as a
messianic psalm and is formed
of two halves, the first relating to
a king, the second to a priest. In
the order of the Psalms, it comes
in the third book, part of a trio of
psalms attributed to David, Psalms
108-110, before the Passover Psalms
113-118, the Law Psalm 119 and the
Ascent Psalms 120-134.
Significantly, Psalm 110 is the most
quoted psalm in the Apostles’
teaching, with the first half quoted
by Jesus - recorded by the three
synoptic gospels (see Matthew
22:44, Mark 12:36; Luke 20:42),
by Peter in his first sermon (see
Acts 2:34) and the writer to the
Hebrews (see Hebrews 1:13),
‘The Lord says to my Lord; “Sit at my
right hand until I make your enemies a
footstool for your feet.” (Psalm 110:1)
The second part of Psalm 110,
about Melchizedek, is not
mentioned at all by Jesus or his
apostles, but only by the writer of
the letter to the Hebrews, where
Melchizedek is mentioned a
staggering nine times.
Concerning the character of
Melchizedek the author writes,
“Without father or mother, without
genealogy, without beginning of days
or end of life, like the Son of God, he
remains a priest forever.”
(Hebrews 7:3)
Given how much credence is given
throughout the Bible to Jesus’
genealogy, how is it possible
for Jesus to qualify as a priest,
previously understood as coming
solely from the tribe of Levi? Well,
here we discover there are two
orders of priesthood, with one
superior to the other,
If perfection could have been attained
through the Levitical priesthood (for
on the basis of it the law was given to
the people), why was there a need for
another priest to come – one in the
order of Melchizedek, not in the order
of Aaron? (Hebrews 7:11)
Just how does Jesus qualify for this
order of priesthood since,
It is clear that our Lord descended
from Judah, and in regard to that tribe
Moses says nothing about priests.
(Hebrews 7:14)
The only basis possible, an
indestructible life!
And what we have said is even more
clear if another priest like Melchizedek
appears, one who has become a priest
not on the basis of a regulation as to
his ancestry but on the basis of ‘an
indestructible life’. For it is declared:
“You are a priest for ever, in the order
of Melchizedek.” (Hebrews 7:15-17
ref Psalm 110:4)
2 ENHANCE • 4 th Quarter 2023

Memorial
To the Lord be the glory
Ray Sanders 1946–2023
Christian Friends of Israel
Jerusalem
Before the Lord called him to Israel, Ray
was a successful dairy farmer in the USA,
having a degree in Agricultural and Dairy
Science from the University of Ames, Iowa.
Yet at the height of their careers, with a beautiful home
on the lake in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, God spoke
powerfully to both Ray and Sharon to give it all up, to
step out of their comfort zone.
They went to Christ For The Nations Bible College in
Dallas, Texas, and prepared to move to Israel to serve
the one true God, building his kingdom on earth.
Christian Friends of Israel began with a meeting of
a few Christian leaders in Jerusalem in December
1985. Coming from the UK, USA, France and Israel,
they were aware of an urgent need to set up a
framework in which they could serve the Church and
bless Israel as true friends. Out of several proposed
names, “Christian Friends of Israel” was chosen as
it expressed exactly how they believed Christians
should relate to the Jewish people, both in view of the
Church’s past history and all that God was leading
Israel through.
With the particular help of Lance Lambert and David
Bivin, the principles and aims of CFI were developed
word by word, and these Foundation Principles stand
unchanged today. Derek White became founder and
Prayers for Ray and Sharon Sanders at the 2007 CFI UK Conference
director of CFI UK; whilst in Israel, Ray and Sharon
Sanders were asked to run the CFI Jerusalem office,
becoming its directors. Without doubt we owe a great
deal to those who heard clearly from the Lord and
have served God faithfully throughout these years.
Ray and Sharon worked for the Lord together over the
whole period from 1985. They assisted huge numbers
of Russian immigrants when the Russian Jews
returned to Israel. They visited and helped thousands
of Holocaust survivors in over 50 cities in Israel. They
aided victims of terror attacks and communities that
came under attack during fires and conflict. Recently
they developed a start-up program to enable Ethiopian
Jews learn a trade and earn a living. There is so much
more, but these are some of the main activities in
which Ray was involved.
