ENHANCE - 2nd Quarter 2023

2 nd Quarter 2023 • No 215
Christian Friends of Israel
United Kingdom
The Lord has promised
good things for Israel
Numbers 10:29
INSIDE: EDITORIAL – Run with Perseverance • Jerusalem Forum • CHARITY FEATURE – Innovation Africa • HEBREW WORD FOCUS – Emunah
Prayer Conference Report • King Charles III Profile • Back to Bagels • Political Crisis in Israel • Spring Harvest Report • RESOURCES

Christian Friends of Israel
United Kingdom
Editorial
Run with
perseverance
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:
Tel Aviv Towers, Israel
Jacob Vince
When reading the books
of the Bible in the
Jewish sequence, we
might notice extra connections.
Take for example the books of
Judges and Samuel (the Book of
Ruth being located with the Psalms).
As the Book of Judges draws to a
close, the last judge focused on is
Samson. In the Book of Samuel, the
next two judges are Eli and Samuel.
So, we see that both Samson and
Samuel are judges. In many ways
they are similar in that they arise
out of barren wombs in answer
to prayer, they are both Nazarite,
neither cutting their hair, and
they both challenge the Philistines
in their day. They are both also
involved in physical warfare with
their enemies, Samson on a much
greater scale, though Samuel, as
a result of King Saul’s failure to
do so, carried out the judgement
on King Agag of the Amalekites.
Later in the Bible, as we come to
the Apostles’ teaching, we find they
both feature amongst those who
exercised faith, towards the end of
a long list found in the Letter to the
Hebrews. Gideon, Barak, Samson
and Jephthah feature from the Book
of Judges. Then the list goes on to
David and Samuel.
Clearly there are also significant
differences between them. Samuel
perhaps better exemplifies the
qualities of a judge; yet struggles
with bringing up his own children,
in a similar way to Eli and indeed
Samson’s parents – who specifically
asked for God’s help in that. Yet,
despite their failings, God uses
them both to further his purposes,
with Samuel anointing David as
Israel’s king, who unites the north
and south of Israel as one nation,
eventually bringing the Ark of the
Covenant to Jerusalem.
Shortly after the list of the judges
and King David, followed by the
prophets in general, we find it said
that they, ‘through faith conquered
kingdoms, administered justice and
gained what was promised’ (Hebrews
11:33) – presumably, at this stage,
the ‘promised land’, as mentioned
earlier where ‘Abraham made his home
… like a stranger in a foreign country;
he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob,
who were heirs of the same promise’
(Hebrews 11:9).
Despite this there remained some
unfinished outworking of the
second part of the two-part covenant
promise made to Abraham, this
time not the promised land, but the
hereditary line, which eventually
continues through to Israel’s
Messiah, and Saviour of the world,
Jesus.
Hence the writer continues, ‘these
were all commended for their faith, yet
none of them received what had been
promised. God had planned something
better for us so that only together
with us would they be made perfect’
(Hebrews 11:39-40).
Notice first, the word ‘together’. But
how can this be that God ‘planned
something better for us so that only
together with us would they be made
perfect’? Most, if not all, despite
being ‘commended for their faith’ in
the ‘hall of faith’, were far from
perfect. But then neither are we.
Even after professing faith in Jesus
as God’s son, we cannot claim to
be without sin, hence provision is
made for its ongoing confession (see
1 John 1:8-9).
The next chapter begins, ‘Therefore,
since we are surrounded by such a
great cloud of witnesses’ (Hebrews
12:1), with ‘therefore’, there for a
reason. Here we find an analogy of
2 ENHANCE • 2 nd Quarter 2023
facebook.com/cfiuk twitter.com/cfi_uk youtube.com/cfiuk

an athletic sports stadium, as
we are encouraged to run the
race with perseverance.
The race seems less a sprint
and more a long distance
one, perhaps a steeplechase
with obstacles to clear at
intervals along the way.
At times we may need to
speed up and at others slow
down.
Along with those who
have gone before, we are
representing a country
and a kingdom that cannot
be shaken – which Jesus
refers to as the kingdom of
heaven, or kingdom of God,
in contrast to the kingdom
of this world. Nonetheless,
we must run the race on an
earthly track, as did those
who have gone before. So,
it is how we run the race
and what resources we draw
upon that will count. May
we then likewise, in the
days God has chosen for us
to live, ‘throw off everything
that hinders and the sin that
so easily entangles, and let us
run with perseverance the race
marked out for us’ And ‘Let us
fix our eyes on Jesus the author
and perfector of our faith’
(Hebrews 12:1-2).
Israel Forum Conference Jerusalem
At a conference held in Jerusalem at the end
of February, the following six subjects were
covered by expert panels.
DEFENCE: The Iranian nuclear threat is high on the agenda.
Iran requires three elements: (1) Material – uranium enrichment
presently running around 60 percent, but briefly rose to around
85 percent, close to the required level of 90 percent; (2) Warhead
– essentially a ‘treadmill’ exercise estimated at 18 to 24 months
for completion; (3) Missile – already tested. What are Israel’s
options? There are no good options. Economic sanctions are
entering the red zone for diplomacy but may give more time
to plan. A military strike requires more in-flight refuelling
aircraft. Israelis don’t want to act alone and feel the need for US
involvement. They also desire a greater international consensus.
There is some progress on this due to the war in Ukraine and the
growing axis of Iran and China with Russia, and hence scope for
an alliance of moderate European states with the USA and UK
alongside increasing middle eastern support.
DISCREDIT: Recent anti-Israel campaigns from companies
such as Booking.com, Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream were thwarted
by legal means. The long-term campaign to discredit Israel
was kicked-off by the notoriously erroneous declaration at
the Durban conference in South Africa which falsely equated
Zionism with racism. This was later rescinded, but the
campaign continues, seeking to deny space or place for Israel
academically, culturally and economically. This is high on
Israel’s list of strategic affairs.
DISTORT: There is a reassessment of the war on Jew hatred
and its effectiveness. Despite immense effort to stem the flow,
it continues to grow steadily and irrationally, even in western
countries. Increasingly widespread Holocaust memorial events
and monuments fail to influence campaigns against Israel,
which are increasingly obvious and merging into Jew hatred.
DEVELOP: Israel has progressed from its reputation for Jaffa
oranges to a new national identity as a startup nation with its
climate and ecosystem of innovation. Since the mid-eighties
when fledgling fibre-optics were being developed and there was
zero venture capital available, Israel has become the leading
venture capital funder worldwide. A recent gathering in Israel saw
over eighty countries represented by 9,000 delegates covering
subjects from quantum computing to space, food and health
technology. Fifty four percent of Israel’s exports now come from
the technology industry.
DIPLOMACY: Prior to the Abraham Accords some 200 Israeli
businesses were already operating behind the scenes in the
Gulf countries. Following their announcement, the growth of
connections has continued exponentially, along with warmth in
relations, running alongside mutual curiosity exemplified in the
growth of Gulf tourism that led to the opening up of airspace
over Saudi Arabia. The momentum has encouraged a warming in
relations with long-term peaceable neighbours who don’t want to
be left out or behind.
DIASPORA: Presently challenged by the proposed laws for judicial
reform. News from Israel increasingly has a direct impact on
Jewish relations in the diaspora. There is a need for a better flow
of accurate information – getting it out quickly. There is continued
concern at outbursts and underlying anti-Semitism, particularly
amongst students on campus and on the fringes of political parties.
Jonathan Medved CEO of OurCrowd being interviewed at the Forum
@christianfriendsofisrael_uk
2 nd Quarter 2023 • ENHANCE 3

Charity Feature
Innovation: Africa
Bringing Israeli technologies to the poor
Sivan Ya’ari founder and CEO
An individual-inspired Israeli
charity, Innovation: Africa,
is a non-profit organisation
that brings Israeli solar, water and
agricultural technologies to rural
African villages.
Since 2008, using solar and water
technologies, Innovation: Africa has
provided access to clean water and
light to more than 4 million people
for the first time. They have done this
across ten African countries: Tanzania,
Malawi, Democratic Republic of the
Congo, Senegal, Ethiopia, Zambia,
Eswatini, South Africa, Uganda, and
Cameroon.
The charity has now completed
over 700 solar and water projects,
transforming the lives of some of the
poorest communities in the world.
With some 54 countries in Africa,
which is twice the size of the United
States, it seems to be left behind and
forgotten. Around 620 million Africans
lack access to electricity – many have
never seen a lightbulb.
The main challenge for them is the lack
of energy. Because of it the people
are still suffering with no electricity in
medical centres and no electricity in
schools. But most importantly, because
there is no energy, there is no access to
clean water. And yet the Sun exists, the
water exists, and it is possible to make a
change with just a few solar panels.
Once Innovation: Africa bring clean
water to a village, everything changes.
Children now go to school, where
there is better education, and fewer
people are sick. But what inspires
the charity the most is that, when
they go back to a village, they see
agriculture, brickmaking, and economic
independence. Energy is key to
breaking the cycle of poverty.