Ray Sanders working in the Jerusalem Office
In 2015, Ray wrote in the editorial of the 2 nd Quarter
For Zion’s Sake magazine,
“Transitions are never easy, but the vision of the
original founders becomes more obtainable when
you know well the people who are transitioning
into your position. I am now retiring, but the fond
memories of the last thirty years will always remain
close to my heart.”
Throughout all of this, Sharon has also served CFI
wholeheartedly. Ray and Sharon have been devoted
to each other too. They stood together solidly over
the decades, and ‘til now Sharon has sat beside Ray
for weeks and weeks, indeed months. Ray battled
with Parkinsons and other health issues over many
years, but more recently he had a real struggle each
day. Both were strengthened and supported knowing
hundreds of supporters prayed for them. Ray was a
man of great character and faith, humble and diligent
in all his years of ministry, loving and serving the
Jewish people, so many of whom held him in high
esteem.
Now, Ray Sanders has gained promotion. In many
ways, this week of Sukkot (Tabernacles) was an
appropriate time for Ray to make the “transition” from
being a faithful servant in building God’s kingdom
here on earth, to entering God’s glory in heaven. After
all, he will surely now be fully tabernacling with the
Lord. What’s more, he will have heard what we all
hope to hear one day, the Lord saying, “Well done, my
good and faithful servant.”
4 th Quarter 2023 • ENHANCE 3

HEBREW WORD FOCUS
Melissa Briggs MA
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Melissa is an experienced Hebrew
teacher with a desire to make the
rich language of the Scriptures
accessible to Christians.
Visit: www.explorehebrew.co.uk
Belonging
at home
‏ָּבַ‏ יִ‏ ת
Bayit / House
“…Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his
people, and God himself will be with them as their God.” (Revelation 21:3)
We are in the process of re-opening our
home, after a move, as a foster home.
This has me reflecting upon the value
and purpose of “home”.
Why is home so connected to our identity? What does
“home” mean? How can we offer “home” to others in
a meaningful way?
Having a “home” is so much more than the four walls
of a physical house. Foster care is about offering
practical hospitality, but more importantly, making
children ‘feel’ welcome and safe – inviting them to
‘feel’ at home in a house. Home should be where we
know we are valued, loved, respected, accepted and
secure.
The Hebrew word for house or home is bayit, or bet
/ beit for short. Bayit can refer to a literal house, but
often it means more than that. From the Psalms, “God
settles the solitary in a home (bayit)…”
(Psalm 68:6). Most translations say
“in a family”, because bayit can also
refer to the household unit. Our goal
in foster care is to make our house and
family available to a child who needs
them.
Bayit comes from the root verb banah
meaning‏ָּבָ‏ “to build”. It is also related to the נָ‏ ה
word for “son/offspring/descendant” – ‏ֵּבֵ‏ ן ben and
“daughter” - ‏ַּבַ‏ ת bat.
This connection between “building” and “house” is
so well exemplified in the Psalms, “Unless the Lord
BUILDS (banahs) the HOUSE (bayit) those who toil
BUILD (bahah) in vain/emptiness.” (Psalm 127:1).
Why was it so significant for Abraham to leave his
father’s household to go build a new bayit? (see Genesis
12:1). God used Abraham to build a new kind of
spiritual family – the ‘household’ of faith – into which
we are grafted as children of God (see Galatians 3:6-9,
6:10 and Romans 11:9-10).
The word bayit can also have the meaning of
“container”, so bayit represents protection “inside” or
“within” a building or family unit. The first use of the
word bayit is in Genesis, “So make yourself an ark …make
rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside (bayit) and out.”
(Genesis 6:14). The same word is again used when
Noah’s entire household (bayit) is invited into the ark
(see Genesis 7:1).
A whole book could be written about this important,
4 ENHANCE • 4 th Quarter 2023
Unless the
Lord builds
the house...
multi-layered biblical message of “bayit”. Our Father
God is the head of his bayit. The Temple is described
as God’s bayit, but his ultimate goal was to live
‘with’ us. His bayit provides family, community
and relationship. Often, we read a whole household
(bayit) turns towards or away from the Lord, “As for
me and my bayit, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15).
In one important sense, the body of Messiah is the
household of God. There his sons and daughters
should be built up (by the Lord and by one another)
and reflect the Father’s love. We all have choices about
how and where to “build our house”. Choices about
family, values, priorities. “Everyone who hears these
words of mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise
man who built his bayit on the rock.” (Matthew 7:24).
Will we rely on God’s strength and protection, with
him as our foundation and covering, or will our
ambition and selfishness lead us to pursue other,
lesser things? “By wisdom a bayit is
built (banah), and by understanding it
is established; by knowledge the rooms
are filled with all precious and pleasant
riches.” (Proverbs 24:3-4)
Home is about belonging in
relationship to others and feeling
protected – about ‘belonging inside’.
We see God’s heart for this expressed in the prodigal
son parable – the forgiving Father welcoming home a
beloved son. The Lord himself desires to be our bayit
– with us in this broken world – but then us with him
forever in eternity.
Even if we currently reside in a beautiful house with a
loving family, there is still an uncomfortable reality of
sin and decay at work in this life. The human longing
to belong – and the deep sense that this earth (with all
its death and disease) is not our forever home—point
us to our true bayit as we await the New Heaven and
the New Earth (see John 14:1-5 and 2 Corinthians 5:8).
Maybe our question was never just “Where is our
home?”, but also “Who is our home?” In the finished
work of the Messiah, we can know that we are adopted
into his bayit and now hidden with him in God.
“Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching.
My Father will love them, and we will come to them and
make our home (bayit) with them.” (John 14:23)
MELISSA’S NEW VIDEO COURSE FOR BEGINNERS IS NOW
AVAILABLE! If you are interested in learning Biblical or Modern
Hebrew, please contact Melissa for more details at:
www.explorehebrew.co.uk

Festival Report
New Wine 2023
26-30 July & 1-5 August 2023 Kent Event Centre, Maidstone
At the end of July we exhibited our CFI UK Resources stall at the New Wine United Festival in Kent, Week One attended by
Jacob Vince, Chantal Paskins and Robin Lane. We had good interactions, especially with young adults, church ministers-intraining
and existing supporters.
Week Two of New Wine United, at the start of August, also went well despite varying weather and footfall. Stephen Turnham
took the place of Chantal and joined with Jacob and Robin. When the weather was fine, we had more interest and good
conversations. On both weeks we were able to take a slot on New Wine FM radio to help spread the word. Although New
Wine Week Two was quieter than Week One, there were good conversations with several younger enquirers, and existing
supporters were very appreciative of our presence. It is important that Israel is seen visibly by the Church and not find itself
airbrushed out of the conversation, as can so easily happen. Whilst Israel isn’t the only feature of God’s unfolding purposes, it
is definitely a significant part. Our friend Simon Ponsonby gave a good seminar talk in which he mentioned the importance of
Israel today. The general atmosphere was upbeat and friendly despite the weather conditions.
4 th Quarter 2023 • ENHANCE 5

Event Report
CFI UK Annual Conference 2023
Israel in view of G
Chris Mitchell
Middle East reporter and
correspondent for CBN
Andrew and Liz Day leading the singing
Our recent Annual
Conference, on Friday
15 th and Saturday 16 th
September, was a blessing and
encouragement to supporters
and staff alike.
It was unique and refreshing. Many
were blessed by the ‘platform’ of
worship and praise that began
the Friday evening and Saturday
sessions, led by long-term
supporters Andrew and Liz Day
from the Isle of Wight. Our theme
for the conference was ‘Israel in
view of Gods faithfulness’. We
give thanks for our speakers, who
shed light on their subject matter
with insight, personal reflection
and unique perspective and we are
grateful for so many supporters
gathering in Eastbourne.
The conference took place in the
season of Rosh Hashanah and we
began with rousing blasts of the
shofar from David Soakell. We were
generously hosted again by Rob and
Julie Smillie and Suncoast Church.