Innovation: Africa raises funds through
a variety of schemes. They give the
opportunity to adopt a village. They
have a long list of schools, orphanages,
medical centres and villages that are
waiting for their help to gain access to
clean water and light.
They encourage those who are not
yet able to raise sufficient funds to
transform an entire village, to start their
own campaign in the confidence that
100 percent of any amount raised will
go toward villages in need.
www.innoafrica.org
4 ENHANCE • 2 nd Quarter 2023

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
Faith in
Action
אֱ‏ מּונָה
Emunah
“For the word of the Lord is upright, and all his work is done in Emunah.” (Psalm 33:4)
According to the Disney princesses, if
I believe in something… or desire it
strongly enough… or wish upon a star,
then it will come true. But is that how faith
works in real life?
The Hebrew word for faith is אֱ‏ מּונָה Emunah, which
does not merely mean ‘a belief in anything’ or ‘a
mental assent to a certain set of ideas’, as the word
‘faith’ is so often used in English. No, this biblical
word emunah speaks of something much more stable,
beautiful and stronger.
Emunah can be translated as ‘faith, faithfulness,
truth, fidelity, steadfastness, steadiness, firmness or
stability.’
Emunah is trust due to proven actions which affirm
the reliability of the trust. Emunah is not faith or
belief alone, it is faith ‘completed’ or ‘demonstrated’
by works. So according to this biblical definition
of emunah, our actions demonstrate our
beliefs (see Hebrews 11 and James 2).
Others in this family of Hebrew words,
which share the same root letters and are
interconnected topically, include:
’Emet אֱ‏ – מֶ‏ ת a truth.
’Amen אָ‏ – מֵ‏ ן so be it (an affirmation of truth).
’Aman אֲ‏ – מַ‏ ן to be faithful and trustworthy.
’Aman אָ‏ – מַ‏ ן to believe, doorposts/pillars, endure,
establish, faithful, firm, fulfilled, guardians, has
assurance, have faith, lasting, nurse, foster parent, to
put your trust, reliable, verified.
Do your actions line up with what you claim are your
beliefs? If someone took an honest look at your daily
schedule or your bank activity, would the way you
spend your time and your money align with what you
say is most important to you?
In English and in our modern way of thinking, we
can separate the ideas of ‘faith’ and ‘being faithful’ –
but in Hebrew these two ideas are one and the same,
encapsulated in the word emunah. This begs the
question:
“Are you really a person of faith if you are not a
faithful person?”
Are you faithful to God, your marriage, your family,
the roles and responsibilities God has given you?
All of these words around emunah represent the
concept of something or someone that can be
trusted because of doing things that prove they are
trustworthy. And what an accurate description of the
Great is your
faithfulness
character and nature of God! He is the only one who
is always faithful, true, steady and trustworthy,
And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand of the Lord
displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord
and put their aman (trust/faith) in him and in Moses his
servant (Exodus 14:31).
Emunah means so much more than our western idea of
‘faith’. For example, we can see the literal meaning of
‘steadiness’ in the following passage,
But Moses’ hands were heavy. Then they took a stone and
put it under him, and he sat on it; and Aaron and Hur
supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other.
Thus his hands were emumah (steady) until the sun set
(Exodus 17:12).
Biblical emunah is a stable thing – related to the word
for pillar or support – and always based on reliable
truth, as it is so closely related to the word ‘emet’.
Therefore, if something is ‘amen-ed’ it is something
that can be affirmed in reality, and not a random or
baseless belief.
The Hebrew word for ‘foster parent’,
‘oman’, is also closely related to emunah
and found in Isaiah 49:23. As foster
carers, my husband and I had new
opportunities to put emunah into action.
We sought to be obedient to God’s voice and trust
his character as we took emergency phone calls from
social workers – sometimes late at night – asking if we
would take new placements.
Even now it sounds daunting to me the things we’ve
said “yes” to welcoming into our home through
foster care—a fragile newborn with severe medical
conditions, sibling groups with diverse needs, babies
withdrawing from drug exposure in utero, parents
in prison or dealing drugs, teenagers with recent
overdose attempts, etc. Each time we had to choose
to believe God would faithfully guide us to say either
‘yes’ or ‘no’ to the requests in faith.
True emunah is to believe in the steadfast truth of God,
and then be faithful, reliable, firmly holding onto that
truth and acting on it, as led and empowered by the
Holy Spirit. The focus is on the Lord, his reliability
and steadiness.
Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for
his compassions never fail. They are new every morning;
great is your Emunah (Lamentations 3:22-23).