They worked hard and looked after
us so well, we really appreciated
Reporting with CBN in Morocco earthquake area
our time with them. But they also
commented on how much they
enjoy our conferences.
Chris Mitchell of CBN’s Middle
East Bureau flew in from Morocco,
having been asked at short notice
to report on the catastrophic
earthquake there. He shared some
footage of the devastation and
testimonies he had witnessed, before
covering his main theme for the
first session, ‘Israel as custodian’.
Time and time again, remarkable
archaeological discoveries are
showing the historic accuracy of the
Bible. A recent film clip of Chris in
Shiloh showed what was likely to be
the early Holy of Holies discovered
by a team working with archeologist
Dr Scott Stripling, a born-again
believer. There was also recent
film footage of the Pool of Siloam
in Jerusalem, where excavations
continue to reveal ancient treasures.
Chris quoted another journalist as
saying, “Jerusalem is shaking the
dust off itself”.
In his second session, Chris
mentioned the causes of concern
in Israeli society at the time, with
6 ENHANCE • 4 th Quarter 2023

od’s faithfulness
Dorit Oliver-Wolff
BEM
Dorit spoke boldly about her story
protests over judicial reform,
where polarised views are affecting
families, communities and mindsets.
He also spoke of mounting tensions
on Israel’s borders, other external
threats, and evidence that shows Iran
developing nuclear weapons and
enriching crucial components. But
there was also Chris’ sense of God’s
unfailing love for the Jewish people,
whether currently ultra-orthodox,
secular, or believers in Messiah, and
for the ancient and modern city of
Jerusalem. He shared the need to
pray for those who are not strong
in their faith to have a revelation of
their connection with the land and
it’s biblical setting.
Our second speaker, Holocaust
survivor Dorit Oliver-Wolff, shared
her story of childhood as a Jew
fleeing Yugoslavia and Hungary
with her mother hiding in plain sight
as a Red Cross nurse, both wearing
Christian crosses. It seemed as if
Dorit has had several lives: refugee,
childhood dancer, entertainer, pop
star, speaker, and educator. She
was clearly passionate about telling
her story so that the horrors of the
Holocaust should never happen
again and getting that message to
young adults around the UK so
antisemitism can be rooted out.
Both Dorit and Chris brought
heartfelt, vulnerable and telling
stories that touched many hearts
and encouraged us all to continue
our stand with Israel, being united
and diligent in prayer for Dorit, the
land, the people and Israel.
In the afternoon CFI staff presented
updates on the events we have been
able to host and attend, including
the many Christian festivals and
conferences. We also described the
increase we have seen in attendance
at prayer events, CFI’s advocacy
work and social media.
Through the whole time there
was a sense of purpose, unity
and fellowship with supporters
old and new. The quality of
teaching, fellowship, worship and
encouraging words made this a
poignant and worthwhile event. It
will stay in our memories as one of
the best CFI UK conferences.
See Resources on back page for ordering
conference talks in CD / DVD / MP4 formats
Your Conference Feedback
Just to say thank you to you and to all the
team for your hard work putting on the
conference last weekend. As first-time
visitors, we found it very welcoming,
helpful and encouraging.
God bless you all.
Surrey
I thought this year’s CFI conference was
excellent. It was great to hear from Chris
Mitchell and I enjoyed hearing Dorit’s
story again! Thanks for all your hard work
and the work of the team which made the
conference a great success! Staffordshire
Thanks for a superb time at the CFI
conference. It was so helpful and
informative, and I returned rejoicing
that I’d met with and heard from
the God of Israel!
Hampshire
A wonderful day indeed – and really
blessed of God.
West Sussex
CFI UK Resources stall hosted by Julia Soakell
x.com/cfi_uk
facebook.com/cfiuk
youtube.com/cfiuk
4 th Quarter 2023 • ENHANCE 7

Festival Reports
Refuelling and awakening in 2023
Fochabers Village, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, IV32 7PQ
Philip Aitchison and
David Soakell took a CFI
UK Resources Stall to
Aberdeenshire in July for the
Refuel Festival. Refuel was
birthed in 2017 in response to
a prayerful calling to gather
Christians together in one
place and to demonstrate the
unity prayed for by Jesus,
“That they may demonstrate
such perfect unity that the world
will know that Jesus was sent by
God” (John 17:23).
Since then, Christians from
all over the UK and abroad
have come together to enjoy
an all-age family festival
in the stunning grounds of
Gordon Castle Estate, on the
banks of the River Spey, in
Fochabers, Scotland.
With worship leaders and
guest speakers coming from
across the globe, Refuel
welcomed families, churches,
youth groups, home
groups, campers, glampers,
motorhomes, caravaners for
a weeklong holiday, fun,
inspiration and encounter
with Jesus and his people.
We had one full day of very
hot sunshine, but every other
day was wet, and at times
torrential rain! However,
despite this, our small gazebo
attracted a lot of visitors
and David spoke over three
or four hours throughout
our time there to various
groups on the significance
of the Tabernacle, the Prayer
Shawl, CFI projects and other
ministry areas of CFI UK,
with a great response.
Our time at Awaken, at the
Lincolnshire Showground
over the August Bank
Holiday weekend was
blessed. There were some
good engagements and
on the Sunday we had
several long and detailed
conversations with fellow
Christians impacted by
concerns in several key
areas. Jacob Vince, Julia
Soakell and Philip each
found themselves having
opportunities to listen and
encourage visitors to the CFI
UK Resources Stall, some
of whom were already CFI
supporters. We felt the Lord
really led each of these times
in a different way each day.
The time was well spent as
the three staff members were
able to share their heart for
Israel and CFI with a variety
of people, from a wide range
of backgrounds. Useful and
impactful conversations
also took place with key
people in other ministries
and the Awaken volunteers.
We look forward to seeing
how this networking brings
greater fruit for them and
the ministry of CFI UK.
The reality of the situation
we now see within the UK
church means that many
are ‘weary’, but we can
pray alongside them for the
Church and for Israel, in
the complexities we all see
today. Our free literature,
designed particularly
for these occasions at
Christian festivals, can really
bring simple and lasting
insights. We also know
from speaking to attendees,
especially at Awaken, that
the impact of our Kesher
course continues, as do
books, video and teaching
resources purchased at these
events, and we give thanks
that there is clearly deep and
lasting fruit.
8 ENHANCE • 4 th Quarter 2023

Hebraic Insight
Da’at Elohim
Knowledge of God
“For I delight in loyalty rather than sacrifice, and in the
knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings” Hosea 6:6
When English speakers use the verb “to know,”
we think of our mental grasp of facts. In
Hebrew, however, the word yadah, “to know,”
is much broader in scope and will enrich our
understanding of the Scriptures.
Rather than just knowing information, the Hebrew idea of yadah
stresses knowing from experience and relationship and acting
on that knowledge. When used in terms of knowing people, it
can mean caring for someone, even being intimate sexually. For
instance, the English Standard Version reads,
Now Adam knew (yadah) Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore
Cain (Genesis 4:1).
This idea is especially important when we learn about the biblical
concept called the “knowledge of God” (da’at elohim). We as
Westerners may think this means to prove God’s existence
and establish a theological model to explain God’s nature. But
the Hebrew view is that “knowledge of God” is having a life in
relationship with him. We can see this way of thinking when
we compare Christian translations of the Bible with a Jewish
translation. The New International Version has,
The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him — the Spirit of wisdom and
of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of
knowledge and of the fear of the Lord (Isaiah 11:2).
But the Tanakh by the Jewish Publication Society reads,
The spirit of the Lord shall alight upon him: a spirit of wisdom
and insight, a spirit of counsel and valour, a spirit of devotion and
reverence for the Lord (Isaiah 11:2 JPS).
Hebraically, knowledge is not just knowing who someone is, it is
devotion to them as well. Jews see knowledge of God as intimacy
with God, knowing him as a son does his father, and as a wife does
her husband. We should think of that when we share our faith. Are
we trying to fill people’s minds with facts, or are we bringing people
to know the Lord personally? How well do we know him ourselves?