Contact Melissa to learn Hebrew at: www.explorehebrew.co.uk
To learn more about what “Emunah” looks like outworked, check
out the charity serving Israel’s orphans and most vulnerable
children at: www.emunahisrael.org
2 nd Quarter 2023 • ENHANCE 5

Special Report
CFI UK PRAYER
CONFERENCE
Tuesday 21 st – Thursday 23 rd March
By Julia Soakell
Praise the Lord, the God of Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.
Let all the people say “Amen”,
Praise the Lord.
(Psalm 106:48)
The theme of this year’s CFI Annual Prayer
Conference was Everlasting to Everlasting. In
‏.(אֵ‏ ל עֹולָ‏ ‏ֽם)‏ Hebrew the Everlasting God is El Olam
The word ‘olam’ occurs more than 400 times in the Hebrew
scriptures and is often translated eternal, forever, lasting, ever
and ancient. Drawing aside from the chaotic days we are living
in, we felt blessed to pray and spend time with the Lord when
so much in the world seems changeable and shaken.
More than fifty supporters gathered at Kings Park Conference
Centre in Northampton in mid-March, keen to pray for Israel,
her people and for CFI. Many felt as they left, that the time
was well spent in being rather than doing, and allowing the
Lord to prepare and strengthen them for the seasons ahead.
One of the CFI Jerusalem staff always ends her emails with,
“Before we can do what God wants us to do, we must first
be who God wants us to be – being always precedes doing”
David and I were blessed to host the group, many of whom
hadn’t been to a residential prayer conference before, and
with a higher proportion of men than in previous prayer
conferences. In our preparations we felt it would be vital to
‘hold lightly’ the sessions and their focus, allowing the Holy
Spirit to lead us into the Lord’s focus and priorities.
A good amount of time was spent in worship, especially in
the first session. Prayer topics included our post-Christian
nation and the church in the UK, as well as our leaders and
government, asking the Lord in grace and mercy to lead our
nation to become a greater blessing to the land and people
of Israel. We also prayed about Aliyah and its counterpart
Yeridah – the phenomenon of Jewish people leaving Israel to
return to their previous countries and lives. That happens for
various reasons, but economic factors are a current concern.
CFI Jerusalem projects were considered and thanks offered for
breakthroughs where new visas and staff recruitment have
drawn seven new project coordinators into their roles.
Praying for the younger generations was a major focus,
appealing for them to better understand Israel as they become
pastors, teachers, politicians and intercessors in the years to
come. We included those generations in Israel itself, and also
in the Arab Palestinian areas where hatred is promoted in the
education system. These children and their parents can ask
God to intervene and bring about supernatural change and
restoration for all. The young people of the region have known
tensions and traumas in life, with high levels of hatred and
media bias against the Jewish people.
We also considered that the Bible mentions there will be an
accumulation of knowledge in later times. As the late Derek
Prince once said,
“Cleverness and education are no substitute for the
moral foundation and understanding which are the fear
of the Lord and obedience to his precepts.”
David Soakell and Jonathan Holbrook led morning
meditations based around scriptures about the everlasting
God and living in his presence. David led a session on
‘Comfort and keep comforting’ (see Isaiah 40:1), sharing
personally on the difficulty of standing with Israel in
connection with CFI’s ‘Forsake Them Not’ project. We also
heard from Jacob Vince, our Chief Executive, about attending
the Global Coalition for Israel Conference and hearing of
some surprising nations that now work closely with Israel.
And he shed light on praying for the UK church about pivotal
issues raised lately in the Church of England’s General Synod.
Looking back on the theme and on our time together we
give thanks to the everlasting God we serve and in whom
we can put our trust, even when we see the nations shake
and tremble. We can be confident in him. He is powerful
and productive in all he does, producing fruit in his perfect
6 ENHANCE • 2 nd Quarter 2023
@christianfriendsofisrael_uk

Psalms 90:2; 106:48
Conference Feedback
“All the glory went to the Lord. We
were led step by step with our loving
Shepherd. His heart was manifest.
Unity was powerful. Praise the Lord!”
“God revealed he is more glorious
– more awesome – and I believe this
time was so important too”
“The truth is God can move
mountains, he doesn’t need us – but
entirely overwhelmed he wants us.
Beautiful conference, good spiritual
food and time set aside a blessing to
see God’s hand at work and answers
to prayer and motivating to see the
work still to be done.”
Julia Soakell
Prayer Encouragement Philip Aitchison
Liaison Support Jacob Vince
Chief Executive Jonathan Holbrook
Trustee
timing, sowing seeds for times to come. He is impervious
to distractions and the plans of the enemy, and always
victorious. God and his purposes thrive in times of crisis, and
he is able to bring good even when the enemy acts to harm.