At the ministry of En-Gedi, we have struggled with how to
communicate that our ministry is not just educational, but also
devotional in nature; that we want to bring people closer to the
Lord by understanding the Bible in its context. A verse we have
been given is, “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the
Lord, as the waters cover the sea” (Isaiah 11:9 NIV; see also Habakkuk
2:14). When we read it in a Jewish translation, we finally grasped the
greater meaning of the verse. It says that the earth “shall be filled
with devotion to the Lord as water covers the sea” (Isaiah 11:9, JPS).
© Lois A. Tverberg, Listening to the Language of the Bible (En-Gedi Resource Center:
Holland MI, USA, 2004.) Visit https://EnGediResourceCenter.com for articles and
information about Lois’ books and speaking.
Memorial
Jean Norris (1925–2023)
By Julia Soakell
We value our all our supporters but find every
now and again we meet one who challenges
us and makes a lasting impression. Jean
Norris was one of these.
Over 95 when I first met her online and started corresponding with
her, I found her to be an astute, straight forward, godly lady of
great wisdom and biblical knowledge. Yet she hadn’t understood
about Israel until the age of 70. By this time she had lived a full life
in the heart of Norwich, close to her natural family and beloved
church family.
Jean was 98 when she died in July 2023 and the sermon at her
thanksgiving service was read by a mutual friend, Gail Halley, who
also loves Israel. Gail says the service of thanksgiving on
4 th September, was “absolutely packed” and a real celebration
of Jean’s life. Much of the service was to her own instructions.
Jean attended the CFI UK
online prayer conference
during the Covid period and
was then asked if she would like
to join us for other online prayer
events too. So she became a muchloved
member of the CFI UK In-Sight online prayer group.
Jean had many adventures, too many to tell, but once in her
later years she travelled to Iran for ‘prayer assignments’ with the
late Esther Lever. She was an incredible, courageous lady and
I remember, when visiting her, having a real sense of the Holy
Spirit’s leading. She was never shy in telling me off!
Loyal, faithful supporters strengthen us at CFI with their love and
prayers, but it’s the encouragement, guidance, and indomitable
spirit which many of us remember, that stands out in memories of
this lovely, energetic and godly lady.
4 th Quarter 2023 • ENHANCE 9

UK Profile
The UK’s strong relationship
with Israel
Robin Lane
Reichman University
in Israel has an
International Institute
for Counter Terrorism (ICT)
which holds conferences
that are said to be the largest
events in the field of counter
terrorism and among the most
influential.
These conferences serve as a
platform for the formation of
international cooperation and
provide an important opportunity
for experts from a diverse set of
disciplines to establish professional
relationships.
Conference room at the Reichman University
Held in Herzliya, just north of
Tel Aviv, this year’s summit
was attended by more than 500
delegates and heard from more
than 130 speakers, one of whom
was the UK’s Foreign Secretary,
James Cleverly. On Tuesday
12 th September, he spoke about
the impact of the September 11 th
The Rt Hon James Cleverly MP
attacks on the United States of
America in 2001 which killed
nearly 3,000 people. Its impact was
so strong that many of us, in many
different countries, can remember
exactly where we were when
we heard the news and saw the
images of the Twin Towers of the
World Trade Centre on fire.
That attack has become symbolic
of the savagery of the modern
era of terrorism and prompted
a major increase of international
cooperation to combat the threat
– a threat that was reinforced
by the attacks in London on 7 th
July 2005, which killed another
52 people. James acknowledged
that the Israelis are no strangers
to the impact of terrorist attacks,
referring to the recent example of
the murders of Lucy, Maya and
Rina Dee, who were British Israeli
citizens and thus united the UK
and Israel in grief.
In light of these terrorist atrocities,
the UK’s Foreign Secretary stated
that he was, “delighted, genuinely
delighted … to celebrate and
publicise, and shout about, the
strong bilateral relationship that
the UK has with Israel.” He
highlighted a key reason for that
relationship as the two countries’
shared stand against the extreme
ideology of terrorists who, “all
insist that their political goals
matter more than the lives of their
innocent victims. They … insist
that their anger justifies the spilling
of other people’s blood.”