“We aren’t adrift in chaos. We are held in the
everlasting arms” Elisabeth Elliot
Finally, we focused on CFI UK, praying for our staff, trustees
and volunteers. This is key and by bringing these roles to
mind we could help further prayer in the future. David Greer,
chairman of our Trustees, shared his heart for CFI UK in the
current climate and the difficult days the ministry has faced
recently, as well as breakthroughs in God’s provision since.
David Greer
Trustee
“Excellent conference - a balanced
mix, with worship, meditation,
teaching and prayer, plus time for
fellowship.”
“Thank you - Everything was put
together with prayer and it showed.
It’s been so good to come apart and
devote this time to the things that
need prayers.”
“I feel it was strategic spiritually
to focus in and on the awesomeness
of God.”
In our hearts we really felt our time together was an essential
way of supporting Israel strategically. We acknowledged the
difficulty of continuing to stand for the whole word of God
in a secular nation where Christianity is still the foundation
despite the huge decline in the value placed on our Judeo
Christian heritage. But in praying together with like-minded
people, many felt stronger, more focused and returned home
determined to continue to pray about key issues and share
sensitively with others the needs we covered.
The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the
everlasting arms (Deuteronomy 33:27)
twitter.com/cfi_uk
facebook.com/cfiuk
youtube.com/cfiuk
2 nd Quarter 2023 • ENHANCE 7

Feature
The Coronation of
King Charles III
The 6 th May 2023 will mark the historic
Coronation of King Charles III and of his
wife, Camilla, as Queen.
We give thanks for the life and Christian service
of the late Queen Elizabeth II for whom many
Christians prayed over the 70 years of her reign.
Her values were clear for all to see - Christian
leadership, family and a personal walk with
God, a true woman of the Bible and of prayer.
The Coronation is centred around a solemn religious
ceremony and has remained largely unchanged for more
than 1,000 years. For the last 900 years it has taken place
at Westminster Abbey, London, and is conducted by the
Archbishop of Canterbury. The Coronation in 2023 will
differ from others to reflect modern times with ‘Coronation
Big Lunches’ around the UK and Commonwealth, a
spectacular ‘Coronation Concert’ at Windsor Castle with
laser and drone displays, followed by an extra bank holiday
on 8 th May.
The Chrism oil which will be used to anoint the King
has been consecrated in Jerusalem. It was created
using olives harvested from two groves on the Mount
of Olives, at the Monastery of Mary Magdalene and
the Monastery of the Ascension. The Monastery
of Mary Magdalene is the burial place of King
Charles’ grandmother, Princess Alice of Greece.
The olives were pressed just outside Bethlehem
and the oil has been perfumed with essential oils
– sesame, rose, jasmine, cinnamon, neroli, benzoin
and amber – as well as orange blossom. This
oil is based on that used for the Coronation of
Queen Elizabeth II – a formula used for hundreds
of years. It will also be used for the anointing of
Camilla as Queen.
The Archbishop of Canterbury said, “Since beginning the
planning for the Coronation, my desire has been for a new
Coronation Oil to be produced using olive oil from the
Mount of Olives. This demonstrates the deep historic link
between the Coronation, the Bible and the Holy Land. From
ancient kings through to the present day, monarchs have
been anointed with oil from this sacred place. As we prepare
to anoint the King and his Queen, I pray that they would be
guided and strengthened by the Holy Spirit.”
In his first Christmas speech as King, Charles quoted the
much-loved carol ‘O little town of Bethlehem’ and referred
tenderly to his mother and her faith in God and in people.
He spoke of his trip to Israel in January 2020 where he had
met the then Israeli President
Reuven Rivlin at his official
residence in Jerusalem. He
saw a model of the Second
Temple of Jerusalem in the
Israel Museum and the Dead
Sea Scrolls in the Shrine of the
Book Museum.
Later he attended the World
Holocaust Forum at Yad
Vashem and made a speech
saying, “The Holocaust must never be allowed to become
simply a fact of history. We must never cease to be
appalled, nor moved by the testimony of those who lived
through it. Their experience must always educate, and
guide, and warn us.”
On his second day in the Holy Land he visited the Mosque
of Omar, the only mosque in the Old City of Bethlehem,
heard about its history and signed the visitors’ book.
He then visited the Church of the Nativity for an
ecumenical service and later travelled to see the tomb
of his grandmother, Princess Alice, at the Church of
St Mary Magdalene on the Mount of Olives, near the
Garden of Gethsemane.
In his first New Year Honours List, King Charles
knighted Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis in recognition
of his services to the Jewish community, interfaith
relations and education. It was one of the most
extensive lists of honours for Jewish community
leaders, Holocaust survivors and philanthropists in
memory.