He noted that, by acting together,
Israel, the UK and other allies
have been able to reduce the threat
of terrorism and save countless
lives. But terrorist networks are
now more fragmented, with most
organised terrorist groups focusing
their efforts on whipping-up
anger and grooming others to act
on their behalf. Thus, speaking
about the meeting he had planned
with the Palestinian Authority
for the following day, James said
he would, “make it clear that
rather than spreading disgusting
antisemitic tropes and outrageous
distortions of history, they should
be clear in their denouncement of
violence. They should be clear that
there is no acceptance for brutality
and terrorism. They should be
clear there is no excuse to target
Israelis, particularly Israeli
civilians.”
James went on to say that it is
not just terrorist groups who
choose violence against Israel,
noting that the Iranian regime
has publicly and regularly called
for the destruction of the state of
Israel – something the UK would
never countenance. The Iranian
regime transfers weapons around
the region, funds terrorist groups
and refuses to take responsibility
for its complicity in the attacks
conducted by those groups. He
stated unequivocally that the
UK is under no illusion about
Iran’s malign role and, just as the
strategic partnership with Israel
means working together to stop
terrorist groups, so too it must
counter Iran’s destabilising actions
in the Middle East.
10 ENHANCE • 4 th Quarter 2023

Israel Profile
Israel suffers major terrorist assault
On Saturday 7 th October, Israel suffered
a major assault by Hamas terrorists. It
started at around 6:30am with a barrage
of some 2,000 rockets.
This overwhelmed the Iron Dome defence system
and resulted in direct hits on a number of Israeli
communities, causing casualties as well as damage.
Following that barrage of rockets, hundreds of
terrorists breached Israel’s border defences by land,
sea and air, in as many as 29 different places, including
the Kerem Shalom and Eretz crossings. They quickly
spread out across southern Israel and started attacking
civilians in their homes in places like Sderot, Ashkelon
and reaching as far as Ofakim, which is 22 miles from
the Gaza border. They even captured the IDF’s Re’im
military base, home to its Gaza Division.
This attack came as a complete surprise, catching
the Israelis off guard, with no warning from their
intelligence services and inadequate manning of
defences on the Gaza border. It took place on a special
sabbath that was one of Israel’s holy days – Simchat
Torah (The Joy of the Torah). In this it was reminiscent
of what happened 50 years earlier in the Yom Kippur
War, when the Israelis were caught off guard by the
Egyptian and Syrian armies. By the end of Sunday
8 th October this year, known Israeli casualties had
exceeded 600, with more than 2,000 wounded and
around 130 hostages taken into the Gaza Strip.
Late on the Saturday morning, Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to Israelis through a
television broadcast saying, “Citizens of Israel, we are
at war, not in an operation but at war. This morning,
Hamas launched a murderous surprise attack against
the State of Israel and its citizens … We are at war, and
we will win it.” He also convened a meeting of Israel’s
Security Cabinet for the early afternoon and ordered a
massive call-up of IDF reservists.
Palestinians celebrated around the world, even
organising parades to express their joy at what they
described as a major victory. In contrast, Israelis
Rocket fired from the Gaza Strip hits southern Israeli city of Ashkelon
Kedem family: Tamar, Jonathan, Shahar, Arbel, Omer killed in Kibbutz Nir Oz
were deeply shocked and traumatised, with all large
gatherings forbidden and many people instructed to
stay locked in their homes. Internationally, millions
of people in many countries were appalled at the
merciless brutality of the terrorists, revealed by many
videos posted on social media.
One of the worst scenes came from the site of the
Supernova music festival, where 3,000 young people
had gathered in the desert in southern Israel. One
emergency medic who was called to the festival said
he had never seen anything like it, “It was a planned
ambush. As people came out of the emergency exits,
squads of terrorists were waiting for them there and
just started picking them off.” By Sunday evening 260
bodies had been recovered from the scene.