Sir Ephraim told the Jewish News: “I am enormously
honoured and deeply humbled by this award. It will be
particularly moving for me to receive this award from His
Majesty the King in his first year as our monarch.”
We pray for the power of God’s love to strengthen all
family relationships in the House of Windsor; in particular
for reconciliation, humility, greater understanding
and communication between them and for forgiveness
where needed. As our nation continues to face economic
downturn and civil unease, within a world often rife with
conflict, we pray for God’s will to be fulfilled in members of
the Royal Family, that they will stand up as people of strong
Christian faith and serve our nation well, following in the
legacy of the late Queen.
8 ENHANCE • 2 nd Quarter 2023

Feature
Hidden Treasures
Back to bagels
Traditional Jewish Kracover Polish bagels
The bagel’s known history goes back at least six
centuries. While we know them in 21 st century UK,
the bagel’s appearance probably began in Poland. In
her excellent book, ‘The Bagel: the Surprising History of a
Modest Bread,’ Maria Balinska shares some theories of its
origin.
Balinska first suggests the possibility that they
travelled East to Poland from Germany as part
of a migration flow during the 14 th century.
At the time ‘pretzels’, the thick bread of
the German variety, moved out of their
original home in monasteries to become
readily available feast-day bread. German
immigrants, brought to Poland to help
build the economy, brought the ‘pretzels’
with them. In Poland, so the theory goes, the
German breads morphed into a round roll with a
hole in the middle that became known in Poland as an
‘obwarzanek’ which means to ‘boil’ in Polish. Written records
of them appear as early as the 14 th century.
They gained notoriety when Queen Jadwiga, known for her
charity and piety, opted to eat obwarzanek during Lent, in
lieu of the more richly flavoured breads and pastries she
enjoyed the rest of the year. While that might seem like quite
a step in the context of Marie Antoinette’s later comment
“let them eat cake”, note that, although Queen Jadwiga was
apparently pretty down-to-earth as queens go, obwarzanek
at that time wasn’t exactly the kind of inexpensive street
food that bagels became a few centuries later.
Lent, then as now, was a period during which devout
Christians consciously chose deprivation - but what
constitutes ‘deprivation’ is relative. What the queen chose
for her daily bread was rather costly at the time, because
wheat was not cheap. Most Poles in her day could barely
afford the cheaper, coarser breads made from rye flour.
So, obwarzanek was primarily the province of princes, nobles,
and men and women of means, not the poor.
A second theory dates the first bagels to the late 17 th century
in Austria, saying that they were invented in 1683 by a
Viennese baker trying to pay tribute to the King of Poland,
Jan Sobieski. The king had led Austria and Poland in repelling
invading Turkish armies. Given that the king was famous for
his love of horses, the baker decided to shape his dough into
a circle that looked like a stirrup – or ‘beugel’ in German.
Bagels and the fight against bias
A third theory suggests that, as Jewish food, the bagel really
came of age during the era of Polish history known as the
“Nobles’ Democracy.” While intolerance and conflict reigned
elsewhere, Poland was probably the preeminent country
for tolerance, acceptance, education, and understanding.
Unlike almost every other country in Europe, Poles identified
themselves as citizens of their country rather than of any
divisive framework based on religious, ethnic, or
linguistic origins. This mindset created the
environment where Jews were first allowed
the opportunity to bake and sell bread – of
which bagels were an integral part.
The shift started to take place in the
late 13 th century. Balinska refers to the
breakthrough ruling by Polish Prince
Boleslaw the Pious in 1264 that said, “Jews
may freely buy and sell and touch bread like
Christians.” To quote Balinska, “This was a
radical step, so radical that (in reaction) in 1267
a group of Polish bishops forbade Christians to buy
any foodstuffs from Jews, darkly hinting that they contained
poison for the unsuspecting gentile.” At some point, the
theory goes, Jews were allowed to work with bread that was
boiled, and they created the bagel to comply with this ruling.
2 nd Quarter 2023 • ENHANCE 9

News Feature
Robin Lane
Political Crisis
in Israel
In the previous edition of ENHANCE we wrote
about the new Israeli government’s controversial
start to its time in power and expected ‘much more
controversy’ to follow. That expectation was exceeded
when Israel ran into a full-blown political crisis in the
last week of March.
Early differences with the Supreme Court were
highlighted late in January when Benjamin Netanyahu
was forced to dismiss Aryeh Deri as Interior minister
and Health minister because the court ruled those
appointments violated the legal principle of estoppel –
Deri had gone back on his word to the court in a hearing
one year before.
Growing protests
Much of the news then focused upon increasing conflict
with Palestinian terrorists, as Israel’s security forces
continued their operation ‘Break the Wave’. However,
a protest movement on the streets of Israel was growing
steadily, opposed to the government’s plans to reduce the
power of the Supreme Court.
On 21 st February, the Times of Israel’s editor, David
Horovitz, described the government’s plans as almost
completely neutering the court’s capacity to oppose new
laws – no matter how outrageous – and enabling the
government to easily override any court decision to strike
down a law.
He explained the concern of many, that Israel has ‘no
other brakes on abuse by the political leadership’ – no
constitution, no bill of rights, no second parliamentary
chamber, and no capacity in the Knesset to resist
legislation advanced by a majority government, even if
that majority is only one.’
Days of disruption
By the beginning of March, the protests had grown from
large-scale marches and setting up ad-hoc roadblocks
into plans for a national ‘day of disruption’. The tensions
in Israeli society even showed in Knesset committee
meetings, where members shouted at each other so loudly
that some had to be forcefully removed.
In contrast to almost daily security raids against terrorists
in towns like Jenin and Nablus – many of which led to
violence and gunfights – the political protests on the
streets of Israel were largely peaceful. Yet the government
was so confrontational that some Israelis started voicing
concerns that the dispute could lead to civil war.
Part of the dispute focused on proposed laws that directly
benefitted Benjamin Netanyahu and Aryeh Deri, as well
as other proposals that suited the ultra-orthodox parties in
the governing coalition. For a few days there was much
international concern over a proposal to ban Christians
from evangelising in Israel. But that proposal was quickly
withdrawn.
Protest - Tel Aviv, 28 January 2023 Photo: Oren Rozen
Impact upon the military
Nevertheless, some military reservists were so worried
about the reforms they withdrew from training days
and threatened to resign. With Israel’s enemies in Iran,
Syria, Lebanon and Gaza issuing more threats, that was a
significant problem for the new government. After days
of trying privately to persuade Benjamin Netanyahu to
slow the reforms down, Yoav Gallant, the Minister for
Defence, made a public appeal for a delay on Saturday 25 th
March.
The crisis erupts
That prompted Netanyahu to fire Gallant from his
ministerial post through a statement on Twitter at
around 10pm on the Sunday. This prompted massive
spontaneous street protests which lasted through until
4am on Monday 27 th March.
Those protests snowballed into a general strike that
closed Ben Gurion airport, shopping centres, banks,
local councils and some schools. Much of the country
ground to a halt and Netanyahu promised to speak to
the nation in the morning. However, there followed a
series of postponements before he finally made the public
announcement of a delay in the judicial reforms late that
evening. He was put under pressure by Itamar Ben Gvir
not to delay the new laws; but quoted Solomon’s biblical
wisdom in not cutting the baby in two.
A way forward
Israel’s president, Isaac Herzog immediately urged the
leaders to get on with negotiations straight away, and the
first meeting took place at his home the following evening.
However, increasing tension between the USA and Israel
also emerged. On that same day, Joe Biden told reporters
he hoped Netanyahu would “walk away” from his
current judicial overhaul legislation, saying he was “very
concerned” about the health of Israeli democracy, and that
“They cannot continue down this road. And I’ve sort of
made that clear.”
Netanyahu reacted strongly, confirming that “Israel is an
independent country that makes its decisions according to
the will of its citizens and not based on external pressures,
including from our best friends.”
There quickly followed a series of public statements
designed to play down that argument. But there is little
evidence emerging from the negotiations within Israel
as to the chances of reaching a suitable compromise
regarding the power of the Supreme Court. However,
Netanyahu did reinstate Gallant as Defence Minister on
Monday 10 th April.
10 ENHANCE • 2 nd Quarter 2023

Event Report
From Monday 10 th to Friday14 th April Christian Friends of Israel UK
exhibited for their first time at Spring Harvest Christian Festival held at
Minehead, Somerset. The stall was attended by chief executive Jacob
Vince, administration assistant Chantal Paskins and designer Steve Turnham.
Despite blustery storm Noa, with 60 mile an hour winds, thousands attending
were able to enjoy the features on offer inside the Butlins Minehead venue.
At the centre of the Skyline building were the exhibitors, including the CFI UK
Resources Stall with books, pamphlets, booklets, DVDs and music CDs, alongside
free literature including our recently renamed ENHANCE magazine, which proved
very popular.
Our request for a corner stall was arranged by the organising team who were very
accommodating. We were pleased to find an Israel tour company next to our
stall. A whole new cross-section of Christians and the wider church showed great
interest in developing their understanding of Israel in the context of the Bible,
history and today, with many new enquirers signing up to receive our regular
communications, particularly the quarterly ENHANCE magazine.