The Israeli Air Force went into action during Saturday
afternoon, striking a variety of Hamas targets in the
Gaza Strip, including the “Palestine Tower” in Gaza
City – a known Hamas base – which was destroyed
after a warning had been given for civilians to clear
the area. The IDF were engaged in operations in as
many as 22 border communities, going house to house
to clear out terrorists. Some of those operations, such
as those in Ofakim and Beeri, were complicated by the
presence of Israeli hostages.
It wasn’t until the morning of Monday 9 th October that
the IDF declared it had regained control of the border
towns. And even then, residents of Sderot, Kibbutz
Nirim and Kibbutz Alumim were instructed to stay
locked in their homes because of small numbers of
terrorists still in the country. Later that day, Israeli
defence minister Yoav Gallant ordered a complete
blockade of the Gaza Strip, stopping supplies of food,
water and electricity. The United Nations said that
more than 120,000 Gazans had been displaced from
their homes, many seeking limited shelter in schools.
The world waited to see the full extent of Israel’s
response.
4 th Quarter 2023 • ENHANCE 11

Resources www.cfi.org.uk/shop.php
CFI UK ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2023
RECORDED LIVE AT CFI UK 2023 ANNUAL CONFERENCE, EASTBOURNE.
Session 1. Israel as Custodian (Chris Mitchell)
Session 2. Israel and the Region (Chris Mitchell)
Session 3. From Yellow Star To Pop Star (Dorit Oliver-Wolff)
Session 4. Israel’s Technology – Helping the World (Chris Mitchell)
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FROM YELLOW STAR TO POP STAR – (REPRINT) – DORIT OLIVER-WOLFF BEM
When Dorit Oliver was just four years old she sang and danced in front of the future king of Yugoslavia.
By the age of six, she was hiding from the German soldiers rounding up and transporting her fellow Jews to
concentration camps around Europe. After the war, stateless and without papers, she joined a dance troupe
in order to be permitted to travel. Tense, moving and inspirational, Dorit’s remarkable story moves the reader
through fear and horror to freedom and joy and shows how the bravery of one little Jewish girl helped her
survive the Holocaust and become a star.
B526 // 290 PAGES // £11.50 (INCL. UK P&P)
JUDGES OF ISRAEL – (GLOSSY FOLD-OUT PAMPHLET) ROSE PUBLISHING
From Deborah and Samson to Samuel and Gideon, see how God called upon these 14 individuals to deliver
Israel from oppression. The Judges of Israel weren’t what anyone would call “conventional” leaders. One had
a violent temper. One was the son of a prostitute. Another a woman in a male-dominated society. What
did they all have in common? God called these courageous, relentless, and passionate seekers of the Lord
to liberate Israel and bring them back into a right relationship with him. Features simple summaries, quickreference
charts, an Old Testament map, timeline and more.
BT131 // 14 PANEL DOUBLE-SIDED // £5.50 (INCL. UK P&P)
COVENANT STEPS – GOD’S BIGGER PICTURE – 2 ND EDITION – JACOB VINCE
This booklet is written to enable a fuller understanding of God’s bigger picture. It looks first at the Bible and
its inspiration as God-breathed and the importance of the whole. It then explores the Jewish bible order
as used by Jesus, before arguing for a four-fold arrangement showing how the whole Bible unfolds as the
revelation of God to the world. Next it considers the importance of the apostles’ eyewitness testimony,
concluding with an overview of the covenants God makes and keeps, as steps resting on those previously
laid. This revised edition includes a unique one-year Bible reading plan in the order set out in this booklet.
BT124 // 38 PAGES // £4.50 (INCL. UK P&P)
THE WALL AND THE WORD – PAUL LUCKRAFT
The full story of Nehemiah features both the wall and the Word. Here we examine each chapter to draw out
the main lessons. We also focus on three key topics. Nehemiah faced a lot of opposition from many enemies.
Why was this, and what can we learn from his experiences? What exactly was this ‘Book of the Law’ and is
this relevant to us now? Why was rediscovering the Feast of Tabernacles so important for them, and what
can this mean for us? Nehemiah is a largely forgotten book, it’s time to study it again as we seek to rebuild
ourselves as a community of believers and strengthen our own lives in God’s service.
B540 // 279 PAGES // £12.50 (INCL. UK P&P)
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