We also had good engagement with other stall holders including the Release
charity for persecuted Christians, and students from Moorlands College, where
Chris Sinkinson lectures (he was one of last year’s CFI UK annual conference
speakers). We managed to attend a few teaching sessions at Spring Harvest
including a speaker from the Bible Society presenting an overview of Paul’s letter
to the churches at Rome, with questions following. All in all, it was a thoroughly
good start to the exhibition and festival season, with the Lord granting us
travelling mercies, timely conversations and fellowship.
Spring Harvest 2023
A taste of Passover 2023
L
iaison support Philip Aitchison had good feedback from his ‘A Taste
of Passover’ evening event on Tuesday 4 th April in the Scottish Borders
and David and Julia Soakell held a Passover teaching at Spalding on
Wednesday 5 th which was very well received. There was a wide range
of generations present and they had good feedback. They were able to
distribute CFI UK literature to many who hadn’t heard of the ministry and
also give the ‘Festival of Freedom’ leaflet to all who attended.
Jacob led a Passover evening in Basingstoke on Thursday 6 th April, at
which the Mayor and Mayoress were present. His talk touched on many
unknown aspects for those attending and was much appreciated.
On Good Friday morning, Jacob was also able to share on Jesus at Passover,
at Suncoast church Eastbourne, with active involvement of the kids church.
2 nd Quarter 2023 • ENHANCE 11

Resources www.cfi.org.uk/shop.php
YOU ARE HOLY
JOSHUA AARON
Joshua Aaron’s debut album,
‘You Are Holy’, features his
most timeless and classic songs,
including the singles Hoshiana
and Gadol Elohai.
MC59 // 12 Tracks // £11.50
(incl. UK p&p)
For resources call: 01323 410 810
Postal savings on multiple items
MAGNETIC RELIEF MAP OF ISRAEL
This educational souvenir from the land of Israel
features modern day cities and nature reserves,
biblical tourist attractions such as Tel Dan, Tel
Megiddo, Caesarea, Shiloh, Qumran and Masada.
Size: 8.5 x 4 inches (21 x 10 cm) Magnetic.
Scale: 1 inch = 37 miles.
MA2 // £4.50 (incl. UK p&p)
THE LIFE OF SAMSON – (Glossy fold-out pamphlet) ROSE PUBLISHING
Samson was a supernaturally strong man chosen by God to free the nation of Israel. A hero of the Old
Testament, he was also plagued by personal failures and weaknesses that led to his demise. This fullyillustrated
7 panel pamphlet gives great insight into the cultural background and history of the time of
Samson, helping to understand his story, what the Nazarite vow was, the conflict with the Philistines and
much more.
BT129 // 7 Panel double-sided // £5.00 (incl. UK p&p)
ASPIRATION, INSPIRATION, PERSPIRATION – SHLOMO MAITAL & RAFI NAVE
How Technion Faculty and Graduates fuse creativity with technology to change the world.
More than 100,000 Technion graduates over the years, and thousands of faculty members, past and present, have
changed the world through effective creativity. This book tells the stories of 100 of them, and their innovations, in their
own words. We focus here on technology-intensive and science-based innovation. Many of the innovations described
are in use in our daily lives, often without the beneficiaries being aware of their Technion origin.
B535 // 397 Pages // £12.00 (incl. UK p&p)
EQUIP – Your Personal Journey to the Kingdom – PETER TSUKAHIRA
“And he gave some as apostles, and some as prophets and some as evangelists and some as pastors and teachers, for
the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 12:28)
Take up the challenge of discipleship! This book is a series of 52 short teachings meant to equip men and women as
disciples of God’s kingdom in our day. The teachings may be read one by one, or as a series of weekly studies for a single
year. Each teaching is accompanied by several questions for reflection or discussion and a point of prayer.
B534 // 400 Pages // £17.00 (incl. UK p&p)
UK Events
CFI UK will exhibit
at the following live
events in 2023
Fochabers Village
Aberdeenshire,
Scotland, IV32 7PQ
26-30 July & 1-5 August 2023
Kent Event Centre, Maidstone, Kent
CRE Midlands 8 – 9 November 2023
Cranmore Park, Solihull
Contact: CFI Communications, PO Box 2687, Eastbourne, BN22 7LZ
Tel: 01323 410810 Email: info@cfi.org.uk YouTube: www.youtube.com/CFIUK Web: www.cfi.org.uk
@christianfriendsofisrael_uk
twitter.com/cfi_uk
facebook.com/cfiuk
youtube.com/cfiuk